Rays Of Hope PART 2.

When I got home, mum and dad were fighting. I've seen them fought many times before so that I was used to it. When I was still four years old or thereabout, I used to cry whenever they fight but as time goes on the fights become frequent and I became used to it. Before I met Kate, I would have been laughing and shouting at the top of my voice, urging them on and shouting "winner!" when either of them was able to fall the other in their struggles. But that day when I saw them fighting, I felt bad about my whole life and my parents. I realized that normal parents aren't even supposed to physically fighting even in their home, let alone outside where everyone watches and normal kids are not supposed to be elated when his her parents fight.

I walked away from our house and began to think about what Kate's mum said about me. I wish to be a normal kid like Kate. I wish to normal life. I wish to go to school like other kids outside our neighbourhood. I wish to be able to speak fluent and correct English instead of the pidgin English that I was born and grew up with. Finally, I wish to leave our neighbourhood because I realized that all the residents in our neighbourhood were bad.

I cried and blamed God for creating me in the first place in the kind of place where I find myself and to the kind of parents that I have. I said that God must be partial for giving Kate normal parents and giving me bad ones. Before I met Kate, I've always decided to be like Axe. He was the ruggedest and most cashy among hemp dealers in my neighbourhood. Apart from having money, he was also said to be the strongest because he was twice my dad's size and the tallest man I've ever seen. Ax had many wives and children, most of whom were my friends. The reason why I've always wanted to be like him was that he was a symbol of perfection to my young mind and childish mentality. I thought that when you are that rich and physically strong, the whole world is at your feet.

I didn't go back home till 7;;300 Pm and it was already dark by the time I got home. When I got home I found another man and mom in our room. I wanted to protest but mum sent me away with threat to be beat my head of my shoulder so I left the room and started and started wandering through the dark neighbourhood where everybody was smoking Indian hemp openly.

I went back home two hours later. The man was no longer in our room, neither was mum so I decided to sleep even though I had not eaten anything apart from the biscuit and ice cream tat Kate gave me in the morning.

I woke up frightfully in the middle of the night because I had a terrible dream where a man (like the man I saw with my mum earlier) was trying to sleep on top of me. I screamed in my sleep and it was my scream that woke my mum who was sleeping on the mat beside me.

She slapped me hard across the face and told me to shut up or she'd shut up for me. I instantly kept mute but I couldn't sleep anymore because I was afraid that if I closed my eyes, the boogeyman would come and molest me like he did before.

About forty minutes later, someone ran into the deep darkness of our room. I couldn't see who it was and I wanted to scream thinking that it was the bad man in my room because of the thick darkness (because there was no electricity in the neighbourhood and we seldom buy candles in our room). I felt strong hands clamped down tightly on my speechhole. It was my dad. I relaxed but moments later, we heard shouts of "Thief! Thief!! Thief!!!"and running footsteps past our house. I felt scared and frightened so I closed my eyes and wished that I was dead or never born.

When I woke up the next day, my dad was still sleeping and my mum was not in the room. He was bleeding from the deep wounds all over his body. I felt scared and afraid. I went to him and knelt down beside him, tears streaming down my face. " Daddy, what's wrong? What happened? Please don't die….." I began to cry.

My mum came in twenty minutes later. She looked angrily at my dad "shameless fool. You almost got yourself killed yet you came back here with nothing, empty handed . Listen, I'll kill you if you die on me…."she said.

"Mum please stop!" I cried angrily "Can't you see that he is suffering?" My mum hissed and left the room. There was nothing I could do to help him so I watched helplessly as he convulsed with his pains.

THE TRIAL.

The next day, strange things happened to our family. Dad was still on the bed and his condition seemed worse. Mum has not returned since he left the previous day and yet we haven't heard anything about her whereabouts but that did not bother me. I was worried about my dad who has not opened his eyes and say a word. His colour has changed dramatically and it was cold as if blood floor when two men came into our rooms. Neither of them said anything. They just looked at me, then at my unconscious dad and came into our room and the three men carried my father on a stretcher without saying a word still.

