Little Lucy - S02 E17

2 years ago

Little Lucy - S02 E17

Read Story: SEASON 2 EPISODE 17

•••AUTHOR’S POV•••••

THE PRIEST was greeted with world critical acclaim. It was named book of the decades as it was written somewhere in the early 19’s even before the publication of Achebe’s THINGS FALL APART.

Most people describe the book as ” the most significant historical story to hail from West Africa in recent years. The novel portrays the ancient ibo traditional society that revovles around the shoulder of a young blind priest.

However, THE PRIEST has been underrated over the years since it’s release in the early 19’s due to insufficient information about the author as well as poor promotion.

Collette stared outside the window as the subway train raced over the rails towards the next station that’d take her to the theatre for arts and culture where her literal idol was to receive his award for writing such a distinguished novel like THE PRIEST.

She opened the brown paper back novel and stared through each pages. This was her fifty-nineth time reading this novel. It always has a way of making you reading it over and over again.

Then her mind went back to what she saw earlier this morning while preparing for her outing.

Lucy playing with a boy in the garden was a sight she’d never seen before.

She looked Soo happy. Especially when he splashed water on her clothes.

Somehow, deep inside her, she wished she could make Lucy laugh like that. Make her smile. Make her happy.

She clutched her chest and inhaled deeply. But they’re sisters now. She can’t go on like this. She has to let go.

Maybe what Lucy really needed right now was a boy. If that’s the way to keep her happy, then it’s fine by her. It’d hurt her but she was ready to let go.

How awful does that sound. First, she let go of Vee and now she was letting go of Lucy. Why?

Finally, the train stopped by the station. Collette took the next taxi that’d lead her to the theatre for arts and culture.

There were a lot of cars packed jam to jam when she got off at the gates. It was a big event. The toast of the society were all there to witness the award.

Collette ran into the theatre just in time to see the writer of her favorite novel receiving his award.

It was a long ceremony conducted for three outstanding writers although everyone knew this was a ceremony mainly for Ottis Okon, writer and author of THE PRIEST.

Collette sat on her seat, watching the man who stood up towards the podium to receive his award.

Ottis Okon wasn’t what she expected to see. She had imagined him to look like Wole Soyinka or Chinue Achebe but he was nothing like that.

He looked to be in his early fifties with long grey white dreadlocks that fell over his shoulder down to his waist.

She could’nt believe her eyes. His dreads were soo grey, you’d think he must be in his late nineties.

How come he still looked young and strong. The book was written far back in 1903. That’s a hundred and thirteen years ago. This man must be an imposter.

But he was not. She checked the images she got from the internet. It was the same face, the same look, the same structure. Why then did he look to be in his early fifties when the novel was written a hundred and thirteen years ago?

Ottis Okon received his award with a handshake along with other people around. He approached the microphone and thanked everyone for coming and how much he felt honoured to receive this award.

His voice was ancient. He didn’t sound young either. He spoke like a spirit.

Collette was intrigued by this man with the grey dreadlocks. She was determined to get his signature on her novel.

After the event, Ottis Okon sat behind a table created for him to receive his fans and have a word or two with them.

Collette stood in the long file of people, waiting her turn. The line moved quickly until finally she was staring eye to eye with her literal idol.

Ottis eyes were black and heavy as if he was hiding a burden behind him. Collette dropped her novel before him and smiled breathlessly. ” Mr Okon?”

He took a pen and signed on her book. ” It’s Ottis Okon,” his voice rang ancient in her eyes.

” I’m a big fan of yours, sir,” she said, biting her lips hard. ” I’ve read THE PRIEST fifty-nine times.”

He looked up at her, impressed. ” Did you get to finally understand the hidden secret why the priest sacrificed the princess?”

Collette nodded. ” Yes, he never wanted to make the sacrifice but then he did it because the god’s verdicts it. If he hadn’t done that, the kingdom would suffer from famine and the evil spirits of the forest would be let loosed into the land.”

Ottis eyes showed he was greatly impressed. ” Not everyone understood why he made that sacrifice, my dear. A lot of people critized me for making such a traumatizing tragic ending.”

” Can I ask a question, sir?” Collette asked, aware her time was running out. ” I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a very long time.”

Ottis waited. ” Ask me.”

She leaned forward. ” What happened to the PRIEST? He left his people and never returned. Where is he?”

Ottis rubbed his hands together, regarding this girl closely. ” You do believe this story isn’t just a work of fiction?”

” The story sounds Soo real to me,” Collette spoke excitedly. ” It’s my desire to know what happened to the priest.”

Ottis closed his eyes and opened it. ” He went to a cave and slept for a hundred years.”

