TEACHER MURPHY (Practical Love) episode one to 14(chapter one)

 TEACHER MURPHY
(Practical Love)
Episode 1
Heading: Swallowing Ground.

It was late evening, the weather had become cool due to exchange in temperature between the sea and the terrestrial habitat. Joyful people could be seen by the side of the road, waving the country flag and casting their garments on the road where a convoy, carrying the president were passing. It was like the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on a colt.

As the cars were passing slowly, the president, a young seventeen years old boy called Murphy, from one of the parado watched through a tinted glass of the car how people were screaming by the side of the road and wanting to see him as if he was a celebrity.

The car stopped before a building, a guard briskly opened the door for the president to step out. Already, flash of light from camera had circulated the place, trying to capture the teenage president who had stepped out on a coperat attire; longsleeve shirt, tocked-in in a black plain trouser. His shiny shoes reflected the light from cameras, even the transparent eyeglasses on his eyes as he began to wave at people happily.

"I love you, teacher Murphy!!" a female voice came from the crowd.

"I've heard about your story. You're a genius!!" another shouted.

Nevertheless, Murphy kept moving towards the house, listening to each comment made by any of the citizens.

"The ground which you'll stand to put your teacher will not swallow you!! I love you!!" Another female voice said.

Hearing that, Murphy stopped at the door without looking back. His huge guards also stopped wondering what came over him. One of them walked closer to his ears.

"Sir, what's wrong?" he asked him.

Murphy slowly turned to the crowd thereby enhancing their joyful clamour. He wished he could see the person that made the statement, but it was impossible due to population. Therefore, he turned around again, finally entered into the building.

The noise subsidized immediately he entered into the house to see his fellow orphans already seated. It was a large living room with golden chairs, tables and other furniture. The walls had the colour of the tiles and energy bulbs, giving it a magnificent view. The temperature continuously reduced the room by an air conditioner

The seven teenagers stood up for him as a sign of respect, even strong headed Daniella. All wore black still mourning teacher Nwachukwu whose burial was the next day. Murphy looked at them from Obi to Ada, Dave, Judith, Daniella, Cynthia and Vivian who twisted her fingers nervously due to how charming Murphy appeared to her. Obviously, she wanted to be to him more than someone she grew up with. Unfortunately, Murphy noticed her restlessness.

"Vivian." He called her.

The girl's heart skipped when she heard him. "Yes.. umm.. teacher Murphy." she stuttered.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fin..."

"She's not fine, Murphy." Ada did not only interrupt but also interfered.

"Don't mind her, I'm fine." Vivian disdained Ada amusingly. Only both understood each other coz Vivian had once confessed her lover for Murphy to her.

"Please, sit down." Murphy sat opposite them and crossed his legs. "You all summoned me here. What for?" he asked.

"We are like a family, Murphy." Dave began. "One of the common characteristics of a family is love and transparency. Teacher Nwachukwu will be buried tomorrow, and we know that before he died, he called you privately. We will like to know what he said to you." he concluded.

Murphy gave them a long stretch of silence, putting together the statement he heard outside with part of Dave's to make a meaning. "..the ground that will swallow your teacher... teacher's burial... the ground will not swallow me... tomorrow is..."

"Murphy?" Ella brought him back from hallucination. He looked up at them.

"You have all you want; jobs, houses, money and even a family in the person of Cynthia and Ada. Why do you so much want to also know what teacher told me?" he asked them.

"We feel is okay you let us know coz we're one." Daniella replied unabashedly.

Murphy stood up. As he walked towards them, the sound of his shoes echoed like that of teacher Nwachukwu. He stopped at a close range with hands inside his pockets. "Teacher told me to take care of you all. He told me to love you too and that's exactly what I'm doing. You're the only family I know. Trust me, I love you guys more than you can imagine."

Vivian took the last statement personal. It was as if it was meant for her alone. It could be seen on her smiling face.

"I only want one thing from you guys." Murphy pointed a finger up. "I want you to be smart."

"Smart?" Judith looked at others. "Aren't we smart enough? What do you even mean?"

Murphy exhaled. "The seat I sit on is not for merriment. It's for battle. So if I'm not gotten, they'll come after the people I love which is you." he elaborated while they became speechless. After a a couple of seconds, Obi stood up and hugged him.

"We love you too, man!" he tapped his back.

Others followed suit; hugged and told him the same thing.

"But when are you getting married?" Ada asked him. The question brightened the place with smiles and chuckle.

"Do you wonder why reverend fathers live longer. It's because they have no wives." Murphy jokingly said.

They laughed.

"I doubt." Cynthia disagreed. "Women even prolong men's lives." she added thereby causing more laughter...

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On the same time, old men from the same cabinet plotted on how to take the life of the teenage president the next day. There were five seated on a roll like a family taking dinner on a dining table. One could see each of them having gray beards and moustache.

"We can't allow a small boy to keep ruling us." Mr Odili, the one that serves as their leader began from the end of the table. "Giving him the presidency after the revolution was based on agreement. Now that he has gotten it, it's time we take it back."

"How?" one of them asked.

"He has to be killed"

"But I heard that boy is too smart!" Another confessed. "Someone who challenged his master and won!'

"But he cannot outsmart a flying bullet, can he?" he asked.

Everybody kept quiet.

"We're sending an assassin to him at the burial ground tomorrow." they concluded.

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Twelve in the midnight, Murphy walked around his room with a glass cup of wine, still thinking about the statement. He wore his night wears which made him look younger. Suddenly, his personal phone rang. He looked at the caller to be Vivian. He glanced at a wall clock before picking it.

"You're still awake?" he asked on the phone.

"I should be asking you, Mr president." Vivian replied. Murphy could imagine her smiling face after calling him that.

"If you wanted me to sleep, then why did you call?"

"I didn't expect you to pick."

They remained silence for a while. Murphy sipped his drink that moment.

"So why are you still awake?" Vivian broke the silence.

"What do you understand by this statement: The ground which you'll stand to put your teacher will not swallow you!!"

"It's a good wish." Vivian replied thoughtfully. "Where did you hear it?"

"From a citizen. I think is more than a good wish." He kept the glass cup on a glass table to the hearing of Vivian. "Listen, Vivian, the statement has in-depth meaning. The ground which I'll stand... definitely I'll be standing on a burial ground to put teacher..."

"Yes, and it won't swallow you. It's a good wish!" Vivian interrupted.

"No, the ground swallows only the dead, but I'll still be alive when I get there."

"You have to die first before the ground swallows you."

"What if what will kill me is on the same ground that will swallow me?"

The question rendered Vivian speechless. She fully understood where Murphy was driving at. "Please, be careful, Murphy." she sounded very sad.....

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TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Episode 2

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Heading: Smart Evil Spirit.

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The morning Sun arose in its glory, reflecting on teacher Murphy's window to remind him that it was time for Nwachukwu's burial. Yes, he had that in his subconscious mind. Therefore he had already prepared himself but the discussion between him and Vivian the previous night got him thinking again at the window of his room. If viewed sideways, the ray of the Sunlight on his face gave him the resemblance of angel Gabriel, appearing to virgin Mary. The light rays was not only enhancing his immune system, it was also giving him inspiration as if God was speaking to him coz in few hours to go, his death would be announced globally.

"Teacher, It's time." A voice sounded simultaneously with the sound of an open door.

Murphy turned to see the door wide opened for him to pass through. On his dark expensive senator, he surged forward as if calculating his footsteps. When he stepped out to the living room, he saw Mr Odili and other executive members who run the government with him and have also set a death trap for him that morning. All stared at him with a smiling face. How could Murphy see that behind their smiles lies hatred and evil plans towards him? Nevertheless, he returned the gaze but not the smile.

"Mr president.." Mr Odili stretched his hand to shake him.

Murphy looked at him from the hand to his face as others watched anticipatingly to see his reaction.

"Good morning to you too, Mr Odili" Murphy replied, leaving his hand hanging in embarrassment. That act made others to keep their handshakes to themselves wondering why he didn't shake an old man like Mr Odili in the presence of other executives. It was not only humiliating but also embarrassing, thus causing a soliloquy among them.

Murphy surged forward to the door followed by his body gaurds, lastly, by Odili and his colleagues who kept on murmuring to Murphy's hearing. Suddenly, the young boy stopped at the door, smartly turned to them. Looking at his posture and expression, the soliloquy gradually died down.

"Mr Odili, you'll ride with me on the same car to the cemetry." Murphy broke the silence as his eyes were fixed on the old man.

"You mean to the burial ground? But why if I may ask, TEACHER MURPHY?" the man asked.

Murphy smiled for a reason best known to him. He had collected the data he wanted. "Is there anything wrong with riding on the same car with your president?" he returned the question.

"No, not at all"

"Thank you." He finally clutched the doorknob.

Other men stared at Mr Odili surprisingly. One of them called Bolaji adjusted his agbada and whispered to Mr Odili's ear. "That small boy behaves as if he has an evil spirit in him." he rolled his big eyes with a heavy exhalation, shook his head and surged out before others followed him with a continuous soliloquy.

Murphy has to address the country first before the journey to the cemetry begins. He stood on a pulpit like an ordained man of God. Flash light from cameras and its sound became the only pollutant in the air as he began.

"Today is the day all citizens especially the people of Kali mourn the down fall of a man who brought revolution to this country. Though he's dead but his love lives on..."

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Every home in the country listened to a teenage Murphy, even traders and passengers. Daniella, Dave, Judith, Obi and Vivian listened from a private car as they were heading to the burial ground. Dave handled the steering wheel. By his side was Judith while others occupied the back seat.

"Is that Murphy speaking on the radio?" Vivian asked.

"Yes, he's addressing the country." Dave replied.

"Turn up the volume, please."

Dave did as she said then all paid more attention.

"...teacher Nwachukwu was a good man" Murphy continued on the radio. "Though darkness always tries to supersedes light, but he fought to made sure we experience the light. Remember, in every light, there's a darkness waiting to overcome it if given a chance. That's why you must let your light shines continuously like the Sun. Bear it in mind that your light comes from nowhere. It comes from you. Thank you very much." An applause followed after the speech. People were really seeing the benefit why he chose to be addressed as teacher rather than a president.

Obi twisted his face. "What did he mean by his last statement?" he asked.

"You may see it as a motivational speech, but he was talking about his governance." Daniella answered.

Dave adjusted the centre mirror in a way he would see her face, anticipating for more explanation from her.

"In every light there's a darkness waiting to overcome it; Murphy obviously is the light and some of his members are the darkness trying to..."

"Kill him?" Vivian completed.

"Yes. Remember, Murphy told us his seat is not for merriment but for battle."

"On a phone call last night. He said something like what will kill him is on the same ground that will swallow him. He got his analysis from a common statement made by a fan."

Judith looked back. "What statement?"

"The ground which you'll stand to put your teacher will not swallow you. I love you!!" Vivian replied directly then all became quiet. Only the voice of a radio broadcaster filled the car.

"How can Murphy predicts his death from ones statement?" Dave began. "If his prediction is true, then he must be smarter than teacher."

"We can't take the risk. It's better we warn him not to come for the burial." Judith suggested..

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Teacher Murphy entered into his car with Mr Odili. His convoy headed straight to the burial ground. As the president, his siren echoed the whole city of Kali. For the small speech he made that morning, people rushed out to the road to hail him. Only then did Mr Odili notice that the small boy was not just a leader but also a celebrity. He turned to him at the back seat of the car.

"Teacher Murphy, you humiliated me this morning. Why didn't you shake my hand?"

Murphy looked at him again without a word from his mouth then averted his eyes to the tinted glass.

"Whether you reply or not, you must not come back alive." Mr Odili thoughtfully said.

As if Murphy heard him, he turned from the glass saying, "Did you say something again?"

"No, teacher" the man replied wondering when the boy began to hear people's thought. Though Murphy didn't hear him but his question made him wonder if he did.

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In the cemetery, people lined up in black attires. The population wasn't quite much but prominent individuals like sheriff, chief in command of the police, and other politicians would not miss the burial. Black sunglasses could be found on their faces, reflecting radiation like a smooth bald head of an old wizard. It was teacher Nwachukwu's burial. Though Kali city had the joy of being free from bad politicians with the help of his devices, but some people like the orphans showed how much they loved him by weeping seriously in the cemetery. 

Judith wept more than others, remembering how happy teacher made her using the video combat game.

"... Happiness causes forgetfulness of sorrows and unknowingly utterance of indebt feelings.... Yes, you won me again my daughter..... If your parents are still alive, I must help you find them, I promise..." A white handkerchief occasionally went to the base of Judith's sunglass to dry dripping tears as he remembered those statements. She stood beside her boyfriend, Dave who showed emotional attitude too. His eyes fixed on the casket like the eyes of a baby who monitored the movement of the mother's lips wondering what she says. Beside him, stood Daniella who also remembered teacher's statements:

"....I picked you all from the gutter to raise you to be smart not stupid... For all my life I've dedicated myself for this and I can't allow someone as stupid as Ada to ruin it all... You think I'm using you?! I do all i do because of all of you coz you're the only family I have... When you're determined to do something in life, you don't look back! You keep away distractions and obstacles..." she broke down in a total cry after the remembrance. Cynthia consoled her the same way Obi did for Ada.

Only Murphy showed no emotion, standing in the front and staring at the casket too. He had no words to qualify teacher Nwachukwu's life.

However, at a nearby bush, the assassin had loaded his snipper, targeting Murphy's head to pull the trigger.

