To say that Helen had lived a normal life would have been making mockery of her life. Life had not been kind for her. It had been one cruel experience that had lasted for way too long. She had seen and endured it all. All kinds of abuses had been hurled onto her from time to time. From physical to emotional, psychological and even verbal. She had borne it bravely without telling a soul what she went through. But tonight all this had to end; she could no longer take it. There had to be a way out.
So as she sat in her living room she contemplated what she was just about to do and a smile at once formed on her face because at last she was going to be free. Free at last from the shackles that had imprisoned her for most of her life.
The first time she had experienced abuse was when she was nine years old. On that particular day she had refused to go to the market opting to go to the fields and play with her friends. She had returned home to find an angry mother who had hurled all manner of insults at her. That really hurt her for she couldn’t understand how her own mother could call her such names. But that wasn’t the end. When her father had arrived home that night all hell had broken loose, he’d found out that his favourite dish had not been cooked and on enquiring why not he was told that it was his daughter who had not gone to the market. He responded by immediately striking his daughter. He rained slaps, blows and kicks on his daughter making her getting scarred for life.
From that time Helen had hated her parents because the physical and verbal abuse hadn’t stopped. In fact they had increased. The slightest mistake was met with slaps or insults and that really hurt her. She had therefore vowed when she cleared school she’d leave home and never go back. She’d go and search for the happiness that was rightfully hers.
But as fate would have it, the happiness was not that easy to find. She had joined campus and fallen in love with Eric in her first year. A charming, loving man at first who would later turn out to be her worst nightmare. He was just like her father. The beatings, verbal abuse started all over again. It was worse this time because Eric was a drunkard who would beat her up when he was drunk sometimes leaving half dead. The next day he would rush her hospital and when the doctor enquired how she had gotten her misfortune she’d lie about it. She always kept it to herself.
Tonight all this had to change; she was going to end it. She had had enough of the abuses. It was indeed time to take control of her body, mind and soul. Her plan was so perfect and luck was on her side this time. She smiled at the ingenious of her plan and prided herself on the possession of a brilliant mind.
Despite the unhappy marriage, three beautiful children had come out of it; Debra, Stewart and Jane were her pride and joy. Though Stewart was turning out like his dad by drinking a lot, she still loved him. She had made sure they were out of the house that night. She had sent the girls to her sister for the night and left a text message on Stewart’s phone telling him to spend the night at one of his friend’s house. She didn’t want them to experience what she was about to do. She knew they’d never forgive her. This plan had to be known by her only. No one else could understand what she was and had gone through for all those years.
And so in a dark living room she sat awaiting her tormentor. She had everything she needed in her hands. What was now needed was for him to pass through the front door. It was already eleven o’clock; he’d be home any minute.
At exactly ten past eleven her front door bell rang; the sound she had been waiting for. Since she had purposely left the door unlocked, she waited for Eric to enter.
The door opened and the person entering immediately groped for the light switch for it was dark. But before he could put the lights on, a loud bang filled the air. Helen had fired her gun.
The person immediately let out a loud wail and fell to the ground. He stood no chance against the might of Helen’s shotgun. He lay on the ground motionless and a familiar smile passed through Helen’s lips.
She then got up and approached the now still body. She was really not prepared of what she saw. The lying lifeless was not Eric but Stewart; her pride and joy.
© Oscar gee
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