It was the first day, the first time and the first experience; Iimped like there was a huge weight between my legs and I went to my mother. My mother saw me, tears streaming down my face that morning,
"Nne, what is it?" My mom looked so worried that I started rambling amidst sobs and tears.
"Mama, it was uncle Kenny. He came to my room last night and he....." My mother's face changed and went cold. Uncle Kenny is my step father, my mother remarried when my father died and we were so close till uncle Kenny came into the picture.
"Mummy, are you listening?"
"Shut up this girl. You evil child, you want to ruin my marriage. You are jealous of my time with my husband, that's why you came up with this ridiculous excuse and painted your legs red."
I was shocked and I speechlessly looked at my legs and I saw the blood that had dried up at night while I huddled and cried myself to sleep. How can my mother say such cruel things to me?
"Mommy, how can you say this? Uncle Kenny..."
"I said shut up and get out of my face."
I knew then that was the beginning of my nightmare in the hands of Uncle Kenny.
My mother refused to acknowledge that she married a pedophile. I was just seven.
-victoria ukpaka