He bent down, cradling his head in his palms. Somehow, the past had caught up with him, and he was looking at a future that was changed. From last night or more truthfully, from the night at that party so many years ago, his status had changed. He was no longer the young man on National Youth Service for the motherland. He was a father, a man with responsibilities.

 

It was unsettling. The change was sweeping, from one extreme of the spectrum to the other in one night. The room was stirring; the other occupants were beginning to move, wake up. The bugle went off, again.

 

“Abeg make all these soldiers allow man sleep. We no dey bakassi shooo!” Chuks cursed from his bed. He turned, settling further into the bed and began to snore.

 

Chuks, a graduate of English from Delta State University loved his sleep; neither the bugle nor the threats from platoon instructors could make him wake up on time. He stayed up late, woke late and usually got to the drill ground late. Always.

 

“How was it last night?”

 

Tega looked up and saw his friend staring at him, with a mischievous smile on his face. Tega just stared back, with a bewildered look on his face. Tunde, thinking that his friend had lost his bid to make up with Amanda, walked across the room to join him on his bed. He sat down by his friend.

 

“What happened, man?” He asked again.

 

“You are not going to believe this Tunde.”

 

“Try me,” Tunde invited.

 

“I have a child. Amenda has a child for me.”

 

Tunde recoiled like he had been struck across the face.

 

“What are you talking? Only one night and a child already? Come on! No one is that fast.”

 

“Don’t be funny, Tunde. It’s unbecoming of you. I mean that Amanda has a son and I am his father. And it did not happen last night.”

 

The door opened; Tosin walked in.

 

“Guys,” Tosin bawled, “better hurry, the commandant is coming this way.”

 

The reaction was immediate. With clumsy but hurried movements, everybody got up and began to change.

 

The commandant kicked the door open and poked his head in, “Everybody out; endurance trek commences in a few minutes. Move!” He barked and moved on to the next room.

 

Chuks snored, oblivious of the happenings around him.

 

“What you’ve told me is not of this world. It’s beyond me; it’s very deep. We need to talk some more. For now, let’s move.” Tunde dragged the last words out, mimicking the commandant.

 

They hurried to get ready.

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