married episode 13 & 14

🧖‍♀️MARRIED💞
Episode 13.
©Miriam Edem

I was still very careful and for the first time scared of darkness maybe because I was in another person land or I just escaped from the brick of death.
The place was so very dry that I saw no humans but only dogs that will bark at me, but at a distance I thought I saw a shadow that didn’t look like mine behind me and I increa-sed my speed breathing ha-rd ,

“Hey! I heard a voice st©pped me and I stood still like a statue afraid to look back to see who it was. The person c@m£ closer and pointed a torch on my face and I closed my eyes,
“What are you doing out here by this time? The voice asked and with the tone of the voice I felt safe and opened my eyes,

“plea-se help me I’m lost, I replied.
“You’re lost? But you can’t continue this night its very risky, he said.

“I know that’s why I said you should help me, I said.
“Okay but I’m a laborer and I won’t be able to help you that much but will you be safe to stay with the guys? He asked and at the mention of guys I shook my head,

“Sorry, I’ll continue then, thank you, I replied.
“But they won’t harm you and you’re injured, the guy said. Guys won’t harm me? How is that possible when I just escaped one, obviously he didn’t know what he was saying.

“plea-se thank you I’ll just continue walking, don’t worry I’ll be fine, I said.
“But you said you’re lost, how will you catch up this night? Okay since you insist take this, he said going throu-gh his pocket and brou-ght out 500 naira.

“That’s all I have with me, he said and I took it.
“Thank you, I said feeling so rich because that was the only cash with me.

“And your leg, let me see, he said and bent down and with just mere tou-ching of my ankle, I cried out because of the pains.
“Its broken, he said standing up.

“I know, don’t worry about me and thanks again, I said and turned to leave.
“Its also dangerous here I hope you know that? He asked and I weakly st©pped and he faced me again.

“There’s something you’re not telling me but I can as-sure you that am not a bad person either. If you’re scared of the guys hurting you I can keep you at a corner and when its morning you can continue, the guy said and I began to think. I don’t even know the guys that are there and if I wait till morning before I escape from this environment totally the guys might find me and its still not wise walking alone on the street either, who will I meet out there?.
“Hello, he said waving at my face as I was lost in my own thoughts and I cleaned my tears.

“You don’t un-derstand, I was kidnapped and I escaped which I know the guys are still looking for me, I said.
“Kidnapped? Around this area? He asked.

“Yes and the guys you are talking about do you trust them? Do you know what they do behind? That’s why i can’t stay because they may find me in the morning if I don’t leave this place totally, I replied and he nodded.
“Can you trust me? He asked and I nodded.

“Good, wait for me here, or to be safe go into the bush a little but be careful okay, I’ll meet you here, the guy said tapping my shoulder and I went into the bush and he left.
I saw a kind of van coming and It st©pped right where I was,

“Hello its me, the guy said and I c@m£ out,
“Get in, he asked coming the door for me and I got in and he drove off.

“Sorry where are we going to? I asked.
“I’m taking you to my aunty to spend the night there, don’t worry she’s a good person, the guy replied and my heart was at peace, but foolish me I sle-pt off without knowing until I heard a tap on my cheek,

“Wake up we are here, he said and a woman c@m£ out.
“Jesus Samuel why are you here at this time? The woman asked struggling with her wra-pper and I c@m£ down with my sleepy eyes and greeted her.

“Morning, who is she? The woman asked.
“I saw her on the road aunty and she’s wounded, he replied.

“And you brou-ght her here? Do I work in the police? She asked and Samuel drew close to her whispering. The tone of her voice was not welcoming but I won’t blame her, how can she accept a total stranger to her place that easily?
“If what she said is true then I insist she should go to the police, I don’t want trouble o, the woman said out loud.

“Okay fine aunty let her have a place to sleep because I have to return the van now before the rest notice and begin to ask questions. I’ll see you in the morning, he said and she looked at him not happy.
“plea-se aunty, the guy insisted while I just leaned on the van,

“Fine, only for the night, she said.
“Oh thank you, I’ll come back in the morning, the guy said and c@m£ to me.

“Can you walk? He asked and I nodded..
“Let’s go in, he said helping me inside.

“I’ll hurry off now okay, see you in the morning, he said when we were inside and ran out leaving me with this woman who was using her eyes to chop me like vegetables. Her eyes ran throu-gh my b©dy from my hair down to my legs, if she was able to run throu-gh my un-der wears she would have done same while I sat down very quiet waiting for her to speak up.
“So you were kidnapped and how did you escape? She asked and I looked at her.

