I opened my eyes and closed them almost immediately. The light in the room was too bright and it hurt my eyes.
I stayed that way for a few minutes, then I gradually opened them again. The room was empty and that, I was grateful for. I needed time to fix my scattered emotions.
I felt an excruciating headache which, I guess, resulted from the fall in the bathroom when I fainted.
Why would my father rape me?! I tried to convince myself that it was all a bad dream or maybe he was blinded by grief but my mind kept replaying the scene where he slapped me so hard I thought my teeth had fallen or I had bitten off my tongue.
Did he ever force mom that way? I don't know...
After what seemed like an hour or so, the door was pushed open and doctor Audu stepped in. I was relieved for a moment that he came alone but my joy was cut short. The door was pushed open a second time and dad strode in, still looking Normal! He explained to doctor Audu that I had 'slipped off the stairs and fell'.
Damn it! We didn't even have a staircase at home. Doctor Audu knew this but choose to pretend. Or maybe he didn't know.
We finally left the hospital and I walked to the car, opened the door, and climbed in. Dad did the same too. Then he brought out a blindfold and... blindfolded me!!!
I was shocked beyond words. And honestly, I was way past caring at that moment. If he wanted to kill me, I wouldn't have put up a fight because I saw no purpose left to keep living for. He had damaged me beyond repair and had done the worst thing a father could do, without remorse.
We drove on for about three hours, I even fell asleep. I woke up when the car finally came to a halt. He pulled the blindfold and ordered me to step down.
Earlier, I had wished death upon myself but seeing the thick bush that surrounded me, I didn't want to die again. I didn't want to die in a forest where I might never be found. 'How will AB know where I have been buried', I said to myself.
The forest was dark and tall trees covered almost the whole sky, just a tiny ray of sunlight was able to penetrate the dense leaves.
Where is this place?! How did a respectable man, like my father, come across a place like this?
All these questions ran through my mind. One part of me was screaming 'RUN', but the curious me wanted to stay. I choose to stay.
He dragged me into a smelly hut, well hidden behind some trees. It was occupied by a short pot-bellied old man.
"Is she the one", he asked immediately after we were fully inside, without looking up from whatever he was doing.
"Yes she is', dad replied.
I looked at him and there wasn't a hint of surprise or fear in his eyes which meant that he had been there several times.
The old man ordered me to kneel. I was reluctant at first, but dad applied pressure on my shoulders and whispered to me to obey. So I knelt.
the old man then brought a very smelly liquid substance to my face and asked me to drink it. I declined immediately. The sight alone made me want to throw up.
The old man gave dad a signal with his hand and my dad went out and came back in with two hefty guys. They both held me pinned to the spot and the smelly liquid was forced down my throat till I choked.
Then he angrily said to me, "If you tell anyone what has happened here or what your father has done to you, you will die instantly"
WHAT!!! He said it with a such straight face... like he hadn't threatened my life some seconds ago.
"Oh God", I thought to myself, "What do I do now?"