Wicked or Wise

After eating a large number of eggs regularly, sometimes three times per day, Ella began experiencing boils, which popped up on various parts of her body. And one such place plagued by boils was her labia majora—her pussy jaw. Being just a child of around nine or ten, Ella shyly told her mother about this growing condition taking place on her private parts and the pain that came along with it. And everyone in the family, male and female alike, gathered in the living room of their house after dark. Ella's mother, Nella, told her to drop her underwear in front of everyone and show them where on her vagina the boil was growing and causing her pain. 

Feeling in her gut that such an action was very wrong, Ella refused to expose herself in front of all her brothers and sisters. Some of them were already young adults and started families of their own, and all were quite ready to take a look at her body part, which was considered sacred and sanctified for only privacy. Sitting there on the hard wooden floor with a sense of awe, Ella was further insulted when her own mother bellowed out in front of everyone in the room that her pussy was stinky and that was why she was unable to show it to everyone seated inside the room. And with this realization of her mother's undignified attitude towards her own child, Ella sank into a deep depression.

But since she was growing up and nearing her teenage years, she would further learn that her mother was being ruled by dreadful streaks of evil. Evil that would make her soul cringe, her eyes bulge, and her mind work without rest, as she pondered how she could possibly get out of this situation. But where else on earth could she go for protection or cover? She did not know any other family members or relatives. 

The weekend of that same week, Ella would learn another horrific circumstance of abuse. She stood in the kitchen, watching one of her elder sisters iron her clothing—a school uniform for Monday morning—and witnessed her angry mother grab the scorching-hot clothing iron and place it in the center of her sister's back—all because she wasn't making the pleats on the skirt of her school uniform properly.

"You bitch!" Nella shouted as she placed the stinging-hot cast iron in the center of her own daughter's back, as if she wanted to brand her vertebra and steam her spinal column with the blazing-hot iron.

Meanwhile, Hyacinth ran from the kitchen and out into the ward, screaming loudly for the pain to stop—a formidable amount of pain, which would not leave from the surface of her back for several days. A day or two later, the skin on Hyacinth's back raised and filled with water, indicating that a third-degree burn had taken place in that specific area of her body. And after the skin was broken and all the water had drained from it, the desensitized piece of skin fell off her back, showing the raw meat of Ella's sister's back, readying it for the growth of new skin and the complete healing process.

But such a healing process wouldn't come easily or without much pain and numerous nights of discomfort. And during this entire time, through her daughter's pain and agony—going to school with the drainage on her back, soiling her school uniform—her mother, Nella, showed no sign of care, sympathy, or remorse for what she had physically done to her own child.

The house was filled with several children from her lot of ten, almost all of them had their fair share of their mother's cruel actions or blunt force inflicted upon them, in one way or the other. And the fact that she showed no signs of compassion or regret after any of her dire and dreadful deeds breathed only fear into the hearts of her children.

Like a functional alcoholic, was Ms. Nella functionally mad?

Or was this her way of disciplining her children?

Physically brutalizing them and filling their hearts and minds with fear while she went about her daily business as though nothing had happened.

Even though her own children suffered alone in excruciating pain. Pain that could be seen on their faces, in their eyes, and on their countenance. And then there was the pain that couldn't be seen with the natural eye, quietly laying behind the walls of their emotionally charged chests.

Ella, being in the middle of her mother's two sets of children, felt her mother's harsh hands the most.

Mostly, because she was less outspoken than her other brothers and sisters, considered to be slow academically, or as they would often say, foolish. But what her other siblings considered to be foolish was Ella's way of analyzing what was really going on around her and what kind of family she was born into. Because she just couldn't understand the constant whopping being inflicted upon her, and at other times, her other siblings as well.

And for many things that could be easily explained and only needed some form of an explanation to a growing child, harsh floggings would be given out instead. And at times, as the flogging went on, so too came the explanation or the answer one had been seeking, whatever was beyond one's juvenile comprehension.

Dormant communication between children and parents and also the spontaneous actions of any of these children were a sure sign of an ass whopping—if what they said or did wasn't satisfying to either parent.

This caused Ella to be constantly watching her words and her bodily expressions, walking on pins and needles in the place where she was supposed to feel loved, liberated, and secure. But deliverance for Ella and her siblings was far from shore.

Being the first child of both her parents, and set in the middle of the previous children her parents had before creating the union that created her, Ella was given many household tasks. Tasks that she could hardly manage as a child and tasks that her elder sibling didn't care to help her with either. Which would bring about lashes on her back, or wherever else seemed available for the whip, when these tasks weren't done correctly or to the liking of both her parents.

Going to the river every Saturday morning to wash the yard clothes of her younger siblings, her father's clothing, and also that of her mother as well, was one of Ella's main duties. Loading on top of her head the large aluminum washing pan with all the dirty laundry packed to brim, Ella made her way to the river to carry out her laundry duties this particular Saturday morning. 

And after being in the boiling-hot sun for almost an entire day, and believing that she had done a fairly good job with washing the laundry for her siblings and parents, Ella happily returned home from the river with the washing pan of wet clothing on her head. She then neatly place them on the clothing line out in the back of the yard, hoping they would dry so she could gather them up, fold them, and then bring them to the inside of the house to be packed away. But nefarious Nella left from whatever she was doing and carefully began examining the pieces of clothing her daughter had washed and just placed on the clothing line.

Observing the shirt collars, sleeves, and armpits of the clothing for any signs of dirt, naughty Nella found one shirt with a streak of dirt on the collar of it. And she then decided to angrily rip off every piece of clothing from off the line and rub them up in the soil. She then told Ella to bring them back to the river and wash them once again while blurting out every profanity her tongue was able to express. 

Eyes filled with tears, Ella tried explaining to her mother that the shirt she claimed still had dirt on the collar of it was from the black rubber from the tires that her father was working with at the Goodyear factory.

But her mother didn't give a rat's ass enough to hear her reasons. Soon, she began throwing stones at Ella while threatening her with a fine spanking of the ass before the sun settled and she rested her head on the cot she called her bed.

Filled with tears and a bar of acid soap in hand, Ella returned to the river with all the clothing she had previously washed, scrubbed them as much as she possibly could, and brushed at them very hard with the coconut brush reserved for doing whatever her little hands could not manage to handle. Many of the other people using the river looked at her with pity and shook their heads as they watched her slave over the large washing pan of clothing. Especially since they knew that she was already there by the river scrubbing them with her bare hands.

The pain that Ella was now feeling wasn't stemming from her emotions or the fear of the harsh spanking promised to her by her mother. But the severity of her pain was coming from the numerous openings or wounds now on her hands, resulting from using the bar of acid soap for washing the clothing from her parent's household.

Not even concern with the status of her belly, poor Ella stayed by the riverside and waited for all the clothing she had brought there to dry. And when they were, she folded them, placed them into the washing pan—which she brought to her head—and carried them home just before the sun had settled for the night.

