MY ORDEAL✊✊
Episode 11.
I knew Mabel throu-gh my late father, he was once a teacher before he left when he got a Job in the company he died.
My dad noticed her when she was unable to do some certain things in school because of her poor background, he decided to pick her up and helped in the little he could come in before he finally left the school.
Shortly after my dad died, I and my late mom got to hear they got banished in a crime we didn’t care to know considering we were still mourning our loss, and it would have been a waste of time to find out what exactly happened because we would have got different stories from the villagers.
“What exactly happened to you? Why staying here when you can just go out and beg the elders to forgive you and take you back, I said to her.
“Take me back? I wish it was that easy to do the way you’re saying it, If there’s anyone they can take back, it would have been my late grandma not me. Because I don’t know where I come from, I don’t even know my father, she replied.
“Still, your grandma is from here and you were born here, you are p@rt of this land by birth. Just look at you, why are they punishing you this way? I asked.
“Its a long story plea-se Dorothy and I don’t want to go into it. What happened to your mom? She asked me.
“Hmm its a long story too, but you’ve seen her aren’t you? I asked back and she nodded.
“Its sad you’re just like me now, though my case is more pathetic, Mabel said.
“What if you come stay with me instead of staying here? I asked and she smiled.
“I’ll be fine here, and soon I’ll leave to another place before someone finds out I sneaked in here, that will be a great problem, Mabel said and I looked at her more confused of what exactly is going on.
“Why are you hiding things from me and rejecting my help also? What exactly are you not telling me? Just st©p this, I said and she smiled.
“You know what Dorothy, all I can say is don’t trust anyb©dy, I was here when your mom was brou-ght in and dumped in here. No one likes her and don’t trust anyb©dy I repeat, Mabel said and my throat went dry.
Once again someone is telling me not to trust anyb©dy without pointing out to me who not to trust knowing it will be difficult to keep to that.
I just nodded and got up from where I sat while she kept looking at me quietly as I opened up the fallen door to see my mom.
“Thanks for looking after her, I have to go now, I said to Mabel.
“Probably I’ll stay till she gets buried, you don’t have to worry about her, Mabel said and I f0rç£d a smile and nodded.
“Thanks, and ermmm… I can get you food tomorrow when I’m coming if you want, I said to her.
“Thanks but don’t bother yourself, I’ll make use of the leaves in the bush there are good edible leaves out there you know, she replied me and I shook my head and slowly left wondering how a human being has turned to goats to start eating leaves……
That night my head was just hovering with different kind of thoughts especially what Mabel said even though she was speaking in parable.
I stood up from my be-d and left to my room, drew the cu-pboard and brou-ght out the ph0to albu-m there going throu-gh it.
Why should anyone be so wicked to cut my parent off despite their calm and simple nature? I ha-rd ly see my parents involved in trouble, but why all this crises and hatred towards them was what I couldn’t explain as I went throu-gh the pictures and memories of my family when we were complete flashed by……
The next morning my brothers were the one to wake me up in my mom room.
“Ohhhhhh is it morning alre-ady? I asked stretching myself.
“Sister wake up nau its time for school, I heard Samuel said.
“Go and disturb mommy plea-se leave me alone, I said still not opening my eyes.
“Sister! We will be late for school and mommy is not here, stand up! Edward shouted opening my eyes and i got up immediately when i remembered it was just us now.
I hurried up with what I was to do with them and soon we hit the road for school after locking the house up.
Just close to my brothers school I met with Aunty Magdalene on the way and I rolled my eyes knowing i haven’t seen her ever since the night she was p@n-t down with my uncle.
I just greeted her and pas-sed my way with my brothers, but when I c@m£ out from their school I saw she was waiting for me outside.
“Dorothy how are you? She asked.
‘I’m fine, I replied and wanted to walk away but she st©pped me.
“Dorothy are we fighting? She asked and I shook my head.
“No it’s just that I’m late for school alre-ady, I replied her.
“Sorry about that, I know the burden on your weak shoulders, but if you want you can be keeping your brothers in my shop so that I’ll look after them, she said.
“Thanks aunty, but my brothers are not kids, they can take good care of themselves, I said to them and she heaved.
“Your mother was a good woman indeed,just look at the way she died such……. ‘Aunty plea-se not now, I’m alre-ady late for school plea-se, I said and ran away from her to meet up with school………..
Before I could go pick my brothers from school, Chinwe told me Benson offered to do that,
“But I have the house keys, he should have told me that earlier, I said.
“He’s taking them home, don’t worry just concentrate here in school then go home and rest before going to the market. Didn’t I tell you we are we here to help you? Chinwe asked and I breathed in.
I left the school the time I should and prepared something for my brothers in case Benson bring them back home.
But as I settled down to eat I noticed someone got into the compound and I quic-kly stood up to see who was that because I know that won’t be my brothers.
“Dorathy! I heard before I could reach the door and I saw it was my uncle.
I just greeted him and he st©pped looking at me which I immediately looked at my b©dy to see if the sleeveless I wore was showing my bo-ob s but I was covered.
“Uncle what? I asked confused with the look on his face
“Where is this flavor coming out from? He asked and I rolled my eyes wondering if that’s a big deal.
“From here, I replied.
“From here? So you have the money to cook such a meal then you’ll say you don’t have money. Dorathy you are a very foolish child! My uncle dropped and I folded my hand looking at him.
“Thank you uncle, so because we don’t have money i should not prepare ordinary jollof rice again ba? I asked him and he gave a Loud hiss.
“I went to where your mother was buried and I saw the place kind of different, is someone staying there now or is it just your mother dead wood? He asked and I swallowed what I wanted to say as I heard him call my mother a dead wood.
“Are you worried because I tidied up that pig house you dumped my mother? Shouldn’t you be happy I was s-en-sible enough to do that huh? I asked back and he drew close to me and held my hand violently.
“I will soon pu-ll your ears out of your head if you insult me again, your mother and a full b!own pig which is better? You should be grateful we kept her to give her a burial, a cursed being like that should be buried with mat like a Fulani. Its a good thing you cleared that up, probably that will be where you’ll park your useless self to very soon, ru-bbish! My uncle poured out and left while I looked at him wishing I can pick a heavy stone and hit him ha-rd on the head.
I didn’t know when I began to cry and how long I stood at that same sp©t he left me until I saw Benson carrying my brothers on his shoulder.
I quic-kly cleaned my tears, but it was too late as he saw it and I couldn’t hide it either.
My brothers hvgged me when Benson dropped them down and ran in while Benson looked at me carefully.
“Thank you, Chinwe told me today you offered to help, I said to him and he nodded.
“If you are done, can you now tell me why you are crying? He asked and I sniffed.
“Nothing, just that my uncle just Left and said some words that’s so annoying, i replied him and he looked down shaking his head.
“I un-derstand, but its okay. Have you eaten? Because its time for you to go to work, he said and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Work kwa, the work you gave me ba? I asked.
“Yes na, just forget about your uncle joor and prepare for work, he said taking me in and I got in to take the shop money before I’ll forget………..
TBC