When Life Happens (A Story: Part 3).

Kindly click here to read the previous parts of this mesmerizing story.

Desperate for help Ella dialed Kingsley’s phone number, the call connected and she kept her eyes tightly shut determined to go through with the call. Yes, she will call her rapist and ask for help in order to save her siblings who were the victims of another rapist. What a twist of fate, the universe must be taking her for a joke and having a good laugh.

He took the call and said “Hello” in that deep masculine voice she remembers so well. The sound of his voice from the other end of the phone overwhelmed her with painful emotions she hadn’t prepared for. It felt like she was reliving the traumatizing moment in which he betrayed their friendship just to satisfy his urge. She couldn’t find her voice so she ended the call without uttering a word.

Ella placed her hands on her chest since she felt as if her heart was about to jump out from her body. The pain was just too much for one human to bear. However, in that painful moment, she made a life-changing decision. She would not be giving her rapist an opportunity to become her benefactor, nor will she continue to excuse the disgusting actions of such monsters. 

She remembered blaming herself for sleeping over at his place when he had drugged and raped her. She had blamed his disgusting actions on the sexy clothes she wore that night but her sister’s case was an eye-opener. Her seven years old sister was not wearing sexy clothes and she was at her father’s backyard, yet she was brutally raped. This proves that rapists are simply monsters and nothing justifies or excuses their despicable actions. 

With this new resolution, she found a strange sense of courage and was determined to do things differently. She put a call across her acquaintance Roland who was a police officer, and informed him of her sister’s molestation and her brother’s attack. She also called one of her neighbors and gave her a location to meet her. 

Briskly Ella walked out of the hospital premises, and chartered a tricycle all to herself. She gave the driver directions and in half an hour she was at No. 26 Okoye street. She paid the driver off and proceeded to bang heavily on the tall blue iron gate of the Obi’s. This residence was home to her sister’s rapist, therefore, she banged on the gate fiercely and consistently that it sent the gateman to his heels. He flung the gate open ready to shred whoever was the intruder but Ella shoved him aside and went uninvited into the compound. 

Ella was a frail dark-skinned girl that was hardly 5.3ft tall and would not normally be able to shove a man aside, but today wasn’t a usual day. “Where is that thwarted nonentity! Come out, you coward!” Ella shouted at the top of her voice. It is said that one shouldn’t tussle with an animal in the mud, but what use is decorum when one’s life has been reduced to dirt? 

Ella kept shouting at the top of her voice attracting the Obi’s to all come out. “Who is this mad girl?” barked Mrs. Obi, pointing at Ella. “I’m the sister of the girl your son raped and the boy he attempted to murder” barked Ella in return. “Get her out of here” ordered Mrs.  Obi. In response, the gateman held Ella by her waistline and lifted her from the ground. She struggled and fought with all her might but she lost as she was thrown out of the compound and the gate shut at her.

However, just like Lots’ wife, Ella didn’t move an inch. No leave, no transfer, was her slogan. Today, she won’t be dancing to the tune of others, she calls the shots. With firm resolution, she kept banging on the gate and to her relief, she was soon joined by Roland who came with another police officer. Together, they kept thumping at the gate. They made such a ruckus that the gateman could no longer ignore them, he flung the door open with the intent of giving Ella a good beating but to his disappointment, she wasn’t alone.

Immediately, Roland held the gateman by the waist and threw him into the compound. The Obi’s who were all outside got scared when they saw the uniformed men. It appears the time around they won’t be sweeping their son’s misdeeds under the carpet. Ella identified Chukwuemeka as the culprit. Instantly, he became like a wet chicken shivering and holding onto his mother, she tried to shield him but he was yanked off by the policemen.

Wittily, Ella took pictures of the scene and posted them on her social media platforms, with the caption; This boy raped my 7-year-old sister, and attempted to murder my younger brother because he caught him in the act. She knew that he who goes to the altar of equity must do so with clean hands, and by being poor in Nigeria, her hands were automatically soiled, and she won’t be getting justice if she doesn’t use social media, because her adversaries were rich people and might bride the law enforcement officers.

As Chukwuemeka was yanked off to the police station her neighbor arrived. Ella instructed her to go to the hospital and take pictures of her sister and brother, their pictures will help authenticate her post on social media.

However, as Ella was fighting for justice she had forgotten her mother’s words, “We need money and your dad has nothing.” She failed to remember that time was of the essence, and there might be adverse consequences since treatment was yet to commence on her siblings due to lack of funds.

Immediately she joined the police van her phone rang…

To be Continued.