UNFAZED (continued)

Hey guys, if you are just joining the wagon, I will link below the first and second parts of the story.

UNFAZED I
UNFAZED II


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I knew I couldn't continue to punish my self as it would only damage me, all of this wouldn't have happened if I wasn't trying to make friends that lived around.

Aunty Karis and her husband were kind enough to make sure i had a proper bath and prepared bowls of food. Their home was so full of love, it was nothing compared to mine where all we did was forcefully please each other.

‘Nne, hope you are feeling better now', Aunty Karis asked.

‘Yes Aunty, thank you', I replied.

‘We are very sorry about what happened to you, boys like that shouldn't be allowed to move around freely', Uncle Ndu Said.

‘He can't go scot-free, God will surely fight for you. The system continues to fail us , sometimes I think it is a waste of time going to them. It would only traumatize you', Aunty Karis says.

‘Everything would be okay, you will see', Uncle Ndu replied.

They went on to ask about my family background, age and how I felt about going back home as my family would have been searching for me.

‘It is not fair that you disappeared like that,it would hurt them at home' Aunty Karis says.

I agreed it wasn't fair as I acted too quickly to run away. I gave my father's phone number to uncle Ndu so he can call and inform them about my whereabout.  After talking for about 3 minutes, my father asked to speak with me;

‘Hello, Chizara?'

‘Sir'

‘Thank God! I'm very sorry about what happened, your mother has been crying, you didn't have to run away, what really happened? Tell the people you are with to send an address so I can come and pick you', He said in one breath.

‘Ok, but it's late now and I'm fine. Tomorrow would be safer to come', I suggested.

It took combined effort to convince him to come the next day.

Later that night, tragedy struck. I was almost convinced I brought bad luck. Armed men broke into the house, we were forced out of our rooms. Clearly they didn't come to steal anything, one by one they shot the house helps, then Uncle Ndu.....I shrieked, this had to be a nightmare, aunty Karis rushed to her husband's side. Hot tears rushed down my face .

‘This will teach him a lesson not to write false articles about people in power, now you know who is who', one of the masked men said.

‘Thats not true', Aunty Karis yelled , ‘He is an honest man', she cried ‘Oh  God why?'

Before she could say anymore, they shot her. As they looked at their work pleased, I seized the opportunity. I stood up and ran as fast as I could. It was all too painful, thankfully the gate was open. I ran non-stop wanting to get very far.

I was moving but I was not feeling my legs, looking but not seeing, so immersed in pain that it took all of my strength to keep it in. Then I crashed into a solid object, I didn't even feel the pain , I just crumpled to the ground. My Earthly saviours were gone, just like that, I wanted to rub my hand against my chest to ease the pain I was feeling. It was too much for me to bear. The world showed me no mercy, this had to be the end. How would I go back home , the thought of living with tonight's memories made my wounds so sore. I cursed myself, I was bad luck. But I had to move on....

I waited for morning come before leaving the place I had hid myself, sleep had abandoned me. I couldn't feel my legs but I walked. After walking for minutes, I spotted an elderly woman on the other side of the road, seated in front of a restaurant. She had to be the owner.

‘Hello ma' I greeted as I walked up to her.

‘Who be dis one? Dem no teach you how to grit pesin?' she queried.

‘ I'm very sorry ma, please I am very stranded, I don't have anywhere to go to', I cried.

She looked at me for a while before her expression changed softening her features, sympathetically she led me inside, offering me food and drink. She was nice after all. She asked how I got stranded, I told her part of the truth not wanting to scare her. Afterwards I convinced her to let me stay with her , going back to my family wasn't going to work, they may have heard what happened by now. However I was going to move forward and put everything behind.

Life started happening very fast, seven months had passed and mama kora made life lovable. I helped to serve customers at the restaurant and was able to start saving money the buy jamb forms that were around the corner. It was getting difficult to keep up with the costs at home  even though Kora and I worked tirelessly to earn more.

Mama Kora decided to go back to work as a prostitute, according to her she saved up money working as a prostitute to set up her restaurant. It made me sad to see this woman who didn't know me from anywhere sacrificing so much just so she could cater for her daughter and I. I was going to help her, I decided. While kora and I worked at the restaurant, any of the waiters who didn't work well was sent to mama Kora to receive a earful. Even tho I was still very young , I knew more than my age  and Kora often teased me about it. Kora was born after her mother was rejected by the father of her child , left dejected and alone when he told her he was engaged to marry someone else. She swore to groom kora to be a strong woman and work hard for whatever she wanted.

Living with Mama Kora and her daughter showed me another side of love I had never experienced, we understood and recognized each other's pain. This was home.
Days rolled into weeks and weeks rolled into months. I sat for the jamb examinations and passed colourfully, I was so prepared for whatever happens next, the past isn't going to shape my future. Later that day mama Kora made jollof rice to celebrate, saying passing exams wasn't easy.

‘My dear we have to celebrate oo, very soon Kora would write her own and we would be having celebrations upon celebrations', she laughed

‘Let's play some music', I said

It was a party night for us. Months later I was admitted into the university of Lagos, the new semester started , we were all excited but it didn't last long. We couldn't afford certain bills even tho we were working extra hard. I couldn't work as much as I used to so I wouldn't miss classes. Not until I met Temi.

Temi, my coursemate who liked keeping to herself. Unlike every other girls in class, Temi looked and dressed classy. She approached me after class,

‘Hey there', she called.

‘Hi', I replied.

‘I noticed you were looking very moody throughout the lecture, hope you are alright?', She asked.

‘Yeah, I'm fine'

‘Does not look like you are fine at all, we can go to the cafeteria and talk if you want', she says .

I needed someone to talk to anyways. Few minutes passed and we were chatting like we had known each other for years.

‘I am looking for a well paying job, I just want to support my aunt', I said

‘Hmm, jobs are hard to find these days. I was working two jobs before, I even had to evoke my ancestors before I found the job', she said rolling her eyes.

‘Is there still vacancy?, I jumped.

‘Chill girl, I no longer work there', she said laughing. ‘I work on my own now, it is not really what I want but it pays very well' .

I understood what she meant almost immediately. I had nothing to lose anyway.

‘Can I work with you?' I asked .


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So sorry I had to stop there, creating a story takes a lot!!

Please leave comments and let me know what you think. Do you think Temi brings trouble? Is Chizara doing the right thing? Please let me know. Your comments are what keeps me writing. 

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