SURROUNDED
EPISODE 4
I was detained. I was beaten blue black to confess to a crime i didn’t commit. I decided it’s better i die than admit what i didn’t do. I even want to die. I have suffered so much. I saw blood pouring out of my mouth and nose. I was happy within me. Finally, i am leaving this wicked world to join my sweet mother. The very last punch to send me to the great beyond landed on me, i smiled as i staggered to the ground and i said “atlast i’m going to stay with mama” i fell to ground.
I woke up in the cell. I didn’t die. I started crying. Why I’m i alive? I thought i had died.
I was detained till my exams were over. My final exams!!!! I was eyeing first class!!! I will have to carry over. I cried.
The just wanted to die. So i decided to make trouble with the cell mafians. Of course the were beating me, i started feeling close to death when somebody , a policeman shouted “STOP ” (to his colleague behind him)BRING HIM OUTSIDE. HIS FATHER IS HERE”
what!!!! What does he want? Why is he here? What is he doing here??? was what was going on in my mind.
I came out, my father shouted.
“Chim oooo, what did my son do? Why this? Do you people want to ruin me?
There was hot argument betweeen my father and the police men. He went in to see the D.p.o. I was later released.
The school expelled me. There was no way i was vindicated. Onyema absconded. Even friends who knew i did nothing kept their distance. Four wasted years!!!!! I tried sorting. How much do i have ? I already put so much money but all to no avail. I went home. Home was hell. My father treated me like trash. I still visited the shrine. Even in school, once it is time, and i refuse going, it feels like i will drop dead. I will run to the herberlist and do the needful.
My father gives me food, buys me clothes only after visiting the shrine. One day, i decided to leave the house. The money my mother kept has been exhausted. I need money. I took the little remaining and headed for the city. I begged to stay with my elder brother obinna. He agreed. Brother obinna refused to help me. I was just useless, completely useless. I decided to start selling pure water and mineral in front of bro obinna’s house. I didn’t have money for cooler. Somebody taught me the rice sack and carton method. I wanted to use bro obinna’s freezer, he refused. I buy iceblock.
Bro obinna will take my soft drink on credit, for himself and his friends and he won’t pay on the grounds that, he feeds, clothes and shelters me. One day, i went mad. I demanded for my money from bro obinna. We fought. Guys gathered and was asking, i narrated.
Neighbours started raining insult on my brother.
“Obinna you wicked. So this boy is your blood brother, your last born. Upon all your money, see what he does for a living. You own 4shops, you own 3cars, see your younger brother. Ontop of it all you take his drinks on credit. You are very wicked”
Bro obinna sent me out of his house. That night, i walked all alone. With tears in my eyes. I remembered mama. These things won’t be happening if mama was alive. I had no where to go. Home was far from where i was. I couldn’t even go home. I never wanted to go back home. I sighted an old woman frying akara. I walked up to her and sat on the bench she kept. I watched as she was bring the akara out. I remembered my mother. I started crying. I offered to help her bring them out. She agreed. That was how i ran into MAMA VERO. Meeting her was Evil in disguise.
Mama vero was the area mama for thieves and touts. She kept gun, hard drugs and charms for them. She just used AKARA as disguise. She gave me shelter and food. Vero her daughter is a mafian. She is feared in that locality.
I knew my end has come the day mama vero called me and told me it is time to join the family business. I should start going for operation with the boys. I didn’t say no for fear of being killed. I just picked few important stuffs from my bag, threw it over the fence and pretended like i was just strolling. I went behind the fence, took my polybag and ran away.
Back to the streets. Nowhere to stay. My father is stinkingly rich, my siblings too. Here i am, all alone in the cold, Looking for ordinary shelter over my head.
I stayed in an open bus, parked in a mechanic workshop. That night, i couldn’t sleep. My maternal home would have been safer but my late grandpa’s second wife is a devil on her own. Mama was the only child from her mother. I cried. I slept and dreamt i was laid on a table and i.heard a loud voice that said, ACCEPT MY SACRIFICE . Next thing, i was on fire. I was burning and shouting. I shouted out of my sleep. I was so afraid. I looked through the windscreen and saw two men n@ked with cutlass and a pot. RITUALISTS i whispered to myself. One said, “let’s hide inside that bus. Somebody might pass” . I dropped dead!!!
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