Born into a family of ten: 3boys and 5girls plus mum and dad, survival had been a struggle.
My father was a palm wine tapper and my mum was a petty trader who dealt in foodstuffs.
We lived in a remote village somewhere in the South-eastern part of Nigeria.
My father’s palm wine tapping didn’t earn him much and even after combining with the proceeds of my mum’s petty trading, my parents still couldn’t afford 3square meals to sustain the family.
I was the first child; followed by a male then females before the two last males.
I never went to school even for a day. None of us did.
Then disaster struck.
My father went for his usual palm wine tapping business and never came back.
On dispersal of a search party, it turned out that he fell from the palm tree and died on the spot.
This sudden death of my dad launched my family into more terrible hardship and my mum couldn’t cope.
Things grew worse after my dad’s burial and it became necessary for my mum to send us out to live with different people in the city.
At that time I was 15years old and my immediate younger brother was 13.
It was my late father’s sister that brought up the suggestion to my mother and my mother quickly bought the idea and soon had me introduced to my madam.
In a matter of days, the whole arrangement was concluded and I followed my madam back to the city of Enugu.
The first few days, I was treated well maybe because it was my first day of arrival.
I was shown around the house, taught how to use some of the appliances, I was also shown the little room that was to be my room and also the small mattress that was to be my mattress.
Then I settled in my new home with hope that things would move fine and my madam won’t have any reason to send me home prematurely…
A severe lash of cane sent me hurrying to my feet the next morning.
“So you’re still sleeping?” My Madam asked looking ferociously at me. “So you’re still sleeping by 7am?” She repeated lashing out two more strokes of the cane. “Who are you waiting for to clean up the mess in the kitchen and sweep the house?” She asked.
“I’m sorry ma,” I sobbed.
“Come on, go and do your morning function!” She barked as I ran out of the room and into the kitchen.
*************************************
It wasn’t my fault that I woke up late that morning.
I had overworked myself the previous night clearing up the dishes that was used in preparing and serving the meal for the night.
By the time I finished and went to bed, the night was far gone.
I sobbed as I washed the remaining dishes in the sink and swept the entire house.
“Make sure you fetch water after sweeping that thing,” my madam’s harsh voice reminded me from the bedroom.
“Yes ma,” I replied hurrying up.
The buckets I used in fetching water were those big saclux buckets that were so heavy that I never attempted to fill them to the brim.
I was to fill one very big drum in the front verandah with another at the back.
For more than 3hours I ferried the buckets from well to drum and back.
By the time I finished, I was very hungry and exhausted.
My madam gave me two slices of bread and a cup of mixed water in the name of tea.
The mixed water was tasteless, hot and almost burned my tongue in the first sip.
My madam was married to a well to-do husband and they already had 3kids the last of which was very tender.
It was obvious that she was the one I came to babysit.
The other two – a boy and a girl – were much older but still needed certain degree of babysitting like bathing them and washing their clothes and even feeding them as at when due.
But then the tender baby gave the biggest trouble. She cried a lot and more often than not always put me into trouble.
With only two slices of bread and mixed water in my tummy, I carried the baby about trying as hard as I could to quell her cry.
“Why is that baby crying?” My madam asked walking into the sitting room.
“I don’t know ma,” I replied with terror.
“Gbawam!” A very hot slap landed on my right cheek and I nearly dropped the baby out of pain.
“What did you just try to do now?” My madam asked advancing ferociously towards me.
“Please I’m sorry ma,” I pleaded sobbing.
The raised voice of my madam coupled with the sound of the slap further increased the baby’s crying and my madam took her from me.
“Come on, go and put hot water on the fire for her pap!” She thundered and I ran into the kitchen in obedience…
I lighted the stove immediately and put some water into the kettle and placed it on the stove.
“Hope you’ve put the water?” My madam shouted from the sitting room.
“Yes ma,” I replied twisting my fingers in fear.
“Come and wash off these napkins immediately,” she ordered sending me running into the sitting room.
She handed me the soiled napkins and I zoomed off with it into the bathroom to wash it.
I had barely soaked the napkin into the water when I heard madam’s voice dishing out another instruction.
“I will skin you alive if you continue wasting my kerosene in this house!” She bawled. “Or do you want to tell me that you don’t know that this hot water is boiling?”
“Sorry ma,” I replied.
“Sorry for your stupid self!” she fired back.
I instantly rinsed my hands and rushed to the kitchen to bring down the hot water.
I didn’t know where the pap I was to prepare was, so I went to the sitting room to ask madam.
“Ma please where is the pap?” I asked trembling with fear.
“Idiot the pap is there!” She fumed pointing at the fridge.
I went to the fridge, brought out the pap, prepared it and took it to her in the sitting room.
Then I went to the bathroom to continue with the napkin.
The baby’s cry filled the entire house and I soon heard my madam’s voice calling me.
“Adaeze!” She called.
“Yes ma,” I replied rinsing my hands once again and running into the sitting room.
“Sing for her, sing for her,” she urged.
“Fine baby don’t cry, fine baby don’t cry,” I broke into an unrehearsed song.
Fortunately for me, the baby stopped crying and listened to my song as she gulped down the warm pap.
