2:30AM: The Night of Horror

By Abdulrazaq Salihu

It is the tradition of the house to always welcome the newly admitted students in a unique and special way, it is a game played only among the students, and this had been on for a very long time now.
It is a unique kind of game called '2:30'. Every third night of every resumption day, this game commences. The seniors shuts down the power system, leaving the boarding house in total darkness, and then, when it's exactly 2:30am, the headboy announces the commencement of the game by shouting "2:30"!!!, and this game is played till dawn.
Every student is expected to have his or her touch light in a perfect condition so as to be able to see through the dark, most of the newly admitted students were the ones who always fall victims, because they are new to the system, and are unaware of how the game is played. The seniors come to various houses with whip, and once the light from their touch strike ur eyes, u won't be able to see and so, u get whipped seriously, other forms includes applying toothpastes directly on someone's face while he is asleep, tying someone firmly to his bunk, urinating on someone's bed and body, soaking someone uniform, and many more. Actually, it was fun in its own way, and these had continued for many years, not until this particular night, I just got admitted into the house, and I was really excited and nervous at the same time, my sister was in SS2, so she had briefed me already on this special night and I was kind of prepared.
But that night, we were not alone, we had strange company, something else came to play too, something inhuman, something that has lived within the house for many years, something that has been affected by the previous games, something that seeks revenge, that night was nvr a one night, it was a night of many nights.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716599927

Book preview

'2:30'

(The Night of Horrors)

It is the tradition of the house to always welcome the newly admitted students in a unique and special way, it is a game played only among the students, and this had been on for a very long time now.

It is a unique kind of game called '2:30'. Every third night of every resumption day, this game commences. The seniors shuts down the power system, leaving the boarding house in total darkness, and then, when it's exactly 2:30am, the headboy announces the commencement of the game by shouting 2:30!!!, and this game is played till dawn.

Every student is expected to have his or her touch light in a perfect condition so as to be able to see through the dark, most of the newly admitted students were the ones who always fall victims, because they are new to the system, and are unaware of how the game is played. The seniors come to various houses with whip, and once the light from their touch strike ur eyes, u won't be able to see and so, u get whipped seriously, other forms includes applying toothpastes directly on someone's face while he is asleep, tying someone firmly to his bunk, urinating on someone's bed and body, soaking someone uniform, and many more.      Actually, it was fun in its own way, and these had continued for many years, not until this particular night, I just got admitted into the house, and I was really excited and nervous at the same time, my sister was in SS2, so she had briefed me already on this special night and I was kind of prepared.

But that night, we were not alone, we had strange company, something else came to play too, something inhuman, something that has lived within the house for many years, something that has been affected by the previous games, something that seeks revenge, that night was nvr a one night, it was a night of many nights.

'2:30'

(The Night of Horrors)

CHAPTER ONE

You see that Baba seating over there, he is one of the oldest employee in this school, Jamal said pointing at the old security guard, who was seating at a corner beside the gate.

My sister once told me that this land on which this school is built, part of it was initially a grave yard. He said our Director had to bribe some of the village chiefs then before the land could be sold to him. He also said the Baba over there could see and hear things, that's why he is the Chief Night watchman. Haven't you observed that at night, he normally wears over-all white silk with a red cap, that alone is a sign that he is no ordinary man. Perhaps we can go to him, and ask him to tell us some stories about the school He suggested.

    I loved the idea, so I concord with his suggestion, since it was a Friday evening, and we were prep free evening, so we walked to were the Baba was seated and greeted him.

inawuni Baba, said Saleem

inaawuuni... my children, he replied.

We have come to spend time with you Baba, hope we can sit down, Jamal said

Yes my children, you can sit, but I hope you all have observed your Asr prayers he asked.

Yes Baba, we all have, Jamal replied.

He brought out a mat from one corner of the gate, and spread it on the floor and asked us to have our seats, we sat down directly in front of him.

Mall Tanko was a simple old man, he was always smiling even when you tend to upset him, he just celebrated his 89th birthday, few months before we were admitted into the boarding house, so he was pretty old, yet strong and healthy looking. He has been working in our school for over Twenty-five years now, so yes, he basically experienced the birth of our school.

Baba, we hear stories about strange events that have taken place in this school some years ago, can you narrate any of the event to us, we really want to know Baba, kuma we are kind of bored, I said with my sweet mouth.

Geskiyane my children, it is good to ask questions about the history of your environment, he said

"Truly, I have worked in this school for over twenty five years now, but I never applied for the job, it came to me on a platter of gold. Initially, i was one of