This document tells the story of Vivian, a young girl who is raped by someone she knows. As an adult, Vivian struggles with addiction issues stemming from her childhood trauma. The story explores the cycle of abuse and its long-term impacts. It also depicts other troubled relationships, including a man struggling with past heartbreaks and a woman in an abusive marriage who is coerced into further acts against her will. Overall, the document examines complex issues of sexual abuse, addiction, and domestic violence through the lenses of several characters.

1. L
O
S T
The ArtHut
Release 1
….she’s lost but who is going down with her into the hole?

2. LOST!
Vivian is a victim of rape, but this wasn’t from whom she didn’t know, it is from a well
known face she would recognize any day and time, but she’s a kid – who should she tell,
mom, brothers?
She’s grown now and doesn’t seem able to quit what she’s be indulged in from childhood,
who’d get her back into the light?
What ends this cycle?
Contributors:
Janet James
Marverick Oluwakoya
Victor Kals
Emmanuel Ojelade
Blessing Okezie
Hex’M Jai
Lewis Wanwanda
Manauel Manuel
Quotes (Outsourced)
It’s not surprising then, that in a society where sexual abuse of young women is rampant,
many women never share their stories. They remain hidden and invisible.”
―Patti Feuereisen
“Because the child does not have the power to withhold consent, she does not have the power to
grant it.”
―Judith Lewis Herman
Editorial
For our first release, the duo chose to work on a common-but-overlooked ill in the society that the world chooses not to focus
much attention on and these include marital rape, child molestation, pedophilic activities in the home and, effects of broken
homes on kids, it’s not uncommon to see around these days, children who’ve been victim of one or more family error/issue
scavenging around town seeking greener pastures and losing their way while doing so, Vivian is a perfect example of that this
relates with and what she ends up doing to both herself and her brothers is not what anyone really wishes, we got fellow
community members joining in with their poetic displays and even quotes – oh and there’s the delicious excerpt from the WHO
report on Sexual Molestation in Africa included, come on and jump in on this one.
This is our first release and we are certain we did all we could to make the work readable and comprehensive to readers but
know that there is always room for improvements and we appreciate you for taking out your time to view this.
Curator,
Emmanuel Ojelade

3. …a provocative and heart-rending story …ordeal of rape victims and how it indirectly
affects their lifestyle in the future.
It is a story that unveils the power of love and unity.
Blessing Okezie
This text, space and time is a window for us to see the profound, powerful and unique
images by these authors. Whether produced from raw materials or imagination or raw
experience, the work transports us to a world of extremity, both shocking and beautiful.
Hex’M Jai
…they all got rewarded for their deeds, kind of a sad-ending, karma taking its place in
protecting the next generation and breaking them off…
It was so intriguing and one without a predictable end.
Victor Kals
I’ve learned a lot, through Vivian’s story…
…if anyone reads this, they will gain a lot, especially what happens in our families
Lewis Wanwanda
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4. WE WENT TO WAR UNTRAINED
Victor Kals
Keep on running, you lose A brother
Hide like a coward, lose your loved ones
Retreat and surrender, lose your life
Go to war and lose yourself
We went to war but were not trained
Men died – so did women, families wailed
Children cried, mothers sobbed
Infants screaming piercing Fathers heart
Things fall apart, rage awoken /in/ our youths
They had to war but were not trained
We had no homes, no bags
No properties, just breathe for life
No assurance for a new day dawn
For we threw our clothes shoving through leaves
To stay alive, was now the dream
We went to a war we were not trained
Home sweet home now a pile of gray ashes
Smells from the burns replaced Mama's kitchen aroma
Concoctions now our delicacy
No more music; just drums of war
Home sweet home was now a pile of ashes
We went to war not trained

5. PROLOGUE
The beautiful red gown she wore hugged her body so tightly a scared lover not wanting to let
go, this attire was slitted on the left side from the mid-thigh downwards and the slit exposed
her legs, and oh! What beautiful and long legs she had.
The eyes watching watched her climb up the porch stairs to the front door of the house
standing awaiting a guest, or so it seemed
‘Mom, Dad! I'm home!’ Vivian shouted, standing at the entrance rather unperturbed waiting
for a reply from the interior
The butler came instead. ‘You are back child, how did prom night go?’
‘Fine, Mr. Williams’ she replied with a little smile on her worn face ‘Please where's mom and
Dad?”
‘Your Mom is out for the night while your Dad should either be at the garden or in his
study’
‘The garden by this time of the night?’ She said facing her digital Nike wristwatch and
watching the clock give it feedback as it gladly displayed 9:30 PM ‘Don't tell me ….’ she said
showing the butler her palm in the sign of wait. “He says he wants to meditate right?”
‘Very right my dear, run along- and as per your request, your supper wasn't made. Any
change in plans?’ said the butler
‘No Mr. Williams, no changes at all, thank you’, she and hurried up the stairs.
She peeped into her Father's study, it was empty after-all, and she hurried along to her
bedroom.
As soon as she opened the door and stepped into the dark room, she had this uneasy
feeling but since she couldn’t place it, closed the door behind her and waited for a little
while, maybe for some magical powers to help her with the lights or maybe not.
Just as she told herself she was just being paranoid, and started out to get the switch circuit, a
strong hand gripped her from behind. She was too shocked to scream at first but as soon as
that reflex came alive, she opened her mouth wide to sound the alarm but the one hand had
done the job of covering it before any trigger could go off and thus the job, spoiled.
She tried kicking him in the groin but somehow - miraculously, he avoided the kick. She
struggled and fought but all her tough punches and arm flings fell off his strong frame like
water off a duck's back.
She could feel the slit of her dress being lifted higher and finally was off, a mantle used to tie
her mouth, and in desperation, awe and shock she wondered how her captor seemed to
manage all that with the struggle still on.

