CAGED

EIGHT

Someone is touching my leg. I first felt it from my sleep. I slowly open my eyes and note where I slept close to the television. I note that I slept. My spirit lifts even as I watch the boots that crossed over my leg. The person puts off the television and walks towards the couch designated to me. He lifts the teddy and I immediately scramble to my feet. ‘’Drop. it.’’

He first tilts his head as he checks out the knife in my hand, he then studies the teddy bear. His eyes return to me quickly. ‘’Who are you?’’

‘’Who are you?’’ I return to him.

He shakes his head and scoffs. ‘’One of Zuri’s nuisances.’’

He drops the teddy and turns away. I do not mind being called a nuisance. With the way he begins to pull his t-shirt over his head, it is established that Zuri is the lantern seller and this is the brother.

I pad across the room and peep as he enters one of the rooms close to the bathroom I used. He leaves the door open and later comes out without his boots. I walk back and settle on the couch. I put back the knife and hug my teddy. I lean back and try to sleep but it is not working. I lie down and try to assume the careless position I found myself in when I woke up with a book on my chest.

It is an endless moment of changing positions and keeping my eyes closed. I return to the floor and lay myself on the gray concrete floor close to the stool. I close my eyes lying there but instead of my mind wandering into oblivion, it wanders around the activities I have engaged in the past few days.

Now it is hard to understand where I am at the moment. Could this all be a plan or a trap?

Why did she leave weapons in my room?

Why was that door open on that day?

Why was she keeping me?

Could she have been looking for me?

I begin to hum while sorting through the books for another book to read. There are books on building constructions, one christain book and that is all. I pick one of the construction books.

I have read different books covering different aspects of life before. Right from when I stopped legally going to school at fifteen. Uncle Joel said I had become expensive. Then I fell back to sneaking into any class that I could, gathering knowledge in everything while being nothing.

I flip through this text without interest and when I am unable to adjust my mind to sleep or read, I let out a long scream. It frees up the bottled emotions- it unwinds me. I inhale deeply and let it all out.

A presence towers at the entrance of the sitting room. I raise myself and stare at him. He stares back for a while then he walks away. I keep sitting staring at the space he occupied even after he leaves.

I move to the window and feed my eyes with the view of the buildings littered around. I wish one has an open window where I can anonymously see the private lives of another person. The thought alone amuses me.

After I tie up my hair in my shirt and stuff inside the teddy, I ignore the restriction warnings and walk to the kitchen. One paper bag is still on a table in the kitchen. I am a little disappointed that she forgot to feed me tonight when it is part of our agreement.

I can see little of the world from the window here. At Least I can see the queue in front of the barbecue joint and people still walking in the street.

I settle on a chair at the table. I am not famished but I still dig into the porridge and consume the last of its contents. A little skeptical about the fluids in transparent jars in the old fridge, I move to the tap and lap water from my palm before leaving the kitchen.