THE REVIEWS

𝑁𝑖𝑛𝑜

I squinted my eyes several times, getting the tears in my eyes off as I reminisced those years. Bitter years of my life, years I wished I never existed. That was the terrible year of my life. My 16th birthday, drenched in peanut butter and oats. Teens usually look forward to that year, the sweetest year in their lives but that was my worst year birthday. I regretted turning 16. I never had a normal high school life, it was hell for me.

Didn't make enough friends nor did I have a boyfriend back then. I kinda did but he was with me for the wrong reason, I guess fate did curse my love life. Men walk into my life for the wrong cause and leave when they had enough and had their way with me. I shook my head, clearing those horrid memories of my child and teenhood.

I sniffed and leaned out from the sofa, those memories are in the past and there's where they belong. This is present and I should focus on what is at hand. How to get my house back and pay off my parent's debts but where do I get to live because this man harbouring my house doesn't seem to care where I go.

I got to my feet, moving to my room with a lot of racing through my head, I need to think of a solution fast, I can't let an intruder have my house. Not on my watch.

~~~~~~~~~~~

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑜

I felt a sizzling pain in my head at the scene before me, no matter how much anguish it was causing me. I couldn't do anything. It felt like someone was blasting sirens in my ears and I was swept off by a mighty wave of migraine. I positioned my hands against my ears, unable to take in the pain. I watched his callous hands find their way to her neck as she tries to break free from him but his whole body imprisoned her, he was nearly trying to choke her to death.

She slammed his left hand so many times, revolting to save herself from him but her hits had no impact on him instead he intensified the pressure of his hands on her neck. Seeing her in that catastrophe broke my heart and I felt useless for not doing anything. I want to defend her but how, his height was so forbidding and I'm just like a little fly before him and if I tried to impede, I will be digging my own grave.

Sometimes I wonder how this monster turned out to be my father. There was homicide in his eyes as he went on to thrust the weight of his hands on her neck, she gagged and tried to grasp for some breath but his hands were malicious, giving her no room. Tears gushed down my eyes as I couldn't bear to see her in that pain.

I needed to do something quickly because he was bent on strangling her to death. But then it felt like something took over my body, I felt the sudden urge to annihilate him before he kills her. My body and eyes burned in fury and I scurried to the kitchen, I came out a minute after. Tightening my grip on the only thing I knew could make him defenceless.

I deliberately moved towards them and she was still battling to exempt herself from him. I traced my steps until I neared them, the force and the anger controlling my every step. I held up my weapon, ready to attack but I was very unfortunate. She plunged her eyes to as she strived to breathe and widened her eyes in shock.

The look in her eyes caused him to swift his head in my direction. I lurched my attack but he was too quick to stop me, finally losing his hands on her neck causing her to cough several times. Kneading her neck and gulping down as well. He yanked the knife from me as fear rode back in me. I stumbled backwards, avoiding the look in his eyes.

"You little monster, what were you thinking?" His cruel hand came in contact with my left cheek that I ended up landing my butt on the cold marble floor. I rubbed my cheek as another phase of tears flooded down my eyes. He raised his hand to hit me again but she dived in immediately.

Insulating me with her body. I watched the look he gave us both before storming off. She crouched, taking me in her arms.

I let out a gasp and flew my eyes open. I batted my eyes many times and sat up. It was all a dream, I keep having this same dream. I'm always hunted by this same dream. My reflections were interrupted by a high-pitched voice and the sound of water running. I pulled the pillows over my ears, trying to shut the noise but her voice gets higher the more.

What is she doing this time? Can't she stay without making a sound? Was this how she lived everyday? In frustration, I climbed down from my bed and wore my slippers. Making my way out of my room.

"𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑗𝑜𝑦, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒

𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑛

𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒? 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑."

She's singing and bathing at the same time. Who does that? Her high-pitched voice irritated my ears although I got to admit she has a nice voice. Still, it irked my ears. I want quietness, is that too much to ask for? First thing tomorrow, she's leaving. I don't care where she goes but she's leaving.

"𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒

𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑔𝑜, 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤

𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒."

~~~~~~~~~

𝑁𝑖𝑛𝑜

My singing came to a halt when I heard a rap on the bathroom door. "Can you keep it low in there? You are irritating the whole neighbourhood."

"Tsk….," a sound muffled under my breath. What is his deal? What is wrong with this guy? I can't sing anymore in my own house? I heard him move away and when I made sure he had gone far, I resumed my singing.

Minutes later, I was done bathing. I towelled my hair and body and stepped out of the tube. I wrapped a towel on my hair and body. I unlocked the door and walked out but was appalled to see him standing there.

"You scared me!" I lost my balance and slipped backwards, I almost fell but I grabbed his polo to refrain myself from landing on the bathroom's floor. He also held me from falling too. I gulped nervousness as his eyes remained on me.

I shifted my eyes from him and placed them on anything but him. My skin heat up in his grip and his closeness and eyes were causing havoc on me. Why does he like taking me unawares and how long had he been standing there? My pulse quickened and my heart roared against my ribs when he nears his face close to me. I tilt my head backwards, afraid to meet his gaze.

"Are you always this cranky?" He rested his hands on my arms and steadied me back on my feet.

I returned my face to him, arching a brow at him in question but he turned and left without saying another word. I let go of the breath I was holding the moment he left. Why are his touch and proximity having this much effect on me? Is he trying to tease me? Damn it! I need to get him out of my house. What if he trying to manoeuvre his way with me too just as he did to Mr Warren?

Silvers of worry needled my mind. And he has his ways of shutting me up.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head and walked back to my room. I dressed into my night dress and made my way out of my room again to the kitchen, I reached out for the cabinets. I opened the first cabinet and pulled out the cereal tin. I reached out for a plate as well, pouring a small quantity into the plate. I briskly move to the refrigerator and grab the milk can. Spilling a small quantity in the cereal. Added two spoons of sugar before walking back to my room again.

I flopped down on my bed and picked up my phone, going through the news. A spoonful of cereal found its way into my mouth as I scrolled through my phone. I browsed through my phone, and I saw a list of animated works that ranked up in the charts and much to my dissatisfaction mine ranked 8th in the ratings.

I cringed at the animated film which ranked first in the chart, "𝑊𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑐𝑒." Sometimes I wonder what's so intriguing about this animation. I watched it and it's okay but the way people go on and on about it was so overrated. Like some movie out of the ordinary. It was like any other normal fantasy animation.

I clicked on the animation my company made titled "𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑠." I read the reviews and felt aggrieved at the words of viewers, some people can be so lethal in words.

"Why does the male lead die each time a saffron touches him?" A viewer commented. "And the saffron is the only thing that brings him back to life ( hissed ). This animation is a whole waste of my time, I knew I shouldn't have watched it in the first place."

"This animation should've been a 3d animation, not a 2d but I must reckon that the storyline is a nice one and you guys should watch it." A smile appeared on my lips on that review.

I read another review and the disappointment stung again. "What the heck! What's up with the way they walk especially the male lead of the story? Why is he walking like he's being pushed around?"

I fling my phone down, couldn't take in the criticism. I was too engrossed in the reviews, forgetting my cereal. I looked at it and the water already soaked in, I placed the plate on my nightstand and lay on the bed.

Facing the ceiling and staring at it erratically.