GRACE DAVID'S CORNER: LIBERTY EPISODE SIX

EPISODE SIX
The battle came knocking on that hot afternoon in the wake of her Mama’s visit. Mama had arrived from Lokoja where she had retired to after years of active service in the public service. She was bearing more than just a sunny countenance, she carried gifts for everyone and for a moment Chide could forget her worries and get lost in the warmth of her Mama’s love. The house was bubbling with laughter when she heard the doorbell ring. She reluctantly extricated herself from the company of Becca and her Mama and went to answer the door, hoping it wasn’t one of the numerous visitors that frequented the house. But she met no one, the house wasn’t fenced in because the estate was safe enough and a fence would ruin the master plan. She had dreaded this when they first moved in but years down the line she had seen no reason for a fence herself. Now she stood staring at nothing but knowing there was something to be afraid of. Her phone rang at that moment; it was the private number and her hand shook as she put the phone to her ear waiting for whatever or whoever it was to speak. That undeniable evil laugh reached her ears and left her gasping for air. Before she could gather strength to speak the line went dead. She stood willing her eyes to scan her environment when all she wanted to do was run and hide. When she caught nothing worthy of her attention she walked back in and crumbled into her Mama’s arms too shaken to cry.
“Chide what is wrong?” she demanded frantic with worry sharing puzzled looks with Becca who was already on her feet.
“Mama she is back to torment me, she is back,” it was all they needed to hear. Her Mama held her tighter as if that would expunge the fear.
“Maybe it’s just pranks,” Becca dared to say but Chide shook her head vigorously.
They spent the afternoon with her until she was tired of their worrying and hovering and sent them away to Becca’s apartment at Maitama. She needed time alone before Jeff returned from his one day trip to Kaduna for a youth camp he had been invited to speak. She trudged up to her studio, looking but not seeing. The abstract painting from Sunday morning hung unfinished, just like her past and the people in it-Lines and strokes flowing to an unknown end. How do I finish this Lord? She wailed inwardly expecting no answer but it came anyway. Kill her!
She laughed, her voice sounding strange to her. How do you kill the wind, how do you kill an illusion built from a time you didn’t even exist as yourself?
She shuffled towards the unfinished canvas, reading each stroke, seeing herself in it. Small, sad and incomplete. The bile rose in her throat, the truth of it bred revulsion in her soul and she tore away the hateful canvas with a paper cutter that had cut her more than once. That evening was no exception as her blood flowed down her fingers and left her without any fighting spirit.
Tell him the truth; let Jeff know he had purchased a small, sad and incomplete painting.
***
Jeff drove up to the house, more than a little fatigued, and long overdue for a vacation. Where should they go? Chide would be excited if they went somewhere ancient and comfortable. Chide would be excited about leaving work even if it’s for a day. The location won’t matter. But with his schedule the idea of a vacation seemed a little ludicrous. He let himself in with his key. The house was dark and eerily quiet as he made his way up the stairs hoping Chide was still awake. He pushed the door to the bedroom open, the only light was coming from the bathroom, he walked towards it and found the object of his happiness in the bathtub. She had fallen asleep. He chuckled shaking his head at her childish display of reckless abandonment. He slipped out of his clothes and joined her in the bathtub. She woke up with such a start that he had to hold her to stop her from taking flight. She was still shaking from the fright he had given her that he laughed.
“I can’t believe it; you are sleeping in a bathtub of all places, what if I hadn’t shown up today?”
She shrugged, “I would have caught a cold or something worse, and you will have to live with that guilt for the rest of your life,”
He laughed heartily, “next time take a shower, I can’t deal with a guilty conscience,”
She held his gaze and took a deep breath before asking, “How are you?”
He shrugged as was his custom, “better than is expected,” he paused, “is that not your phone I hear?”
She shook her head, “let the thing be, it’s already 9pm,”
“But you are always taking calls later than that, maybe a member of our congregation needs help,”
“Let it be, see it has stopped ringing,” she smiled wanly. She had had enough of the phone anyway.
They stayed in the tub for close to an hour before she stepped out wrapping herself in a terry robe that swallowed her up and made for the walk- in closet to get her pyjamas when the phone rang again. She snatched it up from the bedside drawer seeing what she had expected, that same private number. She answered casting frantic glances at the open bathroom door.
“Dear girl, guess what I have for you?” that cracking voice that always caused chills to run down her spine came on without preamble.
“What?” she hissed.
“Liberty in flesh and blood, the tiny thing looks just like you when you were thirteen, she paints too and plays the piano, a genius, just like you,”
Chide felt her legs give way and she crumbled to the floor. The hag had been able to achieve what she had failed to achieve for the past thirteen years, see Liberty grow!
Post By : Grace David
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