Thankfully, this time around the washed clothing had passed inspection, so the ass whopping was put on hold for another day and another situation. However, both her hands continued to hurt severely and would remain that way the rest of the week since she was the one responsible for washing the dishes as well. And Nella, with her streak of heinousness, wouldn't ask one of the other siblings to do the dishes for the rest of the week. She insisted that they were Ella's responsibilities, thus she would have to take care of them, pain or no pain.

Gaining wisdom from some unknown place in her head, she came up with the grand idea of wrapping her hands with old pieces of cloth. She then placed them into plastic bags and got on with her duty of washing the pile of dirty dishes, loading up in the pudding pan, waiting for some well-needed attention. But physical beatings were a way of living in the Nella Bradshaw's household, and Ella knew very well that if it didn't happen on that day, for whatever reason, it would certainly happen another day in the very near future.

And Monday morning, prior to Ella stepping out of her house before going to school, would prove this to be true. Because Ella boldly and outright told her mother that she was a terrible woman and how she wished she hadn't given birth to her after they had a verbal altercation about washing the dishes before heading off to school. And Nella, in her state of crafty and conniving scheming, waited until Ella went inside the bathroom situated in the back of the yard, took her clothing off, and began washing herself under the shower before she entered the bathroom with the broomstick and began spanking her with it across her back.

Her mother was beating on her body, as though she was hitting a stubborn mule who refused to remove itself, even out of the way of danger. And what had made each whacking so terribly painful was the fact that her skin was bear and already wet from the water she had poured onto it for bathing. Determined not to take any more of her mother's whacking in the confined space of the tacky bathroom, Ella gathered as much strength as she possibly could, pushed her mother out of the way, and bolted from out of the bathroom utterly naked for all to see.

 Unfortunately for Ella, there were some young men passing by her mother's house, witnessing this shameful event. And boyishly, they took advantage of the free show. Not even having the decency to turn their heads in the opposite direction of the lane and continue to go about their business. And even out of her mother's terrible reach, dressed, and making her way to school, those young men were lurking about the side of the street, where they continued to humiliate and mock Ella until her ride for school came along, causing even more of a burdensome weight to crush the heart and mind of the poor girl trapped in a household where physical abuse was the norm.

But once in her classroom with her friends and her teacher, some of those heavy burdens began lifting from Ella's shoulders as she interacted with her friends and the class lesson presented to her. Although, the brutal attack of her mother and the mocking of the four young men on her way to school continued to trouble her thoughts periodically.

She now began wondering, how long would these men continue to tease her? And would her mother carry out another attack on her like she had promised? 

And would her father vexingly partake in this second whaling of her skin after her mother divulged her story to him of her misbehavior? She knew it could be very deadly for her if he decided to get involved.

Because she was well aware that her father wasn't one to beat any of his children regularly like their mother did. But whenever he took off the bicycle brakes and began striking his children's backs or any parts of their bodies, it would definitely be a nonstop battering.

Crying out for mercy and begging for pardon during these physical beatings by her father only went on deaf ears. Because his focus was on beating his children until their sink started bleeding while he named out all the wrong they had done—presently, previously, or throughout the years.

Nonetheless, Ella left school earlier than usual that Monday afternoon so she could head back home in time and do as much housework as possible. Hoping that such would compensate for the murderation: severe beatings that were promised to her by her mother. She left her friends at the school to carry on with their usual get together of socialization and revising whatever was taught to them for that day in class.

Just after five o'clock, when Nella returned home from her job as a hospital worker, she came home to find the floors of her veranda and living room as shiny as a dial; anyone could part their hair into it. Not only were the floors glistening like stars, but dinner for the entire family was already cooked, served in their individual plates, and neatly covered on the dining table. The sight of what Nella had returned home to had melted her heart a bit. But Ella was still concerned that a spanking would still be in store for her. And like nothing had ever happened earlier that morning between mother and daughter, Nella ate her dinner, showered, and mentioned not a word about the spanking she had intended on displaying on Ella's rounded backside, bringing much relief to the mind and heart of Ella for the rest of that night and also for the entire week.

But was all really forgotten? And if so, for how long?

And for almost an entire month, Ella noticed that her mother hadn't brought up the topic of spanking her or made any mention of her so-called wrongdoings. But what was very clear to Ella was that her mother had packed more housework on her, allowing her no time to focus on her schoolwork.

Now she was given the additional task of going to the markets on Saturdays to buy whatever produce was needed around the house for the family meals. She was given the task of ironing her mother's work uniform and that of her younger siblings as well. And also to husk the coconuts from their shells for Sunday dinners and for making oil, which was a lot, in the hundreds. This often caused her hands to be severely bruised by the sharp edges of the metal grater.

Talk about swapping a black dog for a monkey!

Because now, Ella's schoolwork began to suffer, and her status of being first and second in her class began dwindling down into the double digits of twenty-seventh and even thirty-first. Her mother, seeing her school report that summer holiday, brought about the condemnation of stupidity on Ella. Ever since, her mother had begun calling her dumb and stupid every chance she was given to do so. An act of humiliation, which had caused Ella to lose her confidence in her schoolwork and in herself for a long while.

One thing was certain in Ella's life: There was no catching up on her school lessons. Because the housework kept pouring in and she began moving and changing from doing one thing to doing the next. And so the mockery and mortification continued, crushing her self-esteem almost to the ground.

Her tears didn't help!

Praying to God didn't help either!

And talking to her guidance counselor at school about the matter she was dealing with at home had only made the matter much worse. Because, now, both parents were constantly on her case, complaining and throwing words about her bringing the family business to the streets, to strangers, and to the ears of her teachers at school.

Desperation, fear, and persistent worrying took over the mind of Ella constantly and completely. The thought of running away from her home took up much precedence in her mind as she pondered on how to make her escape. But as Ella pondered what to do about her unfortunate circumstances, more poisonous troubles were heavily brewing just to complicate her existence it seems. Because now she was cutting logs in the backyard for the fire for dinner. And in doing so, a piece of chip flew from off the log and made a small scrape on Ella's right foot.

This tiny scrape had grown worse as the days, weeks, and months went by, and also the years as well. Because it was over the period of a year that she was encouraged to make her way to the public hospital before she completely lost the use of her right foot. Words of wisdom had startled Ella, making her heed the advice and take quick action at the frightening warning.

But prior to receiving the advice to hurry and see the doctor about her sore foot, Nella paid no attention to her daughter's worsening wound, which was slowly but certainly getting from bad to worse. And instead of doing what any caring mother would have done to their ailing child, in one of their disagreements over household chores, her mother had held her down and beat her on the sore foot until it started bleeding profusely. And days later, it began oozing pus, an act that had given Ella much more pain than she was feeling before. And without an ounce of concern, pity, or care, Nella totally ignored the health of her child for several months, allowing Ella to go school each day with a piece of cloth tied around her foot, harboring the festering sore. A piece of cloth that wasn't even sanitized so as to prevent the wound from getting worse from the bacteria that could be lurking within the fibers of the piece of material used to cover the sore. And even though it was tied securely, her wound would often bleed because she would oftentimes hit her foot on the desks inside the classrooms at her school. Or other students at the school would accidentally bump into her, hitting her against the festering wound ,which would bring much pain to her for hours. One thing was for certain, she would stay away from fights, knowing that her sore foot would be the first place on her body they would go for. 