When she was done, I carried the plate into the kitchen and washed it off and then went to the bathroom to finish up with the soaked napkin.
Soon, baby went to sleep and madam went to sleep too and I had little time to myself…
The other two children, Nnenna and Chimaobi soon came back from school and scattered their school uniforms, sandals and school bags in the sitting room creating more work for me.
“Where is my food,” Chimaobi asked with an authority that was much stronger than his 3years of age would suggest.
“And mine too!” Nnenna added.
“Its inside the warmer,” I replied.
“Go and get it for us!” Chimaobi ordered.
I wondered how little Chimaobi and Nnenna would be ordering me around.
Little children whom I was older than with nothing less than 10years.
I brought their food from the warmer and gave to them.
If not for the presence of my madam, those children would have had it hot with me but madam’s presence was hell-fire on its own.
Not to talk of when she gets report from any of her children.
I hadn’t taken anything except the two slices of bread and mixed water that I took since morning yet I endured.
I cleared the sitting room and removed the school uniforms, bags and sandals that the children scattered there and went to the bathroom to wash the uniforms.
I had barely started washing the uniforms when madam woke up from sleep.
“Hope the children have eaten,” she asked with bulging sleepy eyes.
“Yes ma, they have,” I replied.
Then she went into the toilet to ease herself.
“Adaeze!” She called.
“Yes ma,” I replied.
“Have you washed this toilet today?” She asked.
“No ma,” I replied.
“If I meet you in that bathroom, I will tear you into pieces!” she threatened.
I rushed off to the balcony to get the mop and bucket to wash the toilet.
“Why didn’t you wash it since morning?” She asked.
“I forgot ma,” I replied.
She gave me a very hard push and I fell backwards and nearly hit my head on the wall.
“Silly a-s!” She cursed and went back to her bedroom.
With tiredness, hunger and exhaustion I washed the toilet.
When I was done, I went back to the bathroom to complete the washing of the children’s school uniforms.
By the time I finished washing the school uniforms, my stomach was tearing apart with hunger.
But I couldn’t muster the courage to tell my madam that I was hungry.
So all I did was to go to one corner of the kitchen and cry silently.
Madam’s husband came back later in the evening and observed that my eyes were red.
“Why are your eyes red?” He asked peering into my face.
“Nothing sir,” I lied in a bid to avoid trouble.
“Have you been crying?” He asked still peering into my eyes.
“No sir,” I lied again.
“Ok have this,” he said handing a can of fruit juice to me.
My face brightened up as he handed the juice to me.
“Thank you sir,” I greeted and went into the kitchen with the can of juice.
I gulped down the entire juice in no time and my stomach calmed a bit.
The family had dinner around 8pm but I wasn’t given anything till I finished washing all the plates and pots used for the dinner.
Then madam put one very small leftover of the food for me, the size of which wasn’t even going to be enough for a toddler and went to bed.
I ate the food fast and retired to my small room to catch some sleep as I was very tired and exhausted…
I woke up in the middle of the night and heard madam and her husband whispering in hush tone.
“Give it to me harder,” madam whispered breathing heavily.
My heart skipped some beats as I thought madam was in distress but I kept calm and listened further.
The squeaking sound of their bed increased and madam’s voice filtered once again into my room.
“Ouusss…mmm…ahhh,” she moaned.
At that point I knew what was happening.
Madam and her husband were at it again and another baby could soon be on the way.
Some minutes later madam’s husband started groaning aloud and everywhere went quiet afterwards.
“Darling you’re so wonderful,” my madam said.
“And you too my queen,” the husband responded and let out a short laugh.
I didn’t know when I slept off and by the time I woke up it was morning.
I got up immediately and went to do my morning function.
Within one hour I was through so I sat on the mortar in the kitchen waiting for my madam to wake up.
Part of the warning madam gave me was that for no reason whatsoever was I to sit on the padded seats in the sitting room.
“If you feel like sitting down,” she instructed. “Sit on top of the mortar in the kitchen and never in the sitting room.”
For no reason whatsoever was I to touch the remote controller in the sitting room no to talk of putting on the television.
The dining room was also out of my bounds so I ate in the kitchen and on top of my mortar.
Madam woke up very late that morning around 11am and came and inspected everywhere but saw nothing to complain about yet she wasn’t satisfied.
“Who put on the toilet light?” She asked frowning her face.
“I don’t know ma,” I replied.
A very hard knock landed on my head and I shouted in pain and ran towards the toilet to off the light.
Then she went back into her room.
“Darling I suggest you take it easy with that young girl,” I overheard my madam’s husband admonishing her.
“That girl can be very annoying,” my madam replied. “Can you imagine that she hasn’t scrubbed the toilet uptill now,” she added, which was a very big lie.
“Just be patient with her,” my madam’s husband insisted. “I believe she will learn,” he added.
“I hope so,” my madam responded.
I felt very bad.
The toilet my madam lied that I didn’t scrub was actually the first thing I scrubbed that morning.
Why my madam was being so wicked to me was what I couldn’t explain. I was doing all my best to please this madam of mine yet it seemed like all my best wasn’t good enough.
I swallowed hard and let the annoyance pass.
By noon, madam ordered me to prepare and escort her to the market.
Her husband stayed behind with the baby and waited for us to come back.
