PROLOGUE

"Okay so I will need fresh taro leaves, some palm oil, onions-" I zoned out after that which I'll probably pay for in the next few minutes but whatever. She's probably going to go on and on and on and "-do you think we should use eggs or white seed melon?" Okay that's a new. Mom never asks me for suggestions. " Errr, I think the white seed melon will do." She smiled. "That's right. Okay so take this for the white seed melon instead of eggs-" she placed 2.00 Ghanaian cedis into my palm, "-and take this for the others I said before....you did get all of that right?" I shifted from one foot to another subtly. " Of course I did Mom" She gave me a skeptical look and from how she was sitting on the half tarted couch she looked like my grandmother. " Fine then. Repeat all that I said you should get". Damnit. I simply shrugged and began repeating. " Fresh taro leaves, palm oil, onions, green pepper, charcoal, tuna, spices and white seed melon" She smiled again. "Just don't forget. Now hurry up and get me the items so I can prepare the food before your father gets home." I doubt that's a problem. He's never home early but whatever. " Is that all Ma?" She gave me an incredulous look. "What do you mean by that, of course that's all!!" You don't have to scream! "Are you sure you're not forgetting something??" She looked pissed off now. "Look, go and get the items for me now, I'm the one preparing the food not you." That didn't sit well with me. "Oh so we'll be eating just palaver sauce today then?" She was looking on her phone now as a sign of dismissal and replied with a " Yeah sure" without looking at me. I made a deadpan look. "No rice?" She froze. Then slowly gave a nervous totally-not-real laugh. "Oh that's my girl! I was testing you to see if you'd remember, and of course being the big girl you are now you totally did" she took her half worn purse again and gave me 7.00 Ghs to buy a specific brand of rice. I quickly set off after that.

With my head low but my mind in Dreamland I made my way absent mindedly to the various shops I would get the food stuffs. I've been going there everyday since I was 5. That's 6 years now of making the same journey. I could probably go there safely even if I close my eyes and walk. Should I try....? No. Mom said she needs these items fast. I quickly made my way to what I'll call our community's small market square and visited three shops in total to get all what I needed then started to make my way home. I skipped, ran and walked on my way all while still in Dreamland. It's way better there than in the real world where I have to endure the long weird and uncomfortable stares.

I made it home, gave the food stuffs to my mom and proceeded to go continue the nice cartoons I was watching. "Hey hey hey young lady, where do you think you're going?" I turned to see my mom looking annoyed with an eyebrow raised.

" Why? I bought everything you asked" Now she's got two eyebrows up in an "oh really?" Look. What now... " You think that's where it ends hm? Just buy the items and sit back down and watch cartoons for the rest of the day??No Lady that's not who a real woman is or how she's made. When you grow up you're not gonna serve cartoons for your husband to eat, now go to the kitchen and prepare the utensils we'll need. Also, fetch water to wash the vegetables." ..... I think I'm about to explode. Argh. It's not worth it.

Hello I'm Lady and this is the story of my life. It's all good in the day until evening begins to approach and then hell becomes a reality again.

I grumpily did all she asked and stayed to help her make dinner. Then she served us. Us being my 6 year old sister, my 17 year old brother then reserved some for my dad for when he gets home from wherever.

I didn't want to eat but I was hungry. It's just I was so pissed off. My favorite cartoon and mom makes me miss it because she needs help with food she can prepare easily alone. I know, typical twelve-year old complains but it's not. I don't know why my parents don't understand that I need time for myself to actually enjoy something. This place is boring and it's all because of them. They don't give me toys, they won't allow me to make friends or even go out to play. I'm always indoors during school breaks and the only way I can save myself is by watching stuff I like and that too is taken away from me. Sometimes I prefer visiting my other cousins in the village during Christmas break than living here in the city. I don't know what the tourists see when they come here to make them say this place is "the perfect place if you want peace" this place is anything but peaceful and I'm glad I've realized that at an early age. One day I'll meet one of those tourists and ask them exactly what they think they saw then prove to them it was all fake and a lie. Then I'll finally bring them here and take them everywhere else just to show them the inner world here, the real one. People need to start waking up and start realising that there's no escape and even if there is it's not here. I'm proud of my country but I'm not proud of what's in it.

Yeah, all this talk from a twelve year old. Quick advise, if you want to understand me, first step is to see me for who I am and trust me, that's not a twelve year old. You're my first tourist and I'll be taking you on a special kind of tour, not the fake lame ones they do, no. A real one, where you actually see the country for what it is and the people for who they are. Then you can make your pick. Peaceful or just Surviving?. Welcome to hell in Paradise.