Unexpected Holiday

Aunty slapped me today. For the first time in my life, someone raised their hand on me.

Right now, as I'm sitting on this small hill overlooking the houses on my street, I'm feeling more shocked than hurt.

She slapped me right in front of her children, not because I did something serious but because I missed a spot while sweeping her room. 

I wasn't the only one shocked, my cousins were all shocked as well. Uzodigwe family did not beat their children. It's a culture passed down from our great grandfather who prohibited beating in the family when one of his wives inadvertently killed her son through beating. We punish, but we never beat children. 

Nobody, not even in my former school, has ever raised their hand on me. Coupled with the fact that my parents always told the relevant authorities that I cannot be flogged in school, I take pains to avoid such occurrence.

My parents have other means of giving punishment. Even in my aunty's family, beating is not done, just punishments.

I was so shocked that I didn't feel the pain. I just stood there watching her like a TV show. Then, I turned and walked out amidst her calls. I walked and walked till I reached this hill I'm currently sitting on.

My head is gradually clearing and I feel anger rising to the surface but suddenly, I felt puzzled. Why did she slap me? Her reason is just an excuse. It takes more than a missed spot while sweeping to make my aunty lose her temper like that. Something must be up.

Is it because of her lover? I really have to find out.

In the meantime, I think I'll just rest a bit. I'll have tons of things to do when I get back but for now, let them worry about me. That is, if they will.

I watched as people went up and down the street. From my vantage point, I can see a lot of people but I suppose nobody will notice me.

My mind drifted back to school. I love BFA and some of the students. My cousins mostly ignore me at school. In fact, I'm not sure anyone knows we are all related.

Sommy lives the high-class girl's life in school while Sunday is just the regular popular guy.

I remember when we were in primary four in the same primary school. Sommy and I were in the same class while Sunday was in a separate class. They used to call us triplets at that time. 

The twins look more like their mom though- chocolate colour with gap teeth and left dimples each. I'm more of Uzodigwe with my fair complexion, double dimples that can be seen slightly when I'm not smiling, red lips which is our signature (my cousins have red lips also, well more of pink) and hair as dark and pretty as a Fulani female.

We are all tall though Sunday is a head taller than us girls. He is also more handsome than Sommy who is pretty in an attractive kind of way. I'm the most beautiful one (not bragging, just fact) of all three.

Anyway, when we were in primary four, my class was given this tough Mathematics assignment and I asked Sunday to help me with mine. 

He agreed to help me and even did the work for me. Sommy did hers by herself because she knew it.

When we passed our books the next day, the teacher after marking called me out and disgraced me in front of the class. I was embarrassed and surprised. So was Sommy. I later collected the book and to my utmost surprise, I saw that Sunday did a completely different thing from Sommy's. 

My cousin, as I later found out, had set me up to fail.

I was furious but he didn't care. He said it was just a prank and that there was no big deal about it. He just wanted to play a trick on me. I did not talk to him for about three weeks and even after I forgave him, he has never set his eyes on my books again.

Thinking about intelligence made me think about the forthcoming competition that will commence in three weeks time. Two SS1 and SS2 students each will go.

For the SS2 students, everyone already knows it will be the deputy senior prefect, Prince Liam Ezedike and the labour prefect Ezinne, I've forgotten her surname.

As for SS1, no one knows who's going yet. There will be a test written for interested students after which the two students with the highest marks will be chosen. I think the SS2 students will equally write the test.

Of course, none of my classmates, at least not former B students and a few others who believe in the silencer, will write the test but it kind of gives me an idea. If I write the test and I manage to pass, it will lead me closer to the silencer. 

In fact, if I start answering questions in class, the silencer might try to silence me. I am too smart for some kid to do that to me. Sure, my cousin tricked me back at primary school but that's just that, I had a primary brain back then. I'm not so stupid now. 

Besides, I'll be aware and alert at all times which will be an advantage since the other victims had no idea of what was coming to them at the time.

