In Old FGC, there were levels to punishment. Some got off with squats. Others faced lashes. But the worst was when a junior crossed many seniors—and they all found him at once.
Kalu Egbe sat under the mango tree with Nedu and Fireboy, eating dry garri with groundnuts. The sun hung low, casting golden shadows across the hostel yard.
"I see something mad last night," Kalu began, eyes wide.
"Wetin happen again?" Fireboy asked, leaning in.
Kalu shook his head slowly. "Senior Pascal tell me to lie down under his bunk. Say I go stay there till he sleep."
Nedu hissed. "Under bunk dey smell like death."
Kalu nodded. "As I dey there, I see another junior—under the same bunk. Him name na Ifeanyi. We just dey wait, silent like rat."
Then Kalu's voice dropped. "Na there wahala start."
He leaned forward. "One senior enter. Him look under the bed. 'Who dey there?' we crawl out sharp."
Fireboy grinned. "You no run?"
"No fit. Room door locked. The senior stare Ifeanyi. 'You look familiar. I know you?' Ifeanyi say no. The senior dey think, e dey squeeze face like exam question."
Kalu paused, then added, "Ifeanyi voice dey shake. I fit hear am. The fear hold am."
Just then, another senior walk in. See Ifeanyi. Shout: 'You! I don catch you today. You don run finish?'"
Kalu continued, "Na so both seniors plus Senior Pascal start flogging Ifeanyi round. One go slap, another go belt. Ifeanyi just dey cry, beg. Dem no gree."
Nedu's face twisted. "Na real hell."
"They flog am tire," Kalu said. "Senior Pascal use hanger. Another use slippers. Ifeanyi roll for ground, still dem flog."
Fireboy shook his head. "Wetin Ifeanyi do?"
Kalu shrugged. "Dem say he no answer call last week. Then another one say he finish all cabin biscuit during break. All na excuse."
Silence fell again.
"I dey there, flat for floor," Kalu said. "Just dey pray make them forget me. I no breathe sef."
"Dem flog you?" Nedu asked.
Kalu nodded slowly. "Last slap. Senior Pascal say, 'Make you remember this next time.'"
Fireboy spat. "Old FGC na jungle. You offend one senior, na war. You offend three? Na death."
Kalu sighed. "That night, I see fear. Real fear."
And the boys fell silent, the weight of the story pressing like heat.
In the distance, the bell rang for prep. The jungle was calling again.
To be continued...