6. While standing and trying to fight, she could feel his manhood enter her from behind. She
opened her mouth to scream, but of course, only muffled and noiseless sounds proceeded
from her being.
He thrusted and thrusted into her until he was satisfied even at that, her hands were tightly
tied behind her and of course the piece of cloth, still in its firm position. He then turned her
forward to face him and she desperately tried to map out his features in the darkness but
within seconds, he had her sights blocked also, laid her gentlemanly on the bed and then had
a go at her again and again until he came. He put his manhood between her breast and
started the doing all over again. And then is all came to a halt, surprisingly - he patted her
hair as if to praise her for a job well done, cleaned the sweat off her and kissed her gently on
the forehead. He untied her hands and left the room quickly, silently and unnoticed, just the
way he had come.

7. CHAPTER ONE
Wiping away the tears, sweat and bruises with warm water in the shower, more tears flowed
down Miracle's cheeks. Try as she might, the only thing she could think of is the depth of
her love for her husband Emmanuel.
Tracing the red bruise mark from her neck to her breast then down to her lower abdomen
and the swelling in her cheek to the now purple-blue bruise in her temple, she tried, really
tried to think up terrible adjectives to describe her husband but was at loss of them. She
tried imagining him in the very wicked light that should be associated with him but still came
up with a love so strong, a love so strong that it made her sure that as soon as she came out
of the shower, she would lovingly apply makeup on it all, once again. This certainty only
made her scream in frustration and raise her face upwards toward the running water from
the shower. She cried and cried until she could do no more. Eventually, she came out and
headed for her makeup kit just as the mind had said.
* * *
The drive to the airport was fun. As soon as Emmanuel came back from work, he heartily
ate the food she’d prepared for him and looked her over before gently kissing her forehead
and leading her toward the car.
They were on the way to the airport to pick their children who’d just arrived from school
abroad, Herod and Herodias.
There were lots of hugs and kisses exchanged and soon enough, the family were discussing
happily on the way back, and swaying happily to the blasting car radio.
It was a seemingly happy reunion of the kids to their parents.

8. CHAPTER TWO
Jessica knelt at the foot of the chair in her living room and cried some more.
“Boys are swines” she said aloud. "But this is one sexy and intelligent swine" the thoughts roaming
around her well-adorned head replied.
She pushed aside the thoughts angrily and went ahead to the kitchen, took some cookies
and had her half-contained orange juice and drank directly from the carton.
“They flaunt around all day acting like they own the land and can do whatever they feel like and whenever
they deem fit to without any care for neither the repercussions nor the hearts of others.
She had been there with him through thick and thin, had been his only functional backbone
when he seemed unable to stand, and now she, asking him to do the needful only finds him
packing and folding up as if what they had never existed.
She was an independent lady after all and could take on any situation and not to mention she
was the type who needed no man to take care of her until she met this particular swine.
It wouldn't have been so painful if she was the only one left hanging and heart-broken, but
no, she wasn’t, maybe somehow, somewhere in that dark heart of his - he might be feeling
grateful, it was more of a wish actually and less realism came to her mind.
She cried while trying to put a halt to the memories that kept coming but it wasn’t easy – she
was the one hurting here, was he?
She sat at the foot of the chair again, chunked up some more cookies and had juice amidst
whimpers and tears. After some moments, her long nails dug into the chair as other hand
went on to hold her chest and this time, her sobs were loud and heart wrenching.
* * *
He felt the street were as dark as his mind, as silent as his share of good luck and as
empty as his dim-lit heart.
The weather looked gloomy and angry, a storm was forming up, it was a perfect match for
what he felt in him so he smiled.
"People won't understand", he thought to himself.
"Women especially", Heartbreak has been his hallmark and by now he believed he should have
gotten used to it but each time, the sting felt raw and the bite; sharp, fresh and fleshy, he had
to start all over again.
It was taking the last fiber of his resolution to hang on and believe everything would be fine
one day.

9. His giving up on everything would be putting the lives of his female friends in danger but
him? Well, he’ll totally lose his self control and would be too, lost.
It is because of this that he has to fight but each sting brings him one step closer to what he
seemed an ‘inevitable fall-off from the cliff’.
Martin sighed and angrily brushed away the free-flowing and short-lived tears of his manly
face. He had jogged miles from his ‘stay-in palace’ to get her off of his head, Jessica but all to
little avail.
He actually thought he was over his past and ready to start afresh with her until he saw that
text message and believed she was cheating. Again!!! The terrible images of what he could
have done to her that had crossed his mind firmly shook him, but what terrified him more
was that he would have done it without any hesitations whatsoever had he not found out the
truth in time.
This incident was like a bowl of chilled water splashed across his face from sleep. He only
woke up to find that he wasn't really ready at all. He apologized and felt guilty and things
continued, but when she reached the verge like the others and popped the question, he felt
he couldn't lead her on further and then told her he wasn't ready yet. And see where that got
him.
"Well, to hell with it" he had made up his mind to go through it the rough way, cupped his face
in his hands and on his knees. By now, the rain had started pouring heavily, his body racked
painfully from sobs long withheld.

