PIA Episode 1 – 4 by Amah’s Heart

PIA Episode 1 by Amah’s Heart

As I entered the kitchen that morning, dirty dishes greeted me, the kitchen was so messed up, the rooms where not exceptional, I feel so tired and hungry, how do I even start, I still have lots of laundry to do,
I opened the pot that has the remaining food, coconut rice that my Aunty’s children took to school, I smiled because there was enough food in it For me, I can’t Wait to eat it. I Will ask my Aunty first and I know she won’t say no,
I feel so hungry and tired to do anything today,
Is not like I’m complaining over the work, I do it all the time, is never a problem but I feel weak today, so weak, if I can at least have something to eat I will be energized for the day,
I didn’t eat before going to bed which contributed to me not having a good sleep, and when I closed my eyes all I can dream off is food, I ate good food in the dream compared to what I eat in real life, and that only happens whenever I sleep on an empty stomach,
They say eating in dream is bad but how can I stop dreaming about food when I sometimes go to bed in an empty stomach,
Aunty Koh takes pleasure in starving me whenever I offended her, ever since her husband told her to stop hitting me all the time she found another means of punishing me, which is by not allowing me to eat anything, she will rather give her dog food and let me watch rather than give me, I wish she can stop starving me, she can hit me all she wants, I’m use to her beating but I hate it when I have so many things to do in an empty stomach,
I’m related to her husband and not her and before I came to live in the city with them, they promised to take care of me and also send me to school but I have live with them for seven years and I’m still counting, every year all I get is empty promises of starting school soon but never did, I’m not really bothered as far as I can read and write, which I learnt from the children’s book and June has being teaching me more without her mum knowing,
I hate it when I’m starved it makes me remember what I’m trying to forget,
whenever I go to sleep and lay at my corner, the only thing I can imagine is fine food, I just imagine what it will feel like for a table to be set before me, a table filled and decorated with different types of food, and I will be given the privilege to eat what ever I want to eat and drink whatever I so desired,
It can only be in my dream that will never happen right where I am..

Aunty Koh have three kids, and I’m older than her first child with a year, Lano is very rude and she can’t a pick pin, she and her brother Midi, are birds of same feather, they..

“Pia…Pia..

” yes ma..I’m coming…

I ran up to Aunty Koh who sat in the living room with her phone in hand,

“Pia…are you done with the kitchen..have you finish washing those dishes..

” no ma…I’m still on it…

“Hurry up…you are taking so much time in that kitchen… There’s plenty of things to do around…

” yes ma..let me go back to it..please ma can I eat the remaining left over food in the pot when I’m through with the dishes…

“You are such a lazy girl… You have not finished up with your chores and you are thinking of food… The food in the pot is meant for Lani and Midi’s lunch… They maybe hungry when they returns from school, is only June that likes cereals, Lano and Midi loves the coconut rice, they will eat the food so don’t touch it, I suggest you put the food in the microwave, a grain of Rice shouldn’t miss from it…look for something else to eat.. anything even if is paper, because I’m not cooking until evening… Sort yourself out Pia…I’m not your mother..don’t give me headache… I have important things to think of so you are less of my problems… Just hurry up with the house chores so that I can send you to the market…

I returned back to the kitchen and started washing the dishes, when I was done I decided to put the food in the microwave as I was instructed but as I opened the put the smell of the food got to my nose and down to my stomach, I just couldn’t resist it,
Lano and Midi ate breakfast and also took lunch to school, how can Aunty Koh say that I shouldn’t touch it when she knows I haven’t eaten anything, she punished me last night by starving me because I mistakenly stepped on her daughters toy and it broke,
June is six years and she is the last among her three children, she is the only kind one among the others probably because I baby sit her, Aunty Koh is always leaving her in my Care so she grew under my watch and I thought her kindness
As I looked at the food in the pot my stomach made another hungry sound, so I decided to take one spoon from it, if I take one it will not be noticeable, so I took one spoon, I was eager yo take another spoon and another follows until the food was almost gone before I realized the danger I was getting in to, I was so hungry that I didn’t care about the trouble in it for me, I finished the food anyway,
I’m in serious trouble I already know that, my Aunty may even starve me for two days if she finds out that I ate all the food meant for her children.
But I’m not scared, since I have food in my stomach now, I worry less about any consequence awaiting me
She has done worst things to me in the past and I survived it so I can survive whatever my punishment Will be.
My happiness is that I have eaten, so I’m energized to do all the house chores and I’m not scared of anything
Food is in my stomach now I can think straight as I await my punishment.

