THE DISCOVERY

PART THREE

When I returned home that holiday, inside my dad's room I scattered everywhere having the smallest objects moved from its initial position. My dad and mum would be away for two weeks so the house was all mine.

Finally, I found the picture at the least place someone would ever thought of searching. I found it at a little opening beside his bed. And immediately, I rushed to the nearest photo studio to have the picture duplicated, then returned back his copy.

"Who could be in the right position to know exactly who this woman was?" that was the question yet to be answered in my mind. Then I flashed back to the village "Mama Aweda" I grinned as I recalled.

Mama Aweda was the person I knew that would stand a better chance to explain who the woman was and aside that fact, she was the closest relative we had. The only relative we usually pay a visit to in the village. Sometimes during the holidays my dad does drive us to the village to spend the summer with her.

The morning shadows had drawn on the ground when I left for the village on the third day after I found the picture. Throughout the ride I had the picture of the woman in my hand, staring at it continually, wondering who she was.

Ko... Ko... Ko... I knocked the door "Who's at the door?" Mama Aweda voiced out from the kitchen.

"Mama it's me Itunu, your daughter" I answered.

"Itunuoluwa omo ejire" she began eulogizing me. "What do I own this surprise visit for?"

"Mama I have something I will love to know" I started after about an hour later "And I knew you are the only one that can tell me nothing but the truth"

"What's that my daughter?" she asked consciously.

I removed the picture from my bag and handed it over to her. As soon as she saw the face, she jerk backwards, pushing her hand forward as if the picture has shocked her face. Silence embedded our midst for a moment.

"Where did you get this picture? And how did you get it?" she asked as if she wasn't sure of the person on it.

"From my dad's briefcase" I answered.

"Then your dad will stand a better chance to explain who this person was to you" she muttered without emotions.

"That's why I am here Mama. I know even if the heavens will have to come down my dad won't tell me a thing. Please Mama if you know anything about this woman don't hide it from me. I want to know, Mama please" I pleaded, already on my knees.

Mama Aweda took a deep breath "Do you really want to know?" she asked. "The basic truth?"

"That is why I am here Mama" I nodded.

She stared at the picture again, shook her head "Is only a foolish and stupid old man that would lie to a child who entrusted him. Because, the children, even the adults believed so much in older men. They all believed that the truth can only be gotten from the older ones. So when an old man or woman lied, he/she had betrayed the others. He/she had sold our trust and the children would believe in us no more. But I won't be such old fellow. I will tell you nothing but the truth. The raw truth" she said.

"Thank you Mama and I promise not to fail you" I whispered in excitement.

"But you will also have a role to play but don't worry, your role is very simple" she muttered, turning her eyes to scan the red earth wall opposite us.

"And what is that Mama? I can do anything just to know the truth" I replied confidently.

"You shall never let another party to hear a whisper of what I'm about to tell you. Though we all believe that no secret last forever but that shouldn't interfere in this" she warned.

"I promised, no one not even the wall would hear this from me" I promise. Keeping to her promise I have no reason for telling this story. I have promised her that no living soul would hear the secret from me. It was a secret, it is a secret, and it shall remain a secret.

"Your mother Adesewa was a very beautiful woman just as you are" Mama Aweda began. "She was the center of attraction to all the young men in the village during her time. All the men always wished to have her as a wife. She was beautiful, loving, kind, generous and hardworking.

"Your father on the other hand was a humble young man, handsome to every woman's satisfaction. He was a man of little words but fast in action. Your father found favour in the sight of your mother. She insisted on choosing your father as her husband to be despite all the wealthy and powerful suitors seeking for her hand in marriage. She never relented nor lose hope in your father. But!" she paused, cleared her throat then stared at me for a while. I said nothing then she continued.

"But your father did what seemed to be like a betrayal" she muttered slowly.

"Betrayal?" I mumbled almost below a whisper.

"Yes, what seems to be like a betrayal. Betrayal?" she questioned herself. "Betrayal I say? No! Betrayal doesn't seem to be the right word, yet I can't say it wasn't a betrayal". For a moment she was quiet with her head bowed as if her memory was betraying her. The next time she raised her head, her face had gone hard and frowned. She scratched her grey hair, I scratched my elbow. She smiled, I frowned. Then she frowned, then I smiled.