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11. CHAPTER THREE
It was 10:00 PM when Rosemary kissed her six year-old Anna's forehead and pulled the
blanket upwards to her chin, sighed and closed The Three Musketeers book she had been
reading to the now-sleeping Anna and set out to leave the room after switching off the
lights. She was on her way to the kitchen to clear the dishes when she heard the front door
open and the murmur of drunk-laughing voices before the door was locked, just as it were
before the intrusion.
She continued on to the kitchen and was washing the plates when her drunken husband
came in and demanded with slurred words that she joins him in the bedroom immediately.
"But you are with her tonight Eric, I'll leave the bedroom to you two", Rosemary protested
weakly just as a loyal dog waiting for ‘What Next’ but this earned her a terrible slap and both
a broken face and chinaware. Then did another slurred command, “Join me in the bedroom now
if you don’t want any trouble, woman”
Rosemary switched off the lights in other parts of the house and tried delaying going to the
bedroom as much as possible. When she had nothing to hold on to for not coming to her
marital master waiting and panting, she went in hoping for bad but was shocked at the sight
she saw, Eric's cuffed behind his head and his legs, widely spread apart, was tied to the
corners of the bed with a rope. The lady with him — Vivian, was atop him licking and
massaging every spot as those an hungry lady-of-the-night but this one wasn’t, she really
wasn’t. She [Rose] wanted to puke at the sight she’d just beheld, turned around and tried
walking out quietly so as not intrude the Devil’s deed being done on her matrimonial bed
but a voice rang back. ‘Hey babes, come back’, Vivian said quietly.
‘You wouldn't want to have fresh scars in the morning would you?
She's telling you nicely now and you know how anti-nice the case would seem if I were the
one doing the talking. So gently and quietly pull off your clothes and come over to Daddy!’
She tried swallowing back the lump of tears that welled up in her throat like the heavy ‘eba’
she’s remembers eating a while ago.
“This was a cursed family, this was an accursed act and she was also getting cursed for standing for this”
these all rang in her mind but ….
But how could she not? She had Anna, her only daughter to consider. As she got closer to
the defiled bed, she switched off the lights but upon doing so, received angry and
incomprehensible curses as a reaction and just as swiftly switched them back on and cleaned
the single tear that slipped out, climbed onto the bed to partake in this Gomorrahcious act, it
was not like she had a choice after all ….

12. CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning could be defined as when a cold war turns hot. Eric's every move was
countered by his irked Rosemary, his wife who fused anger over the certain with confusion
of the uncertain.
The catalyst, Vivian had left the devil’s playhouse at the rise of dawn and everything in the
house including the broom, plates, the T.V plus their six year old Anna, knew something was
terribly wrong and thus insisted on staying up in her room all day.
Eric sat down in his study and so were his emotions; down, at his desk, he stared at
the roughly broadcasted pieces of works and books he had stacked up and unevenly
dispersed on his table. He was lost in thought, this was not how he planned his life to be, he
planned to run away from his sister's snare and like the ending of his every romantic cartoon
live happily ever after with the woman of his dreams and a family of his own.
But how was the issue, how does this happen?
While he is definitely living with the woman of his dreams unhappily, this was not the life of
he had wished for.
"Where did things go wrong?, He kept asking himself for the umpteenth time.
Everything had once been fine. He had once thought that he was truly free from the satanic
incest which he so much enjoyed and was addicted to only to find himself running back to
her at her every cry of distress, this incest was not so much of a satanic once really, it was a
physical one and he can see this, clearly.
He had promised Rose that everything was going to be fine, claimed he has had enough of
their sin and was going to do everything to save their marriage.
What baffled him the most was why she had stayed with him despite everything he had done
to her, it was the devil’s work or was it not?
Before they got married, he did his best to keep the ugly skeletons in his cupboard checked
but after the wedding, he relaxed and now he even brings her into it.
It was disgusting even to him, but only when his mind wasn't fogged with the effect of too
much drinking.
He was going to make things right again from now on. It was no use voicing his new
resolution to her, it wasn’t the first time he’d said so anyways.
He wanted to start by quitting drink so that any rash decision on his part would not have a
place to lay blame. But for now, he had some work to do but how to leave his study and the
house with eyes all over it was the immediate problem, he couldn't face looking at her pretty-
ugly face right now.
Eric bowed down his head on the desk and remained as such for a very long time.

13. CHAPTER FIVE
Vivian didn't know whether to cry or laugh. She was feeling like a bitch and probably knew
she was but at times like this, she felt she was right and that was the right thing to do.
Of course, she was sorry of spoiling Rose's home, Jessica's life and Miracle's family but these
were her brothers in question, her ungrateful and betraying brothers.
Things would not have gotten to this stage had it been they reacted normally to her change.
The car changed gears and sped faster on the not-so smooth roads of Sango, the outskirts of
Lagos but she couldn't help it, She couldn't help anything at this point of her being and
when her thoughts went in this direction and she was always almost very careful, but this?
It was beyond her limit reach, she’d been the ‘omo ti o fi gangan fa ohun ti owo re otoo’ and
couldn't control her thoughts.
Passersby looked on surprised; while some worried whether or not she would kill someone
others just rewarded her act with foul curses.
She thought of how her brothers had started consulting her less and less on issues on which
she was formerly their sole adviser. Though they tried to be civil, they respected her less and
less and she only thought it fair to make them go through what she had gone through.
Only Martin was headstrong of the three and truly broke free from her hold but was he too
really free. She scoffed, he’d thought she didn't know about his latest love, Jessica, but she
did, and was almost immediately sorry for him.
She made a sharp turn, and to the greatest expectations of onlookers, sight-seers and road
peddlers all being busy with their doings, collided head-on into an oncoming trailer with her
…. What more do I have to achieve here, if God wants to blame me, he should ….. , were the last
thoughts that ran through her during this inauspicious moment

