Yenochi

By Obodozie Divine Chinoye

Chapter one

The pain never seems to stop

Reading novels and articles I got to know people suffer daily from a deadly sickness known as depression and I too was a carrier.

Unlike other sickness this was contacted through experiencing bad things.

Life has bestowed upon me a terrible curse which I carried everywhere I went.

"Must I shed tears?"

I probably would have filled a tank with my tears everyday if they were used to fill a nation definitely I would have drowned nations.

Walking from street to street with no destination in mind, I started my journey.

I eventually got to my aunt's house the same place I ran out of.

But what was I to do? This was the only place I knew of.

Ikeja is a big place and I had no idea where to stay.

Thoughts of being raped would always drag me back to my aunt's house.

Hell was at the corner and I knew it but then this hell was better than the hell of being raped,killed or even kidnapped. Aunt Sue was poison I was ready to consume regardless of how deadly it was, I had no choice just like a beggar.

"Now you return" Her voice came shaking me to the spine.

"Aun..aun..aunty..." I tried saying but she interrupted me

"Spare me that and tell me where you kept my money you theif"

"I didn't steal any money"

"Shut up you little witch! Didn't you go to Chief Maxwell's place?"

"N..no"

"And you say you are not a theif. You are preventing me from making Money. You are good for nothing all you do is eat my food"

"Being a prostitute is not being lucrative" I blurted angrily.

"How dare you? You ungrateful witch. All I do is give you a good life but you are so ungrateful you lazy girl"

She shouted hitting me hard.

"Owwww!" I screamed in pain but she just wouldn't let go.

"I will kill you today!" She screamed hitting me with a stick.

"Let go of her!" A man said pushing my aunt away.

"What's her sin that you want to end her?" The man asked while I tried recovering from the brutal beating.

"What your business with her and the way I beat her?" My aunt questioned rudely.

"She is a human just like you"

"And I don't know that. Is that why you are reminding me? Please spare me all that and let her go let me continue from where I stopped" came Aunt Sue dragging me but the man stopped me.

"She's not an animal and I don't plan on letting you treat her like one"

My Aunt watched him and then smiled mischievously.

"He is your boyfriend right? He's the reason you refused to do the jobs I gave you" She said making me disgusted as I knew she thought I knew the man and he sleeps with me.

"No..n..no ooo Aunty I have never seen him in my life"

I replied knowing if I didn't deny it that minute I was in for trouble that night.

"Madam you are wrong. I haven't seen her until today"

"Stop all this pretends and say the truth, you don't know her yet you care about her"

"Caring doesn't pertain what you are saying"

"I have heard now give her to me"

"Sir please don't" I begged In tears.

This was an opportunity to skin me alive and my Aunt was not ready to let go of it.

"I won't beat her" She assured the man which obviously was a lie she was doubling the beating in her mind and it meant my death.

"No I can't" Came the man.

"It's getting late it best you give her to me"

"No she will stay with me"

"Then it's not free" My Aunt replied smiling.

"I said it now. I knew you liked her" Came Aunt Sue in a way that disgusted me.

"No oo I don't plan on doing that with her. She's like a sister to me"

"Sister indeed. That's what they all say. You have become useful today Yenochi" came Aunt Sue.

"For a night is ten thousand naira" She said again.

My own Aunt selling me out to a stranger for money.

"How much to take her off your hands completely?" The man asked shocking both I and Aunt Sue.

She stared at him and then at me.

*Was I about to be sold to a stranger?*

*Is Aunt Sue going to do this?*

"One million" She replied and my heart skipped a beat.

*She obviously would sell me.*

"Okay"

The man replied bringing out his phone.

Aunt Sue noticing he is a rich man increased the price and she sold me to him for a sum of ten million naira.

"You can have her as long and as much as you want. She's all yours" Aunt Sue said making me shed tears.

"Stop crying it's okay" The man replied leading me to his car.

"Sit" He replied watching me.

After driving for a while,he stared at me and offered me food but I had lost my appetite the moment I got sold to a man who looked like he was in his thirties and I a sixteen years old girl a slave to a stranger.

He drove into a large compound with a big mansion and then parked.

*This man must be a ritualist*

I concluded and made a final prayer to God to forgive me my sins and welcome me gladly to His kingdom.

"Come in" he replied rather humble making me even more scared.

He opened the door and I entered Into the huge house with beautiful designs.

He took me into the house showing me the kitchen, living room and then a room.

"This is your room from today"

"My room?"

"Yes, is anything wrong with it?"

"No sir it's perfect"

"Call me Stan"

"Ehn.."

"I said you should rather call me Stan"

"Ohh.."

I replied feeling uncomfortable.

"But if you're not comfortable with that you can say Sir"

"Okay Sir"

"Are you not hungry?"

"No" I lied

"Your mouth saying one thing and your rumbling stomach another,I will get you food"

And with that he left.

I walked down the room starring at every sight to be seen and each was breath taking.

The bed was soft and the designs welcoming.

I sat on the bed about to sleep when he knocked.

"Are you asleep yet?"

"No" I replied opening the door.

"Here" He said handling me a plate of jollof rice assorted with meat.

He also handed me juice.

"It would probably be okay for you" He replied and I just stared at him.

"Don't worry it's not poisoned" He replied and I just smirked.

"I will leave you to eat and sleep" He said and walked out.

I stared at the food knowing I was farmished I didn't care if the food was poisoned at least I died eating.

I told myself and made a silent prayer and began eating.

