"You better get there now and do the dishes before I beat that laziness out of you, useless girl," Peculiar's aunt Bisi shouted at the top of her voice early in the morning at Peculiar, who was jittering as she was gathering the dirty dishes.
"Anybody that sees you running around will think you are hardworking, and I am only being wicked; they won't know how useless you are," Bisi further said as she hissed loudly, dangling the cane she was holding.
Peculiar is an orphan; she lost her parents two years ago to the cold hands of death in a car accident. At that time, she was writing her secondary school leaving certificate examination (SSCE). It seemed like the end of the world for her because she knew no one could ever be like her parents. After her parent's demise, their relatives had a meeting on who would take peculiar custody, and her aunt Bisi, Peculiar's mother's younger sister, agreed to take up Peculiar's responsibility, promising the family that she would take good care of her, but the reverse was the case, and Peculiar dares not to tell anybody; if not, she will face the wrath of Bisi. Peculiar struggled to finish her SSCE despite the hard times with Bisi.
Since Peculiar started living with Bisi, she had been maltreating her, inflicting so much pain on her, but Peculiar had no one to turn to except their neighbor, Miss Yinka, a single working-class lady who always gave her peculiar food whenever Bisi starved her as a means of punishment for an offense she barely committed.
"Aunt Bisi, good morning, ma. How was your night?" Yinka greeted Bisi, who was still wiggling the cane in her hand on her way to work.
"Good morning, Sisi thinks (sister Yinka); my night was fine; it's this stupid girl that wants to spoil my morning, but I won't allow her," bisi replied Yinka.
"Peculiar, how are you? Do quick with the plates, okay?" Yinka said to Peculiar, who was rushing to get the dirty dishes washed before Bisi used the cane in her hands on her.
"I'm sorry you had to go through this every day, baby girl; I know one day you will be free"," Yinka says as she heads out of the compound.
After washing the dishes, Bisi gave some money and the list of things to buy to Peculiar and asked her to rush to the market to get those things. The market is an hour's journey to their house, and Bisi is asked to trek to and fro and must get all the things on the list.
"If you like, don't get all the items I wrote; you know what I'm capable of; I will skin you alive, stupid girl, Bisi snapped at peculiar.
"I will get them, ma," peculiar replied as she rushed out of the house.
On her way, peculiar was crying as this was not the life she planned; she was hoping to get into the university after her secondary school, but as it is not, there is no longer a glimpse of hope that she will ever go to the university. She quickly wiped her tears before people started asking her what the problem was. She got to the market and bought all that was on the list except two items, and that was because the money given to her wasn't enough, but yet she couldn't go back home without those two items; if not, her aunt would beat her life out of her.
She started begging people she saw around to help her with the sum of one thousand naira so that she could get the remaining two items. Fortunately for her, a man helped her with that amount of money, and she quickly bought the two items left and rushed home. Upon her arrival, peculiar met her aunt outside, hissing continuously.
"You should have slept there, stupid girl," Bisi shouted.
"I'm sorry, ma; I rushed to get everything, ma," peculiar replied as she quickly knelt.
"Get up; don't let people tag me as a wicked woman. Anyway, go into my room and pack my clothes to wash, and do that fast; if not, you will be in a mess," Bisi said harshly.
Without saying a word, peculiar ran into Bisi's room to get the dirty clothes. She wanted to cry, but she remembered that if Bisi saw her, she would be in trouble with her again, and she was trying to avoid that by all means.
Bisi always travels every 5 days for two days to a faraway town for their market day where she gets used clothes, popularly known as (akube or bend down select) which she supplies to her customers. Peculiar always prays for another 5 days to arrive so that she can be free from Bisi's taunts for 2 days.
"I will be traveling today, make sure to keep my house clean and if you like don't do the chores you are supposed to do. You know I will come back like a thief in the night, let me just arrive and meet my house in a mess", Bisi yelled at peculiar who could say nothing other than a nod to everything Bisi was saying as she continued to wash the heap of clothes in front of her.
Peculiar continued the washing till 1 pm since she started around 10.30 am, at this time, Bisi was done, and ready to leave.
"Make sure they are properly ironed and arranged in my room, I hope I'm clear?", bisi asked.
"Yes, ma", peculiar replied.
Bisi hissed and headed out of the compound, immediately she left, hurriedly washing her clothes, as she was very famished. After some minutes, she was done with the clothes, she peeped outside to see if Bisi was truly gone because sometimes she hid for some minutes to check on peculiar before leaving. Fortunately, Bisi had left, peculiar ran inside to see if Bisi prepared her meal with hers when she had cooked earlier. Peculiar ran to the kitchen and saw a plate covered, she opened it and saw her portion of cooked rice, she immediately took a spoon and started munching on the food.