14. CHAPTER SIX
Vivian turned her face into the pillow and used it to muffle her tears, she’d cried herself to
sleep that night.
The next morning, she awoke and with a tearful sigh, remembered all that happened the
night before and resumed her tears.
Sex wasn't supposed to bring this much pain
she thought. The ways in which her friends
described it and what she felt when she was
necking and smooching last night with Samuel
wasn't painful. It was actually enjoyable. She
almost gave in to him but remembered the
promise she made to her dad. She had broken
away with difficulty and now, really wished she
hadn't.
It was really more fun than what had just defiled
her yesterday's night. She was confused and
didn't know what to do next, who to tell, or
where to go, so much that she lost track of time
and could only vaguely remember the butler
coming to ask if she was ready to eat. She
requested her food be brought upstairs. As soon
as she heard her mother was back, took her bath
and ran quickly to her mother's room. She
vaguely wondered why her father hadn't come
down to see her this morning as was the norm,
and for the umpteenth time, wondered why her
parents used separate bedrooms.
Separate rooms that weren't so close together as that!
"Mom, welcome" She ran quickly to her mother’s
embrace who sat by the dressing table and
hugged her.
Theresa looked bewildered and looked her
daughter over,“Wow! That's a first”, she said
smiling.
The father's girl gives the mother a hug first thing in the
morning. Isn't this worth celebrating? Vivian made
eye contact with her mother for about five
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15. seconds before she busted out laughter just as an over-swollen balloon does to which her
mother, Theresa joined in on, it was one moment they’d not have in a long while.
After the laughing streak was over, she got up and hugged her only daughter properly, took
her to sit at the edge of the bed and held her hands. They made eye contact and this was
really therapeutic for both parties, stayed at this for a while till Vivian looked away and
cleared her throat.
Theresa knew from the swollen face and red-rimmed eye that Vivian had cried herself to
sleep and had had a good cry this morning and that, coupled with the fact that as soon as she
awoke, she was in her room. She knew exactly what had happened yesterday night.
"How was prom night?" she asked.
Vivian looked at her in half shock as if wondering ‘Why her mother asked about that and not
something else’ and then proceeded to shrug and say ‘fine’ but her heart was really dying to spill
out the beans she’s gorged down her throat.

16. CHAPTER SEVEN
Theresa first knew her husband was a pedophile when her daughter, Vivian was five years
old,. She caught him trying to lure her into the couple’s act with loving words, daddy-like
hugs, sweets and candies to lure her trust.
She couldn't believe she was actually seeing this, a man she married! With her daughter?.
If his pant weren’t down, she would also have fallen for the façade he put up while on the
go.
The complaints of the little ones at church and in the neighborhood started ringing vividly in
her ears. She’d grabbed all she can and throw the objects at him not caring for where they’d
land, on his neatly shaved head or the dark chest of his harboring vile thoughts towards
young ones.
What more does he want? The young girl has nothing to offer him, really! And here she was,
the mistress with all that big boobs and sexy looking body, it was perfect – but what now
does he want from their young and malleable daughter? She couldn’t even have sex with him
The idiot could only use her [the girl] as a guide to doge the incoming objects flinged by the
angry lady on the other side of the room, and when she’d go to pick Vivian up to see if she
was alright, the little one ran off shouting her hatred and how mean she thinks her mother
was.
Theresa couldn't believe her ears. Shock couldn’t be the word to use to define the mood she
was in at that moment; She didn’t know what to think.
Some months to come, she took the issue to court but got the case dismissed on basis that it
was all based on speculations and there was no hard evidence to properly accuse the
charged, She was heartbroken thinking about the constant rejection she faced from her little
girl. But the love for her daughter would not let her get divorced so she stayed but went away
at every little opportunity thereby inadvertently giving Vivian the opportunity to get more
enticed in going on with her father and his sexual plays. And now, the bastard has done it again,
She felt she needed to have all the extra helps in the house quit their jobs because it was just
because to battle this they were hired in the first place, to protect her daughter, and now they
have all failed in doing so.
With these thoughts running through her mind, tears welled up in Theresa's eyes and Vivian
looked worriedly at her.
Is something wrong mom?, she inquired
“No dear, I'm fine” She said standing up. “…but I would be leaving home yet again, and this
time, I really want you to come with me. I have made all the necessary arrangements
including your paperworks for the trip, I really hope you do agree to come with me on this
one”

17. She thought it hard and fair for about 20
seconds before sighing and rendering a reply
to Theresa’s request, “Mom, I'm sorry, but I'm
not prepared. I have things to take care of here and
besides, I can't just leave daddy here. I have to tell
him in advance so that he is prepared”
Vivian looked at her mother and was not
sure what to do or say, the moment was
awkward but believed her mom would
understand and was even surprised that she
asked in the first place.
She noticed that although her parents never
for once fought, they never spoke too. The
time she could remember them ever fighting
at all was when she was still too young to
understand what really transpired as her
mother was insisting that her father should not
be around her, and no male in the house should be
around her.
She didn't understand then and still doesn't
understand now but she’d made up her mind
not to dwell on those things on purpose as
they were really just too troublesome and
may lead her to facts that would destroy her
life and everything she ever believed in and
thus chose to block out those disturbing
memories and in fact, it was past time she
saw her father this morning.
“Mom, I have to go. I haven't seen dad
today”, she let out as she prepared to leave
“Okay dear, it’s no problem. I shall see you
before I leave” … Theresa watched Vivian
leave the room and went back to sit on the
bed with a heavy heart. She fought back tears
with every fiber in her being and consoled
herself that Vivian was making these decisions herself.
Remembering that she was young when she chose her path and now, as she grows into a
woman, sticks to it without wavering and she [Theresa] could do very little about that.
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18. CHAPTER EIGHT
"Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" were the words Vivian muttered while sleeping. She was
tossing, turning and trying to fight away the individual holding her down on the bed. Her red
dress was torn from her and used in strangling her, she kept fighting but the breath in her
was slowly but steadily going out of her, suddenly, she found air when the piece of cloth
loosened around her neck she screamed and immediately, her dad rushed in and started
calming her down with his soothing voice.
The red cloth disappeared and she wasn't feeling strangled anymore she leaned towards her
father and he hugged her into comfort. Then he started patting her back to upwards and
downwards, to and fro. His hands moved to her womanly sides but he continued patting
her, whispering comforting nonsense. When his hand brushed her breast slightly, she shifted
uncomfortably but then his hands moved away again and he kept caressing her. Suddenly his
hands gripped her right breast firmly and her eyes flew open.
Vivian saw a blurry image of her father sitting with her on the bed and she rubbed her eyes
for clarification.
She bolted upright to a sitting position and went in an eye to eye view with her dad. She was
confused and let out a rusty laugh.
“Dad, did you.....? Why are you here..?” She barely managed to spit out the question. She
was so shocked.
‘Well, little girl, you had a nightmare and I was just trying to help you through the dark
moments’ Her father replied with a smug smile on his lips as if to show he was totally proud
of his doings to his daughter.
‘What?! How dare you!’ She stuttered. She tried to come down from the bed but his firm
hands held her down.
‘Its only if you want to end up like your mother that this incident would leave your lips to
another. It might be worse for you because you could end up in a juvenile home or better
still, an asylum. So do not pretend that you didn't feel anything or didn't enjoy what you felt,
just lie back and let nature take its course.
Your resistance would only make me put my money to good use and you end up in that
asylum while your mother who tries to defend you ends up in jail on the charges of
continuous defamation of character, you know I know the drill, right?’
‘Don't look so shocked and hateful baby, you are definitely going to like this .... or not, it's
your choice. Be wise’