We boarded a bus and madam sat down while I continued standing.
A passenger alighted at the seventh bus-stop and left a free seat which out of exhaustion I decided to sit.
Madam’s hard blow on my thigh sent me to my feet in no time.
“Who gave you the permission to sit down?” She fumed ogling at me. “Will your dead father pay for the seat or your wretched poor mother in the village?” She asked still staring at me ferociously.
Her words hurt me as much as the blow on my thigh but I endured.
“Madam please take it easy,” one man sitting behind us pleaded. “She will learn with time.”
My madam kept mute and didn’t utter any word in reply.
When we got to the market, Madam bought everything we went to buy and I carried them on my head till we got to the house.
“Wash those vegetables and cut them,” my madam instructed. “Cos I’ll cook soup this evening.”
With tiredness and exhaustion I set to work immediately.
Within 30minutes I was through with the vegetables. Then I proceeded to cut the okro as well.
When I finished, I was very tired so I went into my small room to rest for a while…
I didn’t know when I slept off in the course of resting till a very heavy lash of wire landed on my back and sent me to my feet in agony.
I rose to my feet immediately and soon saw where the lash of wire was coming from.
My madam stood infront of me looking very mean and angry.
The time was around 4pm in the evening and I was supposed to have cleared the dustbin by then.
“Who are you waiting for to clear the bin?” My madam asked raising her hand very high to unleash another lash on me.
Just then the doorbell rang and my madam held her hand in check.
“Go and see who’s at the door,” she commanded.
I ran to the door and swung it open.
An old man and woman stood infront of the door.
“Are your people around?” The old man asked.
I kept silent a bit confused of what to answer.
I remembered that there were times when my madam didn’t like seeing visitors and often instructed me to tell whom-ever it was that she wasn’t around.
I was battling with my confusion when madam entered.
“Ah daddy,” my madam gasped as soon as she saw them. “Daddy good afternoon, mummy good afternoon,” she greeted immediately.
“Ah my daughter,” the old man replied. “Good afternoon nwam.” He added.
“Please come inside,” my madam invited.
I gave way immediately and the old man and woman entered the house.
“What of your husband?” The woman asked.
“He’s gone to work,” my madam replied.
“And the children?” The woman continued.
“They’re sleeping inside,” my madam replied. “Adaeze!” She called.
“Yes aunty,” I replied and ran to answer her.
“Go and buy drinks,” she instructed handing some money to me.
I ran to a nearby shop and bought the drinks without wasting time.
Then I served it before the guest and went back into the kitchen.
I then carried the dustbin inside a polythene bag and went to dispose it.
I went over to my friend’s compound to call her.
Chidimma was a househelp in the neighbouring compound and we always went together to dispose our refuse.
We gisted on the way as we went.
Chidimma narrated to me of how ruthless her madam was. Of how her madam uses the sole of her high-heel shoe to hit her on the head when she makes a mistake.
She even revealed to me of how her madam’s husband sneaks into her room at night to have carnal knowledge of her without her madam knowing.
All these weighed down on her and she wanted to let it off by confiding in me.
I consoled and encouraged her not to lose hope that things would one day change for the better.
She thanked me profusely for my words of encouragement without knowing that my own madam at home was as ruthless as hers if not more; only that her husband doesn’t sneak into my room.
Nonetheless I acknowledged her gratitude and encouraged her not to lose hope.
Then we disposed our refuse and headed home…
My madam’s parents had gone by the time I came back to the house.
My madam was seated in the sitting room with her baby and children when I entered.
Something about her composure told me that she wasn’t happy but I pretended like I didn’t notice.
I dashed across the sitting room to go into my room but she called me back.
“Why are you coming back now?” She asked frowning.
I kept silent not knowing what to reply.
“Are you not the one I’m talking to?” She asked still looking intently at me.
I remained silent not knowing what to reply.
My mouth opened and closed but no sound came forth.
“Don’t worry,” my madam continued. “By the time you go hungry this night, you will talk,” she concluded.
I stood there ogling at her.
“Will you get out of my sight!” She barked.
I ran into my room instantly without wasting time.
That night, my madam refused to give me food and I went to bed on empty stomach.
Sleep refused to come.
Hard as I tried, I couldn’t sleep.
Hunger pangs kept gnawing at the walls of my stomach and I wondered if I would survive till morning.
I woke up the next morning and went to do my morning work irrespective of the hunger.
I was still doing the work when my madam woke up.
“Are you now ready to tell me what kept you so long yesterday when you went to dispose refuse?” She asked staring at me.
I sprang up from the toilet-floor I was mopping.
“You’ve started having boyfriends outside haven’t you?” She asked.
“No ma,” I replied.
“You will not eat anything in this house again till you tell me what kept you outside,” she continued.
“I was waiting for Chidimma,” I replied.
“How many times have I warned you about that Chidimma of a girl?” She asked.
“I’m sorry ma, I won’t do it again,” I pleaded.
“Sorry for your stupid self!” She snapped…
Madam didn’t give me breakfast that morning and by noon I was disoriented.
My tummy was on fire and the hunger pangs in my stomach had increased ten folds.
Madam handed her little baby to me around eleven o’clock that morning.
