Kingsley found it odd that everything was quiet as they alighted from the taxi at the venue of the party. It had snowed earlier in the day making the evening weather icy cold as the four of us trudged slowly towards the building entrance. The boot prints from our leather boots left shallow holes in the snow as we marched on. I pulled my jacket closer rubbing my hands together wondering why everywhere was graveyard quiet. Thus, I was taken aback and gasped in surprise as Chris opened the door and we entered the party hall. This was so different from what I was used to back home in Nigeria. There was no way you would be attending a party and not know that you have arrived the venue from afar. Even if you missed your way, it is usually easy to locate the party venue from the noise emanating from the venue. Nigerians loved it loud, lively and colourful, I thought for a second missing home briefly.
However, in this instance the wide disparity between the quiet solemnness caused by the weather outside did not prepare me for the wild liveliness inside. It seemed these people had mastered the art of making life interesting for themselves indoors unlike it was back home. I looked around and observed that most of the attendees were mostly students. Majority of them were either white or black British, a few Asians, some African students and a few people that looked like they were from other parts of Europe. Scantily dressed girls of all shapes and sizes drinking spiritedly from long alcohol bottles littered the dance floor. They were jumping and dancing wildly as the music blared louder than ever. I had attended countless parties back home in the university but have never seen anything as wild as this.
Chris beckoned on me and we moved closer to the bar. There was an array of drinks as the bartender enthusiastically doled out drinks. After gulping two glasses of booze, Chris and the other guys strolled to the dance floor while I sat on the bar stool watching the dancers on the floor, moving slightly to the beat.
After some time, I saw Chris arms around one of the white girls strolling back to where I was seated. I assumed he was coming to introduce his ‘latest catch’. But as he drew closer I watched his features dissolve into a smile as he yelled out above the music. Kingsley don’t tell me you have been drinking only beer since. ‘There are a thousand and one spirits in the bar just request for any you like’. I smiled looking straight into his eyes nodding in agreement as I moved towards the dance floor. He looked at me in familiar amusement knowing I would surely come back for more drinks. Afterall, I had never objected to any of his friendly suggestions in the past.
One would think I was going to the dance floor to dance with the way I jumped out of my seat after his last remark. I just derived much joy enjoying the music, watching and hovering around the dancers on the floor. After some time on the floor, I felt a hand pull me towards a shaded corner of the hall as I turned and saw Chris handing me a glass. He smiled at me, eyes crinkling in a familiar yet firm way and whispered gently ‘Relax, It’s just a special drink I got for you and I’m sure you would love it’. I hesitated a bit unsure of the contents of the glass but when I looked into those firm and reassuring eyes, I saw my bossom friend with whom I has shared so much in the past with. As he tapped my shoulders in reassurance, it was easy to take the glass and down it in one gulp.
I continued dancing to the beats chatting briefly with some other African students that I met on the dance floor. From where I was, I saw Chris lock hands with his female friend as they went up the narrow staircase in the dark hall. That was the last I saw of him before I suddenly felt the room swaying. Everything happened so fast, one minute I was sitting down on a bar stool wondering why the room was suddenly swaying rapidly, the next minute I was feeling so faint I could barely get up. I tried to get up and hold on to something but felt myself falling. The ceiling was collapsing on my head as the room swayed haphazardly. The next time I opened my eyes there was darkness all around me and I was lying on something very hard.