PIA Episode 2 by Amah’s Heart

I Went about my chores like nothing happened, at least if going to die today I should die with food in my stomach,
The children came back from school and I quickly wash off their uniform and dirty socks, even if the uniforms is not dry they have other ironed one to wear,
I was still on it when June came outside to inform me that her mum was calling me, my heart skipped twice, is probably because of the food she was calling, but I decided to ask June Anyway

“June…do you have an idea why mummy is calling me…

” no…I don’t.. Are you in any trouble…

“Not really… Just that I ate up all the food meant for Lano and Midi…I was instructed to keep it but I disobeyed…and ate it up…because I was hungry…

” ooh…I’m sorry…and Mummy is going to be mad at you… don’t worry I will say that I ate it…I will tell her I ate all the food so that she will not hurt you…

“No…don’t do that because she will not believe you and you will be lying, they knows that you don’t like coconut rice you prefer white rice and stew or Noddles , so nobody will believe you June…but not to worry I will be fine, I’m always fine…

” I won’t let her beat you again…dad warned her not to hit you again after he saw marks all over your body…so if he beats you I will tell dad..don’t be scared..

“Hahaha..I’m not scared June… I will be fine.. Come let’s go but don’t say anything if we get there..

When we got to the living room, Aunty Koh was watching a movie with her daughter Lano and her only son Midi, there eyes were glued on the TV series showing, she spoke up to me without looking at me,

” Pia..go and microwave the food i asked you to keep for Lano and Midi, warn it up and bring it to Lano, make Noddles with egg for Midi and June, go quickly so that you can go to the market…you are wasting too much time on those chores…hurry up I want to cook dinner before my husband comes back from work..

I stood, i was just about to tell her that I ate the food so that she can come and kill me when June spoke out..

“Mummy I ate all the food…I finished the coconut rice that Pia kept for Lano and Midi, I was hungry when I returned from school so let Lano and Midi eat Noddles instead…no more rice left…

They all turned to look at her as June wore a mean face so that she will appear convincing, but she was looking all funny with the way she said it, Lano he elder sister spoke first

” stop lying June…you don’t even know how to lie very well…and you don’t even like coconut rice, pia has eaten the food and asked you to lie on her behalf…Pia is now teaching you how to lie…mummy has warned you of your closeness with her you won’t listen…you are a small girl but see the way you are lying like an adult..

“Lano…leave me alone… Pia is not teaching me anything bad…Lano the rice you are asking for I know you won’t eat it, you just want mummy to beat Pia, the rice you took to school you didn’t eat it all, I saw you giving it to dog when you came back, and I know that is same thing you will do if you are giving the food, you will still give it to the dogs and tell Pia to make Noddles for you, you will be sending her to do many things after mummy has sent her, as if Pia is a machine…

” will you shut up June..who thought you how to talk back at your sister…who is teaching you all this bad character..ooh I know is Pia..so you are learning bad behaviour from her now…oya…run to your room quickly…

After June left, Aunty Koh faced me, while Lano was giving me a disgusting look, which I pretended as if I didn’t see he,
“Pia what happened to the food I ordered you to keep. ..

” I’m sorry ma…I ate it…I was very hungry so..

“Shut that your stinking mouth…bastard…If you are hungry how’s that my business…do I look like your harlot mother… Let that food purge you, nonsense, For disobeying my orders you will not taste anything in this house today and tomorrow… I will keep starving you if that’s what you you, if not that my husband has asked me not to hit you again I would have love to decorate your body with more marks… And you are even trying to initiate my daughter June into your coven…witch, any day I catch you teaching her nonsense I will kill you and if I kill you nobody will ask of you because you are a nobody, do I still need to remind you that you are just a useless bastard like your mother who got pregnant for an unknown man and she gave birth to you and dump you with your grandmother, she move ahead with her life because you are a bad omen, she later got married to another man who doesn’t want to have anything to do with you…you were stuck with your grandmother who can not properly take care if herself, but she try to do for you what your mother can’t do, when we came for you because I needed help with the house chores you were just nine years, your grandmother wanted us to send you to school and take good care of you as if you matter at all, well we told her what she wanted to hear, hahahaha assuring her that you will go to the same school with my kids and we will take care of you very well and she was happy because that is what she wanted to hear us say, you are sixteen now and you think we Will care for you forever, I took care of you to the best of my ability, I feed you, house you and cloth you, you should be very grateful because if is some house they would have send you into the street, but I dash you my cloths and undies, and even asked you to hold the undies with needle and thread so that it won’t be falling from your tiny waist, i also asked Lano to give you some of the cloth and pants she is not using again and she did, do you think is everybody that has such opportunity, if you dare disobey me next time I will so kill you and dump your dead body to my dogs and nobody will ever ask me, your grandmother is dead already and your so called mother has a new family to care for, so you have become her past, you are not even a real relation to my husband, you are only from the same kindred with him, you are not a blood relation in anyway, so you see you are a nobody, do and start searching for jobs so that you Will start contributing your own quarter to this house, we have really tried for you, Lano is getting into university next year, so you too should start contributing money for the House upkeep, if you like when you go out their to search for job, get pregnant and end up like your mother but it won’t be in this house, you can raise another bastard like your self in the slump I don’t care and will never Care how you live your life outside here Pia, I don’t, my main concern is don’t initial my children into your coven…especially June, I’m ready to bury you alive if you do rubbish around any of my children, don’t try me I’m warning you…get out if my sight fool…

