Golden Grace

               'Being a woman is synonymous to being a warrior. I watched in pure innocence as my mom carried out the chores and ran her home. At fifty, she still carried the fire woods, she still chased us around with her whip, she still walked with cracked bare foots to the village parish. I learnt a lot from her. Illiteracy wasn't a barrier to her thriving.' All these thoughts about my mother, did I remember as I took the bowels of oranges Aunty Mba ordered me to sell at the express way.

                         "Aunty good afternoon." I greeted my aunty who never had a smile on her wrinkled face. Her head undefined, her lips plum and dark with a large nose that scares off people. The only admirable thing in her face was the length and healthiness of her crystal long hair that flew past her shoulders, even at thirty three. Her breast could be compared to two watermelons and her buttocks looked incredulously absurd. As one looked larger than the other. That was Aunty Mba, my mom's immediate younger sister.

                 "Good afternoon. Have you finished today's sales?" she gave me a frightening look. I almost peed on my pants. I didn't even make any sales today. While carrying the large bowel of Oranges on my braided hair, which I usually sell in the express way; my ' aju' slipped off from where I had positioned it and my oranges were dispersed all over the dirty ghetto street. Street boys ran to the various directions the sweet oranges fell and took them. 'Thiefs! Thiefs! my oranges!' my yells still didn't move a single soul to return the oranges; as they all claimed my name wasn't written on it.

           I didn't have to cry, because it would just be a strain of my tear glands. I knew I would still cry a river by the time Aunty Mba's 'Mr Do good' strikes my buttocks. Aunty Mba is a no nonsense woman with a heart of stone. Her only child 'Ijeoma', was married to a wealthy man. Unfortunately for her, the man was a miser. Aunty Mba never benefited from the man's wealth. I think that added to her always sorrowful expressions.

              "Ma__Otule and his friends ran away with the oranges when it fell off." I was almost at the brim of tears. She hissed and tied her Ankara scarf on her waist. "You said Otule? Follow me! Let me know if his mama no born him well." The fighter dragged me by the hem of my dress outside the two rooms apartment. She used a key to lock the huge padlock that protected the house. On our way out, Mama Edo was grinding pepper with stone. Other neighbors were doing one or two things outside. Including Papa Peter who was holding Koboko. His wife 'Mama P' was kneeling down; serving punishment. The man was a wicked man. At times, he punishes his wife alongside the children, together. Just to prove that he was the man of the house.

"Madam Mba!" our next door neighbor hailed my aunty who was marching eastwards to the direction of Otule and his guys hang out's.

"The One and only!" without a glance at the woman, my aunty praised her self. Otule was one of the bad boys in the dirty ghetto. Although he was no where to 'Agbo'. The most feared killer and rapist in the whole ghetto. Otule was just a minor even though he was a womanizer. At 21 he already had guys that followed him in his dirty deeds.

"Otule! Otule! Come out of there o. Eehh_" Aunty Mba barked when we were in front of his slum hang out. "Who is that mother fucker that is calling my name!" he yelled. One of the characteristics of Otule is speaking big big English, that intimidates others. He came out on a big khaki knicker and a dirty boot.

My fat aunty rushed him and gave him two slaps in a row. "Bring out my money or you produce my oranges, you good for nothing armed robber." she didn't know what she was saying again, since anger took over her. Typical Aunty Mba.  People around covered their mouth in disbelief. Who gave her such guts to confront Otule? their expression screamed. 

"Mu wa bu Nwa mama, ka Udele a kpara aka." (A whole mama's pikin like me, that this vulture tampered  with.) Otule sparked. I started using my eyes to find an escape route, in case a bloody fight begins. Boys started coming out from all angles. Until then, did my aunty realize what she was in for. When they were getting too many, I turned my back and fled. I ran without a backward glance or any thought of rescuing my troublesome aunty. Two hefty guys among Otule's crew pursued me until my legs got weak, leaving me to fall like a clothe to the ground.

"Na  fine babe she be. (She's a fine girl.) One of the two muscular guys licked his lips  upon scrutinizing my face.

"And she carry eh" the other guy was warming his both hands together, his eyes filled with lust.

I had to think and act fast. If not, I will loose my innocence to random wayward guys at seventeen.  Immediately the taller of the guys removed his belt to go down low on me, I grabbed a huge plank that was beside me and destroyed it on his 'Obama cut' hair. Mission Accomplished! I turned in relief, forgetting that there was yet another person to smash. I was stunned when I saw the other guy vibrating in anger and moving steadily towards me. His hands clenched.

"After entering you, you will be bed ridden for a whole year." He swore as he loosed his belt in haste. He used his huge frame and pinned me down to the ground that was very dangerous to be on, due to the pieces of glasses here and there. He used just two of his right fingers to rip off her frail pink panties that were wobbling on me. Chai! I don die. (Chai! I have died.)

I quickly used my knee to kick him in between his legs and fled off like a mad dog. Thankfully, only my pant was torn and ripped off. By the time, i reached home, i saw people sympathizing with Aunty Mba. I neared her and saw that her cheeks were swollen as 'Puff Puff'. "Sorry ma" I muttered when no one acknowledged me. "Ajo nwa!" my aunty flew up and pursued me with a whip. "You fled and left me to face my fate, baa?  You will sulk breast today as night food. Ewu hausa!" she cursed me before adding "Who knows if you haven't settled them with one round of 'Honey'." "I'm innocent ma" I defended myself. "Innocent Indeed! Miss Innocence Akam di ocha, ome mma" she mocked me. Tears rolled from my eyes, what had I done to deserve all these belittlements?

"Come here!" she huskily ordered, so I came. She pulled up my gown and my bare ass were in display in the dusk. "Chim o! Alu o!" she screamed in shock and exaggeration. "Ma I can explain." she would soon tell lies to those who will gather. Women, men and kids gathered around. The most embarassing was that she refused to pull down my gown, leaving my bare ass in display for the jobless crowd. "Ashawo! Akwuna kwuna! See how she carries bare buttocks to render services to the whole ghetto male indigenes. I will send a message across to your mother in the village. Let her follow me and see what I am seeing." She yelled on top of her husky voice. 

I knew better than telling anyone, Otule's boys tried raping me. I might never see the breaking of the next day. She pushed me out of her house and ordered me to go and find her goats which had strayed away, and never return until I bring them back. I knew it was impossible. The goats are black for crying out loud. Who looks for a black goat in the dark? No one sensible!  I just had to return back and be trashed severly.