MY ORDEAL✊✊
Episode 89.
We arrived at the village square and I noticed the crowd doubled, the youth began looking for us because we were the important people for the day.
We manage to get into the people to the front where my enemies were thrown on the ground while we surrounded them.
They were scared and it was written all over them, then the guys looked at me to say something and I cleared my throat while the villagers tried to be quiet to hear me.
“Good evening everyone and it’s a plea-sure to be in your midst again. I’m a daughter of the soil, born and raised here. My parents were well known isn’t it? I asked them and they responded while I heard few saying “may their soul rest in peace” and I nodded to continue.
“But then you noticed I disappeared right? I asked again and they replied I ran away with a man which I smiled to continue.
“Okay, that was the lie told about me same way Manfred spre-ad a lie that I killed Benson which I didn’t.
I remember that fateful day this woman here stormed into my late mom shop and scattered every Product there, i mean every products I bought with my very last kobo after my mom was buried so I can take Care of my junior ones and have a little saving for my brothers fees. But she pieced everything in the shop with no conscience or pity, and that was not enough, she beat me to plum which most of you saw! I was in pain when she still stormed into the house the next day and took me away as her slave, I was sold to her by my uncle where I was treated as an animal until my angel c@m£ and saved me from that hell, I said pointing at Uche and there was a great noise heard.
“Its okay, but that’s not what I want you all to hear.
My mom died cursed said rumors, but its not true. She was killed by Manfred and his accomplices right here! I shouted pointing at the idiots on the ground and the youth went wild which the guys tried to hold them back.
“Make Una calm down time never reach, let’s hear what they will say first if not e no sweet, Linda crush said and the youth got calm a bit and I stood facing the so called chief priest.
“So are you re-ady to tell the people your shameless act? I asked him in Igbo.
“I didn’t do anything! He replied back and Linda Crush violently held me up with his Sk-irt.
“No make me vex o, you better start to talk now before I go comot your teeth, he said and threw him down back threatening him with his hands up and he fearfully looked at my slave master.
“Speak! Uche shouted on him ant he shook.
“Yes yes it is true we killed your mother to make Manfred powerful. He has always been aspiring to get a position to the federal level, but in order to get there he began from here which I was the one cleansing him and giving him the right sacrifices to get there. With it he was able to get a big position here in the land which he kept upgrading from one stage to the other, but I st©pped working for him because he found someone else who was cleansing and giving him power, he said and everyone shouted.
“So in summary, my parents both died to give Manfred power huh? I asked and he nodded.
“Chai ewo!!! The villagers shouted.
“Why was aunty Magdalene killed? I asked.
“Yes why! The villagers asked.
“Manfred told me that she sneaked into his room, she has always been asking why she can’t enter his room even when they were in a relationsh!pbut Manfred didn’t give her a good answer but a warning that she shouldn’t dare enter his room. But she was too stubborn, she got in and was unfortunate because Manfred got home that time, she wanted escaping from the house and that was how he stabbe-d her to keep the secret, he replied and people shouted.
“Hey but we c@m£ to you to tell us where she is when her family bec@m£ worried but you said she probably ran away to the city and doesn’t want to be seen! A woman shouted but the native doctor was quiet.
“I have one more job for you, you are going to free my parents spirit from your hold, I said and he looked at me.
“They are freed alre-ady, they got freed when Manfred died, he foolishly replied and i smiled and squ-atted before him,
“Thank you being so sincere, I said and got up and he began to plead which I ignored and looked at my slave master.
“So madam, I’m sure you have a lot to say like the killing of Chinwe mother huh? I asked and she was quiet.
“Don’t let me ask you again because I won’t be friendly, I said and she shook her head.
“You think I’m going to plead or say anything like this foolish man here? She said referring to the chief priest.
“I will say nothing and you all can’t do anything, besides this is unlawful and you all will pay! She shouted and I looked at the guys.
“It wasn’t unlawful when you killed Chinwe mother and your husband right? Uche asked.
“Or when you suggested her b©dy should be dumped in your second shrine where you enchanted things on her, i saw you and them! Mabel c@m£ in.
“leave am, she think say na police case be this because you be big woman? E never clear you, because you see as you dey so eh, we go do whatever thing we wan do with Una and if any ekelebe show for here, na cash go settle the matter e no go ha-rd , na we dey run the things na, Linda crush said.
“You all will not go away with this! She shouted.
‘Abegi same with you jare, skip am enter the next person, the funniest said and i stood in front one of the chief and He didn’t waste time to pour out his own mess and that was how every name that fell victim like my parents were called, but the name that broke the c@m£l back was a young lady name who studied abroad out was scholarsh!p.
She returned to the village to see her parents during the holiday, that was how she couldn’t return back because of a brief sickness that took her life.
The chief who was responsible for her death confessed that the late lady mother c@m£ br@gging of how she will soon leave the village for the city, and he got upset because his children were not opportune like hers.
The lady mother screamed out in the crowd,
“Oh Chinyere! And fainted.
