"Welcome, Host. You have been assimilated into the Slum System."
I felt a surge charge through my mind, the last moments of my life seemed to flash before my eyes. I was angry, i was speeding along the road, there was a crash and then when I opened my eyes again, I was here.
What does this mean? Am I dead? Then where the hell am I?
"You were cursed by Nnemuruwa, for your arrogance and cruelty. Your accident triggered your entry into this realm."
I struggled greatly to comprehend what exactly was happening and what exactly was this bubble thing talking to me.
"In the real world, you lie in a coma. To return, you must survive and thrive within the Slum System."
The voice paused for a moment.
"Your objective: become the Slum King."
I scoffed, "I don't understand what you're saying, even if I did, I don't care. If I'm dead, leave me the fuck alone. If not, I promise you'll regret this for the rest of your miserable lives."
The bubble didn't seem to be the least affected by what I said, it merely floated around a spot and for seem reason I got the feeling it couldn't be more disinterested in what I was saying or anything I had to say for that matter.
I squeezed my fists hard, the soft and grimy feeling of it reminded me of how I currently looked. I squeezed a look at the shattered mirror once more and nearly vomited at the reflection that was facing me back looking equally disgusted.
"I don't know what the hell this is and who the fuck this Nnemuruwa of a person is but am out of here. I'll be back though and I'll make you all pay", I say at once, my confidence restored. I made my way towards what I assumed was the door out of this disgusting place.
"I highly advise you not to do that", the bubbles voice sounded in my mind. I could detect the slight sarcasm and amusement in its voice. It angered me badly. I walked out of there as fast as my short, chubby legs would let me.
The sight that met me almost made me turn back into the disgusting shack and ask the weird bubble things more aggressively for answer. I remembered the words it told me when I was leaving and decided I couldn't go back. My pride was way too important to me.
I tried my best to navigate through what I felt was a road. This place is disgusting, there's trash all over the place, rough looking boys and scantily dressed girls are littered around, smoking and drinking. There's the occasional sick looking children running around and mothers sitting out and throwing judging glances on the half-naked girls and the boys who did little to hide their sharp knives and guns sticking out of their trousers and shorts.
The place was a crowded mess, as each house seemed to be pushing into the next, clothes lines were spread all over the place. People shouted everything they wanted to say to each other, fights seemed to be occurring at different places and no one tried to stop, instead they seemed to be placing bets on whom they expected to win.
The worst part was the smell, it seemed to be a mixture of sweat, faeces, urine, cheap ass perfume, beer, smoke, different kinds of foods and just general body odor. I didn't even know how possible all the smells managed to mix together and worst of all, how all these people seemed to take in the air so easily. I was still struggling to make it past all the bodies and stench, but the road seemed everlastingly long.
A searing pain spread through my head, I instinctively placed my hand on the spot that hurt most and rubbed it softly. What the hell was that, by my side a basketball bounced along the road.
"Orobo, bring the ball back ehnn", a tall lanky boy said amidst laughs. He stood at a corner surrounded by other boys and a few ladies. They all looked rough on the eyes, most of the boys spotting long garish looking scars. They all seemed to be focused on me and were still laughing at what the tall boy had said.
I bit back the words forming in my mouth and proceeded to walk away still following the long road. Loud shouts and whispers erupted from the direction the ball had come from, I could pick out various insults being slewn at me in different dialects, most especially in igbo.
I didn't have a care about their fragile egos which I may have hurt, just as I thought that the encounter with the useless fools were in the past, I felt a strong grip on my shoulders. I bit on my tongue to hold back the scream that tried to force its way out, I felt as though every single bone in my shoulder was breaking.
" Bia nwokem, onye ka I bu?. Do you want to say you didn't hear what my boy told you?", a deep voice thundered behind me. I managed to twist my body just enough to get a glimpse of his scarified face. He must obviously be of Yoruba decent yet he spoke igbo so perfectly , one might second guess his descent.