Collette was surprised. ” A hundred years? Where is he now?”

Ottis smiled. ” Still in the cave. I’ll bet his body is all rotten by now. Dust and skeleton bones would be there I suppose.”

Collette showed her disappointment. ” Oh, you didn’t make that up did you?”

Ottis grinned. ” No, Collette. Now move along. People are waiting.”

Collette stiffened and she felt blood leave her face. ” Wait, how did you know my name?”

Ottis waved to a security guard standing beside him. The guard bustled her away but she won’t stop shouting.

” How did you know my name?!”

Ottis watched her leave and he glanced away, rubbing his wrist.

” Slept in a cave for a hundred years,” he whispered under his breath, closing his eyes. ” Woke up on 1901.”

••••END OF AUTHOR’S POV•••••

It was a quarter after eleven and Charlotte and I were in the dinning table. I’d just announced Damian’s lunch date to her.

” Better ask him out,” Charlotte said, passing a plate of fried plantain across the table to me. She sat opposite me and studied my expression. ” What? Isn’t that the plan all along?”

” I know but,” I picked my fork and digged holes in the plantain. ” It’s just… I’m nervous.”

Charlotte brought out her phone, typing away a message that’s just popped up in her phone. ” You should be nervous. It’s your first date with a boy. There’s no big deal.”

I shook my head. ” That’s not what I meant. I’m not nervous about Damian. I’m just wondering if this is what I really want.”

Charlotte shot me a look. ” Then what do you really want?”

I thought about Collette and I bite my lips. ” Chole, don’t you think pushing me into a relationship is a little bit too early?”

She dropped her phone aside and placed her hands together, regarding me closely. ” I thought we’ve been over this, Lucy. Why the sudden question?”

” Well,” I began. ” I’ve been thinking lately. I like Damian. Yes, he’s a great guy and the very first boy I’ve ever been close to. But… there’s someone else I like.”

Charlotte said nothing, she only stared, eyes watchful and set.

I diverted my eyes away from her. ” Chole, I feel trapped in between two worlds. I have no idea where to stand. I chose girls over boys but it wasn’t my fault. I was influenced into it and I eventually got to like it. I’ve never been comfortable around boys before. It’s kinda tough to change; to chose boys over girls. I’m trying my best but…it’s Soo hard. This issue of confessing to Damian is wearing me out. It’s not proper. How will he see me after I ask him to be my boyfriend. It’d hurt my dignity as a girl. Besides, I don’t need a boyfriend. I like Damian a lot but I can’t choose him over my first love.”

” Let me guess. Your first love is a girl,” Charlotte’s voice was steady.

” Very much,” I dropped my fork on the plate and sighed. ” I never asked for any of these. I never wanted to get involved with a girl. I just happened to fall in love. It’s not a crime to fall in love, is it?”

Charlotte frowned. ” It’s a crime to fall in love with your own s£x.”

” But…” I was biting my lips very hard now. ” Your s£xuality is your choice, isn’t that right?!”

” Shut up!” She gritted her teeth at me. ” You have no right to choose your s£xuality. Heaven made man for woman and that’s a fact.”

” Heaven made this, heaven made that,” I shook my head. ” What’s the fuss with you and my s£xuality?”

She leaned forward at me and raised her voice. ” Because you’re the most disgusting person I’ve ever met in my life! What’s the matter with you?! You’re too young to be gay.”

” Big sis,” I was growing scared of her outburst. ” I don’t think I can change.”

” Oh Yes you can!” She banged her hand on the table. ” I’ll force you if I have to.”

” It’s not possible,” I said quietly. ” I… I can’t get over the person I love. I love this girl Soo much. You have no idea what I’ve been through at school, what she’s done for me. I… I’m the reason why she chose to live. Because of me, she lost her very best friend due to depression. I can’t leave her, Chole. You may call me disgusting, you may call me filthy but I love being with her. She’s all that matters to me. Being into girls was never my intention. I wasn’t always like this before but I grew to accept this girl as my own. I’m happy with her. I don’t want a boyfriend. Boys will break my heart, cheat on me or eventually marry off someone else. Mom’s past relationships with boys were in that order when she was younger. I wouldn’t want to make that Same mistake again.”

I didn’t know when Charlotte rushed over to my side and gave me a noisy slap to the cheeks that echoed around the house.

The impact of the slap took me off the chair and crashed me hard to the tiled floor. If my hands weren’t spread out, I’d have hit my head on the floor.

Charlotte stood over me and cursed me. ” You stupid, filthy s--t! So sleeping with your sister is what you want, huh?!”

I held the red patch printed on my skin as I stared at her, my eyes pooled with tears and I sobbed.

