Silent scre-ms batch 7

SILENT scre-mS

Sequence 12

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Leila stepped out of the car and walked to the gate, pushed it open and entered. Her father promised to pick her up later.

‘Leila,’ Mam Zyambo looked up at her with a smile. She was sitting on the verandah, both her legs outstretched, a plate of rice on her laps.

Leila walked over then she knelt in front of her and bowed her head.

Mam Zyambo placed her hand on her back and said some words under her breath before asking Leila to take a seat.

‘Welcome my child, I have been expecting you.’

She managed a weak smile, ‘Thank you.’

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Mam Zyambo spoke.

‘Do you know you are set to be married a few months from now?’ she asked

Leila nodded her head she hated talking about the upcoming marriage, she didn’t even want to think about it, deep down she hoped all this was just a bad joke.

‘You need to start behaving like a married woman. Sleeping out and wearing skimpy clothes is for women on the streets not a bride to be.’

‘Has anyone asked me if I want to get married?’ she asked in an angry tone, she was offended at the fact that everyone was forcing this marriage on her.

‘It’s not about what you want my child,’ Mam Zyambo smiled, ‘Your parents brought you into this world and they raised you into this beautiful girl, they have the right to find you a suitor when they see it fit.’

‘You think it’s fair that they want to force me into this marriage? Why should it be me?’

‘My child,’ she coughed, ‘some questions are better left unasked, don’t go around seeking for answers, the answer you get might not be pleasant to your ears, your parents know better why they chose a suitor for you.’

She stood up, ‘This marriage talk is just stressing me,’ she yelled

‘Hush! A married woman must always speak in a low and soft tone,’ Mam Zyambo said, ‘Marriage a beautiful thing I am sure in time you will learn to love your husband, stop stressing instead embrace your destiny.’

‘Oh please,’ she clicked her tongue.

‘I see there are a lot of teachings that you need to undergo before your wedding.’

‘ Wedding!,’ Leila exclaimed, she had no idea they were even planning a wedding. ‘What wedding are you talking about?’ she eyed Mam Zyambo with a puzzled expression.

‘You don’t expect to be married off without a wedding Leila, your marriage will bring honor to your family, your father will marry you off in a grand style.’

Leila shook her head in disbelief she had to find a way out of this one.

A while later, Mam Zyambo led Leila to a small hut at the back of her house where an older woman wearing a white robe and gloves was sitting on a grass mat. Leila looked at the woman anxiously, her heart beating really hærd.

Leila got down on her knees, ‘Mwauka Bwanji,’ she greeted.

‘Nauka bwino,’ she responded with a serious face. This woman rarely smiled.

‘I will be outside,’ Mam Zyambo said before walking out.

The woman instructed Leila to take off her dress and made her lie down on her back with her legs spread out then she reached between Leila’s legs and opened her v—-a with both hands before she ins**ting her fingers and pushing them in,side.

‘Ouch! Owl! Ouch!’ Leila exclaimed loudly, it really hurt.

Leila hated being examined in such a way it was embarrassing, degrading and humiliating she felt like a w—e.

A few minutes later, the woman pulled out her fingers then she clapped and cheered with excitement.

This meant that Leila’s hymen was intact & she was still a V-rgin.

Mam Zyambo rushed into the room ululating as she danced, she danced around the room while the other woman clapped louder.

‘Congratulations my child, your father will be really proud.’

‘Can I get dressed now?’ Leila asked with her voice cracking as she fought back the tears.

‘Yes you can,’ Mam Zyambo smilingly responded, she was really proud of Leila if only own children could be like her.

Leila stood up and quickly got dressed she was feeling shameful and dirty.

*

He pulled up in front of the gate and hooted impatiently. Mam Zyambo opened the gate and walked towards the car.

‘Is it good news?’ He asked anxiously

She smiled, ‘You raised a great girl she is untouched.’

He let out a sigh of relief, ‘That’s awesome news I was really worried.’

‘You don’t have to anymore I have talked to her about a few things, she will come around soon.’

‘I hope so because these days she is becoming rebellious.’

‘Daniel, give the girl a little break allow her some breathing space this must be hærd on her.’

‘It’s hærd on everyone but what’s done is done, she has to accept her fate.’

‘She will.’

He got some money from his pocket and handed it to her, ‘Thank you very much.’

‘You are always welcome Daniel let me get her for you.’

Leila walked out a minute later she had a pained look on her face she didn’t even look at her father, she opened the door and got into the back seat.

