INVADED

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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ojor
Nneka<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 36pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">INVADED</span></span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 55px;"><u>1</u></span></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 55px;"><u>September 14th 2008</u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Bridget removed her wedding ring and placed it on the
dressing table; she cleaned the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. No
matter the circumstance she wasn’t going to appear weak in front of her husband.
She knew Odiong’s stock in trade was to prey on the weak; she had seen him with
his employees. She heard the bathroom door open and observed her husband walk
in with his silk towel round his waist</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I thought you would be asleep by now’ Odiong said walking up
to his wife and putting his arms on her shoulder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘And I thought you would have moved to the guestroom by now
but once again Odiong we disappoint each other’ she said with a stainless smile
and walked away. Odiong sighed and raised his eyebrow up. not this night he
wasn’t ready to pick up an argument with his wife. But Bridget seemed offended
by her husband’s nonchalant attitude</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Any woman Odiong’ she started, raising her voice. ‘You
could have had any woman any; Mary, veronica, Monica, Alex name it in the whole
of Lagos but it just had to be Layomi didn’t it? Hmmm….it just had to be my
best friend”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Bridget please……..not tonight’ Odiong sighed. ‘You know how
Antonia gets when we fight and she’s just a wall away from us’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Two years you religiously cheated on me with her. Two
unending years. Do you even possess a conscience?’ she continued ignoring his
comments</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘It wasn’t planned Bridget it just happened’ Odiong said
rushing to her. Bridget let out a loud mocking laugh and sat down at the side
of the bed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘So…that’s your excuse; it just happened? You just happened
to have an affair with my closest friend Odiong!’ she yelled ‘That’s your
excuse!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I’m sorry’ Odiong whispered rushing to her and shushing her
‘I’m really sorry Bridget’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘No…the only thing you are sorry about is the fact that you
were caught if not you were ready to go on for as long as it can take and
heaven knows how long that is’ she said raising her hands to allow a respectful
distance. Odiong stepped back putting his hand on his forehead in confusion and
pacing left and right. Bridget finally calmed down and laid down on the bed
backing Odiong</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I know Bridget’ she heard him say softly his breath behind
her neck ‘I am wrong with everything and I blame it on my gullible nature to
want more than I have’ Bridget scoffed ‘ You are an amazing wife and you don’t
deserve this or any bad treatment’ he paused and sighed unsure of what to say
next. ‘Just tell me what you want me to do?’ she turned to him and looked at
him sharply</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘You can start by picking up your PJ and getting the hell
out of this room so I can sleep. I don’t want your adulterous body beside mine’
she said sternly and turned back. Odiong stood up and let out a sad smile</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Okay… I’ll stay in the guestroom this night’ he submitted.
Hearing that, I carefully shut the door and crept back to my room. Once I was
safely in it I bolted the door behind me and headed for my bed. Three nights in
a row; would my parents ever get tired of this? I cleaned away the tears that
were building up. I felt like that was the beginning of my sadness and truly it
was but it wasn’t based on the failure of my parents; it was based on my own
failures as a young adult with a brain and a choice or should I say on a simple
misfortune that landed on my shoulders. As I write this book today; September 23^rd
2013; I am reminded of how all this started that night five years nine
days ago when I laid down on my bed and brought out my Sony Erisson. I’m sure
you are wondering; what started? What misfortune? Rushing into conclusion won’t
tell you the whole story; it has to be written detail by detail. I am Antonia
Soni and this is my story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I picked up my Sony Erisson from my bed and dialed Muna’s
number. Muna was my best friend at that moment. She was the only one that
brought a little excitement and adventure to my life which was what I needed at
that moment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘What’s up’ she said I smiled recognizing her tiny girly
voice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Mom and dad are at it again’ I sighed putting my hand on my
forehead. Muna sighed equally </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Sorry sis’ she said ‘three nights in a row now; that must
be some kind of record’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Yeah in the Soni history. This is getting serious and I’m
getting scared. Irene is coming back in the next one week she can’t meet mom and
dad like this. That girl is just thirteen’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘And you’re just sixteen’ Muna interrupted ‘I hate to break
it to you Soni but your long holiday sucks. My parents haven’t been in for at
least a week now and my bro is over at his friends place. I suggested you come
sleep over and maybe we could go to Slim’s house party this evening but you
insisted on staying with your mom. How’s that working for you now?’ Muna was
right; I was wallowing in sadness while I could have been at a house party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Come on Antonia it’s not too late to scale your window. The
party is just hitting up’ she begged. I sighed </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I can’t. I can’t just leave the house’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Folarin will be there’ she sang. I blushed and looked down
shyly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘How are you so sure?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Because……….. I spoke to him yesterday’ she sounded sincere
enough ‘you deserve to have fun Tonia. You worked the whole semester and
brought home a spectacular result. I mean that thing’s good enough to be framed’
I laughed out ‘and how do Mr. and Mrs. Soni repay you? Well I’m not talking
again. Text me when you are in front of my house if you come. The estate is
safe enough for you to leg it; it’s just eight’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Okay…. Okay I’m coming’ I said trying to convince myself</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Good…..see ya’ and with that she ended the call. I sat up
from my laid down position and looked towards my scattered wardrobe. My blue
flare gown looked back at me. That looked good enough for a party at this time.
My heart pounded at the thought. I was just sixteen while Fola and Slim were
both nineteen. My mind told me it was wrong for me to go out and I was beginning
to agree with it but then I heard my parents’ door slam</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Is that what you want Bridget? Huh! Good lord you’re
crying. I am no saint I’m trying to make everything better and you keep
treating me like a virus’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Oh shut up Odiong!’ my mom interrupted rudely. I don’t give
a rat ass how I treat you; you earned it’ she yelled back</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There was no thinking about it; that was it. I walked up to
my wardrobe and picked up my blue gown along with my flats. I couldn’t stay in
the hellhole my parents had turned my house into. Picking up my schoolbag, I placed
my things inside and headed for the window. To me I was stepping out of the
fire my parent’s created. But at times wisdom teaches you to stay in the fire
whose degree of hotness you are aware of but I wasn’t wise enough; I was just a
kid who wanted an easy way out</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I dialed Muna’s number my heart beating faster and faster
by every minute. I looked round for any familiar face. I didn’t want to be
caught by anybody. Everyone knew my parents and how they were strict with my
movements and seeing me out by this time would be odd</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Yes’ she said</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I’m outside your house; hurry!’ I rushed out and ended the
call.&nbsp; I paced left and right several
times then finally sat down on the pavement. The gate opened after a few
minutes and Muna walked up to me with a warm smile</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Halleluiah; she didn’t die’ she joked pecking me playfully.
I giggled and pushed her away jokingly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Yeah yeah whatever. Lets just get inside’ I said working
ahead and leaving her behind</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘What cloth did you bring’ I brought out the gown from my
bag and tossed it to her</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘if there is anything I successfully taught you; it’s how to
choose the right cloth for the right occasion’ I rolled my eyes and unlocked
her front door</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘You didn’t teach me that’ I said entering the house and
sitting down on the sofa at the visitor’s sitting room</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I was talking to Queen yesterday and guess what’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘what’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘She’s in Lag and she is coming over!’ Muna squealed. I rolled
my eyes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘What….. I thought you loved Queen’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘We had a little fight on the last day at school. Something about
me being nosy about her and Chidi’s relationship’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Wow…. How come I didn’t know about that’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘It was a really embarrassing fight. Chidi dumped her
because of it.’ Muna’s eyebrows shut up</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘What was it about?’ she rushed out anxiously sitting beside
me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I promised to keep it between us. something’s are censored
to your ears Muna’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Why?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘Cause you can’t keep a secret’ she sighed and shut me a surprising
look</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘That is not true. Whatever I am going to get dressed. Slim
and Fola are on their way as I speak.’ She said standing up</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘I’ll go get you a shoe horn so you can squeeze those boobs into
your dress.’ She joked from a distance. I laughed out</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘That’s crazy talk Muna’ I shouted. I started removing my shorts
ready to wear my gown. Something still felt wrong as if something was going to
happen. But I reminded myself that it was just my silly conscience and nothing
was wrong. This was better than listening to Mr and Mrs. Soni argue endlessly. Whatever
it was something killed the little voice of conscience that kept singing to me.
It just clocked nine and I had no idea what the rest of the night held for me
or Muna...........................................TO BE CONTINUED</span></div>

