Most nights, Ekpeneudim and I ate
Cockroaches for dinner. She would cut off their legs and heads with a
razor blade and roast the body on a candle light.
Mama and papa were in Ukana Iba when the War began.
It was in the first week of June, the Village head of Usor Village had died on top of a woman's belly, just after he finished eating red apple from her hands.
The woman happened to be the daughter of the Obong of Udara, our king. War began that morning as the people of Usor accused us of killing their King.
Ekpeneudim was yawning. She was beginning to grow bored just listening to our neighbor uncle Etuk predicting what might happen to our village people.
"I have to start leaving this village tonight. I don't know how you will inform your mother that there is trouble in the land. Let me ask my wife and daughters to prepare." He said. He sounded subdued.
But before the day ended, uncle Etuk was beheaded right before his wife and three daughters.
We heard them scream from afar. Etieno, uncle Etuk's last child's cry got to my heart. The sound of her cry played in my head like a drum.
Ekpeneudim looked horrified. She was aware that the war had began. She had laughed over the fact that the men with machetes were wearing black panties, and their faces were painted with black charcoals and white Clay. She saw them through a hole on the door.
We ran into Papa's wardrobe, and covered ourselves with piles of clothes.
Gunshots, and sounds of machetes hitting hard on stones were heard from outside.
"Iyauwoi oooooooooo" a woman wailed. Her voice sounded familiar, but Ekpeneudim and I were not sure who it was.
"Are you sure that's not mama?" Ekpenudim asked in soft whispers.
"God forbid. Mama is in Ukana iba."
She looked pensive and sad as she pushed the clothes off her body. She peeped through the door hole and then panicked.
"What is that?" I whispered.
"They are killing people. From houses to houses. " She said in a quivered voice.
Our bodies shook as we heard loud gunshots closely.
Ekpeneudim screamed.
There was quietness in the air. But suddenly, we heard multiple foot steps walking close to our door. We knew they were the ones, the men in black panties, they were coming for us. Everything about our lives suddenly seemed unreal.
We ran into the kitchen, and sat scarily on the floor as they men hit hardly on the door with their sticks and machetes. My sister and I knew we would be dead soon. We held our hands together and waited for the door to be pulled down.
"I have a confession. If I don't say it, I might go to hell." EkpeneUdim said tearily.
"What's that."
"I lied about my fees. It was 250, not 300." she cried now. "Will Jesus accept my soul Nkese, will mother mary intercede for me?"
She asked, our eyes met and held, until the door was pulled down.
®Vicky Bon
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