However, Ella woke from her bed early that Monday morning after receiving the warning that she might lose her leg—a bed which she shared with four of her sisters—dressed in her school uniform, and walked over three miles to the town's hospital to get her rotten wound treated. And although she had woken up very early to reach the hospital, the health facility was already packed with hundreds of other patients waiting to be treated as well. Many began staring at her and whispering about the drainage of her foot, causing her to cringe with shame.

Moments later, Ella's number was called for the nurse to see her. And the sight of her musty wound had shocked everyone at the hospital who had laid eyes upon this stale laceration on the foot of a child.

The expression of pity on the nurse's face told Ella that she was in a very bad situation. And since her heartless mother had never once shown an ounce of sympathy to her, like this nurse was showing to her now, she instantly concluded to herself that her parents hated her, especially her mother. And weeks later, in one of the brawls initiated by her mother, she would find the courage to express such thoughts to her mother.

Shockingly, but not surprisingly, her mother bellowed out at the top of her lungs to her:

"If you don't think that your father or I have any love for you, then pack your damn things and leave!"

A suggestion which now had Ella shaking in her booths because she had nowhere to go. Nor did she know of any family member that would pity her and take her in. Strangely, this kind of uncaring sentiment wasn't spoken for one day or in that moment alone, but it continued throughout the Bradshaw household for several months. And not only to Ella, but also to her other female siblings as well. The bellowing out of such unthoughtful words had caused Nella's children to believe that they weren't wanted by her and had them nervous for most of their teenage years.

However, Ella submerged herself under her parents' dictatorship and constant physical abuse until she had had enough.

Still in school, Ella's hands were completely sore from the acid soap she was given to wash the dishes and also the laundry for the entire family. And upon expressing to her mother that she was unable to wash the dishes any longer with her bare hands, Nella flew off the handle and began whopping without mercy. A brutal act that had Ella packing the few little stuff she was in possession of into a flimsy plastic bag and deciding to run away from home.

But her place of refuge wasn't anywhere better off materially than where she was coming from. But much more calmness, peace, and free dialogue was there. A very playful atmosphere she had found it to be. Even though the only place she had there to rest her head at nights was on the hard wooden floor. Because just like her, her friend Beverly and her family were poor, and several of the other siblings were already occupying the extra bed they had for their family. Seeing no comfortable place for Ella to rest her head in their house when the dark dust took its turn, Beverley's grandmother told Ella that she needed to return home to her mother's house. Because they just couldn't have her sleeping on the hard floors any longer.

Needless to say, Ella's friend Beverley, along with her grandmother, wouldn't allow Ella to return to her mother's house all by herself, fearing the outcome if they allowed such a thing to happen.

This moment of truth had caused Ella to wet herself, clench her fist, and dribble a wash pan of tears, because she knew both her parents were going to give her an unmerciful whopping. It might not have been in front of her friend and her grandmother, but the battering would be coming, sooner or later—and it would be sooner rather than later.

Rubbing her back and gently massaging her shoulders, Beverley's grandmother, Ms. May, tried being supportive to Ella, hoping that comforting her would ease the fear she was deeply anticipating in that moment. But Ella didn't care for Ms. May's comforting hands now. What she wanted was for her to find a safe and happy place for her to live, strive, and call home. Because she knew her parents would never allow this occasion of her disappearing from under their roof to slide without giving her a wonderful ass whopping. Possibly taking out an eye or a tooth in the process, like they had warned numerous times previously.

Plastic bag in hand, clutching to Ms. May's skirt, Ella and her friend, along with her grandmother, walked up to the gate of her mother's house. It was late in the evening, and the sun was almost under the evening clouds. Standing at the gate of the Bradshaw house, Ms. May called out repeatedly in a friendly voice.

"Nella!" She shouted.

It was the third call that got Nella's attention and had her answering to the somewhat familiar voice at the front of her gate. Soon, she came barging through her front door from the back of the yard with a dishcloth fumbling in her hand. And seeing Ella's face, she then suddenly made a stop on the veranda and with a surprised look on her face, strangely gazing at those who were standing at her front gate.

"How are you doing?" Ms. May asked.

Answering not the question in the greetings given her, Ms. Nella asked, "So, it is at your yard that this one has been staying all along?"

"Yes, Mam!" Ms. May replied politely, "You already know she and my granddaughter Beverley have been friends at school and also at the church."

"I don't have the space to keep her, so I have brought her home back to you, and I beg that you don't give her a spanking." Ms. May continued.

"I am not the one who is going to do the beating this time around. It will be her father who she will have to deal with this time." Nella warned.

A replied that immediately caused tears to drip from Ella's eyes because she knew how severe his beating can and could be.

"I beg of you not to punish her anymore. Sleeping on my floors was enough punishment for her little body."

Ms. May pleaded as she pulled Ella closer to her in a comforting manner.

"Well, that will be up to her father, not me!" Nella responded.

"If only I had the space to keep her and the money to send her to school, I wouldn't have brought her back here." Ms. May stated with a sad look on her face and regret in her voice.

A statement that had Ms. Nella staring at her with much disdain before she uttered.

"You don't have enough little bastards at your house already to take care of?" Nella fired back.

It was a question that was now getting Ms. May heated and out of her calm and cool character. So, in that moment, Ms. May gave Ella a gentle shove on the shoulders, telling her to get inside the house and put away her belongings. As Ella walked away from underneath her guardianship, Ms. May then expressed to her that she was very sorry that she was unable to do more for her.

Clutching onto the plastic bag, which held her few pieces of clothing, Ella nervously walked past her mother, who was still standing on the veranda and leaning against its railings. And as she passed by her, her mother frighteningly exclaimed to her:

"One thing I certainly know, your papa is going to kill you… that's all I can tell you!"

Ella wasn't sure if she should run away again or if she should hide. Because she knew how terrible her father's hands could be with the whip on any of his children's backs or behinds.

But where could she possibly go? Or where could she hide herself from this battering that was promised to her by her mother?

One thing was certain, she wasn't ready to die, nor could she manage to withstand another dreadful beating. Because, so far, she had already received one nonstop beating from her father at the tender age of five. And she could have easily kicked the bucket, if it wasn't for one of the neighbors in the community, who heard her agonizing screams for help and cries for mercy and decided to intervene. And it was only because this neighbor's husband had come along with her to investigate the merciful crying of a child, who physically held her father while his wife pulled her away from him that she was saved on that day.

