I was sleeping under the short Mango tree, when i heard the barking sound of dogs, i thought i was dreaming only to realize that it was reality when the dogs sniffed my legs. I woke up only to see two fierce looking dogs, i can't recall their breed, but they looked like wolves. They barked the sleep out of my eyes. I shivered like a pepper thief being fed with a basket full of red spicy pepper, i stood up to run, one of the dog got hold of my New School Nicka and it torned. I ran as fast as my legs could take me, fortunately, i ran straight into the school compound, i did not care to look back and see if they dogs were still chasing me; instead, i ran into the fragile hands of the compound master, behind him was a "crowd of slaves", as latecomers were called- a situation i disliked with passion- lateness. I would not have been late, if not for the incident that occured in school the previous day. I slept under the Mango tree in order to avoid being beaten by the principal as the assembly ground, but unfortunately, my punishment was still intact. I was directed to join the 'legions' my classmates that were perpetual latecomers. Visitors were always amused when they see the legions coming to school. They do not come in indian file, instead, they come like herds- full squad- both boys and girls. When i knelt down with them, hell broke loose, i was knocked simultaneously from unseen hands. All this while, i had forgotten my torned Nicka, my mind harboured in the jungle of thought, navigating through the sack finding the right punishment for me, untill i heard a hand go into the hole made by the teeth of the dog, i turned and found out that the class bully Abel Nwachucku whom we called "CAIN" because of his boisterous acts was the initiator of the embarrassment, i tried to release his noisy hands silently only to inflame the dirty rubbing from him. I thought of what to do in order for him to leave me alone but to no avail. When the compound master came closer, i shouted: " Abel! Abel, you've torned my new Nicka!" i started hitting him in order to make my allegations credible. "what is happening here?" Mr. Wazobiadi our compound master asked. "Nothing" Cain tried to cover up, but i disagreed. "Sir, he torned my Nicka" i lied in order to aviod the embarrassment. "But this is khaki, how can it tear easily?" the fierced looking compound master asked. "Sir, i heard a sharp piercing sound, i don't know what he used in tearing my nicka" i replied angrily. "Stand up" Mr. Wazobiadi ordered me. I stood up, my heart was beating faster than the flow of my blood, i did not know why it ran so fast, it almost came out of my skin if not for the support i gave it with my hands. "Young man, this looks like a bite..." he shouted out "That means Abel used his teeth to tear my nicka" i said immediately, looking briefly at Abel(Cain) Abel could not bear my wordings again, so he rose up and shouted "It is a lie sir, i saw the space on his nicka and i fitted my hands into it" He was slapped with the cane for fitting his hands into my yash. "No sir, he's lying, he torned my nicka and fitted his hands into it" i argued on. I would not have lied to that extent, if not for the sake that he was a bully. I had to put a trouble on his head so as to shut him up. I wanted someone to pay for my torned Nicka, it i wanted him to be the one. I was afraid of mama, she promised me that if i spoil my shoes she would me the welder on the next street to weld a shoe for me. How would it sound hearing 'bang, clang, bang, clang' when i walk to school?. The compound Master dragged us to the staff room, i was ridiculed by the lazy teachers hovering around grapevines or spreading rumours that had no foundation. We were flogged black and blue by the compound master and we left, i left with my torned Nicka, without getting money for a new one or money for amendment. I went home to get the wrath of mama. Excerpts from: My New School Nicka~ Ekemini Joseph