As i turned to leave I heard Lano talking while others laugh

“Mummy… she smells like dirty pig…stop her from cooking anything before she contaminate our food…

They all laughed as Midi spoke while still laughing

” no..not just dirty pig… Pea…I mean Pia or whatever smells like rotten eggs…hahahaha…

I quietly walked away, immediately I got out of their sight I released all the tears I have being holding back, I allowed the tears to flow freely without trying to stop it
Aunty Koh practically gave me my life history again in just a second, she always remind me of who i am and she’s right I’m a nobody, nobody Will question her if she kills me, even if anybody dare ask she Will shut the person up with money, she and her husband are well to do and money rules in the part where I came from
I got ready for the market and later left, I wasn’t giving transport fare so I doubled up my step so that I can return on time, I don’t want to be reminded again of who I am
As I walked, the ground was weat because it was raining season, suddenly a car came and splashed me mud water all over me, I stood their as my frustration increased, I try not to say an insulting word to the driver as I try to clean the mud from my body,
I don’t really matter to any one, I’m a nobody so anybody can get away with anything they do to me, nobody will question them..
I was still in my thought as I wipe the mud off me when I saw the car reversing back to where I stood

“Hey…young girl…I’m so sorry… I didn’t notice there was a pothole filled with mud in time, by the time I did it was already late.. So sorry… Please where are you going…come in let me drop you…

I looked at him he was young but has lot of bears, what of if he is a kidnapper or arm robber, not like it even matter, I don’t Care anyway and I’m not scared, I have seeing so much trouble that nothing scares me any more, if he is a kidnapper I’m ready to be kidnapped far away from Aunty Koh,
I just quietly entered the car and he zoomed off.

PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA
PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA PIA

PIA Episode 3 by Amah’s Heart

“Where should I drop you..?

” the market…

“You are going to the market…with leg…that’s a long distance from where I picked you…can this your slender body bear the long walk…why didn’t you take a bus..

” I…i..wanted to exercise myself…I think I’m adding too much weight..

“Hahahaha…very funny… That’s an obvious lie…you just lied…weight like this…I suggest you start adding more flesh to your body…you look so thin…hmmm…I saw you talking to yourself… Where you cursing me for splashing mud on you…I’m really sorry for the mud all over you… It wasn’t deliberate…so if you said any ill word to me for the mistake… Please unsay it…take back your word… So it won’t have any negative effect on me…words are powerful…

I started laughing uncontrollable he was just looking at me, me that was talking to myself while cleaning the mud, how can he even think that a mare word will affect him, especially word from somebody like me, a nobody, words has no weight, I thought he was learned not to believe in superstition, I wasn’t so learned but I think I know better than him when it comes to this… Is only God…if there’s one anyway…that has the ability to say a word and it will stand firm…

” is not funny…I mean what I just said…words are powerful…and it shouldn’t be used anyhow…but I understand your plight…and I know I wronged you…but it wasn’t deliberate that was why I said you should take back all you angrily said within yourself against me…

“I didn’t say anything bad after the incident…actually i was just talking to myself…I just said is because I’m a nobody that was why bad things keep happening to me …but I don’t believe that words has any effect… Because alot has being said to me and I also said things to myself out of anger but non of those things happens…so is a fake believe that was why I laughed because I expected more from somebody like you…

” we are humans with different opinion about life, so I won’t counter your belief, but this is the way I was brought up, just have it at the back of your mind that words are powerful, whenever anybody says something negative about you…reject it quickly in your mind and start speaking positive words to your self… I’m not a preacher….I’m Jerry and I’m an engineer… what’s your name and what do you do?

