"I finally found a way to leave those guys".
We didn't even get to introduce ourselves, but it wasn't really what mattered at the moment.
I am now rich, and that's all that mattered.
This is a life changer for me - where do I start? Of course, family was the first on the list, but after them, who's next?
Ah, my best friend Lee. And Aunty Ada - damn, that woman did a lot for me back then when things really got tough.
She gave me free food when I was hungry and far from home, even though she was just managing by selling her little food on a wheelbarrow.
She treated me like a son, even buying me drugs when I fell sick and never accepting payment when we tried to repay her. I could literally turn her wheelbarrow business into a huge restaurant, making her dreams come true for sure - that would be a good way to repay all she's done for me.
I remained lost in my thoughts when my phone vibrated in my pocket. "Oh darn it,dad".
"Hello boy, what are you doing outside at this time, and where have you been all this while?"
"Dad, I was just..." "Save it for when you get back to this house - it's me and you today, I will break your head."
He threatened before cutting the call.
I could literally just sleep outside, maybe in a really good hotel, and get a nice girl to keep me warm throughout this cold night. But I didn't want the money getting into my head - that would be a nice start to squandering it.
I finally made my way to the main gate. I was about to knock when my sister opened the gate before I could hit it. "Oh, thank you," I thanked her, wondering why she would wait for me to open the gate for me but I had other things that worry about.
She just slid her thumb across her neck as she gave me a stern look. Yeah, that was creepy, but not something that would surprise me coming from my third sister. Ah well, I guess I'm a dead man. I didn't need to think much before realizing what she was talking about.
On normal terms, I would run fast into the house, suspecting that my dad would be behind the door waiting for me to step in so he could have a good grip on me and deal with me to his satisfaction.
But this time, I just wanted him to get over what he wanted to do with me, so far as it wasn't killing me.
Funny enough, I could see him through the door standing behind it with his thick leather belt in his hands, just standing there quietly waiting for me to step in. Well, if I didn't, he would just wait there for me till I went in, so why not just get over with it already?
I just made my way into the living room, and like I expected, he whipped me at the back f my neck.
I expected it at my head but the neck wasn't no surprise still
It didn't even feel as painful as expected - felt like the belt he used to whip me was made of paper. It just didn't hurt, and I didn't bother pretending that it did either. I just kept a plain glance at him as I watched him let out all his energy on me to the extent that he began panting."
"'Whip!!
"Where have you been"?
Whip!!
"You now think you're a boss, hey"?
Whip!! Whip!! Slash!! Whip !!
Very stupid boy!!!'
He kept on whipping me on the neck, head, and even face, but it still didn't hurt, so seeing that I didn't really didn't feel the pain he wanted me to feel, he decided to do the usual.
'Honey,' he said to my mom, who just stood watching the whole drama unfold, 'there will be no food for him for the next two days. Nobody should give him anything, not even a grain of rice.'
'Since he is now old enough to stay out late, he might as well be old enough to feed himself,' my dad said as he hissed and stormed towards his room. 'Useless boy, you are no good to me, just causing me pain and eating all the food in the house. Such a useless animal.' He finally concluded before entering his room.
'Where have you been? Why are you making your father talk so much?' my mother began. 'I don't have anything to say, mom. I've been out of this house since this morning, and I haven't had anything. And now, dad is increasing the punishment.'
'Because you offended him,' she replied. 'Well, I'm tired. I can't take it anymore.'
Same here mum I am just tired of all of this too I mean why-
'And what are you going to do about it?' she cut in raising her voice. 'It doesn't matter if you are tired or not. He is your father, and he rules over you now, son. You have no choice unless you are willing to fend for yourself from now on.'
I understand she had to stand on her husband's side, but she just shared the same mentality as he did and I could see it in her actions she just did and said all if that so she wouldn't offend my dad not supporting him showing me discipline.
I get, but It's probably why she never went past the limit he wanted her to - that belief of pleasing him at all costs, even when it didn't favor you. Well, that was her problem, not mine at least not for now.
'Why are you being such a stubborn boy? You will be twenty by January, and you still keep up with this lifestyle. You are becoming influenced, right?'
'What lifestyle? Influence? How, from who?' I literally have no friends except for the ones I knew back at school, which I haven't seen for more than half a year now. Or is it from work or back at this house I come back to every day?'
I raised my voice back at her, and she slapped me.
'I carried you in my womb for nine good months.' Ah, she was so loud I'm sure the neighbors were hearing us.
what a perfect secret weapon used against me for emotional blackmail.
Sometimes she even claims I stayed more than nine months, causing her extra pain for the remaining two days I was in her womb.
Why did she have to bring up the nine months thing again?
'You dare raise your voice at me?' She said again with a loud voice just when my dad came out with a machete and charged towards me the next second.
I was quite lucky, dodging his strike. Seeing what the machete did to the door, I couldn't imagine what such a strike could do to my body.
'You better respect yourself before you get killed in this house one day,' my mother screamed. I couldn't believe she really said that. I thought she was always the understanding one among my parents. But I guess I was wrong. She even called me useless.
We both kept a fixed gaze as I made my way backwards towards the gate and went through to the other side. For some reason, the air on this side felt quite different."