Mr Odili and others were not waiting for the casket to go down the grave but for Murphy to go down the floor. Hence theirs ears didn't hear the preaching of the reverend father, but anticipated the sound of a gunshot. Just then, Murphy looked back at him like Jesus Christ did to Peter when the cock crowed three times.

The burial ended, yet they was no gunshot. Mr Odili marvelled! He could see Murphy whispering something into Dave's ear then wanted to sneak away but he caught him.

"Mr. Odili, you're going with me again! I'm sorry." Murphy surged forward.

"Before, I said this small boy behaves like an evil spirit. Now I know he's the evil spirit itself." Bolaji whispered again.

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All returned to the white house including the orphans. None of them used the seat as teacher Murphy instructed. The young boy stood before them with hands in his pockets as usual. He flipped a finger on the air and a guard pushed Mr Odili to the centre.

"What is going on?" the old man spread his hands.

"Have you shaked anybody today, Mr Odili?" Murphy asked him.

"No"

"Okay." He flipped his fingers again and a man with tattoos was brought in on handcuff and stood before the old man. Mr Odili recognized him as the assassin he sent to assassinate Murphy.

"Mr Odili, I want you to shake the man on cuffs" Murphy instructed.

Reluctantly, he did as he said then the assassin became a moron.

Murphy observed him with a smile. "This is what would have happened to me if I had shaked you. After sending this assassin to kill me, you wanted to make me a moron in order not to outsmart your plan, but you were too late."

Silence filled the room. They all began to wonder if Murphy was a god or an ordinary being.

"Umm.. teacher" Bolaji stepped forward. "How did you know he had a charm in his hand?"

"90% of mistakes made in the world is done out of nervousness especially when one wants to carry out an evil act." He placed his two hands behind him like a teacher, stepping away from his position, while they listened like students. "When Mr Odili wanted to shake me, he called me Mr president but after I told him that he would be riding with me on the same car, he called me TEACHER. What does that tell you?"

They remained quiet taking the question rhetorically.

"The mistake of calling me Mr president was as a result of nervousness for the evil he had in his mind." Murphy flipped his fingers like his late teacher.

Bolaji whistled with two hands on his head thereby spreading the agbada sideways like a bird about to fly.

"Teacher," Vivian began. "Your prediction last night was correct. How did you come about it with the statement from the fan?"

"We're created special from other animals. There's something in us that tells us when and where we're to die. But it's left for you to cleverly read meaning from it. The sign can come from anybody and anywhere, but the ability to read meaning from the sign is what makes you a human being. When you understand this, your life on earth will be prolonged. So I sent men to wait at the cemetery from midnight in order to detect suspicious movement. They allowed the assassin till the time he wanted to execute his plans for a tangible evidence" Murphy began to shed his own tears for Nwachukwu for all that he just explained was taught to him alone by him. He really missed him and wished he was still alive to see the evidence of his teachings in his life.

Bolaji whispered again. "This small boy is not just an evil spirit but a smart one" he concluded hilariously. ...

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TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Episode 3 & 4

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Heading: Brighter Star

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FLASH BACK

A night before the death of teacher Nwachukwu, the old man boarded a flight back to the love garden with only Murphy who was the pilot. Usually, the chopper landed on the basketball court. Teacher refused to go down until the blades stopped rotating and the noise died down. Only then did they hear the crickets with other creepy insects chirping continuously at the nearby forest. Murphy became scared thereby meeting up with his teacher who had not made a move out of the court.

"Teacher, why did you bring me back here?" he whispered.

The man surged forward without replying. Murphy had no choice but to follow him. Once again, he stopped at the entrance of the house, turned and looked up in the sky. Murphy followed the direction of his eyes to see nothing but the stars.

"What do you see, Murphy?" Nwachukwu's voice sounded deep and scary to any unfamiliar ear in the forest.

"Stars" the young boy replied.

"What do they say?"

"Say?" Murphy brought his eyes down to his teacher. "The last time I checked, teacher, stars don't speak." he added.

"It's true but what showed the three wise men the location of the birth of Jesus Christ?"

"The stars"

"What bowed down to Joseph in the dream?"

"Sun, moon and stars"

"Good. Abraham had no child at his old age but he saw his children and descendant each night. What was that?"

"The stars." Murphy replied again, still didn't know what his teacher was trying to substantiate.

"Why stars?" Teacher looked down at him.

"I guess because God told him his children will be like the stars."

"What does star represent now?"

"Human beings."

"Do human beings talk?"

Murphy became astonished when he understood teacher's analysis which is; if stars represent humans and humans talk, that means stars talk too!! Goosebumps pumped out through his skin. Nwachukwu could feel it from his expression. Therefore he continued.

"The stars may be scattered in the sky but each or combination of some tells you something. But the question is; do you understand the language of the stars?" he began to cough atrociously, bending down and covering his mouth.

Murphy held him. "Teacher, are you okay?"

Nwachukwu released his hand from his mouth to see blood.

"Teacher, you're sick. Let me take you to the hospital!" Murphy threshed to hold him tight.

"Let's sit there" Nwachukwu pointed at a seat beside the basketball court. 

Like a Abraham and Isaac, walking up to the mountain, so as Murphy and Nwachukwu walked to the seat. Teacher looked up and continued again.

"In the olden days, men see the future through stars. But now, because of several abysmal taboos, no one can do that again except few. Before you became the president, I've always seen you as one of the stars." he pointed at a bright star. "That's you over there. You are surrounded by other stars which could be your siblings and citizens. But there's a star brighter than yours at a different place." Teacher pointed at it.

"Who could that be?" Murphy asked.

"That is someone who is more clever than you are. He is separated from you coz he's against you. I believe you know what that means."

Murphy stood up, staring at the star, but suddenly looked down at teacher. "Who is he or she? Is it Ella, Dave, or..."

"I have been trying to fine the answer to that question but I couldn't. I don't know who he or she is." Teacher interrupted him......

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CONTINUITY

'Silence In the White House' is a good phrase to qualify the quiet atmospheric room temperature observed after teacher Murphy taught and revealed the evil plans of Mr Odili. The tears that rolled down his eyes for the death of teacher Nwachukwu was priceless coz it was through his knowledge and efforts made him who he was.

However, Vivian admired his intelligence thereby falling for him the more. She couldn't believe herself, falling in love with Murphy. "All this while... why must it be now?" she asked herself.

Nonetheless, as Mr Odili waited for his judgment, sheriff walked in with her men. After much oblige to the president, she began to handcuff Mr Odili.

"You're under arest for attempting murder. You have the right to remain silent or anything you say will be used against you in the court of law." She pushed him away along with the assassin.

Yet, Murphy said nothing, staring at others including his fellow orphans. "You may all go now." he instructed.

"You don't need to say it twice, teacher." Bolaji briskly surged towards the exit followed by others. Obi, once again, became the first to meet Murphy and hugged him.

"Be safe." he said on his shoulder.

Murphy patted his back. "Thanks." He watched as others began to leave without saying good bye, not because they had issues but because they were only obeying his commands. Just at the door, Murphy called on Vivian. The girl turned immediately.

"I'll like to speak with you alone." He said.

The girl said nothing, waiting for others to finally leave. Before Ada left, she winked at her in a way to say: I GUESS HE HAS NOTICED YOU.

Vivian winked back at her with a trace of smile on her face. She wore a black short skirt with black body-hug elastic longsleeve shirt which she tocked in. The shape of her bra could easily be outlined by any eyes. Likewise the outlining of her pant if viewed from behind. On her feet were black hill shoes. It was a perfect outfit for the day's burial.

However, all had left except teacher Murphy and his personal guards. He waited for Vivian to walk to him like a groom waiting for the bride at the alter. Vivaciously and expectantly, Vivian's hill shoes echoed the large living room as she squirm to the president, wondering what the private conversation could be. When the sound of the shoes faded, even a blind man could tell that she had stopped before teacher Murphy, twisting her hands and hallucinating for a kiss from him that moment. The eyes contact between both was like that of a new couple, taking a pre-wedding picture.

"What's it, teacher?" Vivian found her voice.

"Can we talk in my room, please?" Murphy pointed at a door.

"Room?" she narrowed her sight.

"Please." Murphy added humbly then led the way.

"Is he trying to ask me out? God, that will be a dream comes true." She thought on her way to the room, sending another interval sound of her high-hill shoes in the air.

She entered into the room, the door closed behind her the same way she stopped behind it without taking another step. She could see Murphy staring at the window like a lost ghost.

"Murphy, is everything okay?" She asked.

He turned from the window. "Interaction brings correction and solution." he said.

Vivian became confused. "Umm.. Murphy.. I don't.."

"Vivian" he interrupted her, walking towards her at the same time. "Why do people need someone to talk to sometimes? Why do the westerners have a club where people with bizarre and abymal attitude share their problem?" he stopped before her.

Vivian's breathing rate began to change. Though she was standing with her fellow teenager but it seems to her she was standing with late teacher Nwachukwu. So the fear of him through Murphy ran down her body coz Murphy's statements wasn't ordinary to her anymore.

"Umm.. i guess they share their problems to get it off their chest." She replied.

"Not only that. It's also for easier finding of solutions"

"So what are you saying?"

"I want you to be the person I share my thought with." Murphy replied staring into her eyes.

Vivian, once again began to think. "What is Murphy saying? Is he asking me to marry him.. wait.. maybe he's asking me out for a dinner date... oh God, what am I thinking? Am I even quivering? What should I say?!"

"I'm asking you to be my personal adviser who can tackle issues with me for easier finding of solutions and I'll pay you." Murphy interrupted her thought. "What do you say about that?"

"Eemm.. fine.. fine..." She stuttered and swallowed hard. "No problem."

"Thanks. Your job begins now" Murphy picked a remote, pressed a button towards an empty wall and a projector containing a drawing of a bright star surrounded by other stars with another brighter star at sixty degree of the screen slowly unfolded from the roof.

"Wow" Vivian took a step forward. "What's this?" she asked.

Murphy cleared his throat. He vividly narrated to her what late teacher Nwachukwu told him concerning the drawing. "..who do you think is the brighter star that is more clever than me and against me?" he concluded.

Vivian slowly touched the star in quote on the screen of the projector, trying to read meaning from the drawing as a whole.

"Murphy," she began without looking back at him. "The stars surrounding you are not as bright as yours. And yours is not as bright as the one seperated from us." She swiftly turned to him. "What's your intentions to your citizens?" she asked measly.

"For them to reason like me, be like me and..."

"Excellent!" Vivian interrupted. "That means you want their stars to be bright like yours"

"Yes?"

"But there's another star brighter than yours which is also against you. Let's call it the most clever destroyer."

"What are you saying, Vivian?" Murphy approached her in confusion.

"You have to quicken your intentions before the brighter star does coz if he or she should influence the citizens before you, everybody's star will be brighter than yours. Hence you begin to dwindle. If the brighter star should influence the citizens and we know he's a clever destroyer, everybody will turn against you and you might be impeached as the president."

"My light will go off totally and darkness will overcome me" Murphy smartly concluded.

Vivian nodded.

Both remain quiet as Murphy did not only exercise his brain but also his legs by walking to and fro in the room. Vivian pitied him when she understood the burden on the young boy's shoulder.

"Murphy?" She called romantically with a low voice.

Murphy stopped and stared at her lips for her to proceed.

"I'll advice you to leave the president seat to secure your own life." She said.

"Nothing will make me leave the seat" he aggressively pointed at the projector. "Whosoever that brighter hoodlum is, I must find out and show him or her that I will always, I repeat, always be one step ahead of his or her clever plans whenever he or she strikes!!" he boasted.

Vivian remained quiet. "Is okay. I'm always... I mean we're always behind you. Let me go home and change." he surged towards the door.

"Vivian" Murphy called her. "You must not discuss whatever we deliberate here with anyone, not even Ella and co."

"Yes, teacher." Vivian finally left.

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At the residence of late Mr Yinka, Ada's father, the compound was quiet. Only the wife, Ada and Stephen lived there. The young boy Stephen walked down a staircase, following a tantalizing aroma of a food from the kitchen. He wore a short and singlet. He walked to the kitchen to see Ada as the enhancer of the aroma. He tickled her from behind. The girl nearly flung away the big spoon in her hand.

"Hey, Stephen!" she exclaimed with a trace of smile. "Don't try that again otherwise I'll use this spoon on your head."

"It will make the food more delicious" he stood beside her. "The last time I checked you grew up with only a man, your teacher. So how come you know how to make this delicious food"

"Teacher once took us, the girls to a chef who taught us how to cook and he paid her." Ada replied.

"Wow. Please, make the food much, my girlfriend is coming."

"Stephanie?" she looked at him.

"Yes?"

 "When she comes, she should make another for both of you. This is for mum and I alone."

"What do you mean?"

Just then, the door bell sounded and Ada rushed out. She opened it to see Vivian.

"Babe, how did it go? Did Murphy ask you out?" she asked, leading her to a cushion where they sat down.

"No, he wanted me to be his personal adviser." Vivian replied sadly.

"Oh.. it's a good one though. Being around him always will make him develop feelings for you. Don't you think?"

"He will be looking at you as if he's interested in you but you won't know that another thing is in his mind." She lamented while Ada laughed out hard.

"Ada" Vivian faced her. "In as much as I want him to notice my love for him, I also want him alive."

"What do you mean?" Ada adjusted like an amebo.

"Murphy is into a deadly.. I mean... you saw what happened after the burial. People want him dead!"

