The day of reckoning

The air was blue, feet clustered in rhythmic patterns, dusts created orgasmic fogs, voices rent like an orchestra, placards raised with vigour, birds chirped the dry sky, cars held to standstill, with roadblocks altering movement.

This was the toll gate while the evening sprinkled a buzz. I could feel my sweaty palms send signal to my brains, with my eyes piercing through the area.

Excitement burst through my belly, I could see exotic cars parked in front of the toll gate, with fresh young guys beaming in sea. 

My core flushed, as their skin glowed under the evening sun. I was dazed, with my heart warmed at crazy thoughts. The lekki toll gate since the protest began, had been the Mecca of this nationwide protest.

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It was the 20th day of this protest, with the government dribbling their way through, while youths occupied the streets nationwide. The whole nation had been grinded to a halt, with vociferous call to outlaw the infamous SARS unit of the police force.

I had seen the news repeatedly, with mama showing concern at the escalating tension. 

" They are killing more youths. Ese, stay indoors. Don't waste your life, they don't care about anyone!" Mama would scream at me anytime i entertained the thought of joining my compatriots.

Every day, we were woken with different updates of the protest, from melodic chants against brutality, to weepy renditions of scapegoats, who were unlucky to be shot at by overzealous riot policemen. 

It was total chaos. While the government tried to tame the cries for justice, our youths swarm the streets like an ocean. 

Alot of schools were shut down, giving room for more youths involvement. It was a high bar for voices everyday. 

I could see Olivia's update everyday about the protest. Olivia, my childhood friend had consistently created a content out of it. Her daily social media posts on the carnival-like protest around Lagos, most especially the island part, gave me butterflies. It was all laughter with strangers, selfies, memes with branded protest shirts, exchange of contacts, and cool rich guys everywhere!

" Ese, don't play o. Leave your house and join this protest. This is where everything is happening. Island boys are fun!" Olivia kept singing in my ears. 

I was bored, more piercingly, I just got dumped by Moses. My boyfriend of four years. I needed distraction, while my heart cringed. I couldn't think of anything else other than dusting off his memory and facing another uncertainty with love. While my eyes built pains that housed nights of despair, heartbreak and betrayal, my smile smile painted a yearn for hope. 

I was beautiful, pulp, curvy, petite with a crystal eye that peered deep. As a teenager, boys called me a cat, this made me swell with pride while they fled from eye contact. My eyes were powerful, so were tears. 

" Olivia, I am joining you. Give me directions to the toll gate" 

I could feel Mama's anger in my head. 

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" Sorosoke! Sorosoke!! Sorosoke!!!"

It rang through sea of white polos, angry looking youths who masked their disgust at a failed police system with a smile, endearing more youths to join the struggle. There were punchy messages inscribed on every polo, media men scouring through for interviews and moments, with some police-men keenly observing the area. 

I struggled to walk through the massive bodies of protesters while the sun receded it rays. With traffic building from returning workers, there were more rage from protesters who took turns in screaming the protest mantra; sorosoke, which meant louder. 

My eyes scouted for Olivia, while my senses observed the cute looking young guys exuding their charm. Some laughed sheepishly, others were lost in arguments, groupings, and interviews. Olivia's depiction of island boy's didn't explain the cuteness scattered around the protest ground as i could see ladies of all races, scouting tactically for their prince charming. This was the toll gate, citadel of the protest, luckily for me, this Mecca had all shades of rainbows, the guys!

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It was evening, and the toll lights were put on, there was a makeshift stage being created by young men, while foods were shared.

The atmosphere lit like a carnival, while ladies of all shades, trooped like bees searching for honey.

"Babes, this night will be damn freaky. Are you seeing guys? Celebrities are on their way too. Ciao! " That was Olivia, my sexy rogue friend.

Her eyes lit as she hungrily scanned for fresh looking guys, for Olivia, this was beyond a nationwide protest, it was a means to satisfy her fiery urge for fun.

Soon, we could hear a loud crazy instrumental from a giant speaker mounted on the makeshift stage, as more bodies moved towards the cenre of the toll gate.

I could see the shiny flood lights pointed at the stage, while there was a huge shout of excitement from everyone, the beats continued. Bodies moved to the beat, while flags were raised, you could hear excitement mixed with zeal, ghost through the air, as the evening sun gave way to sister moon.

While the beats blared, alcoholic drinks were shared, flames danced through the sky as some thrilled themselves with cigarettes, others hemp. My palms greased intensely, but my core tickled with excitement, again.

"Ese, you need to join this grooving. This is where it is happening. Forget Moses, that guy is a loser. Here, you will find a sure lekki guy that you can hookup with. The night just started."

Olivia said excitedly as she dragged me into the sea of bodies gyrating with splattered dusts, smoked air, as liquored scent dizzied my senses.

While the beats blared, excitement from the protesters kept raising like a well reahearsed choir bazz, as we could see thrills plunge through bodies, while my mind drifted.

I was heartbroken, Moses, my ex dumped my living soul, with every fragments of my heart meshed with silver spikes. I could feel the hot surge of pain pierce through my heart as Olivia mentioned his name again, while my skin shrunk, I felt I needed to dance a new tune.

"Hemp" I strangely asked a young man for a wrap of marijuana, his bearded face beamed as he passed one to me, while Olivia kept scouring for preys.

She twisted her waist seductively to every beat, while guys lustfully stared at her, and me. We could hear a familiar voice on the stage, while there were screams of excitement.

"Dj switch!!!!" My tummy danced, butterflies kissed my navel, as I heard her familiar voice urging the youths to continue with the protest. It was pure class, when she talked, the crowds cheered untill she boozed us with her discjockey vibes.

I was already wild with excitement, the hemp smoke flew from my lips with blue vigour, my eyes plastered reddish core, my skin spiked with thrill, as I shared a cup Hennessy with Olivia.

While the beats continued, my eyes peered at young guys and women having bliss. I could see a young lady grind her waist on a guy, another guy was locked in a sensual kiss with a chubby lady, there was purple dust splattering as my core sprinkled excitement.

Then, just like an angel with an Anthony Banderas face, his voice jolted me from my view. There he was, his frame dwarfed my being, his carefully shaved face stared at me pleasantly, his eyes flared, while his cologne sprinkled pinkdust in my lungs.

"Hey beautiful, why are you alone?"

I jolted as I realized Olivia had left me. I could feel the sudden splash of disappointment in my body, but I knew Olivia, she had searched for her fun, and here I was, in the middle of the toll gate, filled with strangers, protesters, some glued in their bliss, others gingered with the beat as they screamed sorosoke, bodies splattered as they tell different struggles, and here I was, dwarfed by a fresh looking man, with his bright eyes peering through mine.

My limbs weakened, I was wet, yet again.