I had never known a gentleman, till I met Mr. Raphael, our sweet tempered neighbor. He always looked out for me, tending to my wounds whenever I got hurt. His touch was tender and his words kind. I loved listening to his stories and enjoyed the treats that followed. He bought my favorite books; he knew they were my escape from the days of hawking oranges in the sun. I was not raised to be greedy, my dad’s death had made us my mother, siblings and I settle for whatever measly meals we could afford. So I turned down his treats at first, but he insisted and promised that there were no strings attached.
‘You are such a good girl. You deserve to be treated well,’ he said.
His gait was confident, his smile beguiling, his words soft and convincing. It was those words that led me here.
I’m sitting on the cold floor, clutching my ripped dress tightly to my chest. It is what remains of my stripped innocence. I stare blankly into space, still numb from the defilement. My throat is blocked with unshed tears.
I cannot bring myself to cry over the monster in front of me. My screams had made no difference. My pleas offered no respite. When he grabbed me and threw me on the bed, I had thrashed and kicked but he persisted till I lay in a helpless heap. When he found his release, I writhed in pain.
‘I will hurt you more if you ever tell anyone about this.’ His smile is sinister, his voice as ice. I shudder as his words chill my bones. My body shakes violently as the dam breaks, and my tears freely flow, washing away my hopes and dreams.
I was wrapped tightly in her warm embrace, pressed against her soft bossom. This was bliss.
‘Jonathan…’ The name floated in my subconscious but I ignored its summon.
‘Jonathan…’ The call was louder, drawing me out slowly from the blissful depth of sleep.
‘Jonathan!’
This time, the sharp call was accompanied by the sound of a door hitting the wall. I opened my eye slightly and looked towards the entrance to my room and saw my mom with a scowl on her face.
‘Jonathan get up now. It’s Monday!’ My heart sank, and my mind scrambled to produce a coherent response.
‘Uh…Okay.’ My voice was husky. ‘I want to pray’.
My mother’s scowl grew deeper as she stared at me.
‘If you wanted to pray, you would have woken up earlier.’ I didn’t move an inch.
‘Mom…just let me pray.’
She looked torn, most likely wondering if she should risk killing my spirituality. She still stood at the door, so I shut my eyes and started to move my lips. She left and I drifted once again.
‘Jonathan!’
‘O oo ooooh…’
I reluctantly pulled off my cover cloth and lifted myself off the bed. Wham! My head collided with the hard edge of the head rest and sharp pain shot through my brain to my toes. I clutched my throbbing head and clenched my teeth to stop myself from screaming. I blinked rapidly to stop the sharp sting of tears in my eyes, and shook my head sadly. I was definitely awake now. That was more effective than my mother’s screams.
*Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person dead or alive is simply a product of your imagination.
“Eeeee!” Her voice rang through the house. “What have you done?”
Right then, my father barged in, the door slamming against the wall in full swing. Stumbling over over the stray stool in his path, he grabbed the edge of the kitchen slab to steady himself.
“What ha…” He stopped short, stunned at the sight before him, and let out a long eerie whistle. Mother stood gazing like someone caught in a trance. Then, slowly, her face contorted into something like a bare-fanged masquerade, she raised her hands over her head and wailed,
“My sweat o, my labour,” rounding it up in a screeching crescendo, “My blooood! My 11-year old sister, who had sneaked in, peeped around my father’s large frame. Her eyes grew wide as she took in the scene. For a moment they all stared in utter disbelief.
Then a small smile crept onto my
father’s face, though he dared not laugh. As he struggled to keep his
expression stoic, my sister broke into maniacal laughter, nearly falling. It
was infectious, for my father burst into laughter also. His baritone boomed,
mixing with the shrill laugh of my sister.
I stood defiantly, though
trembling inwardly. I had been denied my evening meal, because I returned home
soiled from playing football without permission. I resented the injustice, so
ventured to claim my meal behind their backs.
In front of me lay a puddle of soup, with pieces of meat and fish strewn all over the floor; evidence of my disastrous endeavour. Soup dripped from my chest, a stray leaf stuck in my collar.
