MY ORDEAL✊✊
Episode 63.
“Dorothy where are you going to! Chinwe shouted at me behind when I wanted opening the door to go out and I st©pped.
“To have a stroll, I replied not looking at her.
“And you won’t do that, Chinwe said locking the door and held the key.
“What’s wrong with you? Do you think if you react this way you will win your uncle? Chinwe asked.
“Excuse me how do you want me to react? My mom death is still fishy, he took my father house and sold me to slavery, now this? You tell me how to react to this situation! I shouted on her.
“I un-derstand okay but we nee-d to sit down and plan this out, we can’t storm in like that you know, Chinwe said and a beep c@m£ on my phone, I checked it out and saw it was an address from Uche which they saw it.
“So when are you leaving? Treasure asked.
“Next tomorrow, I replied.
“Okay but promise me you will listen to Uche, don’t forget he knows them better than you do, so plea-se listen to him, she said and I nodded.
“Thank you, Chinwe slowly said and I heaved and left for the room to rest……
The next day Chinwe woke up meeting me arranging my bag,
“Awake alre-ady? Chinwe asked and I greeted her.
“Morning, okay is there anything I can help you with? Chinwe asked.
“No I don’t think so, just help me look after everything here when I’m gone and Treasure should plea-se take over the restaurant, I replied and she nodded.
“Everything will be fine alright, she said holding My hand and I heaved.
“I want it over alre-ady, I can’t wait to see my brothers and I’ll do anything to make sure I have them with me, I said.
“I know that, just be careful over there. I’ll go help Treasure with breakfast, Chinwe said and left me alone to continue with my work.
I left to the restaurant later in the day after getting my flight ticket for the next day.
I noticed I was to pay them in the next three days, but since i have no idea when I may return, I had to pay them for the month.
My flight was scheduled in the afternoon, and it was like afternoon didn’t want to come the next day as I anxiously waited for it.
Finally I was in Lagos and Uche picked me up in the airport.
“So you didn’t want to use the road? Uche asked.
“Nah I couldn’t waste any more time to be here, finally I’m in the almighty Lagos, though its not for fun, I said.
“For business? He asked.
“Neither, so where will I stay? I asked.
“Is that a problem? You’ll be staying with me but if you don’t want that no problem, he replied and I swallowed.
We got into a compound occu-pied by flats, and I met some guys there, about 4 of them when we got into one of the flat.
I greeted them and was surprised Uche didn’t told me we won’t be alone.
“Sorry Dora I should have told you, but this are my friends and they will be helping us, Uche said and I was just quiet looking at them.
“Come sit down, don’t be scared of us we are cool, one of them said and I sat down with Uche.
“So why do you want to help us? I asked them.
“Because we feel you will nee-d help, Manfred is not an easy man, One of them replied Me and I sat up.
“You even know his name? I asked because he changed his name to an Igbo name, and anyone who knows him by Manfred must really know him well, and they smiled at that question.
“Dora we are all from the same state, though they are from the village of your slave master which is the next village to ours, and they know a lot about them, Uche replied.
‘Really? I asked.
‘Though we don’t steady in the village, man must to hustle you know and Lagos gat that for us, though Uche refused joining us and decided to go to school, another said and I nodded and wanted asking another question.
“Have your rest you just arrived, another said cutting in.
“No, I’m not tired and I’ve rested enough. Can I plea-se see my brothers? I asked them.
“You mean to say we should drive you down there so you’ll knock on the gate and request to see your brothers? One of them asked.
“If its possible why not? After all I’m not a stranger to him and he will be so shocked to see me, I said.
“And he will shakily surrender them to you right? Another asked with a tone i know must be a mockery one and Uche looked at me and smiled.
“Dora there’s something I didn’t tell you, when you escaped from the village with Chinwe, your uncle was more mad with rage. He wanted you there for the rest of your life, probably see you dead any time soon. His investigations and inquisitiveness of who should make you escape made me to flee, not because of your master but your uncle would have fished me out as the culprit. Alre-ady he was terribly suspecting me and I knew I will not last soon, I had to go away to confirm his suspicions and to safe myself.
You want to tell me if your uncle sets his eyes on you he will spare you? Uche asked and I was blank of what to answer.
“I know he hates me but will he just kill me like that with just a glance? I asked.
