NOT OF GOD✋✋✋
Episode 1
©Miriam Edem
Agnes is seen arranging the fire wood for cooking when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She stood up using her left hand to to-uchher belly and felt the sharp pain again. She rushed in and drank a cu-p of water breathing heavily as she saw herself sweating profusely holding the wall feeling so dizzy.
There was no one at home nor in the compound she could cry out to for help, neither was there any mobile phone then she could call her husband who left the house for hunting.
Its her 5th pregnancy, but it always get terminated during the first trimester and she feared this will go also as the pains increa-sed. She screamed out crawling leaving the hut as she felt blood flowed throu-ghher legs,
“No! No! Not again! Please help! Somebo-dy please help me! She cried when she was able to crawl out side and just then her friend walked in and heard her cries. She ran to the backyard and met Agnes on the ground with her hand stained with blood,
“What! Again? Amara asked.
“Please call for help quickly i can’t lose this one I beg you, Agnes replied and Amara ran out to get help from the villagers.
Despite all they did, she lost the baby and her mother in-law didn’t find it funny anymore.
“What is this? Did my son marry you to be having miscarriages every year? What witch is eating the babies in your wo-mb tell me! She angrily asked shaking Agnes despite her weak condition.
“Mama please can’t you see she’s not strong? Her son asked.
“Shut up! Are you blind or stupid or is she tying you down with something? Its 5 years Chinedu 5 years! His mother shouted and Agnes sniffed where she la-id blinded with her own tears.
“But mama is it her fault? At least she’s not barren its just that the baby keeps going out, Amara said with a frown.
“See who is talking? When your mates are married you’re parading here putting your dirty mouth in what does not concern you, who invited you into this matter eh! She shouted on her.
“Eh Mama, mama I am respecting you o! Amara angrily said getting up and Agnes weakly held her hand with pleading eyes.
“Common get out and find your own house! She continued pushing her out despite her son tried stopping her and Agnes painfully covered her face crying.
“What’s all this mama? Don’t forget she was the one who helped my wife out this is not fair! Her son shouted on her.
“Is it fair that this dry stick is not giving you children? You are getting married to another woman! She shouted back.
“And if I say no? He asked.
“We shall see, She replied and stormed out of the compound and Agnes broke down crying.
“Its okay, its alright don’t bother yourself everything will be fine, her husband said comforting her.
“Maybe mama is right, you should get married again, you’re not getting any younger and my babies keep dying, Agnes said.
“What are you saying? We can try again right? He asked.
“And then what? They keep dying? I can’t bear this pains again please get married you’re approaching 50, she replied and he placed his jaw on her head as he held her.
“Let’s try again okay stop saying this, let’s try again this time will work out I promise you, he whispered closing his eyes as she cried on him……………..
2 weeks later, Agnes didn’t see her friend around and she knew Amara must be very angry with what her mother in-law did. She decided to visit and met Amara breaking kernels at the back. Amara seeing her only heaved as Agnes slowly sat down beside her,
“So finally you came to see me ba? Amara asked.
“Its not like that, I haven’t left the house after what happened, sorry about the other day, Agnes replied.
“Your mother in-law only told me the bitter truth, I should be used to it, Amara said.
“Stop sounding that way na, she was only angry with what happened and transferred aggression I’m sorry, Agnes said and Amara dropped the stone she held facing her.
“What about you? What will you do about this your condition? Will you continue trying? Amara asked.
“My husband said we are going to try again, Agnes replied.
“Beautiful, and you will keep having miscarriages? Amara asked.
“Please just stop, you think I am enjoying it? Agnes asked that.
“That is the point, then do something, Amara replied.
“Like what? Agnes asked.
“Are you asking me? Do something about your condition for its your cross what do I know anyway? Amara asked back and picked back her stone and Agnes heaved.
“Anyway forget about me, I came to see you, how are you? Agnes asked.
“As you can see I am fine, after all am not the one having miscarriages, Amara replied and Agnes eyes bulged out.
“Oh common I was just joking, Amara said smiling hitting her.
“Really? Agnes asked and slowly stood up to leave.
“Ahhhh Agnes its not like that na, I was only joking trust me, Amara said also getting up to hold her.
“Oh please just stop it, you’re joking with My condition how is that funny? Does it look pleasant to you! Agnes shouted on her.
“Hiannnn its not what you’re thinking o keep your voice low, it was only a harmless joke, Amara replied.
