Unlike other mornings, jumped out of bed,already singing her favorite songs. Unbothered,washing her little body in a washing basin with water equivalent to a coffee mug. She then wears her green and white uniform,not forgetting her jersey that had torned elbows because she liked being presentable.
Her everyday 5km walk from her aunt's place to school felt like 400m walk at football field. Things didn't make sense, she was just happy.
Halfway through her beautiful day at school she got a message from her teacher,saying her mother is coming back today. It was that moment when her heart skipped,goosebumps all over her body. She had a feeling that she couldn't explain,the feeling a mother gets when holdings her baby for the first time. The little girl couldn't help but cry,she was so happy that all she could do at that moment was cry.
All the sums she had to add, grammar she had to fix and sentences she had to construct left unattended because all that was on her mind while in class was the smile,scent and the touch of her mother.
Her mother that she last saw 6 months ago when she( mom) went to work for her sister(aunt) as a helper.
The sound of the bell,to her,had a different meaning that day. She didn't wait for any instructions,she quickly packed her books into her school bag and ran straight out of class approaching the school gate. She ran all the way to her aunts place.
Words got lost as she tried to explain what happened,her eyes sparkled with anticipation. Her aunt was stunned by news but didn't question because they've been waiting for this day.
Packing her little bag, leaving her aunts house. Going back to a place where she calls home. She could see the storm approaching but that didn't stop her from walking 6,5km ,anything to get home. Thunder and lightning striking as she hasten through the grass that's as long as her height.
From a distance,she could see the house that had 4 rooms but only one room belonged to her,she could see the place she called home, a place where she had too many "uncles" that shared the house with her. To her that's where she found sanity.
She enters the house like she has been pushed by an angry man,running to her mother's room, but no one answered. Not what she expected but that didn't kill her spirit as she knew that her mom was probably on her way.
Second after second looking through the window, minutes then hours,no sign of her mom. Stomach started to groan, eyes became heavy but no, she could not sleep because she had to see mom and she knew,she was going to bring food.
5pm...5:30pm...6pm..6:30pm... it was now 7pm, "should I wait a little longer" ... "she's probably just 5 minutes away" .."should I go back to my aunt's"..."it's already dark and it's raining" ... Thought ran through her little mind.
She accidentally fell asleep on the bed still wearing her green and white uniform.
It's now the late hours of the night,she felt a hand on one of her thighs,the hand was a bit hard and rough but that didn't matter because the woman she was waiting for FINALLY ARRIVED. Her heart skipped a bit,smile on her face as she slowly opened her eyes, IT WAS UNCLE. Sudden change, face full of disappointment but what could uncle possibly want at this time?
Before she could even ask,uncle started touching her in awkward places,she couldn't understand much,she was young,but she knew it was wrong. It was painful,it was sad but then it was uncle after all.
As uncle left the room she sat there crying,she couldn't go back to sleep,she was confused,she was angry and she was lonely. All she wanted was to see her mother. She just sat there 'till the morning sun rose again. She stood up and went to school.
Since yesterday,no food,same clothes,different girl and a different day.
All she ever wanted was to see her mom, she was nine years old and she is Black.
Photo : Cyncynea
Instagram ; cynea
No comments:
Post a Comment