The tragic death of Emmanuella shock the school to its core, leaving students and staff members alike feeling worried, saddened, and scared. To those who knew her well, such as Samuel, Grace, and Ekene, the loss of their dear friend cut deeply. For the school as a whole, it served as a grim wake-up call – this was the first time they had experienced multiple deaths due to snakebites in such a short period.
"Guys, I'm thinking of writing a letter to the administration, requesting permission to conduct personal investigation into the shocking appearances of snakes on campus," Samuel proposed, his voice was firm
"That's exactly what I planned to do," Ekene replied, his resolve a reflection of Samuel's
"I'm in, but you guys should write the letter first," Grace said, supportive but cautious, "Once the administration gives the go-ahead, notify me. I will investigate with you guys"
"Alright," Ekene said
The boys diligently composed the letter, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and their willingness to find a solution to the snake problem. With the letter tucked secretly in a brown envelope, they set off to submit it to the administration
Along the way, they encountered Cynthia, Grace's friend and course mate
"Ekene, good morning, how are you?" Cynthia greeted warmly
"I'm fine, Cynthia, and you?" Ekene responded
"I'm fine, too," Cynthia replied before turning to Samuel, "How are you Sammy?"
"I'm fine, and you?" Samuel responded, a warm smile gracing his lips
"I'm fine too." Cynthia responded, "I'm sorry about Emmanuella. She was a very good friend to me. How are you holding up?"
"Well, I'm just here," Samuel replied, his sadness evident in his eyes
"Take heart Sammy. Everything will be fine," Cynthia encouraged
"Thank you very much, Cynthia," Samuel appreciated, a forced smile spreading across his lips
"So, where are you guys going?" Cynthia inquired, noticing the envelope in Samuel's hand
"Oh, we want to submit this letter to the administration," Samuel explained
"What's the letter for?" Cynthia asked, her curiosity piqued
"We want to investigate the shocking repeated appearances of snakes on campus," Ekene elaborated
"Isn't that too dangerous? I mean we're dealing with dangerous reptiles here," Cynthia said, her anxiety apparent
"We're in a dangerous zone, anyway," Ekene reasoned, "What happened to Emmanuella and our course mate could have happened to anyone. It could be me, you, Samuel, Grace, or anyone. So even if we fold our hands and do nothing, we're still endangering ourselves"
"You've got a point." Cynthia conceded, "Well, I'm going to study in the library"
"Don't go alone," Ekene warned, his protective instinct kicking in
"Thanks for your concern," Cynthia said with a smile, "but don't worry about me. I'll be fine"
"Are you sure? There could be snakes anywhere, even in the library itself, you know," Ekene persisted
"I'll be fine. Besides, there should be students and staffs in the library," Cynthia assured him
"Alright, then," Ekene relented, albeit reluctantly
Cynthia is a fellow law student. She shared a close bond with Grace, which extended to their mutual friendship with Ekene. Unbeknownst to Ekene, both Cynthia and Grace harbored feeling for him that went beyond mere friendship. However, with his focus consumed by his academics, the recent tragic events, and the looming mysteries of snakes on campus, Ekene remained oblivious to the affection that both Cynthia and Grace held for him
Ekene and Samuel continued on their way to the school's administration, their conversation shifting away from the pressing matter of the snake infestation
"Hey, buddy," Samuel began, his tone shifting to a more personal subject
"What's up?" Ekene asked, sensing the change in direction
"You know, that babe likes you," Samuel said, a knowing grin spreading across his face
"Who?" Ekene questioned, seemingly oblivious
"Cynthia… Grace likes you too. Both of them," Samuel revealed, surprised that his friend hadn't noticed
"How can you tell?" Ekene inquired, curiosity piqued
"It's completely obvious. How come you didn't notice?" Samuel retorted, shaking his head in disbelief
"Well, maybe I've been too busy," Ekene admitted, shrugging his shoulders
"Too busy? Come on, dude. You won't be a youth forever. You need to start thinking about the future," Samuel advised, hoping Ekene would give the matter some serious consideration
"Well, I'll think about it. Right now, let's pick up the pace," Ekene deflected, keen to refocus on their mission
"You better do," Samuel said, with a chuckle, letting the subject drop for the time being
Meanwhile, Cynthia found herself alone in the library, contrary to her earlier assumption that there would be students and staffs present. Unperturbed, she decided to study anyway. As she delved into her books, she failed to notice that she was not the only living being in the room
Unbeknownst to Cynthia, a pair of beady eyes watched her from the shadows. The slithering intruder silently coiled around the shelves, its forked tongue darting out to taste the air. The atmosphere in the library grew thick with tension as the unsuspecting student continued her studies, blissfully unaware of the imminent danger creeping ever closer