Wonder Boy

About: An amazingly talented youngster from the from the slums of Warri is faced with seemingly never ending challenges in his quest to fulfil his dream to become a footballing superstar…

Episode 1

[Things open up in some open dusty grounds somewhere in Warri, Delta State in the South of  Nigeria just a little over 4pm and some young lads in their early teens are playing  six aside football most of the boys are barefooted…]

1st boy: oh boy pass the ball na!

2nd boy:  pass na, I dey free

[the boys on one of the sides were referring Samuel Ogbemudia who was basically taken on the opposition dribbling past on rushing players and refusing to heed the calls of the other boys, after getting past the five outfield players he gets to the goalkeeper {who stood between two sticks pinned into the ground} and does a couple of stepovers and gets past the goalkeeper and scores…]

[All the boys on his team rushed to him to celebrate the goal]

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th boys: GOAAAL! [all the boys pat him on the back, smiling and laughing but one of the boys carries him on his back. when the celebrations were finished the boys moved to return to their positions…]

John Chukwuma: [the boy that carried Samuel on his] O boy you too much o but try dey pass ball na…

Samuel Ogbemudia: I know, I know but you know na when dribble don enta body na so e dey be

Both: Ha Ha Ha [they both laugh]

John Chukuwuma: o boy see Osaro [referring to a player on the opposing side] face na that OC {nutmeg} you catch am dey pain am e wan die [they both laugh]

[two hours later the game was over Samuel had scored two more goals and assisting ; they stopped playing because it was dark and they could barely see the ball- that was the norm for the boys] [on his way home he met Ruben Efosa who was a coach of a popular grassroots football academy known as Fire Baller FC]

Ruben Efosa: hello my boy, you really sabi play ball o

Samuel Ogbemudia:  Thank you sir [he said slightly lowering his head in respect]

Ruben Efosa: I want make you come join my academy, Fire Baller FC, make I improve you

Samuel Ogbemudia; [his eyes widened at the thought of playing the most popular academy in the area] sir I go like to play for your academy o but you go ask my papa and mama because my papa sey eim want make I be doctor

Ruben Efosa: No worry I go talk to them

Samuel Ogbemudia; Thank you sir [he said as trotted off]

Ruben Efosa: [smiled as he walked off in the opposite direction

[Samuel Ogbemudia arrived home {which was one room that he stayed with his parents and four siblings} his was father was seated by the door….]

Samuel Ogbemudia: Papa good evening…

Samuel Ogbemudia Sr (Papa Samuel): You well so? [he queried rhetorically] look when you dey come house, you don go dey play football abi?…

Samuel Ogbemudia Jr: Yes Papa….ayi! [his father had sprung up almost in a flash] papa abeg na ayi…

Samuel Ogbemudia Sr: how many times I go tell you sey na doctor or lawyer you go be ehn! [he continued flogging his son with the switch he had fetched several hours ago] wetin, wetin you wan carry this nonsense ball do!

[Samuel continues pleading with his father for mercy to no avail…]

Emily Ogbemudia; [Samuel’s Mother hearing her son wailing runs out of the house…] Jesu Papa Samuel na my pikin you wan kill abi! [she said queryingly]

Samuel Ogbemudia Sr: Mama Samuel na you dey spoil this pikin!

Emily Ogbemudia: Oya Kill me join na [she said as she threw herself between Samuel Sr’ and Samuel Jr]

[Samuel Ogbemudia Sr walked past his wife as she consoled their son and locked the door  behind himself…]

[Emily Ogbemudia sat on a low stool while her son sat on the floor…]

Emily Ogbemudia: clean your eye, no cry again but why you no wan dey go school? you know sey me and your papa dey suffer to train you and your brothers and sister

Samuel Ogbemudia: Mama I know but with this football I go make you and papa proud, build better house for una

Emily Ogbemudia: I believe you my son…you don chop so?

Samuel Ogbemudia: no, mama I never chop

Samuel Ogbemudia: no, mama I never chop [he said in a low tone wiping his eyes with his hands]

Emily Ogbemudia: Oya go inside, on top the stove for inside the carton bring that small pot come lemon soup dey inside.

