A Way Out

CHAPTER 5

I woke up from my sleep, it felt like I had been asleep for days, my head was banging. It reminded me of when I woke up in the hospital but this time, instead of waking up in a plain white room with blinding lights, I woke up in a room filled with total darkness. And instead of waking up lying on a warm and soft surface, I woke up lying on a hard and cold ground. I slid my back up against the wall, squinting my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room and find out if I could notice anything familiar about my surrounding and sure enough, I couldn’t. The only thing I actually took note of in this room was that it was hot and smelly. I looked closely in front of me and I finally so what was at the far end opposite me, bars of iron. I began hyperventilating, where was I where was momma, did she care at all. At that point, I started recollecting everything that had happened, the attempted suicide, the unwanted savior, the gushing blood, the bright flashes, the peaceful darkness, the quiet sleep. Every memory was rushing back to my head in a flood of flashbacks making my head ache more. I crawled up to the bars of iron and bean smacking them with my palm, it wasn’t loud but it could be heard. I ignored the painful sensation going round my palm at that point, all I wanted was to be let out, I wanted to go away, away from everyone and everything, I wanted freedom but I still couldn’t get it. I could feel the iron tearing through my palm but I didn’t stop, the pain was soothing, it was something that gave me hope that I had not become numb over the years. Blood moved from my palm down to my wrist but I kept on hitting it not saying a word, not hissing in pain as my wound became deeper and the blood strolled down to my elbow. I began hearing footsteps approaching towards my direction, maybe they heard the sound I was busy making. “hey mad man stop to dey make noise” I ignored “you no dey hear? I say make you stop” I still didn’t pay heed and what happened next happened in a flash. He pushed the door open and I felt myself fall forward to the ground, I hadn’t gotten over the fact that I fell when I felt his leg connect with my head multiple times. My whole surrounding was going around in a spin, who was this man and why was he hurting me? I managed to look up amidst the kicks to see his face, the ray of sun penetrating through the small window situated afar off shone on his face and I quickly recognized him; he was one of those rude police men which meant…. I was in prison.

The door to my cell opened and the police man who hurt me, forcefully pulled me out, I tried getting out of his grasp but he wasn’t having any of that as his fingers dug deeper into my arm. He pushed me into a room and left me there, I took my time to examine the room and its features. It had cement plastered here and there on the ceiling and the walls, the walls were painted a light shade of green which by the way was already wearing out. The room was empty except from the three plastic chairs and table in the middle. It was then I realized it, sitting on two out of the three chairs was my mother and a strange young lady about my age. She had a weak smile on, I wondered who she is. Her hair was in a low cut, she had a short sleeved dress on and two tattoos. One of the tattoo was on her wrist it read ‘diamond’ while the other was on her neck, it was a sketch of a diamond I guessed she really loved diamonds. Mother cleared her throat bringing me back from reverie town, I understood what she meant so I went to sit down on the chair opposite them. I looked at mother waiting for her to start and all she said was “this is our lawyer she’ll also be your nanny so she can get some things out of you now get ready and let’s go.” I looked surprised, I was totally taken aback by whatever she said, I wasn’t complaining that she didn’t ask about the dried blood on my head but she could have at least tried. I looked at the table in front of me and on it were my clothes, it was then I realized I was only putting on boxers. I quickly slid my clothes on shielding from the eyes of the predators of the world. I got home and hurried to my bathroom, I needed a bath , I felt really disgusted, I spent hours in the bathroom, just sitting there letting the warm water move slowly down my body. By the time I got out of the bath, my eyes were blood shut red and I dressed up, making my way down the stairs. I heard momma talking, probably to the lawyer lady who was obviously going to leave us at one point. “Ma I promise all I need is just a few days with him and I promise that I would try to get him to open and from there we would be able to get something , some kind of clue to an evidence” I can’t leave him with you, he would be upset and I’m not sure that you would be able to get him to tell you what he thinks he doesn’t even tell me.” “Ma just please trust me, I promise that I would be able to get something out of him, I just need your permission and that is all.” “Okay but please you will have to take it slow, we don’t want to startle him, I mean he’s already tried to commit suicide, we can’t have any more of that” “Yes ma I understand I wouldn’t rush him” “Thank you very much now I have to go, I have some work to do. Bye” “bye.” I heard the front door open and slam shut and I guessed that to be my mother leaving. I couldn’t believe that she left me with a total stranger, what was she thinking? Was this her special way of showing love and care? She didn’t for once think about stranger danger. Just because someone claimed to be a lawyer, she decided that it would be safe to leave her insecure and helpless son with that person. I turned on my heels ready to dash up to my room and lock the door at least before she sees me here but as usual I was too late. “oh hello” I heard her ting like voice say behind me “my name is Blessing, what’s your name?” she asked me but I chose to ignore her, I began walking up the stairs but she stopped me, her hands on my hand. I immediately flinched and she got her hand away from. “I’m sorry” she started “but I would like to ask for a favor. I want you to give me one chance, just one chance to try to know you, try to know each other and if it doesn’t work, I will leave you alone” I thought about it, for a while, if I didn’t give in, she would surely trouble me until I give in and so I nodded my head reluctantly hoping I had not made the wrong decision. Even if I did not trust her, I still agreed to spend time with her which was obviously in one way a type of trust. She ushered me into the dining table without touching me which was a relief to me.

