THE COLD WAR

THE EMERGING GIANT

  "Aderenle!"
     "Màámi". He innocently replied wrapping his arms tightly around her neck.
     "Sorry, this won't last forever." She rubbed his head, took her gèlè(head tie) to muffle his body.
       It was the rise of the planting season and the first rain for the season had just ended but they had to stay outside even in the dark because the house was flooded. The crickets and birds were humming from the back of the house,the flies and mosquitoes from the stagnant water right before them were doing their duties excellently.
     Mama Rele tried all she could do to make her son cozy but it wasn't satisfactory.
      "pẹlẹ- sorry. That reminds me, I fetched some firewoods earlier today, I just hope it's not drenched with water. Hold on, let me check it". She walked clumsily to the back of the house and in some moments, she returned beaming.
    "This is the best option". she assured as she litted the sticks.
    "Take a close look at the the sky ọkọ mi (My husband- most yoruba mothers address their children as this especially when they want to discuss something very important to them)". She pointed up to the sky as she moved closer to her son.
    "What did you see?"

  He placed the tip of his middle finger below his Lower lip.
            "Ehm...".
  "The stars, right?" she interrupted him.
       "Yes". He nodded his head affirmatively.
      "How many can you count?" she asked further.
     "One,two, three, four, five, six...."
  "Don't bother Aderenle, you can't count it all. I tell you this day that very soon, people, even you won't be able to count the blessings éléduà (God) is bringing your way. The star radiates its light during the day and even at night. My beloved son, nothing can stop you from shinning your God given light".
    He kept starring at her like a dummy as he continued to nod.
     "I want you to register these words in your heart. You will understand later in life".
        ****************************

    Tears  fell from Aderenle's eyes as he remembered everything his mother said to him that fateful night.
     "Màámi couldn't be joking when she said all that, there was a sense of seriousness I saw in her eyes." He tried fighting back the tears.
      "Nothing can stop the light? but these bars have stopped it already." He fiercely placed his hands on the iron bars used to secure the jail.
     "Haa, I never saw my weakness as a war- I could have fought it better and maybe won". He sobbed and flashed back to how it all started.

      *******************************

     "Ẹ j'eburẹ́(have mercy) Bàámi". Aderenle pleaded with his drunk father who continued hitting his mother so hard. All his pleas to make his father stop the domestic violence that night fell on deaf ears.
     "Useless People." his father said as he staggered towards the room.
      "Derenle!".
"Màámi". He replied almost immediately amidst tears and rushed to lift up his Màámi who was already stretching her hands for help.
     "Your light will not go dim, nothing will stop your God given light from shinning". she reassured.
      "Not even what we're going through in the hands of your father." She bursted into tears.
       "It's enough Màámi. I'm here with you always".
       "God is with us my son." She gave a painful smile just to make him feel secured.
        
        *************************
      Derenle's Father grew worse daily and it became a norm for him to come home drunk to hit his wife and hurl abusive words on his son, his actions were gradually deteriorating and provocating his son's mental health.
      It wasn't his fault too. Some weeks back, his wife had made him loose a huge contract that would have supposedly change  his life and the family because she had him take care of their only son-Derenle who was at the verge of dying that morning. By the time he resuscitated his son, he was far behind the appointed time, he struggled to get the contract back but all his effort proved abortive. To ease depression and pressure, a responsible Baba Rele-as his wife called him, who so much cherished his family became the thorn on the flesh of his wife and son.
     
         *************************
      Mama Rele and Aderenle were asleep already when they heard a bang on the door.
      "Your father is back." She told him.
    "Stay back Màámi, I will open the door for him".
      "Welcome back Bàámi." He prostrated to greet his father the yoruba culture demands.
    "iforibalẹ kii ṣe iwa(prostration is not morals). If you don't leave the road for me, I will clear you off." He gave him a hefty shove that landed him on the floor.
     "Bàámi". He cried.
  "What have we done to deserve these ill-treatments from you?"
     "You can kill me but don't you dare touch my son". Mama Rele confronted.
       "I will kill you and kill that bastard you call a child". He pushed her to the wall and throttled her.
      "I never married a demon." she groaned.
      "You're going to meet you ancestors tonight, you fool." He continued to rant.
    Aderenle who was still on the floor writhing in pain managed to get up. In a quest for self defense and also to save his mother from the hands of his father, a roaring lion, he picked up a rod next to him and furiously hit it on his father's head.
    "What have you done Rele?" Mama Rele panicked and rushed over to help her husband.
     "Oh God, he is bleeding profusely. What have you done Rele, do you want to kill your father?"
     "I should have allowed him kill you then Màámi. You're an ingrate." He frowned and left the house slamming the door.
     "Rele, it's dark out there. Where are you going to?" She cried out.
      "Jesu gba mi(Jesus save me). I never raised a rebellious son." she panicked.
       "Aderenle!" She called out, but there was no response.