It's actually a good plan but since I've no other one other than trying to get to know all the B students and possibly find out who the person is, I guess I should think it's a good one. Either way, I don't want to spend the rest of my days in B.F.A worried that I might be silenced.

I went home in the evening. Actually, this slapping of a thing did me some good. At least, I used my anger and shock as an excuse not to do anything today. Superb!

I heard noises as I walked closer to the door. It's actually more of shouting, as if...wait, are they exchanging words? My perfect aunty and calmer than still waters uncle...?

O yes! they are exchanging words and all their kids except Kanyira, are in on it too.

I stood there, moping at them all. Somebody should wake me up from this dream. 

Kanyira saw me from where she was standing with her hands crossed. She tried to alert the others but they continued their shouting. I can't even make out what they are all saying.

Fed up, Kanyira shouted in a super, mega huge, loud voice.

"Enoooooough!!!"

That managed to stop them in there tracks. They stared at Kanyira in shocked confusion. They haven't noticed me yet.

"Can't you see? Somto is back," she said slowly, hands waving in the air like a choir mistress conducting a choir session.

They all turned simultaneously towards me, identical expressions of "what the hell is happening?" on their faces.

We stood like that for like a minute or so, no one speaking. They stared at me as though I'm some sort of apparition and I stared back as though they were acting some kind of movie.

When I couldn't stand it anymore, I said a bit tentatively, "hi."

Chima's jaw dropped, "hi?"

And all hell broke lose.

*

We all went to bed that night with gloomy faces. No one talked unless it was absolutely necessary. That was after all the arguments, shouting and accusations.

Uncle blamed his wife for slapping me but why on earth did I run away from the house? Is everything okay with me?

Aunty couldn't believe her husband backed me up because seriously, it's my fault.

Chima thinks I'm crazy to have left home and left my chores undone. His mom slapped me yes, but that doesn't mean no work.

Sunday's school uniform had been washed by him instead of me and simply couldn't be. Who's the maid around here, him or me?

Sommy's friends had come over and left because of all the chaos. It's a good thing they don't attend B.F.A or she would kill me because I'm to blame if they ruined her reputation at school.

Kanyira is mad at me, for causing all the trouble and, she walked home from school as no one remembered to pick her up.

And I just stared at them until they were done yelling, then I quietly walked into the kitchen, then from there out of the backyard and outside the gate, where I had a deep belly laugh.

*

Jenny is really intelligent. It shows in the way she talks and behaves. She tries to hide it but I can tell. 

Once when we were eating fish pie in the cafeteria, I said something about the fish in it and the girl practically gave me the history of that type of fish, it's nutrients and all it's chemical compositions.

Kenzy and I just stared at her in fascination. I asked her how she knew all that and I could see her withdraw back into herself as though she didn't know when she said it all. She replied by saying that she just happened to read about it not so long ago. Just happened to, yeah sure.

I was still thinking about that phrase when I made my declaration to them during free period, "I'm going to write the test."

Jenny turned around to look at me, she is my front neighbor. "What test?"

"You know, the qualifying test for the competition," I replied nonchalantly.

"Huh? W..what if y.you pass?" Kenzy asked. His stuttering has reduced noticeably since we all became friends. 

I'm such a good mom.

"Then I'll be happy of course and go to the competition," I replied acting surprised. None of them know that I know about the silencer.

"W.w.what if the S...finds out and S you?" Kenzy asked with fear.

I mentally rolled my eyes. Seriously, the guy has an acronym too? "S? What is "S" and why would it "S" me?".

"Are you trying to tell me you don't know?" Jenny asked skeptically.

"Know what?" I asked. 

"About the silencer."

Her voice is matter of fact, nothing like the stage whisper Sunday used.

"Oh! The spirit that kills people that answers questions in class?" I purposely got my facts wrong. It wouldn't hurt if they told me their own version of the legend of the infamous silencer.

"It's not a spirit. The person is human. We'll tell you about it later," Jenny said and turned back to her book.

Can't wait mama.