Outcast - Episode 24

I slept and woke up in the morning. I saw Mummy and greeted her. She answered me and removed her face immediately. I knew she wasn't happy but didn't want me to know. As I was lost in thoughts, she turned and looked at me.

"I hope you are all right?", Mummy asked.

"I am", I said. She came close and hugged me. We were almost the same height.

"I love you. But as things seem, I can't keep you in my house any longer since my husband who brought you died", Mummy said.

"Okay", I muttered and used my hand to clean of the mucus that wanted to drop from my nose. My eyes were red.

"I hope all is well?", Mummy asked as she looked at me soberly.

"Yes, Mummy", I said. She stared once more and left.

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The following week which I was meant to return, came. Mummy bought plenty foodstuffs, gifts and cloths for me, Nwakaego and Mama. She also gave me money. Mama Ebuka followed us, as we got to the garage, we brought down my loads and packed them at the back of the bus. Mummy paid the driver. Mummy told Mama Ebuka to enter the car, so they'd be going, she said that she has something she wants to buy in the market. Mummy requested to follow her, she begged Mummy not to worry

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

. Mummy accepted, ignited her car and zoomed off. Not so long, I saw Mama Ebuka come out from where looked like she was hiding all the while. She counted some money and handed it over to the driver. They brought down my bags and put them at the back of truck that came from nowhere. She told me to enter the front seat, I was worried, but didn't query her. She entered too and the truck zoomed off. About half an hour, we arrived at a dirty slum, the truck came to a halt and we came down. I saw some little boys rush to greet her. She begged them to help her carry my loads to the house.

"What am I doing here?", I asked myself. In a slum. I stood at a place, staring at the dirty environments. I would rather stay in the village than come to a city and live here, I said to myself.

"Come here", Mama Ebuks shouted. I hesitated and then made a move, and walked along with her. She entered a corridor of an unpainted numerous houses in the slum. I followed her after wondering. Everywhere looked slightly dim even in a daylight. It was a face-me-apartment.

"These two rooms opposite to each other are mine", she said.

"What's my own business?", I replied. She laughed.

"You are going to be living here", she said.

"You are joking right? Take me back to the village", I said to her.

"You are on a long thing. You'll be living with me here forever and work your ass off with my children", she said.

"So, all these were your plans? To bring me here", I said, fell on the floor and started crying.

"Who is that one crying?", a coarse voice asked. Immediately, a shirtless built young man came out from Mama Ebuka's room.

"Ebus Nwa'm. Na this stupid Obiefuna I told you about", she said.

"Tell your mother to take me to the village", I shouted. Mama Ebuka, rushed me, I quickly stood up, she wanted to slap me, I held her hand and pushed her, she fell.

"Ahh!", she screamed.

Immediately, I went blank and didn't know what happened to me after.

I woke up in a bed, after the curtain of the room was raised. I looked outside and the sun shone bright, but my cheeks hurt so badly, I groaned. The outside looked like afternoon because of the sun. I looked at the wall clock, it was 9:00AM. The bed looked tattered.

Read " Resuscitated Hope " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. A young woman was standing by my side. She was the one that opened the window, as she came to my front.

"I hope you are feeling okay?, next time you won't disrespect my mother", she said rhetorically. I hissed in my mind. I ransacked my pocket and the money Mummy gave me was gone.

"Where is my money?", I shouted.

"You are making noise again, abi?", Ebuka peeped from the door. I kept shut. I felt he was the one that slapped me to coma. He was so big and scary.

"Leave him to be rambling. I'll soon be going to work and he will be at home, to do some chores with chinyere. Next week, he will start a serious work", Mama Ebuka said from the kitchen, outside. I hissed again.
Mama Ebuka later came with pap and akara which I managed to eat before she went to work and Ebuka left for his own too. I kept wondering the rubbish she would be telling Mummy about me when she gets there.