FATIMA – Episode 14

©Miriam Edem

Episode XIV.

 

®Do not repost without due acknowledgement or permission of the writer.

 

I heard the screech of tyres as my eyes were tightly closed waiting for the end, but it seems death rejected me also.

“Get out of the way!” I kept hearing but in my heart I prayed “just crush me please”.

I felt someone dragging me while I struggled,

” let me die, leave me alone I want to die” I screamed out crying.

 

“She’s bleeding” I heard a calm voice and I slowly opened my eyes to see an elderly man with a young guy. My eyes became so blur, I knew I had lost a lot of blood,

“Do you have any number I can call?” I heard the elderly man asked but I passed out.

 

I woke up in a hospital and saw the young guy there watching me.

“Oh welcome back” he said smiling and I hissed.

“What am I doing here? Who asked you to bring me here?” I harshly asked.

 

“I don’t understand, we saved your life you should be grateful” he replied.

“Did I send you? Who begged you for that? Why can’t you just mind your business! I didn’t ask you to save me!” I screamed out and pushed down the drip stand while the guy shockily ran out.

I quickly took out what was on me to leave the hospital but they walked in with a doctor.

 

“Hey where are you going to?” The doctor asked.

“Next time doctor try to reject patients you won’t die, I didn’t beg anyone to save me did I?” I asked back.

 

‘My child listen to me…. “My father is dead, am not your child” I cut in and he nodded.

“Okay I’m sorry about that, but can you just listen to me? Whatever you are going through, suicide can never be the answer to that do you understand?” The man asked and I scoffed.

 

“It’s the solution because you’ll find rest, so you don’t know what you’re saying” I replied and wanted leaving but the doctor held me back.

“Do you realize your wounds are still very fresh?” He asked.

 

“I don’t care” I replied.

“Sit down here!” The doctor shouted pinning me on the bed.

 

“How old are you?” He asked while I just looked at him.

“You want to ki*ll yourself huh? Should I make it easy for you? Maybe I can start by cutting the threads one by one while you watch me draw it out forcefully and leave it wide open, what do you think?” The doctor threatened while the man slowly touched his shoulder.

 

“Please leave us alone” the elderly man said and we were left alone. The man sat down facing me while I just looked at him saying nothing after the doctor threatened the hell out of me.

“My name is Ola, what’s yours?” He asked.

 

‘Fatima” I replied.

“Such a lovely name, and I wonder why you want to end your beautiful life. Don’t you know life is precious?” He asked.

 

“Not mine, it lost the taste long ago, it’s just left with chaff waiting for when it will return to dust, but obviously am wasting time” I replied.

“Are you? Then I wonder why the car could not crush you, or why the wound couldn’t ki*ll you, maybe you are wrong” the man said.

 

‘If you had left me there, you could have been wrong” I said.

“Another person would have saved you my dear” he said.

 

“Can you just let me go now?” I asked not interested in the conversation.

“I will, but i’ll take you home myself” he said and I smirked.

 

“I don’t want that, I just want to be alone. I don’t want to see the face of my family, I’ve brought them so much pain and I can’t help it” I said and he breathed out.

‘I understand, you know…….. “You don’t understand anything” I cut in and bowed my head as tears began to flow.

 

“Can you come home with me? Don’t worry nothing will happen I promise you that” the man said and I looked at him for a while and accepted.

I left the hospital that evening which the man promised to bring me for checkups. On the way they tried talking to me but I turned dumb, I was thinking of how my life will be there and what my mother will be going through now am missing.

 

We finally arrived and surprisingly it was a church and we are to stay at the back of it where he built his house.

“You’re a pastor?” I asked when he stopped and he smiled.

‘I didn’t want to tell you, why you don’t like it here?” He asked but I threw my face the other side.

I was shown my room which I slowly entered and stood in front of a mirror to see my wound and I breathed out.

 

“Why should I meet a pastor na?” I frustratedly heaved out and laid down to sleep.

The next morning I heard a knock on the door but I was long awake because I could not sleep with the constant nightmares of my father whenever I close my eyes.

“Fatima?” I heard the guy voice as he knocked again.

 

I slowly left the bed and opened up,

“Good morning” he greeted but I didn’t reply.

