Efe's Diary- Gloomy days chapter 7

The following weeks were dreary and painful for Efe. The pain of the attack flooded her. As she tried to get comfortable yet again, she clenched her teeth in anticipation of the tremors the pain induced.

The doctors had said they were able to save her arm. Luckily enough for her, rescue came a few minutes after she went out. He had walked up to her and yelled as he struck her over and again with the blunt edge of his machete. He probably didn’t hear her pleas over the sound of his rage. He repeatedly said she was to be his and his alone,  "if I can't have you no one will" were his exact words. Her survival was a miracle,  according to her doctors.

She suffered major injuries on her left/right? shoulder, left/right? thigh and skull.  It was said that a student had heard her screaming and rushed to get help, but her attacker had escaped and left her in a pool of her own blood by the time they arrived. 

She closed her eyes tight in a futile attempt to slow the many thoughts running through her mind. A few days after she regained consciousness from surgery, Policemen had visited her at the hospital. They asked her questions about the incidence while trying to get on a lead on her case as reported by the Rear Admiral. But she lied to them – she said she didn’t recognize him nor remember how he looked, that he was wearing a mask, he came at her suddenly and she was so focused on trying to escape that she did not even notice the kind of clothes he was wearing. 

She just wanted to get on with her life.  Her ex was brutal and had promised her death by his hands if she dared speak of the incidence to anyone at all.  He had assured her he had a lot of people working for him all around and should she say a thing, they'd rape her to death. 

She was just thankful his intention had only been to maim and not kill her. His first strike would have been to her face if she hadn’t instinctively raised her arms to block it. Most students had been focused on getting back to their hostels early so taking a Tricycle or Shuttle at the main road had been their prefered option. She had taken the foot path in hopes of saving herself the cost of the shuttle. She had assumed she’d be in the hostel by the time Lanre sent her ticket details.

Lanre, she had avoided communicating with him in any way, the fear of anyone else getting hurt because of her, scared her. 

Her ex-boyfriend had also threatened to kill "that boy that made her giggle". "You think I don't know him?" He had questioned her surprise. He described Lanre’s car, times he had seen them both at different eateries in town and even how he had stalked him to his lounge - getting to Lanre was easy, he had informed her. Kingsley was a dreaded cultist since his days as an undergraduate student and he could have someone take out Lanre easily. 

Lanre was the light in her life and thoughts of him kept her alive. Her parents didn't bring as much light as she needed in these difficult times. They were either fighting for one thing or another, their noise had made the nurse ask them to leave one night. Thankfully, she was in a private ward, so she didn’t have to worry about them embarrassing her.

Of her 3 siblings, 2 were studying at the University of Benin and were back home because of the ASUU strike as well. Unfortunately, they couldn't visit her in the Hospital because they had to remain in Benin to do odd jobs for survival and saving for their next tuition which will be due not long after the strike. 

Her youngest sibling was still in Secondary School and hopefully by the time he finished, she would be able to support her mum to see him through school. 

The nurse came in to serve my afternoon medication. "Someone is here to see you" She informed me after helping me sit up to take the drugs.

I nodded in response, this was my trending response, as  I was too tired to speak or just did not feel like it these days.  She tried to make me comfortable by putting me in a half-sitting, half lying position then asked, "Can I send him in?" I nodded my consent and reached for the book I had been reading as she left.

Lanre's scent was a much needed break from the odour of medications and disinfectants, it filled the room. As my senses adjusted to his presence, I felt like standing up to hug him but fear bound me even stronger than my physical condition limited me. I just swallowed hard and kept staring at him. 

"Jesus!" He whispered as he took in the vision of me - cast and bandages all over, arms, head, thighs, just about everywhere he could see. 

"I'm okay" I whispered back when his eyes returned to my face. 

"Efe, baby, you're not." He replied softly and stepped closer to my bed.

"I am not your baby!" I replied, shaking my bandanged head as much as the pain allowed. 

He was taken aback. "I know you didn't want me here,” He began to explain “but it's been tough staying away while knowing you've been here for over 3 weeks. I couldn't live by myself Efe."

