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Angelsss:
THE FISHERMAN’S TALE EPISODE 3 BY ROSE AKPABIO
Two days had passed since I met the stranger and I found it difficult to keep my mind off him. It took me strong will not to dial his number, which I had deleted and restored multiple times. My stepdad had been taken out of the house to a hospital and from what I gleaned; he would be there for some weeks. I was relieved by that piece of news; one problem was solved.
Gradually, the stranger was taking over my thoughts. I found it difficult to focus on anything. I thought of him in the bathroom. I thought of him in the kitchen…was this love? I had never experienced something like this. Well, how could I, when my mother’s husband had stolen my innocence away from me at a tender age? I cringed as I remembered one night…
“Damn!” I screamed and shut my eyes. I tried to force the memory out, but it kept coming. It was like a raging wave of a river and I was hopeless. I was helpless before it. I couldn’t shut it out. I couldn’t get rid of it. This was getting confusing for me. I thought I would feel slightly better after stabbing my stepfather. But I just realized that my satisfaction had only been temporal.
My mother had gone to church with one of her best friends then, Mrs. Awallu, whom she had later accused of sleeping with her husband. Though I was young, I had a feeling that he had tried to harass the woman and she had rejected his advances. He knew that my mother was soft and he took advantage of her trust in him. He had lied about everything.
I and my sisters slept in different rooms. I had felt a hand searching my panties…and then he pulled it away and brought his face towards my sex. A sharp pain that hit my abdomen had awoken me. When I straightened on the bed, I tried to fight him off. Quickly, he covered my mouth and pushed me back on the bed. Before I could muster strength to fight again, he spread my legs with his strong hands and began to pummel my little body.
“Nonye!” I felt a slap on my back. Swiftly, the cloudy memory faded away and I was back in the kitchen. Tears stung my eyes and blurred my vision. I noticed that I was holding a knife and I had been chopping some leaves.
I wiped my face and swirled around. It was my eldest sister, Ezinne. Ezinne was a bit friendlier than Sandra who always stared at me with disdain. I had tried everything possible to get the love of my sisters, but they always drained me of good energy whenever I stepped close. I had made up my mind to survive without them.
“Yes?” I answered.
“What’s taking so long? I am famished!” She emphasized her point by rubbing her belly.
I forced a kind smile, but I cared less. These girls were spoilt and self centered yet my mother saw nothing wrong in their entitled behavior. If she had given me quarter of the love that she showered upon them, I would’ve found a way to wrap my head around the abuse that I suffered. My mother disliked me and so did her daughters.
“Food will be ready soon…” I trailed off.
She walked to the fridge and pulled it open. She was about pulling out a bottle of fresh orange juice when her phone rang. Not that it was any of my business, but I found myself listening. At the mention of the stranger’s name, my heart stopped.
“Seun darling…” Ezinne drawled.
I could feel my skin crawling when I heard this.
“How do you do today?” She continued sweetly.
I threw the knife on the table slab and rushed towards the sink. So that fool was playing me? I felt hurt that he had pretended to like me. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way because I hated men but…Okay, I couldn’t explain this.
“Can you come over to the house? My parents are aware and my sister is preparing something very delicious.” Ezinne threw him an invitation. I couldn’t believe my ears. First, he had gotten my number from them and now he was coming over? I was going to beat him to his game if he took that invitation.
When she broke the call, she grabbed the bottle and turned around.
“What are you looking at? You should hurry up. I am expecting someone in two hours.”
I inhaled deeply, “I do not think I can prepare me this meal. I feel sick. I will get the cook to prepare it.” I returned calmly.
“Are you stupid?” Ezinne fired at me. I bit my lip. I wasn’t ready for trouble. I couldn’t wait for the day that I would face my mother’s daughters.
“No I am not.” I answered quietly.
“Good. I give the orders, you take them. Don’t ever speak to me first unless I command it.” I affirmed her command with a nod. I reminded myself that my suffering would be over soon. Time was holding me back.
I stared at the sharp knife on the table slab. Perhaps, if I had killed that monster, my life would’ve been better. To distract myself, I pulled out my phone from the pocket of the apron and dropped it on the table. I loved listening to the radio. I was right on time for the day’s news and it was something ridiculous enough to amuse me.
“Breaking news: the heir to the Abasiatai group of companies, Mr. Edwin Ubong Abasiatai had resigned. According to hidden sources, he is not interested in the family oil business. He wants to become a fisherman.”
TO BE CONTINUED.

mareeam802:
Thank you!