"You can't just take him away!" I cried angrily "No, he hasn't done anything wrong….." I protested but they shoved me aside and carried him into the waiting van. I ran after the van as it sped off but soon lost sight of it as it gathered momentum. But where was my mum during the whole time? I didn't know.

Though there have been times I hated my parents and even wished them dead but now that I see none of them again, I felt as I my world has ended and that I'm just a deader. I cried whenever I have the opportunity to and I didn't eat much because I was broke through the neighborhood without minding the jeers and jests from the people. They called me all sorts of names but I didn't care. All I wanted was to have my parents back because they were the only ones I knew in my life and I knew anybody else. I believed that bad parents are better than no parents at all.

Though as a family, we've spent greater part of the time together fighting than bonding, yet I felt strangely lonely and wished for companionship. None of the kids in the neighbourhood played with me again though that meant little to me because I didn't have the time or the enthusiasm as well.

Five days after my dad was taken away and five days after mum's disappearance, I decided to find Kate again. Though she been on my mind ever since we met and parted, yet the fear of her mum made me stay away but now that I have nothing o lose, I decided to find her and tell her what I was passing through. I felt she was the only one that I could talk to who would listen to me without making jest of me or sending me away. She had seen me stealing before, yet she still decided to be my friend. I went to their supermarket which was very far from my house.

It took me a very long time before I was able to see her. She was playing with her little brother and her back was turned to me. I couldn't call her because her mum was not far from them and might hear and get me into trouble. So I waited impatiently till her mum left and left into the offices at the back of the supermarket. I quickly ran up to where they were.

"Hey Katie!" I whispered urgently. She spurned around and sighted me. Her eyes popped up in surprise and excitement. I have never seen anyone being happy because they see me before. Her happiness was contagious because I forgot my problems temporarily and found myself grinning back at her as we stared at each other.

"It's Rose! Where have you been since all these days?" she asked as she gave me a warm hug as if we've known each other for years. This undisguised and genuine affection brought tears to my eyes and without holding back, I told her everything that has happened to my dad and how mum left me without saying a word. By the time I was through, I was already crying very hard.

She embraced me tightly and patted my back; all the while she was comforting me. "your dad will be alright and your mum will come back soon" she said with calm assurance.

We didn't know that her mum was watching and listening to us all the while.

"Katie, come here" her mum said and we quickly drew apart.

"Mum…" she wanted to say but she was cut short.

"Katie said you should come here" she said firmly

"It's alright, got your momma" I told her. When she got to her mum, I expected her to start beating he but I couldn't believe what her mum said next.

"Go in and tell Amy to give you three ice cream cones for you, your brother and your friend here" her mum said and Kate sped away excitedly. "Rose, come and sit down beside me here" She said and I walked unbelievably to sit beside her on the plush cushion at the reception of the supermarket. "I heard everything you told Kate. She also told me why you were here the last time. Everything will be alright. Which school are you going and what class are you in now?"

"I don't go to no school" I said sadly, twisting my hands in my laps nervously.

"But that's too bad…"

Kate came back with the ice-cream and we began licking.

"Mum, since she is not going to school, let her be coming to our school…please mum!" she begged passionately.

"No Katie. It's not that easy. Besides, your dad must know about it before we take any step. Moreover, her parents may not allow her to go to school…."

"Mum please..." Kate begged again, she was on the verge of tears

"Stop it!" Her mum snapped at her "I didn't say we won't help her but it will take time" After some time, she left us to be playing while she went to the kitchen to oversee the preparation of lunch. Both of us were very happy to be allowed to be together. We played ill we were very tired then we went in for lunch and because we ate too much food, we were almost sleeping before the lunch was over and we all fell asleep on the couch immediately we packed the dishes into the sink.

Mrs. Msith woke us up in the evening and told us that it was time to go home. She gave me five hundred naira as transport fare back home and told me to come back the following day if I wanted though I couldn't think of a reason why I wouldn't want it. When I got home, neither dad nor mum was there so I was somehow happy that I would be able to go to the supermarket the following day.

