9b.fire
After kissing for what felt like forever,Myc bade me goodbye and left for his home.
Immediately he left i entered into the house and started preparing dinner for madam tina and I.. i kept thinking of how i and Myc kissed..how the moment seemed to stay forver..how..
kpokpokpo!!!!
"who is that?" i started walking to the door and when i opened it i was amazed!
"Faith!'
faith is the only one i think cares for me..she gives me things when i need them..thought me how to cope with madam tina..even during my tiring times she was there for me..she was the one that named me"Irl"..something she said she saw in a book or so.. she's my only friend..someone you could die for..i always wondered why she was so beautiful even with the appearances of her other siblings.. she is ebony in complexion and has this cute heart face shape..her eyes always lit up when she was talking about someone or something she loved but today her eyes didnt lit up..she looked horrible and her face was tear soaked..
"Faith what's wrong?" i asked
"its Tony..he died yesterday..he..he left me Irl..we were supposed to..oh Irl.."
she burst out fresh tears and landed on me. gently i took her in and tried comforting her..am 5'7 ft and she's an inch taller but more slender. i didnt find it difficult to take her in my arms..she cried for so long that i felt my heart shred into two..her mascara was running with her tears..her eyes were so puffed up..red cold eyes..
After 30 minutes her tears dried up and i started asking her
"Faith how did it happen?"
"cult clashes in school..i called him to let him know that i had a fever and i couldnt go out because of their fight..we were already warned to stay indoors until they could apprehend them but Tony..i warned him..he said he would get back...that he'd get me some drugs..he never came back Irl.. i met him dead in the hospital..its all my fault..i shouldnt..i shouldnt have called him.. am so selfish..Irl what do i do now?i just want to die..Irl i and tony we..am carrying his child.."
"what?"
"am having his child am two months now and now that he's gone what do i do? i cant get rid of it Irl..i cant believe this happened."
she kept crying more..her tears were cold..i cried for her..i cried for tony..he was a nice guy..everyone in the neighborhood knew him..the elders wanted their sons to be like him..every girl crushed on him even i at one point..poor tony..poor faith..

9.Fire
"Myc I thought my madam is coming here..the pineapples am not done with them..wait what are you doing here?If she gets you here am done for..Myc I want you to.."
"Genny my aunt left a while ago,she seemed in a hurry and still wanted to spend time with me but I told her I'll visit her later tomorrow. Am really happy that i got to see her and.."
He stopped and looked at the blood stained knife..he had this look of discomfort,like as if the blood affected him or so.. you know just like vampires when they see or smell blood..
"why is there so much blood?did you cut yourself?wait let me see it.."
I saw him walk to me..how could someone be so prefect..his legs.. his face..I wanted all of it..and then he took my hands and washed away the blood..he smiled and asked for a first aid kid but I was still mesmerized by his face and I thought I would not breath..the smell of his body sent chills down my spines..if I could just..if I could just..
"Genny?! the first aid kid where is it?"
"ohh yea um the kit..its in the next room but am..am not allowed to use it..madam doesnt want my blood on her stuffs so.."
"i see..in the next room right?"
"yea just by the corner"
"okay..now go the sitting room I'll be back in a while and no dont think of complaining..just sit I'll be back k?"
"okay"
I started to turn to leave for the parlor but I stopped to catch a glimpse of him.. such a strange beautiful being..he threw the bloody pineapples and peeled the remaining parts and kept in the fridge,he didnt see me stare at him but I was already in the parlor when he started to turn. He had brought the kit and requested for my bleeding finger.. carefully he cleaned the wound and wrapped it after doing the necessary things..
I just couldn't stop looking at his face..we watched a tv show and laughed a little until then he decided to leave and asked for me to escort him outside the gate.. we talked about some things and how he cherished madam tina..how he was sorry for the death of her family and how she picked up her broken pieces little by lttle.
"I'll be back tomorrow genny..but before then..I..I like you.."
"Myc you like me?"
"Yea since the bus time..your so nice and cute and sweet unlike girls abroad.."
"Thanks your really nice too"
"Well okay i have to do something now."
"huh?"
Myc grabbed me closer to him I could smell him..I wanted him..there was a feeling I had..something like a burning fire in my mind..i felt hot..i didnt know how i parted my lips but i did and we kissed..Myc kissed me and my mind lit up with fire..
sweet fire..

