THE LAST GIRL
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She held Lilla’s hand and said with a faint voice, “Call her Esther.”
Eunice closed her eyes, leaving her sister Lilla to believe she had passed away. Lilla hurriedly made her way out, shouting, “Doctor! Doctor!
Lilla rushed in again with the doctor behind her, adjusting his stethoscope. But, surprisingly, she had opened her eyes with a faint smile.
Eunice adjusted herself on the bed and turned to Lilla, saying, “Call my baby Esther.”
She finally breathed her last.
“Eunice! Eunice! Doctor, see her! Doctor! “See her; she closed her eyes.”
The doctor knew Eunie was gone, so he asked Lilla to step out. ***
The story you are reading is a sorrowful one, one that you may not wish to hear. But it will be worth reading.
The sad incident happened when Eunice was a tender girl aged 18. She and her sister were coming from the market that day; it was not a good day as they had to trek home, having made no sales.
They drank the last cup of garri they had before leaving for the market to sell cassava peel. That was their product; they would peel cassava to get some money and sell the peeled skin.
They returned home that day with no sales; suddenly, the thought of what to eat filled their hearts. Lilla remembered a woman had promised to buy from them while coming back. She decided to go back. She Eunice to go home ahead of her.
Since they tragically lost their parents, Lilla was like a mother to Eunice, and two of them had been living alone.
Their mother died while in labour pain of her third child.
Their father took care of them but also died few years later.
That day, while Lilla made her way back. To see the woman, it became cloudy. She wanted to stop going, but they had nothing to eat that night.
She hastened her steps to meet the woman. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side as the woman happened not to be at home. Exhausted as she was, she knew she had to hurry back to meet Eunice. That night, hunger would keep them awake but it was a common occurrence. The days of hunger were uncountable.
As she got close, it started drizzling.
There was no need to carry the peeled cassava again while being beaten by the rain. She dumped it in the bush, covered her head with the bowl, and hurried down to catch up with his sister.
The unbelievable happened.
She first met two guys running in her opposite direction. It was funny that while she ran in their direction, they ran in her direction too.
None of them waited.
She ran past them and felt suspicious. She was close to their house when she saw Eunice from afar.
When she caught up with her, Eunice was crying so loudly.
“Where is your bowl?” Where is your scarf?”
Eunice had no scarf on her head. Her bundle of cassava peel was not with her.
Part of her top was torn and she looked like she had fought someone….*””
Written by ๐ Tosin Ezekiel
