My mother-in-law ate my babies
Episode 2
I stood there at the door, frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. How did she know? Chike had promised. My mind raced with questions, but before I could think of any plausible explanation, Nneoma pushed past me, stepping into the house as if she belonged there.
“Amara, you look surprised,” she said, her voice cool but dripping with something I couldn’t quite place. She set her gaze on me, sharp and unwavering. “You must know by now that I always find out. A mother always knows.”
I swallowed hard, forcing a smile. “Of course, Mama. Please, come in.”
As she entered, the air around her seemed to change—heavy, oppressive, filled with an energy that made my skin prickle. I closed the door behind her, fighting the urge to bolt from the house altogether. She took her usual seat, right in the center of the living room, like a queen reclaiming her throne.
“Amara,” she said, her voice commanding and direct. “You know what time it is. You should be in bed by now, and the lights off. It’s not safe to stay up this late.”
I forced myself to keep calm. I had heard this speech from her so many times before, but tonight it felt different, more ominous. “Yes, Mama. I was just about to go to bed,” I said, my voice barely hiding the tension I felt.
She smiled, but it was a thin, tight smile. “Good. You know what I expect. Sleep by midnight, and no lights.”
I nodded, although every fiber of my being wanted to protest. Why was it so important to her? Why this strange rule? But I didn’t dare question her. Not tonight, not after the unease that had already settled in my bones.
I made my way to the bedroom, my heart pounding as I tried to follow the routine she demanded. I turned off the lights in the living room, casting the house into darkness. Nneoma followed me down the hallway, her presence lingering like a shadow.
As I entered my bedroom, I flicked off the lights and slipped under the covers, my hands trembling. “Goodnight, Mama,” I called out, hoping to end the interaction as quickly as possible.
“Goodnight, Amara. Remember—sleep deeply,” she replied from just outside the door, her voice laced with something that felt more like a warning than a wish.
I lay there in the pitch-black room, my mind racing. My heart was beating so loudly, I could hear it in my ears. But I couldn’t shake the sense that something was terribly wrong. I closed my eyes, trying to force myself into sleep, but it didn’t take long for the familiar dream to wash over me.
Once again, I found myself in that dark forest, the fog thick and suffocating. The air was cold, and the eerie silence wrapped itself around me like a vice. My breath quickened as I walked deeper into the forest, knowing what was to come but powerless to stop it. And then, just as before, the snake appeared.
It slithered out from the shadows, its scales glistening in the dim light of the moon. My heart seized as I saw its red, glowing eyes fixed on me. And there, as always, was Nneoma’s face flickering on the snake’s body. She hissed, and lunged toward me, coiling around my body and sinking her teeth into my abdomen. I screamed, but no sound came out. I could feel her, feel the pain, feel her consuming my baby.
I woke with a violent start, gasping for air. My body was drenched in sweat, my clothes sticking to my skin. The room was spinning, and my breaths came in short, ragged bursts. My heart raced as I tried to steady myself, but the fear from the dream lingered, gripping me like a vice.
“Not again,” I whispered, clutching my chest. I struggled to catch my breath, my mind still half-caught in the nightmare. Panic clawed at my insides, threatening to take control. I tried to focus, but the terror wouldn’t let go.
I sat up in bed, my stomach churning with pain. “No… no… please, not again,” I whimpered, feeling the familiar ache low in my belly. It was happening. The same pain I felt every time I lost a child, every time the second month approached.
Frantic, I reached for the small lamp on the nightstand. My hands were shaking so badly, it took me several attempts to switch it on. When the soft light finally flickered to life, my heart stopped.
There, on my stomach, was a massive snake. Its body was coiled around me, its weight pressing down on my abdomen. I could feel its cold scales against my skin, its red eyes locked onto mine. The snake’s mouth was open, its fangs bared, as if it was trying to devour what was inside me.
I screamed, my voice barely escaping my throat as the horror of what I was seeing took hold. The snake didn’t move, didn’t slither away. It stayed there, its eyes glowing like two embers in the night, its mouth working as if trying to bite into me, into my womb.
To Be Continued…
Jerry Smith