"Thank God she gave me food today", peculiar said as she ate the food as fast as she could before Bisi surprised her by coming in.
Later in the evening Yinka their neighbor returned from work and peculiar went to her apartment. It's not her first time going there, she always goes there whenever Bisi is not around to read some books and eat proper meals.
"Hope she didn't later beat you in the morning with the cane in her hand," Yinka asked peculiarly, who was smiling at the anatomy textbook in her hands.
"No, she didn't; that was my prayer till she left for the market around 1 p.m. I've prayed and wished for a change, but it's getting worse daily. I wish my parents were alive, but unfortunately, my tears can't bring them back. I just have to move on with my life, trying my best to make something good out of it, but how can I do that when I am in this cage? My dream of becoming a medical doctor is on the verge of being destroyed; the better tomorrow I hoped for seems impossible," Peculiar said with tears clouding her eyelids.
"Don't say that; her torture and taunts are only preparing you for a better tomorrow. Do you have an international passport? The one people use to travel out of the country," Yinka asked.
Ha! That my dad was processing it before the unfortunate incident, we've taken pictures and done the necessary registration, remains the collection", peculiar lamented.
"That's good to hear. You will go and collect it tomorrow morning and keep it with me because your aunt sees it; that's the end." " Yinka said it jokingly.
"I can never allow her to see such an important document, but, ma, I don't have money for transport"," Peculiar said soberly.
"See this girl on? Will I leave you to trek there? Do I look like your aunt?" Yinka asked with a smile.
Thinks reached for her bag and gave Peculiar a sum of two thousand naira. "Use this for transport, madam," Yinka said as she handed it over to peculiar.
"Thank you so much ma, I appreciate everything you have been doing for me", peculiar said to Yinka.
"Appreciator, go and dish food and eat because I know you've not eaten any good food since morning" " Yinka said as she tapped Peculiar on the shoulder.
Peculiar dashed to Yinka's kitchen and dished a bowl of soup with semolina. "Big sis, it's been a long I ate semo, thank you so much for this food" " Peculiar said as she sat happily to eat.
The following morning as early as 8 am, peculiar joined Yinka as she was going to work, and peculiar head to the immigration office to collect her passport. On getting there around 8.40 am, she was fortunate to be among the first five and she was quickly attended to. Her passport with her parents were ready and it was packed together because they came as a family then.
"Peculiar, here is your passport, what about your parents?why did you come alone?", the officer asked peculiar handling her passport over to her.
"Thank you sir, and about my parents, I lost them to the cold hands of death eight months ago", peculiar said.
"Oh my! Sorry about that my dear, may the lord be with you as you journey in life, take good care of yourself and keep that passport safe, it is your gateway out of this country if the opportunity surfaces. Take this for your transport", the officer said and handed a sum of five thousand naira to Peculiar.
This was a happy day for peculiar; she was singing happily as she headed home. On getting home, she quickly went to her room, hid the passport, and the money while she used the remaining change out of the money Yinka gave her to have breakfast. Throughout the day, before Yinka returned from work, peculiar was happy, doing her daily house chores and ironing Bisi's clothes as instructed. After ironing, she arranged them neatly in Bisi's room and kept the house tidy to avoid Bisi's taunts when she arrived. She still has a day to be happy before Bisi returns the following day.
Immediately after Yinka returned from work, peculiar took the passport and the money to Yinka, telling her how she got the money. Yinka collected the passport from Peculiar and asked her to keep the money, but Peculiar pleaded with Yinka to keep it with her because Bisi could search for her belongings anytime and she didn't want to be in trouble with her. Yinka collected the money and agreed to keep it for peculiar. Yinka cooked with peculiar,and they both ate to their satisfaction,telling stories and cracking jokes together before they both went to bed.
The next morning, peculiar woke up as early as 5 a.m., looking around the house to see if everything was in order because Bisi would be returning today. Being satisfied with all she saw, she lay on one of the chairs in the living room when she heard a knock at 6 a.m.; it was Bisi who returned.
Peculiar rushed to get the door opened as she collected the luggage Bisi was carrying.
"Welcome, mummy, welcome, ma," peculiar quickly said.
"I thought you hadn't woken up; I would have beat the hell out of you today, lazy bone," Bisi snapped.
"I'm so tired. Get me water. Do I have to tell you that? You are just so daft," Bisi shouted.
Peculiar ran to bring water for Bisi as she continued to hiss like a snake. Peculiar hands over the cup of water to her, and Bisi drinks loudly.
