THE ABOMINATION episode 3 – 4

THE ABOMINATION

EPISODE 3

Days became weeks and weeks became months, no one talked about what baba told us. We resumed our normal life until Ope came visiting.
Ope is the younger sister of Kassim who came to seek for admission into Kogi State University, Ayangba.

Ope had made several attempts to secure admission into University of Ilorin but was unsuccessful. Toyin’s father was a senior lecturer in KSU and he had helped many of our friends relations to get admission. Kassim advised Ope to come down to Lokoja so we can help her speak to Toyin to speak to her father.

Ope’s visit was the beginning of revelations to the abomination that caged my marriage for over ten years. Ope’s parent must have released her to us with the mindset that Kassim is now born again and may have overcome his unspeakable weakness. The first two weeks of Ope’s stay was blissful. At least I got someone we could gist together and play games together. Ope was lovely and friendly but very hostile to her brother. Her hostility toward Kassim was my first worry but I couldn’t approach any of
them to explain the reason behind the hostility.

I was coming back from work one day and I overheard Ope shouting, “Brother, so you have not stopped this evil”?. I should have stayed back a bit to hear which evil Ope was referring to but they both
pretended and composed themselves when I barged in on them. I managed to ask ” what’s going on here?” But non of them responded, so I decided to let it go, after all they are brother and sister and they
can sort themselves out.

I left them in the sitting room and headed to the bedroom. In the night, I tried asking Kassim what they were talking about that warranted that statement I heard from Ope but he waved it off with a r0mantic k!ss that made me forget to ask further.

Ope’s admission didn’t click on time and I thought that must be the reason for her recent emotional changes. She became so moody and isolated this time unlike when she came newly. I really understood because I have been there before and I knew how it felt. I left her alone after much attempt to make her cheer up.

Ope began to lock herself up even when we were around. She will hærdly come out for dinner
or do her regular chores. I told Kassim to let us buy Kogi State Polytechnic form for Ope instead of her missing this year again but he refused. But can’t you see she’s losing her mind over this admission stuff?
I argued. There is still one admission list that will be coming out next week, I believe her name will be there, Kassim was optimistic.

The life brought into my home by Ope became a shadow suddenly. I returned to my loneliness as usual because my husband is not the talking type. We can be together in the house for several hours and he won’t say anything. Most times, he only talks when I initiate it. His answers to my questions are always in words and phrase, “yes”, “no”, “okay”, “alright”, “I will”, “Go ahead” etc. I can be so irritated sometimes hence I spent more time with Toyin.
Why did Ope suddenly become moody? Was it just because she couldn’t get admission or there is more to it?

THE ABOMINATION

EPISODE 4

I was to attend a burial ceremony along with Toyin that Saturday. I left home very early to beat the traffic that normally builds up on Saturdays because of weddings and other events.

I made my way back home because I forgot the gift we planned to present to Mrs Victoria, our friend who lost her father. On
reaching home, I was shocked to notice the central door was locked. Why will Kassim and his sister lock themselves up less than an hour after I left home? Or have they both gone out? Non of them mentioned any plan of an outing this morning. I became curious why the door was locked but I remembered I had my spare keys in my bag.

I quickly opened my bag and brought out my bunch of keys and got the central door opened.
In a jiffy I was in our bedroom but no sign of Kassim in there. I headed to the guest room and what I saw left me in shocked and dumbfounded. Kassim, my own husband was m0lesting his own biological sister right in our house. The poor girl was
struggling under him and begging him not to do it to her again. I stood there for over a minute before my husband could realize I was around.

I felt like st@bbing him to death but there was no any object I could use around. When he realised I had been standing for sometimes watching them, he tried to put on his boxer as he begged me to understand that it was not what I think. I couldn’t open my mouth to say anything, my l-ips were heavier than rock, my tears were ticker than usual. I ran back to our bedroom
and picked few of my things and ran out of the house. He didn’t stop me because of fear of what I could do.

I headed straight to Toyin’s place and she was angry I came late. She noticed I didn’t reply everything she said and she came out from her room to check why I was mute. What are you doing with this box? She asked looking at my face, then realized I was weeping. She came close and hugged me to her chest, what happened Nneka? She asked me calmly.

Then a battle arose in my mind on what to tell Toyin. Toyin can’t withstand the bad news but what will I tell her if I don’t tell her the truth? Toyin will surely get Kassim arrested if she knows the truth. While I
laid on her chest my mind traveled so far planning suitable lie I will tell my friend. You know I am your
friend and you can confide in me, tell me what happened, Toyin begged me. I want to sleep, I want to be left alone now, I pleaded with Toyin.

She walked me to the children’s room and helped me to the bed.
She looked round the room and removed every harmful objects that I could use in harming myself and went away with them. Ten minutes later she came to check on me but I was still awake sobbing.

She peeped and whispered, “don’t kill yourself, I am here for you”. That day we couldn’t go for that burial ceremony again.
I began to connect happenings since Ope came to our house. How she was lively and became moody
suddenly. The statement I over heard from Ope ” brother, so you have not stopped this evil”, the
hostility, the isolation etc.

Was this the evil Ope was referring to that day? Was she hostile to her brother because he has done this to her before? Why was she locking herself up even when we were at home? Why was my mother-in-law always calling to ask after Ope almost everyday since she came?
These thoughts began to tear my head apart. I was practically losing my mind and I know it’s time to confide in Toyin before I run mad.

Why should I even leave the house without addressing this evil and abomination committed by my husband? I will go back and face Kassim point blank, let him explain to me what just happened now. I wished all these were dreams. But I need a witness, I will go with Toyin, I made up my mind. At about 4pm I called Toyin, dress up, we
are going to my house together, I said. Within five minutes she was ready. I left my things in her house because I knew I will come back. I can’t sleep under the same roof with the beast.
The journey to the revelation to the abomination that caged my marriage for ten years has just began.