THE TENANT (episode 12)

THE TENANT
(Fugitive)
© Ajiboye Ayobami Tomilayo

Van filled the glasses with the white liquid as she sat back on the seat and continued.My mum was passing through hell, when I came home in my third year, my mum was in a pretty bad condition. Her face was swollen and from the little she told me- my step dad did that to her. I was so angry and then Ahmed, Bike (from episode 1) and I came up with a plan because I knew that one day all this would be over and justice would prevail. I got the two a good Android phone so they would record future scenes of the battering without Chief or his son noticing…that would probably serve as exhibit in the nearest future.I come home to receive numerous videos and to top it up, they recorded other scenes which included when Step dad killed his best friend right there in the living room. He asked his boys to dispose the body as usual while his son mopped the floor with a smirk.I opened a separate folder on my system where I saved all the videos and photos so my ‘friends’ could delete the ones on their phones so they wouldn’t get into trouble. With Niks help, I got different flash drives where I copied everything into. In as much as Niks wanted to help as a law student, proved abortive as she was still an undergraduate.I came back home after my youth service at Enugu state feeling fulfilled until my step dad decided to give my hand in marriage to his new found friend who was also ugly and mean too. When I sensed danger I refused. I got a job at the bank which kept me away from home most of the time and I thought I was free from the pressure of marrying a man old enough to be my father until that Sunday afternoon…‘You’re evil! I have always done what you wanted all my life and just this decision, you don’t want me to make by myself?’, I shouted my voice echoing in the wh0le building.Ahmed was recording!‘Oh oh…Chief said laughing evily! I never knew you’ve grown wings that you now have the effrontery to talk back at me!’ He barked but I cared less.‘You both are evil, I said pointing from father to son with unclad hatred moving an inch closer to them where they stood fuming. Unfortunately, my mother stepped in when my dad wanted to hit me, she was coming back from mass. She dropped her bag with fear as she sprinted towards me. Step dad calculated and shoved her as she landed on the tiled floor blood gushing out of her deep crack.I called her but no one answered. Her body went pale, eyes closed and she breathed her last! I wailed shouting for her to get up, blood flowed! Then I. Left home that day I ran into you! My question now is why does God hate me this much? Why? My mother didn’t deserve to die- no- she just back fromChurch the day she was murdered in cold bloodStep dad killed her! Step brother raped me!

To be continued…

 ⬅️ PREVIOUS Episode