REUBEN Episode 2 – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites

491
REUBEN Episode 1 - Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites

REUBEN Episode 2 – Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites

“No! No!! Reuben, drop the guπ!!!” She yelled but the only thing playing in my head was how to f!re.

And then, I heard the living room door open all of a sudden.

“Reuben! Reuben!!” He came in screaming my name.

” Where is he? Oh, I’m finished” He added but I ignored him and had my eyes fixed only on Mom with the guπ in my hands also pointing at her. She stood there already shivering with hands above her head.

I noticed the pot-bellied man picking his trousers swiftly from the floor but before I turned to him again to find out what exactly he was up to, Dad came in, and then I pointed it back at Mom.

“Where’s Reuben?!…” He quizzed in a distressed tone and then paused as soon as he saw the scenario.

“Jesus Christ!” He exclaimed staring at me.

He looked around and then looked at Mom.

“What the hel! is happening here?” He questioned.

I still stood there staring at Mom with my hands stretched forth.

“Ask your wife” I let out slowly, and then pointed the guπ back at the pot-bellied man.

“Reuben, give me that gun” Dad said but I ignored him.

“Give the guπ to your father you nau-ghty boy” The pot-bellied man barked at me.

Can you just imagine? I was going to release the guπ to Dad, but what an effrontery.

By Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites

A finger was already on the tr!gger. I pulled it but the pot-bellied man quickly swayed a white handkerchief as soon as I did and then the bu!let returned to Dad and met his forehead. He fell directly on his back in the pool of his bl00d. I threw the gun aside, ran to him, and carried his head in my arms as his bl00d kept dripping from his head down my arms and then to the floor.

“Daddy! Daddy!!” I called at the top of my voice but the once agile Dad of mine laid there breathless like a log of wood.

I looked up and saw the man already rushing and dressing up. I didn’t even know whether to scream or pick up the guπ a second time.

“Woman, I am out of here. Are you coming with me or you’ll stay here and go to ja!l?” He quizzed staring at Mom, already set to run out any moment.

Mom hurried toward her wardrobe and dragged out a bubu dress.

“I’m coming with you, please I don’t want to go to ja!l” She said struggling to put on her dress and hurrying after the pot-bellied man who was already on his way out.

I sat there confused, and helpless. Mom left me all alone and ran away with her lover. I looked at Dad again and tried forcing his eyelids open but there was nothing I could do.

“I should have told you about Mom and the pot-bellied man. Dad, I’m sorry” I said in between sobs.

“Run” A voice whispered in my head.

I gently dropped Dad’s head on the floor and then I rushed into my bathroom to wash off the bl00d stains off my body. I took off my stained uniform too and then I dumped it in the bathroom. Opened my wardrobe, picked up a pair of trousers and a shirt and I was wearing it on my way out when I suddenly heard bangs on the door. I froze immediately.

“Who is it?” I managed to ask.

“Reuben, it’s me Aunty Alaba” The voice said.

I rushed to the door and then threw it open, and I went outside.

“I’m just returning from the market, and Daisy’s Mom who has a grocery store across was telling me that she heard a gunshot from this compound and that she saw your Mom and one man like that who parked his car outside the gate driving out.”

“Noo, I heard nothing” I said waving my hands and was already rushing out.

“Reuben, are you ok?” She quizzed staring at me as I rushed out of the compound.

“I’m … I’m fine ma” I yelled back, opened the gate, and then slammed it after me.

I didn’t even know where I was going, but in most of the movies I had watched as a kid, whoever was caught shooting a guπ was always k!lled or put in pris0n. I didn’t want that to happen to me, I needed to escape before anyone would notice what had happened. I jogged to the other street, to another street, and another street. It went on and on till I could no longer find my way home.

I later found my way into a very popular market the following day after sleeping in a dilapidated store. I was tired and so famished, so I sat before a store that sells grains to see if manna would fall from heaven cos I was already shivering due to lack of food.

“Hey, th!ef! Oya get up from there and get lost before I descend on you” A very fat woman said peeping through the window of the store.

“I’m not a thief ma, I’m just hungry” I said holding my Tommy as tears welled up in my eyes.

“You’re hungry? Does this place look like a restaurant? Will you leave there before I bring a horsewhip?” She r@ged.

I jumped up and then left there in a hurry and kept roaming and roaming the market till it was dark again, and that was how I had nothing to eat for complete two days.

On the third day, I made up my mind that whatever would be would be. I saw little boys carrying loads on their heads and backs and getting paid in return, and then I decided to try it just to get food with the money. The first time I tried it I almost collapsed halfway, and the owner of the load refused to pay me even a penny.

I went to a restaurant and ordered white rice and stew, Dodo (fried plantain), fried fish, and beef. I had nothing in my pocket but whatever would be would be. I grabbed the plate of food from the seller when she was going to drop it on the table before me and started to devour it. She paused and then stood before me with her mouth agape, clapped her hands three times but what concerns a hungry boy with such a show?

“Oga o (what a pity)” She said shaking her head and then left.

A customer stood up after paying the food seller and I saw his wallet dropped out of his pocket. I didn’t call his attention to it. I picked it up as soon as he left, opened it and there were a bunch of a thousand Naira notes. I dragged out a note and paid the food seller for my food. I held the wallet, and was grinning at the same time when the owner walked in. He started looking around, and as soon as I noticed that, I was going to sneak the wallet into my back pocket when he yelled.

“Hey you, bring that wallet”

I turned and looked around but there was only one exit door. He hurried to me and then grabbed my ear.

“Th!ef o! Th!ef o!!” He screamed calling for people’s attention…

To be continued.

Do not copy without giving credit to the writer!

©️Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites

#OpraDre REUBEN Episode REUBEN Episode REUBEN Episode REUBEN Episode REUBEN Episode

DROP YOUR COMMENT

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments