(Amoya Griffiths)
The way the community members looked at her as she walked down the rocky road was amusing.
She has never walked before, having the luxury of her father driving his jeep that manages the bad road. It was either him or an appoited driver. Hopping over pot holes to avoid the dirty waters and mud from yesterday's rain.
By the time she got to her mother's house, mud was up to her ankles. The bag on her back was a burden and the two in her hands made her fingers hurt from the weight.
Her father indeed built her a room, bathroom and closet on the property, standing next to the board house sponsored by the government. Another help her mother got from her father as well as the shop she was facing. It was flooded with men of all ages; drinking, smoking and gambling.
She said nothing to them but walked into the yard, dodging the mongrel shit all around the front yard. The condition was horrible enough that she wanted to vomit but didn't.
It has been months since she came up here yet it just keeps getting worst.
Reaching the concrete structure with only two steps up to reach the door, she took her key from her pocket and opened it up. The stench of urine and of metallic blood blocked her nose from inhaling even a bit more.
She flew the door opened and regret giving her mother a key and instantly thought of changing the locks when everyone least expects it.
It was bad enough that she already cried but now she wants to do it all over again at the sight of her room.
Clothes were on the floor, another bed was added next to her custom built queen sized one. The door of the closet was broken yet her clothes was on the floor and replaced with her only sisters. Gone were her wall decor, an empty and ruined vanity and chest-of-drawers. Everything was a mess, including her fan that Amoy gave her when she was complaining to her father about the heat few years ago. She had that fan for five years and now its blade was broken.
The only thing she did was clean up a corner for herself. Throwing the dirty bed set on her sister's side. She cleaned and slaved till she was weak.
The bathroom was another issue as the smell of blood was worst there. Paige being thirteen yet foolish, her pads were stocked up in the corner of the bathroom. Bags upon bag with flies as worms crawling around. The sight made her threw up but the sight inside the toilet bowl was worst that she had to threw her head over the bath. Panty hanging from the metal rod and she knew that it wasn't only her sisters. Her mother was using the bathroom too.
She was quiet for an whole week. Eating only when she went to school and used her card to purchase enough food to full her stomach until she gets home.
She was her siblings on the compound and as usual, they pretended she didn't exist. Which was expected.
Purchasing a large chicken and fries box lunch with a Tru-Juice, she was about to put it in a bag to eat for later when she was approached by Devon and Paige.
"Sis, beg yuh a thousand dollar." He demanded, instead of asking and she put the food away. Opening her purse to show them how dry it was. The only thing there was her fare of one hundred and fifty dollars.
"Yuh fada stop give yuh money?" Paige didn't hold back her laugher but their brother did.
"How yuh buy big lunch and juice?" He asked instead.
"Nuh ask har nothing." Another voice spoke, frightening them from its roughness. It was Steplon.
"Mih nah talk tu yuh yute." Devon was definitely scared but was acting brave since other students were watching.
Everyone knew the Griffiths that attended here yet feared them. Even Amoya who they noticed has gone quiet since the week stared. They were curiously watching the exchange as this group tends to avoid each other.
"Watch yuh back." Jamari chuckled as he had his nephew's back.
Journi and Jamari are Kitty's last children, uncle and aunty to Amoya and Steplon, only doing the upper six. Since the beginning, this was honestly the first they were helping her. Knowing how much of a bully her fourteen year old brother is.
"Ya threaten mih?"
"Wih nuh chat tu idiot but hear dis. Stop watch dih girl pocket cah wih wouldn't be surprised if nuh nah watch har a yaad tu. Move yuh rass." Steplon didn't need to say it twice but her little brother pointed at him and left.
Devon wasn't going to let that go. He was going to try or do something.
"Fawud." Jamari told her, which confused her but she still went.
They took her to the music room where there usually stays in for lunch and told her to take a seat.
"Yuh eat yet?" Romona asked, surprising her so she nods.
In the room were Romona, Roman, Journi, Jamari and Steplon, whereas their friends sat to the front of the room by the door. They were all looking at Amoya who shrunk under her gaze. Feeling lonely but regret hiding from her own friends.
"First of all, mih nuh hate yuh but mih nuh like or would never trust yuh." Steplon just gave it to her just like that and she looked down, feeling the tears.
She was tired of crying and has been doing so every day.
"Second, as bad as wih wah mek yuh face Karma, ya still blood. Wah gwaan up a yuh yaad?"
She shook her head and her uncle laughed.
"Yuh fail to understand seh wih have eyes and ears everywhere. Why ya sleep outta door last night?" He asked as she shook her head again. "If yuh nuh tell wih dis a go a yuh grandfather ears enuh."
She knew Stephen Griffiths loves his family, loves her and if he knows what's going on then he'll definitely do something known or unknown to the source of their problems. Another thing was that she feared him a bit, it was a must. His eyes would have her confessing all her sins.
What she did was tell them, tell them everything. Even if they were joking, for she had nothing more to lose but her life.
