CHAPTER 4; RAPE

I was in school, senior secondary school 1, third term towards promotion exam. I hardly went out for recess period so I will have enough time for my studies.I was alone in my class when Emeka brought some snacks (meat pies) to me, he said his cousin Ijeoma my best friend gave it to him to give me for a birthday present as she won't be around for my birthday, truly my birthday was around the corner. Innocently, I took the snacks, I wanted to save them till I got home but I was super duper hungry because I ate just a slice of bread for breakfast. I took the first meat pie and the second and the third till the last.

The meat pies was indeed delicious, I wish I had it again and again for eternity. I drank my water after l finished eating the meat pies. Then practice time for our cultural day graduation party came, it is usually 1 (one) hour before closing hour. I just felt suddenly weak, tired and dizzy. I climbed up the stairs and slept in one of the classes. I slept for a long time and when I woke up, I checked my wrist watch , it was 6:36 PM JESUS CHRIST!!! I screamed. Unfortunately for me, the protector of the second floor was locked. I started screaming, luckily the gate man heard and he had a spare key to every room and protectors of the school, he opened it and I ran home. I was afraid as this was the first time I walked alone without my friends or someone from school and it was already so late. As I went on, I felt that I was being followed, each time I turned I saw no one, I fastened my steps, then a group of masked boys or men I don't know surrounded me. They started beating me and torn my skirt, they raped me in turns and left. I wailed, I screamed until I fell unconscious, I opened my eyes only to see myself in a hospital bed on drips, my mom holding my right hand crying.

"Where am I?," I asked holding my head with my left hand as I felt serious head ache.

"Mom," I called "what am I doing here?" l asked again. Then I remembered the event I began to sob.

"Mom I was raped, I was raped" I continued. I started screaming uncontrollably, I became violent. I pulled the needle out of my hand, I started scattering things as the incident started to play in my head. I was injected with a sedative. When I woke up, I was calm.

My mum narrated how I was found in a pool of blood and torn skirts, by some passers by, who called my mother and took me to the hospital. I was in coma for 3 days . The doctor said that I still need to rest before I am discharged and sent to school, he also said I was lucky not to have sustained any internal injuries for I was thoroughly and brutally beaten.

"Good morning, young lady and madam" the doctor said to me and my mum, my dad had travelled, so he didn't even know about me and my issues, my mom said calling him might lead to another thing so he should come and find out things for himself.

"Young lady," doctor Jane continued, "from the test conducted, you had a sedative before the incident ." the doctor told us.

"No, ma,I didn't have any sedative" .I said .

"Then, it must have been included in your diet." the doctor said .

"No, I ate little slice of bread, before leaving the house and I had nothing more" I said.

"are you sure? think? any food gifts from someone?, think ," she asked.

"Yes, those meat pies, the meat pies".I said

"What meat pies?" my mom asked.

"Chukwuemeka gave me some meat pies saying it was from Ijeoma, no, Emeka did this, he planned this, he planned it all ."I exclaimed.

"The Emeka that wrote you the love letter, is he the one? "my mom asked.

" Yes, Emeka , why did he do it?, we have settled ,he...We are friends, No Emeka, why? what did I do?"I asked multiple questions in a sentence.

"Ooh, I see, the Emeka in question wrote you a love letter and you told on him? Doctor Jane asked.

"Yes, not actually, the

principal found out that Emeka's handwriting and that of the secret admirer was the same , I didn't know he was the one "I explained .

"Well, I need to tell you that you might get pregnant, I'm a doctor and a counsellor. You already know my name. I heard your rape incident and how you are from a decent home, you are an ambitious and focused child. I'll counsel you for free okay? Now you should have it in mind that it is not your fault, the rapists are the one at fault, they are wicked. Here's my card come to my office whenever you want." she said and offered me the office card.

* * * *

"Please, stop! STOP! , Who are you people? stop! Please stop!! don't rape me!!!" I woke up only to find out it was a dream , the memories of the rape incident were playing in my head.

"Stop!!!" I screamed and woke up.

My mum rushed to me in my room.

"I had a nightmare, the rape incident." I began to sob.

"It's ok, ok am here, mummy's here, mummy's here " she said as she held my head to console me.

* * * *

"Why didn't you call me,? They raped Ebere and you didn't call me to tell me?". my dad yelled in my mum ears, When he came back.

"Yelling at me, or calling won't solve anything. Ebere was raped, she needs help, she is in trauma. If I had called you and out of anger you end up in a accident, do you think Ebere will survive?, do you think I and Ebere will live happily. We need to help her, we need to put our heads together to bring a solution, Alright?! so please stop your unnecessary yells. " My mum said.

" Unnecessary yells, you call it unnecessary, they raped my angel and you stand there calling it unnecessary. They raped my daughter " ,my dad yelled almost in tears.

"Ebere is also my daughter not only your's but mine, I should be the one in messed up emotions not you. Remember I named this girl Miracle because she is a miracle, I stayed in your house for six years without a child and she came to end my, our shame, do you think am happy?"my mom said angrily.