19. ‘You .... bastard ...!’ Vivian muttered under her breath. She spat into her father's eye, and for
doing so earned herself two terrible slaps and a non-consensual intercourse with her body, in
ropes or chains, as you might have it.
* * *
Shattered glasses were in every part of her body. One was pierced directly into her left
breast. Her neck was at a very odd angle and the steering wheel of the car was between her
hands and the windshield. She wondered why and how she was still alive, and she thought
‘Was I not supposed to die? Emmanuel, Martins, Eric, I am really sorry for messing up your
lives, I really am’ and as the ambulance sirens became louder, she breathed her last and
finally joined her ancestors.
It was a life ‘not well lived’ and it had come to the end-point.

20. CHAPTER NINE
Martin smiled, it was one hearty smile. He could see Jessica putting in an effort. She really
didn't have to but she was and he’d tried talking her out of it but she wouldn't hear that
either.
He moved around to the mini bar by the dining and poured out two glasses of wine. His
mind drifted back in time and to the past week. When he heard about Vivian's death, he ran
as fast as he could to Jessica's place. Merely her seeing him, she shut the door in his face but
his sleeping at her doorstep overnight and her receiving calls from neighbors pleading with
her to let him in was what granted him access into her house.
The tale of the tragedy that’s befell the family however made her regret shutting him out in
the first place and not seeing from his point of view. It was then she confessed ‘locking you
out was a punishment for abandoning our baby’. He was shocked beyond speech and when
he finally managed to stutter the question, ‘Are you kidding me right now?, you mean you
are …. pregnant for me? You are carrying my child?’
She smiled and nodded and tears filled her eyes. He would never forget that look, ever. It
was after his hearing this revelation from the horses’ mouth that the words became
unstoppable as he kept muttering apologies, promises and eventually started kissing her until
and not for long he’d discover himself on the laps of the woman bearing his to-be, crying his
eyes out with apologies and sorries which were received whole-heartedly by the recipient.
* * *
He couldn't be totally sure if he was over his past but he'll be damned if he doesn’t try harder
to overcome the scar in his upbringing and the life he sees himself living, it only took some
few hours, days and moments and all the family [ies] were gathered, here they are in the
home he grew up in and Jessica at the door welcoming guests for the burial of their dear and
undear sister, in-law and fellow accomplice in the thwarting their lives, Vivian.
She [Jessica] had earlier welcomed Eric, Rose and Anna, Emmanuel, Miracle, Herod and
Herodias.
He took the glass of wine to her and insisted she take a sit, for the baby's sake, if for no
other.
* * *
The dining table was bubbling with happy conversations and laughter. It was real even if it
was only because the reason they were gathered together wasn't mentioned.

21. Their various personal and marital lives too was a topic avoided like a plague, no one really
wanted to go back to that, not anyone of them and since the conversation revolved around
only the happy and gleeful moments, the laughter was real too.
The only person reserved on that table was Herodias. She looked around the table at the
adults with a mixed feeling of pity and hatred. Herod just leaned towards Anna and became
immersed in childhood conversations, it was a family reunion even the kids needed and
longed for.
Dessert came and went and gradually, they dispersed. The women had been looking forward
to time alone together all day, the burden they shared could not be ignored over sweet food
and wine and they just needed a safe space. They met in the kitchen with the excuse of doing
the dishes and a promise to join their various husbands as soon as possible.
As soon as they got into the kitchen, they hugged each other and each lasted for about half a
minute or so.
Then they sat down and started pouring out their souls amidst tears and even laughter.
Miracle talked about her endless bruises and the work of make up in covering them up,
about how she cries thinking about her trap in the guise of marriage and about how the
thought of leaving her husband makes her stop cold she’d say jokingly, ‘If not for my job as
a cosmetologist and one who knows well how to hide facial bruises, I am sure I’d have ran

22. away with my kids for the fear of another bruise to my face the next day ’,
Jessica spoke about how she emotionally stood by Martin in rain and sunshine and helped
him through the most ridiculous moments and when she found out she was pregnant, she
asked him when he was going to get married to her but he totally avoided the conversation
like it meant nothing to both him and his partner. She explained her crying about it with
laughter and most of all, got their understanding.
Rose wasn’t let off the grid on this one, as she was just trying again and again keep from
talking about her experiences but with just little pestering, she scummed and talked about
her sex life with her husband and the horrific sex-games they’d play even when Vivian isn't
involved. She talked a long while and cried too, then took comfort from the women around
her – they’d all be the part of same circle, hurt by not just their better half, but a third party.
After a while, they talked about things more natural and this time, their laughter wasn't
birthed from pain not contempt for the dead.
They all agreed that the dishes would have to wait till the next morning and laughed at what
their husbands must think if they woke up to the dirty dishes.
They were still laughing and talking when Jessica stopped cold in the mid-sentence. Her face
was frozen in shock, the others were puzzled at first but that was because Jessica was sitting
facing the door while they were not. They each turned slowly to see what was wrong and
they were all thrown into an abyss of shock too as standing at the door way was Herodias.
When she [Herodias] saw that she got all their attention, came into full view, and when they
still didn't talk, said;
‘Don't wonder how long I have been standing here because I followed you guys right from the beginning. And
don't think about what I must have heard, because, I didn't hear a thing’ and with her insensitive
speech, walked quietly out of the kitchen and to her room.