We were not able to hold back the youth anger, in fact their ears were blocked to hear our suggestions on what should be done to them, they descended on them like a violent beast as we honorable and respectfully gave way for them.
“My hands no dey there o, abi i been dey there? The funniest asked showing us his hands.
“They are going to be killed, but no na its annoying, Mabel said while i stood imagining how much pain is inflicted to them right now, but then it wasn’t compared to what my parents felt before they pas-sed away.
“They deserve it and more, I said and cleaned the tears that fell from my eyes and Mabel t©uçhed me.
“Its late and we can’t continue to Stand here, let’s go home but its far from here, she said.
“I don’t know and i haven’t reached my fathers house yet, what do you think guys? I asked my friends.
“Abeg as you see me like this i no wan stay here o with all this wahala, I been see h0tel along the road we go sleep there, the funniest replied.
“Na who been wen stay here before, i dey craze? Abeg where Una pack the car when I start to hit road? Linda crush asked and i turned to Mabel.
“Thanks for your help but you see my friends……. “Its okay i un-derstand, but I’ll see you tomorrow right? I asked.
“Yes but e go be for afternoon, the funniest replied.
“No mind am, anytime the spirit knack us for head, Linda crush replied and she smiled giving me a hvg.
“Thank you Dora, you made my wish come true, she said.
“I did nothing plea-se, good night, I said and she waved at the guys and left while we began to look for where the car was parked……..
Minutes later we were out of the scene as we got a place to rest our head for the night. We had something to eat before retiring to our rooms, there we got to talk of what was seen in Manfred house.
Skeletons, calabash of human blood and skulls to mention but a few,
“So was Aunty Magdalene found fixed on the wall like what Benson told us? I asked.
“I no see o, maybe she don fall from the wall when we been break door enter, the funniest said and the guys bur-st out laughing but i did not. My mind was somewhere, Benson told me she was aware of what happened to my mom, but what secret was Manfred trying to keep when he killed her was what i couldn’t explain.
It was a long day alre-ady and I checked the time to see its past 10pm,
“Okay o we have to sleep now abeg, good night, i said to the guys and the one who saved us was alre-ady Yawning.
“Good night jare, the guys said and left to the other room leaving I and Uche together.
“So you’ll have the be-d and I’ll take the floor, Uche said.
“Are you serious? But you don’t have to do that we can…….. He k!$$£d me and bid me good night before i could complete my statement.
I saw him took a pillow and blanket and sle-pt on the floor and i heaved,
“Good night angel, I slowly said.
“Good night love, he replied and the phone began to ring.
“Its Chinwe, he said and i jumped up to take the call immediately…………
The next morning i was hearing the guys noise in the room but i refused to wake up.
I and Chinwe spoke a lot on phone that Linda joined in the discussion, when we discovered ourselves it was 12 midnight alre-ady.
With the tiredness and stress of yesterday, i wanted to sleep more but the funniest took a pillow and pressed me on be-d and i screamed getting up.
“na who give you this kind wicked witch na? I shouted.
“Na your uncle, I be his as-sistant now, he replied laughing.
“I rebuke you, i said cleaning my face.
“Talking about your uncle, his b©dy dey land today o, village go come h0t again pas-s the one of yesterday, Uche said.
“And wait o, his b©dy won’t arrive like that, big men will come how e go be? I asked.
“Wahala go bur-st oo if the youths don kill those people, thank God i been no dey o, the funniest said.
“We nee-d to go back to the village, the guy who helped us said.
“Eh spider man to go do we-tin? Start to go na we go follow you for back, the funniest said.
“But something no clear for this his b©dy arrival something, they no go bury am like big man wey him be? Linda crush asked.
“I think i un-derstand what they want to do because I saw the grave dug and cemented alre-ady, e be like say they wan bury am first with no ceremony then later come do burial proper wey everyone go chop. Check out his b©dy na, if they keep am na maggots dey go carry bury o forget say na expensive mortuary they put am. Linda husband sha wicked, the funniest replied laughing.
“Yea that’s right, Uche concurred.
“As e be so our stay go extend for here o, i been wan move today, Linda crush said.
“How e wan take extend? we-tin we owe them again? The funniest asked and i heaved.
“I nee-d to see Benson buried, i don’t know if my mind will be settled if i leave without seeing his face covered. Remember he died in my arms begging for my forgiveness, i think this is just my own way of telling him that he’s forgiven, and another thing i nee-d to see my mother grave. She was separated far from the people she loved and left in the bush, if I have my way i wanted building a structure to cover her grave, I said and the room was quiet.
“Na 1 week be that o, the funniest finally broke the silence.
“Uhmmm dear i will suggest we wait and bury Benson, then go home and come back to Build a structure for your parents. trust me i get what you’re saying, but i think if you should do something like that your brothers nee-d to be there, what do you think? Uche asked and i nodded.
“Agreed, i replied and he held me close and pe-cked me.
“Una Dey craze, na who una dey do longer throat for? The funniest said and hissed and we laughed at him.
“Jealousy kill you there! Uche shouted.
“Dorathy uncle! He replied………..
Tbc