Life has always been good as a young teenager, I had friends and families around me and I was just 13 years old before the 4th of November, 2007 until this happened.
So early that morning, there was a persistent knock at our door then there was a brief conversation between my parent and (Ifeanyichukwu’s) mum. As she left, my dad’s face changed like an angry lion as he walked into the room where I and my sisters were sleeping. The next thing I knew, he started beating me with belt, broom and shoe. I screamed “daddy what did I do?” but he kept beating hard, he did not stop until my sisters dragged me out of his hand. I sustained injuries as the broom sticks pierced my skin, he ordered everyone in the house not to give me food or water as am no longer part of the family. I cried and kept asking what my offense was but the more I asked the more I got beaten. My mum was quiet because she feared him a lot. My sisters had to sneak to give me food and water in the room as they kept asking me what I did, but I had no answer to offer because I didn’t know my offense.
Four days later at about 6am, dad woke me up from the bed and instructed me to have my bath, he said to me “we are going out” I asked him where? His response was a slap, I held my cheeks as tears flowed. Quickly I took my bath and zoomed off with him. We arrived at a church, I won’t mention names here, I overheard him telling one of the church workers that am here for deliverance, he told them I was demon possessed. After the conversation, he left without saying a word to me, one of the workers asked me to follow him, we both arrived at the praying ground with other people seeking various solutions to their problems like mental health issues, demon possession, child birth difficulties and more. I was scared but I had no choice.
After 7 hours of prayers which ended 2pm, I told one of the prayer coordinator of my desire to leave for home, she informed me I was to observe four days of fasting without food or water. I was shocked as hot tears fell from my cheeks. I stayed all through the 4 days, afterwards one of the workers called me and said nothing was wrong with me after careful observation. Unknowingly to me, dad had told them to keep me for a week! Tired and hungry, the first thing on my mind was devouring any meal available in the kitchen when I get home. Picked the key where we normally kept it, ran to the kitchen, ate and slept off at about 6pm. My mum and siblings were surprised to see me, apparently dad never told them where he took me to. I explained everything to them, my elder sister hugged me tightly as we cried together, they promised to beg him on my behalf. Around 11:36pm, dad saw me and the next thing he started beating me and ordered me to leave the house, I fought to stay back but he pushed me out of the house and locked the door.
"A 13 years old girl thrust into the cold night full of dangers, left alone to plot her survival and yet confused on what her next step of action will be. She had to be resilient. That was her only choice." My aunt's house is 35 minutes drive away form where we lived, getting there at this hour was my obstacle: no means of transportation, no street lights excepts for little 60 watts bulbs serving as security lights in the surrounding neigbourhood houses. I walked hopelessly, tried to muster strength by singing some popular religious songs but I couldn't. All of a sudden, I heard a voice “stop there!” and I froze, looked and saw four young men probably in their mid twenties, from their tone of voice, I could sense these wasn't going to be a friendly conversation. Its a case of flight or fight, the truth is am no King David in the bible that fought Goliath.(lols). I thought they were robbers but unknowing to me, they had other plans.
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