Chapter 2

Accused

Snipy

I went in that night so heavy-hearted and kept turning on the bed, you won't blame me. Will you? It's not every time one encounters such kind of woman. It took till late at night before I finally dozed off

I blinked open my eyes to find myself standing on top of the sea in the middle of nowhere. A white light suddenly shone roundabout me and a mum-like figure appeared with tears in her eyes.

"Don't fight her, daughter, please. Let karma pay her back, just be careful and know what you eat," the mum-like figure mumbled in a voice like the rumbles of thunder.

"Why will you die on us mum?" I whispered at her as sobs upon sobs racked my throat.

"I'm sorry baby," she retorted in an airy voice and vanished and I woke up instantly, sweating so profusely and my head banging as if it wanted to fall off.

I checked my clock and it was reading 6 a.m. I slept late and still woke up early.

Just as I wanted to stand, a knock came at the door. I hesitated before I told the person behind the door to come in. I forgot to lock my door last night after everything.

"Baby girl," the evil lady whispered and pecked me.

At that moment I felt like hitting her with the headlamp beside me but then my country Nigeria will charge a little girl for murder and then I'll surfer for taking revenge on the killer of my mum and organizer of my rapers. The painful part was that I don't even have proof.

"Baby" she called, jotting me back from my world of imagination. I gave her a weary smile and greeted her.

"I brought this local herbal drink for you because of your incident, it will help you," she said, handing me a cup full of a greenish s**stance while rubbing my hair.

"Thank you mum," I answered and took the cup from her, holding it without taking it.

"Please drink up, it works better in the early morning that's why I brought it now," she said and I can swear I saw a smirk cross her face.

"I'll take it, mum, please you can leave now," I said lowly not wanting to sound harsh.

"But I just told you..."

"Mum, I'll drop this drink now if you won't allow me to drink it when I want," I threatened, interrupting her.

She looked at me, shook her head, and left.

I dropped the cup immediately but then remembered my little wily.

Wily is my bird that I cherish so much, she has no mum too just like I don't.

I remembered Mum's warning and took the drink to wily. Wily perched on it and kept jumping and I was relieved. At least she didn't want to kill me.

But then I'm not someone that takes anything inside my mouth if I've not brushed so I dropped the drink once more and went into the bathroom.

I entered the bathroom and decided to bathe once and for all. I came out after bathing to see wily on the nest laying lifeless. My towel dropped from my body and I rushed to it.

I opened the nest and carried it but it didn't even shake. "Wily, Wily," I called yet it wouldn't budge.

It was at that moment that realization hit me and a tear slipped from my eye. She just tried to kill me. Gosh, my step mum just tried to kill me. I'm soaked in tears.

I was still crying when I remembered my brother. My brother!

With quick movements, I dressed into bum shorts and singlet and rushed out, not caring about my wet body and poking little nipples.

***

I scurried into my brother's room not even remembering to knock only to see him about to take a spoon of rice into his mouth. I rushed to him and pushed it off his mouth making the spoon fall off his hand.

"Why did you do that?" He asked in a cool voice staring surprisingly at me even though he was supposed to be barking cause that's how we trained ourselves.

"Please go and brush and bathe. Before you're back I'll make you breakfast myself" I whispered and took the plate of rice from him.

He looked at me with concerned eyes and started rubbing my hair. "Are you ok, sis? You're acting weird."

"Just listen to me, please. I'm fine. Nothing is wrong with me. I just want you to brush and bathe. And I also want to prepare your meal. Or is it wrong to prepare a meal for you now?"

"But I'm hungry, I ate early yesterday at exactly 4 p.m. I'm so hungry right now," he whined and took the food from me.

I took it back from him and started working out but he rushed me and snatched the food back from me.

"If you make yours fast then I'll not eat this but if I come out and there is no food here I'll eat this available one. Accepted?"

I gazed at him and opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out cause even though my drink was poisoned

I'm not so sure his food is poisoned too but then when there is a devil in the home one needs to be extremely careful.

Not having any other option, I accepted the offer and took the food back from him having the thought to throw it away not minding if I finish on time or not but he once more took the food from me and told me to leave already cause I know he doesn't waste time in bathing.

"What should I prepare for you?" I asked hoping he will choose something easy to prepare and doesn't waste time to be fully readied.

"Because of the deal just prepare spaghetti for me" he retorted and smiled at me.

I returned the smile. "Bro, promise me you won't eat this food till I'm back."

"I promise, baby sis, now go," he grumbled and pecked me, pushing me off while he entered the bathroom.

I watched him keep the food on the table before I closed the door and hurried to the kitchen.

"What are you doing in the kitchen baby girl?" Step mum asked as she walked into the kitchen, a surprised expression on her face.

Maybe she's wondering how it's possible that I'm still alive and not dead as she planned.

"I just want to prepare what I would eat or don't I have the right anymore?" I asked her just to taste her patience.

"Of course, you do," she answered, muffled a chuckle, patted my back, and walked out.

I went to where everything was placed and started cooking. In less than 30 mins, my food was ready due to the high degree I put the gas cooker in.

I hurriedly dished it out rushing into my bro's room. I was still at the door when he screamed so loudly and a loud thud echoed.

I rushed in to see him on the floor shivering and vomiting whitish s****ances like foam.

"Brother!" I screamed and glanced at the plate on the floor only to discover that he ate that rice I told him not to.

The plate of spaghetti fell from my hands and I squatted before him.

"Brother, what did you do?!" I screamed at him, sobbing.

"I..co..uld..n't..ho..ld..m..ys..el..f..si..s..I..w..ai..te..d..fo..r..yo..u..bu..t..yo..u..w..ou..ld..n't..co..me" he stuttered. "But how come my food was poisoned? Step mum gave it to me" he added smoothly.

"That's because she wants to kill us all," I cried.

"My stomach hurts, sis, please get help, help."

I rushed out screaming "help! help!" and dad was quick to rush in and we took him to the hospital.

"I'm sorry, sir, you brought him a little late, the poison in him wasn't just a rat killer poison that can be removed easily. Your son just slipped into a coma and his state is a 90 to 10% chance of survival. To be honest, I doubt he will survive," the doctor informed dad and walked out and I fell to the floor in tears.

"Who fed my boy that food?!" Dad barked.

"She did, honey" my step mum answered. "Your precious sweet daughter did."

"Me?" I asked her wide-eyed.