If it was someone else I might argue or beg and maybe I might escape this, but with the principal I know better than to do that. Now I know what it feels like to be punished for something you know nothing about.

I can remember when I first met the principal. It was a Monday morning, he was standing before us with his trade mark smile plastered to his face. He introduced himself on the Assembly ground and we felt wow this principal looks very friendly, unlike the previous one we will have a much easier time with him. But oohh how stupid we were. That same day we left school after the assembly and returned during lunch time, unfortunately for us a teacher noticed our absence and reported to the principal. That day I took a beating I will never forget. With that same trademark smile plastered on his face, he flogged me ten times, ten painful strokes with a smile. I don't show it but I always feel a chill when I see him smile.

Without saying a word more I turn around leaving for the old library, taking a dustbin filled with brooms with me. I stop in front of the old Library and after a minute or two the rest arrive with the head boy who unlocks the library giving us access.

"I have class to attend. I will come check up on you eight when school closes." The head boy said before turning around and leaving.

We all stood staring at the building with no one making a move.

"What are we waiting for, let's get to work." Abbey said nudging Fati forward with her.

Like a bee who saw flowers for the first time in months, Amin rushes towards Fati and Abbey.

"Yeah let's go I will lead the way." Amin said.

"This is heavy can you help me." Abbey ask Amin.

"Sure this is nothing much." Amin smile flexing his almost nonexistent muscles.

Don't get me wrong Amin is very fit, we go to the gym together and he has abs but he just doesn't have a muscular build.

"Fati, Amin is going to help us carry these." Abbey smiles at Fati.

Hearing Abbey's word a helpless expression appears on Amin's face.

"Wow, very nice of you." Fati said barely containing her laughter.

Amin looks towards us, from his look I could guess what he was thinking. I look side ways avoiding his gaze while Yusuf picks up his cleaning equipment, showing Amin his hands are also full.

We enter the building and the place is dark, walking to the nearest window I push it open. More lights floods into the room and we can see the whole library. To our relief it wasn't as dirty as we expected.

"Hey guys check this out, there are books in here." Maryam said taking out a book.

We all rush over and to our surprise the fifteen rows of tall wooden furniture's were all full if books.

I pick up some book about astronomy and briefly look through it.

"This Library has more books than the current library." Sarah said.

"Then why isn't it being used?" Abbey ask.

"There is a myth about this building." I reply.

"What myth?" Abbey looks curiously at me.

"It is just a rumor about a demon which feeds on people's soul.." Amin said indifferently.

"Tell me the story behind the so called demon," Abbey said look at us.

"The story goes like this." Yusuf said clearing his throat like he normally does when he was about to tell us something new.

"100 years ago a village belonging to the gwari tribe settled here. The village is called Bawyedye It was a very peaceful and prosperous tribe, blessed with fertile lands. The people lived happily until a man was found dead in his farm. This was something new to people of Bawyede but the most disturbing fact was the manner in which the man died." Yusuf paused, wanting to add more suspense.

"I always feel scared no matter how many times I listen to this story." Hussain said, moving close to me and Amin.

"Finish this damn story already. We still have work to do." Maryam urges.

With a smile Yusuf continues.

"The man's corpse was intact with no cuts or any other sign of possible cause of his death except for his listless eyes. As they say, the eye is the window to your soul. The ancient people believes that after death the eyes take two days to lose all its spirituality but in the dead mans case his eyes looks like an empty room devoid of any form of spirituality. The people decided against dwelling on the matter instead burying him according to there traditions. The next day three more dead body's were found cause of death obviously similar to the previous man. After a meeting with the council of elders the village head consulted their gods but received no replies, and without reply they couldn't take action."

"Come on man skip to the end." I interrupt

"One morning the people of Bawyedye wake up to a shocking scene. Two huge households comprising of a combined fifty member were all found dead except for a little girl who happen to witness all that have happened. In her recounts of what happened the previous night she talked about how a man came to there house and anyone who looks at him falls dead. Hearing the girls words the village head was shocked into standing, "the Bantu, the Bantu has arrived in our village." The Bantu is a demon who eats the soul of others. After looking through various ancient scrips the village head finally found a solution. Five girls were sacrificed in an ancient ritual and his son forced to lay in there blood for ten days, after which it was said that the boy found the Bantu and defeated it, then locked it below this building all the while guarding it to make sure it never sees the light of day."

"Isn't it going to escape after the boy dies?" Abbey ask.

"I believe the ritual turned him immortal or something." Yusuf reply.

"We have one hour thirty minutes left to clean this place up.." Amin reminds us.

After three hours of hard work we were finally through, school have long closed and after submitting the cleaning equipment to the gateman we were allowed to leave.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Thanks for taking the time to read my story.

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Do you believe it?

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