A LITTLE LONG✔️ ( EDITING)

3: MY PUNISHMENT

PRISS

Am I hearing my name? Or is it hallucination? Well, I heard my name.
The door protested as it opened and there she was, sorceress Feyikemi with her beloved son, Ifeade.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," my response was quick, as I crawled out of the closet and hastily closed the door.

"Here," she pushed Ifeade to me and I carried him.
"Make sure he sleeps soundly and after that, clear the dishes and tidy up the kitchen, ensure Bewaji does her homework, taken?," she scowled as I looked into that stupid eyes of her.

"Taken," and she walked out with that chicken legs of hers, she was a slender woman who had bleached all the goodness out of her life but to say the truth she was beautiful but not as naturally pretty as mother and I wonder why daddy had cheated on mommy with such an artificial  'oyinbo'.

Walking to the cradle and cooing the troublesome baby to sleep, I helped Bewaji with her assignment and did all I was ordered to do.

After making sure Bewaji was asleep, I took the risk by locking the two kids at home. I  walked to the nearest post office. After dropping the letter, and pleading with the post master to ensure it reached my mom, I walked back home hurriedly.

A slap welcomed me as soon as I opened the door , OMG! , It was  unexpected, I staggered before catching a grip of myself as I held my hot cheek with tears stinging my eyes, 'I  won't cry,' I told myself.  I faced  the hag who looked extremely furious. She was looking like a beast.

"Where are you coming from?" she asked belligerently, I'd got use of that her belligerent tone so it didn't have any effect on me.
I knew she musn't find out where I went to, else I'll be good as a dead meat but then I wasn't good at lying.

"Emm...I went to...," another slap landed on my left cheeks cutting my explanation short, and I closed my eyes with a lump building up in my throat. Before my eyes could flutter the beating started again, I was beaten to a state of stupor as she flung me around the house not caring if I hit my head.

After the hot beating, she dragged me to her room and I noticed there was an iron on the pressing board, it still looked hot but why did she bring me here? I hope she wouldn't be that cruel to burn me with an iron or would she? My answer was confirmed when I felt my laps burning. Oh, no! This witch really burnt my laps with a hot iron, I growled in pain as I screamed, but she shut me up with a slap, thank goodness, she didn't place the iron on my cheeks, or else I won't ever forgive her.

God what did I do to deserve such cruelty? After she satisfied herself, I was pushed into the usual place, the closet which had become my abode and comforter of sort. I cried my eyes out as I mentally scolded myself for crying. Why does everyone hate me? Why do I feel so unloved? My biological parents abandoned me. Mom was in the states while I stayed here with this unconcerned dad only to be maltreated by Feyikemi. What have I done wrong?

It wasn't until dad got back that I was called out to serve his dinner, asking Feyi what I'd done wrong that warranted all the marks on my body with my face swollen from cries and slaps, with bleeding lips and creaking painful body without even the slightest of medications from anywhere, she only replied, "Don't mind that silly thing jare."

Dad only hissed like a breed of snake, took a glance at me and started with his food, fried rice and roasted chicken. Dad has become something else, or how could someone change this much overnight? Has he felt any love for me or it was a case of no love lost? Did he pretend to love me when Mom was here or what? Different thoughts tumbled in my mind until that hoarse voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Priscilla, clear the dishes," Feyikemi called.

"Alright, ma," I responded as I did what I was ordered to.

After washing the plates and cleaning the kitchen, Feyikemi walked in and informed me I was on a hunger strike for three days. What! How can someone just decide on that for someone?

How would I survive?

My stomach rumbled loudly almost immediately to register its protest against hunger, against undeserved starving of the already plummeted body but Feyikemi cared less as she hissed before walking out.

She made sure I observed the hunger strike but when I couldn't take it any more, when it seems I planned death, I tiptoed into the kitchen the second night to eat the leftovers of the coconut rice that I'd prepared for the whole family without having a taste of it. Luck ran out of me when the kitchen was flooded with light and behold, it was Feyikemi standing at the doorway waving a bunch of broom ferociously that I wished the earth should open up and swallow me.

"I knew it," she shouted with a loud shrilling voice that pierced the night and probably would have shaken the foundation of the house. I wondered how no one was awake.

I was so stunned that I didn't hear her approach me and like a flash she snatched the plate from me and emptied the plate of rice on me covering me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet and then with a thunderous flash, the plate landed on my head and shattered into pieces. Oh my goodness, my heart screamed in pain before my mouth did, I felt the pain of the glass on my skin as I looked at the gash on my right hand, thank goodness it didn't enter my eyes.

"See, this plate can't go to a waste, we need to make use of it before it turns to trash so now put off your slippers," she ordered as she grinned wickedly.
What! Wait.., why should I put off my slippers? I hope it isn't what I'm thinking sha.

A slap jolted me out of my reverie as I put off my slippers instantly while  I held my burning cheeks.

"Now, walk on the glass!"she shouted and I flinched.

I looked at the shattered pieces of the plates on the floor and I couldn't imagine walking on them, it's impossible.

"What did you say?" she shrieked.

Wait, did I say it loud.

"I can't do it," she glowered at me and moved closer but before she could pounce on me, I ran out of the kitchen hastily and ran as fast as my legs could carry me and immediately entered my room, bolted the door and jumped on my bed as I sobbed loudly.

"Open this door!"Feyikemi yelled but I dare not do that, certainly she would kill me if I did, so I decided not to open though, I knew I was in for it but that would surely wait till tomorrow.

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