Juju - Screams Thunder and Flames part 1

Screams, Thunder and Flames. David jolted up from the nightmare he was experiencing in sweat-soaked clothes. He had been having the same nightmare for a week now, but this last one was especially intense. Everything seemed so real to David. After relaxing back onto his bed, David picked up his phone from his bedside drawer to look at the time and immediately realized that he was very, very late for school and jumped out of bed. “Jesus,” he remarked as he rushed into his bathroom. Usually, he would’ve been woken up by Temi, his cousin, but for some reason she didn’t. David took a guess that it had to do with her and Darey (David’s cousin and Temi’s older brother) coming back late yesterday. After cleaning up and getting dressed, David grabbed his bag and rushed out of his room, making his way downstairs.The Olubunmi family all live under one roof, specifically a very large house in Badagry. Two elders, five adults, four teenagers, two children and one baby. Their family is well known for their contributions and positive involvement in their community. Other than that, not much is known about their family in general. David looked around the house in confusion as he only saw his grandfather, who was in the living room, while his caregiver, Adeola, was across in the kitchen preparing food. “Adeola, good morning. Do you know where everyone is?” David asked as Adeola stopped what she was doing to respond, looking at David with a raised eyebrow. “Your cousins and siblings have already gone to school, and the rest of your family, excluding your grandfather of course, have gone to Oyo,” Adeola replied, and it finally hit David. He’d been told multiple times about the trip his grandmother, parents, uncles and aunt were going to, but he’d seemingly forgotten, meaning he’d have to take the bus to school. “Thank you, Adeola,” David said before running out. “Don’t forget. Don’t stay out after dark,” Adeola shouted right before David left the house. He responded with a quick thumbs up. He knew the routine. “Especially not this evening!” David rushed off, entering a bus to get to school and, of course, he got there late and had to walk in awkwardly into class and sat down at his usual spot. “Omo, you dey late o,” Wale, David’s best friend, who was sitting right beside him. “You lucky sey na summer school be this.” “Tell me something I don’t know,” David relaxed into his seat. “Temi forgot to wake me up, plus I had that same nightmare again.” He looked across the room where Temi was already wording out the words sorry to him. “Ah, that one about screams, thunder and fire? Omo, shey no be premonition dream?” Wale replied. Just then the teacher hit his hand on the table and shot both of them a nasty look, making both shush up. For the moment. Time passes and around a free period a girl walks up to David while he’s chatting with Wale. David immediately recognised who it was, though he had never really interacted with her before. She was one of the top students in the class, not to mention the prettiest girl within their set, Angel. “David and Wale, how far na?” Angel gesturing to both of them as they looked at her with almost blank expressions. David decided to break the silence. “Oh we dey, we dey. Uhm, what’s up?” “Well, my brother is having a graduation party and I’m gonna be a partial host so I can invite other people,” Angel said before leaning a bit forward. “Would you like to come?” David’s brain halted for a second. He’d heard of the party from his sister, Bisola, and his cousin Darey, but knew the party really doesn’t start till after sunset.But before his brain could boot back up again— “Yes, we would love to go,” Wale responded, making David shoot him a glance. “No problem then. See you two there,” Angel said as she proceeded to walk out of the classroom. “Yo guy, I can’t go out past sunset,” David exclaimed. “Guy fashi that one. You no see how she dey look you?” Wale nudged David. “You think so?” David’s demeanour changed at the possibility, making Wale laugh. “See as you change your mind when dem mention babe.” David thought about it all through the remainder of school, even till when he got home. Should he really risk it? “Ewure,” Darey called out, making David come back from his thoughts. “Good you know your name.” David hissed and tried to walk off. “Wetin you dey think about so deeply about?” Darey asked. “No concern you,” David said, going into his room. “Ewure” Darey says as he goes to prepare for the party. David eventually decides to go and sneaks out after Darey and Bisola had left. The sun was setting. David knew he should be wary. He’d been warned his whole life never to stay out late and to always be home by sunset. But Angel had invited him to a party at her house. “I can’t refuse.” As that final thought ran through his head on the bike to Angel’s house, the sun finally went under the horizon. With a sudden chill down his spine he knew there was no going back. David and Wale arrived at Angel’s house. They knew exactly where they were headed by the time they turned into her street, where you could already hear the music being played and cars filling the sidewalk. The compound of the house was already filled with people dancing and having the time of their lives. Most of them had just graduated. Angel was waiting at the front gate, which surprised David, but Wale had a knowing face. “Ah Angel, why are you outside? Aren’t you the host?” David said as Angel grabbed onto his hand. “You this boy sef, I was waiting for you na,” Angel replied, giggling a bit. “Oya, let’s go inside.” David, completely flabbergasted, looked back at Wale, who was already seeming to go off on his own, giving David a thumbs up. Angel guided him through the crowd of people into the house. The music was loud and the flashing LED lights were changing almost every second. The smell of drinks mixed with B.O filled the air. The night was an absolute blur to David as he’d spent the night vibing with Angel under the neon lights. His heart pounding similarly to the base. As well as trying to avoid Bisola and Darey all night. Eventually David decided to go and look for Wale so they could go home, Angel initially showing a bit of sadness at that fact but— “Don’t worry, we’ll see tomorrow, okay?” Angel said before pecking David on the cheek, which made David freeze up a bit but was sharply thawed out by a large “mmmmm hm” that came from Wale. Angel giggled and waved goodbye as David pushed Wale out of the situation towards the gate. By the time David and Wale decided to head home it was already 12, and that meant David was in deep trouble as his phone was filled with missed calls from Adeola, his elder sister Bisola and Temi. They got a ride from one of Angel’s friends to the front of their street. On their way David chose the person that he’d get the least reaction from, which was Temi since they were the same age. “WHERE ARE YOU?!” Temi shouted through the phone, catching David and Wale off guard. After arriving they thanked the guy and started to walk into their street. “Temi ah, this one that you are shouting at me too,” David says. David. “David, please, WHERE ARE YOU?!” Temi says with a sense of incredible worry in her voice. David! “We just entered the street. I’m almo—” “DAVID!!!” Wale shouted. David looked at the road ahead. A bunch of masquerades. When they tried to turn around they were met with more masquerades behind them.They’d been surrounded. “Jesus, wetin be this?” Wale shouted. The world seemed to have shifted. The masquerades slowly started to dance around them, getting closer towards the both of them. The same dances parents used to talk about in stories. Both David and Wale tried to call for help but it seemed like there was no one in the homes around them. Anyone around the area had seemingly disappeared. They both tried to fend off the masquerades but it was to no avail. They began to whip both of them, each strike sending a sharp amount of pain as well as hitting them with fatigue. “We need the boy alive,” one of the masquerades said, gesturing to David. “The other one has seen too much. Kill him.” David heard this. Stricken with incredible fatigue. Being carried away. Hearing Wale’s wails and screams. His wounds stinging vigorously He thought— "Could this be why they told me never to stay out late?" "If it is then this is my fault." David eyes started to prick as sweat entered his eyes. Losing abit of vision. "If Wale dies it will be my fault and I couldn’t live with myself." Right at that moment David reached out his hand. Like he was trying to reach out to Wale.While hearing Wale’s screams— Thunder rang through the air. All the masquerades caught fire. *it seems I exceeded the text limit so the remainder will be a part two* Thanks for reading

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