Ada held her hand. "Murphy will be fine." she assured her.

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Bolaji and other remaining men could be seen on their usual long rectangular table. They knew that Mr Odili wouldn't implicate them in order to find a way to get him out of jail.

"How can we get Odili out from the police? Or are we to set another trap for that small boy?" One of them called Amandi threw the question in the air.

"Are you crazy?" Bolaji shrieked. "We can't defeat that small boy unless we get another small boy like him."

Others began to murmur at his statement while he continued.

"Before, it is said that what an elder sees, sitting down, if a child climbs the highest mountain, he won't see it. Now, reverse is the case: what a child sees, sitting down, if an elder climbs on his walking stick, he will still be blind oh"

They giggled at his statement.

"But which child could be more clever than that boy?" Another asked. They needed to find out.

The Sun went down the next day. Daniella stays under one roof with Dave, Judith, Vivian and Obi. They preferred to live like a family that way. Only Cynthia and Ada stays at their family homes, and Murphy at the white house.

Darkness had covered the sky, Daniella carried a car to Cynthia's. Of course she greeted Mr and Mrs Cliff before taking Cynthia along with her with the excuse that they were going to club. How would the parents know that it was a lesbian club they were heading to?

Nevertheless, Cynthia entered into the club house hand to hand with Daniella. The colour of their skin changed to the colour of different dim of light found inside the building. No single male was found there except the Disk Joker (DJ). Some girls were almost naked, intoxicated by hard drugs. Cynthia could see some girls kissing and romancing at a corner. Ella smiled happily at them.

They left the dancing floor to a bar where they seated, drinking and discussing, at the same time, feeding their eyes.

"Do you like it?" Ella asked her trying to make her voice heard over the sound of the music.

"Like what?" Cynthia returned the question.

"I mean this place?"

She looked around once again. "Yes, I like it." She replied.

Both smiled and continued drinking. Like a flip of finger, the drink began to shark them.

"When I look at Murphy do you know who I see?" Cynthia asked nodding to the beat.

"Teacher Nwachukwu, right?" Daniella replied.

"Yes, that boy has really changed and advanced in thinking."

They smiled.

"You're making me feel jealous." Ella confessed.

"Hey, c'mon!" Cynthia tapped her amusingly.

They returned to the dance floor with eyes and head full of alcohol then began to waltz according to the beat. Ella held her shoulders while she held her waist, both staring at each other. They wore the same colour of short gown that glitters like gold.

"I love you so much" Daniella confessed again.

Cynthia smiled. "I love you too, Ella" she replied then both began to kiss each other..........

:

:

On the other hand, inside the white house, Murphy walked into his personal office to see an envelope left for him by his Secretary. He stared at it for a while then opened it. He couldn't believe what he saw. Quickly, he located his room where he also summoned Vivian.

"Murphy, what again this time?" Vivian asked him.

"I saw this on my office table." he threw the paper to her. "Before we ask the Secretary how it came, first let's decode the message." he added.

Vivian read the content of the paper thus:

"The taste of a coconut is determined by the taste of the liquid inside.

Portmanteau."

She looked up at Murphy. "It's a proverb from someone named Portmanteau" she said.

"What does that mean?"

"Honestly, I have no idea, Murphy."

The boy flung the paper from her, staring at the proverb like a statue in order to decode the meaning.

Vivian walked closer to him with a lower voice. "Could it be from the brighter star?" she asked.

Murphy kept quiet, still staring at the proverb. "The liquid determines the taste of... coco... Portmanteau...?" he paused then grabbed the remote once again. Therefore the projector displaying the images of the stars rolled down again.

"This is more than a proverb, Vivian." he pointed at the projector. "I am the liquid while the stars surrounding me are the coconut. That means for the people surrounding me to be tasteful, I must be tasteful first. That's the meaning of the proverb: The taste of a coconut is determined by the taste of the liquid inside. But this is a bad proverb. It's negative!!" Murphy began to rub his head haphazardly.

"I still don't understand. What do you mean by it's negative?" Vivian was still looking very confused.

Murphy quickly walked back to the projector like a teacher who is about to clarify a student. "If the liquid determines the taste of the coconut, that is to say what affects the nut is from inside. If the liquid goes bad, the nut goes bad too."

"But you said you have good intentions for the citizens. You cannot go bad, can you?"

"I'm not alone. Have you forgotten we all joined hands to bring revolution to this country? Therefore we are like role models to others. So, if the liquid go bad, it's not necessarily mean I'm the only one going bad. It can come from any of us and those persons are Ella and Cynthia."

"Ella? Cynthia? How do you know?" Vivian widened her eyes.

Swiftly, Murphy showed her the name that came with the proverb saying, "Portmanteau is not someone's name."

"What is it?"

"It's a French word that joins two words which are: Woman and Romance. Like two women making out sexually."

"Lesbians?" Vivian looked up at him.

"Exactly! The lesbians are Ella and Cynthia which are now the bad liquid from inside of us that will spoil the coconut. They will ruin everything!!"

"Wait wait wait" Vivian stretched her hand. "How do you even know that the two are lesbians?" she asked.

"That's a story for another day coz they don't even know that I know."

"Then we need to know where they are with immediate effect! God!!" Vivian pulled out her phone.

"Its already late."

"Why?"

Murphy threw away the paper saying, "No one can cleverly write the proverb if not the brighter sun and he does not only know what I know, he has also caught Ella and Cynthia in the act. If he or she makes it public, we're gone!" he concluded.

"So, what do we do now?" Vivian asked calmly, still admiring the boys cleverness, falling for him more and more.

Meanwhile, Murphy had not gotten himself, angrily parading around the room. He stopped at the window once again only to feel a soft hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see Vivian as the owner of the hand, so both stared at each other. Vivians voice trailed out like an aggression medicine.

"The writer of the proverb may be smart, but the decoder of such proverb which is you, is smarter. Murphy, you're the most amazing person I have ever seen. So I ask again; what do we do now?" she slowly released her hand from his shoulder......

:

:

TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Episode 5 & 6

:

:

:

Heading: Sealed Poison.

:

:

FLASH BACK

Power generated from solar panels manifested through an energy bulb found outside the house at the love garden, making everything at its range visible including the basketball court and teacher Nwachukwu who seated with Murphy, still staring at the stars in the sky.

Now, it wasn't only the chirping of crickets and other insect filled their ears, even whining of rabbits added to the sound which indicated curiosity, but was an attention-seeking sound by the animal.

Murphy looked at the direction of the whining then back to his teacher who began to caugh badly again, covering his mouth. The presence of blood as a result of the cough tells that everything wasn't fine with teacher Nwachukwu. 

"Teacher, what is wrong with you?" Murphy showed concern. "The cough is not normal" he added.

"I'm find, my son" Teacher Nwachukwu struggled up with a heavy breath. "Let's enter inside. I have more things to show you." He began to walk into the house followed by Murphy. Their shadows correctly reflected their heights; big and small like David and Golaith.

Murphy walked into his personal room with him to see everything intact; the bookshelf, the bed and his precious bar. Teacher brought out his secret diary from the shelf and handed it to him saying, "That's all you need to know about everybody that was in this house."

Murphy looked at him. "You mean Ella and others?"

"Yes"

The young boy opened the dairy to see it completed with everyone's personality and sexuality.

"Wow!" Murphy exclaimed. "Ella and Cynthia are... I mean dating?"

"Yes, but I believe Ella lured Cynthia into it. Hence her sexuality is in her gene."

Murphy looked at the book again in surprise. "You even know about Judith and Dave." he looked up at him. "Teacher, how did you know all this then kept quiet?" he asked.

"True love cannot be denied, lad" Nwachukwu grabbed a remote, pressed a button at the bookshelf which reluctantly gave way for the secret control room. Murphy opened his eyes widely as he surged forward there.

"So you have been spying on us! You had hidden cameras in our rooms?" He looked back at teacher for response.

"Do not do to others what you wouldn't like to be done to you." He replied.

Murphy kept staring at him like a moron to clarify him.

"I wouldn't like to be spy on, so why would I spy on others?" Teacher walked to the bar for a drink. He brought out a bottle and a glass cup to pour some quantity only to see Murphy taking them from him and keeping them back to their initial positions. Teacher became speechless. He didn't need a prophet to tell him that the boy did what he did because he had found out that his health was at a critically condition.

"If you didn't spy, how then did you find out about all this?" Murphy asked him.

"Your brain, Murphy. Your brain should be your hidden camera." Teacher began, taking few steps away from the bar. "The inability to understand your environment and everything that happens around it is the beginning of your failure as a human being. Why do you think Judith prefered staying with Vivian instead of Daniella?" he looked back at Murphy to see him thinking critically.

"You know, teacher, I've once reasoned that too." he said. "But why revealing people's privacy to me?"

"Because Ella and co are like your children now. Ella is a very stubborn fellow, but you still need to love her as much as you love others. That dairy in your hand does not only contain you all personality, it also contains your originality. When you know this, you'll know what to do when the needs arise." Teacher concluded, looking at Murphy who suddenly brought out the bottle of drink and began to pour a quantity in a cup for himself alone.

Teacher Nwachukwu smiled....

:

:

CONTINUITY

At a window in the white house, Murphy's eyes never departed from Vivian's as he wondered how to tackle the recent issue at hand.

Vivians voice trailed out like an aggression medicine. "The writer of the proverb may be smart, but the decoder of such proverb which is you, is smarter. Murphy, you're the most amazing person I have ever seen. So I ask again; what do we do now?" she slowly released her hand from his shoulder.

"Call Ella on the phone." Murphy left the window with a hand inside his pocket.

"She's not picking" Vivian reported. "Neither is Cynthia." she added immediately.

Murphy stared at the floor with a finger in his mouth. He looked up at her once again. "Call your residence, now!" he instructed.

Vivian did as he said in a hurry. "I called Obi, he said Ella isn't at home. She went to a club." she reported.

"Summon everybody to your resident. We're going there now!!" he briskly walked out from the room..

:

:

The dance floor at the lesbian club had become highly saturated with all manner of crazy dancers who had been intoxicated with narcotic and other type of hard drugs. Daniella could be seen taking Cynthia through a long colourful passage where some girls could be found kissing and romancing each other.

Nevertheless, they entered into another room thereby reducing the sound of the music. Only a bed and a wardrobe were found inside the room. Daniella quickly began to kiss and romance Cynthia when they entered, gradually waltzing her to bed. She laid her flat in a way she was on top, soaring her lips.

Cynthia raised one of her legs in a triangular form thereby exposing her underwear. Romantically, she pulled up Ella's gown to pleasurably feel her buttocks covered in a black tight.

The romance became intensively unbearable thereby making their clits crave for stimulation and their vaginas salivate like molluscs. Swiftly, they became totally naked with erected nipples and thrubing clit. Daniella did not only feel her breast in her hands, she also felt her wet pussy on her thighs as she kept soaring her lips. From lips to her breast, and from her breast to abdomen before she widely opened her legs for cunniligus.......

After the act, both laid naked staring at each other.

"Ella?" Cynthia called on her.

She didn't reply rather began to cares her hair gently, waiting for her to proceed.

"Where is this leading us to?" Cynthia asked her.

Daniella withdrew her hand from her hair, raised her head up with a confusing expression. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean.. um.. I mean how long is it gonna last?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I love you so much."

They became quiet, using their initiatives.

"You don't seem to worry about your origin, Ella. I mean your biological parents. Why?"

Daniella stood up to dress up. "Because they never worried about me when they gave up on me." she replied without looking at her.

Just then, two men in black barged into the room. They frighteningly screamed, covering their nakedness.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Daniella sparked.

"Teacher Murphy needs your attentions now." one of the men instructed while the girls looked at each other..

:

:

At the residence of the orphans, all assembled in the living room except Ella and Cynthia. They all seated down watching Murphy walked to and fro before them like a pendulum bob. Ever since he arrived with Vivian, he had not said a word.

"Murphy, is everything alright?" Dave asked him, yet no response.

"Murphy, you look worried. Why this sudden visit by this time of the night?" Obi added, but didn't get a response too.

Judith who seated beside Vivian whispered to her, "What's going on?"

Just before she replied, Daniella and Cynthia entered like prodigal daughters. Everybody's eyes went to them. They did not only appear as whores but like marine entities too. The presence of the president in the house was an indication to them that there's fire on the mountain.

Murphy turned to them, crossing his hands behind him like a headmaster about to address his students.

"If all of you knows what I'm passing through, you won't complicate issues for me.." he began to narrate to them about the proverb and how he decoded it. He never mentioned about the brighter star or the drawing on the projector to them. "..these are the two the proverb is meant for and they want to bring us down with their act!" he concluded pointing at the gays.

Everybody marvelled except Judith and Dave who already knew about them.

"You knew all this while, you never told me?" Vivian whispered to Judith.

"I'm sorry. I promised her never to tell anyone." She whispered back.

Cynthia bent her head down in shame while Daniella stepped out boldly saying, "You all should stop behaving as if we've commented the worst atrocity. I didn't determine my sexuality, did I? Is it my fault that I'm only attracted to my fellow girls?"

Murphy also stepped closer to her angrily. "Whosover you're attracted to is none of our business. The problem is that you're dumb, you can't use your brain!" He pointed at his side head with a finger as he continued, glaring at her unabashedly. "You have already been caught. By dawn, your lesbian pictures will be all over the internet. What do you think people will say when they've already seen us as intelligent role models! If you want to make out with your fucking gay friend, why don't you do that in a more secure place using your brain not in a fucking public lesbian club!" he shrieked the last statement bitterly.

