ONE WRONG TURN
EPISODE 5
I spent my Saturday in isolation, I ba-rely c@m£ out of my room or talked to anyb©dy. The only person who bordered to find out how I was doing was Daniel. My mum only c@m£ to remind me to eat. I never felt true love from people more closer to me. So I thought!
Sunday c@m£ along with a lot of promise for me. The thought of seeing Mathew again put a smile on my face. I felt that usual flutter inside me again. I kept wondering how I would see him without my parents finding out.
I got up slowly from my be-d, and walked lazily to the sitting room. My family had alre-ady started morning devotion. I found some space beside Daniel, and knelt down in front of the statue of v!rg!nMary.
All throu-gh the prayer, I merely mumbled some incoherent words. My mind and heart were far re-moved from the prayer. All I could think about was meeting Matthew again.
The devotion ended. I got up quic-kly, hoping to dash out of sight before anyone noticed my pres£nce.
“Ruth come back here, we are not finished with you” My father’s voice halted me in my strides.
I turned around with a frown on my face, and hands folded across my che-st. My parents had alre-ady taken up seats side by side.
“Sit down,” My mum ordered.
“I’m okay like this” I replied, looking upwards with disgust. I have never replied my parents like this before. I guess times have changed.
My father cleared his throat and continued.
“You have now decided to bring shame upon me. To the extent that you now sleep with small boys in the house of God…..”
“Daddy I did not…….”
“Shut up!” My dad shouted, getting up from his seat,
“If you interrupt me again I’ll break your head” He thun-dered.
As menacing as he sounded, I was largely unmoved. The anger that had built up in my heart far exceeded the fear I had for my father.
“Hence forth”, He continued, in a harsh and authoritative tone. ” You will not go to that practice again. Infact go and tell them you are no longer p@rt of them. Ap@rt from church and school, do not leave this house to any place. If I see you with that useless boy, or any boy for that matter, i’ll kill both of you with my ba-re hands………silly child”
“Okay, is that all?” I asked, in a mocking tone.
“My friend get out of here” my mum replied, obviously irritated by my attitude.
I turned around, and walked lazily towards my bathroom. I wasn’t re-ady to do any house chores. Whoever wanted me to work, will have to kill me first, I resolved in my heart. Thankfully, nob©dy disturbe-d me.
I returned from the bathroom, with a towel tied around my b©dy,
I stood in front of my mirror, admiring myself. For once I appreciated how pretty I was and I flashed back to Matthew’s compliment on my beauty.
I opened my drawer, and brou-ght out all my make up accessories, which in total included a comb, face powder and b©dy cream. My mum wouldn’t allow anything else. I applied everything meticulously, ma-king sure it was all perfect.
I looked throu-gh my wardrobe, searching for my favourite go-wn. It was a black dinner go-wn with t©uçh of gold, tailor-made to my b©dy. It brou-ght out my exact shape, and this made me love the go-wn more.
I stared at the mirror, turning from side to side, ma-king sure I looked perfect. I wanted Matthew to admire me today, if I get the chance to meet him.
It was all perfect, as I stepped outside to meet my parents in the car outside. My mum had her eyes fixed on me, as I took every step towards the car. I could guess exactly what was going on in her mind. We zoomed off. Today, i’ll find a way to out smart my parents.
We got to church quite early, as it is our usual tradition. The compound was alre-ady bubbling with life. Different br@nds of cars packed around, reflecting the social status of the parishioners.
The entire environment before entering the church compound was saturated with human activities, hawkers and petty traders displa-yed their wares anywhere it would be visible.
People walking to and fro the walk-ways, dressed in different attires. Some were simple and elegant like me, others were extravagant and flashy. Some modest and decent, others wild and provocative.
This was a typical Sunday service, the good, the bad and the ugly all meet here, some to worsh!pthe lord, some for entirely different reasons.
Which group do I belong to sef? I wasn’t so sure anymore. I used to be a good girl, but the thoughts that have preoccu-pied my mind for the past 48 Hours, makes me doubt my own self.
Normally, everyone will go his separate way as soon as we arrived in church. My mum and dad would find a seat, while I, David & Daniel will go our own separate ways.
As I alighted from the car, I made towards the entrance to the church hall.
“Did you not hear what I said this morning”? My dad said rather loudly.
“You are sitting next to me hence forth”
I did not want to cause a scene, so I st©pped and waited for them still with my decency.
