A PLACE I CALLED HOME

After finishing my primary school, I was ready for my secondary education. My parents decided to send me to a boarding school. I registered for the common entrance exams and took the entrance exam, which I passed and gained admission to JSS 1 at a Federal Government College, Keffi, in my state of origin. The excitement of going away from home and starting a new life elsewhere was nothing, and I was eager to resume school.

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My mother had left me at the school and gone back home. It was time for me to start a new life; the school then housed all junior students in the same hostel. We had four houses: the Yellow House, called Antau house; the Red House, called Benue house; the Blue House, called Farin Ruwa house; and the Green House, called Nasarawa house. Antau house was my house, and I was placed in the last corner with 3 other boys. Festus was at the top bunk, Adamu at the lower bunk, and I at the top bunk, with Josiah at the lower bunk.

We became close friends with Josiah. Sometimes he would leave his bed and join me on mine to sleep. We kept our provisions together and washed our clothes together. Whenever I washed the trousers, Josiah would wash the shirts. We were always together, except during class hours, when we were in different classes. I was in Form A, while Josiah was in Form B.

Festus and Abdulhakeem were my seatmates then, and Abdulhakeem became a friend to this day. We went out during break times, the three of us, and we would get something to eat. We always had each other's backs, and we didn’t feel like anything was missing or that we were missing home. The school became my second home. I usually missed my friends and the school in general whenever I was on holiday. It was a prayer that the holidays would be over and we’d return to school. Aside from Josiah, Festus, Adamu and Abdulhakeem, I also met friends like Debo, and later Damilola and Success, and many others. The school was a home to many of us, and we all miss our time there to this day.

My name is@rishagamo, and above is my submission for the Sci-Fi Multiverse prompt Week 53 Edition 2 “A PLACE THAT FEELS LIKE HOME BUT IS NOT HOME”.