[STORY TIME] SNAKES AND SAINTS

ok, here's a really short story for the story lovers. Enjoy, and do drop your comment

 

SNAKES AND SAINTS

 

Mayokun listened to her cousin reel out the things he wanted her to buy for him the next time she came home. Though Gabriel was only two years younger than Mayokun, he had been compelled by her mother to address her as aunty. He had dropped out of secondary school, having decided that hewas not interested in schooling. He chose to be an artisan instead and had been enrolled with a bricklayer on their street, which was how he came to live with Mayokun’s family. The last time Mayokun had been home, he had been in cell for shoplifting, but it seemed that the space of a few months had helped him to change for the better.

       “I’m going to Ibadan to school, not to work.” She said amused

       “Hmn... but I saw the huge sum your mother gave you”

       “It’s for the purchase of my laptop”

       “Ehn, but students are the ones with all the money, but things will soon change for me sha” he said finally.

It was some hours before daylight, and they were at the end of the lonely path they were treading; the building beside which they walked prevented them from seeing the other fork of path that joined theirs, so that they could not see anyone coming until they got there. At first, Mayokun thought she had imagined that something moved nearby, but she was familiar with the path, so she did not bother to confirm it. By the time she realised that she was wrong, it was already too late.

Two men materialised from where they had been crouching in a nearby thicket, she immediately knew they were not on a friendly assignment. She was already paralysed with fear and neither she nor Gabriel moved; various thoughts flooded her mind. The men appeared calm but dangerous, her bag and luggage were collected; she shivered violently when her eyes caught something shiny. In her hurry to get back to where Gabriel stood, her phone slipped out of her sweaty hands, one of her captors motioned for her to leave the phone, flashing the dagger in her face. She stepped backward then and collided with Gabriel.

Before Mayokun could recover from the collision, they got to where she was; the one with the dagger held Gabriel’s hands behind his back and put the knife threateningly at his jugular vein. The other hit Mayokun heavily on the cheek and tore her gown roughly; his other hand was in a firm grasp at her throat so that she had to gasp for breath; against his heavily built body, her skinny hands were useless. Mayokun knew the worst was about to occur when she felt his erection press against her inner thigh, he forced his way into her, having shredded her underwear; she felt very helpless. He plunged deeply, ripping his way through, Mayokun’s hatred for him multiplied with every thrust. She was relieved when he sighed and stood up, but her relief was short-lived as she watched in despair as the two men swapped positions; one zipping up his trousers, the other zipping down. They were not through with her yet.

*                         *                         *

At dusk that day, Gabriel sneaked out of the house unnoticed and came back one hour later, N30,000 richer; he was very angry but did his best to conceal it.. He fumed; if the stupid man had not brought a third party, his share should have been more. Besides, the men had cheated him in his share because of his age and the secrecy the matter required, but he would teach them some lessons, he was only yet to devise a means. In fact, he thought, he should have had all the money; after all, the other two men enjoyed what he did not. Despite these setbacks though, Gabriel smiled and patted the slight swelling of the pocket of his trouser.

*                         *                         *

Sitting on the toilet seat, Mayokun buried her head in her thighs and sobbed quietly. She did not want her mother to hear her; else, she would suspect that there was more to the story of having being robbed only that she had told and also made Gabriel report.

She had lost what she would never regain to hoodlums and in front of her cousin too. What a humiliation! Her only solace was in the fact that they were now infected with HIV; neither of them had used protection. Her only regret was that it would take a while before they realised, and that she would not be there to see the expressions on their faces when they did. They could go to hell with the money, she would get it some other time when she could. She smiled wanly through her tears.

 

Adesoye, Ronke Eunice