******* ******* ******* ******* *******

“Let’s play a game” she said and I shook my head no, I was looking down at my feet and she told me to look at her. It came out more of a plea than an order not like other people who tried making me do what they wanted. I felt the need to look at her because she was calm, but I didn’t. she sighed but I knew the sigh was not from frustration. She kept on persuading me to play a game with her, she was literarily whining like a child. I agreed after she about twenty minutes into the persuasion. “The name of the game is twenty-one questions” she said and I immediately knew that this had something to do with her asking me a few questions I didn’t feel like talking so could not counter the motion so I could only hope that she didn’t push me too deep while trying to find out things about me. I knew what trying to do and I didn’t like it at all. She was trying to kill two birds with one stone. She was trying to fix me , trying to get me to talk and open up while solving this case at hand. I knew playing this game would be really difficult and frustrating because there were two players and only one was ready to talk. “now listen, these are the rules. I ask you a question and you answer me honestly, you ask me a question and I answer it honestly. We don’t have to finish the questions today and it can be more than twenty-one questions but it cannot be less. I would need you to go out of your way and try to talk please for me. I know you don’t feel comfortable with that but we both know that at one point you have to talk to somebody that you trust and I know you trust and we also know that inside this head and chest of yours, there are thoughts and these thoughts could one way or another lead us to justice.” Wow she could give a long speech. But she was right, it had been three months since we started hanging out, at first it was difficult but then it became easier not ‘a bed of roses’ easier but also not ‘a bed of thorns’ difficult. I had learnt to trust her, she wasn’t like other people around me, she didn’t treat like I was different and she did not always try to fix me even if she did once in a while, it was more convenient than mother who tried to fix me at any little opportunity she gets. I had begun to talk much more in the few weeks that she spent with me. at least I would speak a maximum of one hundred words in a day. Even though the court had cancelled the case and said that we would only bring up the case when we had enough proof against the accused, she didn’t give up on me, always trying to keep me in the best comfortable decision. She didn’t let my aunt’s threat phased her and when I asked her why she wasn’t scared, she simply said “I’m a lawyer, I don’t get scared and I know how to protect myself.” We even went out on one day trips, she took me to places I always wanted to go to and she didn’t care about the disgusted whispers and stares from people. She was the complete opposite of mother. One day, we had gone to visit chichi and although reluctant, chichi agreed to testify on my behalf. I knew it was hard for her because she was scared of her life, it was written all over her face that she knew the kind of person aunt Shelby was but after much persuasion from Blessing, she agreed. Blessing told us that although we had a witness, we still needed a solid proof against aunt one that no one would be able to deny. Blessing was now becoming more of a family to me, I trusted her more than anyone else and I hardly flinched when she touched me. it was like all the walls I had built up were being slowly brought down by the lawyer. It made me remember different cliche stories that I had read but this time this wasn’t a love story, it was more of a trust story. I decided to go out of my way as she had said and talk for her sake. S I became eager to play the game. “the first question” she started, creasing her brow and tapping her chin as if to show that she was in a very deep thought, I was expecting to hear a question regarding the abuse or a question that would make uncomfortable but what she asked came as a surprise to me “when is your birthday?” out of all the questions in the world to ask me, she decides to ask me about my birthday this was one of the reasons I liked her she made me comfortable at all times. I took a deep breath I, she had told me that if I wanted to talk like an adult that I should always try to keep myself at ease. I looked, she smiled knowing that I was following her advice. I started talking with a little bit of confidence showing in my voice “my birthday is on the 11th of April.” It was surprisingly a complete sentence and I could see pride in her eyes. “okay that is about three months from now hopefully this drama would be over by then”. She said referring to the case but I didn’t take any offence in her statement “Your turn” she looked at me. I didn’t want to ask her the same question so I thought for a while. “How old I you?” I asked it was a related question but it wasn’t the same. “I’m 25 years old” she answered and I smiled feeling unnecessarily happy that I was older than her. We played this for a while, her asking me about my favorite things me replying her confidently and vice versa. Then I asked her “what is your favorite color?” “ I actually have two and they are black and orange”