Samuel Ogbemudia: Yes ma [he said gleefully as he leaped to his feet]

Emily Ogbemudia : [was fiercely protective of her family and her children were her jewels she guarded them fiercely and provided for them as best she could. She got pregnant at a very early age; she was 19 years when she got pregnant with Samuel, she could remember vividly like it was yesterday as her elder brothers and father searched through the town for Samuel Ogbemudia Sr who had fled once she told him she was pregnant for him, she smiled as Eric {her eldest brother} words from the night they finally caught Samuel Ogbemudia Sr {they had found him hiding in his grandmother’s farm} Erci: ‘we go break your leg today, this your tiny mosquito leg! so you get mind gi my small sister belle wan run Oghene! you don die {he said as scrubbed the machete he was holding repeatedly across the partly stoned floor}. She almost burst out laughing as the image of Samuel Ogbemudia Sr quivering as sweat poured down his face profusely as he knelt down in a circle made up of her family and his father, sister and grandmother…] ‘Mama mama..’ it was Samuel Jr’s voice…

Samuel Ogbemudia: see the soup [he took off the lead and tilted the pot slightly to the side revealing its content to his mother]

Emily Ogbemudia: you warm am so? [she queried as she looked at the direction of the pot]

Samuel Ogbemudia: Yes mama, I even do the small starch

Emily Ogbemudia: Sammy, Sammy my pikin [she called him fondly] you do well o, you too sabi something oya Sidon [she gestured towards the ground] make we chop [at this Samuel Ogbemudia Jr frowned slightly]

Emily Ogbemudia: Why you dey squeeze nose ah, ah ha, ha, ha, [she let out a teasing laugh] oh so you think sey na for only you chai [Samuel Ogbemudia Jr sat down beside her], if you do now I go call ya papa o [they both laughed as they shared the meal with crickets chirping in the background]

[later that night at about 11pm Emily Ogbemudia is sat on the mattress which was positioned  at the corner of the one room they called home while her husband slept beside her]

Emily: Papa Samuel, papa Samuel [she whispered as she nudged him], wake up make we talk [nudging him more vigorously]

Samuel Sr: hmm, hmm, wetin [he mumbled incoherently]

Emily: Wake up! [she said as she slapped him on his shoulder]

Samuel Sr: Wetin?! [he says as he drags himself up to a sitting position]

Emily: My husband, we go allow Sammy play this ball o

Samuel Sr: Come, come na this nonsense na make you wake me from sleep? [retorted in irritation].Make I tell you now that boy go be doctor or lawyer all this ball talk I no one hear am!

Emily: That na you own o my pikin go play ball nowadays you think sey doctors they make money? as for lawyer dem no bi so,  so charge and bail dem be? you dey see wetin Oghenekaro dey do for eim Papa compound?

Samuel Sr: I talk am na that one you dey look, abeg leave me make I sleep mtscheew [ hissing as he goes back to sleep]

Emily: So you don sleep? you go wake up o!…..

[Two weeks later at St: Timothy Primary school football field Ruben Efosa is standing watching over a group 15 to 18 year olds as he put them through their paces, he is flanked by his assistants]

Ruben Efosa: hey Fred[Fred was one of the better players on his team which at one point was scouted by the Nigerian Premier League Champions Elephant FC talented youngsters pass the ball but he was a little bit of a showboat] pass the ball! Tunde mark na!, OS [turning his head to Osas Osahon or as he fondly called him] wetin dey worry this Fred sef?

Osas Osahon:  me sef I don tire but na him be the best player we get o

Ruben Efosa: No worry e get one boy when I see eim go dust am

Osas Osahon: Na that Chukwuemeka boy? Fred better pass am na

Ruben Efosa: no, the Chukwuemeka good sef but this boy na fire, come see, [brought out his phone and played a video he had recorded…] Ovie you too [Ovie Ogheneoreva was Ruben’s brother-in-law; was married to his young sister]

OS: [the video plays] na him be that eim small o, o boy ye [his eyes widened along with the grin on his face]

Ruben Efosa: just dey watch, see, see [Ovie: woohoo this boy na bad boy o ha, ha, ha]

OS: choi Oghene bi ko this boy sabi play ball o you don talk to am?