I carried the little baby from that time till around four in the evening on empty stomach.
Even the pap I was to give to the baby, I drank half out of hunger.
I needed to quell the pangs in my stomach and any edible could do.
Madam woke up around 4.30pm in the evening and collected her baby from me.
She didn’t even mention anything about giving me food and this piqued me.
I didn’t know what to do.
I just sat in the kitchen deep in thought. I had no money on me so I couldn’t think of buying food. So I just sat there hoping that a miracle would happen.
Around five minutes past five, madam called me and gave me N200 to go to a nearby supermarket and buy bathing soap for her.
I took the money and left immediately.
There was a woman selling freshly prepared Okpa along the road and the sweet aroma of the woman’s Okpa suggested new ideas into my hungry mind.
Before I knew what was happening I bought two wraps @ N50 each and sat at one corner of the road to devour it.
The Okpa was very hot yet I ate it quickly and hungrily.
When I finished, I bought sachet water and augmented the Okpa and my stomach returned instantly to normal.
Then I started thinking of a believable narrative to tell my madam…
I concluded to tell her that I got to the supermarket and couldn’t find the money again which after looking for it everywhere I couldn’t find it.
I knew the story may not go down well with her but I had no other option.
There was no way I could tell her that I used her money to buy Okpa out of hunger so I had to tell her somethingelse and face whatever consequence that would emanate.
Madam was sitting in the sitting room with her baby when I got home.
“Where is the soap?” She asked immediately.
“Let me tell you what happened ma,” I stammered nervously. “I lost the money on the way ma so when I got to the supermarket I couldn’t find it again ma.”
“You lost which money?” My madam queried.
“The soap money ma,” I replied.
“You must be very stupid,” she barked. “Come closer and open your mouth!”
I guess my madam had suspected rightly that I used the money to buy something to eat so she wanted to confirm or disprove her suspicion.
With trembling legs I drew closer and opened my mouth.
Madam lay her baby gently on the cushion and smelt my mouth.
“Ohoo,” she exclaimed. “So you used my money to buy Okpa?” She asked. “And you had the audacity to lie to me that you lost the money?”
Madam descended on me with all the fury her muscles could muster.
When her hands started aching her, she reached for her wire and continued.
I cried out in pain and agony but madam continued undaunted.
A white woman living in the opposite compound was driving by and overheard my voice and stopped to check out what was happening.
She was a lawyer and worked under one Human Rights Commission.
Without knocking she swung our door open and saw my madam red-handed flogging me with a piece of wire…
“Jesus!” The woman screamed and my madam froze with shock.
My madam wasn’t facing the door so she hadn’t seen the woman enter and therefore didn’t know that the woman had seen her flogging me with a long piece of wire so she was shocked by the sudden and unfamiliar voice.
“I’m gonna report this to the Human Rights Commission!” The woman barked with foreign accent and stormed out of the house.
My madam stood rooted to the spot for some minutes visibly shaken.
She didn’t know whether to go after the white woman that just stormed out of the house or to continue flogging me from where she stopped.
She stood still totally confused.
I stood still too not wanting to infuriate her with any sudden or unplanned movement.
She turned abruptly and walked into her room.
Around 3pm in the afternoon, the white woman returned with some police officers to arrest my madam.
My madam called me and asked me to look after the house that she was going to be back in a jiffy.
The woman examined my hands and legs and noted the scars all over.
Then she left with my madam and the police…
*************************************
My madam came back later in the night with her husband.
I guess her husband must have bailed her that evening from police custody.
That night, I overheard her husband talking to her about the way she treated me.
He advised her to take things easy with me and stop attracting public eyes into his family.
My madam kept silent and uttered no word.
She reduced her aggression towards me and took things easy with me.
But then her change of attitude was not to last very long and the next day soon marked her return to aggression and brutality…
That day I ate around 10pm in the night.
If not for that Okpa and sachet water I bought earlier in the day, I wonder what would have become of me.
My madam came back with her husband and dished some jollof rice into my plate and handed it to me.
I thanked her and sat on the mortar to eat.
The food was still warm and delicious not minding the fact that it was cooked early in the morning before the incident with the white woman took place.
I ate fast and then had the plate washed and kept on the rack to dry…
*************************************
The next day was a saturday and unfortunately for me I didn’t wake up early.
I was very tired and exhausted when I went to bed the past night so I didn’t know when morning came.
The fury which the piece of wire landed on my neck this time around was ten times more painful than I had ever felt before in my life.
I screamed so loud that my madam’s husband ran into my room to find out what was happening to me.
As soon as my madam heard her husband’s footstep approaching, she threw the piece of wire under my bed and frowned at me as warning not to talk.
“What’s the problem?” My madam’s husband asked as soon as he got to my room.
I kept quiet sobbing hysterically.
“Why are you crying?” He asked again staring at me.
For a reply, I sobbed the more.
“Darling why is she crying?” He asked facing his wife – my madam.
Madam kept silent.
“Can someone please tell me what is happening here?” Madam’s husband insisted.
I didn’t talk, madam didn’t talk.
In anger, the husband stormed out of the room and into their master’s bedroom…
Later in the evening, when my madam’s husband came back from work, he called me aside and asked me why I was crying in the morning.
