SOAP OPERA – Chapter 11: The Reckoning of Rounds
The Literature Theatre was electric, its walls practically humming with tension. Riverside University had never seen a gathering like this. Every remaining contestant, every eliminated student, and even curious spectators packed the hall, whispers bouncing off the walls like restless shadows.
The first eliminations—Isaac, Chidi, and Timileyin—were still fresh in the memories of the audience. Some were shocked, some had expected it, but all knew that the competition was ruthless. Everyone in the theatre felt the same pulse: this was no ordinary writing contest anymore—it was a war of talent, strategy, and survival.
Professor Nwagu stepped onto the stage, his clipboard in hand, eyes scanning the room. The chatter died immediately. Even the air seemed to pause.
"Good evening, writers, students, and guests," he began, voice calm but carrying the weight of authority. "Tonight, we review the journey so far—the winners, the runners-up, and those who have been eliminated. This is a moment to honor talent and perseverance. A moment to reflect on ambition, mistakes, and the consequences of choices."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. Students shifted in their seats, hearts hammering.
---
"Chapter 6 – Round One"
Professor Nwagu clicked his pen and nodded to the first slide on the projector. Names appeared: Isaac, Chidi, Timileyin.
A collective gasp rose from the audience.
"These three students have been eliminated," Professor Nwagu continued. "The first round was fierce, but these writers could not meet the standard required to survive."
Then he smiled slightly, acknowledging the talent that did shine through:
Winner: Tania
Second Place: Ella
Third Place: Gift
Tania's eyes sparkled with pride. Ella's lips twitched in a subtle smile, while Gift nodded quietly, determination etched on his face. The applause was polite but heavy with tension—everyone knew the competition had just begun.
---
"Chapter 8 – Round Two"
The screen shifted. The audience leaned in.
"Round two brought us more challenges. Writers faced sabotage, twists of fate, and intense pressure. And yet…"
Names flashed: Jola and Johnson Adeyemi.
Whispers rippled through the theatre. Gasps. Shock. Students remembered the scandal—the sabotage that led to their elimination. Even those who disliked Johnson couldn't hide their astonishment.
"And the winners of Round Two?" Professor Nwagu said, voice firm. "We recognize:
Winner: Mary
Second Place: Raphael
Third Place: Praise"
Mary stood with quiet dignity, the twins Mary and Martha exchanging a subtle glance. Raphael straightened, eyes narrowing slightly. Praise clutched his notebook, absorbing the weight of both his placement and the looming threat of future eliminations.
The crowd whispered again. The stage was not just for writing—it was now a battlefield of egos, pride, and strategies.
---
"Chapter 11 – Round Three"
The theatre fell into almost sacred silence. Students remembered the chaos of Chapter 9—Johnson's miraculous return, his second-chance draft, and the shockwaves that followed. Now it was time for the current elimination, and tension was thick enough to slice with a pen.
Professor Nwagu stepped forward, clearing his throat. "This round has been perhaps the most intense of all. Creativity has clashed with ambition. Mistakes have been costly. And now, it is time to announce the winners and the eliminated."
He paused dramatically, letting eyes sweep across the contestants.
"Eliminated: Promise and Tania."
The theatre erupted. Promise froze, wide-eyed, as if the words didn't belong to her. Tania's hand flew to her mouth. Shock. Panic. Disbelief.
Promise's voice trembled: "But… my story… I thought it was strong…"
Tania whispered sharply to herself: "No… this can't be… I worked so hard…"
Professor Nwagu's voice cut through the chaos:
"Winners of Round Three:
Winner: Johnson Adeyemi
Second Place: Raphael
Third Place: Ella"
Gasps, cheers, and murmurs cascaded through the theatre. Johnson's eyes burned with a mix of triumph and lingering bitterness from past eliminations. He had returned, proven himself, and now dominated a round that had nearly destroyed him.
Raphael exhaled slowly, nodding with calculated focus. Ella's expression was a mix of pride and anxiety—she knew the stakes were only rising.
The remaining students—Gift, Praise, Mary, Martha, and the newly returned Johnson—looked around at one another. Alliances were shifting. Rivalries were sharper. And the ghosts of eliminated students—Promise, Tania, Jola, and Johnson's past elimination—haunted every whispered conversation.
---
Outside the theatre, the campus buzzed with shockwaves. News of Promise and Tania's elimination and Johnson's victory in this round spread like wildfire. Students discussed strategy, gossiping about who would falter next, who would rise, and who might betray their allies in desperation.
Inside, the remaining contestants felt the pressure multiply. Every word they wrote, every scene they imagined, and every draft they submitted would now be under an unrelenting microscope. Trust had become a dangerous gamble. Ambition was a weapon. And survival depended on cunning as much as talent.
Johnson, walking past the theatre, whispered under his breath, eyes scanning the faces of his rivals:
"This is only the beginning. They think they know me… but they have no idea what I'm capable of."
The stage was set. The drama had escalated. And Riverside University had never felt more alive, more dangerous, or more unpredictable.
-