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Episode 3

Uzo left the house angrily,leaving a warning that he doesn’t want to see the baby in his house when he returns.

Esther was chattered. She was devastated,confused and heartbroken.

After the baby fell asleep,she went to her room, thinking about what to do. She looked at the time.

It was getting late and her husband would soon be back. She dreaded and feared what he was capable of doing.

“Maybe I should take the baby with me to Ngozi’s house first.” Esther said, referring to her beat friend who lived across the street.
Esther quickly picked up the baby and dressed her up.

She dressed up to and wrapped her with a shaul,then left the house, taking an umbrella with her.

Ngozi was cooking in the kitchen when her door bell rang.

She dried up her hand in the kitchen towel and left the kitchen, humming a song to herself.

“An an!” Ngozi said as she opened the door for Esther who quickly entered.”What’s happening here?” She added.

Esther put the sleeping baby on a couch and sat beside her, breathing in.
“Ngozi…. I’m in trouble.” Esther said with a quivering voice.

Ngozi looked at the sleeping baby and back at Esther, confused.” What…..what’s happening here? Whose baby is this?” Ngozi queried.
Esther breathed in and narrated what Happ and how she took the baby home.
Ngozi looked at her, surprised.” Esther,how could you? Aren’t you afraid? Aren’t you scared if the baby is even normal?” Ngozi asked,peering down at the baby.
Esther breathed in.” This baby is one hundred percent normal. What would you have advised me to do then? Leave the baby there?

No now! I’ve experienced labour pains, Ngozi and I could not bring myself to leave this baby there.” Esther said,trying to fight back the tears that welled up in her eyes.
Ngozi breathed in and looked sympathetically at Esther.” So,what are you going to do now that your husband has rejected her? This is serious problem o. Where are you going to keep her now?” Ngozi said and Esther looked at her.
“Ngozi…..I want you to keep this baby.”
“En? What did I hear you say? That I should do what? Keep a total stranger in my own house?” Ngozi exclaimed.

“Keep your voice down please.” Esther said, looking pleadingly at Ngozi.
“Why would you ask me to keep this baby in my own house? An an!

Do you want my fiance to get mad at me or probably think I had a baby but never told him? Please, Esther…I…I… can’t!” Ngozi said, standing up.

“Please, Ngozi! You are my only hope right now! I don’t want to take this little baby to the orphanage home…she won’t get enough care there.

Just do this for me for our friendship sake…. please.” Esther begged and Ngozi’s face fell as she looked at the baby.

The innocence in her small face melted her heart.

Ngozi walked over to the baby and sat beside her, taking her little pink hand in hers. She smiled.

“She’s pretty.” Ngozi said, holding the baby’s fingers.

Esther smiled too.” Yes…the mother was pretty too.”

“But….I can’t take this baby to work everyday…how do we do that?” Ngozi asked, looking up at Esther.

“Don’t worry about that. I will come by,every morning to pick her up,then drop by every evening to drip her with you when you come back from work.

” Esther said and Ngozi nodded and stood up.
“And her name?”
“Amarachi.” Esther replied smiling with tears.

Ngozi smiled.”Wow. I love the name. Please…I’m coming..let me check out my food on fire.” Ngozi said and left.
Esther stared down at Amarachi and smiled.”Now…you have a home.”


The ambulance carrying the dead bodies arrived in the evening at the village,with loud siren blaring out of the vehicles.

Villagers gathered, screaming in tears. The women following the vehicles held up the couple’s pictures, singing a sad song as they made their way to mama’s compound.
Mama was unconsolable. She cried a river.
At the sight of the two coffins being brought out of the ambulance,mama gave a loud scream and struggled out of the women holding her and ran towards the coffins, hurling herself at them.

They held her again and dragged her back to the front house,before she could injure herself.

People cried as they watched the scenario.
“You people should leave me! Aahh!! Monica,I want to die! Apu mu aka!!( Leave me alone)
What is this! No! Somebody should tell me my son is not in that box!

No…Osita nkem will not let anyone cage him like that!

You people should bring him out! He’s not dead!!” Mama cried trying to struggle put of tge hands holding her but they held her tightly.
When the men carrying the coffins finally settled them on the tables at the middle of the compound, mama sat down slowly,her breath quickening as she looked at the coffins.

She could not believe it that both her son and her lovely daughter in-law were gone and gone for good.

Slowly,she got up,waving her head as she walked slowly towards the coffins. Some women quickly followed her too lest she becomes violent again.

She got to the coffins and placed her hands on them,hot tears running through her wrinkled cheeks.

“Osita….was this what we talked about? You promised to make it big in the city and bring a grandchild! Why this! Why? Why? Osita,why?
Where is the grandchild you promised me? Aahh…Osita you are wicked!

Where is the grandchild..where!” Mama cried,her tears becoming petals on the coffins.
Just behind her, Ifeoma appeared,tears of blood all over her face as she looked at mama eagerly.

“Mama! I have a daughter! You have a granddaughter!” Ifeoma’s voice echoed but it bounced back at her for no one even heard any of her words.
“An an,mama… aren’t you hearing me? Mama….I have a daughter! Can’t you just try and hear me?

Mama! I have a daughter!” Ifeoma’s voice echoed but her voice continued bouncing back at her.

“Death…you have dealt me a shameful blow in the face! Who’s going to buy me bread from the city?

Who is going to come during Christmas and organize food for the family if not Ifeoma?
Who? Aahhhh..I’m doomed! Death come and take me ooohh!” Mama cried, repeating the last word all over again.

Ifeoma’s eyes turned bright red were filled with anger as her bloody hands twisted into a fist.

She gave a loud wailing scream and thunder roared all over the sky, sending down an heavy rain with powerful breeze,that blew off all the canopies and chairs.

People scattered. They screamed as they ran for protection.
Leafs were shaken. Windows and zinc clattered.

A mysterious darkness circulated the whole place but mama cried on… knowing fully well that the couples were at work.


Ngozi smiled on as she mixed the baby’s food, singing a lullaby to make her stop crying.
Esther had just dropped by with the baby and has gone home almost immediately. Amarachi’s hands were in her mouth as she s—-d hungrily.

The next minute,she was crying and another minute she is sU-Cking.

Ngozi was already fond of the baby within three days.

She even brought her baby things already even without asking Esther.

Ngozi carried the baby in her arms and picked up the baby’s feeding bottle but just as she opened the cover, something happened.
She felt a strange presence and looked around, feeling strange too.

She looked at the baby and gasped ,the feeding bottle in her hand slipping away and the content spilling on the floor.

The baby opened her eyes as she became still…her eyes turning into blue.
“No…no….no!!”Ngozi screamed,her body and hands trembling as she watched yet another shock.

Right there on the baby’s fore head was the sign of the cross in red… dripping with blood……….


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