Thorny Lake 1 (Good)

Episode one

  I wish wishes come through, times you turn out opposite of what you intended and then you wonder how you had let yourself go so lost before realizing you are actually at the end of a tunnel, deep down. 

 I’m a young man with many sorrows, presently living a life opposite what I had envisioned when I was much younger. 

 My uncles knew I was bright and I was going to amount to something, my Aunt, mom’s younger sister will always give me an extra piece of meat and afterwards say to me “remember me in your paradise” I’ll smile and proudly say, yes aunty. 

 My pops invested more in my education compared to my siblings because I looked promising and actually I was; with good grades as proof.

 I got a scholarship to study abroad. I had to path ways with Lola because I was the fortunate one with a scholarship. 

 Later, I was told she got married to a business man in the community where she resides and i once lived.

 I was angry, because I promised her, that I would be back for her.

 But, to hell with her anyways; I’ve got a lot of Malaysian ladies around.

 But, hmm (sighing heavily); I actually loved her and I would miss her.

 I don’t trade my Sunday services for anything. The religious ones can go for their weekly activities.

 I didn’t have to pay tithes to those selfish pastors that always wanted to acquire too much of the earthly things [the early apostles never did that] leaving the poor members to keep going round in poverty circles.

 If they won’t take care of them, they shouldn’t extort money from them either or tax them unnecessarily. 

 That was my belief, so I gave my one tenth to the orphans instead.

 It took me two years to finally let my friends lure me into stealing or better say “yahoo yahoo”.

 For the first two years, I was under pressure too. 

 Kolade is my name; I was one of the best students in Brighton University, Brighton. 

 I had good grades, even when I became twisted to fraudulent, what my friends had lured me into doing, I still didn’t joke with my studies.

 I didn’t lose balance until the 6th month of my second year in school.

 After successful attempt of duping three business men, I gave up. 

 I told my “so called friends” that my loved ones in Nigeria had high expectations in me and "I’m not ready to steal my future's wealth".

 My friends wouldn’t let me go, but I insisted. Out of hatred and disappointment one of the four friends suggested that they treat me real bad for turning against them. 

I never had it cool with Limij Stones anyway, not surprised at his retaliation.

 I knew he was going to cause me harm but I was also careful not to cross his path, he stayed alone, the other three and I lived together, same room; a large room.

 I wasn’t going to yahoo with them neither would I report them.

 Felix Jordan believed me; I was closer to him.

 We were all bright students; I was the second best out of the five men crew. 

 Lianc Rotimi was the Top best, he was Nigerian too although based in Brighton, united kingdom. 

 6th of June 1997… A day I will never forget. I was sitting next to a lady at the School's leisure park. 

I had it in mind to start a conversation with her, she has been my crush since year one.

 Out to make a move, I was pulled back and then I turned to see who it was, it turned out to be two school guards. 

 They told me to remain silent and simply follow them, really confused I decided to.

 Getting to the security office, I met four of my friends.

 I became more confused, had they been caught?

 And if yes, why am I involved? 

Episode two

  My fear turned out to be reality.

 I had taken Limij Stones’s threat lightly. He actually meant every word.

 Facing the four; Lianc Rotimi, Femi Jordan, Limij Stones and Issachar Paul.

 I asked why? With tears in my eyes, I begged Femi to say the truth, but he was too ashamed to even look up to me. 

 Few minutes later, an officer handcuffed me and another led the other four out of the station. 

 I was jailed. I had no body to bail me, my poor parents and guardians were over here in Nigeria. 

 how do I even tell them all of these? how do I even add to their frustration?

 My promise to Aunty Lizzy; to sponsor her kids to school for their degree would be delayed.

 There was a plan to visit Lola when I return to Nigeria; to show her all that I’ve amounted to, my grown beards, my abs, my certificate, my Benz and so on.

 Thank goodness she moved on, she didn’t have to wait for a looser like me. 

 My world was falling part, my dreams; all of the parents that compared me to their children, all of the high expectations. 

 I held the bars with tears in my eyes. 

 Six years of my life was about to go to waste.