********************

''yeeeehhh'', Annie screamed as another slap hit her face. He removed his leather belt and for a moment she thought it was meant for her skin. Amidst a tragedy of painful thoughts, her heart gave a smile when the belt flew towards the far end of the tiled floor. He was not going to beat her but he was going to do it again. He was going to rape her again. This man who calls himself her husband.


********
One drenched evening, after a downpour earlier in the day, Annie was returning from the Local Government where she worked as a civil servant thanks to her sister who had brought her from the village and helped her secure the job. She now lived with her sister, Christie, and her husband. Her very tired face soon changed into one of confusion as she stared at the bags in front of the main entrance to 'their' house. They were her bags. Questions already forming in her mind were interrupted by the voice of her sister looking down from the balcony. ''Go and live with him oh! Go and live with that stupid fool who you have chosen to ignore our words for''. Then it became clear like the sky after the rains. She understood. She was being thrown out of 'their' house.

It had not been easy living with her sister and her husband. Her sister's husband gave her hell so much that she even wondered maybe 'fire' and 'eternal damnation' were just metaphors in the bible for this! Maybe this was hell. This house.

They had never liked Edward Francis at all. They never hid their feelings about him. He didn't have a job and was always moving from one little business to another. Annie knew Edward was intelligent and he was a graduate, but above all, she loved him. Now she had to choose between shelter and love. Her sister's house or Edward.

Christie was always hard on Annie about the relationship and now she was putting her threats into action. Annie dropped to her knees and begged for several minutes after which she was back in the house. This was it! She chose what a normal person in her situation would have chosen, she thought.
Tear drops raced down her cheeks as she picked up the last back and headed back inside.
As she shut the door, she knew it had a metaphorical tingle to it. She had shut the door to her love. She had shut the door to her love. She had shut the door to her love.

***************
''You'd better stop crying!!!'' brought her back to reality. Now she is married to this beast, Thomas James, this wealthy fool who treats her like a slave, who demands whatever he wants and beats her when she could not or did not feel like giving it. Now Edward had got a job, a good job. Now she suffered amidst all the wealth she 'enjoyed'. All thanks to her sister, again.

#***********************
.......TO BE CONTINUED(below)
***********************#

*If you enjoyed this story and like the author's writing, support by voting for his other story ''Life Is Just Funny'' in the Etisalat Prize Competition!*

http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/

please, your votes matter alot and they will be very much appreciated. You can vote for more than one person, but vote for me first. God bless you as you do!

PLS I'LL APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS


Eric Arthur (Mathicks)
@rthuR

PLSSS DONT JUST VIEW .. COMMENT AND VOTE!! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT MY WRITING SO THAT I CAN IMPROVE

continue im following you bumper to bumper

Pls i'll appreciate your comments

merit12: continue im following you bumper to bumper

Thanks alot !! At last, some inspiration

Nice

Keep writing,nice
Why did u change the name 'Edward francis' to
'Thomas james'
Is it a mistake on your part or its me that I'm not getting it?

Numero uuuno: Keep writing,nice
Why did u change the name 'Edward francis' to
'Thomas james'
Is it a mistake on your part or its me that I'm not getting it?

she left Edward Francis. Edward was her first love. The story is divided into 2 parts. The middle section is the past..while the first and 3rd are the present. I started the story with her being beaten up by 'Thomas James'..her husband. Then the middle goes back into the past of how she didnt marry 'Edward Francis' because of her sister. Then i brought the story back to the present where she was brought back to present by ''you'd better stop crying'' from Thomas James.

Please dont forget to vote to support. *continuation coming up in an hour*

Mathicks: she left Edward Francis. Edward was her first love. The story is divided into 2 parts. The middle section is the past..while the first and 3rd are the present. I started the story with her being beaten up by 'Thomas James'..her husband. Then the middle goes back into the past of how she didnt marry 'Edward Francis' because of her sister. Then i brought the story back to the present where she was brought back to present by ''you'd better stop crying'' from Thomas James.

okay,okay
Well done

*CONTINUATION...*

**************************
Ann couldn't take it anymore. Is this what she was going to face for the rest of her life? No! No! She told herself. What of her kids? What of when she began bearing kids? Would they have to suffer this same fate? Would she continue to be humiliated even in front of her own kids? She sighed.
The leather belt was still lying on the floor just like her. She was as bent as the leather belt, and she began to compare herself with the belt. What is the difference between us? She thought. The leather belt is just as helpless as I am. No control over its own life. It goes wherever its owner wants it to go. It doesnt have a choice. At this point, she no longer saw James as her 'husband', she rather saw him as her 'owner' who uses her whenever he pleases. ''This has to stop. This has to stop'', she said with a small voice. Her voice was lost in the dried tears. Her colour was red! Yes, red!


