FAMILIAR ENEMY (EPISODE 3)

FAMILIAR ENEMY (EPISODE 3) Written by Glorie Adepoju

“Of what use is this one now?” Mama Swagger said to the lady.

“What else? the same thing the others are used for.”

“She’s a child!!!, what were you thinking picking someone this young?! Don’t tell me you didn’t have plans when you picked and kept her here all along eating my free food!” Mama Swagger said her anger rising.

“I…don’t…know, I jus…t…tho…ught she’d be useful, somehow. It doesn’t matter that she’s a child na, how about those who prefer children?” The lady said clearly uncomfortable with Mama Swagger’s rising temper.

I just stood there, watching as they discussed me like I was invisible, good thing I was too young to understand.

“Prefer children? Yes, I know, but the kind of trouble we would get into, I’m not ready for that kind of trouble!!!” Mama Swagger said, casting occasional angry glances at me. I became afraid, I had always tried not to get on her bad side.

“What do we do? We need to dispose of this one quick, I’m losing my patience!” Mama Swagger said again, as she lighted her cigarette.

“Think! think of something fast!!!, This thing is not staying another night here, I hate the sight of a profitless creature eating free food!!” Mama Swagger said in a loud voice

Mama Swagger smokes when she’s angry, irritated. Once she starts, she just wouldn’t stop for a long time. I never liked the choking feeling of being near her when she does it, another reason I tried incredibly hard not to get on her bad side. I searched my young mind for an excuse to leave the room.

After a minute of drumming her fingers on the center table in the sitting room, the lady finally spoke.

“I have an idea, there’s this rich family, they need a house help urgently. That should work.”

“Whatever, just get her out of here!”
The choking feeling was beginning to overwhelm me.

“I wan piss” I said quickly, suppressing my cough. The last time I coughed when she was smoking, I got a hot slap from her.

“Don’t you know your way to the toilet, or what’s the useless information for?”

“This is not a daycare!!!!, the next time you dare bring any young thing here again I’d not take it lightly!” I heard Mama Swagger say as I rushed out.

I ended up in a rich household as a maid, and then my journey as a house help began. As the years passed, I moved from house to house as a house maid. Of course, I had lost all connection with the lady. At age 12, I ended up in a home of an elderly man, as his maid, and my life took a drastic turn.

Pa Benjamin had lost his wife long ago and his children were all grown up. He led me to Christ, my eyes were opened to a new kind of life completely different from the one I had known. Life slowly began to make sense.

Pa Benjamin being a retired teacher, took responsibility for my education, and home schooled me. My relationship with Jesus changed everything incredibly. I found hope, joy, love and a reason to live.

Three years later, Pa Benjamin passed away. I cried. The only person and place I could call home, gone.

…to be continued…

pEn&pApEr
GLORIEADEPOJU

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