The Transition

Scared

Esi p.o.v

"You have proven to be innocent" nonsense talk if they think because I'm still new in this village they think they can do whatever they want. But I will show them what I'm capable of.

"I have something to say too," I informed them they all look at me as if I'd lost my mind. The kind of look I'm receiving from them was as if I'm a virus or something.

I know they are disappointed because nothing happened to me. They are just predators waiting for their scapegoats to hunt and devour them.

But I will never give them a reason to hunt my family most especially my stepmother that who they treated like trash.

"What do you have to say Esi? You have already proven yourself to be innocent you can go now." The chief of the village said. So he wants me to go just like that, not even a small sorry that will pacify me. He is wrong.

" Nana as Grace was allowed to talk I also what all of you to hear me out. It will be unjust to listen to what one person said. And I think I was treated unfairly so I Also request that I too will be allowed to be heard."

"Esi, what good with it be? You have already been province Innocent so you can go now."

"No, I refuse to leave this place without being heard you were all quiet when Grace was accusing me wrongly without even asking yourself what was she doing outside her home that night."

I yelled out even though I knew that It was a sign of disrespect for a child to yell before the elderly people but do I care, no. I don't give two s**t about it. Discrimination is not something I tolerate.

"So..." I was cut off by my father yelling at me he was all fuming " Esi that is enough!!" I turned to look at him but my eyes rather met with my stepmother's own. She shook her head and murmured 'stop'.

I took a deep breath to relax I don't know why she father didn't allow me to continue. "Abena, please take Esi back home and make sure you give her ten strokes of lashes for disrespecting her elders."

He paused and continue "and please prepare something for the eldest I will be coming with them at home to refresh themselves and to calm them down" He finished.

My eyes popped out on their own at that moment my soul left me. That was enough to shut me up I guess I did it this me. From the look at things, It seemed can't run away from it.

My stepmom walked quickly toward me and covered my mouth with her hand when I was about to protest.

She apologised and held my hand whilst pulling me away from the crowd, however, before leaving I notice Grace smirking at me. she was lucky that I was yanked out of that place without digging her ass out.

I will make sure she will regret ever crossing paths with me.

"Mom slows down you are hurting me!" I complained. This woman who looks fragile has the strength of a man. She is holding my hand with such strength that if care is not taken she is going to break my hand.

"Esi you shouldn't have done what you deed now. Even though That girl accused you in front of the village you should have kept quiet." She scolded me and the pressure on my hand reduced even the speed at which she was pulling me also reduced.

"But Mom how can I standard there see how they were planning to make fun of us?" I asked

She stops walking and I also stop walking she looked at me for a moment before looking behind us and then looked at me again before she sighs.

"Let's go home we can't talk about it here this village is full of witches and wizards. Even the trees spread gossip" she murmured as we resume our walk back home

"Let's hurry up they are coming." He said and I look behind me, to see those bunch of old rugs following my father while chatting I also saw the bald eagle Grace with her brother among the group of people following my father.

I was coming to expose both Grace and her lover Elikem but they got lucky today.

"Go and wait for me in your room whilst I prepared something for them." She orders me when we got home

"Mom c....."

"No!"

" Mom p..."

"Esi, go now!" She whispered yelled

I carried my two legs and I left to my room. I might as well go and prepare for the upcoming beatings.

I might look strong from the outside but frankly, I'm shaking from the inside. Hearing my father talk about my mom giving me ten strokes of lashes reminded me of my past when I was younger.

My father had just left us and my mother something will forget that I existed.

One day, she dropped me at school in the morning and forget to pick me up in the afternoon. My teacher tried to reach her several times on the phone but my mother didn't pick up.

My sister was in a boarding school at that time and she only came home on weekends to spend time with me. That day, my teacher and I waited for my mother but she never showed up. It was already getting to 8 pm went my teacher decided to go home. She was a married woman with kids too. She left me with the security man in front of the school. At 9 pm, the security man had to call the head of the school and informed him about me.

He quickly came and with his car. He went through my school information to find out my home address.

Whilst going home, he bought me some snacks. I quickly ate it as if I was starved for days.

I fell asleep after and only woke up went the headmaster has reached and parked before our house. He helped me out of his car and together we walked in front of my house.

While we were walking toward our doorstep, the headmaster spoke for the first time.

"I will go in with you and talk to your mother," he said

"Okay, Mr Headmaster" I couldn't pronounce his name because it was difficult. He is a true African man without an English name. Now that I think about it, his name is Nkwhantan Wzedzimey. The students never knew what his first name or his last name was.

After several attempts of knocking at the door, my mother graced us with her appearance. She looked pissed I guessed she was in the middle of doing something and we interrupted her.

She didn't look worried went she saw me nor was she happy of seeing me.

"Mrs Benson...." Mr headmaster called her but she cut him off and held my hand and yanked me inside the house

"Mr Nkan... never mind. Thank you for bringing my daughter home." She said and shut the door right after.

She took me to my room and warned me not to come out of the room nor should I make any noise. She said that and left.

But me being me, I didn't listen to her. I took off my uniform and took my bath. I was still hangry so I opened and shut the door of my room harder. Did I care? no.

I went into the kitchen to look for food but there was nothing. I sat on the kitchen floor and cried loudly screaming and shouting my mother's name. I was still a kid so crying out loud was easy.

My mother rushed into the kitchen her face darkened with anger at seeing me out of my room.

"What are you doing here? Why did you come out of your room?" She asked

" I'm hungry, mammy," I answered with fear. It was my first time seeing my mother this angry.

She took long strides toward me, with her hand lifted in the air ready to assault the young me, however, her hand was frozen in the air when the voice of a man came behind her.

"Odo," ( love ) he called

"Yes, love I'm coming." She replied

"What is taking you so long?" He asked walking toward the kitchen

"Who is she? love." He asked looking at me

"Erh..er.."

"Mammy I'm hangry!" I said cutting her off

"Is she your daughter?"

Silence

"Answers me Serwaa!" The stranger yelled

"Don't yell at Mommy!" I yelled back at him before I realise what was going on, I was on the floor with a burning cheek

"Shut up! Who asked you to talk back! Hurh?"

"But m..."

"I said to shut up! Stay here I will deal with you later." She instructed before following the man who left a while ago.

That faithful night change my life complete because my Mom came back later and poured out her anger on me.

She beat me that night to the point where I lost my consciousness.

It became a regular thing. Every time I make a small mistake she will beat me bitterly. It was a bonus to me because I took my father's dark body tone so the scars on my body are not too visible unless you take a closer look. The thing she didn't know was that the more she whip me the more of a rebel I became and caused trouble.

So For my father to tell my stepmother to beat me means nothing to me, however, it will be difficult for the pain that my mother inflicted on my back years ago to completely heal. I still feel pains in my back.

Nevertheless, I am scared of what is to later.