Black and orange was all she said to move me back to my shell, to make me scrunch my face up in disgust. Was she alright? Was she in her right senses? And there I was thinking she was ‘all that’ how could someone have favorite colors as black and orange. Those colors put together were filthy, they were what I referred to as the colors of evil and Satan. Out of all the colors in the world, she decided to choose those two colors as her favorite. She must have noticed how my countenance dropped because she put her hand on my shoulders trying to ask me what was wrong but I flinched away. I looked at her, looking at her wasn’t difficult for me. she had a sad expression her face but she completely masked it not wanting me to see hat expectant part of her. ”What’s wrong she asked, fully concerned but I just shook my head feeling the need to shrink away. I kept on shaking my head and for the first time in so many years, I cried I felt the lingering tears on my face and it calmed me. it calmed me to know that I was human and that I could feel. I felt someone’s body pressed against my chest and hands wrapped around my back. I unconsciously wrapped my hand around their back, not shrinking away from their touch. I soon came to find out that this person was Blessing. She pulled me away from her and I almost whimpered missing her touch and the warmth that generated from her body but I covered it with a cough. “What’s wrong” she asked me taking aback a little by my tears. I felt reluctant to tell her, I felt ashamed to tell her but I knew that I had to tell her. I didn’t want to disappoint her so I just blurted out the truth “ the theme color of the site were my aunt posted her video of me being abused is black and orange.” This took her by surprise and soon she smiled as though she had won a lottery. She hugged me but I didn’t hug back not knowing the reason for her happiness. I didn’t think my reason was meant to be a thing of joy. She pulled away from me and despite seeing my confused expression ignored it. “Tobi, do you remember the name of the site” she asked really slowly as if I was a child and I nodded my head which made her smile even more. She brought out her laptop and said “I just hope she wasn’t smart enough to bring down the video” she looked at me as if she waiting for me to tell her something when I remembered and said “the name of the site is pornhub.” She looked at me as if I had grown two heads before she made an expression of realization. “Oh www.pornhub.com” she said as she quickly typed in the address into her laptop. She smiled seeing it was valid before shuddering in disgust at the people who were on themselves, showing their nakedness to the world. I snapped my head to the other side not wanting to remember the times when she made me watch the videos. “Tobi I know that at this point, I’m already pushing you too much to respond to my questions but I just need one more answer for you and I promise you I won’t trouble you any longer. I nodded, not wanting to talk as I felt my voice giving up on me. “Okay do you know her username or the name of any of the videos she posted.” I remembered her username vividly well and said it quickly “sexy shely” she quickly typed in the new information I had given her as she plugged in her ear phones. I knew she was going to watch the video so I just moved to a different chair. I looked at her intently as she watched a video. I saw her eyes glaze in anger before they were brimmed with tears she was trying to hold back but were threatening to fall, soon enough a traitor tear slipped from her eyes opening doors for the others to come down. She closed her eyes shut as if she was being tortured. I felt a pang of pain in my hands and I didn’t know when I moved to clean her eyes. She looked at me and I gave her a weak but reassuring smile as I shook my head a little trying to tell her to stop crying. She returned the smile and faced her laptop, doing a few things before closing the laptop. “I’m sorry” she said to me and I tried to tell her that it was okay. Mother came back the next day and to say she was shocked was an understatement but she was also happy that we had gotten a good proof as evidence against aunt. She was also ecstatic that the next and possibly only hearing was the next week. I was also happy but everything just felt too good to be true, I had this doubtful feeling and thoughts that all wasn’t over but not wanting to jinx anything, I pushed it behind me.