''Ann, bring that belt for me,'' a voice commanded, entering the living room.
''hmm,'' Ann sighed.
''I an going to stay out a little late today,'' the voice continued. ''Do not cook too early so that the food does not get cold. I dont want heated food. I want it hot!''.
Ann nodded as she passed the belt to him.


She heard the silent ignition of his car and ran to the window to watch. Why she did this, she did not know, but she knew she had to. She parted the curtain a little and watched as the gateman ran frantically towards the gate like a man possessed. He tripped a little and would have hit his head hard on the gate, had he not got support from a protruded Iron by pillar.
Alas! The gate opened. Somehow, James exiting the gate seemed like it was her life problems that 'were' going out. Yes. He was all her life problems in one. She felt the relief in her guts. She was alone now. She was alone.
Suddenly, she shot up from the chair she was leaning on and the curtains quickly dropped close. She had to plan. Yes, a plan. She needed a plan. What was she to do?

She picked up her blackberry phone and checked her contact list till she saw the name 'Dupe'. At that moment, 'Dupe' seemed like a revelation from the heavenly host to her. Dupe seemed like her saviour. She dialed and waited impatiently.

''Hello, taniií?''
''Dupe, its me oo. Its me Ann,''.
'' ahn ahn! Whats wrong? Your voice sounds like fear itself,''
''yessooo..yes.. Pls, is that your guest room still vacant? Pls i need to come over right away,'' she barked.
''Slow down, what do you mean? You want to move in?''
''for now yessoooo,, please ooo, do this one for me please,''
''okay, come over, we'll talk better when you're here''.
''thank you, my friend''. She hung up.


*thirty minutes later, 10:45am*
***************************
''Akpan!! Akpan!'', Ann barked. ''Akpan!''

''Madam, I dey come ooo,''
''where have you been?''
''sorry madam, i bin dey wash cloth,''
''take this money, go and buy me one carton of Indomie super pack,''
''but madam, I think say Oga buy two cartons last week wey i help am carry inside,''
''will you shut up!'', it was more of an order than a question.
''sorry ma, e be like say na mistake i do. Na last 2 months I be wan talk''
''Just shut up! Take,'' she finally hands him the cash.
''And make sure you buy it from Madam Okotie,''.
''But madam, she dey next street. I fit buy am from mama Chibuzor here. Na the same price she go sell am,''
''I said go and buy it from madam Okotie!''
''yes, ma'', he heaved.


Ann watched him open the gate and her heart thumped at the sound of the gate as it closed.
Now was the time. Now was the time. She picked up her car keys. She bent down to pick up her big bag....but the sound of the gate opening shot her back up and she became stiff.


TO BE CONTINUED...

PLS IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY, VOTE FOR MY OTHER STORY THATS IN THE ETISALAT PRIZE COMPETITION ''LIFE IS JUST FUNNY'' http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/

GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU DO!!

Pls dont forget to vote

Please, dont just view and go. Comment and say your views. I'll appreciate them. And pls dont forget to vote for my story http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/ you guys are awesome!

Subscribing.......

as cazorla don fall we hand now, na u be our ozil now. Oya oya feed us more. BTW nice starting

Nyc starting...... Me de follow u

Hameenat94: Nyc starting...... Me de follow u

hameenat i guess dz story z gon be emotional. incase u need a shoulder to cry on, i am ryt here *runsforcover

CONTINUATION...

The sound of the closing gate echoed. Echoed as how she had imagined the trumpet would echo on the last day. This could be her last day if her husband found her with this big bag here. The sound still lingered in her head like a sour taste. Milli-seconds seemed like hours. She was sure this was how they said the land of the gods was. A day there, could be fourty thousand years on earth. She remembered the movie 'Odyssey'.
But wait! She was still here. She was still standing here. In her shock, she couldnt move her feet. She felt like that little kid who had wandered into the express and now saw an upcoming car, coming with that torrential speed that could initiate time travel. She couldnt move. Her legs were glued to the mainroad.
''If i dont carry my lame feet away from here, that upcoming car will hit me once that front door is opened,'' she finally breathed.

