Chapter one: Mummy's handbag

Nmasichukwu's POV

I grinded the uziza seed and pepper that my loving step mother asked me to grind for her... I sang happily as my mind imagined how the egwu festival that is going to take place tonight is going to be.. I smiled as I remembered my annoying and crazy friends - Ulinma and Chika

" Nma..! Nma...!!" My step mother's voice called out

"Nne(mother)" I answered, running into the local kitchen situated outside the main house..

" Are you not done with grinding the spices I gave you?" She asked, stirring the pot of soup on fire..

" I'm done nne(mother)"

" Bring it then" she responded and I walked quickly into the house to bring the ingredients which I later gave to her.. she poured it into the soup and stirred it... She tasted the little quantity of soup left on the spoon

" Apple of my eyes.. I think you have to taste this soup - I can't get the taste... I ate onugbo( bitter leaf)" she said and stirred the soup again, gave me the spoon to taste the remaining soup left on the spoon..

I tasted it and nodded my head in awe and satisfaction.. my step mother is a good cook

" Nne I think I'll get a plate for my own share of the soup" I said with a voice filled with humor..

" You're so funny.." she said with a smile

" Nma, lest I forget, I need to get the things I bought from Mama Ikechukwu.. make sure you stay safe, inugo( did I make myself clear)" she said, quenching the fire we used in cooking.

My countenance changed immediately and I had a big frown on my face

" Nne Biko me kwa osiso ( mother please be fast )" I said and she patted my head and left after telling me to take the pot of soup to the main kitchen...

I heaved out a sigh and thought of how I'll ignore my annoying step sisters.. They are bags of trouble! I turned to enter inside and unfortunately, they were outside the local kitchen and it was too late to go back inside..

" Hmmm, Chidindu behold mummy's handbag!" Chiamaka, the first child of my step mother said.. and the both of them made a fake bow.. I didn't mind the nonsense they were doing..all that was on my mind was to leave that place not until Chidindu, the second and last child of my step mother, dragged my hair and made me kneel down.. it was so painful but I didn't want to give them the satisfaction they will get from seeing me in pains.

" Are you not the idiot that sister chiamaka is talking to?" Chidindu asked, still gripping unto my hair, pulling it so hard.

" Do I look like an idiot to you Chidindu? The last time I recalled, we are age mates... So what is with the superiority?!" I asked and immediately regretted it because I received a resounding and painful slap from chiamaka..

" Who do you think you are? Who gave you that guts? When did we start love that we've already started to kiss? This is all nne's fault! I don't know why she'll show you love when clearly, you don't deserve it! A step daughter for that matter.. and she doesn't even have our time..her biological daughters! Tonight is egwu festival, she is obviously going to treat you specially.. Chidindu let's leave the ogbanje (evil spirit) that killed her parents before she comes for us too" chiamaka said, while I just held my cheek with my hands, trying so hard not to let the tears brewing up in my eyes to fall..

I watched as my step sisters left.. not minding that I was still kneeling... Not minding that the tears that was threatening to fall are already falling like heavy torrents of rain...

I was so hurt.. hurt that I had no biological parents... Hurt that people think I killed them... Hurt that I am treated this way with nobody to fight for me!