My parents had a knack for picking seats at the front. This means I had to walk almost the entire length of the auditorium. The different eyes staring at me made me shy. I notice men, old and young staring at me from head to toe, only God knows what they were actually looking at.
I scanned throu-gh the audience hoping to catch sight of Matthew.
Mid way throu-gh the auditorium, I sp©tted Sarah among the congregation. I fixed my eyes firmly on her, hoping she would turn towards my direction.
She sighted me from her position. I’m very sure she would have come towards me, if my parents weren’t in front of me. My mum hated Sarah and Hannah. They weren’t the most decent of girls anyways.
She made a sign with her hand, to notify me that she will get in t©uçh.
I marched along with my parents, with my head up high, trying not to notice the eyes staring at me.
We got a seat at the front row and settled in, waiting for service to commence. Friends and well wishers st©pped by to greet my parents. I was really uncomfortable sitting beside them.
My eyes kept roving about the auditorium, hoping to see Matthew. He was nowhere to be found. I turned round, to look directly behind me, I scanned face after face discreetly.
A little tap on my shoulder brou-ght me back to my s-en-ses. I turned round to see who it was.
It was Junior, my little friend. Though just 10 years old, he was a little too smart for his age. His mother is a friend of our family.
He greeted my mum and dad, and sat quietly beside me. Junior has always been fond of me. We had developed quite a bond. His sitting close to me did not raise any suspicions.
I could feel him pushing me with his arm several times, my thought was that the space between us was too ti-ght for him. I tried to move away a little. Just then, I noticed his palm outstretched, between our ti-ghts. There was a neatly folded sheet of paper on it. This has to be a message, I was sure of it.
I looked side ways towards my parents, they were de-eply involved in a discussion with the catechist.
I snatched the note from Junior’s palm, and hurriedly tucked it inside my bible.
Junior got up, and hopped away. His mission had been completed.
I opened my bible slowly, looking for the page where I had hidden the note.
I sp©tted the white paper, and pretended to be re-ading my bible. The message was short, but It’s very content excited me.
Can you guess what the content of the message was?
.
.
Is this girl a bad girl or her parents make her to be one?
ONE WRONG TURN
EPISODE 6
“Lets meet at the back beside the children church, plea-se wait till service starts”
I bec@m£ impatient after re-ading those words. I couldn’t wait for the service to start. I kept adjusting myself on my seat.
Although there was no name on the note, it was Sarah’s handwriting. The “Children Church” refers to a small building at one corner of the church compound.
The sight of the reverend father walking up to the altar made my heart beat fas-ter. The time to leave is gradually coming.
The reverend welcomed everyone to the day’s service. People scrambled to find their seats around. The entire auditorium was rowdy for a while.
Slowly, normalcy was starting to return. Everyone sat down, and the day’s service was opened with a hymn.
My heart and soul were completely detached from the church. All I could focus on was how to leave the hall without arousing my parent’s suspicion.
I got up from my seat, and moved closer to my mum. I bent down and whispered into her ear.
“I want to buy sanitary pad, my period has suddenly started”
“Didn’t you know it would start today? Are you a small child, she answered in a rather irritated tone.
“It happens unexpectedly sometimes”, which was a lie.
My mum put her hands in her purse, and brou-ght out a #500naira note.
“Hurry before you stain yourself”
I get to accomplish my mission, and also get paid for it, I thought to myself as I made my way out of the hall.
A feeling of eagerness, and excitement coupled with a little guilt dominated my heart. I wondered if Matthew was waiting for me there.
The church compound was much quiet now. The walk way was nearly devoid of people, save for a few people who were probably on a mission too.
I headed straight to the description on the note. I could see a car parked almost behind the house, a black, Toyota corolla, it had tinted Windows ma-king it impossible to see who was inside.
Sarah was standing right next to the car as I approached. She opened the door to the back seat, and waved at me to go in.
My heartbeat raced as I saw Matthew inside the car. A smile enveloped my face. I could ba-rely hide my excitement. He smiled back at me, and hvgged me really ti-ght.
He held my chin, and drew me closer to himself for a k!ss. I closed my eyes, anticipating when a ha-rd knock on the car window sharply interrupted our k!ss. It was Sarah, she was trying to warn us of something.
I looked around, and saw my mother walking towards our location, with fury and haste, clutching on to my bible.
It suddenly hit me, I left the note in my bible. My mum must have found it. God, I’m in trouble again I said to myself.
Matthew saw the troubled look on my face. He smiled, and told me to calm down. Sarah will take care of this.
I doubted him, my mum was quite a detective.
