The Possessed🪄
I was initiated into the marine kingdom sixteen years ago. I was seven then and in my third grade in school.
I remember that day so well. It was through an apple.
Everyone in the neighborhood knows my sister, Kambili and I those days as gluttons. We eat from door to door and even among our friends in school, we were referred to as ‘the parasites’.This was because we never get tired of eating from other pupils’ snacks with nothing to offer in return.
It was not our fault, though. Our dad was a miser. He was in full control of everything at home, ranging from food stuff and shoppings.
He had a store at home where he locked all the food stuff, from there, he measured out the quantity he desired for our mother anytime he wanted her to cook.
Mum never complained. She obeys all his order and would always scold us if we dare to trepass.
He had a bar he managed, with mum as his sales girl.
We only eat (very little portion of food) at mornings before going to school and late at nights after they come back from the bar. Some nights, they come home very late and we would be sleeping by the time they do. Nights like that, there won’t be anything for us and our breakfast will still be same quantity.
All they cared about those days was the progress of their bar and they won’t allow us anywhere close to it.
So we went about fending for ourselves the much we can. We knew the taste of every neighbors soup, even if our eyes were closed while we eat.
During break one Friday, I was sitting alone on the root of a giant mango tree in my school, since none of my friends were willing to share their snacks with me anymore . They said I beg alot.
“And not like you have ever shared anything with others”. Henry had observed.
I was sad, watching other children passed by with their snacks.
I sighted Kambili from afar, sitting on the window of a classroom with a senior boy. I watched as the boy opened a parcel and cut some portion of something for her which she collected and she threw it into her mouth immediately.
The senior boys love sharing their snacks with the girls. I envied her for that.
This made me wished I were an oposite gender.
As I sat admiring her, I felt a presence and on turning saw a younger pupil, a fair skinny girl sitting on another root opposite mine.
I thought she must be a newcomer because her face was not familiar to me at all.
Her smile was beautiful as she revealed a set of white teeth. But more beautiful was the goodies in her hand. I started salivating instantly.
“May I have one of those?”. I heard myself pleading, pointing at the two red apples in her hands.
She frowned at first but then after staring at them for a while, threw one at me.
“Thank you”. I said, already biting into it.
I have never tasted an apple so sweet in my entire life. She watched in disgust as I devour it greedily. I ate both the stem and the core, humming at every bite.
“Where did you get this?”. I asked her, licking my hands.
“My mother gave them to me, you can have this one too, I don’t really like apples”. She said, throwing the second one at me.
Today seems like my lucky day. Snacking on two mouthwatering apples, I wished my friends were there to witness.
I was barely done eating before the bell sounded for end of break. I thanked the strange girl and left for my class.
I smiled throughout the rest of the lessons and at a point, I was called out by my teacher to come and stand in front of the class. But it didn’t solve anything. I just couldn’t stop smiling for no reason at all. I have never felt so satisfied.
I didn’t go food hunting with Kambili that afternoon, I felt so full and just needed to rest.
Dad and mom came back from the bar much later that night and mom made four pieces of yam and stew for the four us. I gave mine to Kambili. She was as surprised as I was but she happily turned it into her plate without asking questions.
“Thank you, Dera”. She said.
I was awoken in the middle of the night by a faint whisper in my left ear.
I thought Kambili was playing some pranks at me, but she was there sleeping soundly besides me, wrapped in mom’s wrapper.
Just then, I felt a movement from the corner of my eye and I quickly shifted my gaze to the open window and what I saw sent cold shivers down my spine…
Typing 2……
Story by ⛔ Joy Ifunanya
