Dora And The Water god! – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites
Episode 3
… I cried out so aloud following each stroke of the cane. I couldn’t see so I didn’t even know where to run to. The fear of falling if I tried to run made me succumb to their t0rture, as her children were with her cheering her up so I fell on my knees begging God to do something, while the strokes landing on my b0dy brought nothing but deep pa!n as I knelt there rubbing my b0dy and as well saying silent prayers.
“Leave her alone” I heard all of a sudden. It was the voice of Mama Nana our neighbour but my stepmother ignored her and continued flogging me that Mama Nana had to push her aside.
“You pushed me away!” My Stepmother kept on screaming but Mama Nana ignored her and started pulling me up.
“Mama Nana, don’t try that thing you’re about to do or I’ll flog both of you” I heard my Stepmother say.
“Try it and see if you and your children won’t spend the night in the police cell” She thre@tened which made my Stepmother keep mute.
She took me to her house, bathed me and then gave me food. I hadn’t bathed for some time since the incident occurred which made me lose my sight. Who would even keep water for me to bathe with? My Stepmother or her children?
After we gisted for a while, she made my unkept hair and after a few hours, she took me home threatening my stepmother and her children that she would get them arrested if they laid their hands on me again and I was a bit relieved.
The following day, I was at my usual spot where I used to sit beside the house, thinking about what was gradually becoming of me when I felt someone’s presence.
Goosebumps filled the whole of my b0dy and I immediately picked up my stick and swung it from side to side.
“Who is that?” I asked.
“Don’t be afraid. Is this where you live?” The voice asked slowly.
It was a man’s voice and It wasn’t a familiar one at all, and it already sounded like that of one who knew me.
“Who are you?” I probed again, curious for an answer.
“I am…” He said and then paused.
I was wondering what made him pause and I was about to ask him if he was still there when I started to hear this footsteps marching forth.
“Dora, it’s obvious that your blindness is beginning to affect your brain. Why did you mess up the to!let like that?” My stepsister raged.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I had a running stomach and I couldn’t locate the pit, so I had to do it on the floor when it was about dropping on me. But, I cleaned it up” I said with a grin. We were using a pit toilet and it was quite difficult locating the pit.
“With my mother’s favourite piece of rag?” She questioned in a very harsh tone.
“Uhmm… please I’m sorry, I’ll wash it once I’m done with this stranger here” I said pointing towards the direction where the man’s voice had come from.
“Which stranger?” She quizzed.
Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites.
“The man standing there. Or, has he gone?” I asked turning towards the direction where my sister’s voice came from.
“You’re definately not ok” She hissed and then walked away.
“How come? When did… he go?”
“I’m here” He said.
“But…” I said and I again started hearing my sister’s voice, coming towards me.
“Very f00lish human being. Who do you think will clean up your mess and then wash up the piece of rag you used?” I heard her say still coming forth.
She approached and then rubbed my face with the piece of rag I used to clean up my mess. I didn’t know it was her mother’s rag when I used it, I thought it was one of my clothes I left on the line cos I had picked it from the line and after I was done, I threw it in the bush.
“I hope you like the smell of your own mess?” She questioned, hissed, and then walked away again.
My face was oozing so b@d that I started throwing up, and then I began to cry.
“Who is she?” The man quizzed.
“You’re still here? Please who are you?” I managed to ask while still sobbing.
“My name is Neon. Who is she?” He questioned again.
“Neon? From where?”
“Well, she’s my stepsister” I said cleaning my face with the cloth I had on.
“Hmmm…” He sighed.
“You haven’t answered me. From where?” I managed to ask again amid tears.
And then, my step-siblings approached laughing so hard. I was already so sc@red thinking they were coming to me.
“Please leave her alone let’s go to the river before Mama comes back” One of them said.
“Thank God ” I whispered to myself.
After they left, I asked the stranger again where he came from but there was no response. It was when I asked repeatedly without an answer that I knew he had left.
Well, my step-siblings arrived about an hour later, telling their mother who had already returned from where she went the mysterious thing that they witnessed. The river the villagers fetch water from even before we were born suddenly dried up before their eyes…
To be continued.
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