Living In The Ghetto - Episode 14

 

It's been some years after and Papa Chimaobim still hadn't been financially buoyant so they would move out of the ghetto. He had developed a sickness that weakened his activities and made him to work less and most of the money he made went to his health. Mama Chimaobim had extended her vegetable business. She now owned a land and cultivated her own vegetables; the money she made was enough to support the family . The ghetto had become a home for them. Chimaobim was sixteen and was about sit for his WASSCE - West African Senior School Certificate Examination. He had adjusted a bit on how he related with people. Life in the ghetto had been smooth and relatable. For Adanne, she was twelve and smarter for a child of her age. She spoke with so much wisdom and one would mistake her for a teenager. She had developed so much in term of body mass. Life in the ghetto had been smooth for her, and she had been able to blend it with daily lives of the elites. Mama Chimaobim still took them out of the ghetto once in a while to see lives in the main city. They'd jolly hard in different malls, see movies and do other recreational activities. She wanted them to blend and not be stuck with the thwarted minds of the ghetto kids. She wished they had it all; in both lives to have a balance.

Anytime Chimaobim sees Oyindamola and his eyes fixed immediately on the big swelling on her forehead, he will try so hard to conceal his laughter

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. It had been over some years. While trying to scoop water from the big container with a small cup into a bucket, he was interrupted with a heavy sound. He turned quickly and it was Kevwe who had slapped Oyindamola while she was about to drop a big bowl that contained dirty plates she was about to wash. The bucket fell immediately from her hand and the plates scattered all over the grounds clanking towards each other while particles of food littered all around the ground.

"You slapped me?" Oyindamola bellowed holding her cheeks with one of her palms. 

Her eyes had turned red, while droplets of water accumulated and was waiting to trickle slowly like a drizzling rain. Tears struggled to come out but she held it. Her voice cracked while she paced towards Kevwe and kept muttering words Chimaobim couldn't assimilate.

"Like you know no wetin you do abi? If you dare try near me, I go slap you again. Be like say you dey craze?" Kevwe said and swore with all her body. She gestured her fingers and placed it into her mouth to indicate she would kill Oyinda if she try to move any closer. All her body parts wriggled while her hands danced in the air.

Chimaobim stood and watched. "Yaay!" He screamed immediately a stick landed on Kevwe's back. Kevwe screeched and jumped up, landing on the floor and another one descended on her back. Oyinda clenched her teeth together as she administered the stick on her back again, but Kevwe wasn't ready to give up though she writhed in pains with her hand all over her body. She scrambled up quickly and as Oyinda was about to administer the third one, Kevwe grabbed the stick swiftly, twisted her fingers and Oyinda screeched. She landed a punch on Oyinda's forehead sending her back to the ground.

"Gbim" the knock sounded.

"I don die!" Oyinda shouted and landed on the floor while blood oozed out from her nose.

"Jesus! Help!" Chimaobim yelled and neighbors who were around ran to the backyard where the fight had happened. 

It was a Thursday morning and there was a mid term break for the secondary school Chimaobim attended. Adanne had gone to school same as most kids and working class women. Only some of the housewives were at home, while they locked themselves in their rooms.

Read " Outcast " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. There were men who did works that required they came home at intervals.

"What happened?" different noises queried.

"Take her to hospital," some women begged.

Kevwe stood with her body rested on the wall, while she gawked at them. Oyinda was finally taken to the hospital. Kevwe was arrested on the basis that she had to pay for her hospital treatments and pray she doesn't die or she would be tortured and locked up in the prison. It was then that Kevwe knew Oyinda and her parents have extended families that are wealthy. She wondered why they had refused to make their life better since but only came out of their covens to criticize her for something she didn't start first. She wished she hadn't fought Oyinda but she wanted to teach her a lesson she couldn't after the first failed fight. 

Kevwe had to sell some of her home items like bed, television and one sofa in her room to pay up for Oyinda's treatments. Kevwe moved out of the house when Oyinda was back in shape.

Till now, they don't know about Kevwe's whereabouts. 

Mama told Chimaobim and Adanne that she missed Kevwe. She said Kevwe was a free soul and knows she wouldn't have been the one that started the whole fight. Chimaobim narrated how it started and said Kevwe started it by slapping Oyindamola.

"I know. But there must have been a thing that transpired first, for the the whole slap to happen. I'm sure that Kevwe isn't a trouble maker," Mama Chimaobim said assuredly and nodded at Chimaobim.

Adanne stared at her mother, then at Chimaobim and giggled hard.