Daniella boldly walked up to him at a very close range, also returning the glare as others watched them like a movie.

"How do we know that your interpretations of the proverb is correct? Anyways, I've hidden in the shadows for long. I guess is time I come out from it. Why don't you use your power as the president to legalize LGBT in this country for people like us to come out from our shadows" she fiercely uttered thereby rising Murphy's anger the more. So the young boy slapped her thunderously.

The sound alone did not only startle Cynthia, it also activated her tears gland thereby shedding tears instantly. She began to run out of the house, but stopped at Murphy's voice that roared like a lion to her saying, "Cynthia, you dare not leave this house!!"

The girl began to quiver at the door and the tears pouring more and more from her eyes like a running tap.

Meanwhile, Daniella's eyes have also circulated with tears, wanting to return the slap but four guards pulled out their guns and aimed them at her. So she mellowed with bitterness of heart.

"Sorry, Ella, but I won't allow you to ruin what teacher suffered so much to build. That we're where we are today is because of his effort." Murphy broke the silence.

"Fuck you, Murphy!!" was Daniella's last statement.

Dave stood up. "Let's deliberate on how to stop whoever we think has their picture from making it go viral." He suggested.

As everyone was thinking, Ada stood up to Cynthia where she was weeping and gave her a shoulder to weep on.

"Is okay. Lets go sit down." she whispered to her, leading her to a seat.

"Vivian, get the press for us." Murphy instructed. The girl didn't need to question him. She did as he said.

"Why the press?" Judith asked.

"Time..." Murphy began like his late teacher, folding his fingers as if grabbing a mustard seed, looking at all of them. "Time is relatively proportional to events. I will make a public broadcast which will make the citizens happy; like donating something to some sectors through our names and pictures. And the press will carry this news saying that i, the president has been in an indoors meeting with all of you from the time before Ella and Cynthia went to the club till now. Then the outcome of the meeting will be stated which is the donations."

"How will this prevent the person from posting the pictures?" Obi asked.

"It might not prevent him, but many will not believe him if posted regarding to the time he will say he snapped the picture."

"And another thing" Dave spoke up. "The donation will brainwash them. Therefore, they won't believe the pictures"

"Exactly!" Murphy exclaimed. "That's materialism for love as teacher taught us." He concluded.

:

:

Very early in the morning, the weather had become favourable to those jogging on the road to kept fit and only such individuals and road sweepers could be found by that time of the morning.

In a local house, a young girl could be seen from behind watching a television. She had the hair of a rastafarian looking younger than any of the orphans. She was the brighter star. Just then, a breaking news came up on the screen.

"..The president known as teacher Murphy who was in a close meeting with his siblings from 6pm to 9pm deliberated and came out with a result of a huge donation to every traders, orphanage home and..."

"Can we make the pictures public already?" A male voice from behind distracted the young girl from listening to the news.

"It's already too late" the girl replied without looking back.

"Why?"

"Listen to the news and know why? The news is made up with a fogged time but nobody will know."

"It doesn't matter, we can still post it."

"Don't be foolish, Idika. Posting the pictures will bring enemity to us coz people will think we want to destroy their image regarding the news and the time. Time is relatively proportional to events. Hmmm..." She began to rincle one of her hair. "That boy is as clever as they say. My father, Nwachukwu, thought him well." She confessed.

:

:

The country wanted to break into two for the very donation. People loved teacher Murphy the more that, nothing negative they would easily believe about him. The news on how he cleverly caught Mr Odili plans made people to love him the more too.

On his convoy, Murphy set out to the street to show love and spend time with panhandlers and the less previlage. People clusted any place he entered just to touch him or hug him but securities never allowed them. So they did nothing but to confess with their mouths.

"I love you, teacher Murphy!!" They kept shouting.

Vivian who heard them, became extremely jealous coz many of that statement was coming from females.

"You are the brain!" Others exclaimed.

"Teacher Murphy, I want to be like you when I grow up!" I small boy shouted from the crowd.

:

:

On the other hand, in a bottle-water-producing industry, one can see a young guy at a private room adding a poison inside a bottle of water then took it to a machine that sealed it. He placed a tag on it and handed it to another person who handed it over to another person that finally put it in a vehicle. The driver stopped at the white house, carried the bundle of bottled water which the one with a tag was among them. He handed it to a maid.

The young maid carried them inside, took off the tag on the particular bottle with poison then set it for Murphy's part of a long table where he would be having a meeting with his carbinate soon. It was a very planned plan to poison him coz nobody will suspect a water on a sealed bottle which no one has opened.

Nevertheless, Murphy returned from the street to see Bolaji already seated with others.

"Please, sorry for keeping you waiting" he apologized as he took his seat.

"My teacher, you don't need to apologize oh" Bolaji began. "Your fame has crossed pacific ocean. You're for the people not for us."

They chuckled happily even Murphy.

"It's called practical love. When you love someone, you show it by all means. I love my people" Murphy said.

"Gbam!!" Bolaji exclaimed. "Not someone as stingy as I am." He added hilariously, while they laughed again.

Murphy saw them opening their water one by one to drink. Only then did he remember he was thirsty too, therefore he learned forward and grabbed his own water too. He opened it and poured it into a glass cup to drink....

:

:

TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Episode 7 & 8

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:

:

Heading: Covetous Awareness.

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:

FLASH BACK

The whining of the rabbits, chirping of the crickets and other creepy animals from the forest at the love garden could not be heard again by teacher Nwachukwu and Murphy because of their presence inside the bedroom. Only a running sound of a drink from a bottle to a glass cup filled theirs ears.

Teacher Nwachukwu kept smiling, staring at Murphy as he was slowly pouring the drink inside the glass cup until he returned the bottle to the bar-shelf, ossibly sipping from the glass as if it was the blood of Jesus Christ consecrated into wine.

"Murphy." Teacher called him.

The boy didn't reply rather copiously sipped another wine from the glass cup and began to lick his lips like a flicking prong of a snake through the vomeronasal organ, staring at his teacher to continue.

Nwachukwu smiled again. "What you're doing, Murphy, is called covetous awareness." he stepped inside the control room.

"Covetous awareness?" Murphy repeated, taking a step forward from the bar. "Can you elaborate on that, please?" he pleaded.

Teacher ignored him from the control room where he rattled a drawer. Murphy kept stretching his neck to know what he was doing until the old man came out with a pendant. Murphy watched him, carefully dusting dirt out of it as if it was an egg.

"Are you going to elaborate on convetous awareness or tell me what's in your hand?" He calmly asked his teacher.

"Okay." Nwachukwu began without looking at him as he occasionally blew out dust from the pendant. "A mother of a baby first gets a food. Secondly, she makes the baby sees her with the food. And thirdly she eats the food, chewing her mouth like it's the sweetest food on earth. What do you think the baby will do?"

"He will crave for the same food to know how sweet it is too." Murphy replied.

"That act from the mother is called covetous awareness, and that's what you did to me with the drink in your hand." he blew out the last dust from the pendant then looked up at his boy. "Covetous awareness is the act of drawing attention to yourself and making someone desire what you have. It is mostly done by people who want others to either partake on what they're doing or make them feel jealous."

"Wow!" Murphy exclaimed. "You're really a teacher, teacher."

Nwachukwu remained quiet, courteously opened the pendant with a sad expression. Murphy dropped the drink on a stool beside a bed and followed his teacher to watch the content of the pendant. He saw a picture of a beautiful woman in it.

"Who is she? Is she your wife?" Murphy whispered.

"Was" Nwachukwu replied.

"I'm sorry, teacher" Murphy sadly consoled.

"We never had a child when she died. Years later, i met another lady. That was a year after I brought all of you as babies and began to train you."

"Where is the another lady now?"

"I don't know. She suddenly vanished from the face of the earth. I believe her parents are responsible for that coz they never wanted her around me." Nwachukwu closed the pendant and handed it over to Murphy. "You can have it. But i want you to promise me one thing."

Murphy looked up at him. "What?"

"Strive to find all of your biological parents except Obi."

"Why except him?"

"Like I said before, you all origin is in the secret diary. You'll find the answer there." Teacher concluded.....

:

:

CONTINUITY

On the rectangular table occupied by teacher Murphy and his carbinate members, is a sealed poison in a bottle water for him to drink and die. The masterminder of the plan is unknown not only to the maid who served the water, but also to others who made sure it gets to the white house. The only person that knows the planner is the one that added the poison at the factory.

Nevertheless, Murphy saw his carbinate members opening their water one by one to drink at the same time. Only then did he remember he was thirsty too, therefore he learned forward and grabbed his own water too. He opened it and poured it into a glass cup then raised it up to drink. Just at his lips, he paused, wondering why everybody started drinking at the same time. To complicate issues, he noticed that it was from their own act that gave him the desire to drink from his own bottle. Therefore he dropped back the cup of water on the table, leaned back on his seat, watching them devoure the water like Carmels.

Bolaji glanced at his bottle like a drunkard. "Water is life!" he complimented joyfully, glanced at teacher Murphy then began to drink again.

"Who poisoned my drink?" Murphy's voice sounded like a provoking early morning alarm.

"Jesus!" Vivian, who overheard it, rushed out to the meeting ground.

Bolaji forcefully and hilariously spat out the water in his mouth with a continuous cough, not because he thought it was poisoned too but was surprise how Murphy noticed that the drink was poisoned. "What?!" he exclaimed.

Meanwhile, others like Amandi had been murmuring in surprise.

Bolaji widened his eyes at the president. "Teacher evil...sorry...Mu-evil.. sorry again.. i mean Murphy, I thought everybody's water was sealed."

"Yes." others supported in unison.

"So how come its poisoned?" Bolaji asked.

"Covetous awareness" Murphy began, standing up and placing his two hands behind him like a teacher.

Already, the heart of the maid who served the water had been beating like a village war-drum at a hidden corner.

"When you make one have the desire to partake on what you're doing is called convetous awareness, and that's what you all did with the water. So the question is; why were you eager to see me drink from my own water?" Murphy asked them.

Tension filled the room. Vivian watched the old men the same way Murphy watched them suspeciouly.

Amandi cleared his throat. "Teacher, we met this water here as you did. How could we possibly poison it?"

Murphy signalled his guard to bring the maid who served the water. The innocent lady who was in her early twenties shivered before everyone in the house when presented. She was neatly dressed like a waiter; black plain trouser, white longsleeve shirt and a black bowtie.

Murphy quietly handed the water to her. "Please, drink from it, madam." he told her.

All stared at her. The young lady obviously saw her death from the cup of water, so her hand began to quiver as she took up to drink in tears. She couldn't take it.

"Yes, is poisoned." she confessed bitterly.

"Eewwuu!!" Bolaji exclaimed with two hands on his head.

"Who paid you to poison our teacher?!" Amandi asked the young lady.

"She can't possibly know. The factory where this water came from must be thoroughly investigated." Murphy signalled his guards again. "Hand her over to the police for investigation." he instructed and sat back to his seat for the meeting to continue. Of course he knew the master planner must be from one of them there, but didn't bother to dig further.

Vivian exhaled heavily.......

:

:

The Sun went down along with the water factory that was shutdown by the government as the investigation proceeded. The white house became calmed unlike before.

Once again, Murphy stared through the window of his room. However, his fame in the country and other neighboring countries greatly increased after the news of covetous awareness reached them. People thought Murphy isn't a human, while some said he's a magician. Others believed he is an angel sent from heaven.

Nonetheless, apparently, he knew the worst was yet to come in as much as the brighter sun was concerned. That occupied more of his mind than the outcome of the meeting he had with his carbinate members. Wallowing in that thought, the door of his room robustly opened. Yet, Murphy never averted his eyes from the window coz he knew no other person would enter into the room that way except Vivian.

The young girl stood at the door in her cooperate attire. "Murphy, I have to go home." she said.

The boy turned to her. "Vivian, I'm worried." he said.

The girl listened for him to proceed.

"The outcome of the meeting today is for me to get married."

"What? Who do you want to marry? Sorry.. of course is good... I mean.. you know.. marriage is a good thing." She fumbled, feeling her heartbeat, while Murphy gazed at her until she became mute. The girl lowered her head coz she couldn't look at him again. Unfortunately, she heard his footsteps walking to her thereby increasing the beat of her heart. Surprisingly, Murphy passed her to properly close the door behind her. He returned.

"Vivian, are you okay?"

"Me?" the girl raised her head. "I'm fine."

"I'm only seventeen. How can i possibly get married and to who? Is that not child abuse?" Murphy spread his hands. "Though will be eighteen in few months time." he added confidentiality.

"That isn't a problem coz if you look around you or go to the street, you'll see so many young beautiful girls that will suit you as the president." she hid her feelings with a smile.

"This gonna be tough." he concluded.

"I have to go now, Murphy. Good night" she turned to leave.

"Summon everybody tomorrow at your place. I will be having a dinner with you all, and I have a surprise for someone."

Vivian turned swiftly to see him smiling. It sounded like a marriage proposal surprise to her. So she smiled happily too, nodding her heard like an agama lizard.

:

:

On the other hand, one could see Judith in Dave's arms as they laid naked in one bed about to go to sleep, she was staring at the ceiling, lost in a deep thought.

Dave engulfed her. "What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

Hearing the question, tears rolled down from her eyes.

"Hey, baby, what is it?" he sat up seriously.