"What could this sweet child have done to you? Why you are trying to murder her like this?" Ms. Jenny asked as she held onto Ella and try comforting her.

"Pickny must hear and respond right away to their parents when they speak to them!" Was Ella's father, Christopher's, only reply while he huffed and blew off steam, trying to catch his breath or cool down his temper.

Look what you have done to this poor child's beautiful skin, filling it with welts and turning it black and blue!" Ms. Jenny lashed out with sadness upon her face.

Barely gazing on the marks that he had implemented on the tender skin of this young and fragile body, on one of his own daughters, Ella's father pulled a chair from the dining table and sat himself upon it while the neighbors went on arguing about how cruelly he had beaten the poor child. Just because she hadn't sprung from the floor as quickly as he wanted her to when he asked to see about some dishes while she was in a playful game of jacks with her younger sisters.

Laying his heavy hands on Ella and beating her mercilessly would set an example to the other children in the household, consuming them with dread and fear as long as they were being raised around this man they called their father. He had no interest in showing them love or supporting them emotionally.

He was only there in their lives to provide for them with the basic needs of life and to correct them, and such corrections would only be done with the black piece of wire he called a bicycle brake or with his very strong hands—leaving their skin badly bruised, their bodies in severe pain or out of joint for days.

That was an experience Ella didn't want to encounter ever again in her life. And oftentimes she wondered who would be the good Samaritan to rescue her from her father's grip the next time he laid his hands on her or promised her he was going to give her a fine spanking.

Nervously, Ella entered into the house of her parents and rested the plastic bag with her few pieces of clothing between the dresser and the bed she and her sisters slept on, keenly anticipating that she might have to grab it and run away once again, if her father ever came after her to batter her half to death.

But would this promise of a dreadful whopping be fulfilled?

It was around midnight when Ella's father had returned home from work that Friday evening. And as usual, he search the children's bedroom first, before going into his bedroom, always making sure they were all in the bed asleep and that there weren't any mosquitoes sucking at their blood. This was a very paradoxical or absurd act for him to carry out when he would flog his children so unconscionably—so severely—leaving them with broken wounds, swollen eyes, and disfigured dentistry, leaving them to feed on porridge and soups for several weeks.

Nonetheless, Ella knowing her predicament, slept with one eye open and the other shut, readying herself to flee from the bed, when and if the bicycle brakes started striking against her skin.

Quickly, her plump body jolted as the light from her father's flashlight hoovered over her while her father supposedly counted their bodies and watched for the black insects upon his children's skin. Keeping still like stagnant water, with her eyes closed enough for her father to believe that she was sleeping and for her to watch for his next move, for him reaching for the leather belt around his waist or the bicycle brakes hanging inside his bedroom.

However, after standing over the bed where all the girls in the Bradshaw were fast asleep, including Ella, her father, Christopher, began shining his flashlight from the head of the bed to the foot of it. Minutes later, he made his way back into the living room while mumbling underneath his breath in a tone that didn't warn that he was going to give her flogging.

But in the stillness of the night, his mumbling was loud enough for Ella to hear the words that he was saying to himself:

"You leave out of this house, almost seven days now, with no one knowing where you were going!" Her father said, "I should just go and get the bicycle brakes and give you a fine good assing with it!"

And with those words uttered, Christopher came to the entrance of the children's bedroom doorway numerous times, trying to make up his mind as to whether he should disturb the entire household, and possibly most of the neighborhood, with an ass whopping. Somehow, peace prevailed for that night, so Ella's father entered his bedroom, where he turned off his flashlight and went to his bed. But she was quite certain that Saturday morning would be a completely different story—a story of her being badly wounded or possibly dead.

The fear was very strong, and it had Ella up for the rest of the night, thinking about how to make her escape from the room before her father's eyes opened. And at the first crowing of the rooster in the backyard, Ella got out of bed and began gathering as much dirty clothing around the house as she could, ready to take them to the river and wash them. Because she didn't want to be anywhere in the presence of her father, afraid of what he was going to do to her. But after gathering up all the dirty laundry and going to where the large piece of acid bar soap was usually kept, she found none of it there.

Her plan, being thwarted and filling her with fear, Ella went and sat out in the backyard, waiting for daybreak to come. Meanwhile, she hoped that her mother would rise before her father did so she could somehow request from her the bar soap for doing the laundry or the coins to purchase it.

Spending so many sleepless nights in her friend Beverly's house on the floor, and overthinking the situation that she was in now, the worried young child fell fast asleep on the large piece of log out in the backyard. It was her mother carrying out the large pale pan with piss from during the night, to throw it at the roots of the plants before the sun came up, who found Ella curled up on the long piece of log in the backyard and who shouted at her. Not necessarily to get up, but to tease her about the enormous whacking that would be coming her way to scour her rump, if her father's hands ever got a hold of her during that day.

"You're running from lick, you don't start running as yet!" Ella's mother said to her mockingly.

Ignoring her mother's unkind remarks, Ella shakenly asked while twisting one hand over the other:

"Where is the soap for washing the clothes them?"

"I think they are still inside my working bag." Nella replied after pausing and gazing upon Ella for a while.

Moments later, Nella began making her way back inside the house, and soon, she returned with two pieces of the large bars of acid soap in her hands. Not caring to be tender or careful, she chucked them into Ella's hand, who quickly grabbed them and removed them from the paper bags they were in. Shortly afterwards, Ella put one piece of the bar soap where the dishes were stationed for washing, and the other piece she threw at the side of the washing pan with all the dirty wash inside of it. And seconds later, she was heaping up the large pan of dirty laundry on her head and making her way through the wooden gate of her yard on her way to the riverside, with one foot going after the other in lighting speed as fast as she could.

Almost a hundred yards away from her mother's property, Ella could hear her mother calling out her name and saying that the dishes needed washing before she decided to leave out for the river.

Swiftly, Ella began running with the large washing pan of clothing on the top of her head, hoping that her mother would never catch up with her, if she should come chasing after her or send someone else to come chasing after her, and then demand that she return to the house and wash the dirty dishes before going and doing the laundry by the riverside.

Feeling that she was out of the danger zone of her parents, or even of any of her siblings, Ella began taking it easy on her legs. And slowly, she began making her way by the river bed, stopping by any fruit-bearing trees available to gather her breakfast or possibly her meal for the rest of the day. And that's if she had to make another run from the smacking of her wedgie-box and beyond.

Would poor Ella ever be free from this threat of her father belting her behind far beyond recognition?

And would Ella's own mother consider stepping in and granting some sympathy regarding the violent beatings that lay waiting for her own daughter's life?

Or was her heart fixated on seeing the cruelty that her common-law husband was capable of doing and very ready to dish out on the tender skin of the very children she bore, because such would keep them in-line and quite fearful of the man and woman inside the house?  