Ruben Efosa: yes na, even if e mean sey make I go see eim papa and mama I go do am! this boy fit go straight to Europe
…
…….

…

…….

 

 

Warehouse Man

 

About: When Bruce Butler a US Marine is forced to leave unceremoniously in acrimonious circumstances he is offered a job at a warehouse that turns out to be a US government black-site by a former mentor….
Episode 1.
[ things open up in The Peoples Islamic Republic of Kandac where a group of US Marines led by Major Sergeant Butler are under fire from fighters of the Righteous Brotherhood for Islamic Emancipation (RBIE)….]
Major Sergeant Butler: Lance, Magee south side north entrance, Miguel roof tops watch our tails Shevchenko, Zakari, Abdul eyes up with me [he points towards a half broken door] move, move! he ordered
[Lance and Magee and [moved out, Miguel made her way to the top a building, settle down and balanced her rifle. MS Butler, Zakari, Abdul and Shevchenko burst into the building]
MS Butler: Clear! move, move, move! [he ordered as they moved into the building and he signalled for Zakari, Abdul and Shevchenko to move up the stairs of the building, come on guys this is no cake walk. As they moved up the stairs he motioned to his men to check three rooms while you went into the fourth]
Shevchenko: Clear boss!
Zakari: Clear!
Abdul: Clear!
MS Butler: Clear!
Abdul:[a massively built guy standing at 6ft5 with a very silky hair] Don’t mean to complain boss but this place is disserted was the intel right [he queried in his unique Bostonian accent]
Shevchenko: Stop whining big fella or are you missing your mummy ? [they all laugh]
Miguel: [real name Evangelina Rosa Martinez] come on Shev leave him alone or I will hop over there and kick your arse [she said speaking into the COMs]
MS Butler: We go wherever we are sent, the intel is straight from HQ ladies
Miguel: hey guys incoming at your three [she was referring to a couple of armoured personnel carriers and about half a dozen dusty jeeps mounted with machine guns]
MS Butler: we see them [At that moment the RBIE fighters started firing in their direction] Miguel please quieten these fools
Miguel: Yes boss [she began picking off the RBIE fighters with deadly precision and impeccable accuracy [shot three RBIE fighters in a row straight through their foreheads, shot the tank of one the RBIE jeeps which caused it to explode into an armoured personnel carrier]. more RBIE’s heading your way
MS Butler: alright guys lets give Miguel a hand [ on saying that he signalled for Zakari, Abdul and Shevchenko to move downstairs] deadly force guys we are surrounded! [they responded accordingly]
Abdul: how did they know where we were?! [he queried as he dropped two RBIE fighters with two successive shots to their chests] [the RBIE crowd was increasing rapidly] we are getting swamped guys
MS Butler: No idea, we will pull through this guys [as he got out the door an RBIE fighter grabbed hold of his weapon, so he kicked the guy straight in the chest which sent him crashing into a support beam] Anyone seen Lance and Magee?
Zakari, Abdul, Shevchenko: No boss
Miguel: saw them been pulled away dragged away by RBIEs managed to drop a couple of them but just too many
[several minutes later MS Butler, Zakari, Abdul and Shevchenko were able to successfully ploughed through the RBIE fighters that had been assailing them]
Shevchenko: Boss I just spotted Magee and Lance being taken to a building three clicks from here
MS Butler: Alright guys lets double up, lets get our guys back. Miguel? Miguel? coming Miguel…
Miguel: Getting swamped here boss
MS Butler: Get out of there! do what you must soldier and that’s an order!
Miguel: Yes boss
[about 45 minutes later they had somehow found there way to the [MS Butler signalled that they form a perimeter around the building and approach cautiously, Abdul was the closest to an entrance to the building. As they got very close to the building MS Butler noticed a tiny, almost invisible wire at the foot of the door…]