"When he succeeded having your mother's tummy loaded with pregnancy which was you. Things took a mirror look and began falling apart for him. He became frustrated, he could no longer have himself fed more-or-less your mother. At the time the knife got to his neck, he pushed backwards and fled away. He left your mother in hardship and suffering. No one knew his whereabouts neither do anyone heard from him.

"Your mother maintained her grounds. She rejected all the suitors who were willing to have her under their roofs even with the pregnancy. When her parents got tired of feeding her, they thought pushing her to the streets would have her thoughts changed and force her to put other suitors into consideration" she stopped, then continued after taking a deep breath.

"But same was the case. Her heart remained stiff like stone as if she was spellbound by your father. When she looked round and discovered she had nowhere to go, she ran to me. I accepted her wholeheartedly. She lived under my roof, but she was an unlucky poor lady, a woman with misfortune. She came at the right appropriate wrong time when things were tough. I could then hardly have my children fed once in a day more-or-less her. She was left with no option than to work as alagbese (Labourer) in people's farm. She worked from sunrise to sunset. Some days, she would be in the bush fetching firewood for Mama Basira who sells foo-foo at the other junction" she explained, pointing towards Mama Basira's buka.

"What a pity" I said after a while.

She cleared her throat again, picked the stainless cup with water beside her, had two gulps down to wet her throat then presented the cup to me to also have a gulp. In a rush I gulped the water trice to moist my throat. She waited for me to drop the cup before she continued.

"She had been chased several times" she continued. "Severally, the spirit of trees chases her whenever she goes out to pick Agbalumo or sometimes eru. But your mother was a highly determined woman, that didn't stopped her from trying. Hmmmmn, but the dog that would lost in the wilderness wouldn't listen to the whistle of the hunter. Nevertheless, not to have her blamed, again a yam that will burn will burn either boiled or roasted" she stopped, adjusted herself properly, her face calm as it has been from the start. And I sat motionlessly regarding her, astonished.

"What do you mean Mama?" I muttered.

She smiled at me "She must have made a wrong move by engaging herself into oil production. She was introduced to it by one of her good friends just few months before your birth. Though it wasn't an independent work. She does it for Iya Elepoadun. On the day of the incident" she paused again, remained silent for a very long time.

"What incident?" I broke the silence just at my notice that she wasn't ready to say any further without being questioned.

"It happened at the mid-day, the most dangerous hour of the day, about one o'clock noon. She was at the river washing the palm fruits when suddenly" she stopped again, her eyes watery with tears but she held it back, blew her nose then continued.

"Suddenly, I can not really tell you what she saw, what actually happened because I wasn't there, you understand. But I thought she saw a flash at the middle of the water, a bright shining light. She wanted to scream but couldn't. She then fell face-ward into the water. The closest person to her at that point in time in the forest was about a half kilometer away. He was a hunter known as Ode Alaimaperan. He was never known to enter a forest without returning with a bush meat of various kinds. He came to her rescue when he visited the river to have his throat wet or moist with water".

"God must have sent him for her rescue at that time" I cut in.

Ignoring my statement, she continued "He brought her back home, only her breath was the evidence of her being alive"

"Thank God for that" I said quickly when she paused, my expression of astonishment softening.

"Her road to recovery was a very long one. With the help of the hunter and other strong medicine men around. She began to regain back herself but she alter no word again until the day of your birth".

"Really? That's serious" I cut in sharply again.

"On the day of your birth which was the day of her death" she began, paused. She could not hold back her tears as it rolled uncontrollably down her cheek.

I breathe uncomfortably, placed my left hand on her shoulder to console her. She raised her face again then wiped her tears. Her eyes reddish and burning.

"She was in her room when I heard her groan. I rushed at once to help her with delivery. When I realized I couldn't do it alone I called for help from neighbors. She groaned in pains and finally you were flushed out. Your cry was heard loudly and everyone was happy. Looking at the face of the baby's mother, she was struggling to voice out a word. She stretched her hand towards her baby and I lowered the child to her view and touch. She stared at you for a very long time, shuffled your hair with her bloody hand. As if she wanted to vomit something, quickly I withdrew you backwards. After regaining herself she stretched forward her hand again and again I lowered you for her sight then surprisingly to everyone she spoke for the first time since after the river incident. "Itunuoluwa" she whispered in a very low tone and that... That... That was the last word that came out of her mouth which was given to you as a name. The word was yet to escape fully from her mouth when she fell down. I handed you over to a neighbor who I don't care to know, gripped her tight, she opened her eyes, smiled at me then had them closed again. That was the last time I saw her eye balls and her dry smile. The last moment with her. I fell on my knees and wept bitterly" she stammered in tears.

