Nightmare on a Saturday morning

Most of my friends and I had just gotten admitted into the university. Those of us who got into the university prayed that the rest of our friends who were not lucky enough, got admitted the following year.

Soon after the first semester, we had returned home and converged at our usual place. It was Chigozie, one of our friend's house. Chigozie had a Play Station 2 and there was a twenty four hours power supply at his place. Hence, it was the perfect place to gather. we had gathered that Friday night, and everyone bragged about how better he had become in the game of football since we went to school. Those who were home also bragged about how much they had improved since we went away.

It was usually fun gathering at Chigozie's place since his family made it a home for everyone. A wonderful family, I must say.

The argument about who had improved more was a lot more heated between Chima and Diamond, two of our friends, the most energetic ones amongst us and they were as close as 5 and 6. While Diamond argued he had become a better player since going to the university, Chima insisted he had learned a few new skills since we left.

Sadly, he wasn't too strong and wouldn't be able to play the next Morning which was a Saturday. But he had agreed to come see us play so he'd say how much we had improved.

The following morning, my cousin, Ogochukwu and I were the first people to be at the field, as we waited for the rest of the guys to show up. The fist person who showed up on his bike was Chima, carrying his soccer boot in the basket at the front of his bike.

When I asked why he had changed his mind, he said Diamond had bragged too much and needed to be taught a lesson.

Before long, the game began and we had played over an hour. We could hear Chima complain about our team being out played because we were not putting in a good enough performance. Diamond and his team had us out played and that wasn't going well with Chima at all, he went ahead to urge us to put in more effort.

shortly after that, we heard a loud sound, when we turned to see, Chima had hit the ground. Since nobody was close to him when he fell, we didn't think it to be something serious. After a minute or two, he stayed down. We all went near to find out what had happened, and it turned out to be more serious than we had thought. He was dying, everyone was confused and didn't know what to do. One of the police men who watched us play, ran into the DPO's quarter, got his car and drove Chima to the hospital.

At the hospital, the doctor said Chima had passed away over an hour ago and that he had died of cardiac arrest.

It was unbelievable, everyone was left in shock. It seemed like a bad dream that we were soon going to wake up from. But it wasn't, for it was a sad reality.

Diamond helped return his bike to the house, but didn't tell the family what had happened. Chima was the first son of his family and meant the world to his parents.

On our way to the hospital, we met with Chima's father, by this time, the news had not left the hospital. Everyone told the father Chima hurt his foot but somehow, he just didn't believe it. When he met with my cousin and I on our way, he said "Iyke, if Chima is dead, just tell me how it happened. for I am sure you would not be there to let anyone hurt him" my cousin rebuked him, asking him not to talk like that.

Just as we got close to the hospital, the first people who got there came out with tears running down their cheeks. 'Chima is dead' they said.

Ogochukwu and I went in regardless, hopping that somehow, just somehow, the news wasn't true. But it was true and sadly so.

My cousin, Ogochukwu, my uncle, Sunny and I were in the car with Chima in a sitting position between my cousin and me.

I had never seen my cousin pray, but on that day, pray did he. We spoke to him as though he could hear us, as we drove to his village.

Meanwhile, his father had been told to find his way to their village because Chima has had a dislocation on his foot and is being taken there for treatment.

Chima was to be buried on that day. After the grave had been dug, and was to be lowered into it, Diamond jumped in first and refused to come out, it took his mum's pleas and tears to bring him out. He still didn't believe Chima had died, nobody did. Everyone continued to cry their eyes out. Just when he was about to be buried, I hoped even more that it was a nightmare but it wasn't, and it was the last time we saw our friend Chima.