Patch Of Black - Literature - Nairaland
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| Patch Of Black by Oahray: 2:31am On Dec 09, 2012 |
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. On no account must this story be copied, or reproduced in any form without prior notice of author. ********************************* No, it was not a typical Saturday afternoon. That Saturday, I was not outside playing football with Ugo and Osaze and the rest of my mates. I could hear their shouts as they played football near the street. I wish I joined them when they came over to call me. Every Saturday and any evening we got the chance to, we played football on the bare plot of land opposite our house. Like every Saturday I quickly put on my slippers when they came, and made to leave with them. I wish I did. I wish that moment didnt come when my 2year old sister Ehi screamed: "UP NEPAAAAA!" It was the exclamation people made whenever the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) as it was more popularly called, decided to favour their customers with power supply. It was one of the many things Ehi never missed. I instinctively looked up to confirm. Our ancient fan had slowly started to rotate, creaking loudly as if trying to protest the disturbance. That was all it took to abandon all thoughts of playing like Messi. I was going to be Messi. I knew it. My mates told me all the time. But not yet. Messi could wait. I told them no. I was going to watch television instead. I wish I didnt. Two hours later, it was farther from a typical saturday than it could ever be. Our palour was well lit, thanks to the brilliant streaks of sunlight that filtered through the threadbare curtains. Curtains... That was what we called the wrappers mama had expertly hung across every window in our house. Old, but neat. Mama washed them every fortnight. My gaze settled on the tv again and a chill ran down my spine. Lumps of fear materialized in my throat, and tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to swallow. What would I tell Papa? That television was barely a month old. I had not been able to lift it back unto its wooden stand. Beside it lay broken pieces of Mama's small china flower vase. It was a gift from a relative. That was all I knew. Not that I ever cared to ask. Mama loved it and wiped it clean everyday before placing it back on the top of the television far from the destructive reach of Ehi. My thoughts wandered back to the television... Some weeks ago, it was a proud papa who walked into the house clutching onto the new television. It was coloured. An improvement. We had watched our old faithful black-and-white television for years. It was time for a change. That evening we sat together in the sitting room, watching our new television. Smiles on our faces, laughing at the slightest hint of humour. Now it sat on the floor with a huge crack on its screen. Mama had travelled to Onitsha market and wouldnt be back until dusk. But it wasnt mama I feared. Papa would be back soon. He usually returned home some minutes past 4pm on saturdays. I glanced at the wall clock. Ugo had taught me to read the time. It read 3:30pm. Less than one hour. Deep down I knew I was finished. As firstborn, I usually got the lion's share of punishments. Across the street, my friends played football and shouted excitedly. Someone else was Messi. It mattered little to me. A few meters away, Ehi slept on the carpet floor, carefree. I wished I could be like her. On the sofa beside her sat my twin brothers, Odion and Akhere, calmer than I had ever known them. Like me, they stared into the distance. * * * * * * * * * * 7 Likes |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 8:14pm On Dec 09, 2012 |
I did not die that day. However things changed in ways I had least expected. I was just a nine year old, I was not prepared for it. You see, my family was not a very big one. At least Papa liked to think so. At times, when we watched the evening news on tv we saw young men paraded for armed robbery. Every such time, papa would shake his head and say: "This is why people should not have more children than they can care for. They end up constituting nuisance to the society." I loved the sound of it. I knew I would speak 'big big grammar' like papa when I grew up. One day, I recited the last sentence with him the best way I knew how. He stopped, looked at me, smiled and said "that's my boy" I didnt know what nuisance meant but the way he said it, it sure was something really bad. I was never going to be a nuisance. I was going to be like papa when I grew up. And Messi too. I was going to buy a big coloured television and watch it with my family. I loved the way friends of papa and mama called me papa's carbon copy. Papa was not a very tall man, but he had a heavy build and his skin was the colour of chocolate. His hair, black, above a pair of thick eye brows, was always cut short, without the slightest hint of gray. He kept no beard. He had huge veins and I enjoyed pressing the ones on the back of his hands. He never stopped me. He always said he married early, and that it was good to marry early. I was going to get married early too, like papa. I always imagined my wife looking like mama. God bless mama. She was the sweetest soul alive. Lighter than papa, she had long hair that wasnt black, but it was beautiful. She never wore weavons. I loved how she smiled at me exposing her gap teeth, telling me I was her little man. She was a hard worker, always putting things in order at home when papa wasnt around, having to put up with our excesses, especially from the twins. I was almost three years older than them. Two years and eight months. Odion was the elder one, and Akhere came after. They were light skinned like mama, and Ehi. At times they were quite a handful, and I had to separate fights all the time when we were home alone. They never seemed to agree with each other, unless the few times they ganged up against me. Those times never did last, for they soon resumed their rivalry as suddenly as they ended it. Mama said they would