“Pia..my name is Pia..I’m an…a…a..student…who is also searching for a job…so that..i can…support my family..

” Pia…you are very young… I guess you are not up to twenty years yet…you suppose to be in school not searching for job…anyway I don’t have any job for you but I may know some one who needs help with his new house…it depends on the kind of job you are looking for…

“Any kind of work… I’m ready to do it…please tell the person that you have somebody.. Please… I really need it..

We are already in the market, he parked somewhere as we speak, Jerry looked at me awkwardly as I desperately pleaded for the job, he said he will call the man to let him know first, he brought out his phone and call, he put the call on speaker and I heard the man telling him to bring me the following week because he was not around, I was happy at least I have hope,
Jerry ask for the number to reach me I told him I don’t have a phone but I will wait for him at a particular place where he will be able to pick me up next week,
We agreed on the time and place to meet.

Before I go down he gave me money to take transport when I’m going back home, he said he doesn’t want me to trek because I look too thin and with the way I look a common breeze may blow me off the road,
I smile and collected the money which was more than enough for me to buy food in the market and still transport home
After purchasing everything I was sent to buy, I bought some food and ate, since Aunty Koh said I won’t taste anything today and tomorrow let me stuff up myself and pretend as if I’m serving my punishment.
I later went home and she cooked without giving me as usual not like I was expecting food, I have eaten well from the money Jerry gave me and I still have some change from the remaining money for tomorrow’s food, I’m not bothered.

The following week, i told Aunty Koh that I was going to search for job, she told me to finish all my chores of which I woke up early to do everything so that I won’t have anything to delay me, when I told her that I’m done with all the chores, she gave me a very disgusting look before going to check by herself, when she saw that everything was neatly put in place she decided to create another work for me to do just to delay me,

I agreed with Jerry that I will be at the spot by 10am where he will pick me up, and he said it was okay by him but is almost 10am and I’m still at home,
Aunty Koh said i should start ironing all the cloths that Lano and Midi wears to stay at home, she saw my eagerness to leave and knew that the place I plan to go was important to me so she decided to give me work so that I Will be stuck in the house,
I started ironing all the cloth, and folding them up, I kept looking at the time as my heat continue to beat at every passing minute, is already pass ten and I know Jerry will be at the spot by now, I checked the remaining cloths and it was still much, I felt like crying, when will I be able to finish all this cloths today,
I was still thinking of the whole thing when Aunty Koh came to the ironing table and check all the cloths I have ironed down,
I almost cry out as I watch her rumpled all the cloths, she scattered the ironed and fold cloths, before throwing them at me, asking me if that’s the way to iron cloths, she said I should start all over again because I did not iron the cloths properly,

She left and I watch her drove out from the gate, I checked the time it was almost 10:30am, Jerry must have waited for me and left, he has probably thought I wasn’t serious, but something in me wish to run out of the House to go and check if Jerry was still at our agreed spot waiting,

I just put off the iron, and ran off with my slippers in hand, I ran as fast as my tiny legs can Carry,
I was breathless when I got to the spot and I saw Jerry’s car, he was trying to drive off, I guess he has being waiting for sometime and got tired of waiting, I started waving at him to stop and he later noticed me and stopped, I ran up to him still breathless
In all of this the unironed cloths never left my mind, who knows what my punishment will be today
But I don’t care anymore it was time to start living for myself and making some money so that I can feed myself and also get a Small house to live in
I will leave Aunty Koh someday, leaving all her trouble behind. I know it will happen…
let me start saying some positive things now about myself as Jerry taught me…
Who knows he maybe right about positive and negative words.

PIA Episode 4 by Amah’s Heart

“You were Lucky to have meet up…I was already leaving… Being waiting for you over twenty five minutes…we agreed on a time Pia…what kept you so late…

“I’m sorry sir…I was so busy with chores…sorry..