"Teacher Nwachukwu promised to find my parents for me. Now he's also dead." She broke down in cry, embracing Dave. "I want to see my parents, Dave." she cried on his shoulder.

The poor boy didn't know what to say, rather cares her hair and back to console her.

"Stop crying, Judith. You have me." he said. He wished he could get her parents for her but how could he do that when he was in her shoes too?

:

:

Nevertheless, the next day, Cynthia and Ada had arrived to Vivian and other's residence waiting for Murphy to come for the dinner as planned. Vivian was the most excited. She never hesitated to tell Ada and Judith about how she believe that the surprise Murphy talked about was about proposing to her. She could be seen with the two on a bed in a room still talking about it. All were on bomshorts, looking fresh. Each held a pillow on her thighs.

"Vivian, don't be too sure of what you're saying oh." Judith held one of her ears as a warning to avoid heartbreak.

"I know, but the way he sounded, the way he looked at me and the way he smiled explained it all." she narrated again.

"Anyways, let's hope it is the surprise. Murphy will be stupid if he doesn't notice you." Ada substantiated. Just then, they heard Murphy's voice and rushed out immediately to see him at the door.

"Welcome, Mr president!!" Judith shouted happily with her hands spread in the air like a worship singer.

Murphy smiled. "It's teacher, Judith." he corrected.

"Whatever" she added then all chuckled. Her voice attracted Obi and Dave. They shook hands with him happily too.

"Welcome again" Obi said. "Everybody, over to the dinning table. I made the dinner myself!!" he added.

"You girls allowed Obi to cook?" Murphy giggled.

"Don't mind him!" Ada objected.

Meanwhile, Cynthia and Daniella who were sitting together on a long cushion, maliciously watching television had not said anything neither did they behave as if Murphy had come. Others went to the dining, while they never cared.

Murphy walked to both of them slowly. Already, everywhere had become quiet except the sound of the television. Though he was standing before them but they never looked at him.

"Cynthia, how are you?" Murphy broke the silence.

"I'm fine, welcome." she flung a remote on the cushion and stood up to the dining too without looking at Murphy for a second.

Daniella took the remote.

"Ella?" Murphy called her calmly but she paid him a deaf ear. "Ella, I'm sorry, I've come to spend time with all of you like in the days of teacher Nwachukwu because I don't want you people to see me as a pompous boy. My seat requires strictness and cleverness, even excellency. You should understand that."

Daniella said nothing rather changed another channel of the television with a frown.

"You know you look more beautiful when you frown." Murphy jokingly told her. "What a beauty?! Like an olive, like the face of a girl eating suya with yoghurt"

Ella finally smiled. Murphy used that opportunity to carry her up from the chair, going to the dining room. "You're as beautiful as a fried potato" he added on his way thereby causing more laughter among others even Cynthia smiled.

"Murphy, pull me down!" Ella amusingly shouted and hitting his back with the remote.

He hesitated until he sat her on a chair beside his own saying, "Behold my right hand man!" he announced. "Sorry... I mean woman" he corrected while everybody laughed.

Daniella smiled. "I'm not a woman oh. I'm a girl." she said.

They began to eat happily like old days, also gisting at the same time. Their laughter occasionally echoed in the building.

"Murphy," Ada called out while they listened to her.

"Yes?" Murphy replied.

"Do you remember that time you made us believe that teacher was a ghost?" she casted their minds back.

All began to laugh again.

"But I never believed ooh!" Ella shouted.

"Mhen, I was damn scared!" Cynthia confessed.

"But it sounded so real!!." Dave also confessed.

Murphy did nothing but laughed his ribs out.

"Another one" Ada spoke up again. "Murphy, there's a rumour that you have a surprise for us or one of us."

Vivian eyed her.

"Yeah, that's true." Murphy began while everywhere went cold except the sound of ceramic plates that filled their ears. "They said I should get married oh. A young boy like me. Though it's in the constitution." he said.

Vivian's heart began to beat joyfully coz he started with the marraige issue. It could be seen on her smiling face.

"But picking a wife is not the surprise" Murphy added.

Vivian's smiling face gradually became dull.

"What's the surprise?" Obi asked him.

Murphy flipped a finger for his guards. One of them went outside.

Everybody stopped eating, staring at the door to know what the guard will come back with. Confusingly, they saw him coming with a man and a woman.

Murphy stood up, everybody turned to him as he said, "I'm the president for a reason. Judith, behold your biological parents!"

"What!?" almost all of them shouted especially Judith who turned to the man and woman again.

She slowly began to stand up. "Is this for real?" she whispered. 

"In flesh and blood, my dear, and highly authenticated." Murphy concluded boldly.....

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TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Episode 9

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Heading: Blind Sense

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FLASH BACK

The jingling of the pendant in Murphy's hand was like the jingle of the staff of a traditional chief priest. It substituted any other sound in the room regardless the chirping crickets that tried to subdue it through an open window.

Murphy opened the bendant again, staring at the beautiful lady in it. He didn't know when he began to move towards the door, staring at the picture. Suddenly, he stopped.

"But teacher, do you think this lady has a child for you?" He asked without turning or looking back. "She looks so beautiful. Don't you think she has bore you a child wherever she is? What's even her name?"

Murphy didn't hear a response but a rusty sound, so he turned to see Nwachukwu setting up a small table. Instantly, he forgot the questions he asked the old man, enthusiastically deviated his mind to the table. He walked closer to see clearer.

"What are you doing? What's the table for?" he was still inquisitive, yet the old man didn't respond. Expectantly, he folded his hands and sat at the edge of the bed, watching to know the outcome of his teacher's project. After setting the table, he saw him walking inside the control room and came out with a rectangular transparent glass with a rabbit in it. He placed it on the table. Again, he got another long constructed wood with holes from the control room and set it at the base of a wall opposite the table.

"This is a game setup. That's why I brought you here." Teacher broke the silence, standing behind the table.

Murphy stood up from the bed. "All the way from the main city, just for a game?" he repeated unbelievably, standing beside his teacher in a way they faced the wooden holes and the rabbit on the table before them. "So how does the game work?" he added.

"It's called Blind Sense. We both will be blindfolded, the rabbit will be released, naturally, it will run into one of the holes and all the holes will close automatically. Then we open our eyes.."

"And guess which hole the rabbit enters?" Murphy interrupted.

"Yes. But you don't use the word 'guess' rather 'sense' and the winner flies home while the loser remains here."

Murphy smiled. "Let me kick your ass." he said.

The game began. Both were blindfolded, standing erect like lost blink men and holding hands like prayer warriors. At that moment only the whining of the rabbit filled not only their ears but also the quiet room. Breeze rattled the windows like the presence of a ghost into the room through them. The degree of the silence reminded Murphy the day they were asked to close their eyes outside very early in the morning.

"Release it, teacher." He whispered.

The man pressed a button on the rectangular box, it opened, the rabbit ran into one of the seven holes and they closed automatically.

Murphy first unfolded his blind followed by teacher. 

"I'll go first." Murphy surged forward, listened carefully to hear the rattling of the rodent to detect the hole, but everywhere was as quiet as it had been. He looked back at teacher to see him, still staring and standing like an iroko tree. He wanted to touch the wood, but teacher's voice startled him.

"You don't have to touch the wood. The closed holes have numbers. Just select one."

Murphy courageously opened number two but didn't see the rabbit.

"Get the rabbit out from number five" teacher instructed him.

Murphy deepened his hand inside the particular number and get the rabbit out surprisingly. "Teacher how did you do it!?" he asked.

Teacher smiled. Murphy insisted they play again, repeatedly, he never guessed any. He gave up.

"Teacher, teach me how to win, please." he pleaded.

Teacher began to cough as he sat at the edge of the bed. Murphy juxtaposed with him.

"My son" teacher began. "There's a secret behind the game. If you know it, you'll always be one step ahead of your enemies." he coughed twice then continued. " A person is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason and consciousness. It helps you find out ahead of time what regulations apply to your situation."

"Are you saying you knew the hole even before the rabbit entered?"

"Yes, of course."

"How?"

"By observing and connecting yourself with the rabbit. This happens before the blindfold. Then after the blindfold, you try to picture it again."

"How can i connect?"

"By knowing her mind through her eyes and charisma then picture it again when blindfolded. The character of a person at a moment determines his next movement. So you can always be a step ahead of him or her if you read his or her charisma then picture it in your mind to connect with him or her." He paused for it to assimilate. "Monica, knows the game too." he concluded.

"Monica?" Murphy repeated.

"Yes, that's her name." Teacher stood up. "Asking me if I think she has a child for me is like asking if I made love to her?" he said leaving the room.

"Of course, children don't fall from the sky." he also stood up to follow him.

Teacher looked back at him with a hand on the doorknob. "Where do you think you're going to?" he asked him.

"Home with you of course"

"We had a deal; the winner flies home while the loser stays here." he clutched the knob and went out.........

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CONTINUITY

Back to the resident of the orphans, Judith couldn't believe she was seeing her parents live and direct likewise others in the dining room. They didn't need to see the DNA test result to be sure coz Judith had her mother's face.

The dining chair rattled with tiles when Judith slowly stood up, staring at her parents. "Is this for real?" she whispered.

"In flesh and blood, my dear, and highly authenticated." Murphy announced raising two hands like a reverend father. "Judith was found as a baby in a dust-bin, but she found favour in the eyes of teacher Nwachukwu"

Before Judith started crying, the poor woman's tears had started dripping already. She knelt down with heavy tears. "Please, I'm sorry, my child. Forgive me" she pleaded.

Judith rushed her, knelt down and hugged her as both busted out in a thunderous cry.

"Is okay mother, I really missed you." Judith cried on her shoulder. 'It happened for a reason."

Others like Cynthia and Vivian had started shedding tears too, even Ada. Only the men had the heart of men.

Dave looked at Murphy. "How did you come up with this, bro?" he asked him.

"It's a long story." he replied.

*************

That night, Murphy had gone without Vivian, Cynthia also located her way home. Ada, Vivian and Judith could be found inside a room again happily discussing about the unexpected surprise.

Ada looked at Vivian. "I told you not to be too sure of your..."

"I'm happy the surprise turned out to be something I'm more happy about than just a marriage proposal." Vivian interrupted her.

They looked at Judith to see her parking her belongings.

"Aah, madam, are you going to your parents tonight?" Vivian asked her.

"Awww, and she will meet her siblings" Ada amusingly said.

Judith kept smiling at their statements.

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Same night, Bolaji and co assembled again.

"If the investigation continues, they will know that I'm the master planner of that poison" Amandi reminded himself and others.

"But that boy is a wizard!!!" Bolaji confessed bitterly.

"He's always one step ahead of us. He always detect our scrupulous plans" another added.

"That's because he has a secret. Find the secret first" a young female voice came at the door. All directed their eyes there to see the girl in dreaded hair like a rastafarian. She was on trousers and a thick jacket conjoined with a cap.

"Young girl, who allowed you here?" Amandi asked her.

"I'm Erika. I have the secret, so I can eliminate teacher Murphy for you. The secret is called Blind Sense. if you don't have it, you can't outsmart him. Are we in?" She asked.

All the men began to look at one another. They believed for that girl to come there, she must have some guts in her. Therefore they had to bring her in.

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The next day, Vivian reported to Murphy's room well dressed. She even had to wear a shorter skirt in order for him to fall for her. As usual, she stood before him inside the room.

"Murphy, you called me." She said.

"Yes, I want you to accompany me to the street. No convoy, no sirens and no security. Just the driver." The boy said with hands inside the pocket of a caftan like his late teacher.

"Don't you think is risky, Murphy? By the way, why going to the street alone... I mean with only me?"

"To help me get a wife." he replied.

"Wife? Of course.. okay.. umm.. which side?" Vivian found herself fumbling again.

"I'll show you. I hope if you see a good girl, you'll know." he smiled.

Vivian smiled with him even though her heart trembles.

Nevertheless, they set out to the street with just a driver. Hence, they occupied the back seat. People didn't really know he was the one inside the car. Vivian kept twisting her fingers and swallowing hard. She refused to look at Murphy in the car. Surprisingly, she felt his hand on hers then looked up at him with high hopes in a way both stared at each other.

"You're nervous, Vivian, what's it?" He asked her.

"Am I? No!" she withdrew her hand with a smile. "It's the car A.C. It's cold in here" she added.

Murphy turned to the driver. "Put the A.C. off"

"No oh!" Vivian objected.

"But I thought you said..."

"I like it cold." She interrupted then silence creepped back in.

"I'm still expecting the brighter sun" Murphy broke the silence.

Vivian chuckled. Obviously, she wasn't herself. 

As they move, Murphy sighted a young girl with dread, sitting in a local shop. That was Erika.

"Stop the car." he commanded the driver. "Vivian, do you see that girl?" he pointed at her through the tinted glass.

"Is that who you want to marry?" she asked in disgust.

"Apart from that, there's something about her."

Vivian looked at the girl again. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't even know but i have to meet her. Who knows, she might be the lucky girl." He opened the door, while Vivian reluctantly opened hers. They began to walk towards the shop.

Seeing them, Erika smiled for a reason best known to her.....

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TEACHER MURPHY

(PRACTICAL LOVE)

EPISODE 10

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HEADING: SECRET DIARY.