grow up to be very close, that twins always fought when they were little. I couldnt wait. Ehi... The lastborn of the house, everyone adored her, even the twins. She was easy to like. Cheerful with a cute dimple on her right cheek and a little voice that never stopped talking. With her, I truly felt like a big brother. After mama, I was her favourite. Probably because I always gave her a bit of my fish at supper. Or I was her only sibling who had time to play with her, and tickle her till she lay helpless on the floor convulsing with laughter. Besides, me, Ehi was the only one who had a birth mark, black, on her right shoulder. Hers was small, and round, like the mark we saw on the foreheads of those women in indian movies. Mine was bigger. It lay on my belly, just by my navel and was almost as big. I didnt like it. It was ugly, a black patch which was very visible even from afar. Mama said I was born that way, that it was a mark from God, given to me because I was special. She said it was never going to disappear. I hated the sight of it. I always prayed to God to remove it, as soon as I learnt to pray. He didn't. * * * * * * * * * * 5 Likes |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Idowuogbo(f): 8:14pm On Dec 09, 2012 |
Niceeeeeeeeeee 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 8:17pm On Dec 09, 2012 |
Idowuogbo: NiceeeeeeeeeeeThankssssssssssss... Thanks for stopping by. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Bluesparkles(f): 11:39pm On Dec 09, 2012 |
Wow! A very normal tale told in a remarkable way. I like the way you weave your story without forcing it, no unnecessary details. Looking forward to next posts. 2 Likes |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Idowuogbo(f): 11:49pm On Dec 09, 2012 |
Oahray: Thankssssssssssss... Thanks for stopping by.Uwc boo boo! {{{{{screams}}}}}}}} i want more!!! Btwn! U igbo? 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 9:17am On Dec 10, 2012 |
@bluesparkles, thanks... @badosky, me? Lol. Na cos I dey write papa and mama? Well, am not. My tribe calls twins Odion and Akhere. Home work. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 12:16pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
"Good evening sah" a familiar voice greeted. "Evening my boy... How are you?" Papa replied. My heartbeat quickened! "Fine sah". That voice belonged to Uchenna, the younger brother of Ugochukwu my best friend. He was about the same age as my twin brothers. That however, was the only thing they shared in common. Uchenna was a loner, hardly ever joining his mates when dey played football, or when they pushed tyres around the neighbourhood. I could picture his lean frame crouched on the ground just outside our front door, drawing figures on the sand with a broomstick, then raising his head just long enough to greet papa before returning to his drawing. On a normal day, we would all run out screaming: "Daddy dede, oyoyo" and we would take turns being lifted into the air. Even Ehi had learnt to do it, and papa would throw her up in the air and catch her before pressing his lips on her belly, as if attempting to blow air into it. Ehi shrieked with pure glee each time he did it, her dimple activated and her white milk teeth on full display. I wish I had a dimple. I didnt. But I had a black patch on my belly that just wouldnt go away. Every such time, papa always carried Ehi on his hands, with her little hands wrapped around his neck. This time, he didnt. Papa opened the door and stepped in. "Öbokhian" three subdued voices chorused. That was the way we said 'welcome' in Esan our native language. No one had moved from their spot in an hour. Ehi was still fast asleep. "Ehen... Is mama back yet?" Papa spoke english with us more than esan. Mama made sure we could at least greet in our language and answer common questions. Thanks to the holidays we spent in the village at times, I could speak a little, though I was far from fluent. "No" I managed to reply. No one else said a word. 3 pairs of eyes searched the floor for imaginary pins. Then papa saw it. He moved closer and bent down to examine the tv carefully. My heart skipped a beat. Then without saying a word, papa got up and went to his room. * * * * * * * * * * It was almost 7pm before mama returned home with two 'ghana-must-go' bags. Only Ehi welcomed her warmly. She had since woken up and was her usual cheerful self. Maybe she knew we were not to be disturbed, for she kept her distance, stumbling over some nursery rhymes mama had taught us. Mama imediately sensed something was wrong, and touched each one of us on the forehead. Satisfied our temperature was normal, she looked around. She flinched. I knew she had seen it. I wanted her to asked what happened. I wanted the chance to tell her that it was not the fault of the twins. I did not want her to walk away like papa did. If anything, it meant big trouble. "Where is papa?" "Inside" I offered. Ehi pointed to the door that led to the other parts of the house. My gaze followed in the direction of her little index finger. There stood papa. Mama greeted him and he mumbled something in reply. "Ojie" Papa was looking at me. "Sah?" "What happened to that television?" I was silent. I looked at the belt in his right hand. I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to tell him how I dropped the remote control on the top of the television and went inside to urinate. How Odion and Akhere both made a dash for it immediately I was out of sight. I wanted to to tell him that I was not there when it happened. That I was still easing myself when I heard a loud noise. I wanted to tell him I ran back to find the twins standing over the new television and the shattered vase, horror written all over their faces. I looked at the twins. They looked scared. I felt sorry for them. "Didnt I just ask you a question?" He moved closer. I swallowed and looked down. "I wanted to take my ball from the back and I mistakenly pushed it." I lied. His hand connected with my face. The slap stung and tears started to well in my eyes. "Do you know what it