¤Episode 54.
I stood there scratching my hair roughly with my fingers and my mind completely filled with so
many thoughts .what am I going to do?,if I don’t play this match I have a feeling that it is going to be very rough for them.the driver is not even helping any matter on board not that am expecting
him to tell me what I should do before cos according to chief Desmond the choice is mine and the
ball is in my coat but at least he should have a little idea on the kind of choice I should make
considering the fact that he is more advance in age than me if not thrice my age.
“take me to the School”.i sounded with a bit commanding tune completely frustrated and worn out.
“the school?,sir don’t you think it is a bit risky?.he said for the first time after the overtaking and I
force out a smile.
“yeah I know am not playing I just want to go and tell them that I won’t be able to follow them”.i
elucidated and he nodded in affirmative.nomally,i usually bashed on him for adding some respects
to my name considering the fact that he is old enough to have a son of my age but with the kind of
mess I am in now,there is no time for that we are talking about my mom’s life here.
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I saw Isabella at the gate the moment I came down from the car,it is obvious she was waiting for
me considering the speed she ran and hug me when she saw me.
“what happen to you?”.she asked after dessengaging the hug.
“bella,i don’t think I can participate in this final match”.
“ofcourse you will and you must”.
“my mom life is in danger,i was warned on my way not too……”.
“by Chief Desmond right? “.She asked cutting my words short and I became surprised.
“how did you know?”.
“driver,get me the car key”.she motioned to my driver without replying my question and the driver
did as commanded.
“do you know how to drive?”.i ask again filled with a worried expression.
“look, calm your nerves down.do you trust me?”.she asked.
“yes,with my life,i trust you more than my self”.
“then go to the school and get prepared for the ride to the Airport, nothing will happen to your
mom”.she added with so much confident and she enter the car before I could gather my boldness
together to ask what she meant by all her words which seem like puzzles to me and right there in
my presence she drove out of the vicinity alone in the car and I was left with no other option than
to do as she said.
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Students were just gathering in the Assembly which I think was summon by the principal when I
entered the school and I went straight to my line a little bit calm and I don’t just seem to know why,
maybe because I saw Isabella but what is seeing Isabella gat to do with my mom life?.
“where have you been since?”.someone motioned to me and I look at the direction to see Vincent
staring at me.
“I was doing something at home”.i muttered which he smiled to. The urge to tell him what happen
to me was very high but I succeeded in shifting it to a deep part of me with the conclusion that I
should wait for isabella first,i don’t know why but I kinda have some faith on isabella,a faith which i
don’t know where it came From or is it part of love too?.
The principal later climbed the podium projected for announcement and I knew at that point that it is time for the final manifesto.
“great prestigious students!!”.he exclaimed aloud.
“Great!!”we echoed in a unique voice at the same time.
“Great! Great!! Great!!! Prestigious students!.
“Great!!”.
“we finally made it to owerri”.
“yes o”.
“today is the Final match,the day we have work so much to reach,the place 32 School’s strive to
reach but only two get to reach. We are playing with glorious land academy a School that as put
fear in many people’s mind at the mention of their name but I want to assure you all that they are
humans like us there is no reason to be scared of them. The same determination and focus that
get them there is the same we are using to meet them, they are good but they lack one thing
which we always have.we are prestigious and they are not”.the principal said and we all shouted
and applause for what we are,who we still are and will always be.
“unlike the other various matches we had played this one is going to be different we are playing it
in a Stadium,Dan Anyiam Stadium as we all know. Don’t let the length and width of the stadium to
confuse you a field is a field for prestigious dragons of IMO state,we are going to owerri with just
one rule,it is either we win or we draw or we die there for the Love of the street…..!!”he concluded
exclaiming the last word aloud and the whole lines scattered as students shout on the top of their
voice in echoes of various tunes and I accepted the fact that students crises is the worst thing that
should befall a School seeing the way they are shouting all around happily now,what will now
happen if it is a school crises where every students from different home and different home
training are free to display their madness?.
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I sighted Isabella at the gate coming into the school compoand when were where getting ready to
leave for the airport as we were fully prepared putting on our governor’s cup vest,soccer and
shinguard and I quickly ran to meet up with her.
“I can see you are fully prepared already that is good”.she said amidst smile.
“but my mom, am scared”.
“I thought you said you trusted me?”.
“yes but am……”.
“shiiiiiii,dont be scared and no but.nothing will happen and beside that,I have a surprise for
you”.she said melting my heart with her sweet voice.
“ok,what is that?”.i asked.
“no need to rush,you will see it when you get to owerri now let’s go to the Airport”.she said and I
obliged as other students selected and those that can afford a flight on their own started going out
of the School compound and we join them including some staffs in the school but that does not
stop me from being curious wondering the surprise Isabella is talking about.
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The match is to start by 12noon prompt and we got to Dan Anyiam Stadium by 11:14 am a little bit
late for some proper introduction as our opponents were already there waiting for us. You won’t believe adaeze prestigious kings throne was actually brought to the field too by air as two boys
were seen taking it out of the car to a place where she will seat and have a clear view of the
match,lolz that girl is enjoying sha.