The two rode back in silence, each one buried in their own thoughts.

As they neared home, Leila’s phone rang waking her from her reverie, she looked at her phone to see who was calling it was Chibuye. Leila didn’t feel like answering her phone so she cut the call and put the phone in her bag.

A few minutes later the phone rang again. She fished around her bag and pulled it out.

‘Hello,’ she answered

‘Thank God you are alive I thought the worst had happened. How are you?’

‘I am okay.’

‘You sound off, tsup and why have you been avoiding my calls?’

‘I am okay i am just a little held up with work.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yes.’

‘Leila what’s going on?’

‘Nothing.’

‘You don’t sound okay.’

‘I am okay you don’t have to worry about me.’

‘Did someone pop the cherry and now you are feeling depressed for not giving it to me instead?’

Leila chuckled, ‘You are crazy.’

‘Crazy for you!’

‘Shut up,’ she laughed.

‘Can I see you today?’

‘Let me text you later, I can’t respond now.’

‘Please, pretty please.’

She laughed again and this made her father irritated but he kept his cool.

‘I will text you,’ she insisted.

‘I will just show up at your door step then.’

‘Please don’t.’

‘Then come and see me.’

‘Okay.’ She responded.

‘Can’t wait to see you.’

‘Bye,’ she hung up.

‘Who was that?’ Her father asked as he pulled into their driveway.

‘Haven’t you done enough, will you start monitoring my calls too?’

‘Don’t raise your voice at me young lady.’

‘I am really tired dad, I can’t deal with of this,’ she opened the car door and stepped out.

‘Leila.’

She walked into the house without looking back at him, slamming the door behind her.

‘Are you okay?’ Jada asked when she walked in.

‘No,’ she shook her head. ‘I am tired Jada, I just want to die.’

‘Don’t talk like that, come,’ she held her hand and led her to her room, surprisingly Daniel didn’t follow them.

‘How did it go?’

‘It went okay, I am still untouched and you would think that will make your father happy but no he still wants more.’

‘Forget about dad for a while. I have some good news.’

‘What is it?’

‘Mama Zuka is ready to see us.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s great news maybe she can grant me the answers to the questions in my head.’

‘Hopefully.’

Sequence 13

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Continues..

‘Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,’ the pastor who was performing Owen’s burial ceremony concluded his message.

He looked at Audrey ‘You may come forward and place the first dirt on the coffin.’

Sitting in a wheelchair, Audrey was pushed up to where the coffin was she took a handful of dirt from the shovel and sprinkled it over the casket before being wheeled away.

She was devastated, tears were rolling down her cheeks, she couldn’t understand why life had decided to do her this bad, ever since Owen was attacked it had been one misfortune after another, as if losing her brother was not enough, Audrey was now paralyzed from the wa-ist down and her voice was gone.

A neighbor who had found her unconscious in her car had rushed her to the hospital. After waking up, Audrey had tried to speak out but no voice materialized fro her mouth.

The doctor had been unable to give her a diagnosis only that she couldn’t walk nor talk. This was a big blow for Audrey it was as if life was punishing her for all her wrong doings.

The pastor said his final words and gave the last rites then the coffin was lowered.

Audrey felt her heart break all over again as she watched the coffin disappear into the h0le, it was done her little brother was gone and never coming back, she was all alone.

After the coffin was lowered, the pastor cast some holy water on the ground then he finished off with a prayer and people started going back to their vehicles.

*

Jada walked into Leila’s room where she found her standing in front of the mirror on the dresser.

‘I can’t seem to find the right clothes to wear,’ she told her sister.

Jada laughed, ‘I wouldn’t want to be you right now your clothes bore me.’

‘Shut up,’ she hit her on her shoulder playfully.

‘Wait let me get you something from my closet.’

‘It had better not be anything explicit like that dress you are wearing.’

‘You are such a bore, this is a s€×y dress,’ she rolled her eyes.

‘I will pass if it’s anything like that.’

‘Oh please,’ she walked out of the room.

She walked back in a few minutes later carrying a one shoulder emerald green jumpsuit which had a belt around the wa-ist.

‘What is this?’

‘Try this, I bought it a few weeks ago I am sure it will fit you perfectly.’

Leila cleared her throat wondering if she would be comfortable in such.

‘Come on Leila.’

‘Fine.’

She stripped off the dress she was wearing and slipped into the jumpsuit.

‘You looking amazing, this one was perfectly made for you. Now let me do your make up.’