“Nothing sir,” I replied not wanting to betray myself.
“Come on dear,” he urged on. “Your madam is not here so be free and tell me what happened.”
I kept silent for some seconds before I replied.
“Madam flogged me with wire,” I revealed. “And hid it under the bed.”
“Really?” He asked.
“Yes sir,” I replied. “Please let me finish up with the plates,” I added.
“Ok,” he replied and left.
I finished washing the plate and went to dispose off refuse for the day.
I didn’t go over to Chidimma’s compound to call her like before so I came back early.
Then I proceeded to look after the little baby as madam took her evening bath.
There was this way my madam’s husband was looking at me that made me uncomfortable but I pretended like I didn’t notice.
I focused on the baby I was babysitting and ignored him completely.
My madam soon finished taking her bath and joined us in the sitting room.
She collected her baby from me and ordered me into the kitchen.
I obeyed immediately and left the sitting room.
Inside the kitchen I thought about my life. There wasn’t any hope that I would go to school and my madam and her husband didn’t seem to be thinking in that direction.
Then I thought about my madam’s husband and the way he had been looking at me recently and wondered what exactly he had in mind.
At fifteen, my b----t had developed to a sizeable extent and my hips were innocently rounded.
Could that be what the husband was staring at? I couldn’t tell.
I sat in the kitchen till it was time to prepare dinner then I set to work grinding, pounding and cutting the necessary condiments needed for the soup.
When I was done, I took over the baby while my madam set to work.
Within 2hours, the soup was ready so she and her family ate first before mine was dished into one rubber plate and I ate without any complaint or grudges.
I then proceeded to wash the dishes used in preparing and serving the food before I finally went to bed.
Around 1.00am midnight, my madam’s husband sneaked into my room while I was fast asleep and started touching me all over.
I woke up with a start, shocked and surprised but he hushed me and begged me to cooperate but I resisted and pleaded with him not to force me.
Feeling angry and humiliated, he tiptoed out of my room and went back to their master bedroom…
The husband’s countenance towards me changed dramatically after that night and became harsh and aggressive.
He barked at me at the slightest opportunity and complained about everything I did.
The day I mistakenly poured water on the floor while trying to fetch drinking water, I got a very dirty slap on my face and a promise to make it worse next time I ever tried it again.
My madam noticed the change in the husband’s behaviour too and wondered secretly within herself even though she didn’t mention it to me.
One evening while I was washing plates inside the kitchen, madam’s husband came into the kitchen and stood quietly behind me.
It was when he cleared his throat that I turned abruptly and my legs shivered.
“You think you’re smart right?” He asked staring at me.
“No sir,” I replied still trembling. “I’m sorry sir.”
“You rejected my proposal right?” He asked again. “I will make this house very unbearable for you till you learn your lesson.”
The words sent shivers down my spine and my legs wobbled out of fear.
During my quiet moment I thought about all my madam’s husband said to me and felt the need to give him what he wanted atleast to have his support.
Madam’s maltreatment alone was hell not to talk of when Oga joined in the maltreatment, the situation was terribly horrible.
But then I didn’t know how to call the husband and tell him my decision.
Day after day, more and more punishments came my way and Oga stopped intervening in madam’s mistreatment unlike before when he never supported my madam.
Then one evening when I came to clear the dishes which the husband used in eating water melon, I gathered courage and blinked my left eye to him which he instantly interpreted and kept silent.
I had learnt back in the village in normal gossip among village teens that blinking to a man signified interest so at that point I had to employ it on my madam’s husband.
Then that night, the expected happened.
My madam’s husband sneaked into my room and this time I didn’t resist.
In the darkness of the night, his fingers searched for the wetness of my young orifice and when he found it, fingered it gingerly.
Then he ordered me to pull my pant and I obeyed instantly out of fear.
He opened my legs wide and lay on top of me as I felt a hard part of him push into me and felt sharp severe pain.
I restrained myself from screaming for fear of waking my madam but I couldn’t help muffling a groan.
He wasn’t gentle at all and moved in and out of me erratically till he started convulsing like an epileptic and I felt warm liquid spurt into me.
Then he collapsed on top of me panting.
Next thing he got up, wore his boxers and tiptoed back into their master bedroom…
From that night onwards, madam’s husband became friendly once again towards me to the great consternation of my madam.
The husband defended me at the slightest opportunity leaving my madam marvelled and confused.
There was a day my madam hit me for spilling water mistakenly on the kitchen floor while washing plate.
That day was a saturday and my madam’s husband didn’t go to work.
The pain of the flattened right palm of my madam landing on the mid-region of my back made me shout out as she continued the assault unperturbed.
Hearing my scream from inside the bedroom, my madam’s husband hurriedly ran from the bedroom to the kitchen to find out what was happening.
“Could you imagine that this stupid girl carelessly poured water on the floor upon all my warning,” my madam explained as soon as the husband got to the kitchen.
“And so bloody what?” The husband barked shocking my madam into silence. She had expected her husband to support her like before but surprisingly the response she got was more shocking than expected.
“Enough is enough with these your wickedness,” the husband continued. “And let this be the last time you will ever treat this young girl like this. I even regret why I bailed you from that police custody, wicked woman.” The husband bawled.
