CAGED ✔

《 Chapter 5 》

It had been four days since the gate man's  incident.  I sat on my bed with my legs crossed as I went through  all that was taught during the week. It was Sunday and the marks on my body  was beginning  to clear.

Grandma was so conscious of her beating that she made sure I never got marks on any exposed part of my body. All her strokes landed on my back and never at my arms.

It was Sunday and I had retired to my room  immediately  we got back from church to do my assignments and read my books.

As I worked on my mathematics,  I heard my name. I knew that tone very well. That was the tone  grandma used whenever she was very angry with me.

My heart began to thud violently; I could hear it loudly in my ear. What again? What did I do wrong now?

I racked  my brain  in search of any wrong I did but  I couldn't find  any.

"Beatrice!" Grandma screamed with her loud eerie  voice.

I began to cry as I ran into the sitting  room. She was  on her usual  stance; cane on her right hand and the left resting on her hip. It was a stance I had grown to hate. It traumatized  me.

Immediately  I came in, her eyes twitched and her nose  flared. "What kind of child are you?"

I didn't respond.  I couldn't respond. What had I done again?

"Musa just told me something disturbing right now."

Musa was our security  guard. I wondered what he told grandma to make her this furious.

"Why don't  you yield to correction? Who is Peter? Tell me, I want to know?"

My head seemed to contract and expand immediately I heard the name: Peter. Which Peter was she talking about?  It couldn't be my classmate or could it? He said he'd  find out? What had he done now?

"Tell me who Peter is. Start talking fast I don't have time to waste. "

"The only Peter  I know  is my classmate."  I answered solemnly.

"Your classmate or your boyfriend? "

"No grandma! He's  only my classmate. I don't even talk to him. " I  protested.

Grandma threw her head back and roared into laughter.  A loud scary  laugh.

"What does this girl take  me for?  Because  you call me grandma, you think I am old and stupid? You forget that I was once a girl like you and I know all these tricks of yours. You better start talking now. Tell me who this Peter  is. The boy that had the audacity to come to this house."

I held my chest. I couldn't believe  my ears. Peter came to my house! My God!  Why? Why did this misfortune have to fall on me? What had I  done to deserve this? Was this his way of finding  out?

"Grandma, I swear to God. This boy is only my classmate. I don't even—"

"Shut up!"

I felt it. The sharp stinging pain at my back.  It hurt! It hurt really bad!

"Your classmate? You don't even talk to him? How then did he come to this house?  How then  did he know that I was not at home yesterday  afternoon  for him to come?  Tell me! Why would someone you don't talk to come to your house? For what reason?  Ma Suzanne, can you hear this little brat?"

Ma Suzanne  maintained her regular stance: head bowed  and eyes closed. I had seen this too many times.

"A boy  walks to this house, knocks at the door and ask to see you and you have the guts to tell me that he's  only  a classmate and not  your friend or even boyfriend.  By the time I finish with you, you will  never lie to me again. It seems you didn't learn last time.

"No wonder, you came late. You were talking with him. No wonder the gate man  story seemed so absurd. I knew you had something  under your sleeve.  Thank  God you have been exposed. I'll  beat that Peter  away from your head.

"Despite  all my teachings and warnings, you still  turned deaf ears. I can see you want to end up like your mother and I would not let that happen; not when I am alive."

She began to flog  me with the cane till it broke  into two.  She threw the cane away and pounced  on me, throwing heavy blows at me. I cried; I screamed;  I pleaded to no avail. She left me rolling on the floor screaming in pain.

"No food for you today. Suzanne, hear me  and hear me clear, make sure this disgusting thing doesn't taste anything today not even water. Lock the kitchen after you finish cooking and give me the keys. You will not taste anything today, not even water. Useless girl!

I rested my back  on the wall  as I thought of how Peter knew my house. I didn't  know how long I sat there but I knew it was for a long  time.

Just then, I sighted Ma Suzanne  carrying  a plate of food and a bottle of water. She dropped the plate in front of me and gestured for me to eat.

"Grandma  is bathing. Eat this food quickly  before she comes out." Ma Suzanne  whispered to me.

"No, Ma Suzanne.  You can't  disobey Grandma's  rule because of me. You might  lose your job. Please, don't do this."

"Eat up, Beatrice. I can't stand you going hungry for a crime I know you didn't commit. I believe you my dear so please eat this food quickly.  I know you're hungry. "

I was indeed very hungry. My belly had been rumbling since I sat on the floor. I looked at Ma Suzanne and she smiled reassuringly at me so I grabbed the plate and began to rush the food.

As I ate, Ma Suzanne  ran to get a broom  and a parker to pick the crumbs that fell off from my plate.
"Drink some water so you don't choke."

I adhered  to her advice as I took a huge drink from the  bottle. I continued to rush the food and then, suddenly, I began to cough. Ma Suzanne  rubbed my back  gently but I didn't stop coughing.  I coughed and coughed. 

I couldn't control myself. Ma Suzanne alarmed,  picked up the plate with the Broom as she ran to the kitchen.  She left the bottle of water with me but I continued to choke.

Water began to flow down my eyes and nose as I coughed.  I heard grandma's  door open and I heard her footstep.

"What's  going on here? Why are you coughing?" She bent low and began to hit my back gently.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Ma Suzanne standing by the kitchen door, looking at me with fear.  Instantly I felt the urge to upchuck   I tried to push it back but  I couldn't.

The vomit fell off my mouth and onto the floor. Grandma stood up agitated.  I looked at the spill on the floor. The whole food I consumed some minutes ago was on the floor.

"Who gave you food to eat? Who dare give you food to eat?"

"I collected it myself. I was so hungry, I couldn't take it anymore.  I had  to go into the kitchen when  Ma Suzanne  was using the toilet." I tried  to cover up.

"Rubbish! Suzanne! Suzanne!"