TAKEN

[14]

Ifechi's rich tomato jello rice appeared in view as the door creaked open. It was still hot as the bearer floated slowly towards me, allowing the steam to rise in the air. Her face was a mixture of joy and fear, I narrowed my eyes at the meal that filled the room with its mouthwatering aroma.

My stomach rumbled just imagining it in my mouth. With much difficulty, I pulled myself to a sitting position, ignoring the doctor's warning just a while ago.

"You are alive!" She forcefully whooshed out the air trapped in her lungs, while gently placing the tray on a nearby table.

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Were you expecting me to die?" I asked, finally finding a good posture, free of pain.

Her right hand reached out to help me swing my legs gently off the bed. The creaking sound of the old bed startled us both forcing us to gasp in unison.
The fear quickly wiped off her face when she realized it came from the bed.

"It's just these old wheels attached to the bed." She commented, pointing to the floor.

I swallowed hard, loosening my grip on the bed rail. A dizzying spell hits me, either from fear or anxiety. It could be both.

I still was in pain coupled with the knowledge I wasn't safe, and this place was nothing Like home where my mother and siblings contributed to the happiness I had in my life.
This was still the camp where I was randomly pimped out to different men, where freedom was not in their constitution.

"Come, eat." Ifechi's voice tumbled me out of the thoughts ravaging my mind.

My head lifted off the floor and washed over her. She still had her cooking apron wrapped around her waist. Her normal day dress was a checkered pink sleeveless dress with a black long sleeve underneath.

I often wondered why she loved to dress that way, it was more or less a common school uniform in this part of the country.

"I Love you. I am glad you came back to us in one piece." She said, pushing the old table towards me. I croaked an eyebrow at her.

Despite the smile on her face, she stole a quick frown and asked, "You know that right?"

I stared at the food, ignoring her, my bruised hands gently laying on my lap.

"Eat already," She pushed, tossing both hands in the air. I sat still gazing at the food.

"Haba! What's wrong?" She glared, widening her eyeballs to saucepan size. "I thought you said you were famished?"

My eyes intentionally flashed from her to the food and then back at her.

"Seriously?" You think  I am that devious to poison you?" The question hung in the air as She stared at me in disbelief.

Instantly, she drew in a sharp breath and nodded. "Okay." She surrendered, then she hesitates and eyeballed me again. "Like seriously, Linda?"

In silence, I waited patiently for her to do the needful. If my food was positioned, then, by all means, we should die together.

Not saying another word, she quickly dug into the food and swallowed two spoonfuls, wiping her mouth with the back of her hands.

Silently, I counted up to sixty before staring at her again, analyzing her facial expressions. I'd been so drugged that I decided to be careful of people around me. Call me paranoid or delusional, but I was not taking any chances. After surviving multiple vicious rapes, I just couldn't blindly trust and die over food prepared by a 'friend'.

"What?" She glared. "See, I didn't die." She swirled gently on her toes, almost knocking the food off the table."

I smiled, took the bottled water off the tray, rinsed my right and, and began to eat.