Lydia's pain

Lydia's pain Episode 6

... I used the tissue the way the woman told me to when I got home. I bled for days just like she said and I was so scared that I secretly prayed that the flow wouldn't last more than the days she told me it would, and I was lucky too that Stephen didn't attempt to do anything with me.

A few days later, I returned from school to see a big van parked in front of Aunty Pat's flat. I was surprised and also curious to know why, so I went closer only to find out that Aunty Pat was moving out. Tears dripped down my face immediately, cos it seemed as though a part of me was about to be gone.

I stood there in tears for over an hour, watching those guys move out her things as I became more confused.

"Should I follow her?" I thought to myself standing there with a very heavy heart and then, Aunty Pat finally came out to see me shedding tears. She walked up to me and then put a hand around my shoulders.
"You see Lydia, I wanted to help but you didn't let me. I really feel for you and I also wish I could take you with me but that's not going to be possible" She said as tears dripped down her own face too.

"But, where are you going?" I managed to ask, still sobbing.

"I have been transferred to another state" She said, and on hearing that, I bowed my head in pain.
"But, I need you to do one thing for me" She added and I raised my head to look at her.
"Tell your Uncle what Stephen has been doing to you. I would have told him myself against all odds or even gone as far as getting Stephen arrested but you know how tr0ublesome your Uncle's wife can be and I wouldn't want to create any more problems for you. The only person who can save you is you, so you need to act fast" She said.

"What do I do to make my Uncle believe me?" I quizzed.

Aunty Pat whispered something into my ear and asked me to do as she said. I thought about it and I nodded my head, promising her that I would do exactly as she had said.

Aunty Pat then opened her bag and gave me a huge amount of money, a torchlight which I hid in my bag and only brought out at nights, with her card just in case anything happens in future, that I should beg someone to help me call her, and that she would be happy to help.

I stood there waving her goodbye till she disappeared out of sight, and I left for our flat.

For a few days I couldn't even eat anything, as Aunty Pat's thoughts kept running through my head.

A few days later while asleep, Stephen again came on top of me, covering my mouth as usual. I struggled to scream, even clawed all over his b0dy but he still didn't stop and as soon as he was done, I quickly picked up my torchlight from under my pillow and I flashed it, his shirt and shorts was still on the couch where he threw them. I rushed and grabbed his shorts and shirt, and I began to scream at the top of my voice. He forcefully covered my mouth again but it was now too late for him, as my Uncle and his wife rushed out of their room to see what was going on.

Hmmm... after explaining what Stephen had been doing to me, my Uncle sprinted back into his room and brought out his guπ and right before my very eyes, as soon as he pointed it at Stephen, within the twinkle of an eye, Stephen dived and grabbed the guπ, Sh0t my Uncle and then ran out of the house with the guπ.

My Uncle laid there on the floor, lifeless and in the pool of his bl00d. I watched as his wife and children knelt beside him wailing, and for once, I wished that I had never been born cos the pains and sufferings was just too much for me.

That morning, my Uncle was deposited in a mortuary and when his colleagues came for investigation, all his wife told them was that armed r0bbers broke into the house, sh0t him and then made away with his guπ.

Before my Uncle was taken to the village for burial, my Uncle's wife and his children refused to talk to me cos they felt I caused all that happened to them and didn't even bother giving me food, I survived on the money Aunty Pat gave to me.

The following week, his b0dy was taken home for burial and my Uncle's wife still lied to everyone what caused his death but I couldn't say the truth cos it was what I told my Uncle that led to his death.

I then went to my bag a few days later, brought out Aunty Pat's card but no villager agreed to help me call the number, and I put it back in my bag.

I became a house maid to everyone in the family house in the village including my grandmother. I did all sorts of chores that I even fell sick. Unknown to me that I was a few months gone. I was constantly fatigued, and also had nausea for days. My grandmother only gave me p@racetamol to ease whatever b0dy pa!n she thought I had so I could continue helping her do chores and also work on her farm, that was all that mattered to her but all those symptoms I was having wouldn't just go away.

A few days later, I crawled out again carrying Aunty Pat's card maybe I would find a good samaritan this time who would agree to help me call her, so I walked far away from my grandmother's house this time where I met this middle aged man sitting before his grocery shop. After we exchanged pleasantries, he asked me what I wanted to buy but I told him nothing, and that I needed his help. I ended up explaining a few things to him and he agreed to help call her. He dialled the number and Aunty Pat knowing it was me, was so excited. I explained almost everything that was happening to her and after feeling very sorry, she then told me that she traveled to Sierra Leone for an assignment but would be back on the third day, and that I should try and reach her through the same means by then. She ended up speaking with the man who gave me his phone to use, and the man after they spoke dipped his hand into his pocket and gave me some money. I was so happy that I thanked him on my knees and left for my grandmother's place.

My Uncle's wife who was now planning to leave the village with her kids was on her way from the market when she saw me. The way she screamed my name, one would think maybe she had found me after I had gone missing for days.

"Where are you coming from?" She paused and asked with a hand on her waist, carrying a black polythene bag on the other hand.

"No...nowhere ma" I said shaking my head. I was so frightened that the whole of my b0dy began to tremble.

"What do you have there?" She probed and as soon as I heard the unexpected question, I started hiding the card and the money behind me.

"I say what do you have there?" She quizzed again and this time at the top of her voice, and I again shook my head.

She approached, forcefully took the money and the card from me.

"Who is Patricia Akande?" She questioned with a mean look.

"A...Aunty Pat" I said, already in tears.

"Aunty Pat? Oh! The former neighbor right?" She questioned and I nodded my head.