OPHELIA

Chapter 2: Rage!

As I walked out of the hotel, the night or should I say the morning had never been darker—not just the night sky but the aura of the day.

All the meat and fish joints were active, men and women drinking themselves to stupor while discussing irrelevant garbage with their peers. Basically, the town folks were out killing themselves; hiding behind the slogan ‘Weekends are for chilling.’ Some people motioned for me to join them but I declined—customers  remained customers; they were never friends.

Sooner than I had expected, I was a way from the city vibes into the real world—the ghetto. The darkness was darker, the smell was chocking—this particular trait, I had gotten used to. Suddenly, I heard a few feet scramble behind me.

“Fine girl… fine girl…” Their tone was as pathetic as beaten dogs. That’s what they were—dogs. They seemed high on drugs but didn’t know that I was always high on rage. One of them grabbed my hand. I took out my pocket knife and drove it across his fingers; his whimpering certified his doggishness. His friend pinned my arms to my side but luckily, the six months of karate and boxing I learnt paid off well.

“You little brat!” They moaned.
“Come any closer and I’ll fry your ass!” I said in between breaths. Men! They never know when to give up their ego. They launched at me again I didn’t go easier on them either but my worn out body was giving way to their united strength as I tried to maneuver my way out of their grip.

“Get away from her!” I knew that big grumpy voice—Bobga Verla. I automatically felt relieved and safe. He flung a log of wood on their backs and they slumped. His giant structure was intimidating enough. The men begged for their lives. In the ghetto only the powerful and witty could make it through; one could not do without the other.

“Na ma nga this. No ever carry that ya bend bend hand them touch ee lek I di kill you. You hear nor peri…I go castrate you. I go move that cucumber them in between ya foot. I hope say ee clear” Bobga said in Pidgin English.
“Ee clear grand.” The two vagabonds said unanimously. “Scram. Get lost!” The boys took to their heels recklessly entering the poodles of water beneath their feet. I staggered in my step as a bigger wave of weakness over shadowed me.

“Off…” Bobga called holding my shoulder “Are you okay? What are you doing on the street at this time?”
I smirked. Wasn’t the answer obvious? I was a prostitute what else would I be doing out at that time if not jumping from one bed to the other.
“You know the answer to that.” I said as my feet danced.
“I’ve told you this type of job is not for you. Pack your things and leave this hell hole.”
“You know what; I don’t feel like going to the hostel. Take me to your house instead.”
“No now. You can’t come to my house my girl friend is there.”
“What about the gym? Take me there.”
“I can’t, my guys are hanging out there it’s not ideal for a young lady. I’ll escort you home get a good rest, you don’t look good.”
I sighed “Okay…fine… thanks… by the way why are you out at this time?” I asked as we walked the dark narrow street.
“Na my guys… those drunken men tricked me to coming out this night.”
I chuckled “It had to be them. They’ve done it a thousand times how do you still fall into their trap?”
“I wonder oh… my mumu shock even me.”

I smiled at his comment. So far, he was the most decent man I had come across. He always had my back. If I needed anything he was the first one I called. On the whole, a huge man almost seven feet tall was my best pal. His hugeness didn’t make him slack off though; he was motivated to go into weight lifting. Whenever I looked at him, I thought of Shaquille O’neal. It was a waste for God to have dropped such a body in this God-forsaken part of the world.

“Go in and get some rest.”
“Yeah...” I scrambled for the key of the gate in my purse. “Got it! Thanks a lot.”
“It’s cool, get in. Do pass by the gym tomorrow I have a gift for you.”
I bit my lip. “A gift…Ok, I’ll do that bye. Wait! You said tomorrow…tomorrow like tomorrow or tomorrow like this morning?”
“Oh…it’s pass midnight.” He chuckled. “This morning I meant. Go on, get some rest.”
“Okay bye.”

I looked round the shithole hostel environment. The thought of setting it on flames was ardent in me in that second but I managed to reach my room without committing homicide.

I found the door wide open. “That menace of a roommate must have arrived before me.” I internalized just in case she was still awake. Who was I kidding; she slept like a log of wood. Her clothes were littered everywhere. I tightened my lips as I noticed her underwear on my bed. I wanted to stuff it into her mouth. I used a hanger to lift it; the smell was horrific. I tossed it on her face but I was amused it didn’t wake her.

It had been a long day my eyes didn’t wait another second once my head hit the pillow.