Being unemployed isn't easy,especially when you're twenty seven and more broke than you've ever been before. I rubbed my palm across my face as I read Tinu's message for what could be the hundredth time today.

"You don't even have a stable source of income, you can text me again when you're more serious with your life"

The most frustrating part of it all is that Ive tried my best. Its not like I just sit at home with my degree in actuarial science rotting away in my room. Ive applied to different organizations but some how there is always someone more qualified than me out there. You'd think that after all the strikes, stress and exams I deserve a lot better.

Today has been a roller coaster ride, really. When I told my friend, Kola about everything. He didn't give me his usual speech about trying harder and praying about it. He gave me an address and told me to meet him there "desperate times call for desperate measures" He'd said. Knowing how shady he sounded I had hesitated. But recalling the countless number of time my mother had told me to find a job and stop being a disappointment, I decided this was a risk that I had to take.

Dressed casually, I arrived at the scene which was actually close by. The location itself was already looking really suspicious. It was a bushy area which was filled long weeds, grasses and one or two trees popping out. If you looked hard enough, you could see a river on the other side, and a few boats being moored away.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped. It was Kola. I had been so distracted by the area that noticed him. A few meters away, I could see three other men probably about my age standing behind us. They were each holding a fairly used barrel. While one of them looked shifted nervously, the others had stern looks on their faces.

"I'm glad you showed up" Kola chuckled "I actually thought you were going to chicken out"

I sucked in a deep breath to calm myself "what are we doing here?"

He smiled showing a few crooked teeth "Don't be scared Thomas. I'll explain as we walk"

I nodded and he turned back "Lets go boys"

Then we proceeded, pushing back weeds and swatting at mosquitoes who had made this place their home. Kola clapped his hands killing one before speaking up.

"Two words" Kola said turning to me "Oil bunkering"

I stopped in my tracks, shocked by his statement "Isn't that illegal? How are you even so confident about this?"

"I work for someone" He said with a proud smile "He's so influential, he can bribe the police into keeping shut"

"That's crazy" I said backing up "I don't want again abeg, I should have known better than to come here"

"Don't move" one of the men behind us shouted. I turned around and oh God he was pointing a gun at me.

"T-boy" Kola said putting a hand out "what are you doing?"

"Following orders" he replied in a gruff voice "baba said make we shoot am if he no comply"

"No,no, put the gun down" Kola said before giving me a look "Thomas will follow us right?"

I looked at Kola and I at the man whose alias was T-boy. I didn't want to do this, but I didn't want to die either. It was wrong and I knew that somehow we were going to end up in prison even if it took some time, but i knew that if I didn't listen, i would be shot without a second thought.

"Y-yes" I stuttered turning back "Ill follow you"

T-boy put his gun away and we kept walking. As we continued in silence, I couldn't help but wonder how much trouble I had put myself in now.