After feasting on whatever apples and mangoes she had found on the trees along the pathway to the riverside, Ella continued her journey to the large body of water where she planned on staying the rest of the day, washing the clothing belonging to her parents and the rest of her siblings as well. Because she was so dreadfully afraid of seeing her father face to face. Or having him get close to her where he could quickly grab at her or suddenly knock her unconscious and then beat her to a pulp—mash-mash.

The riverbed was surrounded by many trees, many of them useless for food. Ella carefully made her way up a tiny hill and then towards its bank. And at the edge of the bank, she was utterly happy to see that quite a few other people from the community already had made their way there by the riverside. Especially since the word was going around that a rapist was loose from behind bars, was lingering beyond the bushes of the riverbed, and had made an attack on one of the users of the river already, who had bitten off his penis.

Ella was quite thankful that all the faces there at the river were very familiar ones, and she lowered the large wash pan from her head, placing it beside theirs while shouting out morning greetings to each of them.

Hauling one of the very large stones for her seat and separating the light-colored clothing from the dark ones, Ella then settled down to start her washing, stepping into the middle of the river and bailing out the clearest of water with her cheese pan to begin. Pretty soon, all thoughts pertaining to the trouble with her father were off her mind, and her focus was on finishing her washing to perfection, so her uncaring mother wouldn't rub all the clothing she had spent time washing into the mud once again. And then, she wanted to go and lay in the middle part of that wavy river, where the turquoise blue water flowed precisely in one mystical rhythm, tempting even the fearful to take a quick splash—a place for water lovers to bathe and relax.

But lingering by the flowing waters of the river, trying to delay the outrageous violent beatings expected to come her way, Ella knew that sunset and nightfall would come.

The beautiful flow of the Johnson River with its burble and bubbles in different places of the river bed was the perfect place it seems for Ella Bradshaw to be at the moment. After washing with her hands and at times a coconut brush, all the dirt from the clothing that she had brought to river for laundry, Ella took off her clothing and jump into the deep turquoise blue water. And there, she began splashing away with her feet like a fish struggling to survive in shallow waters. Momentarily raising her head to the surface for air and to see what the other users of the river were up to and also checking on the progress of her clothing which she had laid out on the large river stones and in the sun to dry.

All of the other users of the river and their children also joined in the deep blue hole to cool off their bodies and freshen themselves to return home after their laundry were done drying in the sun. And hours later, the sun light shifted its position and began traveling further west, bringing a bulge of fear in Ella’s stomach. Because, the time was getting closer and closer for her to return and face the dreadful hands of her parents. Expecting that her father would flag her ass soon after she put down the washing pan from her head or when she was laid up in the bed fast asleep.

Fear was now consuming her thoughts and she decided to make her way out of the large body of water before her thoughts made her do something she wasn’t really anticipating. Like sinking herself to the bottom of the blue hole and swallowing up as much water as she possible could, so she didn’t have to face her parents or what they warned they would be doing to her.

Strongly easing herself out of the heavy flow of the river like a water goddess and flashing the excess water from her hair and body like a shaggy dog whose coat had just been shampooed, Ella then began drying off her skin. Once out of her wet clothing, she then put on something dry and began folding all the dry clothing that she had washed few hours ago while watching the movement of the sun. But, she knew, she couldn’t stay by the river forever and decided to lift the washing pan on her head and go home and face the music. Furthermore, her belly was crying out for something substantial to eat.

And just like Ella, the other users of the river, who were living in the same community as her, began folding their wash and began packing to make their way back home.

With Ella leading the pack, all the women made their way up to the little hill, descended it, and then began walking through the narrow pathway leading to the intersection, where they would all part ways with the little girl who liked splashing into the deepness of the river water. The group of jovial women made a right turn while Ella traveled straight on ahead to where her home was located.

“Bye Ella!” The women shouted; “We’ll see you later!”

“Alright, I’ll see you guys around!”

Ella responded halfway between happiness and a choke.

Her thoughts were now heavily rested on confronting either of her parents who were drumming up in their heads on how to give her a good spanking.

Overwhelm with her thoughts, Ella took the massive wash pan from her head, placed it on the grass and then began sobbing severely. Not even realizing or hearing the footsteps of someone’s booths coming towards her.

It was an old man living not too far from the river by the name of Jimmy, who was oftentimes consumed and smell of alcohol. But he didn’t seem drunk at that moment.

“Pickny, what you crying about?”

Jimmy asked.

But still overwhelm and fretting about her ass whopping, Ella was unable to respond to him right way.

Realizing that a response wasn’t forthright coming to him, Jimmy went ahead and convey the message that was given to him by Ms. Nella, Ella’s mother.

“Your mother said, if I see you, I should ask you, if you’re going to be spending the whole damn evening, down by the river bed?”

Hearing the message, Ella immediately stood to her feet and fearfully ask; “Did Mama have the bicycle breaks in her hands?”

“I didn’t see any bicycle breaks in her hands.” Jimmy replied; “Only a blow, as if, she was just done drinking soap!”

Learning that there were no beating weaponry in view, Ella quickly place the wash pan of clothing back on her head and started making her way home once again. Thinking that her parents might have considered to be merciful towards her.

Making her way closer and closers to her parent’s property, Ella began looking into the yard to see if her father’s bicycle was leaned up anywhere around the house. But there was no sign of it there, telling her that he wasn’t at home at the moment. So, gladly she made her way along the fence, through the wooden gates and then into the yard where almost every one of her siblings, along with her mother, were seated under the large breadfruit tree in front of the house.

All eyes now began staring at Ella as though she was a ghost. But it was her mother who had spoken first.

“It took you the entire day to wash the few pieces of clothing?”

Ms. Nella asked.

“I wanted them to be perfect for you and Dada, so you wouldn’t have to rub them up and down into the mud once again.”

Ella responded softly trying to throw a sense of guilt on her mother, hoping that she would feel bad about what she had done to her a week or few, aback.

“Well once I don’t see a spot of dirt on any of those clothing then you’re good. But if not, just know, you will be going straight back down to the riverside to wash every single piece of these clothing once again!”

Her mother said harshly.

A warning which had brought even more sadness to Ella’s heart as she made her way around the side of the house, so as to go through the backdoor of the house. Heart heavy and eyes filled with tears, Ella entered the room she was sharing with her two brothers and three other sisters. And there, she removed the wash pan from off her head and place it on top of her bed for inspection. Even though confident that she had done a good job washing them, Ella still fear that her good job might not be good enough for her mother.

Making her way to dive into some of that beef soup in the iron cast pot inside the kitchen, Ms. Nella quickly blocked Ella from getting any further.

“Come and show me the clothes them that you spend all day by the river say you washing!”

Ella’s mother requested of her.

Ms. Nella slumping down her robust self on the boy’s bed, she then demanded;

“Take the clothing out of the washing pan, so I can damn well see what you have done with them!”

