Felix Brambaifa
The compound had never seen peace nor would ever
understand the benefits it could bring. Every day was with its own troubles;
troubles always caused by women, women too hungry to bring them into being.
Ever since
Ekadi had seen the need to become tenant in this compound and actually taken
the step, his wife Nfong had since then become the strong force in the fore
front of the various chaos. She was the Goliath in the colony of Titans but
since only a David could do the eventual damage she had continued to live
despite the strong female bullies the compound had on parade.
Trouble was
again at the threshold of the compound and Nfong was to be held responsible for
it, the reason for the recent madness was far from been a deliberate one but
rather from a permissible mistake that should have been ignored. The poor girl
like everyone else in the compound knew Nfong had a madness that only trouble
could appease and was frightened when tiny drops of water had fell from the
bucket on her head,
finding their way to the door front of Nfong.
She heard the splash, like a trained maniac she
rushed outside and without any words to call the girl to order had descended on
the poor thing with bitterness. The beating was beyond the normal measures
suitable for a little child. Her crying called out for her own mother and the two
adult sharing the same pot of bitterness showed strength.
That was how
the fight had started and minutes later Nfong had once again inflicted a
terrible injury on her neighbor. This was the routine; this was why Ekadi was
never free from debts and the purging habit of spending money meant for the
furniture’s of his customers. He worked to make money; while her efforts were
to invent troubles, so
unavailable resources could be spent on them.
He heard the
sporadic shouts; they were all gathered at the backyard of the compound. The
women were real noise makers as usual, each eager to oppress the other with
their combusting voices. But on top of all the voices stayed the one voice his
life had come to fear and like all great mistakes, regret. He heard his wife
boast that she was strong and ready to prove herself, ready to break the heads
of those who would not respect her. He felt oppressed; he felt the burden of a
man who had come to realize that peace would forever stay far from his house
because of the woman he had made his wife.
He was still there in
his thoughts when he heard the noise from behind, he turned around and there
was his landlord. Their eyes met and the landlord started an eruption of mocking
laughter’s,
his face blessed with a resemblance that favored that of a bald monkey.
“You haven’t
seen anything yet” He said “She is your downfall”
He sighed in
his displeasure as he moved to the outside entrance of the compound, he had
never liked Nfong and it was
to his great annoyance to see Ekadi suffer in the hands of a
woman who was never in want of peace, a pain felt by Ekadi as he entered his
one room apartment.
He was
furious, the list of recent debts was on the table and its content had almost
made his head explode but somehow he had managed to maintain his sanity, controlling his
anger. But it was not to last for long,
for as soon as his eyes fell
on
the pot of soup which was his hope for dinner on the floor his body became the
growl of a furious beast as he shouted “Nfong” repeatedly.
Her face
bore the usual disdain felt for her husband as she entered. He was poor and her
respect and full loyalty had always feared his quarters. She moved like a
pregnant woman, slow and deliberate was her motion and worse the silent insult
as she asked. “What can I do for you?”
“What
happened to the pot of soup?” He snarled, in obvious irritation and anger.
He had seen
the content of the pot,
that was before Nfong had come asking for money to make her hair, he had
refused her request and the workshop calling out quickened his footsteps before
she could create trouble he was in no way ready for. But now like a wicked
miracle a pot that would have served for two more days was now among the dirty
dishes begging to be washed.
“You would
not give me money for my hair so I sold the soup. But still the money is not
enough. I think I would have to sell the remaining fresh rice so I can look
beautiful for my husband” She said with her lips twisted in that manner meant
to insult in a silent buy wicked way.
His hands
were fast, his breathe heavy and his full anger fell heavily on her. His fist
did damage for every disrespect she had poured on him, the debts he must now
pay for and
the danger that might soon befall him if Ngozi should ever succeed with her
nefarious plans and most importantly for playing with his appetite.
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