My 5-year old self sucked loudly on my fingers, desperate for the taste to last. For with the smoldering look my mother sent my way, this might very well be my last supper.
I jerked awake, my muscles popping as my hands wrapped around the chair arms in a deadly grip. From the deep recess of my sub-conscious, I had heard a heavy rumble, and felt my seat vibrate. I glanced around the silent room, disoriented for a minute.
Shadrach stood in front of Ese’s table with his arms outstretched, as if in a movie paused midway for a toilet break. Ese stared pensively at the ceiling, her mouth agape in wonder. We all felt the presence overhead. Like an evil master and his minions, thunder roared furiously and the sinister cackle of lightning responded. We were shielded from the pouring rain, but not from the sound effects of the raging war of wind, water, light and thunder. Lightning cackled a second time and the lights went out.
‘I hope say that lightning no go kill person.’
Shadrach’s voice broke the awe of the moment. My shoulders eased and
I chuckled at his superstitious sentiment. He glared at me, but I shrugged off
his concern. I wasn’t one to take such seriously. The rumble had subsided,
though the rain still pelted the roof with scattered beats. Sleep tugged at my
eyelids once again, its arms alluring to my weariness. I briefly registered
Shadrach moving around the office to turn off appliances while I drifted away
from consciousness into the peaceful embrace of rest.
My eyes opened on the other side of reality and its sight was near
diabolical. The path of lightning tore through the bright sky and struck the
brown earth. At the point where the flashing streak kissed the ground stood a
woman. She seemed like the source, yet an inseparable part of the light. The
brightness of the sun formed a glowing aura around her. She wore a long robe that fell in soft folds
around her bare feet. Her hands were cast in bronze bracelets that sparkled in
the light. Her neck was bare, leading seamlessly to her celestial face. All I
could see now was her glowing blue eyes which held me in a daze. Her voice rang
through the expanse, the silkiness caressing my frame. It carried authority and
summoned me to draw close. Spelled, I moved towards her, slowly and shaking.
‘You’ve been deaf, oblivious to your calling and essence. You’ve
been blind, to the problems you were created to solve. In your quest for
instant gratification, you’ve become numb to the despair around you.’
I stood before her now, the searing heat almost unbearable. She
stretched her hands towards me and I felt like air was being sucked out of my
body.
‘Okpia, you’ve been summoned by the witnesses. If only you had
followed the path of love laid out from the beginning, you would have laid hold
of the treasure you futilely search for.’
‘Am I to be punished then?’ I asked, keeling over in exhaustion from the heat.
‘Oh no, I am the goddess of mercy, here to deliver your inheritance
to you, to save you from many more years of fruitless struggle.’
My head shot up and I looked on her with hope. She bent her frame
and held a box before me. My name was engraved on its lid.
‘Take it, for it is the reward for your journey here.’
I reached out and traced the engraving. I bit my lips and lifted the
lid.
I trembled at the weight of wealth in her hands, awed by the
glittering mix of jewels, stones and bundled notes.
Such unbridled riches, oozing of forbidden scent. My chest felt
heavy, and my throat clogged with the tears of unutterable words.
‘All for me?’
‘Okpia take it now.’ Her voice rang with sudden urgency. ‘Earthlings
will rouse you soon’.
I looked at her unearthly face once again and made my decision. With
firm resolve, I reached for the bronzen handles but it was not to be.
It that same instant, a gale of wind pulled me back and dragged me
in the sand.
‘Noooooooo…’
I clawed at the dirt, desperate to stop the fast disappearing
woman…and the treasure.
The magnetic pull sucked me through an orb and my eyes opened wide
on the other side.
My heart beat wildly and I wobbled as I tried to get on my feet.
Then I felt a stinging slap on my bare arms..the slap of reality.
‘Osaze, 4’O clock don nak, may we dey go house’.
Blasted Shadrach! His superstitions were messing with my head. I
wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead. The stormy weather had
been replaced by scorching heat.
I squeezed my eyes, in an attempt to get rid of the sting of unsatisfied sleep, and sighed with disappointment. Back to earth, I grabbed my bag to go home and consoled myself silently.
Simi Joel 