CHAPTER THREE
1196 Words
THE ECHOES
She cried till she finally slept off.
During breakfast everywhere was quite — breakfast was ate in silence until abeni tapped her mom and gave her a note.
"Mom, do you think I can ever speak again? What if I become deaf to."
After reading what Abeni wrote Sefa froze and reacted quickly out of concern.
She was really scared and worried about the thoughts of her daughter.
"Abeni, don't say that. God forbid that you will become deaf. You will speak okay." Abeni nodded.
"The doctor said therapy will help. You are going to be fine. She nodded in affirmation. Abeni returned back to the room to prepare for school.
Sefa looked at her daughter worriedly.
" God, it couldn't be what I'm thinking. No,bit can't be." She mumbled.
" Mom, who are you talking to?"
" No one — just get ready. Let me drop you girls off before going to work."
" Okay."
The school bell rang, sharply and impatiently for class to start.
Abeni flinched — facing her colleagues and teachers was another battle.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag walking with absolute caution.
Students walking in the hallway, laughing and shouting. Some brushed past her like she was kind of diseased. Something fragile they didn't want to touch.
For God's sake I just lost my speech temporarily and this people are already looking at me differently. She thought to herself holding tightly to her bag.
" Hey Abeni."
She turned. Mimi was standing few steps away brows drawn together in concern. Mimi was her classmate and close one at that.
"You okay?"
Abeni nodded. She could still not talk. Mimi shifted closer to her, glancing around to be sure no one was watching.
"You still can't talk?" Mimi asked softly.
Abeni shook her head. Mimi exhaled.
" I heard it was trauma — Kemi told me."
Mimi reached out, hesitated, then squeezed Abeni's arm. "You are going to speak soon. Okay. And if you need help, anything, just —" she mimed writing in air. " Text me."
This small gesture made Abeni to smile and she gave a small nod. Mimi rushed off.
With Mimi a few minutes ago she felt okay but she gone now, the hallway noise swallowed her up.
Abeni moved toward her classroom, each step heavier, like she was walking through water.
As she entered the classroom, conversations dipped when her colleagues noticed her presence. A few heads turned.
Whisper's followed.
" I heard she stopped talking."
" I told my aunt and she said it's spiritual."
"What could she have done to offend the spirits to punish her like that."
They all started giggling. This one struck Abeni that she lowered her head and took her seat.
Even if I want to defend myself what would I use my fist or my silence. She thought.
As she sat, she felt something strange. The desk felt too small. The room too bright.
Her skin prickled as if she was being watched — not by an eye but something deeper something impatient.
" Good morning class," Mr. Arkaah said, clapping his hands one.
" Let's settle down everyone."
Abeni stared at the chalkboard blankly as is she was the only one present.
Water flushed behind her eyes — dark, moving water.
A circle that never ended. Her fingers twitched. She pinched her hand — then pressed her palms flat against the desk, grounding herself.
This was real — this was school, books, chalk dust and students. The pond, tree, the boy was all a dream.
" Abeni.''
" Abeni." Mr. Arkaah knock his desk to get her attention.
Out of frustration and confusing she jolted and looked up.
This behavior of her didn't go unnoticed by her colleagues — that they started laughing.
" Settle down class. Abeni would you read the first paragraph?"
Her heart slammed. She couldn't talk, how would she read.
Every face turned toward her, ready laugh at her predicament.
She swallowed and stood slowly, legs unsteady. Her mouth opened — nothing, not a sound.
A few students giggled.
Mr. Arkaah's expression softened. " You can sit . We'll skip today," he said gently. " See me after class."
Abeni nodded softly.
Heat crawled up her neck tears filled up as she sat down. She hadn't been this visible and a source of mockery in years.
The lesson blurred, everything that was taught fell on deaf ears. Words drifted past her without sticking. She was lost in her own world.
Her gaze slid to the window, to the reflection of herself in the glass.
Her eyes looked up instinctively — looked at the mark, it burned slightly. No pain. Just enough to remind her it was still there.
By lunchtime, her head throbbed.
Finally a chance to escape the classroom. As soon as the bell rang, she headed straight to the washroom. She locked herself, learned her forehead against the door.
Breath — in, out.
Her hands shook . She rolled her sleeves up , the mark stared back at her.
Her stomach twisted. She scrubbed it hard. Nothing changed. Abeni squeezed her eyes shut.
It's not real Abeni, she told herself. It's stress. Your mind is filling in gaps.
But when she opened her again, everything felt wrong and strange.
Too still.
She was about stepping out of the washroom when the skins dripped softly.
The mirror above her shimmered —not visible, note enough that someone else would notice. But Abeni felt it.
Her reflection moved — it was the boy, he's eyes has darkened. The one she saw in her dreams.
Her breath caught and she froze. Water pooled behind them. Abeni stumbled back, heart racing.
The mirror returned to normal.
She stood there, shaking. Until the bell rang again.
The rest of the day passed in fragments. Notes, she didn't remember writing, lessons, she pretended not to see.
Her phone beeping with unanswered messages from her sister Kemi.
School finally closed, rain had began to fall.
Lightning at first. Then gentle.
Rain slid along the pavement.
The sound wrapped around her ears, low and rhythmic. Her mark burned. Sharply. She grasped and clutched her wrist.
Her mom came in time and picked them up.
Dinner was atw early due to the rain.
Abeni rushed to her room tried learning but her attention was divided.
She gave up and went straight to sleep. Sooner, due to the weather condition she drifted to sleep.
Abeni's breath came fast. She felt students streamed past her with umbrellas, shoes splashing through the water.
The surface of the puddle darkened. A face began to form — not fully, just eyes, mouth trying to speak.
Abeni staged back. Her heels slipped. Strong hands caught her shoulders.
"Careful."
She looked up —
The face in the puddle varnished.
The rain kept falling.
But her mark pulsed, alive, as a whisper brushed the edge of her — soft, urgent and real.
" You're closer than you think."
Abeni sucked her breath. And for the first time sins she walk up , she screamed — but that was it.
The sound seized afterwards.
- Writer
