Protected - Episode 1

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"Emily get up you will be late for the market"

I sigh, I have been awake for the better part of the night, it's just past five and I need to go to the market, sigh.

"Emily, wake up"

"Anti, am awake, just give me 5 minutes"

"You don't have 5 minutes, if the bus leaves you, market for today will be cancelled"

I sigh as I stand from my narrow bed, it's not as if I don't want to go, am just so tired, I got beaten by the rain yesterday, my bones ache .

I stand up and don't bother bathing, it will be useless, I braid my long hair and tie it into a chignon, the onitsha market is not a place for long hair.

I make my way out and see my aunt's husband sitting by the TV, this morning he is already smoking, and inside the house at that.

"Good morning, brother".


He looks up at me, the way he does makes me feel dirty, I don't like this man, one bit.

"Good morning Emily, how was your night?"

He asks this while blowing smoke into the air, it takes all I have not to gag, I hate cigarettes.

"It was fine thank you,"

 I bend in front of the chair to find my bag, I think I threw it here sometime yesterday night,  i see it wedged between two chairs and I grab it, I stand and glance at my uncle to see him lick his lips while staring at my backside.


I hate this man, he is a pervert.

Amjust  19 and that does not seem to bother him, it also does not bother him that I am his wife's sister, no, he makes passes at me anytime he can.

Brushes against me in a way that is not necessarily bad but makes me uncomfortable, he doesn't do all this in front of his wife, he saves his best attitude for her.

I can't wait to leave this house, when I do, am never coming back.

My aunty is not much better, she hits me anytime she can, she hates me, I don't know why, its not as if I asked for this.

I have asked a million times where my parents are but I don't get any answers, i have no clue, I just have to bear this existence untill I have enough money to get me out of here.

I plan to go to Lagos and learn fashion designing, I have my waec certificate, when I make lot of money, I will go to university, it is my dream..

 
I exit the sitting room and walk to the kitchen to get my basket of bananas, I sell bananas at onitsha market to travellers, on a good day, I can get about a thousand naira as gain .

I don't bother tell them that I am leaving since they won't care, I walk to kelechi's compound.

Kelechi is my best friend, her father drives a bus to the main market every day, I get a ride with them.

When I get there, I see her loading the bus with bread, she sells bread, they have a local bakery, they are kind of rich.

"Chi, good morning"

"Good morning Emily, come and help me"

I sigh,I am tired of telling everyone that my name is not Emily but Emilia, they have killed the name so much,my aunty calls me, Emile, she is even worse.

I help her load her bread and she turns to me.

"Wait here I have to go get my apron, ok?"

She leaves, Hey, I didn't carry my own, thank God I remembered, the sun is just rising, when she returns I tell her to help me watch my basket that I just want to go inside to get my apron .

"Be fast o, papa will leave soon, he is just eating"

I shake my head, kelechi's dad is always eating, his stomach is so big that I can sit on it and my leg will not touch the ground.

I giggle at my mischievous thoughts, I make my way into the house but stop short when I hear my aunty and uncle whispering.

Why are they whispering, no one is inside with them, I stop, not making my presence known, I listen.

"We just have to sell her to the people, you know we need the money for us to travel to abroad"

That was my uncle, sell who? Are they talking about me?

"Are you sure they won't harm her?, They might be ritualists, we should just marry her to okoro, he is willing to pay us more money"

That was my aunty, sell me?, Marry me? She is saying it so cruelly, as if I should thank her that she didn't kill me herself.

"No, na, people will think we are wicked, let's just sell her, we will tell them she ran away with a boy, that's better"

I can't see them, but am sure my aunty is nodding, I make my way out quietly and go back to kelechi's compound.

"Madam be fast, papa wants to leave"

She calls in a kind but exasperated voice, I don't reply, am too numb with shock.

"Where is your apron?, You sef, you forgot what made you go back home"

I don't respond and she frowns.

"Magic, are you ok?"

My middle name is magic, only kelechi calls me that.

I open my mouth but her father approaches us and I shut up,

"later"

I mutter, she nods.

I climb into the bus and look forward, today's Discovery has made me realize one thing.

Am never coming back to this house again.

Am going to run away.

. .

Read " Forgetting Yesterday " by the same author ( Bebe Ernest )

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