‘Oh tell me about the harmless joke for a woman who just lost her 5th baby, is that necessary? Agnes asked and Amara scoffed.
“Oh now its paining you? She asked.
“Are you listening to yourself at all? Agnes asked surprised.
“No answer me did it pain you when its just us o and you’re shouting, now you un-derstand how I felt when I was insulted and pushed out from the compound, Amara replied and Agnes cleaned the tears that dropped nodding.
“Now I see, thank you and have a good day, Agnes said and hurried out of the compound.
Agnes got into the compound and met her mother in-law just waiting for her. Her countenance was not welcoming at all and Agnes heart skipped as she stammered greeting her.
“Where are you coming back from? She asked ignoring her greeting.
“I went to……… “Keep it to yourself, did you succeed in convincing your husband to take another wife? She cuts in.
“Your son does not want to and its not in my place to for-ce him, Agnes replied and Her mother in-law stood up laughing clapping her hands that Agnes began to wonder where she got her strength from despite her age.
“So now its not in your place to for-ce him but its in your place to eat your babies abi? She asked.
“Mama I think I have tolerated this enough! You’re a mother also abi? What happened to your children that died? Did you kill them? Agnes blurred out but heard a resounding slap on her face.
“What gave you that right to talk back at me! She shouted.
“Does it hurt? If I’m eating my babies then you equally ate yours, so allow me eat mine in peace! You ate your own and i am eating my own man no go vex! Agnes shouted and ran in locking the door behind and her mother in-law immediately let her wrapper loose.
“Agnes! Hey Agnes you said I killed my children, except your husband did not su-ck this my bre-ast s and came out from this leg, you shall never carry your own! You will never, try as you can you will never hold your own! She shouted throwing her hands in the air and Chinedu confusedly walked in to see his mother wailing.
“What is the matter? He asked holding her but she kept beating the wrapper whenever he tried tying her,
“Let me be like this so that everyone will see. Your wife said I killed your brothers, the barren witch you married accused me of killing my own children! Does she knows anything about pushing a child out? Yet she opened that barren and dry mouth of hers to say ru-bbish about me, ahhhhhh! She shouted.
“Mama please what’s all this na, I should not come back tired to hear this kind of nonse-nse, Chinedu said.
“Oh so I am saying nonse-nse now? Bia Chinedu so what am saying and crying is nonse-nse? She asked holding him on the shirt and Agnes slowly came out from the back and peeped at them.
“Mama please don’t start, I never said you were saying nonse-nse but this does not sound good to the ears na, and where is Agnes? He asked holding her and she quickly hid herself,
“I will go but I will come back, and you better get ready because you will marry another woman else she will leave this house and nothing will stop that. I will not live and see her remain in this house, just look at you, see how old age is dealing with you yet you are parading like a foolish teenage boy when your mates are already becoming grand fathers. I nee-d grandchildren Chinedu do something! Be a man and do something! his mother said hitting his che-st and grabbe-d her wrapper from him to tie back..
“Mama haba you’re going too far na and your words are too harsh, take things easy and at least tell me what happened that led to that outburst, Chinedu said.
“Get another woman or you and that witch will see me, she sternly said.
“Is that a threat? Mama! Chinedu shouted but she hissed and left the compound and Agnes slowly came out from where she hid.
“What’s the meaning of all this? Why did you say such a statement to her? He angrily asked.
“I’m sorry, she said I was eating my children, Agnes slowly replied.
“And so? Will you say she killed her children? What do you know about the death of my siblings? He asked.
“So you see nothing wrong in what she said? What does she know about my miscarriages also? Agnes asked bask.
“I see everything wrong in you insulting my mother and I am sick and tired of all this. Can’t I come back home and find peace! Is it not enough I don’t have a child and I am fighting to put that behind me, won’t I be in peace also! He shouted.
“I can’t believe you’re saying this, You know very well that I have been tolerating your mother and I have always been quiet to all her insults. Do you think I am not sick and tired of her constant abuses and will you blame me for voicing out today? She has to feel my pains also, Agnes said and Chinedu went near to her.
“You want to voice out and stop this insult huh? Then give birth and take my mother far from your insults! She is only a mother concerned for her son and she’s very aged and over ripped to carry her grandchildren you can’t give to her, if you can’t un-derstand that then leave! Her husband dropped and went in leaving Agnes with her mouth opened standing like a statue…..
Tbc