Joseph was heading to his car briskly. He was greeted along the way by some staff and students. He only waved at them in response, there was something bothering him a lot.
He hopped into his car and fastened his seatbelt. He wanted to turn on the ignition when he felt a force around him in the car. "Doesn't matter how hard you try, you can't ever attack me", he said to the unknown force. He drove out of the school premises.
* * *
He went back home where he met a cult member of his in his bedroom. He was given a glass cup of blood to take. He was shivering before he drank the blood but felt relaxed when he finished it up. He savoured the blood into his mouth.
"I forgot to take it this morning. I felt so miserable today", he gasped out and kept the cup on a bedside table.
"Lucky you! This blood miraculously stayed fresh. I wonder what would have become of you", his friend replied.
"Father Christmas keeps on coming to me from time to time", he complained.
"With that necklace on your neck, why are you bothered? You know it will only come to you during this month of Christmas occasionally but can't ever lay its hands on you", his friend replied, "Or has it attacked you in any way since then?", he asked.
"No!", he shook his head, "Absolutely not!"
"Then forget about it", his friend got up, "Don't forget the meeting tonight by 10pm", his friend reminded him.
"I'll be there. Don't worry", he promised. The friend turned to go but he called his friend back when he remembered something. "Don't let them know I didn't drink the blood on time", he pleaded. His friend nodded his head in agreement and crossed his heart.
* * *
Francis Ebuka the journalist was highlighting what Lagos was doing in concern with the first anniversary since Father Christmas demise. "Lagos to remember the demise of Father Christmas tomorrow", was the headline.
"Lagos will dress in black tomorrow in remembrance of Father Christmas passing", Francis reported.
"The Lagos government are discussing on a possible public holiday in Lagos on every December 2nd for the remembrance of the death of Father Christmas", his colleague beside him reported.
Citizens were asked in the streets to reveal how the Christmas celebration would be celebrated by them that year.
"My family and I would still celebrate Christmas, though my children are still lamenting the death of Father Christmas", a middle-aged man revealed.
"Christmas hasn't always been my thing. The only thing I enjoyed was the gift from him every year, but now he's no more, I don't think I'll celebrate it this year", a female teenager revealed.
"I'll always miss Father Christmas no doubt, but I need to celebrate the birth of Christ right?", a woman asked rhetorically.
After the reviews from people in the streets, Francis deduced;"I think Christmas celebration won't be as hopeless as we thought generally."
His colleague turned to the camera. "We will find out how Christmas will be this year in Lagos", she said with a faint smile, "Once again...my name is Blessing Ayomide", she concluded.
"And my name is Francis Ebuka", he concluded.
* * *
"Mom please I want the vanilla and strawberry flavours for my cake", a boy asked his Mom politely. They had gone to a supermarket to get some equipment and ingredients to bake a birthday cake for the boy.
"Thought you were going to choose chocolate flavour", his Mum smiled in amazement.
"Nah! I want to try something new this time", he replied. She picked up a bottle of each flavour and kept them in her basket.
"Oh well! Anything for the birthday boy tomorrow!", his Mum played with his hair. They strolled to get more items, with Mum pushing the trolley. "What do you think is left to buy?", she questioned.
Her son glimpsed at the basket and replied;"We haven't bought a cake board. Remember we gave our the other one to friends."
"You're right", Mum remembered, "Let's go buy a cake board then."
* * *
They kept all they bought at the backseat. Mum gestured for her son to sit in front, on the passenger seat. "You'll be 12 tomorrow so hop on the passenger seat", she said to him. They got into the car, she started it and they drove off.
"Your Dad is the one behind your birthday celebration this year. He's very proud of you for the excellent scores you had in your tests", Mum said to him.
"Really?!", the boy was surprised but happy, "I'll make sure I do excellently well in the upcoming terminal tests", he said with gusto.
"When's it starting?", Mum looked at him.
"This very Monday coming up", he replied.
"That's two days from now", Mum got surprised.
"Don't worry Mum! I'm already prepared for the exams", he assured Mum.
"I have confidence in you son. I trust you", she replied.