"Lanre, I am fine, I really do not want anyone around right now and I meant it when I asked Rose to tell you to just stay away."

He rubbed his head, "What do you want me to do? I know you're hurt and all but I really want to be here for you."

"I am fine, thank you very much." I retorted.

Just then, my aunty came in us. "Honourable Larry!" She laughed. Lanre was contesting for a seat in the Edo State House of Assembly, as one of the youngest aspirants, everyone knew him. 

"Good Day Ma," He prostrated.

"You know my daughter?" She asked wearily.

"Yes ma, she's my good friend."

"That's interesting, Efe has no friends, as a matter of fact, we are yet to discover who is responsible for all of this. Has she told you of anyone who might want to attack her?"

Lanre pretended to give it some thought, Rose had told him that Efe said it wasn't her ex and whatever she had said when she called Rose after the attack was probably from delirium. But He and Rose didn’t believe her.

"No ma, but the Police may get some information if they investigate thoroughly on Campus.

"You know Police will want money and Daddy hates to bribe. Those people will not investigate without a bribe." She sighed. 

"I'll work on it Ma." he assured her. 

"Omosefe," my aunt brought her attention back to me.

"Yes Mummy," I whispered inaudibly.

'Are you ready to eat now?"

"No, I'm okay." I replied. 

"Efe, if you keep refusing to eat you won't get better and you won't leave here. I will be returning to Benin this weekend and I might not be able to come back anytime soon, I really wanted you to be better so we can go back home together."

In all honesty, my aunt was the best- she had been to Lagos twice to see me and she spent 3 days on both visits. I wanted to get well but I was scared of returning to Benin City, what if her my Ex found me alive and killed me? I felt safe within the hospital walls but I knew I couldn’t hide there forever. The doctors had assured my aunt that the rest of my treatment could be moved to UBTH if my wounds healed well enough by the weekend. 

"I'll eat ma but not right now." I whispered, torn between my appreciation and need to protect myself.

Lanre and my aunt talked for a few more minutes then she stepped out. 

"Baby who did this?"

I looked away. "I.. I didn't see his face." I stammered.

"Did he say anything to at least make you know who it could be?" 

I remembered his words - You are my property forever, and no one else can have you – and the many other times he had hit me. But I doubted he could be jailed even if found. It was my word against his and his influential family would protect him. Knowing the law couldn’t protect me tied my tongue again.

"Baby?"

"urrrm... not really." I coughed.

"You know you can talk to me right?"

"I know...." Tears spilled.

He stepped closer as if to hold me but probably decided he could not because of the wounds.

"Lanre, I don't want to see you anymore. I want you to stay away from me." There, I said it.

"Why? You don't possibly think I could  do to you, do you?"

"I know you didn't!" I turned my head sharply I had I clenched my teeth from the pain it caused. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...." He sighed.

"You didn't do this and I don't blame you for it either but for your own safety you have to stay away from me."

"I can't."

"You have to and please don't come here again."

"Why? What did I do wrong?"

"It's not you, it's me. Just stay away please."

Lanre sniffed and walked out before I could say anything else. I turned to the window to cry.

"You must be a fool" My mother’s voice stopped my sob in its tracks. 

"Were you listening?”.

"Yes, and the earlier you begin to take your chances with this kind of opportunities the better for us all." She hissed. 

There she went again, I was sick and barely escaping death and my mother wanted me to grab the rich man who wanted me and marry to save them all. 

"Mummy, I need peace of mind and you're not helping."

"I am sorry o,” She replied sarcastically.  “But that man didn't cause any of this, as a matter of fact he wants to help, the right thing would be to depend on him for some help and see how it goes. You are already in your final year."

"God will help me." I replied.

"Exactly what I said and I married your stupid father." She retorted. 

I turned to look at her, she had tears in her eyes, "Mummy I need to rest now."

"I know, but please keep that man around. You deserve the good things of life, the right to be happy and the right to have someone who can afford to care for you Adeola mi".

"Too bad I told him to leave." I smiled tearily.

My mother walked out of the room and I turned to the window as the hot tears resumed. It wasn't from my physical pain, that was nothing while I felt my heart break from sending Lanre out of my life. 

to be continued.........