Anybody close-by would have heard the sound of breeze swooshing as her hands swiftly hijacked her own bag. She didnt need a sports car to overtake Michael Schumacher if she used this kind of speed in a race. She only became conscious of her movements when her arm brushed against the sharp wall at the passage. Her keys swung away from her grip and landed irritatedly on the floor with a loud thump. The scene here was like a rescue team abandoning one of their wounded comrades so as to save the majority. She quickly regained her balance, glanced at the keys, and quickly breezed through the passage.

She threw her bag to the far end of the room, where it wont arouse suspicion and slumped on the bed. Even she was amazed at her strength. Adrenaline must have been oozing from her skin and could make an asthmatic person choke.

She looked around, lost. Sizing the entire room with her eyes. She fed her eyes with what she was about to leave behind. Even in pain, theres still greed in every man. And woman. No matter how little it may be, it exists.

The room was furnished with eclectic taste. Cream walls, tiled floor, larger-than-king-sized bed and an array of paintings hanging from the walls. It was beautiful in every sense of it. She remembered now, the first night she moved in as his wife. He had made love to her in this room, and she felt like a queen. He had been so caring, so soft, as if preparing her for what lay ahead, in his own way. Then suddenly, he became harsh. He became an animal and he ravaged her like a beast. smiles turned into mild frowns, wetness turned into tears, sweet moans turned sour screams. Since then, she had been sleeping in this room alone, only visited when the 'Almighty' Thomas needed her services.

Her ringing phone kicked her back into reality. She picked it up.

''hi, Ann, when you get to...''
''Dupe, hello..''
''When you get to the house, the key to the front door is under the foot-mat, take...''
''okay.., you're not going to be around?''
''yes, i'm going out now...just enter and make yourself comfortable,''
''okay, i will,''
''Okay,' Dupe hung up.

It was when she dropped the phone that she realized the door bell was ringing. Why would her husband ring the door bell? She knew it could have been her husband, Akpan or some other person that would have entered the gate then, but it would have been too risky to have waited to find out first.

''who is it?'' she said as she approached the door.
No response.
''Who?'' she asked vaguely as she opened the front door.
''NEPA, ma,'' the formally dressed man replied.
''oh,'' her eyes widened. ''but you did not knock, did you?''
''Actually ma'am, i did,'' he scratched his head. ''but nobody answered, so i helped myself in''.
''Okay then, how may I help you?''
''Oh, I brought your bill,''
''okay, how about the prepaid meter my husband requested for?''
''it is still being processed ma,'' he scratched his hair, again. ''It shouldnt take longer than a week''.

Ann suddenly remembered her aim to leave the house. Akpan will soon return and she was here chatting with this NEPA official?
''Okay, thank you,'' she took the bill. She offered a slight smile and turned around, shutting the door behind her.


She opened the door and moved swiftly to her car. She wasnt going to trek, was she? Even if James had bought the car for her, it was hers anyway. She felt a breeze of guilt gently caress her cheek. ''well, Bleep it,''she thought.


Her face was still a little red. She helped herself into the kitchen and found out that Dupe had left some food in a medium sized pot. For her, maybe. It was jollof rice mixed with some kind of vegetable. The sight was appealing, and for the first time in a long time, or so it seemed, she let out a full smile. Dupe had always been a very good cook. Annie had eaten alot of her meals in the past when she visited her after work hours. They both worked in the local government. Ann had to quit her job when she got married to Thomas James. The wealthy fool. She shrugged as thoughts of him crossed her mind.

Her phone rang. It was Thomas.

Plss if you enjoyed this story, help a brother out by voting for me here http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/ . I'll appreciate it alot. PLS DROP YOUR COMMENTS, they'll be appreciated as well.

I cant find ur topic... so plz make it easier for us by putting ur topic in d 1st page cuz I cant go Tru all d 79 pages... Kip d story rolling...

lovingangel: I cant find ur topic... so plz make it easier for us by putting ur topic in d 1st page cuz I cant go Tru all d 79 pages... Kip d story rolling...