MS Butler: No! Stop! Nooo! [he screamed and motioned with his hands but sadly it was too late as in that moment Abdul’s right foot touched the wire {BOOM!!!} the explosion was ear shattering, immediately flames from the fire engulfed Abdul, a lick of fire brushed intensely brushed through Shevchenko’s face, Zakari was thrown by the force of the explosion the into an adjourning building instantly snapping his neck] ah ah! [a wood splinter was lodge in his shoulder by the explosion as it threw him several feet from the building that was now ravaged by flames from the explosion]
[45 minutes earlier; Miguel was ploughing through RBIE fighters as she tried to make her way to the MS Butler and the others; she dropped three on rushing assailants with shots to the head, stomach then smashing the other across the face with the bridge of her rifle, took out another with a stop kick, then tossed her knife towards an assailant burying it in his forehead. Moments later she had all her assailants either dead or fatally injured in her wake…she doubled up and made her way down the building as moved stealthily through a maze of buildings…] sir? uh [she apparently saw someone familiar then she got knocked out from behind]
[back to MS Butler]
[MS Butler was sprawling on the ground mostly covered in dust, he struggled to get to his feet while tugging at the huge splinter in his left shoulder, at this point he had managed to kneel with the whizzing from the explosion still ringing in his ears. Still disoriented he managed to look up and saw the figure of someone he wasn’t expecting…]
MS Butler: General Ailing? What ar..?
Gen. Ailing: What are my am I doing here? [he was flanked by two US marines {who MS Butler recognised as John McKenzie and Alex Cooper } and half a dozen RBIE fighters two them immediately moved to restrain MS Butler] that’s what you were about to ask right? the more poignant question is why are you so damn stubborn?!
MS Butler: Stubborn? you gave the damn order to come here….oh [realisation dawned on him] you sent us into a trap! so you have been working with Faruq El Khalifa
Gen Ailing: you kept pushing the issue so I had to send you off somewhere so here you are I guess ha ha [he let out a cruel laughter]
MS Butler: I see you have your two lap dogs [referring to McKenzie and Cooper]!
Gen Ailing: Well, they see the big picture… [McKenzie stepped up to him and whispered something into his ears] speaking about lap dogs I think we have got yours [Cooper drags in Miguel on her knees by her collar and roughly tossed her to the ground]
MS Butler: Are you alright Miguel? look at me soldier [he used his eyes to search for hers]
Miguel: I’m alright boss these fuck arse traitors can’t break me [she said spitting on the ground close to Ailing’s feet] ah! [she let out in pain Cooper had rushed forward and kicked her right in the small of her back, he would kept going but General Ailing motioned to him to stop]
[a convoy of 6 jeeps pulled up] [Miguel had been nipping away at the ropes used to tie her hands with a blade she had hidden in her sleeve slipped with the split second distraction of the jeeps pulling up she swiftly stabbed Cooper’s foot, then the side of his right knee] Cooper: ah! [he screamed in pain as he fell forward she stabbed him in his eye then slashed his throat] [then she bowled herself into McKenzie before he could react sending him crashing to the ground and pounced on him stabbing him repeatedly through his hands he had put up to protect his face] [MS Butler somehow managed to disarm the two RBIE fighters who had been restraining him but as he did that he made the injury in his shoulder worse and he felt badly; he fell on one knee and that gave the other RBIE fighters the opportunity to hold him down…] [As the jeeps stopped a tall, dark figure stepped down {it was Al Mustapha Abdullah Azeez the leader of the RBIE} with Mckenzie bloodied on the floor Miguel set her sights on the RBIE leader and rushed towards him ploughing through RBIE fighters…]
Miguel: ahhh! [but before she could get to him she got shot in at the base of her temple by General Ailing…]
MS Butler: Nooo! No! No!

