CHAPTER 7
"Are you mad woman? Can't you see am in the middle of something?" He screamed at her as he got off of me and walked towards her angrily. He yanked at her hand and pushed her to the wall. "Since you are here you might as well stand right here and watch as I welcome your Cowife to the family."
"But my husband, there is a matter that needs your urgent attention."
"Whatever it is, it can wait!"
He said as he walked back to me and continued where he'd stopped. Yes, he raped me over and over again. At some point the pain was so much that I lost consciousness.
When I came to, a new day was already breaking, and the light of the dying lamp flickered weakly on the floor, casting long ugly shadows on the wall opposite the bed. I tried to move my body and a searing pain went through my entire body. I shut my eyes tightly against wave upon wave of pain as I tried to get accustomed to it. When it had died down I opened my eyes to see my 'Cowife' holding a calabash of some greenish concoction to my lips.
"Drink this, it will help with the pain and strengthen you for the journey ahead."
I was confused by what she meant by her statement, but I swallowed the bitter substance nonetheless. Once done I swept my eyes over my body to see that my dress had been changed but there were traces of dried blood on it too. Tears welled up in my eyes just at the memory of the ordeal I had gone through and losing my womanhood to a monster of a man.
"Am sorry about everything that happened to you, but we don't have time for tears and self pity right now. You have to be strong and leave right this moment before the men come from the night hunt, if you still want your freedom that is."
"Yes I do want freedom! Show me the way back to my village."
With that she pulled me out of bed and into the deserted compound. The concoction had worked magic on my body, as there was no more pain, just soreness on my private parts. We walked quickly towards the gate and out of the homestead. She then tagged me to a path that she explained ran through the forest. Just at the edge of the forest I would find my village as our villages were only separated by the forest. I nodded to signal that I had understood and her. "Walk quickly and do not stop for anything and by the rising of the sun you will be home. Now go! "
I did not wait for another word as I ran down the path and into the forest. I was too afraid of being caught that I did not focus on the dangers of the forest, to me it was some sort of a refuge. After a few hours of running, I broke through the forest and into the clearing where our village meetings were held. I knew that I just a few steps from home and this renewed my energy. The sun rays were seeping through the clouds as I stepped into our home. All was quiet and I assumed everyone was asleep. Quietly ,I ran into my father's hut which was open. I could make out his form lying still in the bed, the blankets had fallen off and his door had been left ajar. My heart increased in pace even as I continued panting. I walked close to his bed, willing him to still be alive.