‘Don’t put too much make up on my face,’ said Leila as she sat on the stool in front of her mirror. Jada quickly did Leila’s make up and styled up her hair.

‘I am done here,’ she said a few minutes later.

Leila completed her look with a pair of nude heels.

‘Perfect,’ Jada said, she picked her phone and purse before they marched out of the room.

‘Where are you two going dressed like………,’

‘We are going for a friend’s birthday party,’ Jada cut her father short.

‘Oh.’

‘Yes daddy, Leila needs some fresh air let her breath a little.’

‘Jada.’

‘Daniel, it’s just a party and nothing else please don’t ruin our night,’ said Jada

Daniel shook his head in disbelief Jada was the only one capable of challenging him.

‘Come Leila,’ she held her sister’s hand and they walked past their father to the door.

*

‘How do you do that?’ Leila asked when they were finally settled into Jada’s car.

‘Do what?’

‘Challenge dad like that, talk back at him and defile his rules.’

Jada laughed, ‘You guys treat him like a God I treat him like a human being.’

‘If it were me speaking to him like, I bet he would have slapped me.’

‘Don’t allow him to treat you like trash ever again, stand up for yourself Leila.’

‘I will try to,’ she responded.

‘Imagine if he found out we are not even going for any party,’ she laughed.

‘Don’t talk like that, he would kill me.’

‘Loosen up a little bit girl, your father trusts me.’

They listened to loud music till they got to their destination.

‘So this is where we part ways,’ Jada said

‘Alright, I will see you later.’

‘Have fun try not to think about your crazy father, I will pick you up in about two hours.’

‘Cool, have fun too.’

She stepped out of the car and walked towards the gate she pushed it open and walked straight to the door. After she knocked twice Chibuye opened the door and greeted her with a wide smile spread across his face.

‘Hey.’

‘Hey.’

‘Come in,’ he ushered her into the living room.

‘Mmmmmm,’ he licked his l-ips eyeing her from head to toe.

‘What?’

‘You look hot.’

‘Thank you Chibuye.’

‘That thank you doesn’t sound genuine.’

‘Don’t start,’ she rolled her eyes.

‘Since you didn’t allow me to take you out, I was forced to cook.’

‘I am not hungry.’

‘You are boring.’

‘Tell me something I don’t know.’

‘You know what, feel at home, let me set the table, you will watch me eat.’

Leila sat on the couch and pulled off her shoes.

He led her to the dining table a while later and they sat down to eat.

They ate in silence though Chibuye noticed Leila was barely touching her food.

‘Are you okay?’ he finally asked.

‘Yes! I am fine, tsup?’

‘You have hærdly touched your food and that look on your face. Is it about Owen?’

‘Owen was buried today and I couldn’t even go for that funeral, I just saw posts on facebook from his friend, but he is the least of my problems,’ she said setting her folk down.

‘Oh.’

‘I just have a lot going on Chibuye right now my head is spinning. I think coming here wasn’t a good idea after all. Maybe I should just go,’ she stood up.

‘Hey! Hey!’ Chill, Chibuye grabbed her hand, ‘Talk to me what’s going on?’

‘A lot if going on I don’t even know where to start from.’

‘How about we sit down and you can tell me all about it, I promise I won’t judge.’

She responded with silence.

‘A problem shared is a problem solved, talk to me Leila please,’ he pleaded.

She managed a weak smile, ‘I am engaged to be married Chibuye,’ she said.

‘What?’ he asked, there was shock written all over his face.

‘Yes, I just found out a few weeks ago, apparently my parents married me off before I was even born.’

‘That’s absurd.’

‘Yes and now my father has been monitoring my every move, I am not allowed to make any decisions on my own, he literary controls my every move.’

‘Are you for real?’

‘Yes. You asked me last time why I am still a V-rgin, well my father takes me for testing almost every time apparently I have to be a V-rgin when I get married.’

‘No offence but your parents are stupid, this is abuse. Have you even met the man you are set to marry?’

‘Not yet, apparently I will meet him on our wedding day.’

‘Lord this is absurd who does that?’

‘My parents apparently.’

‘I don’t even know what to do anymore because the days keep drawing closer.’

‘How long do you have?’

‘Seven months, I am set to get married on my 25th Birthday.’

There was an awkward pause before he opened his mouth again. ‘I know what about to say is stupid but I think it’s the only solution?’ he asked.

‘What?’

‘Let me take you away from here, Let’s elope.’ He stated.

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To be continued..