CHAPTER TWO

I felt a cold touch and my eyes opened. I saw my father, he sat on the bed beside me as he saw me awakening.

"Papa, Good morning" I greeted and he smiled, he held my hand up and stared at it.

"Just look at your hands, dark and pretty," he said and rolled my eyes inwardly, he's only trying to make me smile.

"Look here Ochanya, you are a Queen, you are beautiful and your skin color is one in a million, I know your siblings taunt you for being dark but don't let that weigh you down, you are just like my mother and she's a beautiful woman that produced me"

"Papa, why am I different? Papa, do you think I'm a bastard?" I asked and he shook his head.

"No you are not, you are my daughter, my queen, my pride," he said and pulled me in for a hug, I just love my father a lot.

"I just wish Mama loved me like you do" I muttered but he heard cos he chuckled.

"Ochanya" he called.

"Papa" I answered

"Your mother loves you more than I do, she's just not showing it," he said and I sighed, I wonder when she'll start showing me she loves me the way she loves my siblings.

"Okay papa" I replied, he patted my back and left my room.

***

After having my bath, I dressed up, I couldn't be late for choir rehearsal, so I searched for my favorite black scarf.

"Rita!" I rolled my eyes, and only one person called me that, my mother.

I took my scarf and rushed towards her.

"Yes mama"

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Today is Saturday, I'm going to rehearsal" I replied.

"Okay, give Paul's mother this money on your way back from rehearsal," she said and I counted the money. As I counted, I noticed that one of the notes was ripped

"It's N10,000 Mama and this one thousand has torn," I said and she nodded

"I know, it can still be spent, Keep it well, and don't misplace it" she warned and I nodded. I left and on my way out, I put it in the band of my wrapper. I carried my bible and my jotter and left the house.

I was singing on my way to church, then suddenly a huge snake fell from the tree in front of me, it's very big and I kept contemplating if it was a python or a snake. It hissed at me, jerking me back to reality, and made its way towards me, it crawled towards me, my eyes widened in fear and I took to my heel, I ran as my leg could carry me along the bush path, my right foot collided with a tree branch and I fell flat on my chest but I didn't relent, I stood in a swift and continued to run.

Something persuaded me to stop, I was in the neighborhood already and I thought it would have gone back, I looked behind me and realized I'd only been running with nothing chasing me. I heaved a sigh of relief and started moving forward, I decided to follow another route, I didn't want to come across the snake again.

God!

I stopped with a halt. Something isn't right. I touched the band of my wrapper.

It's gone!

The N10,000 my mother told me to give to Paul's mother is gone, I'm so dead.

It must have fallen when I was running from the snake now I have to go through that path in search of it, I hope no one has passed there yet. I sluggishly turned and walked towards the path, my body cringing at the slightest form of sound as I stayed alert.

I'm scared of the snake and I'm scared I won't find the money, my mother will kill me.

I searched everywhere, I went to and fro the bush path but I couldn't find it. I placed my hands on my head as tears fell from my eyes involuntarily. I started searching again, not wanting to give up yet.

"Looking for something?" I heard Okwo's voice and I hissed.

"Please, I don't have time for your nonsense today!" I said not bothering to look at him

"Who knows maybe I might have what you are looking for?" He said and I turned to look at him. He might have seen the money now I have to sweet-talk him.

"Erm... Okwo, I'm looking for ten thousand naira, it's my mother's and I have to deliver the money to Paul's mother before dusk" I said calmly.

"Just ten thousand naira? Oh my God! Ochie, why are you doing this? Why would you cry just for ten thousand?" He wailed and I inwardly rolled my eyes.

"Okwo, did you see it for me?" I asked sternly hoping he'd say yes, I can't handle the heartbreak of him saying No.

"No Ochanya," he said and hit my foot on the ground as I wailed.

"I'm dead today" I cried.

"Ochie, don't cry, I'll give you the ten thousand naira," he said, catching my attention.

"You'll what?" I asked again.

"I'll give it to you if you stop crying," he said and I instantly wiped my face.

"Thank you okwo, I promise I'll give it back to you later, I'll save up for it," I said happily.

