Silently Deep – Episode 16

SILENTLY DEEP Episode 16

 

Natalie….

“We didn’t come this far for you to just fall in love with that Theo my dear, no, am not going to let you do this Mercy, never! Now listen to me, your stupid acts almost got Theodore to discover us. The guy from the shanty told me he saw Theo and that Mwila at the house.”

“What?” I asked surprised. I had seen Theo walk in and the time I was almost telling him what was happening, he didn’t mention anything about the small house in the compound.

“Don’t play dumb with me Mercy! I made you and I have the power to destroy you, I have the power to send you back to where I picked you from. Then we can see how much Will come out of you. It’s your job to keep that man in track. Make sure he is so deep in love with you and follow my instructions smoothly till I say otherwise!” She went on scolding me like I was her child.

“We don’t need to do this anymore, you should have seen how much he is hurting, that guy is a good person. We have done more harm to him already, he is keeping a child he has no idea isn’t his. You should see his face and happiness everytime he looks at that boy. What did he ever do to you” I paused shaking my head.

“No, am tired of this my dear, am not going to hurt him anymore I can’t take it anymore” I cried honestly feeling hurt too.

I knew I was somehow stuck with the furious woman before me, she had made me her prisoner of some sort and if I had known how far she was willing to play her games, I could have chosen to wallow in poverty and even if I hated what I used to do before, I was better off than an imposter woman who was playing some lunatic woman’s games.

She lifted my head holding the hair extensions I had on, making me look up at her face.

“You are going to go back home, no drinking today, I need you to stay focused I will tell you what to do next and this time I don’t want failure. I don’t care if you feel you have fallen in love with that man, he is never going to be yours. He is mine, he loves me and you are going to teach him how to love me again. ” she gnarled angrily.

“What if i say no? What if I tell you I cannot do this anymore because I love him? ” I stood up challenging her.

“You love him? Hahahahah!” She laughed loudly moving away from me shaking her head.

“You love him when you knew from the word go why you had to go into his house? Are you trying to get me pissed right now!” She yelled loudly into my face.

“Theo is mine you idiot, and let me warn you, if you don’t do as I say, not only will I make your life miserable by killing your sweet mother and taking away the kind of life I gave to your child. I will not only do that but I will make sure Theo and the whole world knows who Natalie really is” she smiled wickedly enjoying every minute she was tormenting my poor soul.

“Why can’t you do things yourself? Ehh? Because you know you will be sent to prison the moment the truth comes out. Am no longer scared of you, I agreed to this because I needed the money. But what is money if you cannot be happy.” I shook my head.

“Well, you want to taste my patience Mercy. Now watch me as I destroy every little thing you hold dear. Instead of the 2 years ultimatum I gave you, am going to make sure you come out destroyed and with nothing to walk out to. Yes am capable of doing that, Getting rid of people who get in my way of happines and if you want to be my next target, well, be my guest!” She spat and grabbed her hand bag walking towards the hotel room door.

“Keep your phone close cause I will be sending photos of your dead mother!” She turned to look at me her heels making a squeaky noise as she turned.

“Please don’t murder my mother, she has nothing to do with all this” I ran to beg her .

“In 2 years I have tortured her and she doesn’t deserve that” I added.

She looked at me standing tall besides me, “get yourself together and do as I say. Am not to discuss the consequences of your misbehaviour” she pointed a finger at my face and pushed my hands away from her and walked up like a movie star, her hair dangling behind her and her perfect shape well fitted into some light brown jumpsuit complimented with white heels and a white handbag.

I wondered why a woman with so much beauty and power was using me to get things done when she seemed so qualified to do whatever she wanted on her own.

I shook my head in dismay. She always intimidated me and I recalled the first time I met her.

I went out on my what used to be usual night outings in some club. Due to circumstances in my life, I opted to start servicing men for money by dancing for them at a strip club. It was not something I was proud of but I had to do it for survival. She watched me as I did my business dancing on the pole. Some men whistled and clapped as I danced gracefully in just a thin undies and my breasts pointed out.