How do I get outta this without lashes from my dad again?
My heart almost c@m£ to a st©p as my mum approached the car. I was quite uneasy. Matthew placed his hand across myl-ips, to ensure I stay calm and quiet.
My mum walked up to our location, and began to look around. She went inside the children church and c@m£ out. She c@m£ around the back, towards the car.
She headed straight for Sarah, who was leaning on the car. I bent down quic-kly, to avoid her eagle eyes. Matthew as-sured me again that my mum couldn’t see us from outside.
“Where is Ruth”, she asked, looking around suspiciously.
“I don’t know ma, I haven’t seen her today” Sarah replied.
“Young lady, don’t tell me lies, are you not the one she is planning to meet here?”
“Me? No ma , I don’t know where she is oh”
“Who wrote her this note?” My mum asked as she handed the note over to Sarah.
“Oh, ma its me, but I gave it to her last week. We were suppose to have a rehearsal here during service. You know she is one of us,”
“So what are you doing here now”? My mum probe-d further.
“We just finished another rehearsal here just now, i’m about to leave now.”
“So were are the others then?”
“They have all gone, I was just checking myself in the mirror, that’s why you met me ma” she said, pointing at the car’s side mirror.
My mum looked at Sarah, with an expression of disgust on her face. Frisking her from head to toe with her eyes.
Sarah was heavily made up, she owned every single make up accessory a woman can have, and she had no restraint about using them. My mum hated make up.
“Oya, get inside the church, mas-s has started” my mum ordered her.
My mum stood, as Sarah began to walk away slowly. Sarah was a talented liar. Weather her lies were premeditated, or spontaneous, it was ha-rd to tell the difference.
When Sarah was out of sight, my mum took a walk around the car, perhaps admiring It’s beauty. I could see her throu-gh the tinted windows. My heart sank when she bent down, and adjusted her head tie, using the side mirror. Perhaps she would have seen me if she turned.
As my mum walked towards the church hall, I knew it was time for me to leave. I have been gone for nearly . The longer I stay here, the closer I am to getting caught.
As soon as my mum was out of sight, I told Matthew I had to go.
“But common, she is gone now, we can spend a little time together, I really miss you Ruth.” Matthew said, in his usual gentle and plea-sing voice.
As tempting as those words sounded, I knew I really had to go. If I take long, I don’t know which excuse to give my mum. I have never been good at lying.
“Matthew, I’m sorry, I have to go, my mum will come looking for me again.”
“But when can I see you again? I ‘ll like to hang out with you” He asked, with a sad look on his face.
I don’t know, I’m only allowed to go to church and school, I can’t leave the house”
There was a look of disappointment on Matthew’s face, he seemed a little frustrated. de-ep down in my own heart, I’d love to hang out with him. But there was nothing I could do about it. My parents were everywhere.
“What if I pick you up from school?”
I greeted the question with a look of confusion on my face,
“How? ” I asked. Still very confused.
“I ‘ll come and pick you with a friend’s car during break, I’ll bring you back quic-kly. No one will notice you were gone. Sarah will tell you how to leave the school.
My mind went blank for sometime. I knew Sarah and Hannah usually sneaks out of the school during breaks, but I had never followed them. I had no reason to. I still wondered how they were able to leave and return unnoticed and what actually was their mission out there.
I have always p@rticipated in the goodies they bring back from where ever they go.
I was really scared, but I had to accept. It was worth the risk, so I thought.
I unlocked the door, and attem-pted to leave, Matthew held me back, and pu-ll-ed me closer to himself.
My head wanted to go, but my heart had a different plan, I was still consumed in my thoughts when he k!$$£d me.
“We‘ll continue from here, Promise?”
“Yes”
“Okay” he said, l!çk!ng hisl-ips in a s£dûçt!vemanner. I never knew what that meant. I had no idea what I had just promised.
As I walked back to the auditorium, my eye-ball kept dancing from side to side, incase someone had sp©tted me coming out of the car.
As I approached my parents seat, my heart began to beat fas-ter. I felt like a thief, I just hoped the guilt I felt in my heart hasn’t registered on my face. I stole a quic-k glance at my mum’s face. She was still holding on to the note.
“When did Sarah give you this?” She asked as soon as I sat.
Last week.” I replied her.
My mum gave me a long suspicious look, and turned her attention to the altar.
I was really nervous, but all I could think about was meeting Matthew on Monday. I had made him a promise, even if I ba-rely un-derstood the nature of the promise.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 7