I KILLED MY FATHER Episode 1 – The Mystery Man
It was a sunny afternoon, we had just returned from Sunday service at the Cathedral, mum had driven us to church , when mum drove into the compound, dad was sitting in the shade of the thatch roof house , which was resting on three large woods.
He was sipping a bottle of hot spirit, from a bottle of Pina Colada whisky , he was locked up in his room , when we left for church that morning.
“Agnes! come here!” My father called my mother , she shivered, hurriedly she parked the car and rushed to meet my father , I stood with my sister and brother near the car ,staring at my dad. Mum was standing in front of him frozen with fear. “Agnes have I not warned you never to take my children to church! Is that hard for your thick head to comprehend!” Dad barked at mum , though I was just ten years old , I felt like choking him to death .
“Are you deaf! answer me now!” Dad barked at mum , her mouth curved to reply him, but no words came out ,her lips were trembling, in a fit of anger dad threw over the plastic table with the expensive spirit on it , he dashed at mum and slapped her had across the face . “Jesus Christ Femi! my eyes!” Mum cried , I felt the slap hit me , I left the hands of my siblings and ran to save my mother .
“Leave my mum alone!” I yelled at the top of my voice . He sent the back of his hands to my face , the slap caught my eyes , I crumbled to the ground,spitting out blood from my eyes , my siblings, Raymond and Cassidy ran to my side .
“Solomon are you okay ?” They asked tending to me with love and compassion, I got up from the ground and dashed into the house with wobbly legs , I knew what the beast would be doing .
“Femi please don’t beat me again! I promise I won’t go to church again ! Am sorry !” I heard mum voice ringing from dad’s bedroom,with my small hands I began to bang on the door . “Daddy let my mum out!” I screamed kicking the door , mum had been beaten more times than I could remember. Cassidy and Raymond joined me in outside the door , banging at the door , Dad ignored their pleas .
“How dare you defy me Agnes! did you marry me ? I’ve warned you never to take my children to church so your pastors will fill lies into their eyes ! are you just dumb or you’re stupid and senseless!” Dad barked as I heard the belt pelt against her skin , mum cried like a woman in labour .
When he was done pummeling him , he opened the door and stepped out of the house , he pushed me away from the door and stared at me for a long time before getting out of the house, he went door stairs , soon Joshua the gateman had opened the gate for him , he sped out of the compound .
When I went into the room , mum’s back was covered in blood and bruises , she had cleaned the tears , pretending as if she wasn’t the one who had just been crying down the heavens . I and my siblings began to tend to our mum with tears in her eyes .
She cringed each time the hot towel touched her injury . I tend to her injuries with love. “Mum why do you allow him do this to you ?” I asked her , seeing her bleed from an injury inflicted on her by a man who was supposed to love her broke me , I wanted us to run far away , where he wouldn’t find us .
“Solomon it’s so complicated, where would we go to ?” Mum asked me with a teary eyes . “Mum we could go to uncle Desmond’s place , or go to Uncle Philemon , or we go back to your parents house , we cannot remain here , until he kills you .” I said angrily pacing around the room , the waste basket was filled bloody tissue papers , which I and my siblings had used to clean mum up . Mum smiled , but in her smile I saw her pains , I could see sadness in her eyes .
“Solomon it’s not easy to start over , this is the life I’ve known for twelve years , I can’t just take you away from your father , because sometimes I provoke him and he beats me .” Mum said , I was mad at her . “At least it’s only me he beats , I am sometimes stubborn, when I do what he ask me to maybe he won’t beat me anymore .I have the three of you , who can pay your school fees? who will feed you and cloth you ?” Mum asked , with a superficial smile on her face , she could feel me almost bursting , the anger was too much for my age .
“Mummy if it takes us to sell pure water we would , if it takes us to beg to eat we should, this house , the cars! there are nothing mum , I am tired of waking up each night to hear your cries , he would kill you one of this days .” I said , mum held my hands and pulled me closer to her . “Solomon don’t worry , I’ll be okay , please don’t hate your father , you won’t understand couples quarrels , don’t get involved okay ? you made him hit you .” Mum said staring into my eyes .
“Mummy you cannot remain here and die because of us.” I said to mum . “Solomon we just have to endure, your dad will soon change…” I removed my hands from her grip, and angrily stepped out of the room , I banged the door and went into my room .
OpraDre I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER I KILLED MY FATHER