My madam couldn’t utter any word in reply. She was deeply stunned by her husband’s sudden and unexpected outburst worsened by the fact that it all happened in the presence of the most insignificant of people – my humble self.
The husband turned and went back into the bedroom.
My madam stood still not knowing what to do again. I stood where I was equally confused.
At long last she slowly went into the bedroom with her husband while I remained in the kitchen half-happy and half-confused.
Through out that day my madam didn’t utter any word to me. She didn’t issue any order as usual and I did just the chores I knew I had to do.
The whole house remained silent like a grave yard sake for the occasional cries of the baby which stopped as soon as my madam intervened with b----t milk and lullabies.
And so the silence continued till night came and everyone went to bed.
Around 3am, the husband tip-toed into my room once again to enjoy my young innocent honey pie…
The husband found me lying innocently on my small mattress with an ugly-looking night gown.
He didn’t utter any word but stared on at me for some seconds before he drew close.
I woke up when I felt a hand gently tap me on the shoulder and I opened my eyes.
“Baby its me,” he whispered. “Its me baby,” he repeated.
I already knew what he wanted so I didn’t waste time in pulling my pant and positioning myself adequately for him.
He entered from the front as usual and started thrusting like a typical he-goat mating a she-goat.
But then as he gradually approached the point of no return, the door to their master bedroom gently creaked open and the husband froze with fear and paused abruptly in the middle of his thrusts.
He was lying in-between my legs when the door opened and madam walked out of the room and towards the toilet.
The lights were off so everywhere was dark except for the torch madam brandished.
The husband motioned to me to keep silent which I obeyed.
He hurriedly withdrew his d!ck from me and quietly wore back his boxers.
Madam walked straight to the toilet and pushed the door open. The door opened but there was no one inside.
The husband saw the opportunity and slid back into the master bedroom.
After some seconds, my madam closed the door and returned to the bedroom.
I listened attentively as madam asked her husband where he had gone and the husband replied that he had gone to the balcony to bring in his clothes.
After that, everywhere became silent again.
But then my instinct told me that madam must have decoded what happened even though she didn’t voice it out.
It was the question she asked me the next day that sent my heart and entire body quivering anew…
————————————————————
“My husband came to your room last night, didn’t he?” My madam asked peering suspiciously into my face.
“Madam No o,” I lied hotly.
It was very unthinkable for me to accept such ugly truth not to talk of voicing it out.
“Oga no come my room o,” I added.
“Can you swear by the name of God that Oga no come your room last night?” she continued.
“Madam I swear, Oga no come my room, I swear.” I replied.
“Its alright, let’s watch and see,” she concluded and walked back into their master bedroom leaving me standing alone in the kitchen and battling with my unsettled conscience…
I was surprised when my madam’s husband came back in the evening with new clothes that he bought for me.
It was quite unusual and very unexpected.
Madam’s face grew long and villified from anger and disenchantment.
She couldn’t hide her bitterness.
She hissed, sighed, banged the door, frowned her face and all-what-not just to register her annoyance but the husband ignored her.
Extremely villified, she lost her temper.
“Stupid man!” she bawled. “You’re not ashamed of yourself? No, tell me, are you not ashamed of yourself? Common housemaid? That’s what’s turning your head. Because of this small girl of a b-----d you no longer know your wife!” Madam sparked.
“Don’t insult me,” the husband warned calmly but sternly. “I said don’t insult me,” he repeated.
“And if I insult you what will happen?” madam countered. “No, tell me,” she continued. “If I insult you what will happen? IMPOTENT MAN!”
The last insult was too much for the husband to bear.
He lounged ferociously at his wife and landed a thunderous slap on her left cheek.
The sound of the slap jolted me and left me staring at the couple with fear, confusion and awe.
Even though I was partly happy that madam was at last tasting a piece of her own cake, I was scared of the uncertainty and the possibility of the transferred aggression that could turn towards me.
“Heeweeoooooo,” my madam cried out in pain and fought back, scratching her husband all over with her long sharp nails.
Irritated by his wife’s effrontery and aggression, the husband continued his assault with aggressive ferocity.
His slaps turned into blows and his wife into a punching bag and me into a spectator.
“Oga biko ozugo,” I pleaded in ibo on my madam’s behalf. “Oga abeg e don do,” I continued.
The husband ignored me and the fight continued.
“You will kill me today,” my madam cried. “You must kill me today,” she continued. “Whether you like it or not, you must kill me today!”
The husband continued the beating as the wife held tenaciously to his trouser.
The children were sleeping in the master bedroom so they didn’t hear what was going on.
At long last, Oga and wife became tired and the fight came to an end…
————————————————————
For days madam’s face remained swollen and she and her husband didn’t speak to each other.
Oga stopped eating madam’s food.
The gap developing between them further strengthened my affair with the husband.
Night after night he sneaked into my room and enjoyed my honey pie.
There were days he came back earlier than usual when madam wasn’t around and we did it freely all over the house.
I knew I was playing a very dangerous game but then I was only doing all so I could to survive…
The silence between my madam and her husband lingered so long that at a point I began to pray it doesn’t lead to divorce.
How could I come to terms with myself if I should bring separation between my madam and her husband joined by God.
The thought alone scared me.