Early the following morning, I took my bath (that was the first time in my life that I would take my bath myself without being forced to do it. Whereas, it had always been my mum who usually chased me around the neighbourhood once a week when she was still at home and dad too was around). I combed my hair (which I have never done before) and wore my best and the neatest cloth. The attendants were just opening the supermarket when I got there. I waited patiently till Kate and her mum and Nelson came to join us at the supermarket. We all had breakfast an hour later; it was a tasty and spicy indomie noodles. It tasted so good that I ate second and third helpings to the amusement of Kate who ate very little and the satisfaction of her mom, who said it is the pride of a cook who prepares food to see all the foods he or she had prepared consumed by the people he or she prepares it for.

After we both washed and rinsed the dishes and tidied up the kitchen, Kate's mum called me into the inner office.

"Close your eyes, Rose" Kate said with a wide grin mischievously.

"What…" I wanted to say but she broke in excitedly.

"C'mon, just do it!" she insisted and I closed my eyes "Now open them very slowly and look in front of you!"

There were two big cloths bags in front of me when I opened my eyes.

"Those are some of Kate's old cloths" her mum said when I wanted o speak and protest "They are not her size anymore but they will be perfect on you. Don't say thank you, Rose. See yourself as Kate's twin sister or younger sis and imagine that you are also my daughter, you won't have to thank me when I do something for you" she said with a thousand watts smile.

"I can't...… thank you!" I said and busted into tears. I was too oved to know the right things to say and too grateful to say anything meaningful.

She gave me transport fare back to our neigbourhood when the supermarket closed in the evening and told me that her husband had agreed to foot the bill if my parents would allow me to go to school. She even informed me that if my parents didn't come back by the next day, I should pack my things and start living with them till my parents come back.

THE UNEXPECTED.

I was overjoyed that day. That was the first time I was ever truly happy. My happiness didn't last long though because when I opened the door into our room, dad was sitting on the floor, smoking Indian hemp. Big plasters covered several places on his body where I assumed he was injured several weeks back. Mum too was sitting in front of him, counting wraps of Indian hemps and complaining bitterly of how dad would ruin her business if he continued smoking at the rate he smoked. None of them looked as if anything had happened neither did they say where they have been to. The only things that interested them were the bags that I was carrying. Quickly, they both stood up and snatched each bags from my hands and rapidly checked through the clothes maybe they would see money inside but they were disappointed. They dropped the bags after scattering the contents on the floor. Before, I would have abused them and demanded that they put the contents back but I remembered what Kate said, that a good child must respect his/her parents no matter how bad they may be.

"Mum, dad, are you looking for money?" I asked bringing out all the money that Kate's mum gave me. "Bring it here" my dad commanded.

"Don't give him. He won't give you back. Bring it here" my mum said, stretching her palm to collect the money.

I divided it into two and gave half each to each of them. They were not expecting it so for several moments they were speechless.

"Have you been staeling again?" my mum asked to break the silence "where did you see all these?"

"Have you gone cloths stealing?" my dad asked sarcastically.

"She took after you; like father like daughter!" mum said bitingly

"No, I didn't steal nothing" I protested. I told them everything about Kate but they were not listening. Da was busy smoking and puffing the smoke in a black cloud in my face while mummy was seriously counting her wrapped hemps. I became very angry.

"Mum, dad did you hear what I just said? Am starting school tomorrow!"

Mum looked at me and laughed. Dad too laughed and went back smoking.

"You don't go no school girly" my mom said" who ever put that silly idea into your head is deceiving you. This thing that I am doing is the real thing. Tomorrow, we will g and sell this together. We must make money…"

"No mum!" my dad roared with laughter "law-what? What a stupid dream!"

"Listen and listen good, I don't know who put such useless ideas into your head but my own is that starting from tomorrow we'll be going out together and you'll be helping me to sell to my customers. Meanwhile let me warn you that I'll kill you if you steal my dime. I hope that you understand me?" my mum said.

I felt so bad to the extent that I busted into tears. I've thought that all would be well all through the afternoon but now, I felt as if my very world has ended.