My mum was now standing and also boiling in anger, needless to say she too was practically shouting. I just stood behind the curtains in the passage leading to the parlour, for the first time in my life ,my entire life I saw my parents shouting at each other. I cannot just stand behind the curtains watching them shouting at each other, I've had enough. I need to stop this.

"Dad, mum please stop battling words, this won't solve anything, would it?" I asked.

"We are so sorry,you're right we should not argue over this but reason and think together as a family." my dad said.

"You said Emeka gave you meat pies that might be sedative included, he must pay, I'll spend every last kobo to get him to jail". My dad said.

"No, dad If you spend all your money on sending him to jail will give no profits but regrets. I still want to be a doctor, I won't give up my dream because of this please think before you act" I advised.

"That rapist has to know that he can't rape you and get away with it all because he's from a rich home " my dad said.

"Exactly, that's why I said you should not waste your money, you know this country where the rich is untouched even though they are the offending ones while the poor is oppressed let's leave the matter for God to handle." I said .

" My daughter, there is wisdom in your words" my mom agreed.

"Dioma,(good husband)please adhere to Miracle's advice" my mom said .

"Ok fine, Ebere my lovely daughter". My dad concluded .

*. *. *

"Good morning class", greeted the Account teacher .

"Good morning, Mrs Julian" chorused the students.

" Today, I'll take you on how to prepare a trial balance but first list the items entered into a trial balance, you've been taught in Jss3 and I've taught you, now list the items entered into a trial balance". Mrs Julian started her lesson. The students raised their hands up to be noticed.

"Yes, you at the back'.

''The opening stock"

''That is correct''

'Yes, you"

"Voucher number''

"No, a voucher number is entered into a cashbook"

"Yes, you at the extreme end"

"Sales"

"That is correct" .

"Ebere, are you alright, you didn't answer any question", Mrs Julian asked after noticing my mind was not there.

"Yes ,am alright."

"Are you sure? "

"Yes ma"

"Please, see me after class or maybe during recess period."

" Ok, ma".

* * *

"Ebere, I heard of the rape issue" Mrs. Julian started "But you need to concentrate on studies. I know your mind is traumatised right now. Your grades are going down, teachers are complaining.Look, Ebere you are stronger than this rape issue, you are stronger than what you think. And remember God knows why for every thing that happens. Echezona (don't forget) You can go". Mrs Julian advised but echoed Echezona. The promotion examination came and I did poorly, because I hardly focused on my studies, my head was in a mess. In my exams, some questions I knew, I mixed up the answers as I was always faraway, I managed to get fifth position. My parents encouraged me to do better. Emeka and I saw in a street, he sympathized with me and I lost all the anger.

"Emeka, why?, how could you be heartless?, why do you hate me so much?, why?!!, we've settled, then why?, what did I do to you?" I asked in teary eyes. '

"Ebere, I have no idea, what you are talking about " Emeka said looking surprised.

" Oh, just drop the act, drop it. You and I know what we are talking about. What did I do to you?" I said with my hot red eyes widely opened.

"Ebere, I ask again,what are you talking about? " Emeka asked looking confused and oblivious of what I was talking about.

" And Emeka, I ask again what did I ever do to you? That you couldn't forgive, what did I do just tell me. No matter what you think in that dirty mind of yours I did. Why something I value most, why. Why are you so evil, heartless, without conscience. My God will fight for me. He will, since you are from a wealthy home,and I'm not ,you think... you think you will get away with this. God will punish you for this." I poured out my heart and tears of pain fell off my eyes.

"Ebere,you are beginning to scare me, first you are asking funny questions, second saying I am evil, heart less without conscience. Then you are asking God to punish me. Ebere are you alright?" He said trying to check my temperature. I pulled his hand off my neck.

" Since you're pretending to be oblivious of what am talking about. I will spell it out to you in a plain sentence." I said looking at him angrily

"What did you put in those meat pies ",

"Nothing."

" Oh you liar, you added some sedatives in the meat pies."

" I did nothing of such."

" After that, you and your gang ambushed and raped me. "

"Excuse me, you....iii don't know what you are talking about I had nothing absolutely nothing to do with you being raped." Emeka said looking confused.

He stammered in the first part of the sentence maybe to sound convincing.

" Oh you liar,"

" I swear am innocent of your accusations. I did not rape you"

"Then who did? "

"I don't know , I honestly do no..." I interrupted him

"Shhh, shut up, you rapist, you he- goat and imbecile"

"Please don't insult me on issues I've got nothing to do with"

"God will judge" i said and left the place.

My readers might ask why I and Emeka didn't meet in school. Well, he travelled to their hometown for his grandparent burial, his best friend Tochukwu Chuka told someone and I heard. Yes, he missed his promotion examination, since he is intelligent the school permitted him to go to the next class without the school's promotion result.