"I will not marry him. You will have to kill me because I will never marry him," I snapped at Mama immediately she told me about the supposed guy I was to marry. We had gotten home and mama had tried to sweet talk me into marrying him.

"What did you just say?" Mama demanded, clearly not believing her ears. She glared at me and I glared back, "I dare you to repeat that statement."

"I said I will not marry him," I snapped.

Mama dived for me. I shrieked and tried to dodge her but she grabbed my ponytail and dragged me back. I felt as though my hair would put out of their roots.
She immediately gave me a hard slap. I screamed and tried to set myself free but she held me tight by my hair and kept slapping my face like a piece of rag.

When we returned home earlier, Mama found out that Usama and Fahad were gone. One of our neighbors had informed her.

******************
"Your children have left. They ran away," he simply told her.

"What!" Mama sounded shocked. Her eyeballs looked like they would pop out of their sockets anytime soon.

"Yes, why are you surprised. Anybody in their situation would have ran away."

"Those ungrateful bastards!" Mama sneered.

**************
So, here I am, taking all the anger Mama had to offer me in form of beating.

"You ungrateful child! After all I have done for you. Is this how you want to pay me? By refusing to marry that guy? Over my dead body!" Mama screeched as she peppered my face with slap upon slap.

By now, my face was bleeding and my lips were swollen. My eyes were also swollen. Before I could say something, she pushed me on the ground and picked her leather slippers.

No no no!

I felt the stinging pain of each hit of the slippers on my body. I tried to stop her but she held tightly to both of my hands.

"Please, stop, please," I cried out in pain.

"Fatoumata!" came Papa's booming voice, " What is going on here?"

"It is this ungrateful element. She has the nerves to open that her cursed mouth and tell me she won't marry," Mama sneered as she stood up.

Papa studied my beaten body and glared at me. If looks could kill, I'll be dead by now.

"She will marry that boy. She has no say in the matter," Papa stated.

I kept quiet. For the sake of my life because these insane people could kill me.

"Where is Usama?" Papa question.

Mama gave a wicked laugh and sat on a chair.

"Those street urchins! Those vagabond children. A neighbor informed me about their excape. They have ran away."

"What!" Papa thundered.

"Calm down! Don't overwork yourself. There's nothing we can do. They must be long gone."

"What did we not do for them. We treated them like our own children. We gave them food, clothing and shelter. And this is how they pay us?" Papa asked directing his question to no one in particular.

I was still on the floor, listening to their lies. We have suffered in their hands a lot these past few years. The little scraps they fed us that dogs would reject was hardly enough for us. We cooked for them but hardly ate from the food. Sometimes we went hungry for days. They barely bought us clothes. All we had were rags. Even the boys quarter we lived in was poorly ventilated.
So who wouldn't run away from this place if they had a chance.
I am just sad that they refused to take me with them. And now they want me to marry someone who might be twice my age. Never!

"Get up and make supper for us you ungrateful swine. Nonsense!" Mama ordered and I scurried out of their sight.

I washed my body in pain and tears. I can't stay any longer. How long do I have to bear all these suffering.

*****************
It has been five days since Usama and Fahad ran away. Five days since I have being bearing all the workload in this house. I can barely stand upright. My back feels like someone dropped a mountain on it.

"Oma!"

"Siiir!"

"Where are you," Papa questioned.

"I am in the kitchen, Papa," I replied.

I still have not forgotten the last time Papa tried to rape me. I narrowly escaped him the last time. Only Allah knows what Papa has up in his sleeves.

"Have you finished making the amala(a stable food made from yam powder eaten mostly in the Western region of Nigeria)?" Papa inquired.

"Yes, Papa."

"Give it to me."

"Let me serve the soup."

I quickly served some soup for him and placed the food on a tray.
I handed the tray over to him and he left.

I felt hands circle my waist. I immediately knew it was Papa. It has not been up to thirty minutes since I gave him his food.

"Shhh! Just give me what I want and nothing will happen to you. My wife has travelled so there will be no interruptions. I have also locked everywhere so you cannot escape," Papa informed me.

I tried to wriggle free from him but he held me tight with one hand and tried to tear my blouse with the other hand. He succeeded as I could hear the ripping sounds of the blouse. I immediately covered my exposed body with my hands but Papa hit my head from behind. The force sent me flying to the ground.

Papa was already on top of me in no time. I tried to hit him but he punched me right in the face. I almost blacked out. As Papa grabbed my breasts, I screamed in pain. He gave me another punch, this time on my stomach. I could taste the metallic feel of blood in my mouth. I quickly looked around for anything in this kitchen that I could use against Papa. I saw an iron spoon on the floor not too far from me. I stretched my hand to get it hoping that Papa did not notice me. I grabbed it and aimed directly at Papa's face. He screamed in pain and that gave me the opportunity to push him away from me. I tried to run out of the kitchen but he grabbed my ponytail and pulled me back.
I greeted his head with the iron spoon again. This time, I kept on hitting him until he let go of my hair. I quickly ran out in the direction of the living room's door but the door was locked.

I could hear heavy footsteps coming towards me. Before I could swing the spoon at him, Papa gave me a dirty slap. He grabbed my head and pushed me to the wall.

"You little rat! Trying to play smart with me right?" Papa smirked. Blood was dripping from the wound on his head.

He slapped me again and again. If he was trying to make me weak then he succeeded because with each slap that came, I slowly dropped to the floor inch by inch. He did not stop hitting me even when I fell to the floor. I didn't want to close my eyes but I couldn't help it as darkness enveloped me.

******************

I slowly opened my eyes to find out that I was in Papa's room. My mouth was covered with a piece of cloth and my hands and legs were tied to Papa's bed posts. I was naked. I tried to struggle but that was a huge mistake as I felt pain shooting round my body.

"Mmmphhmmmph," came my muffled sounds.

"All this wouldn't have happened if you had just given me what I want. But you had to be a stubborn, ungrateful bitch!" Papa spat as he came close to the bed.

He began to unbuckle his trouser and pull his shirt. In no time, Papa was naked. My eyes widened in alarm and I began to struggle to get free not minding the pains that shot through my body.

In no time, Papa was on top of me. I felt crushed. I could hardly breath. He grabbed my breasts and squeezed them hard. I could not scream instead hot tears rolled out of my eyes as Papa took away my innocence. I tried refusing him but that only got me slaps upon slaps. Sometimes he would grab my neck and began to strangle me as he entered me forcefully. Other times he would cover my nose and prevent me from breathing till I would be barely grasping for air.

*********************
The wall clock says ten in the night. Papa has been raping and beating me since two in the afternoon. I have fainted times without number. Each time he would wake me with cold water. I am surprised that I am still alive. My eyes are even tired of crying. I won't be surprised if I no longer have tears again.

"Wow!" Papa exclaimed, "So this is what I have been missing since. I am going to enjoy you until you get married to that man. You are even sweeter than my wife."

He smacked his lips and began to untie me. I was a bloody mess.

"Go wash yourself and come and wash the bedsheets. Hurry up or I will beat you again."

I could barely walk but I had made a resolve in my mind. I will kill Papa. I don't know how but I will. Even if I have to die trying.

Hello to you. I hope you like this chapter. Please don't forget to vote, comment and share.
I love you all and thanks.
Don't forget to check out my other book if you haven't seen it. It's called: Bound by Love.
Thanks.