Madam and her husband were like two enemies in one house and on different occasions, clashes occurred.
There was one particular saturday that madam wanted me to go to a nearby supermarket and buy provisions for her.
Oga at the same time wanted me to prepare his breakfast first before anyother thing.
Conflict of authority ensued.
“Before I close my eyes and open it, run to the supermarket and buy me those provisions,” my madam ordered.
“If you move an inch I break your head,” the husband countered. “You aren’t going anywhere till you’ve served my breakfast,” the husband affirmed.
Husband and wife stood at crossroads and none was willing to let the other triumph.
I stood at the centre of the whole drama utterly confused. It was then that I realised the authenticity of the proverb that stated that it was difficult if not impossible to serve two masters at the same time.
The drama continued for more than ten minutes before madam had enough and faced the husband.
“Ken, what exactly is your problem?” She asked calling him by the first name.
“Mabel, what exactly is your own problem?” The husband threw back.
“You’re biting more than you can chew in this house,” my madam added.
“You must be crazy,” the husband thundered. “My friend go and prepare my breakfast,” he added turning towards me.
This time madam didn’t counter the order so I set to work.
Within one hour the breakfast was ready and I served it and then ran off to the supermarket to buy the provisions for madam.
I got to the supermarket within five minutes and found out on getting there that the provision my madam sent me to buy was finished and were yet to replace the stock. So I returned to the house to inform madam about the new development but she barked at me and asked me whether that supermarket was the only supermarket in the neighbourhood.
I went back in search of the provisions in the other supermarkets and it was when I entered one of the supermarkets that my eyes caught one cute guy that came to buy things as well.
I felt the funny butterfly in my tummy and developed feelings instantly.
But then the guy was deeply engrossed in what he was buying and didn’t notice me.
Out of disappointment, I bought the provisions hurriedly and left forgetting my change in the process.
I was deep in thought thinking about the guy and the whole drama when I got to the house and madam demanded for her change.
By then the husband had left the house and went out.
The slap that landed on my face when I couldn’t produce madam’s change was sufficient to kill a one month old baby if not older.
More slaps followed in quick succession and with pain I ran out of the house to get the change.
Tears flowed freely as I ran to get the change.
On the way I passed the cute guy that made me forget my change and he passed me by and took not even a single notice of me.
There wasn’t anything attractive about me so I didn’t necessarily blame him.
My clothes were tattered, my hair un-combed and my footwear were old and worn out.
My tears increased after I passed him by and soon got to the supermarket to retrieve my change.
Then I headed home…
My madam was seating in the sitting room impatiently waiting for me to come back when I entered with the change firmly folded inside my right hand.
I shot out my hand immediately to give her the change without waiting for her to demand for it and she took it abruptly and angrily from my hand.
Her face was all squeezed up and frowned.
Then I turned to go.
I knew madam wasn’t happy so I wanted to leave her presence as fast as I could.
As I made the move to leave, she called me back angrily and asked me why I want to separate her husband and her.
The question took me by surprise and I momentarily couldn’t reply.
“I don’t understand ma,” I replied looking confused and troubled.
“Oh spare me those pretences,” she countered. “Just know that your days in this house are numbered.”
I trembled as I heard those words.
I wasn’t ready to go back to the village at that point so if madam’s statement was anything to go by then I was in deep trouble.
“I’m sorry ma,” I apologised to mellow her anger.
“Sorry for your stupid self,” she snapped. “Come on go and find something doing and get out of my sight,” she added.
In obedience I left her presence and went into the kitchen and sat on the mortar as usual.
Then I drifted into deep thought.
There was no way I could possibly return to the village without Oga’s consent and as things stood currently, oga was firmly by my side if not for any other thing, for the hornilicious services I offer him every night free of charge…
Oga came back later in the night and blew the horn of his car very loudly signalling me to come outside and bring in the foodstuffs he bought.
I wore my slippers and went out to bring in the foodstuffs immediately.
There was one bag of rice, one carton of tin tomatoes, some onions and a host of other condiments to be carried inside.
I carried the bag of rice first, followed by the carton of tin tomatoes and then I came out to carry the last batch of the condiments he bought when he smuggled a polythene bag into the bag and signalled me that the polythene was mine.
I carried the condiments inside and codedly took the polythene into my room.
“Let me see that bag you’re carrying into your room!” Madam intercepted abruptly from the door of the master bedroom.
I froze with fear and my legs wobbled.
“Those are the detergents I gave her to use and wash our bedsheets,” Oga intervened immediately joining us in the corridor.
Madam went back into the master bedroom while I returned to my small room with the polythene.
Inside the polythene was Meatpie, one chicken lap, popcorn and canned drink.
The sight was so appetising that I instantly started from the meatpie without delay.
The meatpie was very sweet and I nearly bit my fingers while devouring it.
The chicken soon followed and was extremely delicious. It was well spiced and grilled and I munched the entire lot in no time.
Then I washed it down with the cold drink and cleaned my mouth.
I folded the polythene bag with the empty can and disposed it into the dustbin.
I felt happy and well catered for by Oga even though my madam the Jezebel of the house was still around.
Around 9pm the family had dinner and went to bed.
I stayed back to clear and wash the utensils used for the dinner before having my own dinner.