One great thing about my body was the right curves I had in the right places. I was hired speciafilaly for that and with time, I discovered I had become a favourite for most of the spectators of the club.

Most people including Cleopatra mistook me for a whore and honestly I became tired of defending myself. I came to understand no matter what you did, people would always have something to say about you.

“Well done Natalie!” Cleo clapped her hands as I walked to the back stage after my show was over.

“Excuse me, do I know you?” I asked stopping before her.

“Not yet, but I got this feeling you are going to be my best friend” she smiled widely at me.

“Hm. If you are here to waste my time am sorry but I got a son to rush to” I walked past her but she pulled my hand slightly back.

“Are you proud of what you do Mercy?” She asked using my real name. I had deliberately come up with the name Natalie as my stage name to avoid a lot of people knowing who I trully was. Only my good friends and the manager of the club knew my real names and somehow i hated the guts of the woman before me who seemed to be so aware of my little details.

“Lets just say, am the kind of woman that gets what she wants. I have enough money to help you get out of this business and lead a decent life that will make your mother and son proud. She doesn’t have to know you do this for a living my dear. This is a job for prostitutes and from what I have gathered, you are kind of different.” She remarked folding her hands across herself I could see the expensive gold watch on her wrist, her markeup was like it was done by a professional and her blood red dress that went half way her thighs made her look like a movie star. She smiled at me as I went on checking her black heels with some glitters on top that matched the gold and silver chain around her neck.

“Call me when you decide to work for me” she smiled ignoring my obvious admiration of her perfection, she handed me a business card with her names on it.

I looked at my hand where she he placed the card and back at her face.

“Am sorry, I don’t deal with strangers” I smiled back at her and handed her back the card but she pushed it into my pants and walked away her behind moving from side to side making me look down on myself like i was nothing.

“Who is she?” I asked myself walking into the dressing room.

The following day I sat with my friend Shila. Shila and I had been friends from way back in high school. Though she unlike me, never got to complete her grade 12. Her father died and her mother who back then just got a farm in Mumbwa was so broke to pay for her fees and she opted to drop out before we could get to the final grade.

I was lucky I went through and completed even though my mother could not afford to pay for my college. I messed up a year later falling in love with a guy from the neigbourhood who got me pregnant and later on denied responsibility. My mother was constantly sick and I had no way of finding money to take care of myself and the kid. I was introduced into the strip business by some friends.

“Who is she?” Shila asked me snapping me from my thoughts.

“Yeah, I have no idea my friend.you should have seen this woman. She was standing there before me so neat, so elegant I could tell whoever she was had money.” I made some gestures as I explained things to her.

“Really? I wish i could look like that you know. Look at us, you became a strip dancer whilst I married a man who cannot even provide enough for my stomach. He has been gone for months without even bothering to call me to tell me how he is and here i am waiting like an idiot meanwhile some people are living out there like gods” she complained like she always did.

“Well, as for me I know if I can get a decent job, to get just enough to help my mother and son, then that would be enough. Am not intrested in anything else dear. Wealthy is not for us for sure” I shrugged sadly.

“Why are you not giving this woman a call? Tell her you will want to know what she wants you to do for her and just maybe she can hire me too. I can’t keep working as a maid you know. Am so tired of this kind of life.” She bravely spoke.

“I forgot to mention that there is some bad vibe with this woman my dear. Something tells me she is not good and I don’t want to get myself in trouble. Unlike you with a husband atleast and a mother who helps keep your child, I have no one else to help me. My son still needs a mother you know” I shook my head

“Mercy, you are always negative, come on, it’s obvious that woman like your dances what else would she want you to do? Maybe she has a club or some better business she wants for you. Okay just try her and if you are not intrested in whatever she wants you to do then let me do it” she held my hand.

“I don’t know my friend, my heart is not at easy. But if you insist I will tell her about you” I smiled at her and she nodded her head smiling too.

“Good, do that. I cannot keep waiting for Henry who God knows what he is doing down in Northen Province.” She breathed deeply looking away from me.

Little did I know that was going to be the beginning of a life I never imagined was possible.

 

Story continues…

©Tisa Phiri

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