"No, you don't have to," he said and reached for his pocket and brought out money, he counted it and I counted it with him.

"Sorry ochie, it's just five thousand I have here," he said and faced his friends.

"Does any of you have five thousand there?" He asked and they all shook their head. I started crying again, I really can't handle my mother's wrath tonight.

"Okay, I have a solution, I have more money in my house, come with me so I can give you the complete money," he said. Normally, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with Okwo but what choice do I have now? I don't think he'd harm me in any way, I'm the second daughter of Chief Ameh the Ad'ogbadibo of Orokam, he won't want trouble.

"Okay," I said softly.

We moved towards his house, and as I followed him to his house I avoided the gaze of the villagers, they must be wondering what I was doing with Okwo.

"Here we are," he said with a smile. "This is the first time you came to the house, come in let me treat you the way a visitor is treated," he said and I forced a smile.

"Don't worry Okwo, just go in and bring the money, I'm late for choir rehearsal" I said and he shrugged.

"Okay," he said and went in, his friends were behind me whispering to themselves.

"Who cares about what they are talking about," I thought.

"Ochanya!" Okwo called from inside

"Yes," I replied.

"The money fell under the chair, come and lift the chair with me," he said and I sighed. I went in.

The house is nothing compared to my father's house, it's wretched! Dusty! and tattered!

I went inside his room and looked around, there's no chair around so which chair was he talking about? I faced him clearly showing him my confused face and he shot me a toothy grin. Before I knew what was going on, his friends had locked the door behind me, and some closed the window from outside and grabbed me.

He lifted me and threw me on his stinking bed as I screamed at the top of my voice, his house is a little bit out of the neighborhood so I doubt if anyone would hear me. He forced me down and grabbed my breast I slapped his hand away but I earned a slap on my face in return.

"Okwo, please let me go I promise not to tell anyone about this" I pleaded with tears in my eyes but it fell on deaf ears.

We know the rest...

***

He stood up and put on his trousers as I just stared at the cracked ceiling in tears, I cried silently on the bed. I cursed myself as it dawned on me that this good-for-nothing Okwo just took my pride, my innocence, my virginity from me.

"Won't you start leaving?" He asked as he threw my wrapper to my face and I covered my body with it. I wish I had worn a skirt, at least he'd have gone through the stress of getting it off and maybe I could have been rescued miraculously.

I tried to suppress my tears not to sound pitiful but I couldn't help it as I cried louder.

"Will you please stop crying like a duck and get out of here?" He yelled making me flinch as I picked up my torn underwear in a rush.

"How dare you do this to me, I promise you! I promise you Okwo, you won't go scot-free! I'll report you to my father!" I threatened as I cried

"For what offense?" He asked with a smile

"You raped me!" I screamed

"I did?" He asked and I stared at him and he laughed. "Come on Ochie, we made love, you followed me here voluntarily and the villagers saw it, you entered my house voluntarily so what are we talking about? Listen here, report me to your father, I promise you it will be my word against yours" he said and I cried the more.

I struggled to stand up as I felt as if a plank had been through me. I walked slowly like an infant going through her first step. I turned to face him and he threw money to my face.

"That's the ten thousand you wanted," he said and left me in the room. As much as I'd have loved not to take his money, I still have to give it to Paul's mother on my mother's behalf. I wiped my face and slowly walked out, it was dark already, and I made my way towards Mama Paul's house.

Something prompted me to count the money to if it was complete and I received the shock of my life, the torn one thousand I saw when I was counting the money when my mother gave it to me, the torn one thousand is there, I checked the whole money.

"It's the same money my mother gave to me," I said to myself as tears slipped down my face. Okwo saw the money and tricked me to his house knowing I'd be desperate to get another ten thousand naira. I was so foolish not to have wondered where Okwo would get ten thousand nairas, he doesn't have a job and he feeds from his father's sweat, why didn't I even think about it so I could conclude that it's a trick? I turned swiftly and ran home.

I refuse to be cheated, he has to be punished. I can't be silent and let him go Scot free moreover he'll keep ridiculing me as long as I still stay in this community.