I KILLED MY FATHER Episode 6 – The Mystery Man
Mum had noticed that I withdrew from her and the rest of of the family , I was more happier at school were I had my friends who were truly happy with me . It got worst when dad sat me down and told me I was the one trying to tear apart our family .
Dad disappointed me for more than a year , he kept proving me wrong , he was always there to help mum with her chores , mum was happier , I was still not happy about the peace and laughter at home , something inside of me kept telling me , it was a calmness before a storm .
But my mum was happier than I’d ever known her , I learnt not to poke nose into other people’s business, I focused my energy and attention on my school works , I sneaked out of the house whenever my dad wasn’t around to go and see Elvis and Nkoyo at the neighbourhood park , we were in Senior secondary school year one . I was returning home with Nkoyo and Elvis when I ran into dad , he drove past me very fast, but I could see her long hairs , it was a fair lady with a Brazilian hair , Dad was driving his newest addition , a Lexus LX 570 , I sighed , I knew a leopard cannot wash off its prints .
“Is that your dad ?” Elvis asked, I just smiled and continued walking home , at the junction between my street and Nkoyo’s, I stood and watched her go to her gate , I waved at her before I joined Elvis who had start walking .
“You and Nkoyo should just get married so we can have peace of mind , this your love is something else .” He teased me , we both laughed . “I don’t complain when you shower Cassandra with love , allow me be .” I said he punched me I chased after him until he ran into their gate .
“Bye I’ll see you in school on Monday.” Elvis said . “I’ll revenge when I see you !” I yelled , he was inside the gate before I completed my statement. When I got home I saw dad under the thatch hut , sipping a bottle of wine , he called me to him.
“Solomon how are you doing ?” He asked I hesitated before I replied. “I am fine dad .” I said with an angry and grumpy look on my face . “Where are you coming from ?” He asked me , I was scared wondering if he was going to beat the living day out of me for breaking his rules . “I went to the park to go and play with my friends .” I said staring at my leg .
“That’s nice , you have to play football so you can grow strong .” He said , I wondered if it was my dad talking or was the alcohol talking . “I called you here to talk to you man to man .” He paused.
“If you noticed for almost two years I’ve not touched your mum ?” He said , I stood there like a log of wood staring at his lips rise and fall . ” She has been happy , she told me you told her the last time that you saw me with a girl at the club , that’s why I told you , that you want to break the family
. Do you think it will be nice for us to breakup ?” Dad asked me , I ignored him and kept staring .
“You may have seen me this evening with a friend , I want it to remain between us as men, your mother must never hear of this okay ?” He said I nodded . “When you grow up you’ll understand that it’s in the nature of men to cheat , you’ll do it too .” he said . “Don’t tell her anything okay ?” I nodded and started walking to the house I saw mum coming towards dad with a plate of goat meat pepper soup , I greeted her superficially, I had never been betrayed the way I felt when dad confronted me for telling mum about his escapades , I felt let down , it was like she stopped being my mother .
Mum had served my dinner , Raymond had just finished eating he ran down to go and meet my dad , he was dad’s right hand man , Cassidy was still on the dinning table playing with her food , she hated eba and Egusi soup , but mum told her she could only select food when she had her own house .
“Solomon how was the park ? did they allow you play football with them ?” She asked beaming with smile , she had never left the compound to go and play at the park , I was tired of being enslaved I was becoming rebellious, because I knew dad’s secrets, he had no right to control me . Mum came to the dinning room , she was having a guilty look on her face .
“Cassidy finish your food , why are you playing with it ?” Mum asked her calmly . “If you don’t want to eat go and trash it.” Mum said to her she happily got up from the dinning chair , she emptied the eba and soup into the trash bag , not before she rescued and devoured the goat meat .
“Mummy next Saturday I’ll follow Solomon to the park , we can’t play with other children our age , because you and Daddy want us to be robots .” She complained , mum glared at her .
“Go to your room Cassidy I’ve no time for that discussion leave me alone !” Mum barked at her . “Solomon I’ll follow you next week .” Cassidy said before leaving the dinning room , mum sat staring at me , her lips were glued , I pretended not to see her , I continued eating my food .
“Solomon are you done eating ?” Mum said calmly to me . “Yeah mum am done .” I said with a straight face .”Solomon I want to talk to you , we have to repair our relationship, we used to be best friend we had each others back , why are you distancing yourself from me ? I am your mother .” Mummy said.
“Mum please can we not talk about this ?” I begged her but she wouldn’t listen . “For good twelve years I wanted your father to care for me , to love me , to look at me the way he did before we got married , but he treated me like trash, but now that he’s changed towards me , he takes care of some chores at home , you still don’t want our marriage to work , do you want us to get divorced ?” Mum asked a trap question to rope me in , in my head I said . “I want you to leave him hypocritic life .” But I shook my head physically to tell her I didn’t want a divorce.
