Beating The Odds - Episode 1

© Brian Ngoma

Time: 8:24pm

Location: Makeni Bonaventure

In this small neighborhood of Makeni Bonaventure, a woman is praying for her children, a man is getting off a bus with a briefcase in his hand, a girl is sneaking out of the house to see her boyfriend, some boys are smoking Marijuana at their usual spot and a fade up woman is sited in her couch thinking and looking at her watch impatiently. Her name is Kayila. In this very small neighborhood, a murder will be committed tonight.

"Today is the day," Kayila said under her breath. From the couch she was sitting, on her left was the suitcase packed. To her right, was a handbag. She looked around the small living room and everything was a mess. She didn’t sweep the house nor wash the plates. She had been planning this day for close to three years and not even house chores could come in her way. She was now finally leaving him and it felt good. She just needed to tell him in his face. "That schmuck,” she cussed looking at her watch and her eyes directly fixed on the door.

She heard a whistle outside and instantly knew it was him. She composed herself to look tough and strong. This time, she was determined like never before. In the past, she had tried to leave him but he begged her to stay. She stayed because he promised her he would change but he never did. She loved him but she loved herself even more. She wished she had realized that, the first time he raised his hand against her. Thinking back, she blamed herself for tolerating him.

The door opened. Kayila quickly got to her feet. "Clive," she said nervously. He ignored her. He closed the door. "Clive!" she shouted.

He looked at her disgustingly. He saw the suitcase and the handbag on her feet and scoffed. He was used to her saying she's leaving him the same way she was used to been abused. The two complemented each other. "Going somewhere?" he walked to the couch. “And what’s with house been dirty, that mop on the floor,” he looked at her.

"I'm leaving Clive," she sternly said reaching for the handbag. She watched him sit relaxing himself. "I can't do this anymore."

"Where would you go?" he laughed. He reached for the T.V remote. "You are already spent, who would ever love you? You are old and dirty. You should be grateful that I let you call yourself my wife. I'm all you have, you have no one."

She felt a sting in her heart. It didn't hurt her much though, she was used to these insults. That's the only thing Clive was good at. Making her life miserable. "Say what you want to say but I'm leaving,” she grabbed the suitcase. "Bye Clive, have a miserable pathetic life."

Clive jerked off to his feet and blocked her way. He was angry. His breath had changed. He looked at her and she was shaking to her core. "Put the suitcase down now Kayila!" he ordered her.

She nodded her head in refusal. Her head was bowed down avoiding his angry stare. "No Clive, I'm leaving,” she said.

"I said put the nasty suitcase on the floor!" he yelled at her.

"No," she said shakily tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ugh!” he exclaimed in disgust. He stepped back and paced about in front of her. All the time, she kept her head bowed down. "Kayila I'm not in the mood to play around with you. Take the suitcase to the bedroom and prepare me supper now," he pointed to the direction of the bedroom.

"No," she stood her ground.

By this time, Clive was furiously burning with steam. In the heat of the moment, he slapped her so hard she fell to the floor. Without any regrets he said. "Now take your bags to the bedroom and give me food. This house has to be swept too."

Kayila with her knees on the floor was sobbing. She looked at her suitcase and handbag which had slipped from her hands. She slowly picked herself up and grabbed the suitcase. How long was she going to endure this violence? Enough was enough. If it meant dying to get out of this mess, she was willing to go down that path. She needed peace of mind and this was the day to have it.

"Kayila," he shouted again. "Go and prepare me supper," he turned around and walked to the couch comfortably settling down. “These women we call our wives,” he nodded.

"Clive do that yourself, I’m going," she said in between sobs. She walked to the door and opened it.

Clive got up and jumped to the door. He grabbed the door knob. She was pulling he was pushing. "Let go woman," he said angrily. He was surprised with her strength. He had never seen her that determined before. "Kayila," he shouted her name. "Let go of this door!"

Her attention was on having the door opened. She was angry, devastated, remorseful and in despair. She felt every emotion in her. She was tired of Clive and in that moment, she felt so powerful she let go of the door and pushed him. Clive didn't expect what hit him. He staggered to his way down and slipped on the mop. He lost balance he flew to the air and hit his head on the edge of the table his skull could have been heard breaking.

"Clive!" Kayila shouted. She dropped the suitcase and handbag and ran to him. "Clive," she called him. She checked him and he wasn't moving. His eyes were widely open. She could see his eyes slowly being filled with blood. "Clive!" she screamed. "Help!" she shouted. "Please Clive don't die on me," she shook him.

She continued calling for help but no one came. She got tired shouting and knelt before him. She stopped crying and was Idly staring at him. A smile formed on her face. "You finally got what you deserve,” she said. She felt strange. Seeing him laying there made her feel free. He had no control over her. "At least my baby will be safe," she caressed her tummy. "This time you will be born," she said and laid beside the unconscious Clive.

In the past, she had fallen pregnant twice and lost the babies because of Clive. He didn't care about the pregnancies. He would always tell her to get rid of them but she refused. In the end, he would end up beating her mercilessly and she would have a miscarriage. This pregnancy, she never told him.

"Police!" a male voice shouted.

Kayila woke up to flash lights on her face. To her surprise, she had fallen asleep. She checked Clive and he was still laying there but this time, his head was in a pool of blood. She was now finally conscious. She saw a police man in the living room with her neighbor.

"What happened?" the neighbor shouted.

"I killed him," she answered moving away from the body.

The policeman and the neighbor looked at each other in terror. The policeman walked to her. "You are under arrest woman," he cuffed her and led her outside.

A few minutes later, medic came over and examined Clive. He was dead. "What happened here?" One medic asked the police man.

"She's a Pyscho," he answered. "Imagine cold heartedly admitting she killed him."

"Don't tell me," the medic was aback. "Seems like there was a fight though. He hit his head here," he pointed at the edge of the table. "I could also see her face bruised up when getting in the house."

"Let's leave that for the detectives and forensics" the police man said leaving the crime scene. "These killings are getting out of hand," he said. " One thing for certain is that this one is definitely going to prison."

Read Episode 2 here - https://youngicee.com/2020/02/beating-the-odds-episode-2.html

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