23. CHAPTER TEN
The girls looked at each other in bewilderment. After a moment, Miracle spoke. ‘Well, what
that means is she heard everything but she would just rather act like she didn't and try to
forget it all".
‘How do you know?’ Jessica inquired with Rose backing her.
‘Because she is my daughter’, she replied getting up and heading out of the kitchen. The
other two looked at each other and nodded then smiled. They pulled Miracle back for a
group hug and left the kitchen feeling reserved but quite relieved and happy.
Things went smoothly the next morning and so did it the next, the burial came had come
and gone. Vivian was buried next to their mother’s remains, she’d died in a plane crash.
Their father was not buried in the house but in his own family's house some years ago.
Each couple seized the opportunity of being away from home to make up for past mistakes.
Eric finally quits drinking and treats Rose the way she deserves.
These days, he even asks her permission literally before he tries to make love to her, and this
time he was extremely gentle, it was almost as though he was using each love-making
process to apologize for his past wrongs.
Rose at one time climaxed three times before they were even completely naked. She now felt
peace and happiness. Thought doubt, once in a while sets in and she feels insecure but these
last days were really something to count on and she was not ashamed to say to the girls that
she was glad that Vivian died, shouldn’t she be?
Emmanuel actually made a verbal promise to his wife, Miracle, he even called their two kids,
Herod and Herodias and vaguely apologized to them.
Miracle gave Herodias a knowing look and she smiled before looking away. He actually
promised celibacy from then on till Miracle felt she was ready to come to him at her own
will. She protested weakly but was secretly happy. This would give her time to come to terms
with things and really let go. It wasn't long before she went to him though, they made love
like it was the first time ever for them both.
The story of Martin and Jessica was perfect. They not got to spend more time together,
squabbled over names for the baby and were caught just looking at each other's eyes at odd
moments. They were once caught by Rose and Miracle making love in the backyard on a
certain sunny afternoon.
It was a perfect ending to their various stories of abuse, hatred, victimization and heart
break, or was it not?
After spending a week together in the family home settling the whole Vivian affairs, it was
finally time to go home back to their lives and they gathered together to have a last night tea
and prepared to leave for their various homes the next morning.

24. CHAPTER ELEVEN
The men gathered together at the backyard garden for an early morning goodbye drink. They
drank and chatted until they were each slightly drunk.
Rose came in once to check on them and later on had a good laugh with the girls about their
shamelessness. They later dispersed to have their bags packed.
Meanwhile, The guys conversation had drifted.
‘You know, it was that entire damning woman's fault – our mother, I mean, who made our
lives a mess. She was a real coward and couldn't stand for what was right’ Emmanuel stated.
‘Don't you dare! Don't you dare talk about the woman who gave you life like that!’ Martin
replied indignantly.
Emmanuel got angry almost immediately he heard his junior brother’s voice, he wondered
‘When did this his little chick grow wings enough to talk to me’ He was on the verge of
voicing out his thoughts when Eric cut in.
‘Really thinking about it though, who can you blame for the old man being a pedophile and
one who lacked of victim, turned to his own daughter. That man is definitely an asshole".
‘Oh really?’ Emmanuel put in. ‘Really? so the woman who birthed us is a saint while our pa
is now an asshole?
Our pa who was there for us his whole life even when that bitch took off at every little
opportunity?
Our pa who brought us up with the greatest love and affection?
Now, don't you think you are all ungrateful hypocrites?’
Martin stood up and made to leave them alone but was staggering and Eric, at his hot-point
and in rush to get at Emma hit him and he fell. Eric stood eye to eye with Emma and said,
‘It's no wonder whose side you were on, you were he who chose to label our sister ‘Eve’, the
devil's incarnate and then eventually brought this over our heads all.
It was you who suspected in the first place and made us turn our backs on our sister.
It was you who convinced us that our agreeing with Vivian and sleeping with her would only
help her heal. We were teenagers for goodness sake?! And you, the ‘all knowing first male child’
tried to do everything for our own good!’
Guess who I blame? Guess! Eric shouted at the top of his voice.
Emmanuel slapped him hard across the face and proceeded to punching him but Eric self-
defending punch hit first in the nose and Emmanuel’s nose started bleeding. Emmanuel, in
his blind anger rushed towards Eric to beat the shit out of him but got intercepted by Martin,
but on doing so got his rage set on Martin and growled ‘Get out of my way, let me rip his
heads off’