“So why are you acting like you don’t like the peace and calm at home ?” Mum said . Dad had started playing his favourite Juju song .
“Guitar Boy
Guitar Boy
If you see mammy water o
If you see mammy water o
Never, never you run away
Ay, ay
Never run away, Victor Uwaifo
If you see mammy water o
If you see mammy water o
Never, never you run away
Ay, ay
Sing that song of love, sweet melody
Guitar Boy
Guitar Boy
If you see mammy water o
If you see mammy water o
Never, never you run away
Ay, ay
Never run away, Victor Uwaifo
If you see mammy water o
If you see mammy water o
Never, never you run away
Ay, ay
Sing that song of love, sweet melody
Guitar Boy
Guitar Boy…” Dad was laughing loud with Cassidy and Raymond, their joyful noise filled the house , I could see in mum’s eyes , her eager to go and join the party downstairs, mum would sometimes join them to dance , it was the mirage she had been wishing for , and a charade she had longing for , decieving herself with dad’s fake love and affection, like dad said I should allow her to enjoy the sham, I decided never to be a joy spoiler as I was known by the two of them .they put the song on repeat and dance basking to the rhythm, my siblings were enjoying the song , their screams and laughter was louder than the sound of the Woofer speaker shaking the foundation of the house .. I couldn’t hear anything my mum was saying , the sound overshadowed her voice she was just rambling , I ate my food slowly.
“Agnes come and join us !” Dad called to mum . “I’m coming Femi Chidiebere!” She replied . “Please Solomon accept your dad , you can’t get another one .” She said and squeezed my free hand ,I simply nodded and continued with my food , mum ran down like an overjoyed teenage girl to join the party of four .
When I was done eating , I took the plate to the kitchen, and washed them , before going through the sitting room where my parents and siblings were dancing to the Music of Victor Uwaifo, dad held Cassidy’s arm up , as he rolled her like a Tango dancer , mum waved for me to join them , I ignored her and went to my room . I got out of my sneakers and shorts , I let the dripping sounds of water block out their laughter and singing downstairs, soon I forced myself to sleep .
I was holding Nkoyo , we were running around in a garden with beautiful pink flowers, it was so beautiful her laughter was genuine , I was so happy , then I saw mum and Cassidy walking down towards us. “Solomon is that your friend ?” Mum asked , Cassidy began to giggle . “Mum she’s Solomon’s school wife , everyone in our school know .” Cassidy said , I was pissed at her , Nkoyo couldn’t look at my mum , her her eyes was focused on her feet .
Just then a man was leading five lion sized pit bulls on a leash, the dogs were pulling the man in all directions , the vicious dogs broke free and began to run towards us .
“Mum the dogs are coming for us!” I screamed the man didn’t try to get hold of his dogs , he was simply laughing , so loud , his face soon changed to my dad’s I and Nkoyo ran in a different direction, Cassidy and mum took the other directions , two of the dogs came at us , we ran as fast as we could , but a root coiled around Nkoyo it dragged Nkoyo and threw her at the dogs , the dogs began to maul her , I screamed my lungs out , I rushed back to help Nkoyo .
“Solomon! Solomon! Solomon don’t let me die!” Nkoyo screamed the dogs were so insanely powerful they kept dragging her away , I dragged with them , the ground opened and began to swallow my legs , the trees and vines like rope bound me , I could only watch in horror as the beastly black dogs , tore Nkoyo to pieces , she couldn’t cry anymore , what used to be Nkoyo was the stomp of her body , her legs and arms with her head had been ripped out , I was released from the hold , the ground opened I ran to her body and began to cry , trembling in tears . “Noooo! NoOoo! Nkoyo wake up !” When I had cried myself to stupor , I remembered my mum was in the garden with Cassidy , I began to run and tumble, I kept screaming . “Mum ! Cassidy! Mum !” I ran through the trees in the park , until I arrived were my dad was holding my mum , as she fought to save Cassidy , the two dogs had rushed back to join the three , the five dogs were tearing my sister . “Mummy help me ! Solomon help me !” She cried and ran towards her to held , a root came out from the ground and flogged me with so much intensity that I flew into the eyes , I was falling back to earth to a sharpened tree branch buried in the ground , with the arrowhead pointing into the the sky .
“No Cassidy! No Nkoyo , please don’t die !” I cried when I woke up from the sleep , sweating profusely , my pajamas was wet , as if I was dropped in a drum of water .
My screams sent mum running into my room , I saw soaked in sweat, this nightmares were becoming regular
, I dreaded the night , my life had never remained the same since the day I came upon dad doing his incantations and teleportation.
“Babe what is it ? You can talk to me .” She said with the motherly calmness , my dad came to my room too . “Why are you screaming down the house Solomon?” He asked , but I ignored him ,I refused to say a single word , it had been over three years I saw my dad doing the fetish incantations, my life had become a nightmare. I had no word for the two of them , dad soon returned to his bedroom mum stayed with me until I fell back into sleep .