[Butler opened his eyes screaming completely covered in sweat; it had been three years but the events in Kandac still remained fresh in his mind, it plagued and tormented him on an almost daily bases] [he made his way through his disorganised studio apartment He walked through the space hurdling over clothes scattered on the floor and half stumbled into the shower with his breath reeking of bourbon. As the warm water from the shower steamed all over his body Bruce could hear the ruling of the court martial echoing in his head

 

 

Blood for her death…

Director Wellock’s expression was sterner than usual as he barked out orders to the specially trained forces of the G.D.E (Government Department on the Extraordinary). The G.D.E headquarters was under siege not by any army but it was something or even worse, no one had an idea what it was no one but director Wellock and  Captain Susan Walters his right hand. The director moved briskly through the command centre personally instructing the men, now he was given an earful to one of the tech guys ‘I said ramp up the damn ultraviolet light!’  ‘…can’t anyone do something right?!’ he continued as people bustled about  the place, he was clearly shaken at this point. Outside the massive walls of the G.D.E the security had been increased on the orders of Capt. Walters stretching over the foregrounds and the encompassing woods with the men armed with solar flair bullets (experimental high voltage bullets made up of synthesised solar particles). In the still chilliness of the night two G.D.E officers while investigating some violent rustling in woods ‘what was that?’ the younger of the officers queried ‘ssh’ the more experienced officer who had L. Schmitz on his name badge motioned with his finger to his lips and pointed towards the on the younger officer’s shoulder; blood was dripping unto his right shoulder from a tree, as they both look up they saw probably half a dozen bodies of  G.D.E officers pinned almost unrealistically to the branch of a tree. As their eyes meet ‘arghh!’ they hear awful screams accompanied by gun shots from a distance then the screams get closer and then further away and even further. Then suddenly ‘ahhh!’ blood splashes across Schmitz’s face as the youngster’s head rolled past his quivering legs, he felt a warm breath on his neck, his heartbeat raced and the sweat underneath his helmet thickened, he thought he heard something and fired several shots into the darkness ‘ahhhh!’ he let out an agonising screaming as the wind forcefully brushed through him, his body lay in two even bloody parts from the groin upwards on the ground.

Back inside the G.D.E HQ building director Wellock is seen standing behind hundreds of people busy on different monitors; behind   some of the monitors different sort of outer-worldly creatures can be seen either locked in specially built cells or torture chambers being poked and probed. Moments later as Capt. Walters walks in ‘what’s the update on the men guarding the parameter?’ he questioned as she got close to him ‘Alpha team come in, beta team come in…..’ in response was complete silence from the  various teams, Walters called out to the teams again and again but the response was the same.   The Capt. shook her head ‘no response but…’ ‘but me no buts captain! get out there and do your job!’  she looked at him sternly for a bit then replied ‘yes sir!’.  ‘All units listen up!’ she spoke firmly into her COM ‘red team south side, blue team north wing, green west wing the rest of you with me!…and please use your Head-CAMS for visuals. As the various G.D.E units rolled out Capt. Walters asked for visuals on the outward parameter but all she could see was static.

As the wind blew through the chilly night from a vantage point something was lurking as a pair of glowing red eyes glared over the wreckage;  hundreds of G.D.E officers left in tatters, torn into shreds nothing left but dismembered body parts and bodies broken and hung in unnnatural positions, armoured personnel carriers torn apart like they were made out of taperware, high-voltage rapid fire gatlin guns were broken in two just as you would a toothpick.

In the command centre Wellock was left pondering and reflecting about events slightly over 2 decades ago back when he was the assistant director of the G.D.E; the Government Department of the Extraordinary was a government agency set up to fight, control and harness the powers of ; vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, waverlins and other supernatural beings or as the government dossier referred to them, Extraordinaries. The G.D.E despite the billions of dollars of taxpayers funds it received had not been able to make any significant achievement. There was of course the odd capture of some lowlife vampire or some wavelin unable to wield their gifts but no alpha werewolves, no prime wavelins. However one day out of the blue he appeared at the HQ of the G.D.E introducing himself as Edwin Lois Van Robben he wasnt like the other extraordinaries, he seemed very unique, there was something about the way he carried himself, that made his offer very intriguing. He said he would help them capture the all the extraordinaries though he reeked of power the then director at that time Hector Marshall accepted the offer and like clockwork day he captured extraordinary after extraordinary and brought them to the G.D.E. With his help a specialised prisons were built that were able to hold even deadliest and most vicious of them all.