took me to buy it?" his voice was bitter. Papa folded the belt in two and lashed at me. The first landed on my back. Pain errupted from that spot and spread all over my body. I went down in agony, crouching, with my hands shielding my head. "Please, its ok, he is just a child" Mama pleaded in esan. Papa ignored her. The second stroke was quickly followed by a third. The fourth stroked landed on my neck and I let out a blood chilling scream. Mama gasped. Papa raised his the belt to deliver the fifth. Mama rushed in to shield me. The belt landed on her back. Papa had never hit mama before. He stopped and silently left for his room. Mama held me tight and sobbed. The twins looked on in guilt, shock and confusion. Ehi looked on in fear, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. That night I dreamt I was Messi and I broke in a million pieces when my twin brothers pushed down the tv with me in it. 6 Likes |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Idowuogbo(f): 12:43pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Oahray: @bluesparkles, thanks...what tribe? u from delta? 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 12:46pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Idowuogbo:Edo 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Idowuogbo(f): 12:47pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
lmao @ daddy dede, oyoyo... memories boi! kai! we bush kids mehn...  1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Idowuogbo(f): 12:51pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Oahray:awwwww.. i miss my daddy.  u sure we not related oahray? we might have d same daddy ya no! 2 Likes |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Florena(f): 12:59pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
interesting, captivating, naturally written. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by firestar(f): 1:25pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
[size=18pt]I love your torrent. Its waves are calming. [/size] 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 3:35pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Idowuogbo:Lol. E fit be o. *examining the possibility* Nah. You be Abeokuta babe na. Shey? 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 3:36pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Florena: interesting, captivating, naturally written. firestar: [size=18pt]I love your torrent. Its waves are calming. [/size]Geee! Thanks. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Idowuogbo(f): 3:43pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Oahray: Lol. E fit be o. *examining the possibility*nope! liv dat side and continua ur story biko 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Bluesparkles(f): 4:05pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Damn! I love your descriptions. So vivid! Am a big fan bro. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Bluesparkles(f): 4:12pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Oahray: That night I dreamt I was Messi and I broke in a million pieces when my twin brothers pushed down the tv with me in it.I love this ending. Gosh! I dunno how you do it, but you make writing seem so easy. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by IZUKWU(m): 7:10pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Bros, thanks for entertaining me. I enjoyed your work. I will be waiting for more updates. You are good 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by IZUKWU(m): 7:19pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
I just fell in love with your lead character ,so young yet so compassionate and caring choosing to bear his younger ones due punishement. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Nobody: 7:41pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
Oahray: EdoOare...Esan boy... 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 10:50pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
ItsModella:em... who is that? 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Oahray: 10:50pm On Dec 10, 2012 |
IZUKWU: Bros, thanks for entertaining me. I enjoyed your work. I will be waiting for more updates. You are goodThanks. 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Nobody: 1:19am On Dec 11, 2012 |
Idowuogbo:Sorry for derailing. Idowu how can you not know your husband's language  That's sad.  . After all these years of being married. N'weiz, I love the way you narrated your story Ray  . 1 Like |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Nobody: 1:21am On Dec 11, 2012 |
Oahray: @bluesparkles, thanks...You're Binin |
| Re: Patch Of Black by 2sexy(m): 1:22am On Dec 11, 2012 |
Vanneni: Sorry for derailing. Idowu how can you not know your husband's languagecatch her... na here u come hide ehn? ABEG OOP. I need interpretation of the arabic u wrote. |
| Re: Patch Of Black by 2sexy(m): 1:23am On Dec 11, 2012 |
Vanneni: You're Bininhe is not benin... Esan. I am half Benin so I know what he is talking about. |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Nobody: 1:30am On Dec 11, 2012 |
Idowuogbo:hmmm Idowu are you the last born of your parents? I know why I'm asking. Please tell m e and I'll tell you my reason. |
| Re: Patch Of Black by 2sexy(m): 1:33am On Dec 11, 2012 |
Vanneni: hmmm Idowu are you the last born of your parents? I know why I'm asking. Please tell m e and I'll tell you my reason.u no go kill person. Do u see Idowu here? Who tell you say na she be last born. Becos of d way she behaves online? better get that out of ya head. That lady na animal wey don tey for inside forest ooo. |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Nobody: 1:37am On Dec 11, 2012 |
IZUKWU: I just fell in love with your lead character ,so young yet so compassionate and caring choosing to bear his younger ones due punishement. |
| Re: Patch Of Black by Nobody: 1:40am On Dec 11, 2012 |
2sexy: catch her... na here u come hide ehn? ABEG OOP. I need interpretation of the arabic u wrote.huh?  ? Arabic ke. That's hausa. |
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