As I ate I wondered what was installed for me in this new place was it prostitution or to be his slave?

I made up my mind that night if it was to be his sex slave or prostitution I would definitely run away, he made a deal with Aunt Sue and not me so I didn't care.

************************************

"Morning sunshine" I heard waking up.

"Mum? Dad?" I replied smiling

"You came back for me" I replied smiling.

"Yes dear" They chorused and I knew I was dead. The food was actually poisoned.

"Why did you leave me all alone? Aunt Sue made my life hell, she even sold me out" I told them and they just smiled.

"We are here now, we promise we will never leave you again" Came my mum.

"Yes you are here and there's no going back" My dad said scaring me.

They held me and dragged me.

"Dad you are holding me forcefully" I cried out in pain.

"I'm not your dad" He replied changing to one of Aunt Sue's Clients who was obsessed about me.

"Let go of me!" I screamed

"Mum save me!" I shouted and my mum changed to Aunt Sue.

She stared at me and laughed.

"Let go! Let go!" I kept on screaming till I woke up.

I stared at the whole place and knew it was just a nightmare the same one I kept on having repeatedly ever since I stayed with Aunt Sue.

"What's wrong you were screaming?" The man asked rushing into my room.

"No...no.. nothing" I replied shaking

"It doesn't seem like nothing"

"It's just a nightmare" I replied when he didn't leave.

"Must be one heck of a nightmare for you to scream the way you did"

He replied and I kept mute.

"I need to use the bathroom" I said wanting to stay away from him.

"Oh it's there" he replied pointing at a door.

"When you are done freshening up, come down for breakfast"

He said and I only smirked.

I watched him leave and I locked the door to make him stay out of the room.

Ever since my horrible experience at Aunt Sue's house I didn't want to have anything to do with men especially older ones.

*They are disgusting*

*They only know how to take advantage of a person*

After taking my bath I realized I didn't have anything to wear except what I had on yesterday.

I went through the cupboard and saw a dress there.

I stared at it and put it on and went down the stairs.

As I came down I was mapping places I would use to escape from this mansion.

"Good you are done" I heard him say as he turned to look at me.

He kept mute on seeing me.

"Why did you put on that dress?!" He thundered at me.

"I'm..so.. sorry..I didn't.. have..any..other..thing..to wear.. that's why" I replied scared.

"Just shut it!" He replied angrily.

"Bekky!" He screamed and I shivered even more..

A lady came immediately..

"Get that dress off her!" He screamed and it resulted to me crying.

The lady came close and took me upstairs.

"Stop crying" she told me as she took off the dress.

"The boss isn't always like that"

She said again.

I stared at her and looked away..

"That dress belongs to his daughter and seeing you in it brought bad memories"

She said staring at me..

"What happened to her?" I managed to ask.

"She died along with his wife in a factory accident, ever since then boss has been that way"

She said and I frowned.

*But I didn't know*

*So why did he shout at me like that?*

"Here wear this" She replied handling me a dress.

"Who owns this?"

"It's mine"

"Thank you"

I replied putting it on.

"Come down for breakfast" She said walking out of the room.

I stared at the dress and then at my old dress. I took my old dress and placed it in a nylon and walked downstairs.

The man was sitted on a chair in the dinning having his breakfast.

"Good morning Sir" I greeted and he stared at me.

"Morning" He replied and I smirked.

"Have a sit" He replied and faced his food.

"Thank you Sir but I can't"

"And why is that?" He asked staring at me.

"I'm leaving..I appreciate what you did for me yesterday but I want to leave"

I replied about to leave when he stopped me.

"I won't stop you from leaving but I can't let what I bought leave"

I stared at him and he continued.

"I hope you haven't forgotten I bought you from your Aunt, so you are Mine"

"What you did is between you and my Aunt. I advise you collect your money back, I can't stay here"

"You don't have a choice in this matter. You were sold to me and I choose what happens to you not you"

I stared at him and walked away heading for the door when I got stopped by bodyguards.

"Take my advice have your breakfast and be a good girl"

He replied and I frowned.

The bodyguard carried me and placed me on the dinning chair.

"For someone who got sold you sure put up a fight" He remarked and continued eating.

"The food wouldn't bite. Eat" He replied when he saw I wasn't ready to eat.

"I'm not hungry"

I replied and my tummy rumbled.

"Tell that to your stomach" He said and stood up.

The maids quickly gathered and cleared the plates.

"I will see you in the evening"

He said to me.

*By then I would be far gone*

*There's no way I would allow him have his way on me*

I told myself as he walked away.

I stared at the food and then my stomach started rumbling I was sure if it could talk it would have said this:

"Stop being stubborn and eat. I know you want to"

I smiled and devoured the food.

"How's it?" Bekky asked watching me.

"Delicious" I replied and she smiled.

"So what are you doing here exactly?" She asked me.

I stared at her and swallowed the food I was chewing.

"I don't even know myself" I replied knowing I was lying.

*How could I tell her I was bought by him to be his sex slave*

"The boss must like you"

*Eww*

I told myself.

"Why do you think so?"

"He has never cared for anyone the way he did for you ever since his wife died.. When you screamed yesterday he rushed to your room immediately" She replied and I could sense Jealousy.

*Was she in love with him?*

*If she was then I'm happy for her I don't want anything to do with this man and if he cared that's his problem not mine*

"Hmmm I don't think you are right" I replied and stood up.

"He doesn't care and even if he did I don't care" I replied and headed upstairs.