Piece by piece and one after the other, Ella handed each piece of clothing into her mother’s hand for her to inspect them. And while each piece of clothing were in her hands, she gave them a thorough inspection, sold if they were going to be sold in some high-class store in the fashion industry. Turning them upside down, sideways, back and front to make sure, there weren’t any dirt marks or stain presenting itself onto them. Although, most of these garments were worn daily, in atmospheres that were filled with grease, grim and grubby mess.

Reaching her last inspection and feeling somewhat satisfied, Ms. Nella scoffing and ridiculing her daughter’s emotion, lashed out at her; “You’re lucky they are done properly, or else, before day break you would have to march back to river and wash them again!”

Happy that her mother was feeling satisfied about the cleanness of clothing, Ella hurrying made her way to the kitchen where she began dishing out her bowl of soup for dinner. Because, the fruits she had eaten from the tress earlier on this morning had done their job of strengthening her and now she was raw with hunger.

Seating herself on the large piece of long backyard, ready to devour that soup and whatever was inside of it, Ella could hear the voice of her father at the front of the yard. Now she wasn’t sure of what to do… if she should run and hide herself or where even to hide or bowl of soup in her hands. She was shaking and confused.

The only place that she could run and hide in the backyard was inside the outhouse. But she was so fearful of entering it for such; knowing that her father might well go straight there after parking his bicycle in the front of the yard.

Her other option was to go hiding under her bed, but she couldn’t bring the bowl of soup under there with her.

Carefully, Ella knelt down on the ground and began watching the movement of her father by way of the cellar of the house. Observing to see when he would enter inside the house, so she could then change her position and move to the front of the yard or at the other corner of the yard which have very little foot traffic.

Dodging her way out of a merciless beating by her father’s hands, Ella opted for the side of the yard with the less traffic and there she sat and drank her bowl of soup until it was done and her name was being called.

“Wait! Ella hasn’t come back from the river by now?”

Christopher asked.

“Yes, she came back a while ago and out back eating her dinner!”

Ella could her siblings responding to her father’s inquiries.

She then could hear his footstep walking through the house going towards the backdoor, presumably to lay his eyes on her. But by then, she was at the other side of the yard hiding where the fence was much closer to the house. Obviously, not seeing her in the back of the yard, Ella could once again hear his other comment.

“You can go ahead and play all the hide and seek, that you want to, because you have no clue of when I’m going to hold you!”

Her father said.

A comment which had left Ella fretting even more than before. Because, she knew, if her father catches her unexpectedly – while she was in bed sleeping, then she would be completely done for. Since he didn’t care about where on anyone’s body part he would heavily laying down his weapon of destruction on. Knowing that some body parts could go missing or some serious laceration could happened on one’s physical being, bringing about the gushing of blood or unconsciousness, Ella was scared out of her faculties.

She was trembling, confused and out of her mind with worry! And now she was thinking that she shouldn’t sleep on top of the bed with the rest of her sisters. But instead, underneath the bed behind one of the large washing pans used for storing old clothing. She also thought about, spreading some of those old clothing in the washing pan onto the floor, so as to cushion away some of the hardness that presents itself on the cold wooden floors. Therefore, whenever her father came inside the children’s bedroom to perform his stroking of the whip, then she wouldn’t be there.

But she knew, she couldn’t make her sleeping spot under the bed when everyone else was awake, but needed to take her position on the bed when her sisters were taking theirs. And when they were all sleeping, she could then slid from off the bed and get under the bed to make her escape.

Having such plans firmly concluded in her mind, it was now only a matter of time for her to execute it.

It was already getting dark but not fully time for bed as yet.

Everyone in the Bradshaw family was either seated in the living room where they usually gathered at that hour of the evening or sucking up some of the cool breeze on the veranda of the house.

Ella, still at the side of the house, decided it was time for her to wash her feet at the cistern since she had already taken her bath down by the riverside; and then join the rest of the family inside of the living room.

Knowing about their parents plot to scour her ass, all eyes were gazing upon her as she entered the living room. Because, all the other children knew what such discipline or spanking entailed, since they personally had experienced or witness it, one time or the other, by either parent.

Her little mind flooded with thoughts of what the outcome of her spanking was going to be like, Ella sat quietly in one of the sofa chairs closes to her bedroom. Contemplating that she would run inside the bedroom and hide, or, quickly make her escape through the backdoor, whenever her father decided to come inside of the house. Because right then and there, he was sitting on one of the veranda chairs with one foot elevated over the handle, relaxing and possibly taking a snooze. Or, he could have just had his eyes close and thinking about how he was going to murder his own daughter tonight.

Nonetheless, bedtime was near and all the children began making their way towards the bedroom, the boys occupying their beds on the right and the girls taking their position on the left.

Ella usually sleeps in the corner where the bed meets the wall and usually was the first person to get onto the bed at night fall; but not this night. She wanted her three sisters to get in bed before her and patiently she waited for them to do so. Because, she had a plan and they as well could somehow sense that she did. Since, they too, at one time or the other, had to think about making an escape or dodging the black piece of wire used for whipping them until their skin whaled and bruised.

Observing that all her sisters were in bed and partially dosing off to sleep, Ella returned to the living room, peek through the window blades to see the position that her father was in. It he was still mellowing out relaxing or was he sitting up straight and readying himself to enter his room for bed. And from what she had seen, he was totally tired and done for the day and a long sleep throughout the night or for the rest of the night would be his portion.

From where Ella stood, she could also see that her mother was fast asleep on the bed she shared with her father and showed no signs of getting up, for the rest of the night, unless, to use the pale.

Strategizing her way of escape, before going to bed, Ella unlocked the door latch to the backdoor of her bedroom. Just in case, her father decided on entering her bedroom and beating her while she was off sleeping and she needed to hastily make her way through it.

Having the task of the back door accomplish and ready to grant her freedom, Ella was no all fours crawling into her bed and taking her position in the corner of the bed. Where, she too like her brothers and sister would ride off into a deep sleep. Especially, since she had been baking out in the hot sun all day and tired from toiling over the very large wash pan of dirty laundry belonging to both parents and her siblings.

A complete antidote or remedy for getting into a deep sleep.

Resting on her side and intentionally turning her face to where her father would enter the room from if he decided on doing so. Ella rested her head on her pillow and kept her eyes open as long as possible, trying to fight back sleep as much as she could manage to. And after hours of repeatedly bucking her head, jolting her eyes to stay awake, and keeping a listening ear for her father to enter her room; she finally got knocked out and went into an extreme deep sleep that would be very difficult to be awaken from.

Now she was clueless of what time her father had gotten up from the veranda chair, turned off the lamps or entered his own bedroom to rest. One thing was for certain, Ella had a long, undisturbed sleep during the night and neither had she gotten a chance to execute any of her plans of escape during the night.

But, early Sunday morning, just after the second crowing of the big red comb roosters, Ella could feel her skin stinging her as if bitten by a swam of angry wasps. Still in a deep sleep, she tried brushing away the painful sensation that continued perturbing her while she rested. But when the stinging wouldn’t stop from tormenting her or go away, she opened her eyes only to experience the numerous striking of the bicycle breaks upon her skin.