We had only five days till the hearing, and chi chi was now living with us at least till this case was over. Mother wasn’t around today it was only me, chi chi and Blessing that were in the house. We were playing monopoly in the living room when we heard the door open and slam shut we looked at each other obviously scared as we had forgotten to lock the door. A hooded man came in with a dagger in his hand he went to attack blessing but I rushed towards him not knowing what came over me. he pushed me aside and I felt dizzy. The last things I took note of were chi chi’s screams and the man leaving a knife in Blessings neck. I woke up in a familiar surrounding the hospital room and again mother was with me. i tried remembering what happened and once I did, I didn’t waste anytime to ask mother what happened to Blessing. “Momma what happened where is Blessing” she snapped her head up surprised that I had spoken to her and that without stuttering. Mummy told me that she was happy that I was awake that we had only a day till the hearing she said that Blessing was in a coma and that she had to hire another lawyer who would help us with our case. That was a lot of information for me to take in and comprehend so I did the one thing I knew how to do best, I snapped. I began shaking, twitching my head. I heard mother screaming for help and soon a bunch of doctors and nurses flooded the room trying to calm me down to no avail. I felt a sting in my arm and I knew I was injected. I slowly and involuntarily drifted into a sleep.

I woke up from

my sleep, it felt like I had been asleep for days, my head was banging. It

reminded me of when I woke up in the hospital but this time, instead of waking

up in a plain white room with blinding lights, I woke up in a room filled with

total darkness. And instead of waking up lying on a warm and soft surface, I

woke up lying on a hard and cold ground. I slid my back up against the wall,

squinting my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room and find out if I could

notice anything familiar about my surrounding and sure enough, I couldn’t. The

only thing I actually took note of in this room was that it was hot and smelly.

I looked closely in front of me and I finally so what was at the far end

opposite me, bars of iron. I began hyperventilating, where was I where was

momma, did she care at all. At that point, I started recollecting everything

that had happened, the attempted suicide, the unwanted savior, the gushing

blood, the bright flashes, the peaceful darkness, the quiet sleep. Every memory

was rushing back to my head in a flood of flashbacks making my head ache more.

I crawled up to the bars of iron and bean smacking them with my palm, it wasn’t

loud but it could be heard. I ignored the painful sensation going round my palm

at that point, all I wanted was to be let out, I wanted to go away, away from

everyone and everything, I wanted freedom but I still couldn’t get it. I could

feel the iron tearing through my palm but I didn’t stop, the pain was soothing,

it was something that gave me hope that I had not become numb over the years.

Blood moved from my palm down to my wrist but I kept on hitting it not saying a

word, not hissing in pain as my wound became deeper and the blood strolled down

to my elbow. I began hearing footsteps approaching towards my direction, maybe

they heard the sound I was busy making. “hey mad man stop to dey make noise” I

ignored “you no dey hear? I say make you stop” I still didn’t pay heed and what

happened next happened in a flash. He pushed the door open and I felt myself

fall forward to the ground, I hadn’t gotten over the fact that I fell when I

felt his leg connect with my head multiple times. My whole surrounding was

going around in a spin, who was this man and why was he hurting me? I managed

to look up amidst the kicks to see his face, the ray of sun penetrating through

the small window situated afar off shone on his face and I quickly recognized

him; he was one of those rude police men which meant…. I was in prison.