8. Past things
We went into the house and madam Tina ordered me to slice pineapples for Myc.
I went on to the kitchen to carry out my duty. I was still thinking of Myc,how his face looked like when he had met madam Tina, how he smiled and laughed.. Like someone watching his favorite show.
I could hear them discussing,it was about the usuals.. Madam Tina asking about how Myc was and other things.. The one that made me pause was when she asked if he has a girlfriend yet..
There was a pause and then I could hear them laughing.. And then madam Tina yelled for the pineapples..
"The pineapples!" I hadn't cut them yet.. There was just there waiting for me.. I almost cried because I knew what would happen to me if madam Tina discovered this.. Death wouldn't be enough to drench the pain she would inflict on me..
"Madam am almost done!" I shouted back
"You better be quick about it!!"
I quickly washed them and took the knife and started I was so in a rush that i cut myself and my blood it just started flowing.. I was stressed out and I just felt like dying.. I stood there and started sobbing.. The drugs wouldn't kill me madam Tina would..
"Michael wait let me check what that girl is doing, you can watch tv" I heard madam Tina say..
I could hear voices in my head screaming at me..
"Take the knife and stab her"
"Tell her that the pineapples are rotten"
"Just kill yourself"
"Run away through the back door"
I didn't bother listening to the them. I decided to wash away the blood and cut the one I could manage to show her before she came here..
And then the door opened and I saw something else..
It was Myc..
The one I desired

Deji124 my only reader

7.Something blue
"Myc how are you here?"
"well i remembered i had to get something from my mum. she likes fruits too and so here we are."
"ohh okay that's nice..well.. um.. i'll try and call you"
"yea sure.. dont keep me waiting tho.."
"my child oya come and take this one..greet you madam for me and make sure you tell her the one i just gave you ohh..she don already pay me so no need.."
"ok ma..let me me going me..greet eyo for me ohh"
"no problem"
i picked up my food basket and met Myc smiling at me.. he was so beautiful..like something that would disappear if you didnt hold it closely..
"let me help you with that.."
"em um sure here.. thanks anyway"
"so tell me about you genny.. i haven't seen you before and i live few streets from here.. shebi you know that golden estate.. the private owned one?"
"yes i do..you..you live there? wow.."
'yes my family and i actually ..i just returned from england after studying law and i'll be going back for my masters in 3 months times so here i am..touring and discovering beautiful beings like you.."
i blushed..
"ohh Myc you are so sweet..but your life might be a bed of roses..mine is just a strange path of thorns..dont tell me to explain because its hard to..just let it be..okay?"
"but genny..i just.."
"no buts please..maybe some other time..right now if i dont get back on time.. well let me just hurry.."
i didnt even notice when we had reached my street.. but the other kids were staring at me suspiciously.. the older woman kept gossiping.. people dont like others progressing much..they never mind their businesses..sometimes i wonder if everyone's destinies were tied together here..well except madam tina who managed to beat whatever charm they were using on others..
"well Myc this is where we stop.." i said as i got to my gate
"this is your house?" he asked
"well yes..i have lived here all my life.."
"but no its not possible.. how come..?"
"what do you mean"
just then the gates flew open and madam tina stepped out dressed gorgeously to attend a meeting..
"nwam! Michael ohh..!"
"aunty tina!" he shouted with his smiling face
"oh no.." i stood suprised..