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FLASH BACK

Same night at the love garden, nearby trees danced along with the movement of the wind like choir choristers, squirming their waists to the beat of a highly spirited worship song. Murphy, whom Nwachukwu had left all alone inside the room felt the capacity of the wind when it slammed a window. He startled, yet never made a move to leave the room. Was he gonna stay there while his teacher flies home with the chopper as agreed? No, but he must put to test his teacher's teachings about the blind sense. Therefore, he walked back to the table, standing behind it like a soldier. He watchfully observed the rabbit's body movement, monitoring it's eyes at the same time then slowly became blind by closing his eyes. Just then, the sound of the wind minimized, while the whining of the rodent became louder to his ears as he pictured that same character in his mind. He released the rabbit.

When the young boy opened his eyes, the wind slammed the window again, but he never startled again as he walked to one of the holes, deepened his hand in number one. He happily found the rabbit there!!

"Yes!!" he exclaimed.

Like a vehicle, he sped out of the room, but unknowingly dropped the pedant on the floor.

"Teacher, I've gotten it!! I did it!!" he continued shouting as he ran down the staircase of the house. Thunder strock that moment. 

Murphy met teacher Nwachukwu at the exit, staring at the sky with two hands behind him. Obviously, he saw the wind turning into a great storm as regard to the thunder signal.

"Teacher, I did it!" Murphy stood beside him.

"I know you would, lad. You can fly home with me now." he assured him without looking down at him.

The wind began to blow his caftan backward likewise Murphy's cloth who wondered what his teacher was staring at in the sky again coz the stars had vanished due to the presence of the coming rain. The quietness generated got Murphy worried. So he asked calmly, "Aren't we going home, teacher?"

The man kept quiet, feeling the wind on his body. Suddenly, his voice drew Murphy's attention, so the young boy looked up at him as he began to say, "I heard of an invading, vanquishing army, sweeping across the land liquid-quick; conquering everything, quelling resistance. With it came darkness, dimming the light. Humans hid in their houses, while outside spears pierced, shattering stone walls. Uncountable soldiers smashed into the ground, but each elicited life as he died. When the army had vanished, advancing northward, the land was gree and growing, refresh."

Immediately teacher ended, a heavy rainstorm escalated.

"Wow!" Murphy exclaimed amazingly. "Nice poem, teacher."

The old man looked down at him. "It's not a poem, lad. It's a riddle. Jessica taught me."

"Jessica?" Murphy became confused. "Do you mean Monica?" he asked.

"Monica is the lady who left me, while Jessica was my wife."

"Who is on the pendant again?"

"Both of them. But the one you saw is Jessica. Flip her picture up, you'll see Monica."

"So I have been mistaking Jessica to Monica all this while?"

"Where is the pendant?" Teacher Nwachukwu asked.

Murphy tapped his pockets but couldn't find it. "Oh, my God!" he rushed back upstairs.

Teacher used that opportunity to sit on the living room in order to wait for the rain. After, some moments, he saw Murphy coming down with eyes fixed on the pendant, looking at another younger lady after flipping up the first picture of Jessica.

"Teacher, Monica is more beautiful. I hope she comes back to you and, of course, with your child." he sat down beside his teacher.

"Why do you so much believe that she has a child for me? If she does, why wouldn't she strive to let me know?" Teacher asked him.

"I don't know. I just wish to have your blood in my lineage. Like marrying your daughter. She will also remind me of you everyday."

Teacher busted out, laughing which resulted to a serious cough. As he coughed out blood, he gradually slid off the chair.

"Teacher!!" Murphy held his head up from the floor like a mother carrying a baby. "Teacher, what's wrong with you?!"

The man kept coughing. His beards and caftan were stained with blood. Murphy could feel his breathing rate with his hand while his eyes dimmed with tears. Suddenly, the man stopped coughing.

"Murphy, I have bronchiectasis; a heart disease." Nwachukwu raised a hand up to the boy's cheek with a smile on his bloody lips. "Take care of others my son, and love them equally." he coughed again. "Rainstorm is the answer to the riddle. Now you have the answer to everything that will guide you on the presidential seat. I taught you criminal love but show the citizens practical love. Good luck, lad" he concluded and gave up the ghost. His hand on the boy's cheek gradually flopped down.

"No, no, Daddy.." Murphy raised his mouth up with flowing tears. "Teacher!!!" he shouted in a loud voice that was louder than the sound of the rainstorm......

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CONTINUITY

Erika, the daughter of Monica, sat on a mat in a shop with legs folded like a malam, reciting a Quran in a mosque. Her bobmaley hair covered her innocent face, and a red polo shirt covered her small breast. In her two palms were black fabric hand-gloves.

The local shop looks weird, nothing was in it except gas cylinders. Beside the bizarre girl was a plastic chair too.

However, Murphy and Vivian had approached with caution, standing before Erika who pretended not to notice their presence as she faced down with eyes closed like a meditating monk.

Murphy cleared his throat. "Hello, girl" he said, yet the Erika never raised her head up.

Vivian and her teacher glanced at each other as if to say: IS SHE ALRIGHT? Notwithstanding, Murphy slapped a cylinder beside him loudly which startled Erika, so she raised her head and slid away the hair from her face. Vivian saw a very innocent girl with ebony complexion. Eyes fierce like a witch and pointed nose like that of her father, Nwachukwu.

"Wow!" Erika stood up happily. "This must be my luckiest day, teacher Murphy at my doorsteps!"

Murphy critically observed her then closed his eyes within two seconds to know the girl's next action which was to shake him with the glove in her hand. So the young boy expected her to stretch forth the hand, but she never did. He became surprise.

Erika stretched the hand at the seat beside her saying, "Please, have a seat, teacher"

"Thank you."

Vivian watched as Murphy sat down on the chair with hands on its arm-rest. Only then did Erika stretched forth her hand for a shake when Murphy never expected it. Therefore teacher grabbed it after which he realized himself then wondered what was happening.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Erika Solomon." The girl replied. "I sell used-gas-cylinders like this one" she wanted to touch one but purposely pulled it down. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Is okay." Once again, Murphy bent down, used his hand to pull the cylinder up.

"So which one do you want to buy?" Erika asked him.

"I didn't come to buy, I came to know you in person coz something attracted me to you." he replied. His statement made the girl shy naturally while it also made Vivian jealous emotionally.

"I do not know what to say, teacher." Erika smiled. "It's an honour to have you."

"Thank you. I'll like to see your parents."

"And I will like to see you live in your next national speech."

Hearing that, both stared at each other. As Murphy tried to understand where she was heading to, so as Erika observed him too.

Murphy solely believe that the young girl before him knows what he knows but didn't know how.

"She wants to see me live on my next national speech because she has a plan" he thought.

"He wants to see my parents because he has suspected that I know what he knows." Erika also thought as both eyes never averted from each other.

Meanwhile, Vivian folded her hands, watching them like a movie.

"So when do I see..."

"I'm sorry, teacher, my parents are late." Erika interrupted him. "You can always see me here." she added.

"Of course." Murphy stood up.

"Thank you" she smiled.

Seeing that it was time to go, Vivian first used the exit. Murphy stood there coz he wasn't satisfied with Erika's identity. So he turned his head to see her already staring at him.

"She knows my secret." he thought again.

"Yes, I know the secret" Erika also thought as if she read his mind to know what he was thinking. "Teacher Murphy, I'm happy to have you. It means I've shared from your bright star." she said aloud.

Murphy smiled then finally left the shop.

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Out of curiosity, Murphy went back to the white house with Vivian. They could be found in his private room once again, looking confused especially Murphy.

"We came back without searching further for a good girl. Why?" Vivian broke the silence.

"Erika is the one, Vivian." Murphy sat at the edge of his bed.

Already, Vivian had begun to lose hope. "Do you mean she's the one you want to marry? The girl is weird!" she stated.

"That's the point!!" Murphy rushed up. "She knows what i know. It was as if she was in my mind, reading all my thought! Fuck!!" He shrieked. "For the first time, somebody was always one step ahead of me."

"And that makes you think both of you are compatible for marriage?"

"No," Murphy widened his eyes walking closer to her with pressure. "That makes me think she's the one Nwachukwu referred as 'brighter star'. My fear now is that I don't know her plans."

They became quiet. Vivian stepped aside a little, using her initiative too. "Did you notice one thing about the girl?" she looked up at Murphy who expected her to continue. "She has teacher's nose. Like she resembles him." she completed.

The statement reminded Murphy the day teacher died on his arms. It also reminded him about how he wished Monica had a child for Nwachukwu. As he reasoned all that, he found himself walking towards the window like one being remoted. He stopped at the window, staring into the sky.

"Murphy?" Vivian became worried. As she wanted to go meet him, a pen fell off from a distant cupboard like the presence of a ghost in the room. Wondering what fell the pen, Vivian walked to it, picked it up and dropped it back on the cupboard, but her eyes caught a diary. She glanced at Murphy whose attention was still in the empty sky before opening the diary. She couldn't believe the first thing she saw: "..I wished Monica bears a child for my teacher. I wished to have his blood in my lineage by marrying his daughter. He laughed but gave up the ghost in my arms. I'll always love you, teacher Nwachukwu."

Vivian closed the diary with a pounding heart. In fact, as she was walking back to Murphy, her legs couldn't carry her anymore. She fully understood why Murphy suddenly lost in a deep thought after substantiating Erika's resemblance with Nwachukwu. It was clear to her too that Murphy had a deep discussion with teacher Nwachukwu before he died and part of it was getting married to his daughter which they have accidentally found. Hence, there was no hope for her anymore for where Murphy is.

"Murphy?" she called again after finding her voice. Yet, the boy didn't look back from the window. Anyways, she continued. "I don't think I... I.. can continue.. um... I mean.. I'm.. I'm quiting from being your special adviser." she ran out from the room, controlling her tears.

By the sound of the closed door, Murphy turned with tears in his eyes too, but didn't know why.......

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LIKE AND SHARE

TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Episode 11 & 12

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Heading: Clash of Sense.

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FLASH BACK

She stood beside a beach with hands folded. Nothing came to her sight except the blue sea. Her hair wavered backward according to the movement of each tide made by the sea that got her feet wet and sandy. Her gown moved in the same manner like an Indian woman at lovely mood. Behind her was a wooden building with a thatched roof, while the rest of the vicinity was populated by shrubs and trees. It was a typical view of an island.

She had a brown skin, pointed nose and undeniable attraction of dimples. Her posture was like a passenger waiting for a bus. The colour of her eyeballs sparkles white like a possessed marine goddess, but unfortunately and sadly, she was using them to shed tears. Suddenly, a hand dragged her gown from behind. She didn't turn immediately coz she knew it must be her teenage daughter whom she wouldn't like to see her tears. Therefore she began to dry them with her palms as she turned to her.

"Erika, you shouldn't be here. It's cold!" She held her by the hand.

"Why are you crying, mother?" Erika's voice always shows confidence and intelligence.

"No, no, baby girl. I'm not crying; the wind has a direct contact to my eyes. That's why?" Monica, the mother, smiled unintended.

Erika stared at the sea too as the wind dances her own gown around also. "You're crying because of my father, Nwachukwu, whom you told me about, isn't it?" she looked up at her. "Why can't we go see him. I wanna see him!"

"No, Erika." the mother sniffed in emotionally.

Ferociously, Erika withdrew her hand from hers. "Mother, I wanna leave this place! We've been living here for years!"

"Erika.." the mother tried to hold her again but she stepped away from her.

"I want to go!!" she shouted, running towards the sea.

Already, Monica couldn't hide the tears anymore as she ran after her daughter. "Erika, no! You won't understand! Come back! You gonna drown!" she kept shrieking.

Truly the young girl was about to drown, carried by the tides of the sea, but the mother rescured her and both became wet.

**********

The interior of the thatch house had a living room with chairs and a table. However, Monica had changed up likewise her daughter whom she sat down to clarify. She walked around before her with few fingers covering her mouth. Erika patiently waited for her to say something.

"Erika," she began by taking a seat before her daughter. "I heard your father is turning Kali city around. He's turning the whole country upside down, causing pandemonium with a device he stole from the government house. I can't allow you go there." She explained hoping it sounded convincing.

Erika stared at her. The look from her face could tell the mother that she hadn't said what the girl wanted to hear. So she bent her head down with a heavy exhalation.

"Mother, why are we all alone in an island?" the young girl asked again.

The mother neither raised her head up nor replied.

"You're telling me that it's a dangerous time to see my father. What about the past peaceful years?" Erika added.

Monica raised her head up with dimming tears of the eyes. "I can't be with him, Erika. I can't be with any man!"

"I don't understand."

Monica stood up, turning her back on her. "I was cursed by my own father, Erika. I must not be with a man otherwise die." She waited for the daughter's response, but heard her cracking chair which means she had surprisingly stood up.

"Your father laid such a curse on you? Why?!"

"It was an ugly and embarrassing experience; my father was a titled man and secrede to traditional activities. One night, I came back home drunk to stupor and found him sleeping half naked.. and.. and..." She swallowed hard. "I was later banished after the curse."

Erika became speechless. She gradually sat back to her chair. "You can't be with a man. Then how did you give birth to me? Or did I fall from the sky?"

Monica turned to her. "That's not the point. My days with your father could be numbered. He didn't know when I left and I never told him why till date. He doesn't even know where I am neither does he know that he has a child." She concluded.

"That's wickedness, mother. Let me go see him!"

"We both will see him when the revolution ends, please, Erika." she pleaded as both stared at each other.

