Chapter Nine

The next day, after everyone had gone out as usual, Kendra went to one of her neighbours to borrow her phone and call her master. Her master picked it and told her he has sent the money. She thanked him and the woman that lent her the phone before leaving for her dad's shop. On her way to his shop, she thought of the best way to approach her dad and make him allow her withdraw the money but she couldn't come up with a good idea. It was really difficult, putting her anger towards her dad aside. She wanted to disobey him and probably annoy him to show him how angry he made her. But she knew doing that won't make her get what she wants.

"Ok. I need to calm down and speak to him in a language he will understand. But which language does he even understands? Can he ever understand the fact that I can't afford to lose my admission this year?"

She financially reached and saw him busy with his phone. Like he was trying to repair it. She breathed calmly before walking to him.

"So you feel like you have grown too big to have regards for me? I can't make decisions for you anymore? After everything I told you, you still had the guts to approach me for the money. You are a very disrespectful child. Kendra do you realise that as your father, I can never make bad decisions for you...."

"Dad I'm sorry if I offended you." Kendra immediately doubted her ears. She just said the words she thought her lips can never process. She didn't even plan for it." She continued with courage.

"I just want you to understand the way I feel. My one and only dream right now is to start school this year, because if I don't, I would have wasted two years of my life and my efforts and money would be a waste. This might even be my only opportunity. I don't deserve it because my score was too low, but I still got the admission. I understand the fact that there is no money but I believe that there is still hope for me. We all thought there was no hope for Wisdom and Tony when they were sent home for fees, until I offered to help. I know the decision I made is pretty risky but please.....just let me do it myself. It is ok if I still don't succeed at last. I would rather try and fail than not try at all and regret it at last or wonder if I would have made it, if I had tried." She said to him, feeling relieved finally. She couldn't believe she just did it. She just opened up to her dad without shaking or shouting.

"Truly, nothing is as good as good sincere communication from the heart."

Chike felt embarrassed. It felt like all his rational body stopped functioning for a while, and then started again, in a better way. He had no choice than to let his daughter withdraw the money.

When she got to the bank, she noticed a crowd of people that were gathered somewhere outside the bank premises. She ignored them and went inside the bank. After withdrawing the money, she came out and noticed the crowd has increased in number. She wondered what was happening and what they gathered to see. Her curiosity didn't lead her to them; she wanted to pay her fees as quick as possible. She still minded her business and walked past them. Before she knew what was happening, alot of people began to run to different directions. She held the money she had withdrawn and other belongings tightly and was about run too but was suddenly pushed down by a number of people. She tried standing up but they kept stepping on her while running. She forcefully pushed herself up when she noticed a mad man approaching some of them with a weapon, from behind. With the little strength she had left, she ran to a shop were some of the people had run to. That was when she noticed the scratches on her body. She dusted her clothes and her purse. She immediately opened her purse when she remembered she was holding her school fees. It wasn't there. She quickly searched her pocket but the money wasn't there either. She searched again and again, hoping to find it as tears were beginning find it way into her eyes. She shook her head violently in disbelief and continued searching. Some of the people around were already asking her if she was ok.

"No I'm not! I can't find my thirty five thousand naira!" She shouted, looking unorganized and frustrated.

"Why did you go to a crowded place with such huge amount of money? Isn't that the bank opposite you, where you can deposit your money?" A man among them scolded her.

"He is right. I should have come with the school account number so that I won't have to go back home to get it before paying the money to the school account. Why was I so stupid?" She cursed and continued searching. She came out from the shop since the mad man that caused the chaos has been seized. She turned her purse upside down on the ground and scatted the things that fell out from it.

"Young lady go home. Accept the fact that you have lost your money and go home. If you are wise, you would have learnt your lessons by now." The same man said to her. People were now watching her as she was creating a scene. Kendra decided not to listen to the man. She knew she would be so dead if she goes home and tell her parents. She threw all the things she was holding and began to wail, with her two hands on her head. As if it wasn't enough, she threw herself on the ground and cried shamelessly. Some onlookers had to rush to her and console her. Kendra refused to be consoled and she showed no fear when one of them threatened to beat her if she doesn't listen. She was still sitting on the ground and crying when a car began to horn behind her. She paid deaf ears to the person and continued wailing and crying. She couldn't believe her only hope of admission for the year has been ruined. She prayed her actions will touch the heart of whoever stole the money. The driver continued to horn but Kendra won't make a move. He decided to get down from his car and get the messy girl out of the road. When he reached her, it was nothing like what he expected. Kendra wasn't different from a mad woman to him, so he called people to help him drag her out of the road. He believed that there was no way he could talk to a mad woman to leave the road. Kendra was forcefully taken out and the driver was ready to go. She couldn't believe this was actually happening to her. While the man slowly drove his car, Kendra stood up from the ground and began to gather her belongings.