3 CONTINUATION

If there’s anything I’ve learnt in life, it’s the fact that the mind of a desperate being is desperately stupid. I can never forget those eight girls; we called them the heroic seven Chastity, Thomasine, Irete; the girl whose father owned a boat, Chika, Abigail, Pelumi, Josephine and Aminat.  I watched them as they raided the first aid box for the things they could use and took over the entrance of the cargo. They all sat and acted like they were up to nothing with Abigail their fearless leader telling them what to do.

‘Thomasine’ Kike called with concern in her voice. Thomasine ignored her. She looked at Abigail who signaled to her not to answer her

‘Ignore Kike’ Abigail said

‘Thomasine, remember what Uju said about being stupid’ Kike persisted

‘I’m not being stupid Kike, you’ll realize that when we come out of this cargo’

‘There is no coming out of this container’ she interrupted impatiently then growled after

‘Kike please shut your stupid beak’ Chastity shouted

‘Don’t discourage us here’ Pelumi said ‘I’m not ready for what’s out there for us’ she continued

‘Please leave the chicken and let’s help us get ourselves out of here. My boyfriend doesn’t even have a clue on where I am’ Irete said

I scoffed mockingly. ‘Your boyfriend?’ I finally said. ‘You’re endangering all of us because of a boy!’    