Months later, Erika and her mother set to travel out of the island to Kali city to see teacher Nwachukwu. It was the happiest day in the life of the young girl. Already, there was a mini-ship at the shore waiting for them. The sailor was a family friend called Idika.

Erika stood on the ship-top to see Idika and her mother through a window discussing something she couldn't hear while she waited for them.

Monica handed a paper to Idika. "Give it to Erika to give Nwachukwu when you get to Kali" she said.

"Why?" the young man asked. "I thought we all are going together." 

"I won't cross the sea." She walked to the window where her eyes caught with her daughter's who waved at her. She waved back with a smile then turned to Idika. "I'm not living life to the fullness. So why am I alive? Nwachukwu will take care of Erika." She elaborated a bit.

Idika understood that she was talking about suicide by jumping inside the sea. "Ma'am, your daughter needs you. Don't do this to her."

"She needs her father, freedom and a normal life the more." The woman concluded.

Nevertheless, they sailed out from the island to the middle of the sea where Monica stood on the roof of the ship about to jump, but Erika came out, standing at a distance.

"Mother, what are you doing there? Come down, it's dangerous!" she yelled.

The mother turned to her with tears. "I'm so sorry, Erika. I love you so much." She bitterly said.

"What are you say..." the girl saw her mother jumped into the sea. "Mother!!" she ran after her but the woman was long drown. Idika came out and held Erika down on the ship as she cried. The young man felt her pains. In addition to the pains, the night they got to Kali city, was the night Nwachukwu died according to the news they heard from a hotel room. Erika cried like a child throughout the night in the arms of Idika.

The following morning, Idika woke up to see her making a drawing on a large paper as if sketching a building plan like an architecture.

"What are you doing, Erika?" he asked her.

The girl kept quiet.

"I think we should look for a way to explain to president Murphy, one of your father's orphan students." he added.

Erika looked up at him from the edge of the bed. "I have no explanation to anybody. The orphans have my father's properties, and I must take them one after the other, starting with the presidential seat." she seriously said.

"But I heard the president is very smart. How can you do this?"

"You gonna see." She concluded.

Idika exhaled, stretching a paper to her. "Your mother wanted you to give this to your father."

Erika collected it......

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CONTINUITY

Now, in the present, Erika wanted to execute her plans. How possible can she bring down Murphy from the presidential seat? Someone who everybody ardours and worships like a god. That would be an embarrassing slap to teacher Murphy.

Meanwhile, in the white house, by the sound of the closed door through which Vivian ran out, Murphy turned from the window with tears in his eyes, but didn't know why. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even hear Vivian's resignation statement or noticed that she saw his secret diary. Therefore, he wondered why the girl had to run out that way. Though he didn't care. All he cared about that moment was how to figure out the plans of the brightest star, Erika's plans, and become, at least, half a step ahead of her. Slowly, he pulled off his shirt, trouser and shoes which he carelessly flung on the floor like a child. He was left with just a singlet of a pant. He locked the door, brought down the projector containing the drawing of the stars, he put on a television beside it, set a table and a chair at the centre of the room, placed a large carboard paper on it with his diary then walked to a telephone. One could see him speaking fervently through it. At the drop of the phone, all the exit in the white house was shut down.

Murphy sat down on the chair before the table and grabbed a pencil.

"Monica knows the blind sense game." was the first thing he murmured then began to draw his plans too like an architecture.

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On the other hand, Vivian rushed into their house, crying. She passed Dave and Obi who were in the living room. She did not greet them neither did she look at them. The two boys glanced at each other, wondering what came over her.

"Vivian!" They went after her to her room but found the door locked.

 "Vivian, open the door! What's going on?!" They banged on it.

No reply.

"We need to call Murphy now!" Obi left to the sitting room where he dialed his number but surprisingly brought down his phone.

"What?" Dave sread his hands.

"Switched off." he replied.

Daniella walked in that moment with a bag of food stuffs to see them looking woozy. "What? Why are both of you like this?" she showed concerned.

"Vivian cried home without speaking to us and Murphy's number is off." Dave explained.

Ella hurriedly dropped the bag on a dining table, walking to Vivians room instantly. Seeing her, the boys followed her...

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However, Judith happily stared through the glass of a taxi that was taking her to her biological mother's house. Her attitude could be compared to that of a kid. Though the taxi was in motion but it seemed to her the buildings along the road were the things moving as she kept smiling through the glass, staring at them like a kid. Suddenly, the car stopped. She looked at the driver.

"Is this the place?"

"According to the address, madam." the young driver replied.

"Please, hold your 'madam' to yourself. Take your money." She rushed out from the car happily with one handed luggage, while the driver drove off smiling.

Judith wore a black leggings trouser with canvas. Her shirt was tied at her abdomen in a way part of her stomach became visible. She stood by the main road, staring at a bungalow opposite her.

"Home, sweet home. Thank you Murphy." She began to walk towards the door through which the mother welcome her with a hug.

The living room was locally furnished but Judith didn't care. She saw four more children sitting in the living room who greeted her too. The eldest of them was a boy of twelve years old. The last born who is a girl was six.

"Are these my siblings?" she asked the mother.

"Yes oh."

Before Judith knew what was happening, the last born had hugged her. "Aaawww, my darling!" she carried her up while others kept giggling, exposing their thirty two, if at all it has reached. "What is your name, baby girl?" Judith asked her.

"U-go-chi" the girl stressed it.

"Awww, beautiful!" she looked at others. "What are your names? In fact, forget about the names for now. You, the big one" she pointed at the eldest. "Bring my bag. I have a lot of package for all of you."

"Hope you like the house." Mrs Jacob, the mother, asked.

"Oh yes! I can even see the main road from here." She carried Ugochi to the window. "What about father?" she turned.

"Uhmm.. he has his own family. I didn't end up with..."

"Is okay, whatever, I understand." Judith interrupted her then to her siblings. "Hey, children, to the room now. I have a big package for you!" she led the way, a wrong way.

"That's the way to the toilet!" Amaka, the eight years old girl told her with a chuckle.

"Oooh!" Judith made a U-turn. "Show me the way before I fall inside a toilet." She added.

All laughed as they headed to the right way, closing the door behind them.

Mrs Jacob sat down with tears of joy, but began to smile at the voice of Ugochi which came from the room saying, "You can't fall inside the toilet because you are big. Nobody will even flush you."

Judith's laughter echoed.

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For the past seven days, nobody heard from Murphy neither did he come out from his room. Consequently, the country began to turn bad especially Kali city; people were robbed and some burnt alive. Even some building were set ablaze by unknown individuals, yet nobody heard from the president. This did not only bring suspicion but hatred to teacher Murphy. Therefore, a large number of them protested to the white house. One could see reporters and journalists taking the protest live to home televisions. One of them who was a female reported thus: "...unpon The killings and pandemonium in the city, the president known as teacher Murphy has been mute and locked up on the white house for seven days without letting anybody to see or hear from him. The reason remains unknown. But we can see angry protesters, protesting for that.." She handed the Mic to one of them to express himself.

"We're in the government house, demanding for the president to come and address the country otherwise we won't leave." the angry protesters said.

On the other hand, Erika watched the news with a smile on her lips. Idika came out from the bathroom.

"This is what you wanted, right?" he asked her.

Erika glanced at him then picked up a cell phone. One could see her speaking through it.

On the same time, inside Murphy's room, one could see him speaking through a cell phone too. Obviously, both were preparing for a battle. Who will win?

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All the eight students of teacher Nwachukwu assembled in the living room, also watching the news. Only Ella was standing and boiling in anger.

"I don't know why Vivian will know what's happening but wouldn't tell us!" she shrieked. "For seven days, look at what's happening! Nobody knows whether Murphy is still alive or not!"

"Vivian, talk to us na!" Judith pookad her face.

"You people should let me be!" she sparked. "My discussion with Murphy cannot be disclosed. It's confidential! Moreover, I don't know about this his idea of staying indoors for seven days."

"What happened the last time you were with him?" Obi asked her. "Why did you cry home?" he added.

Vivian rolled her eyes. "Fine, Murphy noticed a girl he wants to marry, I felt jealous and cried home. Are you guys okay now!!" she angrily stood up, walking away from them in a bomshort, but a breaking news from the television drew her attention back:

"Wow, the president is finally out to address the country." the news said.

Vivian returned to her seat. Seeing Murphy again melted her heart. All watched and listened to Murphy who stood like a man of God with several microphones before him. Flash light from cameras never seized to change his complexion at every flash.

In front of the white house, Murphy began with his security behind him, "I apologize to the people for being selfish in the days i should've been needed the most." he glanced at a paper before him as the flash light continues. "I pledge to make everything whole again. It's not as if I don't watch my television, it's not as if someone doesn't know what to do, but it takes time to know time." he glanced at the paper again. "My teacher once told me that the only hidden camera I need to know what people do is my brain. Therefore, for the lost of lives and properties that have taken the best part of the city must be dealt with and whosoever responsible for them must be puni..." he paused when he saw sheriff matching forward with her men on uniform.

People wondered what was happening.

Sheriff approached closer to the president saying, "Excuse me, Mr president.."

"It's teacher Murphy." 

"You're under arrest for the murder of ten persons and the cause of lost of properties."

People began to murmur surprisingly.

"Sheriff!" Murphy called out bitterly. "Are you out of your mind!"

"You have the right to remain silent or anything you say will be used against you in the court of law" the woman began to handcuff him after which she spoke through the Mics saying, "Teacher Murphy's finger print was discovered at all the crime scene. He has been arrested and will be taken away for more investigation. Thank you." She stepped out.

The country broke into two!!

At Vivians residence, all watched how Murphy was being taken away in a handcuff then speechlessly looked at one another. They were confused.

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At the same time, Erika could be seen with the carbinate members in their usual location round a table. They had also watched what happened then marvled.

"How did you come up with this?" Amandi asked Erika.

"Simple, he came to my shop, I made him touch some things especially gas cylinders to get his finger print. He shook my glove where I duplicated more of them and sent them to the crime scenes." She explained.

"That is to say that you killed those people."

Erika kept quiet.

Bolaji cleared his throat. "How sure are you the boy doesn't know about this coz he behaves like a wizard?! Don't you think he was ahead of you in some ways?"

Erika smiled. "If he thinks he's one step ahead of me, trust me, I'm two steps ahead. If he's two steps ahead, I'm three steps over." She also cleared her throat. "Now, let's get down to deal"

"Deal?" they looked at one another.

"Yes, you must appoint me as the next president. I'll use the power to regain my father's property from them then leave the seat for you people." She concluded.

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However, when Murphy was put into a police vehicle, it became his own turn to smile for a reason best known to him.....

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TEACHER MURPHY

(Practical Love)

Final Episode (13 & 14)

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Written by author Nath.

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Heading: Clash of Sense (II)

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He smiled.

Crowd of reporters and journalist clustered the police vehicle Murphy entered, trying to get the biggest news in town, but policemen kept pushing them away.

The car gradually set in motion. On a handcuff, Murphy seated in between sheriff and another officer at the back seat. More police vehicles followed them from behind. Getting to the station, Murphy sighted through the car glass to see another crowd of journalist already waiting for them. He smiled for the second time coz even at a bad record he was still wanted to be heard from as a teacher. Therefore immediately he stepped out on cuff with men holding him like a criminal, one of the journalist stretched his mic.

"Teacher, what do you have to say about your arrest?" he asked.

"Move back!!" Policemen pushed the poor reporter away from the way, struggling to pass through with the suspected murderer. Yet, they remained stubborn.

Another stretched her mic too. "Teacher, you were caught smiling on a camera. What's behind your smile?"

"Teacher, is it true you're responsible for the death of ten men?!" Another asked.

Lastly, a young beautiful lady, stretched her own mic more than others. "Teacher, you remained indoors for seven days. Why?"

"I said move back!!" a police man pushed the poor lady on the ground then released two bullets in the air which did not only scare some away but also reduced the noise.

Murphy stopped. With his two hands on cuff, he bent down to help the lady up. Of course flash light from different cameras captured it as the lady grabbed his hand then stood on her feet. She couldn't believe the act thereby rendering her speechless. She found the opportunity she had been struggling for to ask him a question, but suddenly became dumb.

Murphy stared into her eyes. "I remained indoors for seven days coz i was using time to know time." he replied the lady with a smile. Peacefully, he passed her and others who never stopped asking questions until he found himself in an interrogating room.

In the empty room, Murphy sat before a metal table. He could feel what his late teacher felt when he set him up. Remembering that, he sadly bent his head down. Sooner did sheriff entered with an envelope, flapped it on the metal table and sat opposite the president. Murphy raised his head up. Their eyes caught like the intersection of two ray of light passing through a pathway.

Sheriff opened the envelope as he began with each picture he brought out.

"This is Christopher, robbed and murdered by burning. Your finger print was found on a gas cylinder at the crime scene." she brought out another picture. "This is Ayomide and many more, died through the same process and your print discovered in all. With all due respect, teacher Murphy, why did you do this?"

Murphy kept staring at her.

"Teacher Murphy?" she called again.

The young boy cleared his throat. "I'll only speak in two conditions." he said.

"I'm not even granting you one."

"Then I'm not saying anything."

"Okay," she stood up. "Call your lawyer coz we shall see in court." she began to go away.

"What if I tell you that these men are not dead?" Murphy's voice interrupted her. She surprisingly turned in a slow movement.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Do you want to know? Then my two conditions remains."

Sheriff exhaled, "Fine, shoot." she sat back down.