"It's OK Mama" I consoled.

After she regained herself, she wiped off her stained face, blew off her nose again. "I missed her, I really missed her" she remarks finally.

"But that wasn't all" she muttered quickly, widening her eyes, her cheeks lengthened with a dry smile. Her face was moist and she wiped it off with her wrapper. I smiled back despite myself, then my face grew serious.

"Have you ever lost someone very close to you before?" she asked timidly now, and her face tensed, her eyes narrow as if she were preparing to rise. "Do you know the feeling?"

My lips shaped the word "No" but no sound came out. I cleared my throat "No" I remarked as I adjusted myself to sit properly. I was resting on my elbow, my face cradled in my right palm and my avid expression was incongruous with the redness of her eyes.

Mama Aweda looked at me for a very long time in silence, her expression unreadable to me and I found myself looking away to avoid her burning eyes.

"I won't bother myself to explain what you won't understand" she said after a while. "That was the end of her story, her end was a very sad one. She never enjoyed a day of rest. And her end marked the beginning of your story. Her death marked your birth and your birth marked her death and her death marked the mysterious beginning of your story. Yes her death marked the mysterious beginning of your life" she repeated for me to know it wasn't a mistake.

"Mysterious?" I questioned.

"Yes, mysterious. But I will explain" she said then cleared her throat to quickly continue.

The sun had already shone it's light into the dark room casting the window's shadow on the other side of the wall, I adjusted myself to avoid the ray on my body. Suddenly, a thought came upon me. Do I have to believe this woman? What about the woman in my father's house who I have been calling mother ever since I opened my eyes to knowledge. My lovely mother. Of course I can't believe she isn't my mother. No step mother would ever treat her step daughter with such love as she has does to me. I was her favorite, her one in a million, the apple of her eyes. She can't do a day without hearing my voice. She always wished I should be by her side, sitting next to her. I could remember during vacations, she would have my head buried in her laps and weave my hair thoroughly. "Mama Itunu" as they would always call her and she would proudly turn to answer whoever calls her with my name tag.

At nights, she often comes to check my room to assure my safety. No child was treated as such in my home. I was her everything, and yes I can proudly say that anywhere. Her usual problem with my dad always arise whenever am being denied anything at an instant. I could remember how sleepless and restless she would be whenever am ill. She would sit at my head, sing to my ears and cuddle me to sleep. Of course I do enjoy those moments.

How would someone just wake up one day with a tale, telling me about my mother? I thought the story should be for someone else and not me. Even at death, I can't believe she isn't my mother. Even at gunpoint I can't deny her as my biological mother. So what was this woman talking about?

"Are you aware that you were born with two teeth?" she continued, staring at me, then pulled herself forward to gain proper balance.

"No" I said as I shook my head in disbelieve. I frowned and she smiled, she frowned and I smiled, and then she smiled again.

"Yes you were born with two upper teeth" she affirmed, cleared her throat and spat out a mucus through the window.

"You were born with two upper teeth" she repeated. "But that has not much to do about you anyway. Your father returned home few weeks after the death of your mother. He was blamed for her death. And without any argument he bought the blame".

"The child" she said. "The child was handed over to him without after thought. He became frustrated, he ran helplessly to whichever place he thought might be convenient for the child to be kept and well trained. But he found nowhere, the child was rejected even by his own mother".

"Even his mother? My grandma?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Yes his mother rejected the baby. When he realized he has no any other alternative place to go, he came back to me. He kept the baby in my custody with a promise of returning home a week later.

"Of course he never failed his promise. He came back a week later with a lady he said would take care of his child. The lady accepted to take good care of the child, you! With all her faith. And from there whence forth, you were handed over to her".

"And where is the woman now?" I asked presently, my palm on my chin and my weight resting on my elbow with my propped up knees providing support for the members.

She stared into my eye balls for a while and ignoring my question, she continued. "After your father's fast action for your safety, things started working well for him. He became married to an uncommon favour. In just little time he settled back properly" she chocked, wet her throat with a gulp of water then continued.

"A year later, some strange illness started befalling you. You sick constantly, even with the efforts of many medicine men who made every reasonable efforts to get rid of your illness. It never stops for a day. Just then it came to me that we might need a deeper understanding about your illness before conducting any further treatment".