" Ana m a jo gi ihe?, o dika inaghi anu igbo?", he said , with a cool smirk playing on his lips. "Orobo, didn't you hear when my boy told you to bring back his ball, ehnn?", he said this time around in perfect English, mockingly implying that I did not understand the language he spoke before.
I was suddenly enraged, I tried shaking off his hand from my shoulder before he succeeded in destroying the bones there but it seemed of no use. " o dika isi gi adighi mma, hapurum aka", I responded back in igbo.
He didn't seem to like that very much, before I could revel in the insult I had given him, a blinding slap landed on my face. For a moment, I felt as though I was back in my real body.
"It seems you have forgotten who I am here, I will remind you why am called 'THE TYRANT SAVIOUR', as my name is Ropo, I'll save you from your stupidity and remind you your place in this district, orobo", he spat out the last word in the most degrading way he possibly could. He threw me on the floor and before I could comprehend what was happening, I was being kicked from various angles.
The pain was unbearable, the beating seemed to go on forever, I lost count of the number of times I slipped in and out of consciousness. They seemed to stop for a while, I thought it was over. I felt as I was raised from the floor, I was face to face with the scarified man who I am now sure is their leader," onye ara, Ropo, that's my name, your tyrannical savior, don't forget it ever", he sneered in my face. I saw him prepare his fist to deliver the final blow that'll surely knock me out, just as his fist was about to collide with my face, I sensed slight regret and pity from him and for the second time today, the world went dark.
"I warned you not to leave", a familiar voice came into my mind. I struggled to open my eyes but when I eventually did I was back at the shack, the bubble floating just a few meters away from my face.
"How did I get back here?", I managed, quite painfully to ask it a question.
"That doesn't matter, are you finally ready to listen and follow instructions", it replied, it seemed to be happy about my pain. I bit back my words and looked at the bubble.
"As I said before, you have been sent into the slum system by Nnemururwa, a goddess of karma and retribution who you had disrespected in order to teach you a lesson. In order to leave you must beat the system and become the Slum king", the bubble seemed to be done, I took the silence as its way of asking me if I had any questions, I took the opening.
"Who is Nnemuruwa and when did I meet her?", I asked haughtily.
Everywhere went quiet for a while. Suddenly I felt myself being sucked into a void, everything was moving so fast but I seemed to understand. Nnemuruwa was that disgusting beggar woman whom I had beaten at that useless party.
When I felt my mind return to my body, I was livid once more.
I was cursed by a beggar, a lowlife scummy fat ugly ass beggar. I was beyond insulted, I'm going to ask this thing to bring her to me and then leave this useless world. I will not play this stupid game.
"You can't meet with Nnemuruwa, she would never honor your call. The only way you can get rid of me or leave this world is by completing it, that is , becoming the slum king. Failure to comply with your given instructions leads to immediate death in this world and in yours as well." The bubbles voice rattled in my mind once again sounding amused. The useless piece of shit has been reading my mind. At this realization, I thought out every single insult I could about the stupid goddess and this useless bubble. I only got a chuckle in response.
"Are you ready to accept your first mission, Host?", it drawled out lazily. I gritted my teeth, I needed to stay alive to get back at the useless goddess.
"I don't really have a choice, get on with with", I snarled at the bubble. "A please would be appreciated", it responded in a mocking voice. I clenched and unclenched my fists, swallowed hard, closed my eyes and managed to drawl out a please to the bubble.
It laughed for a while as though I was the funniest thing it had come across in decades.
" Yadera Eze, Son of Afamefuna Eze.
Your overall mission objective is: Become the slum king of this world.
Your current mission objective: Regain physical strength and appearance.
Do you accept your objective?", the bubbles voice drawled out in a serious tone.
My lost confidence returned, I replied positively to the question and just as what I assumed was a virtual trainer began to materialize before my very eyes. I knew that as I had accepted this first objective nothing would ever remain the same again, but then again, everything had already changed.
"Follow my guidance. Train. Adapt. Survive.
The voice of the virtual trainer boomed in my ear and for the third time that day, everything went dark.