"The mass needs to be tutored." Murphy began like his late teacher. "They need to have the knowledge on how to tackle issues. They need to be exposed to the ways of the brain for it's the master key of life and death."

Sheriff rolled her eyes. "You're beating around the bush, Mr president. Are you saying i should get the mass for you?"

"I'm saying you should get a journalist here to broadcast what I'm gonna say live to every home. Secondly, I need my brothers and sisters present here."

Hearing that, sheriff remembered teacher Nwachukwu who made same request when he was captured. So she wondered what binds all of them together. Notwithstanding, she made a call. Within a twinkle of an eye, Murphy's request was granted.

Ella first entered into the room, followed by Dave before Vivian whose eyes caught with Murphy's. Her heart began to beat like a drum. Already, camera has been mounted as if a movie was to be acted.

"Okay, Mr president, may we proceed?" Sheriff broke the silence.

Murphy stood up still on cuff. He glanced through the people he called siblings to see them staring at him as if he was a magician. He turned to the camera boldly, his eyes fierce like a predictor and his voice confiscated like that of a military commander.

"I am teacher Murphy, I may not know my descendants but I know only one man who made me who I am today. I may not have his blood but his knowledge flushes in me. I am not only innocent for the act I am allegedly arrested for, I'm also the saviour of the innocent because those who you think that died throughout the days are not dead but alive, saved by me..."

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FLASH BACK

It was a time ghosts operate, a weary and scary night when two armed robbers berged into the house of a family man, Christopher. After robbing, the old man was taken out on a ride, toasted out in a nearby bush.

"Please, don't kill me!" he pleaded.

One of the men aimed his gun at him while another brought down a gas cylinder and a litre of fuel. Suddenly, another four men appeared from behind, aiming their guns at them.

"Do not look back, slowly put your guns down." One of the four men instructed.

The two men did as they said. They were tied and taken into a different car. However, Mr Christopher had been rescured, stripped off, but also taken away. They gathered part of his clothes, poured fuel on it then made a lighter lit...

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CONTINUITY.

"Boom!" Murphy flipped his fingers as he kept narrating. "Empty clothes were set ablaze. That's why, you, sheriff, was so stupid to discover my finger print on the cylinder but never discovered the bones of the claimed burnt man. You think!!." he flipped his fingers again as he continued..

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FLASH BACK

The four men got to a point, released the two men at gun point again saying, "You'll go back to your boss, tell her that your operation was successful. If you dare go contrary to this, you and your families are gone!"

The two men frighteningly concured, running for their dear lives.

In the same manner, the four men turned to Christopher saying, "Though you'll be alive but you'll be announced dead and burnt for the mean time"

"Who are you people?" the old man asked them.

"We're the hidden camera." They replied.

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CONTINUITY

"This same process applied in all the ten persons who you think are dead. They are not dead, but alive." Murphy paused as all listened at every home in the city and the country entirely.

*******

His statement shut everyone up except Bolaji who shouted with hands on his head. "Heeeeyy! I told you this boy is a wizard!!" he pointed at Erika as they were still at the round table watching Murphy on the television.

Amandi looked at Erika. "Are you aware of this, young girl?!" he asked her fearfully.

Erika never uttered a word, watching and listening to Murphy.

*******

Back to the station, Obi had started smiling at Murphy's intelligence while sheriff stood up from her seat saying, "Then how come your finger print was discovered there?"

"Because I was set up." Murphy replied.

"How? By who?"

"By the same person who sent the two men to carry out the operations. But never to worry, she has been apprehended like a rabbit caught in its hole. Boom!" he flipped his fingers again.

********

Before Erika and her men comprehended Murphy's last statement, the door of their hiding place broke open by gunmen.

"Put your hands up in the air!!" one of them shouted.

"Eeeewwwwuuu!! I said it oh!!" Bolaji shrieked with hands up thereby giving his agbada the resemblance of a flying bird.

Erika never hesitated to raise her hands too , still listening to Murphy.

*****

"This very person will not only be charged for assault by challenging me, the president, she will also be charged for attempting murder and thuggery! She thinks she had won but I was always ahead of her plans, decoding her next movement and destination." The young teacher paused again unabashedly. Just then, all the ten men who were believed to be dead came into the room too in a straight line accompanied by a policeman.

Sheriff shamefully observed them then turned to Murphy.

"How did you sit at a place to know the plans of your enemy?" she asked amazingly.

"Time is relatively proportional to event. Therefore, for you to know time of event of your enemy, you get to spend time too to reset your camera. For the enemy comes to kill and destroy but I came for you may have life and knowledge to the fullness." He turned to his fellow teenagers. "Why did I come?" she asked them.

All began to smile coz that question did not only remind them of teacher Nwachukwu, it also reminded them of his first desirable lesson. One of his statement came like a sound wave in their minds after he would flip his fingers: "... wake up before you drown in your own initiatives..!"

"Why did I come?" Murphy repeated.

"Because you love us" they replied in unison.

"Love!" Murphy turned to sheriff with a finger prostrating forward like a teacher. "Love is the key to peace coz you don't kill who you love, you don't hurt the person, you don't set their buildings ablaze, you don't plan evil against them. Love is what we need in our relationships, our families and our country at large." he concluded.

Just then, Erika and the carbinate members were pushed inside on handcuffs. Her eyes caught with Murphy who smiled mockingly at her. He silently walked to her, deep his hand inside his pocket, brought out the pendant and handed it to her before going back to his initial position. When Erika saw her mother's image there, she began to shed tears. She also understood that Murphy knows who she is.

"These are the enemies, sheriff" Murphy continued. "And the small one is the one who set me up. Now uncuff me to go show my people practical love" he concluded stretching his hands forward.

Everywhere remained calmed. They could hear people from nearby homes shouting, "Release him! Release him!!" the shout extended to other far away homes and outside the station.

Sheriff shamefully uncuffed him. "I'm very sorry, Mr president, my teacher." she apologized.

As usual, Obi became the first to hug him tightly. "I love you, man" he said.

Murphy smiled, patting his back like a titled man. Others followed suite.

Stepping out from the police station, crowd of people as populated as the sand on the ground was discovered, shouting and hailing teacher Murphy. Some fainted trying to touch him while many shed tears at the sight of him.

"Teacher Murphy!!"

"I love you, teacher Murphy!!"

"Teacher, come let's spend time to know time, please!!"

They were all shouting as Murphy and his siblings were being guided

towards Nwachukwu's limousine until they entered and zoomed off to the white house.

The orphans assembled round a a table in the white house as Murphy directed. It has been a surprising day for them all, waiting for who would break the silence for them. Suddenly, they saw their teacher shedding tears and began to look at one another, wondering what was wrong with him.

"Murphy, what?" Cynthia asked him.

"Teacher never stayed alive to see his child. What a pity?" he replied bitterly.

"You mean teacher Nwachukwu?" Daniella asked. "And what child?"

"Erika, the one I handed the pendant to. She's his daughter." he sniffed, drying his tears.

"I for say! She had his resemblance!" Judith wondered.

"But the question is, is she aware? If truly she's a seed from teacher, she doesn't deserve to be in jail" Dave substantiated.

Murphy stood up while they stared at him to take a decision. He walked behind his table, directed his eyes to Vivian who bent down her head.

"Why did you run out from my room seven days ago, Vivian?" He asked her.

She raised up her head. "I resigned. You didn't here it?"

"I was in a deep thought that I couldn't hear you. Why?"

All remained quiet, waiting for Vivian to reply, but the table was as cold as ice.

"Is okay." Murphy flipped his fingers then a guard brought a bunch of money to him. He walked to Vivian and stretched it to her saying, "You really helped me to figure out many things. This is my small appreciation"

She glanced at the money. "You're welcome, but I'm not taking that. Thank you." she rejected the money.

"Let me keep it for her. She's money-phobic now" Obi grabbed the money from his hand while others smiled.

Murphy walked back behind his seat where he could see every person's face. "Truly, no other persons can run this country with me than you all. Join me to make this world a better place." He announced.

"Like your carbinate members?" Obi asked.

"Sure" he smiled.

"That will be cool!" Dave concured.

"I'll make the news public soon then we commence. As for now, go home and rest except Obi"

Obi turned. "No rest for me?" he asked.

Murphy smiled.

All left except Obi who the president sat closely with like a father about to advice his son. The close range even got Obi surprise wondering about its outcome.

"Murphy, is everything okay?" he suspiciously asked him.

"Yeah, just wanna tell you something." He learned forward with a lower voice. "Teacher made me promise to find all our parents except yours."

"Why?" Obi pookad his face.

Murphy took a deep breath saying, "Because your parents were murdered by arm robbers a few months after you were born. But you found favour in his eyes."

Hearing that, tears circulated in the eyes of the young boy.

Murphy felt his pains. "I'm sorry, man." he consoled and embraced him where the tears began to drop on his shoulder as Obi cried silently like a man.

"Is okay, man. We will always love you." Murphy concluded.

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Days later, like a kungfu pounder, the door of Vivian's room was pushed open by Dave. The young girl jumped on her feet, wearing a knicker and a crop-top.

"Dave, what has come over you? When did you lose your manners?!" She shrieked.

Dave widened his eyes like a chief priest, detecting the presence of an evil spirit. "Haven't you heard?" he said.

"Heard what?"

"That Murphy is in the hospital at the point of death! He had a drastic accident!"

Vivian gasped with hands covering her mouth. Dave ran out instantly followed by Vivian without minding her dressing.

"Dave, wait for me!" She shouted, running like a woman, flapping her breats and quirming her buttocks.

Dave handled the steering wheel until they entered into the hospital. One could see them running up a staircase where they met a female receptionist.

"Where is the ward our president is admitted?!" Dave asked the lady who swiftly stood up.

"This way." she pointed at a direction.

Stepping into the ward, they slowed down when they saw it dark and lonely like a creepy residential evil. Vivian located Dave's presence.

"What's going on Dave?" she whispered.

Instantly, a dim colourful light shone all over the room and artificial flowers raining down from the roof like rain. Yet, they saw nobody. Vivian held Dave tightly coz it became more creepy. Suddenly, Murphy came out in a black suit, knelt at a distant and brought out a sparkling diamond ring.

"Oh my God!" Vivian exclaimed, unconsciously throwing her phone on the floor and holding Dave tightly.

"I'll be stupid to see the future plans of my enemies without seeing your heart." Murphy began. "I come to you as a common man not as a president, asking you to marry me, Uche Vivian. Please, be the mother of my children let us grow old together."

Already, Vivian had started shedding tears without letting go Dave's arm.

"Go on, dear." he whispered into her ears.

Gradually, she released his arms walking towards teacher Murphy until she stood before him with tears.

"Yes, I'll marry you." she stretched forth her fingers where Murphy placed the ring. A bright light which subdued the colourful one shone inside the room and people from nowhere began to clap. Vivian looked around to see Ella and others there, even doctors and nurses who witness the romantic event. She turned to Murphy and hugged him tightly which he reciprocated.

"Wait, where did you get the surname, 'Uche?" Vivian asked him.

Like a stopping rain, the clapping hands gradually died down. Murphy stepped away for Vivian who saw a man and a woman.

"His name is Uche and he's your father. The woman beside her is your mother. For behold you were dumped but found favour in the eyes of teacher Nwachukwu." he explained.

The joy in Vivian's heart couldn't be measured at the moment so her legs became weak to carry her. She saw herself falling down but caught by Murphy who pulled her up again. When the parents approached closer, she embraced them, crying seriously on their shoulders. The emotionally feeling circulated the room like a contagious disease thereby making everyone to shed tears.

Cynthia hurried out of the place. When Ella saw her, she ran after her.

"Cynthia," she met her at the staircase. "Where are you going? What's the problem?" she asked, standing few steps away from her.

"I'm going home, Ella and... and... I'm done. You know what I mean." Cynthia wanted to rush down but Ella grabbed her back.

"But why, Cynthia."

"I need a man, Ella!"

"But we can still get married!"

"Are you insane, Ella! Let me go!!" she forcefully withdrew her hand from hers, running out of the hospital.

Daniella became sad, shedding tears on the staircase.

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The Sun had gone down, the wind swept from the east, and the weather became cool.

However, Murphy had released Erika who became part of the big family. Both could be seen climbing an uncompleted upstairs in a hurry that evening. Getting to the top, they saw Daniella about to commit suicide by jumping down from the building with tears in her eyes.

"Ella, don't do it! You have several reasons to be alive." Murphy spoke up.

"Look around you and see what the world have in stock for you. Does it worth leaving behind?" Erika added as both were gradually moving forward, but Ella never looked back. Though the two teachers never hesitated to inspire her respectively.

"Ella, be the driver of your own life!"

"You are the pilot of your own plan!"

"All you need do is to set the car in the right direction. Do not expect anybody to drive you coz only you know your way!"

"The sky is a large place to fly a plan. It becomes all yours when you fly and you determine who flies with you or not. All you need do is to push up the handy-thing for the plan to take off!"

"Be the master of your own mind, Ella!"

"Do not allow anybody to control it for you. Reshape it!!" Erika flipped her fingers.

"Your destiny is in your own hands, and this is not it. Come, my dear." Murphy slowly touched her shoulder. With heavy tears, she turned immediately and hugged him tightly crying like a baby on his shoulder.

"You're save with me now." Murphy began to pat her back gently to see Erika smiling happily. So he smiled back at her.

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THE END

INCREDIBLE TEACHERS (Jungle Mystery) coming soon and also a continuation of Teacher Murphy.

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