Chapter one
1063 Words
Debtor.
Tyra’s POV
I knew I was doing the wrong thing but my curiosity got the best of me.
“You have to pay him back, Tion!”
I heard my mother scream at my father, her voice echoing through the room.
“I don’t see the need to.”
My dad replied calmly. His voice was the direct opposite of my mom’s voice.
“You think that there is no need to pay him back? A man you have been owing for over ten years has been quiet all these while and all of a sudden, he reminds about his debt and you think it is just a coincidence or it is random!?”
My mom was angry- I could sense it from her voice which was weird because all my ten years of living, I have not seen this side of her.
She was always very calm, sweet and easy going. So whatever is making her angry today must be very serious.
“Can we just calm down? You are raising your voice at me. What if the kids hear us?”
My father’s voice was still calm.
I laid down, so my ears would unstick from the door, but it was still close enough to hear everything that my parents were saying audibly.
“At least the kids would hear this conversation and know the truth. You cannot run from the shadows of your past forever,Tion. Talk to Jhorta. Make peace with him. You know he is still into that kind of life and there is no telling what he can do -“
“He cannot do anything. He would never come for my family.”
My dad snapped at my mother, his voice very deep and has an essence anger in it.
Before my mom could reply, there was a loud thud sound, making my heart race.
Everywhere was silent and fear engrossed me.
I was not sure what fell or what he dropped but the sound was not sitting right with me.
I was so close to opening the door and checking in to make sure that everything was right but I still wanted to hear the conversation and opening the door would not do justice to that.
I laid on the ground quietly, my hands trembling with my stuffed animal in it and my heart rate skyrocketing…waiting for my mom to reply, say anything that would confirm that she was still capable of talking even after the sound I just heard.
“Did you really have to throw that souvenir at the wall?”
My mom’s voice.
“Shut up!”
My father grunted and I heard him sigh out very loud.
“You have always been strong headed,Tion. I just wish that this time, you would listen to me.”
I heard my mom say and I heard loud footsteps approaching the door.
I was still for a moment till I realized that I was at the opposite side of the door and if my mother opens it, she would find out that I was eavesdropping on her conversation with my father.
I might get grounded for life.
My sympathetic response was to leave the door immediately before she opened it.
I zoomed out if their room area, running as fast as I could to the staircase, my eyes closed from shock and my head spinning from what I just heard.
I could not focus and next thing I knew, I was in a head on collision with my brother.
My brother winced in pain and pushed me back, making my back hit against the wall.
“Watch where you are going, Tyra. Your big head hit my mouth.”
His hands covered his mouth and I saw blood escape from it.
I messed up.
“Oh my goodness. I am very sorry. I did not see you there.”
He nodded and licked his mouth, going down the staircase and into the kitchen to grab a napkin.
He patted his mouth and rinsed it too, to stop bleeding.
I just stood there, over the counter staring at him and pondering on what I overheard.
“Why were you running? Let me guess…you watched one of those scary movies that we warn you about and now you think think that they characters in the movie are out to get you?”
My brother teased me, and sat opposite me, a dead look on his face.
“I did not!”
“Hmmm.”
“And I am not a baby. I am not afraid of the dark!”
I hammered at him, puffing my cheeks and crossing my legs to mean business.
He laughed at loud, then moved to where I sat.
He patted my head and pulled me in close for a tight hug.
“You are the youngest in the midst of four children. Three boys. You will always be our baby.”
He kissed my forehead and tickled me, making me very amused.
“One day, I am going to have a baby sister and I will not be everybody’s baby again!”
He gave me a weird look and smiled broadly, his mouth showing off his white teeth.
“I doubt that but it all depends on our mother and father.”
I spent the rest of the day playing football with my brother and trying to take my mind out of what my parents said earlier.
I got tired early and called it a day.
I did my night routine and laid down to sleep.
“Wake up, Tyra!!!”
My mom shook me, waking me up in the middle of the night.
“Wha-what happened mom? Why are you-“
“Shhh! Be quiet. Get up and enter your wadrobe.”
I was puzzled. My eyes were still heavy and I was not understanding anything.
“What is happening mom? I am scared.”
She turned me around and looked at my eyes. It was all blurry but I could see the tears welling up at the side.
“Look, I want you to be strong okay? Do not come out of the wardrobe till I come and take you out. Mommy loves you so much and she is trying to protect you.”
She pushed me into the wadrobe and closed it.
“Protect me from what?”
- Writer
