The Last Holiday

CHAPTER SIX

Chapter 6:

Morning came quickly, but found me awake.

I could not sleep, as I constantly replayed the past events. I could not stop seeing Ibiye being gnawed and mauled by the bear.

   Nor would Baker's shredded body impaled on the sticks leave my memory.
His plea for help became my national anthem, and his cries as I left, my pledge.

   Thrice I'd dreamt that he caught me, with his protruding sticks, and he was laughing maniacally, calling me a killer.

Even as he walked up and down, parts of his torn flesh wavered and fell to the ground, blood splattering everywhere.

Mom had run into the room at my first scream, and now, she lay on the mattress beside mine, exhausted.

   I sighed. It hurt.

"So I'll be leaving for home finally today!", I thought, relief warming my cold heart.
"I can't wait to see Tonia!"

    The thought of her lit my heart, fanned my dying embers and lit the dark room.

Tonia and I had been friends since junior class three, and to my limited number of friends, we were perfect for each other.

I smiled coquettishly in the dark room, the thought like a balm to my pain.

   She was almost short, with slightly bowed legs and perfect fair skin.

I was tall, and dark, and well, if I do say so myself, handsome.

I couldn't wait to see her, and my heart raced again, forgetting its strike just few hours ago.

I looked to my left, and on top of the coarsely cracked little bedside table lay my phone, a tecno Y3, with its little notification light shining and dimming.

It meant I  had a message. Deep in me, I prayed, wished and hoped it was from her.

Without thinking, I rolled over to snatch it, double tapping the screen. It brightened, and I had to point it away from my face, holding back the urge to wince and cough.

That'd wake my mom, and I did not want that.

When my eyes adjusted to the light, I glanced st my screen again, and in my excitement, I already imagined the message. In my head, it ran thus:

"My sunshine and rainfall, I missed having you in my arms, and wish you come home soon. I love you, Winter.
           -😍😍😍 your Summer".

But what I saw was the complete opposite.

I did have a message, but it was from MTNN, telling me I could buy  data as low as #200.

I hissed, letting the phone fall to the bed.

When last did she text me? Yesterday? The day before? I could not remember,  and it hurt.

I wondered if she really loved me or if she was just playing. My mind shot to my newest rival, Savior.

Savior was the street cultist and junior secondary dropout. In his own words, thuggery was better than brainwashing.

Just before the holiday, my friends had warned me about him, but I just let it slide.

I trusted my girl. Nothing would happen.

Now I wondered if I should have been more careful and upped my game.

I resolved within me to do just that once we got home.

Her house was a stone's throw stone throw away.

You read it right, there's two stones. Yes.

As I pondered there on my bed, I could hear my aunt Akaba praying against Benin children that had been initiated into River's cult groups
"... oh Lord, Fada God, may they die and burn in hell... eternal rock of ages, burn them like you burnt those that offered strange offering!..."

     I shuddered in my bed, wondering what she was talking about.

   Mom yawned, mumbled some unintelligible words, then sat up, cleaning her eyes.

"Mommy ibaté", I greeted in the traditional dialect.

   She replied, checking my temperature with her palm. It was a quick touch, and she withdrew it swiftly. "You're burning!'

I sniggered. "Yes mommy. I'm that hot I can melt chocolate".

She looked at me, her eyes clear from sleep now. "That actually works on your age mates?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to hide my embarrassment. My mom had just called my pickup line whack.

How worse could it get?

"Any girl that it works on is probably still a child. It is wrong to use pickup lines on children, Oboms. Just wrong!"

    She paused to get up, stretch and roll away the mattress.

"I know they'll have taught you about sex", she paused.

I groaned, this was going to go on and on.

"Yes mom, they have taught us".

"Good! Now you know the consequences and dangers of having sex, okwia?"

Another groan. "Yes, mom", I replied, a tad more forceful than before.

She didn't catch the bait, instead continuing innocently, while doing one or two last arrangements.

Our bags were arranged and stood by the window, as did our shoes for the homeward journey.

The sight of my siblings shoes reminded me.

"Em, mom?", I interrupted.

She glared at me. "Don't tell me you're not a virgin anymore!"

Wait, what? "How did we get there?", I asked, incredulous.

She shrugged, 'hmhmhming'.

I shook my head. "Where are my sisters? And Tamuno?"

"They're at Akaba's, they'll be here any min..."

She was interrupted by my siblings noisily entering the room, the two girls arguing about pants and singlets.

I winced and turned my head away.

It felt like I had a hangover, my head thumped like the big magnets of those enormous speakers used in clubs.

Mom caught the gesture. "Will two of you shut up!"

   The bickering ceased immediately, filled with greetings and running to my bedside.

My brother stood by the door, hand in pockets. "Aunty Abi called o! She said the boat will be ready in ten minutes!"

"I have to go get ready!", mom said, moving to the door. "Tam, make some tea for your brother, and boil some water for his bath".

My brother shook his head, "ehn ehn ehn!", he protested.
"Is it me that send him to join cult? He should boil the water by himself o!".

Mom's gaze flew to me, then her hands flew to my brother's cheeks, 'whozing' him four dirty slaps in less than a second.

I will admit, I felt good. It'd been long since anyone slapped sense into 'Mr Perfect Model - I Live By The Rules".
Seeing his painfully surprised expression gave me such intense satisfaction that my pain faded away.

"I'll make the tea myself, mom. Thanks.. for slapping him."

My mom smiled at me, briefly, before going to bath.

My brother glared at me after my mom left.

"Cultist!", he whispered furiously once my mom was out of sight.

I smiled my satisfaction, settling to make my tea.

Today seemed good.

It felt so good I was positive nothing could spoil it.

At least, for now.