“wisdom!!”.i heard Isabella sweet voice from behind and I turned back to see a shocking view.
Heading toward where I stood with my teammate and staffs is my mom, Isabella dad,her mom and
Isabella herself.i quickly ran and hug my mom very tight as they both laugh so hard.
“I love you mom”.i said in a sober Voice.
“yeah I know you love me but why are you crying when you are suppose to be happy to see
us?”.she asked and I quickly cover up with a smile in order not to give them a spike clue to what
happened that morning.
“ofcourse mom am happy, very happy”.i said and she giggle.
“but why didn’t you tell me that you will come?”.i added.
“because I wanted to surprise you which I have done now”.she replied and I dessengaged from
her hugging Isabella parents one after the other and we all smile happily.
“what about me,wont you hug me? “.Isabella retorted and I smile hugging her too.
“and us too,wont you hug us? “.i heard from my back only to turn back and see Vincent,anabel
and adaeze heading toward us and I went to hug them too together which Isabella joined too.
“friends for life”.we chorused and our parents laugh happily.
“now go to the field and show them how it is done”.my mom elucidated.
“if prestigious kings academy win this match the will give the five of you anything you want no
matter the cost”.Isabella dad retorted and we exhale deeply.
“ok sir, we Will”.i said reassuring him.
“wisdom”.Isabella called me back as we were going to the field and she hug me again.
“be careful”.she enunciated in a sober whisper in my ear and I smile.
“I will my sunshine”.i said in assurance dessengaging the hug and we head to the field joining my
other teammate in a straight line as the opponent were already line up in the field waiting for us in
the stadium that is totally filled with people to the blinks Including reporters,jouna
list from different newspaper, television and Radio stations. Now that my mom is close to me ,no
chief Desmond to disturb me then it is time to show them how it is done or so I thought. But come
to think of it, where did Isabella drove to when she said I should trust her?, well the goodnews is
my mom is here with me that is all I need to be calm.
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The match started few minutes later after we made the first pass and the lock horn begin. For
close to ten minutes they were fully more than us in ball possession as the two twins strikers were
using us to shine enjoying the cheers from the spectators.we were playing tightly from our own
sides too but I must say they are more than us as I and Vincent took it upon ourself to attack the
twins slowing down their pace and I must say they are really good,they read there mind far better
than us especially with their shadow marking and attack. The match is really against us but as fate
will have it Gabriel is doing what he know how to do best which is, acting as a rock of ages that will
always cleft for us. John one of our defenders played a goal kick straight my wing and I stopped it
making sure I do the best by avoiding their shadow marking as I dribbled a little bit, passed it to Matt who inturn long pass it to Vincent and Vincent fired a hot shot which I quickly played in an R2
tactics which was our first attempt on their goal keeper since the game start against there
numerous attempt which they fire on Gabriel as he stopped them all and guess what? Their
keeper made a dive right from the left pole to the right one and he caught the ball in his hand like a
piece of paper.
“gosh, this is not a child play”.i muttered on my breath as I remember the principal word, it is either
we win or we draw or we die there for the love of the street.the only way to hold this people down
is now that they are attacking more than us,what we have to do is to make our post impenetrable
to them by turning this match to defending game so the game can be a draw and it will end in
penalty.few minutes later,the referee blow his whistle for the half time as we all went out to meet
our principal and staffs who started lecturing us again with encouragement and they offer us
glocuse and more power boast fruits and drinks.
“sir please substitute John for tochukwu”.i bluntly muttered to our coach after some tactics speech
and encouragement from the principal.
“why?.the principal said tochukwu should be benched”.he replied.
“the best way to win this match is to defend and it will be good if tochukwu join us with his
midfielding skills”.
“ok, we will”.the principal replied.
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The second half started and this time tochukwu joined us after the principal remind us the only
accepted rule for the game which is to either win,draw or we die there.our main focus was to
defend our goal post with every paramount strength inside us which tochukwu and Matt were
doing with there full strength while I and Vincent try our best striking and defending too. Our new
game formation made the mid field strength to wallow off but no matter how they try they were
always unable to pass through our defenders not to talk of playing any ball to Gabriel which is very
good, he should save his strength for penalty if the game is to end in a draw which was our
plan.tochukwu kicked a ball heavily out from the goal post which Vincent supported with a direct
head bolt to the front where glorious land defenders were and I jumped up to head the ball to the
post only to be kicked down by a defender who was trying to stop me from heading the ball and I
landed on the floor with one of my kneel hitting the ground so hard and I end up breaking one of
my leg and I screamed so loud in pain as the fracture sound was loud enough for the people close
to me to hear.
“oh God,there is no hope in winning this trophy anymore”.a voice retorted giving up hope just like I
have already done in my heart.
“the rule said it is either we win or we draw or we die there does that mean am really going to die
here?”. I ask rhetorically in my mind filled with so much pains as loosing was never recorded in the
rules.
To be continue………….
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