Episode 1
Becky and Jason live some blocks away from my apartment. They are a newly wedded couple, their marriage should be barely two years old and was blessed with a baby boy.
Eight months ago, after giving birth, Becky traveled home and returned with her niece of about twelve years old to be her nanny. The little girl is one of the most hard working kids I’ve ever come across.
Sewe wakes up as early as 4:30am, prepares breakfast, cleans up the house, does laundry and virtually every other thing you can think of.
Her mum brought her up so well. At twelve, she’s so homely and a good cook too. I learnt she’s not in school because her parents can’t afford her tuition fees. Her father also thinks it’s a waste of time sending a girl child to school.
Her mum went out of ordinary ways to send her over just so she could get educated. An act that almost cost her her marriage.
Sewe hasn’t been enrolled in school yet. Becky said the baby’s too tender so she has to wait.
Becky is a full time house wife. A lazy one at that.
If letting Sewe do all the chores was the only thing, we all wouldn’t have bothered but the maltreatment made us raise brows. She beats up the poor girl for the slightest mistake and has been very mean to her.
Should I write about the day she tied and left her in the rain or the day she gave her very heavy cement blocks to carry under the sun?
” Mind your business, busy body. I don’t tell you how to run your house so don’t tell me how to handle mine” She said one day when I met her to discuss it.
My neighbours and I got tired of complaining as she has never hesitated to insult anyone.
The day she placed the poor girls hand on a burning gas cooker for taking a piece of meat to eat with her food, we called the police and she was arrested.
She signed an undertaken never to maltreat the girl again but the gloom on Sewe’s face darkened her life the more.
I have a feeling she stopped doing so outside, to the glare of everyone but continued within.
Sewe never reveals anything to anyone. She’s determined to endure it all just so she will go to school.
Two days ago, we heard someone wailing and when we rushed out, we saw Becky carry her baby’s body hurriedly to the car. She was drenched in tears as she zoomed off.
Later that evening, I got to know Sewe had given the little boy excessive kerosene to drink. He died shortly after they got to the hospital.
Sewe took to her heels that day and wasn’t found until someone spotted her earlier today under the bridge far away in town. She is in police custody and we await to know what’s next and what prompted her action.
It hurts to see what that girl’s life is turning into all because she has a wickedness personified. She’s such a smart and lovely child. It’s also heartbreaking knowing the little boy died due to what can be will trailed back to his mother’s heartlessness.
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