79 pages? There z just 2 pages on my thread

Heres ther beginning of the story https://www.nairaland.com/1474996/blame-switch-short-story

this guy continue oh why i follow you,am with my kolo kolo and zobodobo drink lol

a mistake on my path I was searching for d blame switch but ve voted for u so do we get a update for dat

lovingangel: a mistake on my path I was searching for d blame switch but ve voted for u so do we get a update for dat

yes... Very soon. Thanks for the vote. I appreciate it alot

More!!!

Jumizie13: More!!!

coming right up....!! Dont forget to vote for me pls http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/

Your incredible use of metaphors is alluring.

Nkpume Iko: Your incredible use of metaphors is alluring.

Thank you. More coming on this night!! pls dont forget to vote for me 'life is just funny' http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/ i'll appreciate

following

...CONTINUED
***************
... He was standing there by the road, about to cross. He looked left, looked right and looked left again. His head swinging in slow motion as his shapely nose continued to captivate her subconscious. She was staring at him, awefully flattered by his demeanour. He crossed the road swiftly and as he looked towards her, she immediately suffered from dementia. He wasnt looking at her. He wasnt looking at her. She kept thinking. Slowly reciting the words in her mind. Now he was walking towards her. Shit. Maybe he was looking at her. His charm had turned the whole city red, or maybe thats how only she saw it. The buses were red, the streets were red, everything was red. Well, everything except his white eyes and yes, his teeth. She caught a glimpse of it as he opened his mouth a little - The type people do to relieve piled up stress- while he walked towards her. She was sitting on a bench in front of a shop. She had a bottle of Fanta in her grip. As he got closer, his gaze still maintained a horizontal line, it was very straight ahead. It was when he got to where she sat that she realized the obvious. He was not staring at her. He was staring at the shop.

''Do you have ETISALAT card? '' he spoke.
''Yes sir,'' a voice came from inside the shop as a woman jerked her appearance into view.
''Please let me have N200 worth,'' he stated firmly.
That was when his gaze slowly came down and caught her frame. It encroached her entire body. She felt as if his eyes were the shadow of the moon that now caused an eclipse in the light of her day.
He stretched his hand forward.

''My name is ... ANNIEE ANNIEE ANNIEE..'' she heard and shook her head. She was confused. How did he know her name. ''Annie..Anniee, where are you dear?'' this time the voice was clear. It was Dupe. She had been dreaming.

She shifted in the bed and her hand touched the ceramic plate she had used to eat before the open arms of sleep took her.
She was a little mad at Dupe for interrupting her sleep, but she was happy that she was home already.

''Dupe, I'm here oo. I'm in the guest room,'' she said aloud.
Dupe made her way to the guest room and found her friend laying on the bed, and the first thing that caught her attention was the almost red spot behind her lower lip.
''awww.., he beat you again this morning?''

Annie's phone rang.

The slow melody filling the air as a mutual silence ensued. Ann silenced the ringing and looked at the screen, keeping her gaze on the caller name.
Dupe jumped on the bed and grabbed the phone just as it stopped ringing.

''My God! 19 missed calls?''
Ann nodded.
''Christie and Thomas have been calling me since I arrived at your house,'' she heaved. ''They've not got tired I guess.''
''Ann, what if they track your phone?''
Ann instinctively hijacked the phone and switched it off.
''I'm not saying they can track it, i'm just saying...what if they could?''
''I dont think so, but i'll stay on the safer side though''

''Thomas knows i'm your close friend,''
''Yeah? But he doesn't know your house, does he?''
''No,'' she said with a smile. ''I see you've already made yourself comfortable''.

Dupe stared at the ceramic plate and moved it to the small table beside the bed.
Ann smiled. She felt safe here.
''I cant do this anymore, Dupe,''
Dupe nodded.
''I'm tired of that marriage already,'' Ann continued. ''One day, he'll beat me into a coma and rape me, and i'll give birth inside that same coma.''
Dupe laughed but had to stop herself.

''Sorry, i didnt mean to.''
''no, i understand,'' Ann conceded. ''My life is very funny. Even I laugh at myself.''
The day went by very quickly. The two friends ate dinner in silence.


