I Am Woman – Episode 15

I Am Woman – Episode 15
A Story By Brian Ngoma

Helpless and forsaken is how I felt. Laying down for someone against my will like I was some food was the least of things I expected to happen to me that night. What I wanted was to sleep peacefully and probably dream of Marlon. All the happiness I felt when I received his letter the previous day disappeared like smoke.

It was time, I felt him trying to penetrate me. I couldn’t bear the sight of his wicked face. I closed my eyes and prayed that I shouldn’t feel a thing.

BANG!

The sound made me open my eyes. I saw Enoch touching his head in shock. What was happening? I asked myself. Before I could get my mind right, Enoch fell on me with his heavy body. I pushed him aside and saw Kasuli standing holding a Jack plane in her hands. I quickly stood up and checked on her. She didn’t utter any word but looked traumatized. Wherever she got the Jack plane from, didn’t matter.

I grabbed her hand and ran to the bedroom. I wore some clothes and packed some in our suitcases. When I was doing all that Kasuli stood in front of me staring at me. It was scary because I could see anger in her. I finished packing and we left the room. I locked Enoch’s room with him still in,side agonizing in pain with fear he could have come for us.

I checked the time before leaving the house, it was 04:20. Scary as it was walking during that time, didn’t matter to us. We needed to get away from Uncle Richærds house as soon as possible. To Where? Was the question probably on both our minds. The nearest place that I thought of that could offer sanctuary was Clara’s place. We reached her place and knocked on her bedroom window. It took some minutes for her to wake up and open for us. She was startled looking at us with bruises on our faces.

“What happened?” She asked concerned.

“Can we rest? We are tired” I looked at her.

“Of course.”

She got a mattress from under her bed and laid it for us. We laid on it with Kasuli. I saw Kasuli close her eyes like she had slept but I knew she couldn’t sleep. On our way to Clara’s we didn’t say any word to each other. We just held hands and walked as fast as possible.

The sun came out; I hadn’t slept not even for a second. Clara woke up and did her house chores while we were still in her bedroom. I knew that immediately she was done, she would come and expected me to tell her why we showed up at her place at four in the morning. As I suspected she asked me what the hell had happened to us.

I narrated the wh0le ordeal to her and she was shocked. I could see how dazzled and disgusted she was as I narrated the wh0le thing to her. She looked at Kasuli and told her to go the kitchen to get some food to eat. Kasuli refused to leave my side.

“We need to report him to the police today,” she got up furious.

“What will we say?”

“Everything Tinashe. He beat the both of you and almost raped you had it not been for Kasuli.”

“Clara I am tired of life. What did I do to deserve all this?”

“Don’t say that Tinashe. You didn’t do anything,” she tried to comfort me.

“But why? First papa and Gary and now Enoch almost raping me.”

“Be strong Tinashe,” Clara looked at Kasuli and went on. “Enoch will pay for what he has done to you and Kasuli.”

I looked at Kasuli and her face was hærd as a stone. I was dropping tears and she wasn’t even showing signs of crying. She could just look at me and hold me tightly.

“You have to wash up and eat. We have to go to the police station and report Enoch,” Clara said with determination. “Wait a minute, are you sure he didn’t penetrate you?”

“I am sure, he didn’t.”

“Ok because washing up could erase all the evidence, I just wanted to be sure but can’t we go to the police station just as you are right now? Anyone could tell that you had been through hell.”

Clara was right. For me to make a statement, I needed to go the way I had gone to Clara’s place. Luckily, Clara’s parents were not home. Her young siblings had gone to school earlier that morning. Clara had to do some thing before we left and by the time we were leaving Clara’s house, it was 11:30.

“Let’s go,” she said in a hurry.

We got out of the house and were met with a furious lioness waiting to devour her prey. Aunt Tamara had just reached Clara’s house and was angry as a snake that had been stepped on its tail.

“You, stupid girl!” she shouted on top of her voice. “You almost killed my son.”

“Your son almost raped me. In fact, he almost raped the both of us,” I said.

“Liar. My son would never do that to you. You just hate my son and decided to kill him. God is great you have failed.”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you just hear what I have said?”

“It’s all lies and listen to me, my brother is a police officer. I almost reported you but Enoch said no. He said you are his relative and relatives don’t do that to each other. Had it not been for him, you would probably be in jail right now because you are not my relative”

Clara was confused with what was happening and asked, “Are you really serious? She has just told you that your son almost raped them and you are ignoring her.”

“Stay out of this Clara,” She pointed at her.

“I won’t stay out of this. Look at them,” Clara pointed at us. “Can’t you see that they have bruises on their bodies and anyone could see that they are traumatized?”

“Who knows? They self-inflicted those bruises. These girls are liars. They almost killed my son. He’s on his way to the hospital as we are speaking now.”

“Aunt Tamara, I am disappointed in you.” I said.

“If you decide to come back to my house, I hope it will be to take your remaining things because I have seen you even took your suitcases. I don’t want to have killers in my house,” she left us standing expressionless.

What kind of mother would defend her son who had just almost raped his cousins, I wondered? It was my word against his. I had heard about Aunt Tamara’s brother who worked as a police officer. What I didn’t know was that he worked at the police post we went to report the crime at.

“You mean to say your cousin almost raped you?” He looked at his fellow officers.

“Yes sir,” I answered shaking.

“What did you say your name is again?”

“Tinashe Sir and that is my sister Kasuli,” I pointed at her.

“How do I know you are telling the truth and what time did this happen?” He asked.

I showed him the bruises. “It happened around 3 in the morning.” I also called Kasuli and told her to show him where he had hit her.

“And you are reporting the incident at thirteen hours, why? Ten hours after what you are saying happened?” He looked at his watch and nodded his head. “You said he ripped off your clothes, where are they?”

“At the house.”

“Let’s go to the house, it’s near I believe so. I don’t have anything to do.”

We all left for my uncle’s house and found them sited in the sitting room. They didn’t look surprised at all. It was as if they were waiting for us. My uncle couldn’t look at me. He had his eyes on the floor.

“Enoch my boy, how are you feeling?” The police officer asked him.

“I am doing fine now uncle Musonda,” He answered avoiding my gaze.

“I believe this is the girl who hit you with your father’s Jack plane, right?”

“Yes that’s Tinashe, the one I told you about,” aunt Tamara jumped in.

“Sister, I didn’t ask you,” he looked at her and shifted his attention to Enoch.

“Yes Uncle,” Enoch answered.

“Where is it?”

Enoch picked something from under the table.

“Here it is uncle.”

I stiffened.

To be continued

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