Stronger Than Pain

Chapter Thirty Nine

My eyes couldn't help but rummage round the entire box-like room which will from henceforth, serve as our permanent abode. The cream colored walls were sparkly just like every other thing in it, depicting the fact that it was indeed a virgin home. The floor was smoothly cemented with no luxury of tiles, and the squared ceiling painted white. A large window stood beside the front door with another at the rear, just beside the door that leads to the convenience. These two windows did wonders of allowing eerie breeze into the room, making it a bit cold.

Mum had just moved us into our new home, and much thanks to the receptionist who saw that the home owner accepted and reserved this 'special' spot for us. Our special spot belongs in the House '5', Room 47 in Block 'J'. The house description looked funny to me and suits better for a hostel. Not as if the owner cares though!

The compound was large -slash that, extremely large and would best suit your idea of a typical Nigerian public yard. Six "n" shaped buildings stands strong in it, with each building comprising two blocks which in turn houses ten rooms.

Four rooms stand by each side like a column, with two rooms standing at the extreme like a connecting row. In total, there were sixty rooms in the compound which resulted to lesser personal space. The only area that served as an open space in our block was a narrow opening  between the two block lines. This narrow space houses strong ropes and wires hung and tied from one end to another to form parallel lines of cloth hangers.

Privacy had become the thing of the past as fellow occupants constantly shove in and out of your face, their lips wide with grins which makes me want to recoil and hide permanently in our little room.

Zara and I were alone, waiting patiently for mum to return as she'd promised. Zara laid on the bare floor since she rolled off the wrapper I'd spread for her to sleep on. I was standing at the rear window, scanning through the little bushes and thatch houses overlooking our backyard.

Who would sleep in those?

I felt pity for their inhabitants especially during this rainy season for I was certain they would be wet from a rainstorm. Poverty!

I smiled at my silly thought as I suddenly realised I was no better than them. I used to be the daughter of a rich man but not anymore. Now I'm that occupant of a poor woman who no one knows why she left her marriage. I wouldn't be surprised if they accuse my mum of seeking for too much freedom to commit atrocities instead of being under a man. I scoffed at the thought.

A rusted white van zoomed past the narrow way and my eyes trailed it for long, the dark smoke from its exhaust pipe catching my fancy.

The door flung open and my head forcefully tilted towards it. Already looking worn out, mum crouched a little to walk in through the open door, her infectious smile not leaving her wary face. A wrapped carpet was balancing perfectly on her head, with a student foam bounded into a cylindrical shape leaning by the door frame.

"Welcome mum. Where did you get this?" I asked excited and surprised.

Mum smiled. "There's a market here of course". She said lifting the bundle off her head and tossing it noisily on the floor. The mild thud awoke Zara who'd still been asleep on the bare floor, and who like a thunderbolt sprang up, racing into mum's open arms. 

"Ada m, give me a hand with this, Will you?" Mum asked freeing Zara, and hovering over the bound carpet to loosen it. I walked briskly towards her, crouching to hold unto a carpet edge and watching as she did same to the other. Zara watched in excitement as we rolled the carpet open, straightening it so it covers the cemented floor perfectly. .

It was bright blue with cream flowered patterns on its edge. The centre housed a larger flower which invokes a blossoming feeling when gazed upon.