” don’t call me sir…always call me jerry, you need to try and be keeping to time because the person we are going to meet is a no nonsense man, his younger brother lives with him and they are both difficult to please but if you really needed the job you have to keep to time and do your work well…like you said you need the money to support your family so the ball is in your Court….Pia

When we finally got there, it was a fine new house, upstairs and the compound was big, a young guy who was on black and white, ushered us to the well decorated sitting room, he said we should feel comfortable while he inform his boss of our arrival, Jerry Sat down and I stood, he asked me to sit so I just sat with my hands clutched together in front of me,
After sometime a tall huge looking man came from the stairs, Jerry stood up and greeted him, I stand because I wasn’t comfortable at first sitting on such a lovely big chairs, back at home I’m not allowed to sit on the sitting room so I felt uncomfortable sitting down now, the man asked me to sit, i looked at Jerry and he nodded for me to sit so I sat back but I wasn’t relaxed

The man called his butler, who’s name was Ben to get us drink, he asked me what I wanted but I told him I don’t want anything, Jerry spoke up for me and said I will take malt while he will take fruit beer, and it was served chilled to us, I just held the can malt in my hand without bothering to open it while Jerry sip his drink, the man looked at me from head to toe, he told Jerry that I was too young for the job, he said I look under age, too slim and malnourish, Jerry told him that I can do the job, he told him not to conclude yet because of my appearance until he gives me a trial first, I prayed silently to a God I didn’t really believe in, I just needed some sort of miracle at that moment, he looked at me again before asking me how old I was, I have to lie or I will never get the job

“I’m twenty years sir, this is my real stature, is a family thing, we are not fat people in my family,

He asked me if I can cook, and I answered affirmatively, he asked me other things I can do and I started listing before he stopped me, he said he will give me a try first which will determined if he will give me the job or not, he asked me to come the following day, around 8am and start,

As he was still talking, a young boy came down from upstairs, car key in hand, I assume he was the Man’s younger brother that Jerry spoke off, they both look alike, he told his brother that he was going out, he glanced towards me before heading out,

Me and Jerry later left, my malt was still in my hand because I didn’t drink it neither did I drop it, I was quiet as I began to think how I Will be able to leave the house early and resume by 8am, Aunty Koh will not allow me, Jerry noticed my countenance and asked what the problem is, I told him the impossibility of me resuming at the agreed time, he told me not to worry he will drop me off on his way to work, Jerry doesn’t understand my plight yet, is not about dropping me off is about Aunty Koh, but I can’t tell him that now, but I thanked him for his kindness, he dropped me off far from my bustop and said he was going to some where, he gave me money to continue my journey home, before I go down he asked me a question

“Do you pray.. Pia..do you believe in God…

” I don’t know how to pray…I don’t even know if God truly exist…because if he does why do he allow bad things to happen to good people…?

“Hmmm.. I can’t answer your question… Just take everything that ever brothers you to God…he always have answers to all question… Do me a favour, pray to night and commit your new job to God…tell him how you feel..i

” Jerry…I’m sorry… I stopped praying long time ago, when I got tired of talking to a God who never cares about me…is really sad but is the truth…I have forgotten how to pray…

“Then just go home… I will pray for you Pia, you will always be in my prayers. I don’t know what troubles you but I know you will find peace in him…I will see you tomorrow Pia…

” thank you Jerry, I may not come out at the exact time but please do not leave, just wait and I will come running like I did today…

Jerry nodded before driving off, as he drove out if sight I opened the malt that was still in my hand and gulp down everything at a go, I belched twice before walking away,

My aunty may want to starve me again today so I used part of the money Jerry gave me to buy food, I ate very well before leaving,
I noticed one woman was looking at me, she was also buying food, but I didn’t pay her attention,

As I got close to the house my heart beat increase,
It was already evening and night has come to settle, I knew my aunty Will kill me today,
But as I opened the gate her car was not in the garage, which means she was not back yet,
I quickly walked through the backyard to my corner where I sleep, I change up immediately and wanted to go and continue the ironing before she comes back, I heard her car horn,
she was already driving in and her husband was driving behind her, I ran to the ironing table and to My surprise, the cloths were not there, Lano and Midi were busy with their favorite television series,
as I was still wondering who packed up the cloth June came out from her room smiling,

“Don’t worry mummy Will not hurt you today, I ironed and took the cloths to where they suppose to be, the ones I couldn’t iron I fold it up like that, I always watch you doing the ironing sometime so I learnt how to it, I knew you were suppose to iron them so I closed the parlour curtain so that Lano and Midi will not know I was the one doing the ironing, when they were hungry and started shouting your name I made cereals for them as they sat there watching television, they thought you where the one that made the cereals and gave me to serve them, and i also collected their plates and wash when they were done… I also…

Before she could speak further I gently drew her into a hug with tears in my eyes, I can’t thank her enough.

Maybe truly there was a God watching over me
Jerry might be right.
Tonight I Will go on my knees and thank him for using Jerry and June to favour me today.

PIA
#OpraDre

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