6.Desire
I blushed and continued my journey and dropped the card into the pocket of my taffeta dress.
Madam Tina was good for some things and one of them was providing nice cloths for me.
"Mama Eyo!" I shouted as I approached the fruit section.
"Ewo my dear,my regular customer. How are you and your madam na?" She smiled back.
"Fine ohh. Hope you have my regular? No cheat me ohh!"
"How will I do that na? Oya see them by the side after you are done, tell me so I can give you one extra,you know na!"
"Ahh mummy na you be the one ohh!"
Then she left to attend to other buyers. Ever since I was 11 I had been taught my madam Tina on how to bargain for foodstuffs and even fruits. I met mama eyo too and since then had been her regular customer.
"Mama eyo,oya ohh I don carry everything where the jara(extra) dey?" I shouted
And then I turned and saw Myc standing near her smiling at me.
"Myc?"
Today,now,at this place I started desiring one person..
"Myc.."
And then I smiled.

5. Wishes
"Take jare" I say
I squeeze out #20 and give to him and he collects #100 from the cute guy.
"Oga your change!" He shouts.
"Never mind,do keep the change" The cute guys responds
"Thank you ohh!" He smiles and eyes me at the same time..
The bus starts moving and the guy says again..
"Hi"
His voice felt like honey, something impossible, his face felt warm and his looks were to die for.
"Good morning" I say
"Morning, can I know your name?." He enquires(asks).
It takes long for me to answer but after what seems like a decade,I finally reply.
"Ge.. Genevieve"
He laughs, I think it is because he can feel me vibrate and he draws nearer.
"Nice name,Genny"
I smile.
"Am Michael, but you can call me Myc,Mikey seems a bit off so Myc is better"
"Wow,that's nice,well I.."
"Owa oh" a passenger yells.
"I have to go Myc, see you sometime."
"Here take this and call me sometime." Myc says with a perfect angelic smile.
"Sure"
"You no dey drop?!" The idiot shouts
"Abeg oh make I hear"
Then I hear someone giggle..
"Bye Genny"

4. Discovery b
"You will be punished" I said to madam Tina under my breath.
Then I picked up my broom and started sweeping the 3 bedroom bungalow that was big enough to throw a party for our street members but still madam Tina would not let me sleep in any of the rooms.
She made me sleep in the kitchen store that was a bit warn courtesy to the stuffs in it.
Hours later.
I pick up the food basket to get fruits from the market for madam Tina. Sometimes I manage to steal some for myself and eat.
Crossing the road I board a bus going to Pami market and while the conductor yells for the fare,a cute guy enters and sits beside me.
"Hi" He says
"Your money ohh!" The conductor shouts.

4.Discovery
"Ahh..my eyes oh"
"Shut up your cursed mouth,you stupid thing!"
Silence.
"What is the time?, 4:30am ! And you asleep probably f*cking boys in your sleep. Common get up and start doing your chores,ingrate!"
"Sorry ma"
"Sorry for your head,anu! (Meat)"
Then she left.
Madam Tina had poured me hot water and it had soaked me and my foam. I picked up the remains of my foam,took it outside to dry and then pitifully came in to start work.
I didn't believe in God but whether he existed or not,he knew I was still a full blooded virgin.
"You will be punished!" I said to madam Tina under my breath.

3. A name
"Genevieve"
I didn't bother continuing to the surname. Genevieve seemed nice and okay for someone like me,but then I didn't have a surname and I definitely could not use madam Tina's surname "Edochie".
It would have been easier if I knew what tribe I was from,but no I didn't and no one knew.I didn't know my roots,my people,my way of life..I cried and cried. My chest felt heavy, I was choking.
The air felt stuffy. I knew nothing about me or anybody. My whole life was me existing and not living-not been able to do things I wanted.
"Genevieve Nwosu"
That sounded nice. No need to shortening it. I would die soon in 4 days I would be long gone. I just needed to go to the local government office and register my name, the state didn't matter. I just wanted a name.
I wept bitterly,it was almost morning and I decided to catch a moment of peace.
I closed my eyes and drifted into the dream world.
I saw a woman with a child running and then dropping child in front of a door. She was beautiful with tired yes and then kissing the child goodbye,she left without a word.
Just then something hot landed on my face.

