THE EVIL IN OUR HOUSE
Like every 9year old, my life was basically perfect. A happy home, loving parents, and more toys than I could ever wished for. I had it all, every single one of it. Well, as a kid, what do I know? We all wish for everyone to reason like we do.
“Mummy, mummy, look at my painting,” I remember running as fast as my little legs could carry me towards my mother, holding my funny looking picture with the rough but at the moment beautiful painting with me. I remember bragging about it for a week straight. I remember my teacher’s words to me when she saw it in class. “Adekunle, can I tell you a secret?”
“Yes ma,”I replied with my little man’s voice. Hoping she would like it. Well, she did after all, as she had said to me.
“Your painting is the best I’ve seen so far. You’ll make a great artist someday.”
I remember her bright smile, and her lovely set of teeth. I also remember her weird looking forehead that was always hidden beneath her front hair. I also remember her sweet scent. Her good smell was one of the reasons why I loved her so much, and was happy that she was my teacher, coupled with the fact that we both had the same surname.
“Mummy, Miss Adekunle said she loves my painting,” I was happy as I spoke to my mother during the drive to our house. I was on cloud 9, or way beyond it.
I still remember the smile my mummy had on during the long drive back home. I remember the sweet smell of mummy’s car, and the ever cool air conditioning system. I remember the husky male voice that kept blasting off the radio making me giggled repeatedly during the long drive home. I remember jumping out of the car the moment mummy pulled into our compound bringing the car to a stop. I remember her sweet angelic voice telling me to be careful. I remember it all.
For a 9year old, I was a full power house with unlimited energy. I never run out of steam like my daddy do say to me with his sweet funny baritone voice.
I remember our Saturday nights always being our family movie night and game night. I remember daddy and I going at each other pretending to be a particular WWE superstar. I remember mum screaming out her lungs, telling daddy how dangerous our act is. I remember giggling whenever she makes such complaints.
“KOLA!” she would literally scream out at daddy. I remember the funny face daddy would give her, causing her to laugh. I remember the cool peaceful but yet wild atmosphere every Saturday nights. I remember my mummy’s lovely voice singing to me every single night. I remember saying “mummy, I love you, “ before taking my final step into the dream world.
I remember waking up for midnight snacks and a glass of milk. I remember the weird funny sound that comes out from my parents’ room every night. The weird sound that sounded like mummy was grunting in a really funny and amusing way, always making the bed creaked. I remember it all.
I remember waking up one day to find a stranger in our house. I remember her funny looking round face, her slender body with bones that looked like they would break if they ever tried to run. I remember her sitting on my favourite spot, my daddy’s laps, facing him with her face on his as if she was trying to find something missing on my daddy’s face. I remember the shock on mummy’s face the moment I told her all I had seen. I remember it all.
I remember the hostile environment between mum and dad since that day. I remember the killing silence that took refuge in our house. I remember seeing our Saturday game and movie night dance out through the window. I remember running towards mummy holding on to her leg as she laid on the floor in pains, after daddy had beaten her one night, I remember it all.
I remember seeing my daddy dragging a heavy box. I remember seeing him walked out through the door never to return again. I remember the crystal sparkling water that kept falling from mummy’s eyes as she watched him leave.
I remember waking up to see a stranger in our house. I remember her warm smile to me the moment she saw me. I remember her pretty face and crystal eyes. I remember her being my new mummy. I remember mum not having time for me since daddy left. I remember finding comfort in this stranger’s presence. I remember mummy being away and coming home screaming and smelling real bad. I remember the awful smell that came with her presence every night after she had thrown up. I remember this stranger cleaning mummy up every night. I remember running into my room, crouching beside my bed in fear every time mum began her tantrum. I remember it all.
I remember mummy calling me and told me to say hi to her new friend. I remember the ugly looking scar he had on his left cheek, and his rough looking hair. I remember him sleeping over in our house. I remember mummy grunting and screaming that night, with the bed creaking like it would break. I remember crying my eyes out that night. I remember it all.
I remember mummy saying she would be leaving with her ugly looking friend for a month, for business purposes. I remember being left alone with the pretty stranger in our big house. I remember her telling me her name was Labake. I remember her ever warm smile. I remember it all.
I remember my 11th year birthday without my mummy being there. I remember opening a gift from daddy. I remember the smile on my face. I remember Aunt Labake touching me like she had been doing since she became my new mummy. I remember her touch making me cold and felt funny. I remember it all.
I remember her touching and caressing my ‘wee wee’. I remember her putting my ‘wee wee’ into her mouth and licking it like it was a lollipop. I remember the cold feeling. I remember my blood rushing every time Aunt Labake told me to touch her “pot-hole” as she called it to me. I remember my ‘wee wee’ being strong and hurting every night. I remember it all.
I remember the slaps and beating I got from her every time I refused to let her touch my ‘wee wee’ or touch her “pot-hole.” I remember mummy and daddy not being there for me to report her to them. I remember going to sleep in pains. I remember it all.
I remember it going on for months without mummy ever being around. I remember looking pale, slowly being drained of life. I remember looking like the stranger that was on my daddy’s laps. I remember looking like a withered tree with little or no nutrient left in it. I remember the hungry look in Aunt Labake eyes as she kept having her way with me. I remember the heavy pain that comes with my heart beating. I remember it all.
I remember being starved until I allowed Aunt Labake had her way. I remember gasping for air as Aunt Labake had her way. I remember the look of panic in her eyes as she watched me gasp for precious air. I remember her running out of our house leaving me on the cold hard floor in pains. I remember my mummy and daddy. I remembered our once happy home. I remember our beautiful Saturday game and movie night. I remember my lovely teacher, her ever angelic voice telling me how much she loved my paintings, and how I would be a great artist someday. I remember seeing that dream fade away. I remember Aunt Labake leaving me alone in pain in our big house. I remember my heart wanting to tear itself out. I remember fading away slowly, watching my life being flushed away. I remember saying “Mummy, Daddy, I love you,” I remember the weak smile that appeared on my now pale face. I remember fading away. I watching my now cold body lay there lifeless. I remember as my soul floated away, weeping for my body, weeping for my life that ended before it began. Weeping for my mummy and daddy. Weeping for “THE EVIL IN OUR HOUSE.” Weeping...weeping…weeping. I remembered it all.
©pennations2019
©Ajibade Oluwapelumi E.
