FOUL BURDENS.

CHAPTER 22.

I finally calmed down. My breathing was normal. The doctor gave the nurse the injection and I started shaking my head, my eyes wide with alarm.
"Its okay Maria. I wont sedate you. I just want to talk. It seems you have alot of things bottled up in you making you have this flashbacks. Dont worry am a therapist by proffession so you can talk to me okay?" He asked and I just nodded.
"Guys can you leave the room..." he started to ask Jody and the others before I interrupted.
"No! Its okay. They can stay. I think its better if they....knew me. So dont leave," I said confidently. They needed to know.  They gave me a roof without knowing me. I could have been a serial killer yet they gave me their home. And George needed to know why he was not able to find me. Taking a deep breath I ask,
"Where do I start?"
"From the beginning that's where it all starts," the doctor says encouragingly.
Closing my eyes,I take a deep breath preparing to start my broken,tinted world. I feel a hand on mine and I see George beside me. I scoot over so he can seat. Laying my head on his chest, I begin.
"My name is Lindsay Lukhoni. Am twenty years old. I was born in a small village in a country called Kenya. My parents are George
Stevens and the late Gloria Jabali. Nine years ago my mother committed suicide after a man called Moses Dibali betrayed her. He lied to her that her husband, George had died in a ship explosion. When she was mourning the death of her love, he took advantage of the situation and raped her. Mother not being abled to handle it...killed her self...she...she left me," I started hiccuping. Relieving my mothers death is painful. George is also crying. Hes rubbing my back to calm me.
"Its okay theres no need to continue,"the doctor says.
"No doctor,its okay. I can do it. I want to. No I need to," I say after a while. He nods for me to continue.
"That night when he came back for a second time, he found mother on the floor,her arms slit and me cradling her head. I had cried so much my eyes were puffy and my voice so hoarse I could not talk without it scratching. I was oblivous to Dibalis antics and I don't know what happened because next thing I know, I cant remember myself. Thus he gave me the name Maria. He took me to Tanzania. He was good and fatherly at first but that soon changed when he married. Thats when the....abuse...begun. They took me out of school when i was fifteen to do house chores and take care of  them before she got pregnant when.I was almost sixteen. She gave birth to triplets,boys and very identical. The triplets were amazing and I loved them like my siblings.

They always made me smile. But soon enough the parents decided to even decline me a glimpse of them apart during,breakfast,lunch and supper.
Things took a turn for the worst when I was sixteen years. Dibali came into my room and...and...sexually abused me till morning. He took my virginity in the most despicable  way," I took a shuddering breath, Jody was balling her eyes. The doctor nodded for me to continue with an encouraging smile and I squeezed Georges hand and he held me closer in return. They needed to know how broken I am.

"So almost every night he would come and take advantage of me. Or in his words his daily dose. The mental breakdown I had earlier on was of when three men paid him to rape me. He also partook in it. That night I almost killed myself too. But I couldn't. I didnt want to give him the satisfaction. So I planned on escaping. And I did," i smiled at this. I had finally escaped.
"What of the night that landed you here. What was the flashback you had," the doctor asked. I saw Antony stiffening and I smiled reassuringly at him.

"That night, I got so frightened  I thought I was seeing Dibali. He was so real. His taunts and mocking words were too much for me," I answered honestly.

"What of the...mark on your back,"he asked. Upon this question I almost ran out of the room. But I decided not to. My family was with me. He would not harm me again.

"I was in my so called room,which was the basement actually when Dibali had called me. I went to him and found him holding up a white button up shirt. It had an iron burn mark. His wife was the one who burnt it but as usual, I got blamed for it. He told me to go back to my room and strip. I did as told knowing he was going to molest me then leave,as usual. But he had a rope with him and the charcoal iron too. Theres no way to cool down a charcoal iron unless you dispose the charcoal in it and cool the iron outside. I knew that day he had a malicious plan. He tied me up. My arms above my head and legs spread apart on the ground. He told me if I even squealed he would do the same thing over the same place. I did not understand what he meant. I thought he meant he would rape me and I was not to utter a word. But instead he...he..he took the iron and placed it on my back. I obviously screamed. He said thats what I get for burning his new  shirt. He continued the process. Over the same place. I could literally smell my own burning flesh. I got so tired I couldn't scream anymore. I wanted to die. When he did not hear me screaming anymore, he stopped. But not after....he still went ahead and raped me," I cried. "Please enough. I'll continue tomorrow. Am tired now, can I sleep?" I pleaded.

The doctor nodded and told a crying Jody and Dave to leave together with Antony and George. Telling them I needed rest.
"No. Papa stays," I say holding unto him tightly. I felt safe with him. The doctor nodded. Jody and Dave kissed my forehead while Antony squeezed my hand. He gave me the tiniest of smiles and I knew right then, everything will be alright.

I soon dozed of but not before recalling I had called George, papa.