"Awo Jegede!" she said sharply in a loud voice, then she lowered her eyelids and her voice. "Awo Jegede was the man who came to your rescue" she continued. "He told us who really you are" she looked into my eyes, shook her head luxuriously as if she thought of something terrible.

"Awo Jegede revealed that you are a daughter of the queen of the coast" she muttered slowly.

My eyes widened and I shook my head in disbelieve. "No! That can't be the truth" I disagreed.

"Yes of course you are, but you are not" I became ranged in the mixture of confusion. What could she mean by "I am and am not" or could it be that she's in her opposite senses?

"You are confused right?" she asked as if she was reading my thoughts.

"Absolutely confused" I nodded in agreement instantly.

"Don't worry" she sighed "I will get you clarified" she assured.

"OK Mama" I said hastily.

"I wasn't detailed on how you got to your mother's womb, but the little I know I will enlighten you" she muttered.

"Awo Jegede made us to believe that you are been transmitted into your mother's womb at the day of the incident. The day she fell into the water. According to him, the queen of the coast at that time of the incident was surveying the world happenings when your mother walked to the river. The queen's moment was interrupted by her. At that time of the day, the queen of the coast can be physically seen. Unhappily, she dived back into the water, then in annoyance she splashed back. She thought of how to punish your mother for interrupting her moment, then she captured the baby in her womb and had your soul transmitted into the baby, which was you" she looked at me again.

"No... No... No... " I nodded my head in dissatisfaction.

"Do you really want me to tell you the story?" she said as her eyes grew huge and serious.

"Of course yes" I replied.

"Then don't make me feel like a liar"

I lowered my head, my mouth shut tight and in full concentration, my eyes signaling her to continue.

"The queen of the coast had your mother's tongue twisted but spared her for just a period of time. A period of time. Yes" she remarked. "The period left for you to be born. Her intentions was to use you as a satellite to the world, to monitor all human activities without being interrupted or obstructed by anyone. After your birth, she took her life. And as for you" she suddenly turned to me, my heart cut and my fear gripped me with the manner at which she took the sharp turning, her face serious.

"As for you" she repeated "You were meant only to spend five years in the world of the universe"

"Five years?" I asked calmly.

"Yes five years" she snapped "But there was a solution"

"What was the solution?" I patiently asked.

"Your body can be fully redeemed back but as for your soul. It all lies on you, your decision. It was your cross to carry. But I felt betrayed by Awo Jegede because I know very well that there was a secret about your soul he never revealed. Much clarification was never unfolded about who owned your soul, if she has power over you or not"

"Wow! What a tale" I thought within myself.

"A respectful sacrifice was made to redeem your body, maybe likely to buy your soul" she began again after a little pause.

"Seven adult white virgin goats, seven white ducks, seven white pigeon, seven twin bitter kola, seven three eyes coconuts, seven black dogs, water from seven separate rivers from seven different sources and seven white male virgin cats were used to make the sacrifice. The sacrifice was made at the same spot of the occurrence.

"Your body was placed in a basket with two cats eyes each folded on your hands. The basket was placed on the water and was allowed to float. We all stood to watch as it floats. When it got to the middle of the water it began to sink down. At the twinkle of an eye, the basket sank in fully" she stopped.

"Sank in?" I asked sharply.

"You sank in" she said "For a very long time we stood watching the next action to come up. And slowly, the round top of the basket could be clearly sighted at the top of the water. Within a wink of an eye, the whole body of the basket rose from the water and began floating towards our direction. Oh! I remember" she muttered. She scratched her scanty hair again. I waited for her to settle herself.

"You floated back save and dry as if you were never sank into the water. Awo Jegede shook his head sympathetically. "What a pity" he said "The queen of the coast is very sad and weeping, you have taken away her princess". I brought you out safely and handed you back to the lady whose custody you were" she lowered her head again and took a breath.

"Was that all?" I asked timidly.

"That wasn't all. That was almost the beginning" she said. "After the sacrifice, your father felt the need to marry another wife. He set out in search of a lady that could be a suitable mother for you. But when he realized he couldn't find any. His brain settled, what seemed to be a good decision came upon him. Just then he realized how useless finding a suitable mother for you was".

"Useless you say?" I cut in sharply.

