Silent Screams - Season 1 - Episode 11

Episode 4 years ago

Silent Screams - Season 1 - Episode 11

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Leila and Chibuye had a great time, they had so much fun that they lost track of the time and before they knew it, it was almost 21.
‘I think I need to take you home before you father murders me,’ he said after they had dinner together.

She frowned and nodded in agreement then he drove her home.

Chibuye pulled up in front of her gate thirty minute later, ‘I had a great time,’ he said with a smile as he held her hand.
‘I did too,’ she said shyly.

This was the first time in a very long time Leila had so much fun.
‘I look forward to seeing you again.’
‘Me too!’
Chibuye stepped out of the car. He closed the door and walked around to her side and opened the door then he took her hand and helped her out of the car.

‘Is this the part where I kiss your brains out and make your knees go weak?’
‘In your dreams,’ she giggled
He kissed her on her forehead and said, ‘see you later baby,’
She cleared her throat, ‘Baby.’
‘Yes baby.’
‘Whatever! See you,’ she opened the gate and walked in
‘Back to reality,’ Leila thought a she walked towards the door, she knew she was in trouble but her day with Chibuye was worth all the trouble.

She took a deep breath and opened the door.
‘You are back! Where have you been?’ Jada said as I walked in the door.
‘Not now Jada,’ she brushed her off.
‘We were so worried about you Leila, Dad has been pacing back and forth in the living room fuming with anger he is going to kill you.’

Leila managed a smile, ‘I am old enough to handle dad.’
‘I don’t like the sound of that Leila, you know dad is ruthless.’
Leila ignored her sister and went straight into the living room. She locked eyes with her father she could see the fury in his eyes. When her mother noticed her, she rushed over and embraced her. She hugged and cried for a minute.
‘I was so worried about you Leila, where did you go? Are you okay?’
‘I am fine,’ she replied
When her mother finally let her go, her brother Alfred looked at her with a blank face devoid of any emotion whatsoever. It was no secret that Alfred preferred Jada to her and Leila had come to accept this simple fact.
She turned to her mother, ‘I am going to lie down for a while.’

She turned to walk out of the room but her father grabbed her by the arm.
Leila turned to face him, ‘What!’ she asked.
‘Where have you been and why are you dressed like hooker?’
‘Dad, I am really tired and I need to rest if you will excuse me,’ she turned to leave again but her father held on to her hand.
‘Do you want to bring shame to this family?’ he angrily asked.
‘What have I done?’
‘What have you not done you ungrateful child,’ He yelled.
‘Where did you sleep?’
‘Daniel please take it easy on her,’ his wife pleaded with him.

‘I should take it easy on her? You do know the implications of her actions. A married woman sleeping out, what am I going to tell her in-laws?’

She could hear the anger in her husband’s voice reach its peak.

‘I am not a married woman, just let me live my life the way I want to,’ she yelled back at him.

‘Shut that dirty mouth of yours you silly girl,’ Alfred blurted out
‘Or else what Alfred?’ she yelled louder and angrier, ‘I am tired of being treated like an outcast in this house, if you don’t want me then let me go.’
‘Leila….,’ her mother began but she cut her short.

‘Save your speech woman, sometimes I wonder if you are really my mother.’
‘Leila,’ her mother whispered as her eyes got watery.

‘You are a disgrace to motherhood, I wish I was…….,’

Before she could finish her sentence, her father slapped her across her face with all his might, she fell backwards and hit the floor.
‘I am going to show you who the head of this house is.’

‘Hit me all you can, you think I will be afraid, huh.’

Leila felt another sharp pain in her face.
‘Hit me, yes hit me kill me if you want, are you even my real father,’ she turned her face and glowered her hatred at him.
‘You ungrateful brat,’ he slapped her again.

‘Daniel please,’ his wife pleaded.
‘Mum don’t interfere this child of yours needs to be taught a lesson.’
‘Dad let her go, ‘Jada cried tears rolling down her cheeks.
‘Stay out of this all of you,’ Daniel bellowed
He carried her to his study and dropped her to the floor then he went back to the door and locked it.
‘You dare disrespect me in my own house Leila. Where did you sleep?’
She responded with silence.
‘Where did you sleep?’ he kicked her but still got no response.

‘By the time I am done with you, you will be able to tell me where you slept.
He removed his belt and doubled it around his fist- the buckle end hanging loose.
‘You will not bring shame to this family,’ he whipped her, the metal buckle biting into her flesh and tearing her blouse.
Leila let out a blood curdling scream.
‘Daniel please let her go,’ his wife screamed while pounding on the door.
He continued to beat her unmercifully, she yelled and cried.

The more she cried, the harder he whipped her. Her entire body felt as if it was on fire & blood was spilling from her wounds.
‘Where did you sleep,’ he kept shouting as he swung the belt down on her.
‘I slept at a friend’s house,’ she responded when she couldn’t take it no more.

Her tears were flowing freely
‘What friend! Did he touch you! are you still a virgin?’ He asked breathing hard.
‘She nodded.’
‘I am taking you for testing tomorrow, I really hope you are really untouched, he whipped her one last time and left the room.
She lay motionless on the floor, every part of her body burned with pain, how could a father be that cruel to his own flesh and blood.
‘Oh Leila,’ her mother came rushing through the room.
‘Please don’t touch me,’ she said softly.
‘Leila please, let me help you.’
‘Don’t.’
‘I will help her,’ Jada said.
‘I am sorry,’ tears fell down on her mother’s face like heavy raindrops. It hurt to see her daughter go through such pain but there was nothing she could do.
Jada held her sister’s bloody hand and slowly lead her to her bathroom.
*

Four days had passed since her father whipped her mercilessly, her wounds were slowly beginning to heal and she was now able to seat down. In those four days she had been confined to her room, she just wanted to be alone so she could heal peacefully.
‘Leila,’ her father burst into her room.
She looked up at him, ‘Yes.’
‘Get ready we are going to Mam Zyambo’s house.’
‘Okay.

‘Be out in ten I don’t have all day,’ with that said he marched out.
She took a deep breath and stood up, Mam Zyambo was the woman in charge of examining her to see whether she was still a virgin or not.

Leila hated her father for what he was doing to her but she hated her mother more for not protecting her from him.

Leila dressed up in a yellow long dress that fell to her toes, on her feet she wore a pair of black slippers she tied her hair behind and didn’t bother with her makeup. Then she grabbed her phone and walked out of the room, her father was reading a newspaper in the living room.
‘I am ready,’ he said.
He looked up from the paper, ‘Great,’ he smiled.
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