The door to my

cell opened and the police man who hurt me, forcefully pulled me out, I tried

getting out of his grasp but he wasn’t having any of that as his fingers dug

deeper into my arm. He pushed me into a room and left me there, I took my time

to examine the room and its features. It had cement plastered here and there on

the ceiling and the walls, the walls were painted a light shade of green which

by the way was already wearing out. The room was empty except from the three

plastic chairs and table in the middle. It was then I realized it, sitting on

two out of the three chairs was my mother and a strange young lady about my

age. She had a weak smile on, I wondered who she is. Her hair was in a low cut,

she had a short sleeved dress on and two tattoos. One of the tattoo was on her

wrist it read ‘diamond’ while the other was on her neck, it was a sketch of a

diamond I guessed she really loved diamonds. Mother cleared her throat bringing

me back from reverie town, I understood what she meant so I went to sit down on

the chair opposite them. I looked at mother waiting for her to start and all

she said was “this is our lawyer she’ll also be your nanny so she can get some

things out of you now get ready and let’s go.” I looked surprised, I was

totally taken aback by whatever she said, I wasn’t complaining that she didn’t

ask about the dried blood on my head but

she could have at least tried. I looked at the table in front of me and on it

were my clothes, it was then I realized I was only putting on boxers. I quickly

slid my clothes on shielding from the eyes of the predators of the world. I got

home and hurried to my bathroom, I needed a bath , I felt really disgusted, I

spent hours in the bathroom, just sitting there letting the warm water move

slowly down my body. By the time I got out of the bath, my eyes were blood shut

red and I dressed up, making my way down the stairs. I heard momma talking,

probably to the lawyer lady who was obviously going to leave us at one point.

“Ma I promise all I need is just a few days with him and I promise that I would

try to get him to open and from there we would be able to get something , some

kind of clue to an evidence” I can’t leave him with you, he would be upset and

I’m not sure that you would be able to get him to tell you what he thinks he

doesn’t even tell me.” “Ma just please trust me, I promise that I would be able

to get something out of him, I just need your permission and that is all.”

“Okay but please you will have to take it slow, we don’t want to startle him, I

mean he’s already tried to commit suicide, we can’t have any more of that” “Yes

ma I understand I wouldn’t rush him” “Thank you very much now I have to go, I

have some work to do. Bye” “bye.” I heard the front door open and slam shut and

I guessed that to be my mother leaving. I couldn’t believe that she left me

with a total stranger, what was she thinking? Was this her special way of

showing love and care? She didn’t for once think about stranger danger. Just

because someone claimed to be a lawyer, she decided that it would be safe to

leave her insecure and helpless son with that person. I turned on my heels

ready to dash up to my room and lock the door at least before she sees me here

but as usual I was too late. “oh hello” I heard her ting like voice say behind

me “my name is Blessing, what’s your name?” she asked me but I chose to ignore

her, I began walking up the stairs but she stopped me, her hands on my hand. I

immediately flinched and she got her hand away from. “I’m sorry” she started

“but I would like to ask for a favor. I want you to give me one chance, just

one chance to try to know you, try to know each other and if it doesn’t work, I

will leave you alone” I thought about it, for a while, if I didn’t give in, she

would surely trouble me until I give in and so I nodded my head reluctantly

hoping I had not made the wrong decision. Even if I did not trust her, I still

agreed to spend time with her which was obviously in one way a type of trust.

She ushered me into the dining table without touching me which was a relief to

me.

*******

******* ******* ******* *******

“Let’s play

a game” she said and I shook my head no, I was looking down at my feet and she

told me to look at her. It came out more of a plea than an order not like other

people who tried making me do what they wanted. I felt the need to look at her

because she was calm, but I didn’t. she sighed but I knew the sigh was not from

frustration. She kept on persuading me to play a game with her, she was

literarily whining like a child. I agreed after she about twenty minutes into

the persuasion. “The name of the game is twenty-one questions” she said and I

immediately knew that this had something to do with her asking me a few

questions I didn’t feel like talking so could not counter the motion so I could

only hope that she didn’t push me too deep while trying to find out things

about me. I knew what trying to do and I didn’t like it at all. She was trying

to kill two birds with one stone. She was trying to fix me , trying to get me

to talk and open up while solving this case at hand. I knew playing this game

would be really difficult and frustrating because there were two players and

only one was ready to talk. “now listen, these are the rules. I ask you a

question and you answer me honestly, you ask me a question and I answer it honestly.

