The Slave

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 14

“Take this food and eat, take it”

Ola said as he stretches the plate of fufu and edikaingkong soup for Nma. “Take it,” he repeated.

Nma pushed the plate from his hand, scattering the food all over.

“I’ve had enough of this nonsense, Ola screams. “Enough of it. This is three months since Ukeh left you, three good and solid months and you still haven’t gotten a hold of yourself. I am sure Ukeh would be dead already because there is no way he will survive the white man’s gun”

“What did you say? Gun? What is gun?” Nma asked.

“erm, erm, erm, ola stammers

“Forget what i said and eat your food” he finally said.

“No , I heard you well. You said gun, what is a gun and why will Ukeh not survive the gun? Answer me, ola answer me now” she cries

“Stop crying okay, you know I don’t like it when you cry, it hurts my heart so dearly, please stop crying.

“Then tell me what you meant by Ukeh will not survive the white man’s gun. What is a gun? And how is it connected to Ukeh? Nma asks again

“Well, that stick that the white man is always carrying about that drops people dead like chickens, that is the white mans gun. When they fire it at anyone it kills me he person Immediately”

“Chai Abasi” Nma cries putting her two hands on her head. Did they fire it at Ukeh, have they killed him? Tell me please, Ola please.

“Can you please stop crying? I told you times without numbers to stop crying for that Ukeh. He left you, he left you don’t you get it? I tried to stop him but his mind was made up. Apparently you mean nothing to him, his sister is his only priority”

Nma starts sobbing again as she remembers that day, when Ola came back without Ukeh. He had bleeding scratches all over him and when she asked him where Ukeh was, he had told her that before they got to the place the white boys had already left and entered thier ship preparing to leave, He said Ukeh asked him to return back to the village that he was following the ship. He said he tried to hold Ukeh back and it led to a fight between the two of them. He said he had begged Ukeh and reminded him that Nma was still behind waiting for him, but Ukeh told him to tell her that, Nti was all he cared about now and that she should go and live her life, get married and have children because he was never coming back without his sister.

As Nma remembers she cries even more.

“Listen Nma, I am here for you okay? Ukeh is not coming back, he is probably married to a fellow slave girl or even a white girl, or he might even be dead already. Do not waste your time over a man that chose his path. You have your life to live, do not waste it over a man that doesn’t deserve you okay? Nma, Nma my heartbeat, you know I’ve always cared about you, and I won’t ever leave your side like Ukeh okay? Come let me feed you, come and eat my dearest.

Nma looked at Ola, she didn’t know if to believe him or not, she knew Ukeh or maybe she thought she did, but the period she was with Ukeh he was all she prayed for, he cared for her, loved her, adored and treated her like a queen. It is true that Ukeh wanted so badly to save Nti but what she didn’t understand was why did he tell Ola to ask her to get married and have children. Why not ask her to wait for him that he was coming back. She was ready to wait until her hair turned grey, why would he ask her to live her life.

She burst into tears again, got up from where Ola was trying to feed her and runs into her hut shutting the small wooden door behind her.