They watched some movies together that night and Annie began wondering why she even got married. This single life was interesting. But then again, marriage with the right person is even better. Marriage seemed like a victory, a victory over being single, over being a spinster. But a victory is only enjoyed when theres somebody to celebrate with. In her own marriage, there was nobody to celebrate with. There was nothing to even celebrate about, talk more of celebrating with somebody. She sighed. Different things were playing in her mind.

She remembered the interesting days in the village when she was younger. She and her sister were very close. They had not just been sisters, but friends. People used to call them a kind of collective name, either Anna Christie or Christie Annan. The former, when they wanted to say Ann and Christie, and the later for Christie and Ann. They used to laugh whenever people called them together like that, but they soon became used to it. Christie got married and relocated to Lagos with her husband. Ann was happy for them. She became even happier when they called home that they'd found a job for her. The flow of joy that filled her system was obviously more than the water that came from the rock Moses had struck with his rod.
**************

*****************
......CONTINUED
*****************

Ann woke up to the smell of stew being prepared. She smiled. She now liked her new found habit of smiling, a rare happening in her own house.
She got off the bed and went straight to the kitchen. Dupe was there in her nighties moving from sink to stove, to sink.
She looked at Dupe's face in all her morning splendour. She was very beautiful, why was she not married yet? Then her own marriage came to haunt and remind her of the possible consequences of marriage. She shook her head.
''Good morning, Ann.'' Dupe smiled.
''Good morning Dupe,'' Ann replied. ''You must have woken up very early today.''
''yes, i'm going to work today.''
''oh, yeah,'' Ann remembered that her friend still worked in the Local Government.
''You'll leave me all alone in this house,'' Ann turned and opened her arms to express ''This big house'' , even if she knew it was nothing compared to the house she was coming from.
''Blessing would be all alone at home today too,'' Ann suggested. ''She told me that her husband was travelling this morning''
''Oh!'' Ann said as she remembered Blessing. Blessing was their friend too. She also stopped working at the Local Government when she got married.
''Do you think I should go and spend the day with her?''
''If you want to, you could,'' Ann said. ''You girls could catch up on old times'' she grinned.
''Old times? You say it as if its been ages we last saw each other''
''well, it seems like ages to me''..
Ann laughed out really loud. She needed more of these kinds of things, she thought. A smile still on her lips.
''But you'll have to take me to that AP filling station beside our office first,'' she said 'our' as if Ann still worked there.
''Okay, then,'' Ann grinned. ''But what about your car?''
''I dont feel like driving that thing joh. The kind of problem it gives on the road ehn,'' Dupe scuffed.
They ate breakfast after they had both had their baths. The drive was not a very long one, and soon Ann was knocking on Blessing's gate.
''Who is it?'' the gateman frowned.
''Abeg, is your madam at home?'' Ann asked, but she was quick to feel guilt as she had assumed too soon that he was the gateman.
''Yes, she dey house,'' , Ann felt relief.
''who make I tell am say hin dey find am?''
''Tell her Ann. Ann Bakare''
Bakare! That was her name before she got married. She laughed within herself. She had completely let go of Ann Thomas.
The gateman closed the gate and was soon out again opening the gate to let her drive in.
Blessing was all smiles when she saw the incoming car. She started screaming as soon as Ann stepped out of the car.
''Ann!'' she screamed.
They hugged and exchanged pleasantries.
While they were chatting it out in the big sitting room, the gateman knocked.
''Madam, one man talk say hin dey find oga.''
''haa, oga has gone out since morning nowww,'' Blessing squeezed her chin. ''anyway, tell him to come inside''.
''yes, madam.''
In another one minute, there was a knock on the door again. Blessing went to open it, and exchanged small talk with the person whose image was unseen by Ann.
After some seconds, Ann heard Blessing ask the person to come inside and have something to eat or drink before he left. The voice was reluctant at first, but later agreed.
Blessing gave way for the person to enter through the half opened door.
Ann looked up to greet the person. Her glass cup dropped when she saw the face.
It was Edward. Edward Francis. Her first love.
#############

**PLEASE IF YOU ENJOYED THIS WRITING, SUPPORT BY VOTING FOR MY OTHER STORY IN THE ETISALAT PRIZE COMPETITION**
http://etisalatprize.com/life-is-just-funny/I'll appreciate it alot.
Please dont forget to vote: You guys are awesome!!

Nice story * following *
Try to be consistent with your tenses. You're switching presence and past. And also, spacing between dialogue.

Good job!