Now she tried getting up from the bed and began pleading and screaming for her father to be merciful and stop whacking her with the dangerous piece of wire. But it seems like the more she begged, was the more he got angrier and wacked her even harder.

“Dada, do, please stop!”

Ella cried time and time again still trying to get her balance on her feet and leap off the bed. But her cruel father wouldn’t give her the slightest chance to make a break away from him. Now, her father’s knee was pressing against her chest as she lay on her back with both feet flying in the air, struggling to resist the blows that were coming at her from his hands. And with every ounce of escape that made itself available to her, her father would knock her back down to the mattress and put on more licks on her skin while she bawl, bellow out and begged for mercy or for him to stop hitting her. But her constant yelling, waling, pleading and beseeching brought about no compassion to her father’s heart, mind or soul.

Being only ten or eleven years of age, she was no match for her father Christopher. And for hours, he beat and battered his poor daughter with the black piece of bicycle brakes until her lips were busted, her eyes were swollen and cocked and trickling of blood began dripping from the whale marks she had encountered on her hands, thighs and abdomen by way of his hands.

The loud cries of Ella now became faint, and it was in that moment her mother came to the doorway of the bedroom and called out to her common-law husband and father to five of her children.

Peeping over at Ella under her father’s restraints and seeing her still taking quick breaths indicating that she was still alive, her mother then loudly called out to Ella’s father.

“Christ, mind you killed that child pressing under your knees!”

Ms. Nella said.

Hearing his name being called in such an alerting manner, he immediately began looking behind him. And upon seeing the face of his common-law wife, who was standing there at the doorway with fright and fear written all over her face, Christopher quickly withdrew his strong knee from off the chest of his daughter and release whatever control he had upon her.

All Ella’s sisters were off the bed and her brothers too had made their way out of the bedroom once they realize what was happening to their sister. Some had flee into the living room and others had gone outdoors into the backyard. Too scared and afraid of the dangerous weapon being used for beating their sister, to accidently hit them on any of the delicate places of their bodies, leaving them disfigured for life.

Now all the siblings of Ella were gathered at the bedroom door, staring down at her on the quite dismantles bed, as though, she was some type of foreign entity which they had never seen or heard of before. Meanwhile, their father slowly removed himself and began reshuffled his unkempt clothing while still cussing underneath his breath that pickny must bloody hear whenever their parents or adults talk to them.

Filled with pain and extremely exhausted her beating, Ella laid still on the shattered and demolish bed completely motionless. The only thing on her that was moving was the rise and fall of the walls of her diaphragm. Even if she was looking at her sibling and biding them to help her, they just couldn’t tell by gazing at her, because her eyes were totally swollen and shutdown.

Weak and tired, Ella tried rolling onto her side, so she could look into the mirror which was just above the foot of her bed; something she did almost every morning. But when she position herself to do so, she could not make out or recognize her reflection in the mirror. All she was seeing was pure darkness. Lifting her hands, she began touching her face, and now she came to realize that it was no longer the way it used to be.

“Your entire face is badly swollen!”

One of Ella’s sisters exclaimed.

“You might have to use warm water mixed with sault to bathe it and get it down.”

Another sister said, gazing at Ella sadly

In that moment, Ella heard a voice speaking inside of her.

“He will never touch you or beat you like this ever again!”

Came the voice inside of her.

Fumbling like the totally blind trying to leave her bedroom, Ella with the aid of her younger sister, eventually made her way out into the yard where she soon began gathering shambles of stick for boiling water to start with her healing.

It wasn’t until a week before the swelling around Ella’s eyes started to recede, and even though she was unable to see much before that period of time, both parents demanded that leave out of the house and attended school. Thankfully, she had good friends at her school who were willing to assist her. Helping her to each classroom, up the stairs, in getting her lunch at the school canteen and also to the bathroom door. And so many of her friend did for her each day until her eyes had gotten healed. And act of kindness that she presumed she would someday pay forward to her friends, but probably, in a different way.

However, the act of terror continued at the Bradshaw house, but not as severely as it was with Ella, Sunday morning.

But, would such life of horror, fear and dread, ever ends?

Although, going to her school each and every day during the week, Ella’s school work continued to decline tremendously, and now she was practically out of favor with her teachers. She was now either tired or unable to pay attention to her teachers’ instruction or to her school work. And being an ambitious child with failing grades, her character also changed for the worst. Because, nothing that was being thought to her in her classes made sense. And with her grades and mannerism declining, Ella was seen as nothing but trouble, to quite a few of her teachers at the learning institution where she attended. Which lead to her being suspended by the vice principal at the school who seemed to have now grown a mean streak for Ella.

Was Ella actually a problem child or was she an easy target to be harassed?

This was not something which Ella wanted, but Mrs. Crassman was determined that she stayed away from the school compound, until she brought either parent to the principal’s office. Or, to her office where they could rectify this seemingly problem that they were encountering or facing with her at the school.

But even in trying to explain to the principal about the situation she was having at home, causing her to have a downward spiral in her education, the vice principal did not care to hear it. But instead, she seemed to have a personal vendetta towards this poor child; calling out her name at every given moment, most times for no good reasons at all. If five children came through the gates of the school five minutes later than when the school sessions were supposed to begin, Mrs. Crassman would ignore the four other children and call out Ella Bradshaw’s name about being late as if she was the only one who had entered the premises of the school late.

Hearing the news from the principal that she as being suspended, Ella gathered her book-bag and began crying as she made her way out of the school yard. Scared, sweating, and shaking about what she would encounter at home, once her parents received the news that she was asked to leave the school until one of them came to rectify the problem they were having with her.

It was a long road to the main road after leaving the premises of the school; around a mile long. The sun was blazing hot and balls of white clouds moved speedily in the heavens while the uneven road below, leading to the main street was quite lonely. Only few goats and cows graze the pastures at either side of the long whining road. And upon reaching end of the long road, Ella saw a group of men standing by the way side, three of them and they were in dialogue with each other.

Seeing her with tears streaming down her face, one of them called out to her and then proceeded to ask her; what was the reason for her to be crying. Tears bottled up in her eyes, she looked up at him with great sadness on her face, quite reluctant to saying out loud, what her tongue really wanted to utter.

Wiping her face with the back of her hand, the man who had asked the question, came closer towards her, hoping to find out from her what was troubling her. And with much tremor in her voice, she then managed expressing to the stranger that she had just gotten suspended from school and needed her parents to come at the institution and rectify the problem with the vice principal.

“Everything will be alright?”

The stranger spoke.

But, little did this stranger know, that her tell her parents about this discipline issue at her school was the real problem. And the extreme consequences she would have to face for such happening to her.

“My parents are going to kill me, if this news ever gets to them!”

Ella said sobbingly.

Soon the stranger began scratching his head filled with long curly lox. He then turned his head and began looking at his two buddies, seemingly for an answer to this problem.