Then I went to bed.
Around 1.00am midnight, Oga sneaked in as usual and I woke up when I felt his hands gliding up and down my waist and bumbum.
He had earlier suggested to me to stop wearing pant to bed inorder to make things easier and faster without having to start fiddling up and down in the darkness trying to remove pant.
I took heed of his suggestion and from that day onwards I stopped wearing pants to bed.
So when he came in that night, their wasn’t any blockade on the way so he felt my entire body with his hands and savouring the soft contours soon got himself aroused.
Then he penetrated me.
His thrusts were sharp and forceful and filled with lust.
Before I could count to 20, he started groaning and jerking spasmodically as his thrusts became involuntary and I felt warm liquid spurt into my wet canal.
After that he became still and withdrew his d!ck, got up and left for his master bedroom…
“I will be travelling for a conference tomorrow morning to come back on saturday,” I overheard Oga telling Madam the next morning.
I was mopping up the toilet and bathroom when I heard Oga telling madam about the travel.
I felt bad.
The fact that Oga didn’t deem it necessary to tell me about his impending travel last night when he sneaked into my room to enjoy my honey pie made me feel humiliated and insignificant.
I felt real bad.
With annoyance and subdued fury I continued with the toilet I was mopping.
It dawned on me that even though Oga sneaks into my room every night in pursuit of my honey pie, he had no regard for me.
The thought alone villified me. But then that was by the way.
The main matter on ground was the fact that Oga was travelling which meant that madam now had the entire house to herself and woe unto me I was in big trouble.
From what I overheard, Oga was going to be away for about one week and that for me meant one week of agonizing terror.
With me and madam alone in the house with the kids, revenge was not far-fetched.
It was an ideal opportunity for madam to do whatever she wanted with me and I trembled as the thought crossed my mind.
I was scared.
Madam was capable of anything not to talk of when Oga wasn’t around.
But I had no other options than to face my fate.
That night, Oga sneaked into my room once again as usual but this time I refused to open for him.
He was surprised and asked me what the problem was of which I instantly told him that I wanted to travel with him.
Oga laughed cupping his mouth with his left palm to block off the sound.
He informed me that it wasn’t going to be possible for me to travel with him because of obvious reasons. Rather he advised me to be of my best behaviour so that madam won’t see reasons to punish me unnecessarily.
I informed him that I wasn’t happy with the fact that he didn’t tell me about his travel the other night that he came to my room and he apologised saying that it escaped his mind.
I didn’t know what else to say again than to open my legs for him so he had his way.
By the time I woke up the next morning, his luggage had already been packed and was waiting for me to carry them into the car.
By 9am that morning, he left.
“Adaeze!” My madam called me as soon as Oga zoomed off.
“Yes ma,” I answered with immediate urgency.
“Will you carry your dead decaying body to this place before I close and open my eyes,” she commanded.
I ran into the master bedroom to answer in obedience.
“As you can see,” she began. “Oga just left for a conference and will not be back until next two weeks,” she continued. “If you want this house to accommodate the both of us atleast until Oga comes back, I think its high time you started telling me the truth about what my husband went to do in your room last night that I don’t know about…”
“Oga didn’t come to my room,” I replied with a trembling voice determined not to betray myself.
Madam stared at me from head to toe with visible venom in her eyes.
She seemed to be sure that her husband had been to my room the previous night.
But then there was no way I could admit such fact even if a knife was put to my neck because the situation was more or less like an individual standing between the devil and the deep blue sea.
All the options before me spelt disaster.
Admitting that I slept with Oga was a very big offence on its own therefore denying the offence was the better option.
Secondly, it was possible that madam could just be playing on my intelligence in a bid to find out the real truth by putting up that allegation to know what my response would be.
Admitting the truth would mean giving myself away cheaply.
So I hung on.
“What did my husband come to do in your room last night?” Madam continued.
“Oga didn’t come to my room ma,” I replied hanging on tenaciously.
Madam snapped.
Like lightening her right hand flashed across very fast from left to right and landed with a loud thud on my cheek.
I cried out in pain and made to escape to the kitchen but madam sprang after me energetically and furiously and drew me back to herself to continue the assault.
More slaps landed on my cheek and my wailing doubled. Yet madam continued unperturbed.
She gave me a sharp push on the forehead and I hit the back of my head very hard on the wall behind me.
The pain was very excruciating.
I screamed out so loud at the top of my voice begging madam for forgiveness but madam wasn’t done yet.
I had made up my mind not to admit that Oga came to my room even if it meant losing my life because if mere denial could fetch such punishment, only God knew the magnitude of punishment admitting the crime would fetch.
So I hung on.
And madam continued with the beating.
It wasn’t yet upto one hour Oga drove out and all these were happening.
I knew I was in big trouble.
The aggression and brutality was much and unbearable, coupled with the fact that I still had more than seven days to stay with and endure the terror.
Madam’s hands soon started aching and she dashed into her bedroom and came out brandishing a long piece of twisted wire.
Three lashes of the wire on my shoulders sent me out of the house and into the environ with severe pain.
I couldn’t endure the pain, not even for one second, so I ran out of the house and out of the compound and into the neighbouring white woman’s compound…
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