* * *
They got home and Mum beeped the horn for the gateman to open the gate. She drove in and parked the car somewhere close to the house. The boy helped his Mum in carrying some stuffs they had bought.
"Welcome Madam", the gateman greeted enthusiastically.
"Etim what's up?", she responded with a smile.
"I'm okay Madam", he replied and turned to her son, "How are you doing?", he asked, placing his hand on the boy's head.
"Never been better; Tomorrow's my birthday", he replied rhapsodically.
That's my boy!", the gateman played with the boy's hair.
The boy had a poke around and saw a thin pole that was rooted to the ground. He gawped at it. His Mum and gateman glimpsed at each other in wonder, not fathoming why he would be looking at the pole in such a way.
"Why are you staring at the pole like that?", his Mum probed him.
"I don't like it there. It's not being used but it's still in the compound", he replied.
"Daddy said it will be removed so don't bother about it", she said. She could not tell why the pole bothered her son so much.
"Uhmmm Madam! I need to go continue doing the dishes", the gateman excused himself and left both of them.
"Come on! Let's go inside", she said to her son. They both traipsed into the house with the items.
They met Dad in the living room watching a football match on TV. He was very happy to see them back. "Hey! Look who's back home!", he exclaimed joyfully. He got up and hugged his son before pecking his wife on the cheek. "Let me help you two with the bags", he said, collecting the bags from them and headed to the kitchen. Mum and son followed him.
* * *
At night by past nine, the boy and his Dad were in the living room watching a movie. The movie was not interesting to the boy, he was feeling bored to the extreme. It was his Dad that found it interesting rather as he was watching it with intent.
The boy decided to bring up a conversation so he would not fall asleep. "I wonder how Christmas will be this year", he began, looking at Dad to see if he would reply.
Dad soughed;"I know what people have been loving the most during Christmas periods recently has been Father Christmas. I know Christmas won't be as lively as the previous years but, as a family we need to have our own celebration right?"
"We will surely celebrate ours. But I don't just understand the sudden death of Father Christmas", he said.
"I don't understand too son", Dad gestured for him to come closer, crossing his hand round his son and hugging him warmly. The boy had nothing more to say and just leaned on his Dad's side to fall asleep. Dad continued watching his movie, playing with his son's ear.
* * *
The next day in the evening by past seven, the boy's birthday was being celebrated in the living room. Some close family friends joined them in the celebration. They all sang him a birthday song as they surrounded him. He knelt down in front of a table admiring his birthday cake.
When they were done singing, his Mum asked him to make a wish. He took a deep breath and blew out the candles...he had made his wish to himself. They all clapped for him.
A girl bent down and whispered in his ear;"Happy birthday buddy!" He grinned at her and thanked her for the wish.
He got up feeling uneasy and said to Mum;"Mum! I need to go pee." He was leaving the living room but his Mum stopped him.
"The plumber worked on our toilets today and we're not supposed to use them till tomorrow. That's what he advised us", she said to him.
"Then where am I going to pee?", asked the boy with a grimace on his face.
"You could use the toilet outside", Dad replied to him. He quickly ran out of the living room to go pee.
"Let me share the cake before he comes back", Mum picked up the cake gently and went to the kitchen.
* * *
The boy hurriedly went to the toilet at the backyard and peed there. "I've been holding this pee for a long while", he said.
The gateman came out of his small apartment with a torch. He yawned;"One last thing to do before I sleep!" He switched on the torch and began a stroll about the compound, making sure everything was in order.
The boy came out of the toilet and put on his short button. He looked round and realized how dark and creepy the compound was looking. He walked quickly as he headed back to the house. When he arrived a corner wanting to turn but bumped into someone...the Father Christmas!
The gateman saw few of his clothes hung on the rope and took them. "I left these here and would have gone to bed", he giggled at himself. He continued with his stroll about the compound. "I'll come back to pick them up", he said.
In the house, the guests were having their cake but the boy's parents were becoming curious because their son was not yet back. "What could be keeping him there?", asked Mum.
