The boys were sweating buckets as the scarlet sun set in the south. They were further on their feet when their eyes caught the suspect jogging down a dusty road cut through a bamboo forest towards an unfinished building—the future home of irresponsible wealthy family.

Asante, as always, was at the forefront, leading the boys as head-boy. “Guys! She’s slowing down.” He gasped.

Annika looked around and recognized four pursuers. She turned toward the unfinished building to hide, quickly jumped through an empty window and hid in the corner of the bedroom. She was breathing heavily like a goat running away from the butcher, and was doing her best to slow down her breathing, also making herself small.

“I know you’re here, girl!” Zack laughed, stomping in the shadows of the corridor.

“Shut up, Zack!” Asante ordered. “We need to listen to her movements,” he added.

“Here she is, zahahaha!” said Thanda with a silly laughter as he found Annika from bedroom. He grabbed her braids and she closed her eyes in pain but didn’t say a sad word.

“Did you hear that?” Ted asked Asante in the lounge.

Asante nodded. “This way,” he said, pointing down the silent corridor older than them but it lacked a ghostly habitation. In the room where Annika was found, they met Zack and Thanda, flirting with Annika amidst a dying sunbeam.

“This is a pretty thief.” Zack marvelled, grabbing Annika by her voluptuous hips, while Thanda grabbed Annika by her pyramid shaped breasts.

Overwhelmed by her guilt, Annika stayed quiet with a feeling of humiliation. She sobbed as Asante and Ted walked in. She wanted to turn into a wolf; it was the only way to fight all of them but she remembered what her grandmother always told her: Once you become a wolf, there’s no turning back. You shall kill and run until you join your fellow wolves. Annika didn’t want to walk on all fours. She didn’t want to kill people. Becoming a wolf was the last option. She tried to calm her nerves and waited for a chance to escape.

“Everyone, get your hands off her!” Asante yelled at the boys who were harassing Annika, and they respected his voice, therefore they obeyed.

Asante stepped in front of Annika and grabbed one of her shoulders. “How could you steal from our principal?” he asked, flipping the braids over her face with his fingers.

Her eyes reflected him and he got stunned by her nature.

“Does that pretty girl talk?” Zack asked from behind Asante.

“Her beauty seems to be silent, zahahahaha!” Thanda mocked, and his laugh was contagious that Zack followed suit.

“Quiet guys!” Asante silenced them—his eyes were in flames of passion—astonished at the beauty of Annika. He didn’t blink as his mouth stayed open (no girl in his school life had turned him into such a statue of colonial subjugation).

“Hey, do you talk?” Asante inquired in a friendly tone.

However, Annika avoided his eyes and looked down at her dusted feet. In her heart, she knew very well that all eyes were on her. She manifestly appeared guilty as sin.

“Kiss her, Asante,” said Zack with a hearty laugh; “and she’ll soon come to her senses.”

“Shut up, Zack,” Asante scoffed at him, and took a sound breath, as if he was resuming exploring Annika. Peace and quiet followed; Annika was a statuesque idol, just like the rest of the opposite gender in this empty room.

After a moment, Asante broke the awkward silence. “Give back the principal’s cell phone and wristwatch.” He demanded of Annika, leaning his face into hers as if he wanted to kiss her on the lips or head-butt her.

“Let’s search inside her dress.” Thanda suggested, smiling.

With that said, Annika took out iPhone X and gold watch from her bandeau and handed them to Asante.

“Thank you, girl.” Asante took over the items. “What’s your name?” he asked her quietly, so low for the boys to hear.

Annika slowly pulled out a grotesque necklace inscribed with “ANNIKA” from her cleavage and showed it to Asante.

Asante read the necklace. “Great. You own a great name,” he said, stuffing the iPhone and gold watch into his side pockets. Then he turned to the boys and saw jealousy smiles running across their faces.