We don’t have to finish the questions today and it can be more than twenty-one

questions but it cannot be less. I would need you to go out of your way and try

to talk please for me. I know you don’t feel comfortable with that but we both

know that at one point you have to talk to somebody that you trust and I know

you trust and we also know that inside this head and chest of yours, there are

thoughts and these thoughts could one way or another lead us to justice.” Wow

she could give a long speech. But she was right, it had been three months since

we started hanging out, at first it was difficult but then it became easier not

‘a bed of roses’ easier but also not ‘a bed of thorns’ difficult. I had learnt

to trust her, she wasn’t like other people around me, she didn’t treat like I

was different and she did not always try to fix me even if she did once in a

while, it was more convenient than mother who tried to fix me at any little

opportunity she gets. I had begun to talk much more in the few weeks that she

spent with me. at least I would speak a maximum of one hundred words in a day.

Even though the court had cancelled the case and said that we would only bring

up the case when we had enough proof against the accused, she didn’t give up on

me, always trying to keep me in the best comfortable decision. She didn’t let

my aunt’s threat phased her and when I asked her why she wasn’t scared, she

simply said “I’m a lawyer, I don’t get scared and I know how to protect

myself.” We even went out on one day trips, she took me to places I always

wanted to go to and she didn’t care about the disgusted whispers and stares

from people. She was the complete opposite of mother. One day, we had gone to

visit chichi and although reluctant, chichi agreed to testify on my behalf. I

knew it was hard for her because she was scared of her life, it was written all

over her face that she knew the kind of person aunt Shelby was but after much

persuasion from Blessing, she agreed. Blessing told us that although we had a

witness, we still needed a solid proof against aunt one that no one would be

able to deny. Blessing was now becoming more of a family to me, I trusted her

more than anyone else and I hardly flinched when she touched me. it was like

all the walls I had built up were being slowly brought down by the lawyer. It

made me remember different cliche stories that I had read but this time this

wasn’t a love story, it was more of a trust story. I decided to go out of my

way as she had said and talk for her sake. S I became eager to play the game.

“the first question” she started, creasing her brow and tapping her chin as if

to show that she was in a very deep thought, I was expecting to hear a question

regarding the abuse or a question that would make uncomfortable but what she

asked came as a surprise to me “when is your birthday?” out of all the

questions in the world to ask me, she decides to ask me about my birthday this

was one of the reasons I liked her she made me comfortable at all times. I took

a deep breath I, she had told me that if I wanted to talk like an adult that I

should always try to keep myself at ease. I looked, she smiled knowing that I

was following her advice. I started talking with a little bit of confidence

showing in my voice “my birthday is on the 11th of April.” It was

surprisingly a complete sentence and I could see pride in her eyes. “okay that

is about three months from now hopefully this drama would be over by then”. She

said referring to the case but I didn’t take any offence in her statement “Your

turn” she looked at me. I didn’t want to ask her the same question so I thought

for a while. “How old I you?” I asked it was a related question but it wasn’t

the same. “I’m 25 years old” she answered and I smiled feeling unnecessarily

happy that I was older than her. We played this for a while, her asking me

about my favorite things me replying her confidently and vice versa. Then I

asked her “what is your favorite color?” “ I actually have two and they are

black and orange”