‘Okay…. Ermm breakfast is ready. Pastor is calling you” he said.

 

“I’m not hungry” I said and wanted closing the door back.

“Then you’ll be keeping him hungry, he insist to see you” the guy said but I closed the door saying nothing to him and cleaned my face.

I went into the bathroom to tidy myself up, and I lazily left the room but found them waiting for me. There were 2 ladies older than me and about 4 guys including the pastor waiting for me, I almost forgot how to walk as all eyes were pinned on me.

 

I touched the chair there with my hands shaking, I was not expecting to see such number of eyes on me,

“Okay she’s finally out. Meet Fatima, she’ll be with us for a short while” the pastor said as I just stood facing them.

“You’re welcome, please sit” one of the lady said drawing my seat backward so I can come in and I slowly sat down.

 

“Did you sleep well? Cause your eyes are swollen” One of the guy asked but I just ignored and faced the noodles that was in front of me and ate quietly.

 

After eating I slowly thanked the pastor but he asked me to thank God instead. I nodded and wanted taking my plates but the lady offered to do that. I just left to my room immediately and breathed out, when I thought it will just be the pastor and the guy with him, I didn’t know there are more.

A knock came on the door shortly after and I opened up,

“Pastor asked me to give you this, but if you don’t like it he told me to escort you to the market to get your choice” the other lady said.

 

“Thanks, this will do” I took it and wanted closing the room back.

“Uhmmm, I think we share the room. I went for an all night yesterday that’s why you didn’t see me here, and I slept in church” she said and I looked at her.

 

“You mean this is your room?” I asked not understanding her English well.

‘Our room, this is not my house of course” she replied and I left the door and sat down on the bed rubbing my forehead while she closed the door after walking in.

 

“You don’t want me here?” She asked.

‘I just want to be alone please, I hope you understand?” I asked back and she nodded.

 

“I’ll pair with the pastor’s daughter then, but can I come in to take my things from time to time?” She asked.

“Sure it’s fine, thanks” I replied very happy.

 

‘It’s alright” she said and took few of her clothes and left the room.

 

That afternoon I managed to sleep but I was woken up for lunch. Ahhhh even lunch we will have to eat together? I breathed out and felt so much pain from the wound which I quickly took my medication and left to join them. The pastor was not around and I sat down,

‘Are you okay? Sorry we disturbed your sleep” The pastor daughter said.

“Cant I just eat in the room alone?” I asked.

 

‘Sorry but we are family here and this is how family eats right?” She asked back and I remembered home where we do sit on the dinning eating together. The dinning part united our family more, because sort of discussion were discussed there. My dad asked about school, I mean everything was being shared there as we consumed our meal, table manners were totally violated. I gave a weak smile and a tear dropped as that memory flashed back,

“Are you okay?” They asked.

 

“I’m sorry, am not hungry” I replied and left the dinning quickly to the room. How did I miss such memories because of Daniel? Ever since my misbehavior, all of that scattered. Despite my dad tried fixing it back but it was not working, in fact I was not interested because I was fighting them over Daniel, now I miss it so much. I just want to turn the hands of time to make things right, but its too late.

I painfully cried out in the room and cursed myself ignoring the various knocks on the door.

 

That evening I woke up from the ground I slept off so hungry. I left the room but could not find anyone at home,

“They are in the church cleaning up” I heard a voice behind me and turned to see the pastor.

“Welcome sir” I slowly greeted.

 

‘Thank you, are you feeling better now?” He asked.

“Just hungry” I replied.

 

“Okay, you can eat yours differently since they are busy, but on the dinning” he said and I nodded. He pointed to where the kitchen was and I left to take my food, when I came out, he was already sitting on the dinning waiting for me and I slowly sat down.

“They said you cried, did they bully you or something?” The pastor asked and I shook my head.

 

“I only remembered my foolishness” I replied.

“Can you share them? If you keep holding it to your heart, you’ll always be in pain and will never forgive yourself. Please share it out so you can be free” he said and I weakly smiled.

 

“I can’t be free even if I share it, that will be my cross to carry for the rest of my life” I said.

“Even Jesus needed help to carry the cross, Fatima, let me help you” the pastor said as I weakly looked at him.

 

Tbc

#milove