“I don’t know, I just escaped, I cut it short because I didn’t have the strength to start narrating all that happened.
“Whatever, Abeg when once its morning carry yourself out o because I don’t want trouble at all. I don’t know what’s wrong with this boy sef as if this place looks like a foundation he will be bringing the less privileged for help, she blurred out and left leaving me alone in the sitting room. I was so shocked, with all her screening didn’t she see I was wounded and very dirty? Not even are you hungry or will you have a bath or even what is your name? Hmmmm Human beings dey sha, and when I looked at the wall clock there it was past 2am. I just carried my dirty self and sle-pt on the floor to avoid “you’ve stained my chair” when the morning comes.

“Its morning o! I heard and when I opened my eyes her big eyes was just on me with her hands on her w@!st.
“Aunty good morning, I greeted trying to sit up.

“Aunty good morning, shey i look like your mother sister? She asked and I winced as my ankle bec@m£ unbearable, the pains increa-sed and she cl@pped her hands.
“Now Samuel will not come and see the work he brou-ght for me o, suddenly I’ve turned to police and doctor to treat girls he will bring from the street, wonderful, she said and left me there.

Hmmmm Sharon has suffered, things i did not see when i was with my mother, things i do hear from my clas-smates is what i am experiencing one after the other. Shey its Sharon that has turned to street girl? I didn’t have the strength to be angry when something was paining me alre-ady. I was putting on a go-wn and I managed to tear a piece of it and tied it on my legs the way I could manage, and when I tried getting up someone held me and when I looked up it was Samuel. That was when I clearly saw his face,
“So this guy been fine like this?🙈 I asked myself……………..

🧖‍♀️MARRIED💞
Episode 14
©Miriam Edem

“Are you okay? He asked and I nodded which he looked down to see the cloth I tied on my ankle,
“My aunty didn’t attend to you? He asked and who was I to say yes or no to that question. With the way that woman smells and looks like trouble she might throw me out that I am painting her bad,

“She ermm….. Don’t worry the leg will be fine, I replied when he made me sit but he left the house quite in a hurry.
“Aunty she’s still on her dirty dress and her legs are swollen, I thought you took care of her, I heard him outside.

“Hey Samuel as her caretaker or what? What kind of insult is this sef? She shouted.
“Aunty this is not insult na but it was a request, at least treat her as my guest. I appreciate the fact that you let her in but then she nee-ds help and you shouldn’t have closed your eyes, he said and I saw him kind of leaving the compound. Immediately the woman stormed in with a wicked eye that I almost urinated on my b©dy, no one has ever looked me in such eyes before.

“So you reported me to him huh? Just few hours of you staying in my house my nephew is now talking to me as he likes shey? She asked and I shook my head.
“I didn’t say anything to him aunty, I replied.

“Who is your aunty! Do I look related to you! She shouted and I closed my eyes as her saliva poured on me.
“Sorry ma and thanks for letting me stay here, I’ll take my leave now, I said holding the chair to help me stand.

“Will you sit down there! You want to start another show so that he will come back saying I s£nt you out of my house, nons-en-se, she said and left and I just looked with my mouth open. Haaaa what have I gotten myself into? Why does this woman hate me so much? I wondered and it wasn’t long Samuel returned with a nylon bag.
“I was lucky, the chemist woman opened on time because a woman daughter was sick so she c@m£ to attend to her. Will you take your bath first before I apply the balm? The woman says it works very well, he said.

“Thanks but this is not balm issue, the pains is inside, I said.
“I know and I can draw it for you though it will be very painful but you have to manage. Take your bath first and I’ll fix you something for breakfast before I’ll attend to your leg , he said.

“Thank you, I said almost in a whisper.
“You’re welcome, wait a minute, I don’t even know your name, he said.

“Sharon, I said.
“Oh right Sharon, let me go boil water for you, you really nee-d a h0t bath, he said and left and I breathed out. Seriously Sharon this guy is too nice and I shouldn’t trust him so he won’t take advantage of me, I said to myself as I remembered how I trusted the prophets who showed me c@m£roon pepper.

