AREA '61 (6)

 Episode 6

"Silly."

That was one word Nonye had learned early in life. It was her mother's favourite insult. She had gotten it a lot, so her little mind had been forced to interpret it. At 3, it had meant naughty girl. At 11, it meant useless child. These days, it was an euphemism for unwanted.

"Hm. Silly," Nonye whispered and chuckled painfully. A dull throb inside her made her scratch her chest. The thick cotton of her sweater got in the way so she slipped her hand under her shirt and thumped at the spot. Each hit spread a ripple of emotions that tickled Nonye's nostrils and dampened her lashes.

"It'll pass," Nonye whispered and recoursed to the only antidote. Her writing always made her feel better, less choked. She fingered her screen and thought of what to write. Nothing came but this, "Silly, that's what mummy called her when she called last. Silly, mummy said when she came back to Abia for her first Christmas holiday as a university student. Silly, she heard mummy say when she bought her first stack of school provisions. Silly, that was what she got when she showed mummy her name on the admission list. She had hoped for something warmer; a smile, a hug or even a "Good job!" She had hoped, but it had been crushed.

"Silly, that was all she ever got whenever she made a mistake or said a bad word. Silly, mummy shouted even when she did or said something right. Silly was all she ever heard. She almost thought it was normal until she wondered why her brother never got that word no matter what he did.

"Silly, silly. It never came with a smile or a laugh. Silly... It was her name! Probably the first thing mother said to her when she was born. And... It was what mother yelled and beat her up with when there had been an accident, and Daddy had died but she had survived without a scratch."

Nonye dropped her phone and rubbed her eyes. Then she let out a choked heave of breath. It was hot with the agony inside. She did it again and again. If the chatty students had noticed the girl at a lonely seat in the FASA quadrangle, they would have thought she was hyperventilating or having a crisis. For the former, no. For the latter, maybe, but no inhaler could be of comfort then.

Nonye gave a long and calm exhale when the pain reduced and the tears went away. She was just in time too. A voice raised in cheerful greeting made her look up. It was Jordan. She kept her eyes on him till he left a group of guys and looked her way. Then he approached.

Nonye's nerves were unusually steady as Jordan sat down and smiled at her. Even he was a little surprised she didn't flutter her lids shyly.

"You're very hard to find these days," Jordan began with his charming smile.

Nonye raised her brow before replying in a deep voice that startled even her, "I don't think so. You just haven't been looking well enough."

"Felicia," Jordan cut her off. Nonye swallowed. She remembered in a second how she hated her English name until Jordan had insisted on addressing her by it.

"What's wrong with you? What did I do wrong? We used to be cool."

Nonye reminisced but still stared coldly as Jordan leaned closer from his seat opposite her and touched her knee. He added dropping his voice, "We used to be friends."

Nonye flinched. Friends? That couldn't be. A man who chatted you first, talked to you like there was no tomorrow and made you feel like a better you had to be more than a friend. Maybe not a boyfriend but definitely not a friend.

"If there's something wrong, you know you can always tell me," Jordan whispered and touched Nonye's shoulder. Nonye smiled and remembered how she had come so close to telling him about her life's scars. That was just before he won the award and qualified to represent UNN in France. After that, he had stopped replying her texts and his hand on her shoulder had touched a million other shoulders.

"Okay, friend," Nonye replied and forced a smile at him. His smile was easier, freer. She fell in love with him again and wondered if she had been the fool. Maybe they had always been friends, but she had taken it for something else. Maybe those cute texts, those disarming smiles and those hand touches had been "a friendly gesture," and because she had been friendless all her life, she had misunderstood them.

"Alright," went Jordan as he stood up and fondled his cuffs. She looked up at him as he said, "I don't know if you heard but I'll be coming out for an SUG seat. I'll really need your support."

"Sure," Nonye said containing the snapping sound inside her body.

"Thank you," Jordan gave a small bow and left, ignoring the pang in Nonye's face. She watched him leave and blend in with a crowd of students. They all seemed happy and ignorant of the gnaw that troubled Nonye's heart. Were they really happy? Had they never had bad experiences in their childhood that haunted them till now and made them different? Did they keep away from people not because they were shy but because they believed that things always went wrong with them around? Were they scared of five letter words like silly too?

"No, Nonye. Don't," Nonye whimpered as the tears pushed open the doors of her heart. She lowered her head and rubbed her eyes fiercely. Then she gave up and sobbed as quietly as she could.

"It's okay, love. Just let it out. I'm here. I'm here for you..."

Nonye recalled those words. Words she had always wanted to hear or feel from her mother. They had come from a total stranger. Nonye remembered her in her blue uniform and her springy virgin hair that was held firm by a blue bow. The stranger had held her to a tight hug in that same quadrangle and had wiped her tears with the bosom of her shirt. She had kept her grip and continued her coos of comfort until Nonye had breathed freely. Then she had given Nonye her number and told her to come see her in the Jackson building any time she had a problem.

Nonye didn't call or text though. She definitely didn't go to Jackson building either. She contented herself with smiling and waving any time they crossed paths. The stranger was two classes Nonye's senior. That was all Nonye knew. She had resolved to ask her her name so many times. She finally learnt her name when she saw her picture on a MACSA obituary poster. Favour.

"I'm sorry, Favour. I wanted to text but I was scared. I don't know how. That's why you found me alone that day," Nonye whispered and sniffled. She wiped her face with her handkerchief and filled her lungs with cool oxygen. As she did, she recounted her pain at Favour's death, her grief during the candle procession and the thoughtful days which had led her to write her very first article. She had titled it, "A Favour Taken For Granted." She had been disgusted with how quickly Favour had been forgotten and had immortalized her with the only thing she knew how to do.

That was how she started writing. One article led to another. More ideas materialized and she filled her lonely days with tributes and conspiracies. She stopped with the coming of Jordan but continued after his "betrayal." She embraced her pain and befriended her loneliness. She even dared to dream of a legacy. A legacy that would prove her haters wrong, especially her mother.

"Hi, Chisom. Just you again," Nonye croaked. She cleared her voice quickly and sat on her bed. Chisom's "How was school?" didn't come so she leaned closer and nudged Chisom with her pillow. Chisom waved her to stop and kept on staring dumbfounded at her phone screen.

"Did you see this?" Chisom asked and gave Nonye her phone. Then she folded her hands and shuddered. Nonye stared at the message, "Missing Psychology Student found dead in Adada."

"Did you know him?" Nonye asked as a chill crawled up her spine.

"Segun. He was excited when our DOS announced the trip. He even chatted me up to persuade me when I said I wouldn't go for the picnic..." Chisom's words morphed into loud pathetic sobs. She leaned on Nonye who took her into an embrace. "Another death. What's going on?" Nonye whispered as Chisom's sobs grew louder.

To be continued.

Okay. Something is definitely going on. Another death? Maybe there is a cult. Nonye's story was sad though. Do you have words of love to share with people like her?

Thank you for leaving it in the comments ❤️