” Collette is your lover, isn’t she?!” Charlotte demanded, leaning down at me. ” Answer me!”

Her aggressive tone and cold searching eyes warned me to be cautious. I knew she heard Collette and I last night. I just wasn’t sure how much she knew.

” I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snapped, squirming away from her reach.

She followed me. ” If you can’t lie better than that you’d better keep your mouth shut. I knew you and Collette were up to something back in school when I learnt you two were roommates. I deliberately asked you to share your room with her so I can know what’s going on between you two.”

I felt myself go white. So that’s why she made me share my room with Collette.

” Now, look, lil sis,” she said, sharpy. ” I’m fond of you. So far you’ve been a d--n good lil sister; but you’re not being good anymore. You’re foolish. Collette chose the darker path. She chose to be a lesbian which is the most grossiest thing she’s ever done to her life. Alright, I’m not blaming you for becoming gay. She influenced you into it, didn’t she? She turned you into a lesbian, right? That’s bad as it is. I understand why you’re Soo confused now. It’s because she’s here with you. She’s becoming a distraction. Your place is with Damian and not Collette. For crying out loud, this b!tch is your sister! Are you still going to commit incest with her?!”

” I never told you I was going to commit incest with her,” I cried. ” And I never mentioned we’re lovers. I’m just not ready to date a boy yet.”

Charlotte’s face was a mask of fury. ” Listen here, you little piece of sh!t. Collette is bad news for you. She specializes in girls. That’s her line. I know all about her. She came here so she can destroy your life. That’s another of her tricks. Never mind what she said last night about you two being sisters and all that stuff. So long as you two are together, there’s bound to be temptations and there’s no way both of you can resist. I don’t like a girl who’s a lesbian. I have no time for her. You’re going to change your stupid ridiculous lifestyle wether you like it or not.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. My cheeks was burning from the slap she just gave me. I was Soo hurt, I stood up from the floor and moved quickly for the stairs but Charlotte stepped in front of me.

” Now wait a minute,” she said, an ugly glint in her eyes. ” Where the hell do you think you’re going?!”

I was shedding tears. ” Would you please mind out of the way, Chole. I want to be alone in my room.”

She scowled. ” You’re not going anywhere. I’m being patient with you because I like you as my lil sister. But you’re making a d--n fool of yourself over Collette. I don’t miss much that goes on between you two. You watch out. Collette knows all about girls. She specializes in gays. You leave her alone and focus on Damian. You’re too beautiful to be wasting your time over a p*ssy. You can get plenty of other cute guys without taking on a w---e like Collette’s. She never did any girl any good.”

” That’s a big fat lie!” I exclaimed furiously. ” How dare you talk that way about Chi-Chi. She’s not a w---e! You don’t know anything about her. Get out of my way!”

” I’m warning you,” Charlotte said, losing patience. ” You’re not leaving here until you’ve made up your mind to prepare for that date with Damian.”

” I’m not going to any stupid date!” I yelled at her, feeling tears streaming off my face. ” I’ve had enough of this nonesense. You can’t control my life. I’m not scared of you, Chole. Let me pass!”

Seeing my white, furious little face, my determined attitude and my clenched fists, Charlotte was struck with a murderous rage.

She caught hold of my wrist and gave me another slap to the cheeks again.

SMACK

” Stop!” I cried but I received another loud slap to the other cheeks.

SMACK

” Let me go, please,” I pleaded, crying like a lost child. ” Let me go or I’ll scream the place down.”

” Scream away,” she panted, slapping me hard again and again and again. ” If anyone comes, I’ll tell them you’re a lesbian. Mom and dad will hear about it too. Since you’re too stubborn to Change, I’ll have to force you to change, myself.”

I struggled and kicked. My shoes made no impression on Charlotte’s legs and I couldn’t get my hands free.

She didn’t stop. She kept slapping me over and over until I could feel blood in my mouth. I was becoming Soo dizzy I thought I’d go faint.

” Please,” my voice was becoming small. ” S-stop!”

” HOW DARE YOU ” came a loud hard voice from the doorway.

Charlotte released me as if I’d suddenly become red hot. I collapsed on the floor and closed my eyes.

Charlotte turned Sharply to the doorway and her heart froze.

Collette was standing by the doorway, her hand bag hanging over her shoulder, her eyes a twin explosion, her teeth clenched against each other as she glared threatenedly at her sister.

Charlotte took a step back; she was frightened, not liking the look Collette gave her.

Before she knew it, Collette rushed after her and pushed her against the back wall of the room, holding her by the Front of her shirt.

” YOU ROTTEN SWINE! HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER” Collette yelled at her face.

To Be Continued….