"Go to him ." A voice suddenly said to her in her head. Without a second thought, she threw all the things she was holding, including her dad's ATM card. She ran after the man's car, still crying and waving to him. She finally reached because he wasn't driving fast.

"What does this mad lady wants from me...?

"Sir please help me, I need some money for my fees. If you don't help me my life will be ended by the time I get home."

"Leave my window young lady. Go away from there." She was stopping him from driving fast.

"Sir if you don't help me, I will commit suicide and my blood will be on your head! Just help me. I promise to do anything you want!" She insisted, still walking fast inorder to catch up with him.

On hearing "I promise to do anything you want", Iyke decided to seize this opportunity."

The onlookers kept watching the them. Some even ran and walked faster with her inorder to see everything.

"This girl just won't give up." One of them said.

"Get in the car." He said to her, looking completely harmless.

"These sex workers will never stop bothering me. I will use her as an example to others." He thought while waiting for her.

Kendra completely forgot her "security rules"and belongings which were still on the ground and ran to the other side of the car. She was afraid the man might drive off once she leaves him to go to the other side and sit, so she ran to the place forgetting everything behind.

"How much do you want?" He asked and increased the speed of his car.

"Any amount sir. I will be very grateful."

"Any amount ? Ok." He said with a mischievous smile and closed all the windows in the car.

On seeing this Kendra suddenly remembered everything and began to panicked.

"Why were you on the ground when I saw you?

"I lost thirty five thousand naira that was meant for my school fees.

"Sir this is not the kind of help I need." She said and tried not to show her fears.

Iyke laughed at her statement and Kendra wondered if it was actually funny.

"I haven't even offered any help yet? What help are you talking about?"

"Why did you close all the windows? I need air. Where are you even taking me to?"

"You said you wanted money. You foolishly misplaced thirty five thousand naira which was meant to be your fees right?" Kendra was surprised at how calm he was. Why was he even smiling?

"Yes?"

"So I want to help you by giving you the money....and more." The last statement came in an unfriendly tone.

"Stop the car. Now!" She tried to be brave; he could use her fear against her. Iyke ignored her and even drove faster

"I said stop the car!"

"Or else what? You distract me and let both of us become have of accident?"

"Why are you even doing this? You don't want to help me , do you?"

"Are you that naive? I decided to "help" and told you to enter my car, which you did. I bagan to drive, you still weren't suspicious, yet you claim to just need help. By the time I'm done with you, other sex workers will learn their lessons from you."

Kendra could already hear the loud beating of her heart.

"If you don't want to help me, it's ok. You can just let me go. What do you mean by that statement you made?"

"What I mean is that, I will use you as an example to your fellow prostitutes." He replied grimly and Kendra wish there was atleast an atom of friendliness in his voice.

"Ok.... I don't really know what you are talking about, but I must let you know that I'm not a prostitute. I don't understand why you have so much hatred for them and I don't want to know. Just let me go."

"Too late. I refused to let you in at first but you refused to take no for an answer. I will give you that money you want and more." He said to her with a mischievous smile and her body was suddenly covered in goose pimples.

"He is going to rape me." The thought of it sent tears streaming down her cheeks. An idea came to her mind and she started looking for something, anything. She found nothing but wondered what she would do with whatever She finds.

"So this what it feels like? The girl becomes hopeless because there is no way out. No one left to turn but death. Death becomes the only solution to the problem, or maybe not." She began to say some prayers in her mind but it felt like nothing was happening. She turned to Iyke who has been watching her enjoying her fearful reaction. She begged and begged in tears but he kept driving. His behavior irritated her and she decided to take the risk. She suddenly attacked Iyke, beginning with his hands. He almost hit a tree before he pushed Kendra away from him and focused. He suddenly stopped the car, unlocked the door and pushed Kendra out of his car. Before the blink of an eye lid, Iyke has started the car and driven off. Kendra immediately ran after him but it was useless. She screamed for help but no one came to her aid.

Kendra found herself alone in an unknown street, that seems to be so quiet and lonely. She wondered if people actually live there. She regretted everything. Not listening to the people who had told her to go home, flaunting her dad's order by withdrawing the money. She became scared, knowing she was alone in the Street and it was getting dark. She wondered why the man was treating her this way. What does he have with prostitute? Why does he hates them?

"I'm sure it is not just because they are sex workers. There must be another reason for that. She kept standing on a spot, cursing the man who had put her in the condition and looking around her with fearful eyes. If only she knew where she was. She suspected that since there was no one there, it simply means the place was a forbidden area.

"God! What did I do to deserve this?" She broke down into uncontrollable tears.