My mother woke me up 5a.m the next day and we left our neighbourhood. We caught a bus going to Idumota and arrived there 50 minutes later. We took buses to different places in Idumota till I can't really find my way back because I've decided when we left home to run away from my mum.

We finally stopped at a slummy place that looks exactly like our own neighbourhood. We stopped and through the time was just a quarter past 6am, people started coming from different places to buy the hemp that we were selling. Most of the hemps were in the bag, that I was carrying so that my mum sells it and collect money. While we were still selling, she told me that very soon; maybe about two months from then, we will split. She said that she would go to another part of Lagos while I alone will come to Idumota. She said that as time goes on that we will employ people to be our distributors and that before the year runs out, we'll be very rich and so on.

It was already 7pm by the time we left Idumota and caught bus back to our neighbourhood. I was so tired to the extent that I just went straight to the mat and slept soundly.

On the third day, I refused to follow my mum to Idumota and she beat me mercilessly till the noise woke up my dad. When they had listened to what I had to say, he beat me more and told me to follow her or he would kill me, I believed him and I followed my mum.

For three months, I was unable to see Kate or appreciate her mum for what she did for me. Whenever I was alone, I would pray and wish I was dead but death didn't come. Maybe it will never will.

A NEW HOPE

It's been four months since I saw Kate and her mum and Nelson last. I've already given up the thought of going to school. I've decided to follow my mother's advice; that what is most important in this life is money; I can buy a university certificate within minutes instead of wasting about fifteen years in school to get it.

Honestly, I was now used to the hemp dealings and my mum was making real profits. During those months, we bought a fairly used mattress to replace the old mat that we've been using for years (though mum refused to let dad sleep on the mattress!). She would have clothes for me if not that I already had enough. We bought foodstuffs and lots of beverages that we couldn't afford before. I put all my mind and strength behind the work and my mum became very kind to me.

One day, we were on one of the streets in Idumota, selling the hemps. We disguised very well so that only the buyers and users of it knew us because its illegal and police men will not hesitate to arrest us. My mu and I stood far away from each other as if we didn't know each other. The customers, (thugs, area boys, thieves, and even civilians) would come one by one to buy it secretly from us.

A man walked up to me and he gave me one of the numerous and discreet signals that we usually use. Since only the buyers know the signal, I didn't bother to look at him if he was a policeman because my mum always warns me to be careful and watch out for the detectives who often disguise as buyers.

"How much?" I asked them

"Five wraps" he said dipping his hands into his pockets as if wanted to bring out money but it was handcuff! It was too late for me.

The man held my hands and wanted to handcuff me but my mum quickly came to my rescue. She snatched my hand away from the man's grip "Run!" she screamed as she struggled with the man to run too but the man left me and held her tightly.

I ran as fast as I could, my heart beating wildly in my chest. When I had run far away enough, I dodged beside a parked car and looked back. My mu was still struggling to free her hands but the man has already put handcuff on her right wrist. I left my hiding place and ran back to them but another man was coming down the street, running towards me. My fears flew away and I ran like I never did before. Soon I disappeared from view and the man couldn't see me again. I hid inside an uncompleted building fir thirty minutes then I left the place and went back to where my mum was but she was not there anymore.

The men had taken her away.

It took me a long time to find my way back home and about 150 Naira extra. When I told my dad, he didn't say anything. He just kept smoking and drinking his alcohol. I felt sorry for my mum for marrying someone like my dad. My mum could have been a different and responsible citizen had she not married someone like him.

I slept uneasily that night ,thinking about my mum and where the man had taken her to. Early the next day I bathed and got dressed. I told my dad who was still smoking [because he was smoking when I slept so I guess he didn't sleep at all] that I was going to see someone that I wount be long before I come back. He just looked at me then he continued smoking his hemp.

I arrived at the supermarket exactly when the attendant were opening the doors. I greeted them and I asked them where kate was. They told me she was sick and had been admitted into a hospital since a couple of weeks back. I begged them for the hospital address and reluctantly, they gave me. The hospital was at Victoria island, a very far place from Mushin where I lived and I didn't ave any money on me so there was only one option or I forget seeing her.