"If he doesn't come in the next two minutes, I'll go out and check myself", Dad replied.
* * *
Meanwhile, the boy was frightened on seeing Father Christmas. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?", he asked, taking some steps backwards.
Father Christmas chuckled gently. "If I'm dead, why am I standing right in front of you?", he asked, "Today's your birthday so I came to knock you dead", he simpered.
"Knock me dead?", the boy walked a few more steps backwards again in suspicion.
"No! Don't take it literally! It's an idiom and it means to impress somebody very much", Father Christmas explained, "Yes! I'm here to impress you on your birthday", he said.
"I know you're a ghost, leave me alone!", the boy raised his voice at him.
The gateman heard the voice and got alerted. "Where's that voice coming from?", he asked himself. He went to the backyard to find out if someone was there.
Father Christmas soughed dramatically, behaving disappointed. "Oh well! Better get going then since the birthday boy doesn't want me to grant him a wish", he said and walked away. The boy walked behind him until they got to the front of the house, making sure he maintained a reasonable distance behind Father Christmas.
The boy wanted going in but stopped in surprise when he saw Father Christmas going towards the gate. "You are a ghost and you are going through the gate?", he asked, making three short steps forward.
"Who told you I'm a ghost?", Father Christmas asked him.
"The whole world knows you're dead", hissed the boy.
"What do you want for Christmas?", Father Christmas gestured. The boy kept silent, thinking of what to wish for and at the same time scared of trusting him.
The gateman walked into the scene and saw Father Christmas close to the gate. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're the Father Christmas Lagos know", he was astonished.
"I don't know how he got into this compound", said the boy.
The gateman turned and then noticed the boy was also around. "What are you doing outside?", he asked in confusion.
"I just came to grant this birthday boy a wish...and yes! I'm the Father Christmas you're talking about", he replied vaguely.
"That's a lie! You're meant to be dead. What are...", the gateman paused in shock when he observed blood gushing out of the chest of Father Christmas. "Why's blood gushing out of your chest?", he gaped.
Father Christmas laughed over it. "You mean this?", he pointed at his chest, "It's nothing at all", he replied with a giggle.
"You're certainly not a human being", the gateman got petrified, "Open the door!", he exclaimed to the boy, running towards him.
The boy turned the handle but the door could not open. He banged the door with his side hard as he held the handle but it still could not open.
The gateman approached him. "Why isn't the door opening?", he asked the boy, feeling very worried. He took over and tried but it could not still open.
"Hello!", a creepy voice whispered behind them. They both turned back and saw Father Christmas standing very close to them. They opened the mouths widely to scream and alert everyone but till they closed their mouths, no sound was heard. They shivered as they begged Father Christmas for mercy, sweating profusely.
Father Christmas was now glaring at them. "What do you want for Christmas?", he muttered slowly.
While all these are happening, the boy's parents and the guests had been struggling to open the door leading out of the living room. Out of anger and frustration, Dad shook the door violently.
"Are you sure this door wasn't locked from outside?", another Dad asked.
"It can't be...even if one wants to, there's no way it can be locked. Key to the door is in my room and it has no bolt outside", he replied with utmost disbelief.
Suddenly, everyone heard a thwack and silence reigned for a moment. The door then opened very slowly on its own. Everyone got confused and horrified not to see anyone at the door.
"My son!", Mum forgot about her fear and ran out of the living room. Dad glimpsed at everyone and sighed. He then ran out of the living room before everyone else made a move and followed him.
He ran out of the house and saw his wife kneeling down on the ground. He ran to her and knelt down beside her. He was scared to see tears rolling out of his wife's eyes. "What's the matter?", he gasped out. She said nothing, still shedding tears.
He looked up and got the shock of his life. His Son and gateman were pierced through the heart by the pole rooted to the ground. The gateman was below, the boy above, both high up in the air. "Oh My God!", he gasped out in shock. Tears began rolling out immediately.
The guests were astonished and horrified on witnessing the death scene. They all stood close to the building.
Mum managed to gasp out;"What happened to our son?" She looked at her husband who only was shedding tears.