25. ‘I will not - not when you have said such terrible things about our mother and have beaten
up our brother for defending her.
I will not get out of your way, and it will be a good thing if you just calm down and sit. I will
try to forget you ever said that because demanding a retract will get us nowhere’, came from
Martin
‘Hahahahahaha’ Emmanuel laughed mirthlessly.
‘So the spineless baby is now standing up to me over a decayed corpse? Nah, he said with a
wave of his hand, I will not get into this with you. Now, get out of my way’
* * *
As soon as the argument had started getting frayed, Herodias who had been listening to the
trio from the backyard porch ran inside to get Herod and Anna. There, the audience of the
fighting trio had stood and onlooked even when Martin had fallen down, Anna had made to
run into the garden to separate the fight herself but was held back by Herod and Herodias.
Anna looked at them in shock and asked ‘Why are you holding me?’
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26. Herod knelt down so he would be eye to eye with Anna. ‘It’s because I am twelve and you
are ten, and I know what's right at this particular moment. Right now, we have to sit and
listen to what my twin sis, Herodias has to say. She has a big part to play in the next move
we are to make. Do you understand me?’
Anna nodded her head sideways and then shook her head, ‘What do you mean?’
‘Why not let her explain to us already?’ Herod said and stood up at Herodias.
She looked right back at him and said puzzled, ‘Anna just said my lines. It is me who should
have asked, what do you mean?’
‘Herodias, do you think I'm dumb? That you understand what's been going on between you
and dad but I can't? Wouldn't it have been so obvious if I was as quiet as you were that time
on the dining table? I chatted to cover your back, and what do you think I would do when
Anna had gone to sleep and I couldn't find you there? Just lie and sleep? No, I followed
you’.
Herodias looked at him in shock and he smiled back, continuing his speech. ‘of course I did,
and I heard everything you heard. I only pretended like I was asleep when you came in’, he
concluded
‘Why don't we all go into the kitchen and discuss this like adults over a cup of tea?’ Herodias
asked part-laughing.
Anna shrugged and put her hands in Herod's and together, like a team they all sauntered into
the kitchen for their head-to-head.
Herodias loved playing the adult so she served them tea and sat in the chair Miracle loved
sitting in. Her legs were too short and couldn't touch the floor so she crossed them anyways
and leaned on the counter while mixing the tea with the teaspoon.
The 10 year old in the room cleared her throat. ‘I have got a something to say guys’. Herod
and Herodias exchanged looks. ‘Well, after dozing off for a while, my mom didn't come to
kiss me goodnight so I went looking for her and overheard all the conversation - well, at
least the ones that made sense to me’. She concluded with a shrug.
The trio looked at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing.
"But what has this got to do with not ending the fight back there?" Anna asked?
"Well, Herod said, they deserve to get beaten up for all the horrible things they did to our
mom".
"Hmmm, that's not totally a terrible idea. Anna said smiling into her drinks.
"Cheers to our dads having a taste of their own tea" Herodias said raising her cup of tea.
"Cheers!" They chorused and their laughter reverberated through the kitchen walls.
* * *

27. While Martin wasn’t moving, Emmanuel made a move to punch him out of the way but
Martin, with the broken glass he picked up from when he’d fell and broke a cup, stabbed
him in the hand. Blood gushed out; Emmanuel only felt a moment of pain before all he
could see was red, red anger directed at his two brother, Eric and Martin. He looked around
and found the other broken parts of the cup, picked a shard and headed for Martin who just
stood in shock at what he had just done. Eric quickly threw himself between Martin and
Emmanuel and earned himself a slashed throat. His gray shirt rapidly became red, and he
looked at them for a moment before dropping to his knees. Martin came alive in blind fury
and went for Emmanuel's throat and Emmanuel, trying to protect himself, stretched out his
hand with the glass and before either of them knew it or could avert the situation, Martin
wound was at the base of his throat and he went down immediately.
* * *
‘Here they are!’ Jessica called to Rosemary and Miracle. She turned to the kids in the kitchen
and said, ‘We have searched everywhere for you guys.
Now, enough of this enjoyment, its time to go wash up and leave’
‘No’ they all chorused.
‘What do you mean by No?’, Miracle asked.
She and Rose were at the kitchen's entrance.
‘What she means is’, Herodias said standing up, that we aren't leaving now unless the fight
our dads had gotten into has either ended in laughter or death.’ and they all raise another
glass to the impending danger ahead chorusing ‘cheers’
‘What do you mean?’, the alarmed women wondered.
‘That they are really in a death battle right now’ Herod replied, standing up.
The three women took to their heels and raced down to the backyard. Herod helped Anna
come down from her high stool and they also ran to see what was going on.
* * *
‘What?!, what have you guys done? You devils, you hypocrites, what have you done to my
baby?’ Jessica shouted and raved on and on as she went to the chair in which they had sat,
picked up one which she hit Emmanuel, the depth of what had just happened just dawned

28. on the two brothers standing with again, and again with it and went over to Eric, not
minding his bleeding and the fact that he couldn't really move and also hit him with the
chair. She was crying and shaking badly.
Miracle and Jessica weren't left out in this moment of madness. They hit and beat the men
wildly until the three kids went out to stop them and at that point, Jessica, with her red-hot
face challenged them.
‘You, why didn't you come call us immediately?, Why were you sitting, laughing and drinking
tea when all our lives were getting destroyed back here?’
By then, Anna had burst into tears; she was the youngest after all and came down with an
apology ‘We are sorry; we really didn't know it was going to be this bad. We were there the
whole time before they started …, we all heard everything and we figured when they started
fighting, they were getting a flip of the coin. We are really very sorry moms".
‘We are really very sorry’, the twins joined in the apology to their devastated mothers.
Jessica went to Martins, by this time he was already lifeless. The wound at the base of his
neck went in real deep. His eyes were still open and he had the expression of shock on his
face.
Jessica looked over the other two men. Eric was really losing lots of blood while Emmanuel
only suffered from a cut on his nose, a shallow wound on his mouth and a glass injury on his
arm, though the glass was still sticking out of it, she figured he was the most unhurt of the
three and so went over to him and with all the strength she could muster, slapped him right
out of his shock. He spat out blood and he came right back to his senses
‘You couldn't even let him give me a dying speech, you bastard’ she muttered and went back
to Martin's lifeless body, closed his lids, gently kissed him on the lips and cried.
Rose came over to her side and wept. Miracle walked over to Emmanuel and said, ‘You
snake, I really thought you’d changed.
I actually thought you had really turned a new leaf. But now, with this, just don't ever think
of going back home. This is your home. If I ever see your feet set the house again, you are
dead, roasted! and you’ll be hearing from my lawyer soon, it’ll be better you sign those doc…
easy unless, You will be sucked dry. You son of a —‘
‘—enough! Jessica cut in. You will do no such thing’. This is just the devil's plan and doing
this would only be fulfilling the mantra of the 'THUG LIFE'.
‘This guy here is nothing more of a devil himself, that you are right about, see what he's
done to his brothers, his brothers!
You are right about the other thing too. He is a thug, and he has tried to bring us all into his
thug life and because we resisted, see what he's done over here. Just see — why are you
smiling?’ said Rose
‘Hey dummy, Jessica said still smiling sadly.
That's not what I meant. Thug life is an acronym for The Hate You Give Little Infants, Fucks

