MY ORDEAL✊✊
Episode 9.
When I got to know where my mom b©dy was kept, fresh tears flowed freely as I saw the fallen dirty abandoned mud house surrounded with bushes where she was dumped like she didn’t have anyb©dy nor a decent place to stay.
There was a short old wooden table which she was placed on and a old mat was used in covering her clad b©dy.
What ever they used on her b©dy choked me and I coughed out with the tears that was alre-ady pouring out.
“Why is mom kept this way? Is this the only place left in the whole village for you to keep my mom? I asked my uncle who just folded his hand looking at me.
“Are you stupid? Don’t you know how your mother died? He asked me.
‘Will that make you desert her b©dy this way? My mom had a room, she will never have accepted such a place if she was alive! I shouted.
“Good that is if she was alive, right now she’s a dead wood, were you expecting me to keep her in white house or Aso rock? If you like don’t take care of the environment and make sure the place is neat before animals start eating her b©dy before Saturday, he said and turned his back to leave while I watched him with myl-ips shivering.
I looked around and saw I was alone with a dead b©dy as great fear engulfed me with the thought of that.
“Mommy why are you here all alone? I cried looking at her afraid to t©uçh her as my hand was so heavy.
I ran out and took some palm leaves to push away the dirt’s from the room and see how the room was tidied up.
Then I began clearing the environment as I was scared of snakes knowing the table she was placed on wasn’t that high enough.
I can’t explain the strength and boldness that c@m£ upon me to do the work I did that way, and when I realized myself it was alre-ady evening.
I g@sped when I saw that and I went to the room my mom was looking at her for a while,
“Mom I have to go back home to look after your sons, plea-se don’t feel too lonely, I hope you’ll feel comfortable now with the fresh breeze tou-ching you. Continue to rest in peace, I said and slowly closed the half fallen door that was there and turned to leave.
But then I heard a crack Inside the bush and i st©pped to listen well, I looked around wondering if someone was with me there and the crack c@m£ again with birds flying around this time.
I wanted shouting but i swallowed and took a big stick by my side holding it firm,
‘Who’s there! I shouted looking at the direction it c@m£ out from.
The place was quiet and i threw the stick in my hand and took to my heels without looking back.
I arrived home and saw my brothers sitting outside waiting for me with their faces so soured which I know they must be hungry.
“Sister, they said and ran to me hvgging me.
“Sorry I stayed too long, I quic-kly said knowing they will surely throw me questions.
“Why are you this dirty? Edward asked.
“And smelly, Samuel added and I rolled my eyes.
“Let’s go in plea-se, I was weeding a place that’s why, I replied them.
“Did they pay you? Edward asked and I smiled.
“Let me take my bath first okay and get you something to eat, I said and they nodded.
I went to my room and stretched myself tiredly, took off my clothes to take my bath outside.
I c@m£ back with a towel on my b©dy and noticed the house was kind of scattered,
“Edward, Samuel! I called them out when I noticed the sitting room was not how I left it and they c@m£ out.
“Did you two pl@yaround to scatter the house this way? I asked them.
“No, uncle c@m£ and he was looking for something, they replied.
“What! Which uncle? And what was he looking for? I asked with a tone re-ady to tear anyone that instant.
“Uncle, they replied and I knew it must be Manfred.
I kept quiet and stormed into my room immediately,
“So he took me out of the house to the bush so he can come ransack the house for what exactly? I asked and I suddenly remembered something.
I ran out of my room n-ked to my mom room but saw it was scattered as well,
“Jesus! I exclaimed and quic-kly checked where I kept the money before Benson c@m£ and I saw it.
I just hvgged the money ti-ght knowing God just blinded his eyes not to see it,
“But why is he doing this? I asked myself and left the room with the money to dress up……
I got something quic-kly prepared for my brothers, sneaked out locking the door behind as they were eating and left to confront my uncle to know why he c@m£ to the house in my abs£nt looking for what he only knows.
I met him sitting un-der his moringa tree and he acted like he didn’t see me,
“Did you leave any gold in my house or something I don’t know about? I asked him and he finally looked at me.
“Should I remind you that house belongs to my father and I can come there any day and any how I want, he said and I smiled ignoring the ru-bbish he just said.
“What right do you have to come into my house scattering it the way you want after leaving me alone in the bush, I said and this time he was so angry.
“Are you deaf! That is my house okay you slut! He shouted.
“That house belongs to my father you thief! I shouted back on him and I got an unexpected sl@p from him.
“How dare you call me a thief in my property! My father built that house for I and my brother before he died, but your father took it as his own when I travelled to the city to hustle. When i returned I couldn’t even find a room to rest my head, he took your mother in and had the whole house for himself. I had to go squat with a friend like I don’t have a house, then he c@m£ to me saying he wants to sell the only land my father left us with.
I told him to sell the land for me since he has taken over the house our father kept for us so i can build my own house there and he did.
That house is mine, your father is dead and i can kick you out whenever I like, your father died leaving nothing behind same way your mother died! He shouted and I stood looking at him shocked with my mouth opened.
“That’s not true, I managed to say.
“Get out of my house now! You’re just like your parents! He shouted and pushed me and I found my legs slowly carrying Me back home.
I felt like crying to make me feel better but tears rejected me that instant as I strolled back home abs£nt minded, I couldn’t still believe my parents can behave the way Manfred talked of. My dad was one kind and quiet person I’ve ever known before he died, he loved Manfred more than anything in the world and the words he spilled out doesn’t look like my dad at all though i can’t remember how that house c@m£ to be, but I can remember hearing my dad always say it belongs to him.
“Sister you went out again? My brothers asked with a frown when i entered but I ignored them going straight to my room after locking the door behind.
“What exactly is going on? When I’m thinking everything is okay another one comes up. What is Manfred having in mind now about this house? Will he just wake up one day to kick us out? God plea-se help us out of this, I prayed silently lying down on my be-d with no appetite to eat and i sle-pt off……….
The next morning i hurried up in getting myself and my brothers prepared for school.
After dropping them off in theirs, I hurried Down to mine and got nervous as i approached the gate of my school.
“Dora! I heard and st©pped and turned to see who called me.
“Hey! What happened to you? Sorry about your loss, Chinwe said and i wondered how the news flew down to the school.
“How did you know? I asked as we strolled down to the clas-s.
“Is there any news we won’t know? But the way she died though was sad, too bad, Chinwe replied and i st©pped and looked at her.
“What did you hear? I asked.
“That she died cursed, probably she offended someone who la-id a curse on her, she replied me and i felt like strangling whoever spre-ad such a dirty news about my mother but still they go around giving me fake condolences.
“My mom didn’t die cursed! She stepped on a poison kept by Some jealous devilish people who hated her in such a way they didn’t think twice to cut her off. Why should anyone say that about my mother? Listen everyone, my mother didn’t die cursed, she is not cursed! I kept shouting in tears while Chinwe held me and hvgged me ti-ghtly while i cried on her.
“I’m sorry Dora, everything will be alright, Chinwe whispered……..
TBC
#milove