The Drug Addicted Mother (A story)

A mother’s love for her child soars higher than the highest flight of an eagle. It is firmer, stronger, and more reliable than the great China wall. Truly, It will be an insult to compare its height to Mount Everest, for it is much higher. Its depth and breadth cannot be compared to the Atlantic ocean, or any other ocean for it has no boundaries or limitations. The zeal of this love is much hotter than a burning furnace and with such love in my heart, I ran with my child firmly held in my arms.

I had already lost two children to the enemy, I refused to lose another. Hence, I ran insanely fast but my enemies were fast too. I considered myself a lone soldier, a brave one fighting with all her might for the sake of her child. My path was filled with trees, these trees had birds on them. The birds sang so loudly and on several occasions, I collided with the trees, for there were too many. However, the pain that came with this constant collision did not stop me from running as fast as I could. During the death race, my baby never made a sound. This made me more determined to take my child to safety. A child that keeps calm amidst great difficulties and hardship will be great in the future. All legends endured hardship calmly.

As the race got hotter and my desperation soared higher, for I was losing pace and the enemy was on the verge of catching me, I saw a cave. Without thinking twice I ran into the narrow cave. It was muddy and therefore made running quite difficult. The cave was also dark but thanks to my superb vision, I easily sighted a snake crawling on the wall towards me. Like a farmhand or a warrior during the pre-colonial days, I swiftly and fearlessly picked up the snake with my left hand, while holding my baby in my right hand. I threw the snake at my enemies and I heard them scream! Their panic brought a cold smile to my face but I didn’t once look back. I kept running until I came before a pool of water inside the cave. As the great swimmer which I am, I quickly dived into the water holding my baby with my right hand as I swam to the other side. I succeeded!

Though drenched with moody water I wasted no time and continued running. Shortly I saw an opening in the cave, I went through it and found myself in an open space filled with trees and people. This place brought a wind of hope. I thought the enemy won’t dare hurt me and my baby with all these fellas around. I felt safe. But will my safety last long enough?

The fellas all looked at me with a strange aura and bewildered faces. I thought little of their expressions thus I swiftly hastened my steps, who knows the enemy could be so barbaric that even this crowd might not make him relent from hurting my child and me. Unfortunately, as I moved with so much haste, I collided with a giant tree! The collision was so loud and painful that I landed heavily on the rough ground. Ahhhh! The pain was such that my whole body felt doomed. I almost kissed death but our tongues could not collide, for I’m a mother! I just can’t die, I must save my child. Hence, with hot burning tears on my cheek, a body in maximum pain, and a blurry vision I stood up slowly from my pool of blood, leaving the bystanders in awe. I could hear voices but I was in so much anguish that I could not decode anything. With an air of bravery, I carried my child from the ground. My poor baby had fallen a few steps away from me. Though I bled profusely since I was injured badly, my baby had not the slightest scratch. I was pleased. Poor me, my pleasant state didn’t last long. I observed that my baby was still and lifeless. I shook my child in terror but it made no sound. I pinched it so hard, but no result. I slapped it, still nothing. ” No! No! Don’t leave me! You can’t die” I said screaming as my face got bathed with tears. My whole body shook ferociously. I could feel myself losing grip of my posture. My heart was shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Alas! My baby’s soul has left. I failed as a mother!

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This discovery cleared my blurry vision and awakened me to a cruel reality. But adding to my misery were the bystanders. Their reactions and unkind words were beyond inhumanity. “This woman must be very mad.” said one.” You didn’t know before” replied another. “She carries the doll baby as if it was human. Look at her crying that it is dead! Na only kolo person dey do like that. See her body na mud full am, normal person dey do like that?” A man concluded. ” ” if you’re mad and you want to die, go do it somewhere else. Don’t cross the road you fool! You’re looking for who to kill you, you witch!” A man who was on the tree that had knocked me so brutally said. Their words and inhumanity drowned me in a floating ocean of pain. Ah! I wished I had wrapped my tongue with death. I wished there was nothingness, for man is way too cruel! Mesmerizing in pain and loss, I did not notice that the enemy was a few inches away from me. And when I finally did, I saw the sign of relief written boldly on his disgusting face. I did not run. And why would I? Of what use is running when the one you sought to protect is gone?! Oh! All this pain brought a legion of mad strength into my feminine frail body. I lashed at him with all my might and with the intent of crushing his very soul. Sadly, a mob quickly grabbed me, before I could completely devour him like a hungry lion. The gushing of blood all over his face, which was a product of my handiwork left me laughing out loud. “That’s for making my baby die,” I said at the top of my voice. Believe me, my child, I tried! But mother the lone soldier could not get you justice. Amidst my woes, I felt a sharp sting on my neck. My vision became blurred and I lost consciousness. What happened to me?

The next time I opened my eyes I was alone in a room. My head ached and my injuries were bandaged. I felt confused and wanted to scream for help but my mouth was shut by a voice. The enemy was talking to someone outside the door. I listened keenly, and heard him say; “Her condition has worsened, this time around she ran with a doll calling it her baby. I and some other doctors and nurses had to profusely chase her. She just ran into the major road colliding with cars. They kept horning but she ran without caring. I honestly thought one of them would knock her down, but luckily none did at first. She continued in her race and ran into a street, people’s clothes that were hung on a rope she took them and threw them at us who were in pursuit of her. As if that was not enough, the muddy water on the ground she dived in, as if it was a swimming pool, and crawled through. After that, she kept running until she got knocked down at the major road by a jeep. It was after the accident she realized what she was running with was lifeless and she attacked me, accusing me of killing her child. If not for those who held her, things would have gone out of control. We injected her and brought her back.” He ended.

“Lies! Lies!” I screamed. “You’re a cheap liar, there were no cars it was trees. No car horned, birds were singing. It was a snake I threw at you and your gang, not clothes. It was deep water so I had to swim. My baby died, it was not a doll. Lies! Lies!” I kept on yearning. At this point, my whole body trembled in confusion. While I was cooking in my pot of confusion, the door flew open. A man and a woman walked in. The woman’s eyes were swollen with tears. Her pitiful state for a moment brought sanity to me. It seems all my demons left and went on a stroll. Tears of genuine remorse ran through my cheek. I felt a grave pain in my heart. Alas! The stroll didn’t last for long. My demons returned and I ran towards the woman and held her head determined to pull it from her body. However, the man was stronger. He pushed me away and they swiftly escaped locking the door behind them. “Ada why! Why!” The woman said loudly from outside. “We sent you to school to get an education but you started doing drugs, today you’re mad!” She wept loudly. “Let’s go, we are never coming over here again. That thing is no longer our child, she is simply a bag of disgrace” The man said hoarsely. The outburst of the pain of the woman and the man’s declaration meant nothing to me. It only brought to my mind that which I have been craving for, my sweet white powder! “Where is my white powder” I demanded. “Give me some, give me some dope! Give me my coke!” I screamed, banging the door to no avail……

When the mind falls sick it creates Illusions that we believe to be a reality. Unwisely, we are sometimes the architect of this mental illness. Therefore, we make our mothers cry and our fathers broken-hearted.

I say no to the abuse of drugs, you can say the same.