And surprisingly, one of them seem to have come up with the right remedy to the solution.

“You can go by the school and represent her!”

Said, one of the friends of the stranger.

“Just tell them at the school that her mother is unable to make it there, and you are an uncle to the child and is there to represent her parents and settle the problem.”

Happy about this perfect stranger wanting to help her, Ella told him a million thanks and agree with him to take her by the school to rectify this issue. A serious issue this kind stranger was ready to resolve right away. But Ella in her own wisdom, knew that if they both returned to the grounds of the school immediately after her suspension would heighten some suspicion among the principal and other staff members and even her fellow students.

Therefore, she encouraged him to meet her where they were now standing, around seven o’clock in the morning, and together they would go by the school after devotion and clarify this suspension matter with those in charge.

Ella was now drying her tears and beaming a little happiness on her face, thankful that God had sent her a redeemer in her moment of dire need.

Now a plan of correspondence had to be put in place, to bring about unwavering truth at this very important meeting with the principal at Ella’s school. So she could resume to her classes, her education and also to her friends.

Hence, they soon began exchanging their names, what were they relations, where her uncle was living at the time, and whose brother was he, her mother’s or her father’s?

This was an attempt for allowing their stories to be in perfect correlation with each other.

Ella wrote down her name, her date of birth, her mother’s and father’s name and also her address and handed it to the stranger for him to recite and memorize it for their meeting in the morning. And likewise, he had done the same to her… giving her his correct name and date of birth, just in case such questions would arise when they both went for their meeting with the principal or vice principal at her place of learning.

Accomplishing this sharing of personal information, Ella and the stranger, happily parted ways; waving goodbye to each other as she continued on her journey to the main road where she waited for a vehicle to bring her home.

The stranger’s rightful name was Kaleem Chin, but he would be known to Ella as uncle Jaheel. A name she recited all the way home that afternoon in the boiling sun, for the rest of that evening, and also right throughout the night until she had fallen asleep. But before her eyes could close, she laid there and began wondering, if the stranger would actually show up and escort her to her principal office.

Reflecting into deep thought of the stranger not showing up to represent her as a very close family member, troubled her mind badly; bringing her to carve out in her mind what would be plan?

But would this plot, to be liberated from some of Ella’s troubles at her school, make the cut?

Even though, still perplex, bright and early the following morning, Ella got out of bed as she normally would, prepare herself for school after doing her morning chores. And before leaving out of the house that morning for school, Ella took that same piece of paper with the stranger’s personal information written onto it and began reciting it once again. And so she did, all the way to the gates of her school, hoping not to fumble on his name while standing in front of the head mistress during their conference.

Nicely dressed with his head neatly wrapped, the stranger was standing at the same spot where he and Ella had agreed to me up from the day before. She was so thankful and happy that he stick to his commitment… was there to represent her as a guardian. And as she stopped the taxi and exited it, they both smiled at each other, realizing that an alliance was being formed to crush this evil darkness that had been crippling her education, her life, and her self-esteem.

Like an actual good-good uncle, Jaheel held onto Ella’s hand and walked with her into the school yard and then by the door at the principal office; ready to have that important dialogue as to why his wonderful niece was being suspended from the school.

Teachers and students alike passed them standing by the door of the principal office before they were actually called into the room to sit and speak with her.

Minutes later, the principal come out from her office with her hair into a bun, her nose pointed like a witch and her face filled with a light tone make-up that didn’t match her skin tone. Her eye brows were paste with very black pencil liner, making her eyes slanted and resembling that of a cat. Breast as big as a fourteen inch television and her feet as tiny as a pencil, she stood in front of Kaleem Chin, extended her hand to him and said good morning with a smile. Seconds later, she greeted Ella Bradshaw, with the same curtesy.

Eyes dancing back and forth from, Kaleem Chin and then to Ella Bradshaw’s face, Ms. Banner then asked;

“What has brought you here to my office today?”

“Ella Bradshaw is my niece!” He replied.

“And I have come here to the school to investigate the matter that she was reportedly suspended for.”

Kaleem Chin continued to express.

All of a suddenly, the principal started flaring up and began lashing out Kaleem Chin;

“Whose uncle you’re telling me that you are… hers?”

“Get your lanky ass off my school compound before I call 119 on your ass!”

The school principal blurted.

“She is brown skin and you are chines or some mixed breed thereof; how the dickens could you be her uncle or she be your niece?”

Mrs. Banner continued to question with raised voice.

And just as Kaleem Chin was about to give her the history of his family tree, relating to Ella Bradshaw, Ms. Banner angrily shouted at him with all certainty. And now she was ready to put up a fight, just to let him know, that she knew, he wasn’t an uncle to this student standing in front of her, or any other relative, whatsoever. And no amount of explanation could have convince her otherwise.

But, was there a tale bearer who had made it their duty to rat-out Ella Bradshaw and Kaleem Chin, the Good Samaritan?

Pulling Ella up by the collar of her school uniform, white blouse and blue tunic, the principal dragged her into the office she occupied like she was pulling at the ropes of a stubborn goat, and there, she proceeded to plop her down on one of the chairs.

Moments later, she was leaning over her desk, blowing off steam and writing another letter to Ella’s mother. A letter which she then handed to Ella Bradshaw and told her to hand it over to her mother without opening it, before dismissing her from the office space.

In tears, Ella took the letter from the principal’s hands and walked through the doors of her office with a look of fear covering her face. Meanwhile, Kaleem Chin began making his way towards the main gate of the school premises. And there, he stood waiting for Ella, with a disappointing countenance covering his entire being. Slouching against the wire fence of the property of the school, he waited anxiously to give her an apology for not coming through for her as they had previously planned.

Ella could already tell that he was very disappointed due to way he was looking at her. And as he opened his mouth to tell her that he regretted that their plan hadn’t worked out, Ella with sad eyes said; “Me too!”

But their scheming wasn’t entirely over as yet, because Ella was determine that her mother couldn’t know anything about her being suspended from school and now she wanted someone else to stand guardianship at school for her. So, she asked this Chinese Rasta Man to walk with her down by the place called Norkends. A community where one of her best friends at school was living, hoping to get her mother to do the same thing that the Rasta man, Kaleem Chin had just done for her.

After walking over two miles to get to Gloria’s house, Ella stood at the gate exhausted and tired. Soon she began knocking and calling for someone to come and attend to her. At first it seems as though no one was at home, but after a while later subsequently shouting out her voice box and filled with worry, there came Gloria through the front door of her house with a big grin on her face.

“My God Gloria, I have been knocking forever without even a tiny response from a dog barking… are your dogs all dead, or were you fast sleeping?”

Ella said wiping sweat from her face.

“Don’t you know not to call the Lord’s name in vain?”

Gloria responded laughing.

Ella wasn’t laughing, she was there on serious business and wanted to get straight to it.

But would she get this critical assistance that she was seeking to obtain from her friend’s mother?