"Yes useless I said. He realized it was useless finding a suitable mother for you when you have had a suitable mother already. I wondered how opposite his thought was at first. What was wrong with the lady caring for his baby, running helplessly up and down for your good? Was she not motherly enough? And by the way she was beautiful to all men's satisfaction.

"Few months later, he married her and that is the woman currently in your father's house. The woman you are calling your mother today. She was never your biological mother, she's your step mother. She loves you so much likewise your father. With the cooperation of the union, they all clinched to Awo Jegede's warning".

"Warning?" I interjected again.

"Yes warning. Awo Jegede warned that on no circumstance should the child be allowed to go anywhere close to a river or stream. All her requests should be granted without hesitation and she should be avoided having a grudge with anyone, because her words, your words are accompanied with effect and grant and your thoughts could be dangerous than your words. Failure to keep the warning might lead to disaster.

"Anywhere around the river bank might grant the queen of the coast access or link to have you back totally. Frequent visit to the river can have you claimed back to her. But notwithstanding, her presence is always with you. No one can hurt you without seeing her wrath in return" she said, then leaned back on the red earth wall as if she seemed in the verge of saying something.

"Was that all?" I asked again.

"Am yet to finish the story, just calm down and listen" she replied, stretching her body, her eyes shifting almost mechanically to my face. "The tooth" she started again "Your tooth fell off your mouth the very day you completed five years. It was a day I will never forget. It always seems to be like yesterday. We all had you in the center of us watching you like a helpless child about to die or at the peak or verge of taking her last breath. We had already been told by Awo Jegede how tough and scary that day would look like. It seems like a judgment day to us, leaving us with two options, either you live, or you die" she took a pause, smiled deeply, her cheeks drawn backward, her gums popped out from the little opening in her mouth.

I cleared my throat to offer full attention, I was eager to know what happened that day.

"It might seem to be useless for you to know" she said, my face grew unhappy and filled with distress.

She smiled "But you need to know, I will make you to know because you seek to know and needed to know" she whispered, my face relieved.

"At exactly one o'clock noon, a mighty wind which I couldn't have the right words to describe how disastrous it was took over the room. All things in the room were already scattered on the floor. The doors and windows curtains torn into pieces as if it was grounded in an engine. Darkness took over the room, a strange voice filled loudly on our ears, a voice of a woman suspected to be the queen of the coast. Suddenly!" Mama Aweda exclaimed, having her back turned at me.

"Suddenly, the wind settled down and light regained its state. You have already been married to the floor at the time we next saw you. Your father rushed to get you off the floor, with all his strength and power he couldn't have you raised off the floor. When he realized his efforts were useless, he gave up. Our hope was lost. Awo Jegede has betrayed us, we thought. Just then a dim light was shone to the other end of the room, all eyes were turned to the direction of the light and behold there was a woman standing. She raised her face only to scan the walls and the environment. Her skin as soft as if it could be bleached or pealed out at hard touch, and her body unnatural. She was a tall fair skinned woman with a mass of blond hair and a graceful almost feline quality to her movements. We knew that she was no ordinary woman. Her grey eyes burns with an incandescence and the long white hands which hung by her sides were not those of a human being. At that moment we had already been reduced to nothing" a little laughter escaped from her lips, then she shook her head contemptuously.

"The soft immortal woman" she continued "The soft immortal woman settled into a shining velvet chair behind her which we got no idea on how it got there. She settled into the chair with the rustling and iridescence of her taffeta dress surrounding her like part of the mystery of her, of her dispassionate eyes which watches us now, the fever of her pale face. Oh! If opportunity has had itself presented, we would have bolted away from that premises. "She belongs to me" she said with a cold voice, the voice sounded so cold like a frozen fish, as cold as death" Mama Aweda explained. She took a break, her lips shaking as if she was afraid to say the next word.

"At the sound of her voice, everyone present in the room felt the presence of a strange force, we couldn't move an inch neither could we alter a word. We all remained motionless like a statue. It seems like a dream right?" she threw me the question urgently.

"Likely to be" I answered according to her expression.

She gave a dry smile "But that was a part of your story. It wasn't an imagination neither was it acted in a movie. It was real. That was the most mysterious act I have ever witnessed in my life, but you we're too little to have a record of it" she landed.