‘Shhh’ Muna said covering my mouth

‘They are going to turn us into prostitutes’ Aminat started attracting the attention of everyone ‘Don’t you see it, we are being shipped to Italy or wherever where we would be used as money making ventures for them’

‘You don’t know that I _:’

‘If I don’t’ she interrupted ‘where are the guys in this cargo?’

Everyone started murmuring. I sighed and looked at Ejiro, Ebun then at Muna

‘She’s wrong’ Asher said in tired breaths

‘What if she isn’t?’ Ebun said

‘Then we adapt’ Ejiro said ‘we cannot die’

‘We should fight too don’t you think. Abigail has a point; at least we’ll say we tried’

‘Abigail is brutal’ I interrupted Muna ‘and violent. We will fight but let them clear the coast, we cannot go to the warfront if we don’t have any idea what our opponents have installed. If their plan seems to work, then we’ll fight’

Muna and Ejiro nodded in agreement.

‘Last chance to join everybody, anyone, some_:’

‘Oh shut up Abigail’ someone interrupted startling everyone. Already a label had fallen on Abigail’s shoulder as fearless and not to be messed with and this girl seemed not to care

‘Shut up Abigail if you want to go down, go down alone don’t drag other people with you. Don’t look for more disciples if_:’

‘Don’t ever tell me to shut up in your life’

‘If you are alive in the next five minutes I would never. But I am sure you won’t be. You and the dumb seven behind you are the damage control so that the rest of us will be kept good, alive and healthy. So go ahead, play hero but don’t drag anyone down with you’ she scoffed and looked directly at Abigail

‘My friend was shot in the head and tossed out because she wasn’t needed and I was raped before we got here by one of those hulks that you are planning to take down ask anyone in my bus. Cle, tell them. Those people are not just big; they are a lot of things’

We looked at Cle. A light skinned smart looking girl with an afro hair cut who seemed to agree

‘So I’m sure it didn’t come that hard in your buses for any of you as it did for we in mine and Pelumi I understand your anxiousness to fight cause you know what we went through but I hope you are thinking too’ Pelumi looked away and sighed

‘Whatever, do what suits any of you’ Abigail hissed loudly

‘Don’t listen to her’ she said as she walked down to the first aid box and sat on the ground to pull it out

‘We are going to try and get out if it kills us but it won’t’ she said opening the box.

Just then, the padlock noise was heard and the cargo opened with force almost immediately. Before they could stand up and think of lifting a fist. They were shocked by what they saw immediately the doors opened. They were three guys, each had a gun on them and two with whips. I knew they were going to be ready for whatever we planned on doing, they had to be. Beside nurse Vivian was a man in a khaki trouser and a black body hugging top. We all rolled in with fear and those attempting to stand up gently sat down

‘Kayode check the girls on this row, Patrick, the ones on the next row. Anyone with anything sharp or unfamiliar on them bring them out’ The Khaki dressed man ordered. My eyes went to where Abigail was. I watched her as she quietly threw the things into the box and sat straight like nothing was happening. No one could see her because she was at the corner. Kayode and Patrick kept searching and bringing out the girls while the Khaki dressed man observed us quietly.

‘look at you maggots; thinking you can just overtake the ship. Where did you get that dumb idea from’ he said scornfully. Pelumi looked towards Abigail but she looked away.

‘We have installed receivers incase we want to pass an announcement or hear what you want. We can hear you girls clearly if not see.’

‘Sire we are sorry we’ he looked at Irete with a stern look making her shut up

‘Somehow there is always a group of nuisance among you girls’ she said. We were all frightened. No one wanted to be shot or flogged. Nurse Vivian just walked in and sat down. It seemed she really didn’t have a say in their judgments.

‘Sire’ kayode called him attracting his attention. He looked towards him and at the eight girls who were crying and begging.

‘It was not our idea Sire. We are really sorry it was_:’

‘Be quiet!!’ he yelled making us all shake in fright. They didn’t stop begging. I looked at Nurse Vivian to see if she was equally was begging but she wasn’t

‘This is going to serve as a warning to all of you’ he said as he signaled to the two guys beside the door.

They opened it widely and made us watch as they stripped them, bounded our friends’ leg with heaven chains, flogged them to weakness and pushed them into the sea to die. It was horrifying for all of us. for days we wept, some of us refused food and as for me. I couldn’t stop dreaming about it everytime I closed my eyes. Muna just kept mute most of the day thinking and Abigail, Abigail was sure to have the whole Cargo against her. Somehow she was lucky to have survived and it annoyed us all but there was nothing we could do about it. Now we knew there was no limit to what this people could do and we had to prepare our minds.