Chapter three

 

  I stare at her, why is she so happy that her own daughter is bleeding? 

   “I know you are confused, but you are totally fine, you have finally become a woman,” she said, and my eyes popped, her statement stupefying my sense of reasoning.

   What have I been all my life? a human? That's weird, “ so rethabile do me a favor, stay away from men, you know women can get pregnant, and any man that touches you, you become pregnant,” she added, making my heart pump.

   Not only have I attained the name woman, but I can as well get pregnant. I don't want that, I overheard someone saying it's painful, I don't want that, and now no one can touch me anymore, 

   “ Mom, if James and David touch me will I get pregnant?” I asked as confusion settled in my heart, 

       

    “No Reth, your brother can touch you and that's all,” she said, then taught me how to fix a pad on my panties, it looks like a chore already, and once again, I was so reluctant to actually try it, but if my blood keeps oozing like this everyone will know I have become a woman, and maybe they would want to touch me, and then I become pregnant, with a big belly.

      Days passed by and the bleeding stopped. I was totally convinced I was being stabbed in the private area, but it stopped, maybe it dried off. Well anyway, I still kept my distance from men, my male classmates were like deadly contagious diseases, and I wasn't ready to spare my life for.

    It was obvious something was wrong, and clearly reported in the principal's office. Wrong enough, I was told to stay, and I prepared my heart to boldly say the truth, 

   ‘Mummy said I would get pregnant if a man touched me, that's all, nothing more nothing less.

     The session ended and I headed to the office, and there he was, a dark-skinned man, with freshly trimmed hair, a suit, and a book in his hands, so focused on his book that he barely noticed my presence.

 " Sir, I waited as you asked."

     “ Go to the library, get me a math textbook,” he said. I looked up at the camera in his office, I bet no one does anything sneaky in here. I walked to the library immediately, the hall was quiet, and as everyone was back home, probably having their lunch,  the silence was choking, and I felt my heart begin to beat fast within me.

   Something is wrong somewhere, but I waved the idea out of my mind, what could possibly go wrong, my palms were moist with perspiration, this is unusual. I can't remember having such feelings, I hasten up, maybe it's the lonely path to the library.

    The library was dark, but a switch was just there to provide light, 

   ‘Run’

     A wavy voice said beside me, and I halt in my pace. I feel a presence behind me, and I turn just immediately. Strong arms come pinning me to the wall, and then my hands pinned above my head, his hands just below my jawline as he thrust his lips on mine.

   His heavyweight overshadowed mine and I couldn't comprehend anything that was happening, his hands still pinned mine above my head. He grasped my boobs firmly, it hurt so much, he squeezed harder and I cried in pain, his lips still ravishing mine.

   Tears had found their way down my eyes, as he squeezed a lot harder than normal. I couldn't cry for help,  I could only mumble for help. But we were all alone in school, his hands traveling down my body, as he rough handled my skirt, he touched me, and I would become pregnant.

‘

  He wants to touch me at that very place. My mom tells me I will bleed, I will get pregnant, but his hands were firmer than mine, his strength too, I can't push him, nor can I cry for help, his hands traveled just beneath my skirt.

   And a thud of my heartbeat could make me faint, he persisted, thrusting his fingers into my private area, it hurts, please leave me, he continued this torment, and it felt like my flesh was being chopped by sharp scissors.

  

     He removed his hands, and then grasped my throat like he wants to choke me. I felt his strong hard on my waist, pulling me to something hard between his legs. He has a dagger, maybe he would kill me. I couldn't think properly, but adrenaline had overwhelmed me and I kicked him between his legs.

   Before taking to my heels, my shirt was slightly torn, my skirt ruffled, and my heart was racing as if I might die now. I ran as far as my legs could carry me, far away from my school, till I plummet onto the floor, 

    My knees had sustained some bruises so is my palm, but with the looks of it, I might be far away from his reach, far away from pain, tears had begun to fall from my eyes again, but I dry them off with my clothes. I don't want someone else to ask me what happened, no one will believe me, I don't want them to anyway 

   I walk back to my house, leaping occasionally, till I was confronted with the facade of my home, there's no place like home indeed. I hasten up, greeting mom from my room, she was unaware  now, but I know eventually she would ask about the bruises, 

     I would figure out a lie eventually but for now, I want to feed my raging soul some peace, everything is hard to process in such a period of time, I take my bath, and lay on my bed, life is unfair to me, what if I got pregnant, he touched me too much.

    “ rethabile come  here” mom said in a hushed voice and my heart skip again, this wasn't mom's calm and motherly voice, it was the no-nonsense tone, did I do anything wrong? “Ma, coming mummy” 

      I retorted as I leaped to the living room, my heart making a popping attempt. What if she asks about the bruises, what will I say?

   I get to the living room, with the idea of saying whatever comes in mind no matter what,

 " fast reth!' she calls out and I hurry, and there he was, standing with my Barbie school bag in his hands.

  

     I had run from his clutches without my bag, my heart began to raise again, as my mouth ran dry, I would never be able to get out of this, our eyes held each other and I could see him smirk, but disappeared like it wasn't there at first.

   “ Why did you leave your bag?” mom asked,.

   “I…I..,. “