Beautiful Mask - Episode 2

Caroline:

Thankfully, i was able to sell all my cooked corn today. With the

money I've earned, mother would be able to prepare something for us to

eat this night and maybe tomorrow morning. I have to hurry home now so

mother can start cooking. The sky is already getting cloudy and I

don't want the rain to drench me. A sudden wind sweeps through and the

scarf i have covering my face is blown off. I try to grab it before my

face is exposed and in the process, i let go of the container of

boiled corn on my head causing its content to fall. Salty water, corn

stalks and peels of corn rain down on me.

"Guys look!" a boy screams pointing at me. His friends turn and they

start laughing.

"Hey zukko, i know you desperately need a bath but why are you using

your corn?" he says and everybody laugh. I force back my tears and bite

down on my lips. 'I would not cry' i chant to myself. I should be used

to this by now. I have suffered this kind of embarrassment too many

times that i have lost count. Just because of the nasty scar on my

face. I don't even know how i got it

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/beautiful-mask

. It looks like a scalding mark

but more hideous. It covers the whole left side of my face but

thankfully, my left eye isn't affected. I pick my scarf off the floor

and flee the scene.

"Hey kids, would you stop embarrassing the young lady?" i hear a deep

male voice say but i don't turn to see the owner of the voice even if

the voice sound so affectionate and kind. I can still hear the rude

boys laughing behind me. A lightening light up the sky and the rain

start with full force. By the time i get home, i am drenched to my

underwear. As soon as i get inside the little one room apartment i

live with the pius family, i dash into the bathroom. I turn the shower

on and release my tears. What did i do to deserve this kind of face?

My parents probably threw me away because of this face and i don't

blame them. The pius family has been so wonderful. I have vowed to

always do whatever i can do help them because despite my face they

took me in. But how can i help them when I cant even get a sales girl

job because people think I'll scare all their customers away. I wish i

could remove this horrible scar. I grab a sponge and scrub my face

till its sore and probably red. Yea, if a bath could make it

disappear, i wouldn't be this frustrated. After several minutes in the

bathroom, i finally drag my depleted body out. The house is so quiet

which is unusual. Usually by this time, Mother's voice is always heard

scolding chinedu, her only son who is a miscreant. He is always in

trouble. After changing into my only spare clothes, i go to the kitchen

in search of mother. I don't find her in the kitchen or anywhere else

in the house so i go outside to inquire from the neighbours. I see

mama favour cooking in front of her house.In this compound, our house

is the only one with a kitchen. Our other neighbours cook outside with

firewoods or small stoves. As soon as mama favour sees me, she gets

off her small stool and rush to me.

"Good evening ma" i greet

"Caro, where have you been. Your mother was rushed to the hospital

about an hour ago. We were just talking, your brother walked in, they

got into an argument. Then she just collapsed"she ramble and my brain

cant seem to process this fast enough.

"What?.  How?. When?. I have to go to her" I say and start running out

of the compound then i remember i didn't ask for the hospital's name.

I turn to mama favour who is looking at me with pitiful eyes.

"what hospital was she taken to?" I ask

"Oh umm divine grace hospital" She says and i zoom out. I thought this

day couldn't get any worse but it just did. Oh God, save mother for

me.

I trek the distance to the hospital which isn't very far from our

house. We will need money for mother's treatment and i don't want to

waste it on t-fare. By a corner street near the hospital, i notice a

guy robbing a woman. He has a knife pointed to her abdomen. This road

is usually secluded so there is no one around to help. I struggle

within myself if i should help or continue my walk to the hospital. My

conscience wouldn't allow me leave her like this when i know i could

help. I am currently behind them and they cant see me so, i have an

advantage of surprise. I grab a big stone from the ground and walk

silently towards them. With immense force, i slam the stone against

the thug's head. He shouts in surprise and slumps on the floor.

"Oh my God. Thank you for saving me. Lets call the cop before he wakes

up" The woman calls the police and within few minutes, they get here.

Wow, this woman must be super rich. I can tell by the clothes and

shoes she is wearing. I watch as the thief is handcuffed and dragged

to the police car. Oh my God! I completely forgot about the hospital.

I quickly turn around and start rushing away.

"Not so fast, young lady. You must be an accomplice. By the look of

you, you are probably a thief too" a police officer grab my hand and

start dragging me to their car. What?!. How did my trying to help make

me an accomplice?. I can get arrested. Mother needs me now. Who will

bail me out? Tears start falling from my eyes and i struggle with the

police.

"Please i am innocent. Please i swear" i plead

"shut up. You nasty thief. Well, if i had your face, I'll probably go

into crime too." he sneers.

"let go of her this second" i hear the woman yell from behind us.

"but madam she-" the police man goes to say but the woman cut him off

"This brave girl here saved my life." she frees me from the police

man's grip and they start arguing. They're not paying me anymore

attention so i silently slip away. I get to the hospital quickly and

thank my stars, i was able to sneak away.

I search the hospital untill i see chinedu pacing in front of the

operating room.

"Where's mother?.

Read " Star-crossed " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Is she okay" I ask and he just sneer at me. I forgot

to mention that chinedu loathe me. Ever since we were just kids, he

made it clear to me that i was just trash his parents brought home.

"how many times do i have to tell you, she isn't your mother?" I don't

have time to argue with him right now. I have to get to mother

"Oh am sorry. but please I just want to help." I beg

"Just get out before you bring your ugly luck here" he screams in my face.

"Please am begging you. Just tell me how I can help" I grab his hand and plead.

"Do you have N500,000 to pay for the surgery?" he asks and I shake my head.

"Then you can't help her" he says and push me to the ground.

"Hey, why are you doing that to the young lady?" someone says and I

turn to see the lady I helped awhile ago. She pick me off the floor

and glare at chinedu.

"Fuck off"Chinedu sneer and storm off.

"Am innocent maam. Please I just wanted to help you. I swear with

everything sacred, I dont know that thief. Please my mother needs

me.dont let the police take me" I start crying.

"Am not here to arrest you dear. I am here to help"she says and I

stare at her like a dummy.