"She broke her gaze at us then had her eyes fixed on your lying body. She stretched out a short tiny staff towards your body and your body jerk back into life but remained laying weak on the floor. "Now you can have her, care for her on my behalf" she muttered, her voice echoing continually as she vanished with the wind. There was a total silence in the room for a very long time, all else was silent. The room was so quiet that we could almost hear loudly the flow of blood through our own veins, our breath, heartbeats and fears was what we could clearly hear. That was the first and last absolute silence I have ever lived to witness. It was so strong that it seemed the world was paused and left still and stagnant. One could almost hear the rate and speed at which blood flows or circulates on the body of the person next".

"Hmmmmn" I stressed, my eyes widening in shock. Hope this woman has not been getting me fed with lies and fairy tales? How could that be? Flow of blood through their own veins?" I shrugged my shoulders and focused back.

"It would be useless making attempt to explain how stagnant the whole world seemed to be to me at that moment. But nevertheless, it doesn't last forever" she said.

"Your father was the first to break the silence as he rushed to pick you off the floor. This time it was a successful move but as soon as the last part of your body took off the floor, something happened" she mute, gripped the cup contained with water and had two gulps.

I waited patiently for her to drop the cup before voicing out "What happened?" I asked.

"Your tooth" she said as the last gulp flows down her esophagus "Your tooth fell to the ground and without spending a second, it vanished into the floor. The spell was broken. But notwithstanding, a relationship still exists between you both. She monitors every bit of your movement as at then, I can't tell of now. All what I know is that no one hurts you and go free. Something evil or strange must definitely fall upon such person. I could say, she serves as your protector as at then. Do you still experience strange things?" she asked shockingly.

At first I lacked what to say, the question was too quick and by the way I wasn't a lie expert, I could easily be caught in lies

"No! I have never experienced anything as such" I answered, shaking my head, sign of guilt written all over my face.

"Your father made provision of all your wants and requests at first quest. I could be wrong to use the word "Wish" because he can't know your wishes, so he grants your requests with an immediate effect. Nonetheless, your birth brought fortune and riches to his door step. He avoided everything that might get you hurt or getting close to anyone that might hurt you. And that is the end of your story. Though the secret was meant to remain between us but I think you should know" she finalized, took a deep breath and leaned on the wall.

"Hmmmmn, what an interesting tale" I mumbled within myself as I also took a deep breath.

Is this woman lying? What does she mean by her story? That am evil or still belong to the queen of the coast? Of course I can't believe her.

But come to think of it, she might be right. I sat motionlessly staring at the picture. I flashed back to my home, peered into my dad's face, my mom's face whom this woman said wasn't my mom. I peered into the faces of my younger ones, just then I realized I took no resemblance of any, neither do I have my resemblance. I was totally different from them like a bastard in the midst of the real children. I stared at the picture again and had myself observed from chest to toe as I can't see my face. Of course I took the total resemblance of the woman in the picture. Even the last time I looked at the mirror, it seemed to me like her face was fixed on my body. All my siblings in one way or the other has a resemblance of either my dad or my mom. She might be right saying that the woman in the picture was my biological mother. But no, she can't, the woman at home was too precious to be called just a mother. She's my everything. To me the woman I grew up to know as my biological mother remains my biological mother. Mama Aweda can go to hell and have her ass fucked by the devil with her fairy tale. She can't drop a helping of doubt as a burden in the very center of me.

Coming to think about my mysterious ways, she might also be right. No! No! No! She can't be, how could she? Believing her was equally agreeing to the fact that I'm the daughter of the queen of the coast. The princess.

Of course it would have been a great thing to be a princess, I would have been the happiest girl on earth. But preferably to be a true princess to a king or queen of the world of the universe, and not a princess to the queen of the coast.

About my acts if I could clearly recall, a wish has never been left not granted in my life. I got all I wished for in one way or the other.

I could remember when I was in high school, I was the only student in the entire school with a different skirt style. My longs sleeves were body hugs, revealing the total shape of my body and breasts packed in my bra. My skirt was tight and straight, what could be called "Pencil Skirt". My skirt was about two inches above my knees. My curvy hips and buttocks was in total exposure, seducing and inviting men for admiration.

No wonder Mr. Ekpo always has his eyes fixed constantly on my breasts and buttocks. Mr. Tijani the principal who was known as a man who gives no room or chance for nonsense was turned dumped to my dressing. He had never for a second condemned my dressing. Other students who tried to make photocopy of my style were all sent back home with an immediate effect. Who had held Mr. Tijani's mouth shut, I don't know.

