OTOH N'AKA NNE - TRANSLATED "OLD MAID" LITERAL TRANSLATION "LEFT WITH MOTHER" Part 2

"What?" I squealed trying to picture the event unfolding. I regretted dropping my purse far away. I don't mind killing anyone now!

"Relax girl. We got you!"

The other girls seem unbothered, this could not be their first time.

I shouted "On one condition"

"What condition?"

"I get the sum of 6 million Naira sent to my account number now!" I don't know why I ever said this but they didn't seem bothered and beckoned me for my account number and within seconds my phone alerted me and I rushed off towards my purse to check or perhaps to get my weapon. I was abruptly stopped half way by a foot as I slipped over it.

“Where do you think you are going gal!” That voice was no way friendly.

I jumped to my feet immediately, seeing the other girl’s questioning eyes on me I shivered a bit at what they must have been used to. I tried to regain composure and act like this is not new to me while I thought fast.

“Hey, bring that ass here and do your fucking job!” I strutted over lazily with me hands on hair. Thank goodness my hair pin was still intact. I got close enough for that thrust and I know now that the darkness that engulfed was for vile as shrieks faded off in my ears.

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I could hear dull sounds at first sounding like a rhythm I used to know then suddenly sounds seem too busy and too fast for me to comprehend.

Buzzes, whispers! Great, people are around me, I tried to call for help as I felt blood trickling down my thighs but the lumps in my throat made it too tight. I was about to flay my hands around for help from whoever but stopped as I was suddenly reassured of being in safety upon hearing my sisters’ voices floating around, I heaved a sigh but they didn’t seem to hear me, then I strained to hear them.

“Stephanie, I cannot take her into my home, whatever be the case!”

“You can’t talk like that she is our eldest sister!” Chisom said shuffling her now wailing baby to reduce her discomfort.

“..So what, I didn’t ask her to live her life like this and almost kill herself with abortion. She is of age to know the consequences of her actions.” Stephanie spoke and trailed off with “…Junior come back here!”

Abortion? Wait what? Did I eventually get pregnant? By whom for whom? What would ever make me have an abortion? Emeka always refuses to ejaculate in me for fear of having babies outside wedlock, it wasn’t for him and I would never take away his seed, don’t know how we drifted apart so much so he ended up with another lady whom he claims is half as good as I am, I still love him enough to want his baby. Neither will the baby be for Charles who always insists I take the morning after pills in his presence. Don’t know why these married exes keep coming back to me for fun and I still accept them, perhaps deep down I accepted them just to have a child of my own. Both weren’t cooperating with me. I tried several occasions to substitute the morning after pills with vitamins and supplements, still no babies come forth. I could swear that the gods of fertility were fighting against me.

All my life I believe babies are a blessing, especially now that I need a reason to quit this lifestyle. I am most certain a baby would bring a better life and future for me, why abort? Oh dear No! The horses?!

“She has to go……”

“Go where?!... To Mama?!”

“Yes, She is left with no choice, her results read HIV Positive!”

Chisom’s loud wails stabbed me on my chest. The pain was too much I need to open my mouth and say something, “this is not real” I wanted to shout! I couldn’t form the words I just stayed limp.

The words “Otoh n’aka nne” resounded in my head for way too long.

I need to get up and run! No, I cannot cause mama pain while she takes care of me in this state.

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Then the buzz I knew well now started all over again. This time I could open my eyes and my tightened lungs began to loosen up. I avoided saying a word, I need to sneak out of this place before my sisters get back here. But what I saw as my eyes adjusted to the lights was strange, bodies strewn apart and ….. Dear lord they were covered in blood and lay lifeless. Oh God, the horses…. What happened? Did I time travel?! The trickling blood on my thighs were real though!

I got up and dashed underneath the wooden door of the horse stall. Stark naked I ran straight into the overgrown grasses, I pray they would cover me from the eyes of my enemies.

I need to get out of here, I laid still and scanned briefly for an exit, I saw it in split seconds a track less travelled I saw on my right, On all fours I swiftly took that path, then I stumbled on a dead horse (as I shuffled more on my right out of pain), My Hair pin was in its eye and a bullet wound I could see as I hovered on my right arm as my left arm hurt so bad.

Where did my captives all go?! No, I couldn’t bring myself to answer that question as I quickly headed for a wooden gate on my right. I rolled over several times saving my strength for survival. Heaved the wooden gate apart by flinging my entire backbone at it and rolled over to a tarred road. My skin was burning I need to get up now, I shuffled for a while and stopped in tears. The pain on my left thigh was becoming unbearable, I prayed for strength, I prayed for protection, I prayed for a second chance at life again!

I saw the Light streaks like a mirror reflection just briefly flashing into my eyes. I rolled on several times across the road till I got to the bushy part, I saw a car parked right in the bush few feet away from me.

Someone rushed to my sides and lifted me up. I didn’t care who for it was a touch of protection. I forced my eyes open a bit as the car rolled away.

“Mohammed!”

“Madam.” He replied not looking back.

Quickly I Jolted trying to make sense of everything. Is He aware of everything? Is this part of a plan? Will he take me to M'Ada?

I need to quickly know His intentions and why he was here?

“Mohammed, will you marry me?” I said looking at the rear-view mirror. If he looks away He is not on my side!

“Yes, madam” He answered a bit startled by my question as our eyes locked in the rear-view mirror.

“If to say you no ask, mesef for ask.” He added a bit slowly in his broken English-Hausa accent.

“Where are we going?” I asked as I laid down my head to rest my weak body!

“Madam, dem shoot you for hand and for leg, I don clean am, come tie am with cloth. We dey go my cousin place from there we vamoose!”

“Thank you!”

“Madam, I been love you from day one I see you. You see dat last day wey I drop you, na here I come. I dey wait for Cynthia, na him I hear gunshots. E no reach 10 minutes M'Ada send Memo say make I go pick you, Me suspect say Cynthia don go be that, that’s why I vex well well dat day. As I know say Cynthia dey do like you, she no tear eye like others I begin watch out for you in case them carry you come here. I follow una reach here, I park well well for bush come wait. As I hear gunshot come see your driver don go. My head scatter! I carry my own gun o! Begin fire from their gate. I just wish say I meet una for road before you enter that house, but I no quick know the road well…”

“You fought for me?!”

“Yes madam”

“Call me Ada” I said, then asked “Wetin be your surname, your papa name?”

“Isiak”

“Call me Ada Isiak” I said with a smile although weakly as my strength was fading.

I know he smiled for he started humming a song, a love song I guess.

The car came to a halt. Mohammed rushed to my side and for fear of losing me whispered into my ears

“I have always loved you. Please don’t leave me alone in this world, stay with me my love, Ada Isiak!”

Tears rolled down my eyes and I could do nothing to reassure him.

Now I know if I die, I die in the arms of love. My name is now Ada Isiak and not “Otoh N’aka Nne”- that is enough for me. I smiled, this must reassure him I hope.

I could feel my feet growing cold and my body shiver violently…

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