My life

                              CHAPTER ONE

   Our church was situated at the back of our bungalow, it was one of the most popular places of worship in the city of Lagos. I came from a very devoted and reputable family, my mom was a deaconess and my dad was also a deacon.

     4:00 am was my regular time of waking up, I would sweep the compound which was always covered with the faeces of those animals with the leaked anus, covering my nose with my head tie, I would use my mother's lantern which was always weak every morning, maybe it was because it was always lit till dawn.

    I had no issues waking Ikenna and somto in the morning but Amadi was exceptional.  I always found it very difficult in getting him up for school, I would scream his name so loud with a cup of water in my hands and yet he wouldn't still get up. His soul only decides to wake up when he hears the voice of our mother.

"His Amadi still sleeping " Amadi would quickly get up in confusion.

    My mom was my only rescue when it comes to discipline. Everyone feared her, she showed no mercy in discipline, even Ikenna our precious last born was  also scared of her.

  "So you don't know that you're supposed to get ur buttocks up " greeting him with a slap. 

   "Mommy good morning " Ikenna would say with His hands on His cheek

    I would quickly pick up my scarf from the faded black box that uncle Jude bought for us as a Christmas gift last 3 years. Every time I set my eyes on that box, my mood would automatically change.  If uncle Jude was still alive, my mother's rigid nature would have not been worse, he was the only one that could calm her down. But, death decided to take him away.

[  ]      "Good morning Jesus" my mother would say placing her kneels on the ground.  Our morning devotions were always very lengthy and boring, we would raise our voices high above our patched roof with our hands together rebuking and casting what wasn't ours.

  " Oh! God my father, let the suffering of your apostles and prophets be upon us ". Those prayers never seized from my mother's lips, she would always say that the sufferings of God's followers were being blessed when they die. That it is better to suffer on earth than suffer in hell. I would innerly  reject those prayers.

  After our devotion, my mom would leave the house for church, she would carry her bag which was always very big, filled with fruits, handkerchiefs and four bottles of water that she got from our kitchen tap.

  She would leave the house giving us instructions, then her next move was to the church.  She was always involved in all the activities of the church, morning till night.  She knew who goes in and out of the church.  The church keys were always with her, she had no job except the work of God, and my dad was the only breadwinner and our favourite.  Most times, members of the church would vehemently gossip about her saying that she was very jobless but, my mother would ignore saying.

   "Whatever pleases humans, displeases God " That was her only backup statement.

    When she comes back, she would call everybody. We would all line up like slaves awaiting our buyers,  she would bring out those items from her bags, giving us one after the other.  We dare not open them without saying our regular prayer.

"Oh! Lord fill our lives with your love " Then we would eat and drink the holy items she brought back from the church.

   "How dirty is your hankie ?" My mom would ask in other to give us the new handkerchief she blessed from the church.  We would put them in our school bags in other for us to be brilliant in class. That was what she made Us believe. 

       I was the best in my class, and most times when I am asked about the source of my brilliance, I wouldn't hesitate to show them my handkerchief.  It got to a time when all my classmates were putting handkerchiefs in their bags, but I was still the best among the rest.

  My mom would say "The God of my pastor does not sleep nor slumber "she would happily carry my report card to the church placing them at the altar. Whenever she goes to the altar with me, I knew that my own has finished because we would be the last people to leave the church. She would earnestly thank God for making me pass my exams.

     My mom was a true Christian, our compound was my only friend I dare not step out of the house without a tangible reason. I only had friends in class and they were all girls.

My mom would make sure I had no male friends with me, and she would instruct Mr Kenedy our English tutor to monitor my movements and he never failed To tell her everything. 

   One very tragedic day, my skin got pulled out. I was sitting and gisting with Kate, she was my only best friend. While eating the biscuits Kate gave me Gideon came, Dragging the biscuits from my hand I couldn't hesitate to follow him up in other to collect the biscuits.  Everyone knew that Gideon was always very stubborn, so they were not surprised when they saw me chasing the life out of him, my legs slipped and I saw myself on the ground.  Gideon was so kind enough to help me get up, he was dusting my skirt when Mr Kennedy suddenly walked In, I knew he had a loosed mouth. I tried explaining to him but, he didn't say a word to me.

   I left the school compound with my kidney in my feet I knew my mom would kill me If Mr Kennedy told her anything. Of which he did.

My mom didn't allow me to explain, she pounds on me like an injured lion. My skin was swollen.

  "You want to disgrace me you this child," She said. if my dad was around then he would have saved me and allowed me to explain everything to him.

   My body was so bruised she helped me massage my back with our olive oil.

"I remove every spirit of prostitution in you, "she said

"I did not kill my mother, you would not kill me" leaving me all to myself to bear the pain. I hated Mr Kenedy and always wished him death.