“That’s because you’re a threat to him, one of them said.
“Threat? In what way? I asked.
“Think about it, the guys said and left one after the other leaving I and Uche alone.
“What are they talking about? Why are they hiding things from me? I asked Uche.
“Calm down okay, first tomorrow morning I’ll take you to have a glance of them, but plea-se don’t make a move, Uche said and stood up giving me his hand which i slowly took it and got up.
“I’ll show you to your room, once again you’re welcome, he said carrying my bag and we left the sitting room……….
Minutes later Uche gave a knock and walked in with a plate of fried rice but i shook my head,
“What? You don’t want to eat? He asked.
“I nee-d something light, I replied.
“Like? He asked.
“Cornflakes will do, I replied and he smiled shaking his head.
“Wahala,but i ordered this for you nah, he said.
“I can eat that as my dinner, thank you, I said.
“Alright I’ll get it for you, he said and left the room and I stood up looking throu-gh the window for a while and sat back again.
“I am a threat to my uncle? Something must be wrong, I kept thinking about what those guys said and reflected back to my past life in the village to see if i can get any clue.
I remembered the death of my father, my uncle didn’t show any negative reaction even though my mom despised him which she didn’t tell me why before she died. Then I recalled my mom sickness, he helped her in his own little way, then showed me the other side of him when my mom illness grew worst. After she died, his wickedness was clear, but in all of those things, what threat was i to him? Was what I couldn’t figure it out.
Uche returned with the packet of cornflakes, and a tin milk.
“Thank you, I said to him.
“Were you thinking? He asked looking closely at me and i heaved.
“Do i have a choice when you all are speaking in parables, I have to stress my br@in to crack it, I replied.
“Dorothy take it slow, he said.
“Do you realize I’ve taken it too slow and its enough, I nee-d my brothers back don’t you un-derstand? I asked and he took my hands.
“And I want that for you, but things won’t go the way you think it will, he said.
“And why? What are you hiding from me? I asked and my phone began to ring. It was Chinwe calling and i remembered I haven’t called her to inform her of my arrival, big offense and Uche smiled knowing I just committed a big crime.
“Pick the call while i go get you water, plate and spoon right? Uche asked and i nodded and picked the call.
“Hey I’m so sorry okay i knew I would have called but I was planning to do that anyway, I immediately said.
“Really? She asked and i knew she was angry no doubt with her voice.
“I’m sorry okay, I arrived 30minutes ago or even more than that, I’m sorry, I said.
“I only called to remember you of what you should have done, take Care, Chinwe said and dropped the call and I smiled shaking my head.
I went out of the room and met with one of the guys coming out from another room,
“Hey, hope you’re comfortable? He asked.
“Yes thank you, I replied and Uche met with us.
“You want to sit outside to eat? He asked.
“No i only wanted to come out, but I’m going back, i said getting the things from him and went back to my room.
I placed my ears on the door eavesdropping on them,
“Is she okay here? The guy asked Uche.
“Yes I think, she’s just worried we are keeping things away from her, Uche replied.
“But its for her good, explain that to her, the guy replied and they walked away from there.
“For my good? What the hell is this guys hiding from me? I asked myself and sat down with a frown………
After eating I didn’t know when i sle-pt off, but a knock on the door woke me up and Uche walked in.
That was when i saw i didn’t clear the tray i ate and i was so angry with myself for such carelessness.
“I’m so sorry i should have cleared this, I said doing that and raised my head to see Uche leaning on the door looking at me.
“Are you angry with me? I didn’t mean to leave the plate here I just sle-pt off without knowing, I said and he left the door and sat down on the be-d.
“That’s because you kill yourself slowly with thinking and worrying, he said.
“I’m sorry, i slowly said.
“Its okay, let me have it, he said stretching his hand to the tray but i took it from him.
“I’ll do that myself, where’s the kitchen plea-se? I asked.
“Okay it’s outside, And ermmm i c@m£ to tell you to prepare because we are eating out for dinner, he said.
“Dinner? I’ll eat the rice don’t bother, I said and he scratched his head.
“Actually one of the guys emptied the plate without knowing, that’s why we will be eating out so you will also take a little look around the city, he said and i smiled.
“No problem, Okay let me go settle this first, I said referring to the tray on my hand.
“Sure, he said and followed me out……..
Tbc