However, with all the extraordinaries captured Director Marshall believed that though Edwin Lois Van Robben kept his end of the bargain he was too dangerous and uncontrollable. Director Marshall gave the order and led the attack on Van Robben at his home the order was shot with extreme prejudice. On arrival at Van Robben’s home it was then that the reason for his offer became apparent he was in love with a gorgeous but simple lady named Lucia Ivanev. Lucia Ivanev meant the world to Van Robben, know one knew this or did director Marshall know? he often wondered. The moment they attacked and opened fire it became clear that Van Robben was not just an but extraordinary something even more unique and deadly. He was what later referred to as a Zauberbrid which is a combination of the four major extraordinary species (vampire, werewolf, wavelin and shapeshifter), he tore through the G.D.E officers but a gunner  had an open shot, now Van Robben heard the bullet leaving the barrel of the gunner’s rifle but Lucia threw herself infront of the bullet and immediately began disintegrating as the bullets used by the G.D.E was meant for extraordinaries. On seeing Lucia’s rapidly disintegrating  body he lost his mind and control with that his focus he began lashing out, screaming wildly  while tearing into everything in his path including director Marshall. Moments later Van Robben was knelt over the bits and pieces that remained of Lucia’s body and let out the most terrifying yet agonising scream anyone had ever heard. ‘assistant director…director Marshall is dead what are your orders sir?’ an officer had asked him and he could remember his response clear as day ‘bury him!’….  ‘sir, sir, director…’ ‘huh?’ Wellock turned his head to face the G.D.E that was breathing heavily ‘sir Capt. Walters says to get you to the chopper…’ ‘I am not going anywhere soldier we stay here and fi….’ ‘ah ah ah!’ the officer let out a scream that filled the air as all the lights in the control room went off which was followed by more screams

As Capt. Walters two dozen G.D.E officers made their way through the building all they could were screams gunshots and bodies smashing into walls and the stench of blood filled the air ‘Captain shouldn’t we get the hell out of here?!’ one officer said ‘get a grip soldier!…we will take down this monster’ as right on ‘humans, humans, humans…’ a calm but equally chilling voice echoed through the corridor  in a quintessential English accent ‘…so eager to call any being higher in the food chain a monster…’ the voice went on ‘I  had a pact with you and I betrayed my kind to kept of the bargain…’ the voice was drawing closer ‘….for thousands of years I have seen how you destroy yourselves leaving chaos and destruction in your wake so I suppose I should have expected your betrayal, you sought to kill me…and you succeeded you took the only…’ a figure in appeared at the end of the hallway ‘take him down!’ Capt. Walters barked out and the men responded with rapid fire ‘ah! ah! ah!’ ‘ah ah ah….!!!’ horrifying screams echoed through the hallway as he ripped through the men who were now only 6; dismembered bodies littered the hallway three bodies limbless bodies were pinned to the ceiling, another was pinned to the wall with his gun through his mouth, on the floor lay two headless bodies ‘…and there it is you never tire of your useless weapons, I suppose that’s the only way you can protect your fickle selves…’ he went on as he slammed a G.D.E officer into the wall  whose scream was muffled by the hand over his face ‘…I digress you took away the only thing, the only one who meant everything to me…’ at this point he was dragging the officer by his face with his helmet skidding on the metal wall ‘so you see love I am not a monster that appellation is meant for you lot…’ ‘ah ah ah!’ the officer was having his face squeezed and then forcefully ripped out of his head ‘…so don’t insult me and call me monster I am Edwin Lois Van Robben and I’m a lot worse…’ now he was completely out of the shadows Capt. Walters and the half a dozen men shelled out shots the bullets just burned through him, he looked at himself examining the holes in his black suit as he looked up his eyes glowed blood red ‘my turn love’ and in seconds only Captain Walters was left and Van Robben stood in front of her and had snapped her gun in half, she swung her knife at him he caught it and tossed away, ‘you took the shot, yes I know you did dear Captain Walters you killed Lucia, for that a slow death is your reward…’ ‘ah ah ah! as he said that he dug his hands into her sides smashing her ribs and puncturing her lungs. He left with her on the floor clutching her right side, bleeding onto the cold steel floor, as he smashed through the roof.

On the roof Director Wellock was already on the massive G.D.E chopper ‘take us out of here soldier!’ he barked out ‘yes sir’ the officer said as he attempted to pull the metal bird off the helipad but it wouldn’t budge ‘I said get us in the air now!…’ ‘I am trying sir…’ the pilot said as he struggled ‘I think its stuck on something…’ Van Robben had grabbed the chopper by the tail ‘are you in a hurry…..