29. Everybody.
Why don't you see it this way, these three idiots were victims, starting from the dead Vivian
– makes a peace sign, they were all given that same hate at a very young age and now, it fucks
everybody in their lives.
It would have been okay if the cycle ended there but there are another sets of infants here
today, she said pointing to the kids. The hate we give them today and right now, will also
fuck everyone in their lives so we have to end the cycle of the THUG LIFE right here, right
now, besides, I’ve got a fatherless baby to look forward to and if we don't let this go now
and take that idiot bleeding there to the hospital, my baby will end up losing another one of
his uncles and suffer twice.’, she concluded.
Miracle and the rest of the family looked at her in surprised silence.
‘How can you say this at a time like this?’ Rose asked.
Jessica looked at them all and said finally, ‘Maybe because I love the future more, maybe
because I love my baby more than all these, maybe because the future is more important to
me than today and the past of today.’
They all gathered around her and wept.
They wept, for Jessica, Martin, Vivian, Eric and Emmanuel, Theresa, their children and
finally for themselves.

30. EPILOGUE
I poisoned my husband today, he died today. I may be a bad person, but I did it for my
daughter, Vivian. I should have done it a long time ago, when she was five, but I am only
just doing it now, and the only thing I regret is why I didn't do it earlier.
This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, it is just the end of the beginning.
Anna re-read the words she had just read and snapped Theresa's diary shut. It was the only
thing she inherited from her grandmother, Theresa.

31. Child sexual abuse in Nigeria is an offence under several sections of chapter 21 of the
country's criminal code. The age of consent is 18
UNICEF reported in 2015 that one in four girls and one in ten boys in Nigeria had
experienced sexual violence before the age of 18.[4] According to a survey by Positive
Action for Treatment Access, over 31.4 percent of girls there said that their first sexual
encounter had been rape or forced sex of some kind.[5]
The Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development reported that 1,200 girls had
been raped in 2012 in Rivers, a coastal state in southeastern Nigeria.
According to UNICEF, six out of ten children in Nigeria experience emotional, physical or
sexual abuse before the age of 18, with half experiencing physical violence….
Source: Wikipedia – (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_sexual_abuse_in_Nigeria)

32. DEFILED AGAINST HER WILL
Deborah Ayodele
She was lost without a thought, starring into the
space with a blank heart.
Her innocent conscience has been murdered by
another's pleasure.
Her pride was forcefully taken from her
Drenched with tears
Broken beyond repair
Scared to face the world
Depressed by the foreseen mockery and shame, she
ran into the world of isolation
Oh! Poor soul, It wasn't a dream as she thought.
Her pure heart has been made impure,
Her love turned hatred,
Her soul seeks revenge, unleashing the devil in her.
Consumed with rage and venom
She stab him at the center of his inhumane heart,
She committed murder and suicide at a glance
But never left without leaving a message engraved
with her blood
"To the dwellers of the world,
I write,
My first experience was not with prince charming
neither did I feel any pleasure. My dreams were
prematurely terminated.
Don't blame me for becoming an overnight monster
Yours truly,
Miss Adufe.
JEALOUS
Emmanuel Ojelade (Emmiasky Ojex)
I am jealous
of the way that bird flies
of the way it roams and swerves diligently up in the sky
jealous that I can't.
If I could, for just an hour
I'd pick up wings and attach them to my feathery skin
Escape this thing called REALITY!
and fly away from this life of mine; never to return to the
life I dread.

33. Blaming the victim is an act of refuge and self-deception. It allows the blamer to sit in judgment, imagining
some mystical justice that means bad things happen only to bad people, thus ensuring their own safety.
―Una
Taking oneself back from the hurt and pain might be the opposite of what is intended at first but let’s do
more of that and we’ll truly be free.
―Emmanuel Ojelade
I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions.
I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.
―Oscar Wilde
One thing you can't hide - is when you're crippled inside.”
―John Lennon

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35. MY NAME IS BORMA
Manuel Manuel
My name is ‘boma; and I've been raped.
I've been raped in a cage like a slave.
I've been raped by an Ape in human shape.
I've been raped by a man who has no shame.
I heard he has a little daughter, just as my age.
Yet' he raped and filmed me like we were on stage.
There I was lying in stain,
Watching as my helpless body is being unraveled to
satisfy his sexual craves.
Now everytime I look in the mirror all I see are
scars those metallic fingers left on my face.
It brings back the pain and makes me want to speak
up but,
I fear that i would be shamed.
I fear that i would be blamed.
I fear for what people would say.
I fear because, people would say that I'm in search
of fame.
I fear because even the police would Nicodemus(ly)
drop case .
And then my life would be at stake.
Oh' I'm the victim but, i fear for my fate.
Now, all I can confined in is a pen with which i
write on the corridors of agony.
In hopes that anyone who reads it,
would know that I've been raped.
THEY DON'T LOOK TATTERED
Blessing Okezie
He lay lifeless on his bed
They said he consumed a liquid death.
I mean the one I saw yesterday wearing a yellow
t-shirt and a faded blue jean.
He had remarkable enchanting features.
His physique was exquisite
His eyes was delicate and smart
His complexion was clean and wholesome.
I envisaged him being my lover, how we would
make a beautiful couple.
They said he was depressed
They called it a mental illness.
There I understood.
They don't look tattered.
They are tattered.
They don't look suicidal
They wear a smile always.
They are taut.
Like mannequin, they display fittingly there
clothes of sadness with laughter.
This is no poetry, this is what you call it.
And if you see another, wearing a yellow t-shirt
and a faded blue jean or even on a native attire
with an exquisite physique.
Look beyond that smile.
Then you would differentiate between a smile
addict and a drowning soul.

36. What is the one thing you can take away from the life of an individual and never expect it to
remain same, ever?
What other solutions do you think can be made to tackle the issue of rape and the issue it
portrays?
Do you think Vivian could have another means of getting off her acts?

37. Till next time!
The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one
that heals it...”
― Nicholas Spark

38. Arts and Impact
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