ONE WRONG TURN
EPISODE 23
Few minutes later, we were at Hannah’s house. It wasn’t exactly a mansion, it was the habitat of people who earned decent wages. Hannah’s mother’s car was parked outside. The nurse pulled over at the side of the road, and we walked a short distance to Hannah’s house. The front door opened before we got to it. Hannah’s mother came out of the house, well-dressed with a bible under her armpit. She looked set for evening service. We hurried quickly to catch up with her, while she was struggling to lock the door.
“Excuse me ma” the nurse called out, to Hannah’s mum, as she hurried towards her.
I stayed back at the gate, fearing the reaction from Hannah’s mum when she hears about her daughter. I was too far out to hear the conversation that ensued between them, but Hannah’s mother’s countenance changed, she looked worried and began to panic. She got into her car in a hurry and drove off. While the nurse and I got into hers, and headed towards my house. I still managed to get home a little early.
My mum had returned from work, she was watching a movie in the sitting room. I greeted her and walked towards my room quickly to avoid being noticed. My eyes were swollen, and my face was a mess. I threw my school bag on the floor, took off my uniform and tied a towel. I wanted to wash off the day’s events from my body and mind. I needed to rest badly. As I headed for the bathroom, my room door opened. My mum walked in. I tried to hurry into the bathroom to avoid any confrontation with her, I did not want another fight.
“Ruth wait” she called out, halting me in my stride.
I stopped, without turning around to look at her. I anticipated a question and answer session.
“What is wrong my daughter, you don’t look happy” she said in a rather nice tone . I was quite shocked, my mother doesn’t usually speak to me in such manner. I turned around to make sure it wasn’t someone else. My eyes met my mum’s. She noticed my swollen eyes and battered face.
“Have you been crying? ” she asked, moving closer to me. I paused for a moment, it was quite obvious. There was no use denying.
“Hannah is in the hospital ” I muttered.
“Oh what happened to her? ”
" She fainted” I replied, convinced within myself that I haven’t told a lie. My mum tried comforting me. Her attempts were lame but duly appreciated.
I went into the bathroom, as she left for the sitting room. I took my bath slowly, wondering what would transpire between Hannah and her mum. I stepped out of the bathroom after about fifteen minutes. I wore my night cloths, and retired for the day, hoping to fall asleep as quickly as possible. However, sleep eluded me. My eyes remained wide open. I continuously replayed the day’s events in my head, wondering how it would all end.
The sound of my door handle turning interrupted my thoughts. My mum walked in again, with her hand placed on her ear. She spoke for a while with the person at the other end before turning her attention to me.
“That was Hannah’s mother ” she said, giving me a suspicious look. I sat up on the bed, knowing fully well that the game was up.
”She told me a lot of things I don’t understand. Ruth, what happened? Who did you go to see in a hotel? Is what I’m hearing true? ” I looked at my mum’s face, I could feel her disappointment and frustration . I bowed my head slowly and began to shed tears again. I knew I had let everyone down, I was a bad person.
“So it’s true? This is what you have become?” she said, with a shaky voice. She too was close to tears. She sat on my bed and buried her head in her palm. She seemed greatly pained, and I knew it was all my fault. I knelt down beside her and began to apologise profusely. I tried to explain the day’s event to her as accurately as I could remember, while tactfully leaving out anything that had to do with Matthew.
“You see why I told you not to associate with those girls? Imagine yourself in Hannah’s situation” My mum said after listening to my story.
“Promise me you won’t tell daddy” I pleaded.
My mum obliged, as she left me to continue in my thoughts. I heaved a sigh of relief as she left, believing that it was all over. I made a resolution within myself never to return to this way of life. I wanted to be a better person. I will ask God for forgiveness.
Hannah resumed school after about one month of absence. She was looking quite different. She was much more withdrawn and anti-social than she used to be. The news of her miscarriage and apparent molestation had been on everyone’s lips. Though there were different versions of the story, they all seemed to have emerged from one source, Sarah. She had made new friends, and never seemed to care about what happened to Hannah. I was the only person Hannah had. She never failed to express how much regret, pain and embarrassment she had caused herself and her family. I could feel her pain, I was just thankful it wasn’t me.
We watched with keen interest as Sarah and her new found friends continuously absconded from school and returned unsuspectingly. It surprised me how easily she could influence people. Each time I saw her friends, it was like seeing myself all over again.
Two weeks passed, as we neared the end of the term. It was a typical Monday morning. The last lecture before break had just began, Sarah and her friends left the classroom with their bags hanging from their shoulders, heading towards the gate house.
Hannah and I went straight to the principal’s office, to alert him. The principal was a stout old man, known for his extreme punishments. He was angered by our news. He walked hurriedly towards the gatehouse at the back of the school, hoping to catch Sarah and her colleagues. Hannah and I walked briskly behind him, struggling to keep up with his pace.
Halfway through the journey, I felt thirsty and exhausted. I was panting heavily. It had been going on for quite a while now, I waved it off as stress. As I struggled to keep pace, my vision became blurred, eventually turned dark, I felt weightless and powerless. I tried to call out to Hannah, but my vocal cord produced no sound.
From that moment, I had no idea where I was, or what was happening.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 24 (FINAL)
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