2.Genesis
Madam Tina said to me once that I had been abandoned by my mother 2 months after my birth at her doorstep. I was given no name after that or I would have been given a name if not for the unfortunate death of her husband and two beautiful kids,the night after my discovery.
Madam Tina deemed me as jinxed and the cause of the death of her family.
After she had revealed this to me at 4 years of age, I still had no name so I was just called "the girl" by madam Tina and the entire neighborhood who didn't care about my nameless self.
Luckily I had a friend who had catered for me during my tiring times until she left for college 2 years ago. She had shortened by name to Irl-"the girl" and it felt nice to be loved even for a bit.
I will become 18 years two days from now and I believe I will be able to apply for a name for myself so that at least when am discovered lifeless in madam Tina's house,I would go with a name.
I kept pondering on what name to choose. I would have gone with Irl but it sounded awkward and reminded me too much of my friend.
The power company helped me by restoring the light and the TV went on and then a name flashed on the TV..

Copyright ©
All Rights Reserved:
This work exclusively belongs to the Author and is protected under copyright laws
The titles,plots,characters,settings and all its content are properties of the Author
No parts of this work either in parts or wholes should be reproduced in any format,electronic or otherwise without the permission from the author.


..........................................................................

1.Pain
"Stupid girl! Ingrate! Fool! Child of the evil one!"
"No,please stop,please am sorry,I won't do it again mummy..sorry madam Tina please..no ahh!"
Bam!..
I opened my eyes, I guess I had become accustomed with my sorrowful life. Its dream that I wished it would be. I had just got out of a terrible dream and my back ached badly.
The ceramic flower pot had been smashed on me by madam Tina.
"Why me?" I wept
There was no one to blame. I stopped believing in God since I became 13 years. Being 17 years didn't make things different.
"Why is this happening to me? Why? Am I jinxed?"
The tears kept running,cold tears stored now came out rapidly. It was killing me and choking life out of me.
If there was just someone to help..just..
I stared at the mixed drugs on the floor..in 4 days time things would become peaceful for me..I just had to drink them and float away..forever
....
Hi am the girl and I am love lust.
I just want someone to love me and..
My thirst for love is rapidly drowning me.
4 days from now my body will be found dead at home..
Will it?

Quickly and in an enclosed part of the path,we exchange our cloths and i see how much she looks like me with my worn out clothes. She still does not mind my dirty and sweat filled clothes and smiles at me again as if she has known me all her life.

Buchi gives me something that is like the village doctor's possession. We, the children all call him "village doctor" because we do not know his name or what or whether he has a feather in his cap. What she has just given me is a called a smartphone and she stressed it out well SMARTphone.. The one that can make another person's image appear on it. I know little on how it works because i have seen the village doctor use it twice. She tells me to use it to call her if i am need of help but most importantly for communication reasons.