Still in high school, I could still remember that no teacher or student has flogged me more than a time. After flogging me for once, they never dare to flog me again. Either they become a victim of swollen hands or victim of aching hands which could last for about a week or more.

I could still recall when I was flogged by a senior student one Tuesday morning. The mischievous non-prefect student charged me on two counts, first, for being rude, and second, for laziness. At a wink of an eye, he landed me a matured stroke on my buttocks. I felt the pain inside of me, the pain was so strong that it sank into my bone marrow, the pain echoed in my brain. When he got the cane raised to land another stroke, I was ready to get his scrotum kicked or get hold of if it got itself presentable, have it squeezed in my bare hands and catch up with the fun of how he would fall on his knees to beg for his redemption. But I would say fortunately for him and unfortunately for me, he was suddenly swept off the ground as if he was standing on a green algae on a sloppy ground. His hands twisted on the ground. He groaned in pains. What swept him off the ground surface, no one could tell. Oh my plan has been sabotaged, I thought. He spent about two weeks back home before resuming. And ever since then he has never dared to come any closer to me again.

A lot of strange things which I can't really recall happened to me even after I knew who I was. Do I say I know who I am? Of course "No" is the answer.

I never revealed this secret to anyone, not even my dad or mom who according to Mama Aweda, my step mom. I left it as a secret within me. But if I could remember, I think I have had an encounter with the woman in the picture. Recall the woman that appeared to me at the first cock-crow when I was in the high school took the picture of my face. I can still clearly see her face even with my eyes shut tight. After Mama Aweda's tale, I have had an encounter with her in my dreams, most especially on a bad day.

If I'm to believe Mama Aweda, I should be a daughter of three mothers. I should be, I say? "No", "I should be" seems not to be the right word. But of course "I am" not "I should be".

I've become a girl with no proper explanation of who exactly I am. A daughter to the woman in the picture who it happens that she's in the land of the spirits. Daughter to the queen of the coast who's my soul might likely return to after my demise, but this is a matter of gambling, who knows if it might not be. I might have been totally redeemed from her world. And finally, I'm a daughter to the woman in my father's house, my earthly mother. The only woman I know.

I'm a daughter to three mothers who were in competition for a daughter left with who will win the race.

What bothers me most is where my soul shall be after death. Shall it return to the marine world and continue as a princess to the queen of the coast? Or will it return to the land of the spirits of every other universe where the choice of eternity in heaven or hell shall be made? This I don't know.

I have become a woman with divided mind filled with confusion. I live every minute, every moment of my life in agony, divided thoughts, confusion and distress. I live every seconds of my life in what seems to be like regret. Of course it wasn't my choice. I was just an unfortunate girl. Upon over six billion people in the world of the universe, why me?

Mama Aweda's story has made me to know that am a girl from unknown territory. It's so terrifying. Ever since then, I grew wondering what my purpose in life was and many times I do question my existence. I thought I knew my purpose in life the first day I got to the university, but since I met with Mama Aweda and heard her fairy tale, it has left me with nothing than just wondering. At this point I would love to draw the curtains.

The sky was already reddening and the evening shadows drawn on the ground when Mama Aweda finished her tale which she called the story of my life. Of course it was, I can't deny that anymore. Without saying a word, I stood to my feet, dusted off my buttocks and head for the door.

The End.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Victor Shigaba is a publisher, Creative/Copy Writer, Script Writer, Content Creator, Editor, Actor, Director and a Consultant Horticulturist. He has a passion of balancing the fictional world with the real world with his contents. His pattern of storytelling is focused on equaling the lives of the rich and the poor. He believes that there is nothing that should stand between the lines of the rich and the poor. Equal rights should be observed appropriately irrespective of colour, Tribe (Race) or Religion.

He has ghost write many contents for persons and corporate organizations with tights and busy schedules. He also edit manuscripts for Novels and movie scripts from rough to topnotch.

Victor Shigaba, within the span of his writing career (three years) has successfully written twenty two (22) books (Most unpublished). Victor is the CEO of Wabs Guda Africa Grassroot Empowerment, initiated to help Africa children and women rise from abject poverty to a reasonable livelihood.

Victor holds a degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution and a National Diploma in the field of Civil Engineering which he initially saw as his favoured career before he suddenly discovered himself as a natural and gifted writer.

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