Black and

orange was all she said to move me back to my shell, to make me scrunch my face

up in disgust. Was she alright? Was she in her right senses? And there I was

thinking she was ‘all that’ how could someone have favorite colors as black and

orange. Those colors put together were filthy, they were what I referred to as

the colors of evil and Satan. Out of all

the colors in the world, she decided to choose those two colors as her

favorite. She must have noticed how my countenance dropped because she put her

hand on my shoulders trying to ask me what was wrong but I flinched away. I

looked at her, looking at her wasn’t difficult for me. she had a sad expression

her face but she completely masked it not wanting me to see hat expectant part

of her. ”What’s wrong she asked, fully concerned but I just shook my head

feeling the need to shrink away. I kept on shaking my head and for the first

time in so many years, I cried I felt the lingering tears on my face and it

calmed me. it calmed me to know that I was human and that I could feel. I felt

someone’s body pressed against my chest and hands wrapped around my back. I

unconsciously wrapped my hand around their back, not shrinking away from their

touch. I soon came to find out that this person was Blessing. She pulled me

away from her and I almost whimpered missing her touch and the warmth that

generated from her body but I covered it with a cough. “What’s wrong” she asked

me taking aback a little by my tears. I felt reluctant to tell her, I felt

ashamed to tell her but I knew that I had to tell her. I didn’t want to

disappoint her so I just blurted out the truth “ the theme color of the site

were my aunt posted her video of me being abused is black and orange.” This

took her by surprise and soon she smiled as though she had won a lottery. She

hugged me but I didn’t hug back not knowing the reason for her happiness. I

didn’t think my reason was meant to be a thing of joy. She pulled away from me

and despite seeing my confused expression ignored it. “Tobi, do you remember

the name of the site” she asked really slowly as if I was a child and I nodded

my head which made her smile even more. She brought out her laptop and said “I

just hope she wasn’t smart enough to bring down the video” she looked at me as

if she waiting for me to tell her something when I remembered and said “the

name of the site is pornhub.” She looked at me as if I had grown two heads

before she made an expression of realization. “Oh www.pornhub.com” she said as she quickly

typed in the address into her laptop. She smiled seeing it was valid before

shuddering in disgust at the people who were on themselves, showing their

nakedness to the world. I snapped my head to the other side not wanting to

remember the times when she made me watch the videos. “Tobi I know that at this

point, I’m already pushing you too much to respond to my questions but I just

need one more answer for you and I promise you I won’t trouble you any longer.

I nodded, not wanting to talk as I felt my voice giving up on me. “Okay do you

know her username or the name of any of the videos she posted.” I remembered

her username vividly well and said it quickly “sexy shely” she quickly typed in

the new information I had given her as she plugged in her ear phones. I knew

she was going to watch the video so I just moved to a different chair. I looked

at her intently as she watched a video. I saw her eyes glaze in anger before

they were brimmed with tears she was trying to hold back but were threatening

to fall, soon enough a traitor tear slipped from her eyes opening doors for the

others to come down. She closed her eyes shut as if she was being tortured. I

felt a pang of pain in my hands and I didn’t know when I moved to clean her

eyes. She looked at me and I gave her a weak but reassuring smile as I shook my

head a little trying to tell her to stop crying. She returned the smile and

faced her laptop, doing a few things before closing the laptop. “I’m sorry” she

said to me and I tried to tell her that it was okay. Mother came back the next

day and to say she was shocked was an understatement but she was also happy

that we had gotten a good proof as evidence against aunt. She was also ecstatic

that the next and possibly only hearing was the next week. I was also happy but

everything just felt too good to be

true, I had this doubtful feeling and thoughts that all wasn’t over but not

wanting to jinx anything, I pushed it behind me.

We had only five days till the hearing, and chi chi was now

living with us at least till this case was over. Mother wasn’t around today it

was only me, chi chi and Blessing that were in the house. We were playing

monopoly in the living room when we heard the door open and slam shut we looked

at each other obviously scared as we had forgotten to lock the door. A hooded

man came in with a dagger in his hand he went to attack blessing but I rushed

towards him not knowing what came over me. he pushed me aside and I felt dizzy.

The last things I took note of were chi chi’s screams and the man leaving a

knife in Blessings neck. I woke up in a familiar surrounding the hospital room

and again mother was with me. i tried remembering what happened and once I did,

I didn’t waste anytime to ask mother what happened to Blessing. “Momma what

happened where is Blessing” she snapped her head up surprised that I had spoken

to her and that without stuttering. Mummy told me that she was happy that I was

awake that we had only a day till the hearing she said that Blessing was in a

coma and that she had to hire another lawyer who would help us with our case.

That was a lot of information for me to take in and comprehend so I did the one

thing I knew how to do best, I snapped. I began shaking, twitching my head. I

heard mother screaming for help and soon a bunch of doctors and nurses flooded

the room trying to calm me down to no avail. I felt a sting in my arm and I

knew I was injected. I slowly and involuntarily drifted into a sleep.