Then Buchi drags me to a van and makes me enter it without the driver seeing her. The van moves and i watch her go to Mama,to my home where i have directed her to. I still have not told her of my birthday and womanhood celebration next week. That thing that i hoped to see,if it would ever happen to me.

``````````````````````````````````````

I arrive at her house and as i step out of the van,a dog rushes towards me thinking that i am Buchi. It sniffs me and starts growling because it knows i am not her. No one is bothered because a woman i meet which i get to know as the maid only thinks that it is hungry and drives it away giving it something to eat.

Buchi is usually with her maid and her dog,lily as a companion. I also get to know that her parents come home once in a while or if they have something to do because they are busy people. Pushing my thoughts away,i greet the maid and she has a shocked look on her face.. Maybe Buchi never really talked to her except if necessary or Buchi was not trained greet and respect people older than her or this or that or whatever i could think about a million reasons why!. I feel like i have so much information in my brain after all She has told me previously.

Buchi calls and says she has fit in well but complains that there was little to eat and did too much work in such a short time. Buchi goes on to ask if i am fairing well and i tell her that i am well. I complain to her about the dog and she tells me to spray a purple sweet smelling liquid on my body and her clothes which are now mine. The scent will betray the dog's smell and then she hangs up saying that she has been called by Mama.

I drop off the phone and lay on the bed. It is very soft and silky just like Mama's wrappers,the ones she uses every time she is going to church and the women's meeting. The bed is better than ours which is made off bamboo and worn out clothes,it makes me wonder if she can cope with it.

Minutes later I move about looking for the Phone Buchi gave to me. I call her Buchi to tell her about tomorrow's meeting at the church. I instruct her to ask for directions or just follow a short fat girl when she arrives at my home. I tell Buchi her name and other necessary things for her to know,then we bid each other goodnight and i sleep off with thoughts of tomorrow lingering in me.

...................................................................

"Buchi!"

"Mother!"

"i am glad that you could make it. I am so happy that i get to see you again my child.. Ezinne.. i wish things couldn't be this way but i hope every thing turns out fine.. if..if my chance Obioma or my children or my husband finds out,i dont know what i'll do..i wont loose you again.."

"Mother it is okay,nothing will happen.. we'll stay here without any suspicion from anyone.. obi m na-agụ agụụ kwa ụbọchị na-site gị n'akụkụ. ị maara otú ihe i na-eche ihe mere i nyere m ka m pụọ? ga-mgbe ị na-agwa m ihe mere na? bụ m ezughị? mere nne ya? mgbe ị ga-agwa m ihe mere na? my heart yearned everyday to be by your side. do you know how much i wondered why you gave me away? will you ever tell me why? was i not enough? why mother? when will you tell me why? "

"Nnọọ anya nwa m. nnọọ anya unu ga-amarakwa ihe mere nna gị na i na-adịghị ọnụ rubbing ọ bụla ndị ọzọ igbu mgbu n'obi. ihe mere i ji hapụ m .. mere .. Very soon my child. Very soon you will know why your father and i are not together rubbing each others aching heart. Why you left me.. why.."

Thanks Kim it's titled "HELLO SISTER" . i hope you'll get to like it!

Sunday 10th January 2016.

Today,Mama is preparing my favorite meal,Ofe Nsala and Ede(pounded coco-yam). I am very excited even if i have spent close to 30 minutes pounding it till it is smooth,soft and fluffy,everyone likes it that way. Mama,Chike,Nnenna and I in our small mud house wash our hands quickly with the water used in washing the mortar. It is said that there is always a blessing when we don't waste water.

Mama has just turned off our old hurricane lamp,though it is older than Chike who is just 7 years and Nnenna barely a year old. It lights well and we are glad that cool air runs through the holes in the house. Chike says he likes the holes because he likes to watch the lizards play hide and seek in them. He becomes sad when Papa who is out hunting for anu ohia-bush meat says that he will fill up the holes and also change the thatch roof with new ones from the city. No one is happy because if he does so,it will become hard for air to come in.

Mama says a brief prayer of thanks and Chike eyes the two pieces of roasted grass-cutter in the soup. As we eat,i remember that i have a meeting with the block rosary members tomorrow morning. We all attend St.Monica Catholic Church situated just near Oji river where we all wash clothes and fetch water to bath. I am glad that it is Chike's turn to fill up the two wooden drums at the back of Papa's little barn so i am free to attend the meeting early after i wake and complete my minor tasks.

As Mama takes one piece of meat,she leaves and the other piece is for me and Chike to share but we leave the soup for Nnenna to scoop and lick. After,i go out to meet Nkechi and Arinze so we can discuss on how to sell the Udala-cherry we have just plucked from Mazi's Ude's house after helping him the day before to cut the grass surrounding his compound. He has a nice house with beautiful flowers and that roof Papa wants to put on ours. His wife has just passed away after the village doctor says she has a disease. I remember Chima's tears,their son crying like a woman who has returned from the women without a child after 9 months of sweet suffering.

