It was another boring day in the Federal Polytechnic, the sun was beating down on us mercilessly, sweat poured off our bodies as we left the lecture hall, already missing the cool air conditioner of the hall.
None of us had a car, so we had to trek to our lodges. We didn't say a word, there was nothing to talk about. The hot sun was making us thirsty, we planned to buy some water once we get to the nearest shop.
The Federal Polytechnic was a beautiful school, it's grounds were beautifully tarred. Palm trees lined both sides of the road, and demarcating this road were rows and rows of beautiful flowers, planted throughout the school. The buildings stood high and mighty, a beacon of hope and strength for everyone till thy kingdom come.
The school was a beehive of activities, people were walking about in search of one thing or the other. Cars honked loudly as they tore through the road. All joined to make the heat all the more unbearable. And despite it all, it was my school and I loved it.
But at the moment, I wasn't feeling very loving. What was on my mind was to get home, and get out of this scorching sun. And get something into my belly.
I adjusted my face cap, for it to shield my face better. Clutching my books with my free hand, I made to cross the road.
It was then I heard the commotion, coming from up ahead. I exchanged glances with my course mates.
"What's that?"
Of course, none of them knew the answer to that. But we got it soon after as we began to hear the pounding hooves of horses hitting the asphalt hard.
"What the..." I gasped as people scampered out of the way of the charging horses. They seemed to have come out of thin air.
"Those are the school's horses." One of my course-mates said excitedly as a car swerved off the road to avoid hitting the horses. "But why are there no riders?"
I recognized them then. One was a black stallion, the other was a white thoroughbred. They both belonged to the school, used for academic purposes. The thoroughbred must have been the boss of the two because it seemed to be the one leading the way while the stallion followed.
If this was a stunt, it was a dangerous one. People and cars were running about, trying to get out of the way, agitating the horses the more.
The horses were coming straight st us, charging furiously.
"Come on!" I cried as I grabbed my friend's hand and we crossed the gutter just as a power bike zoomed through the gates as well, bearing a rider and a passenger. Hot on the tails of the horses.
"This is insane!" I gasped, moving backward as the horses raced past us, neighing as they did so. Seconds later, the bike zoomed past as well. It's deep throttle resounding in our ears.
"What on earth are these guys doing?" I wondered aloud.
The horses approached the first turn just as a truck came in from the opposite direction. The driver saw them and stamped his brakes. Too late though. The horses swerved and tore into the crowded field. The truck went off course and slammed into an electric pole.
The bike zoomed into the field after the horses, it engine revved as they caught up. The thoroughbred, sensing them, felt this was a race and spurred itself on. The stallion followed suit as well. Still, the bike caught up.
Suddenly, I knew what they were going to do.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I cried out as I ran to where the crashed truck was for a better view.
The passenger was planning to jump from the bike onto one of the horse while both were still in motion.
"This is insane." I whispered to myself. Humbled by the sheer bravado of the young men. It was also stupid. They couldn't risk coming at the horse from behind to avoid getting kicked. So they had to keep the bike beside the horse, not to close so as not to injure the animal. This meant they had to do it from a distance.
And they had to jump on the thoroughbred, stopping him would also stop the stallion as well.
Yes it was insane.
I watched as the passenger on the bike carefully lifted himself up, his cloth flapping in the wind as they tore through the field side by side with the thoroughbred as students jumped out of the way.
I felt my heart slam against my chest as I watched him crouch, the bike was steady in it's motion. He watched the horse with intense concentration, his eyes calculating.
People suddenly began to shout and scream, and everyone knew why.
Madam Paula was under her usual shed, selling her chilled yoghurt. Her back was to the field so she couldn't see the horses racing in her direction. And everyone also knew she was partially deaf.
Despite all the screams, she didn't turn. She was busy fitting bottles of yoghurt into her refrigerator.
I needed to see clearer, I ran to the edge of the field.
The horses heard the screams though, it sent them into a frenzy, their hooves kicking up grass as they tore towards the old woman.
Suddenly, the passenger launched off the bike.
Like in slow motion, we saw how he lifted off into the air, executing a perfect jumpoff, towards the thoroughbred.
He must have miscalculated, because he didn't land astride as he must have planned.
My heart flipped as he landed just short of his target. His hands reached out and grab the horse around the neck, halting what would have been a tragic fall. His legs dangled in the air.
This didn't slow the horse down, it was used to heavier weights.
They galloped on, racing towards the shed the woman was in.
The guy took a good hold and climbed the horse. And he settled into the saddle as they were a few feet away from the woman.
The bike rider stepped on the brakes then, bringing the power bike to a screeching halt.
The man on the horse grabbed the reins, held on tight and yanked it back with all his might.
The thoroughbred reared, its forelegs going high into the air as it neighed loudly. The man dug his knees into the sides of the horse to keep from falling off. The horse was like that for over three seconds before coming down to it's four legs once more. Beside them, the stallion clattered to a halt, going a bit further than the thoroughbred.
The thoroughbred was prancing nervously, still full of adrenaline and wanting to do away with the excess energy. The rider stroked it's neck, soothing it till it was calm.
That was when Madam Paula turned.
She studied the man on the horse, the other riderless horse, and the man on the bike a couple of feet away. She knew them all. She then said something. But I was too far away to hear it.
I let out a deep breath, my heart coming back under control as I realised how this could easily have led to a tragic accident. Apparently, Madam Paula still didn't know what had happened. And I could see the guys were not going to tell her, seeing as they led the horses off the field soon after. At a walk this time.
The show was over, people returned to their businesses. But this time, there was a new kind of energy in the air. The boredom was gone and the sun no longer felt that hot. Everyone was talking about the mad horses. But who was mad? The horses or the trainers who had let them loose?
There was no way I could answer that, I simply clutched my books tighter and bounced back to my lodge, chatting at the top of my voice with my course-mates.