“Aduke!” I patiently waited for my aunt to call the third time before answering.
“Ma!” I shouted as if I just heard her call, ran into the living room, and knelt.
“So you are counting my words before answering right?” she shouted as she shot me a daring look.
“I couldn’t hear you because the blender was on” I lied.
“Why is dinner not served yet?”
“I just came in from the market not quite long, after I picked Arole from school. The traffic was too much on the way, but I am almost done, it’s just left for me to turn the eba”
“Ooh, okay, anyway, I just…” she bent down as if to pick something, she picked her slippers and hit me heavily on the face.
I saw it coming, but I just didn’t move. I didn’t even try to dodge the blow; I just knelt down there like a statue and watched her hit me repeatedly, and all I could do was cry. I was already used to her maltreatment, it wasn’t new to me, I knew all her skills and my body was so used to her punches.
She soon became satisfied;
“I give you five minutes to serve dinner” I stood up and was about to leave when she said; “don’t even think of adding yours to it, you will starve tonight”
Just like I did the night before, and the night before that and the morning before that and so on. I was used to starving, even my stomach knows better.
I had my special spoon, cup, and plate, I couldn’t even use the toilet in the house; I shared with the gateman. Whenever I cook, she would come to the kitchen to serve, and then leave the burnt part for me to eat. She would even count the amount of meat in the pot; I wasn’t entitled to any.
Despite all these, I always prayed she was at home. I hated it whenever she wasn’t…
My aunt was a nurse, she was often on night shift. Whenever she left, I was in trouble because it would be left with me, her son and her husband.
Her husband… hmm,… he was the devil himself.
It started the very first week I came into their house, I was just 13 then. I had barely spent 5days there when he started making advances at me. Not directly though, but I caught him each time he stared at my buttocks when I was sweeping, and when I tried to pour him a glass of water, he would stare at my breast licking that disgusting mouth of his.
One night, my aunt left for duty, he called me inside his bedroom, after I had put Arole to bed. He said he had a gift for me, and I sheepishly went in. He gave me a glass of juice and asked me to drink it in front of him, and so I did. Few seconds later, I felt dizzy and passed out…
When I woke up, I felt pain all over my body, I looked around and noticed I was in my aunt’s room, I wanted to stand up, but I was so weak. Then, I realized that I was naked, and soaked with blood. I was so confused.
Just then he came out from the bathroom, he looked at me and told me I was so sweet and that we should continue doing it.
It was like a dream, I stared at him and tears from nowhere, came running down my cheeks, I tried to talk but I couldn’t find my voice. I just sat down there and watched him dress himself. I picked my clothes and headed towards the door, then he said;
“Don’t even think of telling your aunt because she won’t believe you”
Then, I found my voice, but I didn’t know what to say, all that came out was “okay”
The next morning, my aunt came into my room with a 4inches long branch of tree, she beat me so hard that I bled. I was confused, what have I done?
“You this witch, so you were trying to seduce my husband” she said.
Apparently, I had left my pants in the room. I tried to protest, but the husband quickly came in and pleaded on my behalf. He took her into the room, and left me there, drenched in my own tears…
Things became worse from then, he would come to my room every time my aunt left for work and sleep with me, he would even sometimes leave his office during lunch break and come home to me…
It was hell, but that was just the beginning, he did something to me, something so dreadful, something so…