"Hope you took good care of my house?" Bisi asked.
"Yes, ma, I did," peculiar replied.
Things continued the way they were until Yinka got promoted at work. Yinka is a disciplined and punctual worker who is loved by everyone at her workplace. The management of an organization gave her a merited promotion to work as a manager in their branch in the United Kingdom. This was a big surprise for Yinka, as she didn't see that coming. She was so happy; she is the chosen one, and all her traveling expenses will be paid for by her organization.
While filling out the necessary documents, she saw a phrase that captured her attention: she was eligible to go with one person. This was a great deal for her. Yinka has a biological sister and also parents that she can go with, but then she remembered whose life would be ruined if she continued living with Bisi.
She inputted peculiar's name there as who she would love to go with, and the processing was completed. It's left for peculiar to go for medical checkups and thumbprinting. Yinka made sure to postpone their checkups until another five days when Bisi would not be around. Immediately after Bisi left for the market, Yinka took her to the hospital, where their medical checkups would be conducted.
"Big sis, is something wrong? Are you not feeling fine? Why are we at the hospital?" the peculiar asked.
"I just want you to do checkups; it's been a while since you did that, right?" Yinka asked.
"Yes, that's true. Thank you, big sis," peculiar said as she hugged Yinka.
The tests were conducted, and they were done with that process. The next is their thumbprinting; Yinka had to postpone it till the following week, when Bisi was away again, before they went for it and completed that process too.
After all the processes, Yinka was to resume as early as she could, as her organization was ready for her to leave. She can only do this when Bisi is away. Yinka told her parents about her promotion but excluded the part that she was to go with someone to avoid trouble.
Yinka took some of her belongings to her parents's house since she would not be coming to the apartment again.
"Sister Yinka, you are leaving our neighborhood?" Bisi asked Yinka when she saw her packing.
Peculiar ran out of the house to see what's going on when she heard Bisi asking Yinka if she was leaving the neighborhood.
"Yes, ma, I got a new apartment; that's why," Yinka replied to Bisi.
Peculiar was sad to hear this, as Yinka is the only person she had around who always listened to her, but now that she is leaving, who will she turn to? These are the questions running through Peculiar's mind.
The following week, Bisi traveled as usual, and peculiar ran to Yinka's apartment as she hadn't been going to work lately.
"Big sis, you want to leave me to suffer; you are leaving the neighborhood and you didn't tell me," peculiar begins to cry uncontrollably.
Yinka burst into laughter, seeing how pathetic and peculiar she is.
"It's okay, madam. Stop crying and listen to the good news, or should I keep quiet?" Yinka asked jokingly.
"No, ma," peculiar replied as she quickly wiped her tears with her palm.
"Go inside now, pack some of your clothes that are still in good shape and still manageable in this bag, and come keep them with me here; we are going together," Yinka said.
"Really!" the peculiar said, jumping up with joy. "Thank you, big sis; I love you so much," peculiar further said as she gave Yinka a hug and a peck on her cheeks.
Peculiar took the bag and hurried to her apartment, she packed some of her clothes and shoes then returned back to yinka's house to drop the bag.
"Tomorrow morning, as early as 6 a.m.,the cab will be here to pick us up," Yinka said.
Throughout the night, peculiar couldn't see, she was waiting for 6 am even though she had no idea where she was going. Yinka had collected their visa the previous week but she didn't inform peculiar. To peculiar, she thought they were changing the location but were still in the state, little did she know that she was leaving the country entirely.
By exactly 6 a.m., peculiar was already at Yinka's apartment, waiting for the cab that would convey them. At 6.15 am, the cab arrived and arranged all their luggage in the car trunk as they headed to the airport. On getting to the airport, peculiar got the idea of what was happening as Yinka handed over her passport to her with a valid visa on it.
"Ha! Big sis, we are traveling out of the country," peculiar asked, surprised.
Their flight was scheduled for 8 a.m., and in no time, they were being called to check in, just like a miracle. Peculiar was on her way to the United Kingdom with Yinka, and that was how her dream of becoming a medical doctor came true.
After Bisi returned the next day, she called out to peculiar but couldn't see or hear her from inside. She rushed to her room and saw how scattered it was. She also found out that she had packed some of her things. Bisi called some of the family members to inform them about what had happened. Their efforts to look for peculiar proof were abortive, as they reported a missing girl a missing girl to the police station with no result.
Bisi lost hope in finding peculiar as the police reported that she was not found. Also, Yinka has left the neighborhood and her number is no longer reachable, so there was no way Bisi could reach her, and she knew no one with Yinka.
Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.