The Shadow's Toll

• Chapter Two •

This chapter is dedicated to Classy_ella

Well Ella, you guessed right 🎊🎊🎊

Congratulations 🎉🎉

One more thing, you guys should follow Joy__cee

She lost her former account, so that's the new one

• Emmanuel Simon George •

The loud cry of baby Success came into hearing as I folded my first shirt into my bag of clothes. Her cries quietened down as the voice of an  older woman, which was obviously her mom began to sing a lullaby to her.

Wondering how I heard the woman's voice and concluded it was her mother? Okay we live in a *face me I slap you house*. It's very possible to know the voice of everyone as the rooms are kind of intertwined together.

It's called *face me I slap you* due to the incessant fights almost every day as everyone is all up in your business. The tenants don't have their own private space as each one room apartments are squeezed between each other.

Yeah we live in a one room apartment. I and my mom. We used to be a trio, my dad being part of it until that mother fucker struck.

Death!

I sighed in pain. I stared at the tattered shorts in my hand, I was in a dilemma of putting the piece cloth in my bag or disposing it. All my clothes were tattered, but this one seemed shoddier.

In the latter end, I settled for folding it into my bag. I barely have enough clothes and disposing any of them? Hell no!

I just pray my benefactor don't scrunch up her face in disgust when she sees me in my clothes. Well that's because, My clothes are nothing to write home about!

My benefactor is Mrs Martins. My mom worked as a cleaner at her home when she was whole. My  mom was recently diagnosed with arthritis. Meaning, she can barely stand up for hours to clean. The Martins has been the one responsible for her treatment from the very day it started to till date.

I zipped the bag since I was done and combed my bushy hair as I hummed Ruger's "Wewe".

Suddenly the shouts and hails of "Iya Emma" rented the atmosphere. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that mom was back.

Sometimes, I laugh at the sound of it. Our neighbours will unapologetically add "Iya" to the name of your first child and revolutionize it as what to address you with.

"Emmanuel aren't you done with your preparations?" Mom asked the minute she set foot into the room we shared.

My mom, she has a beautiful and radiant melanin-rich complexion that exudes elegance and grace. Although we didn't have enough, my mother's beauty could be mistaken for a wealthy individual.

Her inner light shines brightly, illuminating the world around her with warmth and beauty. It's safe to say I got my looks from her.

She came over to where my bag was lying miserably on the bed. She flipped the black polythene bag in her hand upside-down, revealing its contents. A packaged toothbrush and body lotion.

"I got you a lotion and a new toothbrush. You should insert it inside your bag. The driver will be here soon" Mom rapped out.

Something seemed kinda off about her. We had lengthy conversation earlier, before she decided to go get these stuffs down the street. Did anyone say something harsh to her out there?