The Storm (Short Story)

Who Am I ? The storm
(Short Story)                

By  Susan George                

As the table shake, plates and spoons were clattering, You will kill me today was all I could hear. I sat close to the dinning holding my younger brother so tightly, who couldn't just stop crying. We both wept seeing daddy beat Mummy, Daddy please stop beating mummy we cried out, but, oh no, daddy didn't hear us. He was so fierce like a lion who is ready to swallow up anything that crosses his part.  He held mummies hair so tightly that you could see her eye balls almost pulling out, I ran towards daddy and bite his arms so bad, blood gushed out like a licking tap, please stop beating mummy I cried. I was only five when this once beautiful and loving home whom welcomed me into this world fell apart. He left mummy and she rushed up to myself and Chidi, my younger brother, with a tears filled eyes and blood gushing out of her nose, how many bruises were all over her body, I just couldn't count, mummy sorry I said, with my little hands I cleaned up her tears. I hate daddy, he is a wicked man and she rebuked me immediately, stop that don't hate daddy, he loves you so much she said.  For few weeks there was peace at home until uncle Dike came to spend some time with us, I was so happy because I felt my best uncle has arrived

  Mummy droped us, myself and chidi, at school as she went on to buy goods for her shop, with uncle Dike alone at home.  After school that sunny afternoon uncle Dike took us home, he served the sweet rice and stew mummy prepared before leaving for the market.  He put my younger brother to sleep and took me straight inside his room, pulled off my panties and digged his fingers into my private part, he  pulled what he called a joy stick, from his trousers and made me touch it, uncle you are hurting me, it's painful, I cried. Shut up your mouth, what is painful in these, don't worry as time goes on you will start enjoying it.  I will make sure I tell my mummy when she comes back I said.  If you try it, you see these knife am holding I will use it to kill you, your mum, dad and Chidi. Ha, why will you kill us, I exclaimed, he made me promise never to tell anyone. Uncle Dike is a beast, I said to Chidi and immediately he ran to uncle Dike and told him what I said. I received the beating of my life that day. I heard my mom's voice outside the house this made me feel a little relief, at least my mom is back and no one will heat me again, before I could alter a world to her, Chidi, reported him to my mum, mummy please beat uncle Dike he has been beaten my sister because she called him a beast, funny enough my mother never cared to ask my reasons for saying that and she pounced on me,  never you call your senior or any other person a beast no matter what they did to you.  Won't she hear my part of the story or at least ask me why I called him a beast? I muttered and since that day till I turned 13, I faced several sexual harassment and molestation From both relations and family friends but thank God I wasn't raped, just fingerings. But all these never stopped daddy and mummy from fighting, arguing and throwing insult at each other.

 Daddy even cheats on mummy, he sleeps around with other women and yes he stopped taking care of us. I hated him for that, I hated men, I became fearless because I've been through the storm and fire. For a very long time I never had anything to do with men, I squeezed my face when walking because I never wanted any man to talk to me and if you did, the results never changed, trust me the insult he will receive are more powerful that bullets.

  Mummy heard reports about my behavior towards men, she sat me down and told me stories of how she and daddy started fighting. She told me never to let what I saw and passed through make me run away from Men. As I can do little without them, Believe me, I have entered a lot of relationships, it just doesn't work, because yes, I learnt never to let any man make me feel inferior. I stood up to any man, Maybe because of what daddy did to mummy, uncle Dike and other guys did to me, made me loose respect for men. I really want to be a better person, I need a man that will love me for who I am and try to work and change me for the better. Luckily the fate smiled on me, one raining afternoon on my way back from school, as i hurried not to become fully wet, I came across a red lexuz parked on the road side, a handsome, tall, all beard up guy called me and asked for a direction, he was obviously lost, which I did, he gave me his business card. Months passed I never called Robert because I never wanted any other heart break or anything of sort. I went to the fuel station to get fuel for my generator, once again Robert came my way. That day I couldn't run or hide, he held my hands and told me how much he has been thinking about me, he claimed the greatest mistake he made was not collecting my number, the last time we met.        
   These time, I gave Robert my number and we became friends.  As days grew into weeks, weeks into month, months into years. Myself and Robert never stopped loving each other. He took me for who I am and changed my perspective about life, today, I am a better wife with three lovely kids.  Oh yes, you've been wondering who I am??. I am adaeze okonkwo, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Kelechi Okonkwo.