As we approach the market,Arinze tells us about how his father has just tapped wine from a very tall palm tree. He gives us some to taste from the small bottle he carries around and i conclude that it is the best i have ever tasted after i became 5 years of age.

Next week,i will be 15 years old and Nkechi has promised to give me some of her beads for the next dance. This beads were made from sand from the Mmmmri river that possess some healing qualities. Sometimes i envy Nkechi because her mother has very beautiful beads which she sells and often gives to her,even her father is a chief who owns a very nice palm wine shop with a green saloon car which he drives to the monthly village gathering with pride unlike Papa,who owns a common bicycle which he claims was passed to him by his father.

We finish selling the cherry and have earned a total of four hundred and fifteen naira. As usual,I take the smallest share which is one hundred and fifteen naira while Nkechi and Arinze part with the rest since i am the youngest. We all depart for our homes and i sing one of the festival songs as i pass Umu path. I quickly keep quiet because it is forbidden to sing while walking on the path. Once Papa told us of how he watched a young man being killed by unseen spirits when he shouts and sings stupidly because he is drunk with Arinze's father new wine.

"It is new and ripe and so the young man sings aloud forgetting that he is passing the forest."

As i drift closer to our home,a young girl bumps into me and as i look at her there is something shocking about her appearance and she too is shocked. I know she is not from our village because she dresses like the young woman who has just come from the city. The most amazing part is that this girl has the same image with me when i stare at Mama's old mirror. But how is this possible? I know i am the first child and then Chike and then Nnenna and no one else.

She smiles at me and hugs me even if i am dirty and sweaty after selling the cherries in the hot dry sun. She takes my hand and tells me who she is as she walks with me. Her name is Silvia and she tells me everything about herself. I only tell her that I am Obioma but known as Obim. I try to pronounce her name but it is hard and she laughs like a child and tells me to call her Buchi because that is better to say.

She tells me of how she wants me to do something for her. As i listen,it seems difficult and stupid. She tells me that she wants to leave the city for a while because she has something to do here. She says that it would be easy to swap identities,for me to become her and for her to become me. When i ask why she wants to do this,she says more stupid words that i cant understand. She gives me two hundred naira and says she will give me more if i do what she wants.

I become greedy,not for myself but i think about how i can help Chike with his schooling at the village school. Going to school there is free bbut one still needs to purchase textbooks and other stationary. Stupidly i take the money,foolishly i do not know that two hundred naira will do little or nothing for Chike or for anybody else.

new on nairaland literature much love and help needed please


cc:KimKardashian ishilove seun lalasticlala marianneada divepen1 obinnau angelsss shewrites kimberlywest and others
i dunno anybody joh am such a JJC!

Copyright ©

All Rights Reserved:
This work exclusively belongs to the Author and is protected under copyright laws
The titles,plots,characters,settings and all its content are properties of the Author
No parts of this work either in parts or wholes should be reproduced in any format,electronic or otherwise without the permission from the author.




......................................................................................................................................

Buchi and Obioma are identical twins born apart due to circumstances of tradition and love.
The day Buchi finds out that she has a twin else where,she leaves her rich home to go and stay with Mama while making Obioma take her place.
A tale of motherly love,traditions,school life,sisterhood and ohh something to spice your book buds!

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Prologue
I stood watching all of them.
I could not believe it so i asked Mama if what i just heard from Buchi's father-my father,if it was true.
She could not or did not want to give me the reply i wanted.
She just stood there like those small gods at Mazi's Ezedi hut. She wept and wept and continued weeping and then went into tiny sobs.
I wished i could get away from Buchi's father and mother but they too stood watching me and Mama.
Then Buchi's father-my father..my biological father,spat out useless words.

"come my child, bịa nwa m"

Then and there i finally shouted,

"who is your child? Onye? Tell me who?!"

And now,i have turned,running and running away from the truth,that ugly big headed truth.

Will i ever stop?

this bukky sef is somehow gullible..
waiting for her to tell chike so he can pounce on him


..

TeamChike

I looked at him at the zebra-crossing,blood leaking from his chest i ran and ran like i never did,the driver had zoomed off..
And finally after what seemed like a century,i got to him..
He touched me slowly and i died each second,
"love you baby" was his last words and i kept his blood and of his murderer and of his family in his grave.

The End