Just as he told me, he kept a h0t water in the bathroom for me and arranged clothes from the neighbors to give to me so I can change up. He got beans cake and pap for me when I c@m£ out from the bathroom feeling like a human being and I ate, then he took me outside to draw the leg proper. I wanted forming tush at first, but I saw myself on the ground crying seriously in pains and he tied my ankle with a clean handkerchief and made me sit again while I drew my nose ashamed I cried that ha-rd .
“Sorry, take this for the pain relief, he said giving me some tablets which I took it and he smiled.

“Why are you smiling now? I asked.
“Nothing, I just remembered when I broke my leg in school while pla-ying ball, my father drew it himself and I cried the way you did, he replied and I sniffed cleaning my face.

“But I didn’t cry, I said with a frown and he laughed.
“Oh am glad you did not, he said getting up.

“Samuel, i called out.
“Yes, he replied and sat down again.

“What is going to happen now? I asked.
“Yea I wanted asking you same though I wanted you to rest. So what do you think since you don’t want to go to the police? You’ll go back to your family right? He asked and I shook my head.

“But why? You said you were kidnapped and they will be so worried about you isn’t it? he asked.
“I alre-ady ran away from home before I got kidnapped but there’s something I nee-d to do first, I replied.

“Why did you run away? You know that’s a very bad thing to do right? He asked and I smiled.
“Dont judge me plea-se, I only want to better my life and I don’t plan to run forever, I replied.

“Even so you are to tell them and go with their blessings. Okay imagine if you didn’t escape from the kidnapper den what would have happened to them? They are absolutely clueless of what is going on with you and you’ll make them worried, he said and I cleaned my tears.
“You think am not worried to? But I have to do this, you won’t un-derstand and I can’t go back now when I’ve gone this far, I said and he nodded.

“You’re right I may not un-derstand or know the reason you choose to leave but I really hope you know what you’re doing. What is it you wanted doing first any way? He asked and I looked at him wondering if I should tell him I dumped my daughter in the church and I have to go back there. How will he see me if I tell him that? I decided not to tell him but told him the environment I was and asked if he knows the area.
“That’s far, very far, he replied.

“As in how many hours can I get there? Its very important, I said and he smiled.
“That’s in another city, he replied and my eyes bulged out.

“I don’t un-derstand plea-se, it was just yesterday I was kidnapped….. Okay it was in the night and I woke up yesterday morning na, I can remember I left home on a Tuesday and was kidnapped that same night so how can I be in another city that fast when they didn’t use a plane? I asked and he looked at me.
“You were kidnapped on a Tuesday night, and if yesterday you were at the kidnapper den today should be Thursday right? He asked.

“Exactly, I replied nodding.
“I’m sorry, today is Friday, he said and I just stared at him.

“Excuse me, I didn’t spend a night there, st©p ma-king me look stupid because I know what I am saying, I angrily said because Samuel was beginning to sound like a joker, but he called a small girl in the compound and she confirmed that its a Friday and I was so speechless.
“I can’t lie to you Sharon, its either you’re wrong about the day you left the house OR the kidnappers traveled with you all night because where you told me is very very far, Samuel said and my b©dy began to shake. So all this while I am very very Far away from my daughter? How am I going to get her and what will I do now? I asked myself with tears streaming down my face.

“I’m so sorry about that. Do you have any number I can call for you or do you know any relation here? He asked.
“No, no I lost everything in the bag I held, I replied and bur-st out crying.

“Ssshhhhh its okay, then don’t you think that you should go back to your family? He asked and I closed my eyes. Will I go back more frustrated without my daughter? Will my mother forgive me for such costly mistake? I asked myself and cleaned my eyes.
“I know am asking for too much, but plea-se can I get a job here? Help me plea-se, I said and he weakly looked at me.

“Sharon where will you stay? My aunty obviously doesn’t like you, he said.
“I know, I know but I have to do something so that I won’t be a burden to you plea-se I am begging you, I will swallow all your aunty will do to me, I pleaded and he breathed out scratching his head.

“Sharon I pray when I discuss this with my aunty she won’t b!ow out missile but I’ll try, and again you nee-d to know that I am only here for holidays. Once the school resumes I’ll leave and by then I pray you should be able to cope alone, he said and I nodded.
“I promise I will, thank you so much, I said and he nodded and left me outside. I still couldn’t believe I was blackout for so many hours while they transported me to such far distance for their evil purpose. They have just separated me from my daughter and I closed my eyes ti-ght as-suring myself that I will work ha-rd and go back to look for my daughter no matter what, because de-ep within me my daughter is still alive……………….

Tbc.