🕛 Darkest hour🕛
EPISODE I
"Tonia! Tonia!" Madam Rebecca called.
"Yes aunty." She replied running towards her dropping the feeding trough she was holding. Without being told she already knew it was another errand to be run. Madam Rebecca was Tonia's father's sister. She was a business woman and had a big shop where she sold jewelleries and highly stocked designers clothes. Tonia had been living with her for almost three years. After the death of her brother, Tonia's father, Madam Rebecca decided to take Tonia in and sponsor her through her secondary education. Madam Rebecca had two children. The eldest one Lilian was thesame age as Tonia while the other one Daniel was three years younger.
Tonia was the youngest child and only daughter of her mother. Her elder brother was a roadside mechanic and because he had not gotten enough money to set up a nice workshop, he didn't have much customers and the few who patronized him were the average people in the society. He lived with his girlfriend Rose in a one room apartment in the village. Victor had been a rascal and because of that he became a father at age 19. He dropped out of school and went to learn how to repair cars.
At twenty one, he was already a father of two but found it very difficult to take care of his family.
When Madam Rebecca noticed that Tonia was bright and leaving her in the village with her mother might make her end up like Victor, she decided to take her to the city and give her a much better education.
Aunt Rebecca was strict and most times one would think she hates Tonia. She was the type that was not easily satisfied nor pleased no matter how hard you try.
She had promised to send Tonia to the university provided she behaves well and does not do anything that will make her have a change of mind.
"After your Waec, and jamb, you'll go to the university. I want you to have a good life and that is if you continue to be a good girl. One mistake and you will be sent back to the village." She'd say.
Tonia was happy to know that there was hope of a bright future for her. She was a dreamer who believed that one day she'd be rich too and be a source of inspiration to as many that will come her way.
"Where were you when I was calling?"
"Ma, I was feeding the chickens. They've not been fed since morning." Tonia replied.
"You are a very stupid girl. So you mean you've not fed the chickens since morning." Madam Rebecca said with so much anger in her eyes.
Madam Rebecca was good at throwing abuses but most times she never really meant them. Her favorite word was "IDIOT."
"I asked Daniel to help me out in the morning. I was busy with the house chores and was already running late for school. Since he wasn't doing anything this morning, I begged him to help out with feeding the chickens. I thought he did only to find out that he didn't when I returned from school.
"You know you are very stupid. You asked Daniel to help you feed the chickens. Did I not see Daniel in the house before I assigned the task of feeding the chickens to you?" Why are you here in the first place? I brought you from the village to the city to give you a good life only for you to starve my chickens. There is no food for you tonight. Get out of my sight idiot!" Madam Rebecca thundered causing Tonia to almost run like a mad dog.
"Hey come back here. I called you so you could buy some stuff from the market for me." Madam Rebecca said causing Toyin to halt and go back to her.
Her eldest daughter Lilian attended a boarding school and only came home during the holidays. Daniel attended the private school that was regarded as the most expensive in the city of PortHarcourt while Tonia attended a public school.
"Take this list. Go to the market and get me everything that is in that list. Tell mama Danre to sell the meat very well oo."
"Yes aunty." Tonia replied.
"What are you still waiting for?"
