VICTIM. CHAP 3

Bimpe stares at Kunle with an open mouth. Her mind screams for her to run and hide- anything to get away from him but her legs refuse to move. When tears pool her eyes, some part of her brain finally receive the command and in a daze, she slaps one hundred and fifty naira on the counter and made a mad dash to the front of the supermarket.

Dele seems to stand about 100 kilometres away, and she doesn’t even get halfway before breaking down on her knees. The sting in her chest is unbearable when her lungs come up short with oxygen every time she tries to breath. She feels like she’s about to die, her low sobs mixed with whimpers and a heart that wouldn’t stop breathing fast.

Dele’s hand on her arm weighs like brick when he pulls her up. It isn’t until that moment that she noticed that he has left where she left him and is now beside her in the car park of the supermarket.

“Bimpe, kiloshele?” he asks, worry lines etching his face. She can see him shift into defensive mode immediately.

Bimpe points at the supermarket while still struggling for air. Her lips form silent words but no sound escapes them. As she has so many times, she curses her inability to be strong enough and stand tall enough to face these nuisances. Dele tries to pull her into his arm but she slaps his hand away, unable to stand his touch.

Finally, she manages to croak the word “Kunle” in between tears spurts.

He goes rigid and his stance becomes even more defensive. “The bastard is in there?”

She nods and before she can plead with him not to do anything brash and stupid, Dele marches towards the store with a stony face. She tries to pull him back and plead with him not to make any rash decisions. Crazy thoughts run through her mind as she thinks of the impending doom that can come from the confrontation. Dele just doesn’t understand how dangerous these guys are. She forces herself to move swiftly and follows him as he marches on in solid determined steps. 

The situation is already hairy when she steps into the store; Kunle is cupping his bloodied mouth with his hand. “What did you do to my sister?” Dele roars, holding her abductor tightly with one hand and ready to swing a punch with the other formed fist.

Kunle doesn’t even seem fazed as he smiles coolly, beats Dele’s hand off him and adjusted his shirt. He offers Dele a smug smile and when he notices Bimpe, he winks at her, subsequently followed by a broad smile. “I just said hello and she freaked out. I didn’t do anything.”

“What are you even doing back in town? Odaran oshi.” Dele growls. 

Bimpe pulls Dele, in a futile attempt to get him to just leave which doesn’t go unnoticed by Kunle. Dele’s face is full of struggle as he glances at the crowd now starting to form around them; waiting to see how the confrontation would play out. Eventually, he moves back but not without dropping a last threat.

“Walahi this is not over. You will regret ever hurting my sister, I swear to God.”

Kunle’s tongue runs over his lip as he checks Bimpe out. “I no send you o, you no fit do anything. Your threat doesn’t change the fact that I’m a free man walking around and your sister is the screwed up pathetic idiot here.”

Dele finally turns, grabs Bimpe’s hand and drags her out of the store as the crown disperses, low murmurs expressed in disappointment over what has been anticipated as a fist fight show for them. Kunle’s eyes burn into her back as they leave, the thought of Kunle knowing everything beneath her clothes stabs painfully at her inside and a few tears manage to escape her eyes again. She’s tired of crying but can’t seem to have the power to do anything about it.

As they get an okada home, Dele rages on and on about the injustice in the system and how the law bends for the rich only. Most of his words fall on deaf ears as she is captured in her own little world, thinking back to moment she just woke up after her abduction.

It was dark, the air really musty and dirty. A shudder ran through her when a breeze hit her and goose bumps hastily covered her body. Bimpe realized she was naked. Her throat was raw and it hurt every time she swallowed, a foul taste coating the insides of her mouth; making her realize she had probably vomited multiple times unconsciously. A pounding headache overpowered the rest of her senses.

She turned her head towards the screeching door and instinctively curled into a ball when a dark figure entered. The light came on and Bimpe blinked, her eyes teared away from the sudden brightness.

“Good you’re awake.”

Her heart cringed in her chest at the slyness in Kunle’s soft voice.

“Kunle?” she glared at him, trying not to let hoe scared she was reflect in her countenance. “Why did you bring me here and where are my clothes?” she bit her trembling lip, trying to give her words some firmness. Though she wanted to scream very loudly as she felt it deep within herself that she was in danger, her instincts told her that getting herself worked up wouldn’t get her anywhere.

Kunle lowered himself onto the bed next to her and ran his fingers down her naked back. She recoiled from his touch, sickness cramping her stomach.

“Baby, I’m sure you know the answer to that.” He ran his greedy eyes up and down her frame before licking his lips and giving her a sardonic grin.”You think you’re the only fine girl around? Shaking your bumbum up and down the street and rejecting all the guys that have come your way. You think you’re special, abi? You know I’ve always liked you but do you ever look my way? Whatever happens here, you brought it on yourself.”

Tears dribbled from her eyes as the gravity of her situation finally dawned on her. “Kunle, I’m so sorry, I never meant to upset you. Just let me go and I swear I won’t tell anyone that you kidnapped me.” She begged, for once, letting the desperation show on her face and in her pleading voice.

He clicked his voice and slapped her roughly. “Kidnapping is an ugly word to use. Just think of this as an invitation to an extended party.” He tried to roll her n her knee but she hugged her knee with so much force that he couldn’t break her grip. He gave up and laughed wickedly. He muttered about finding a rope and tying her up.

“Please Kunle don’t do this.” She became a blubbering mess. “I’m a virgin.”

His thumb caressed her wet cheek. “I know that already. But don’t worry, I won’t be the one to disvirgin you. My friend is coming over later to do the honour.” His eyes were filled with darkness. “I brought you rice and water but I’ll only let you take it if you’re a good girl.”

She did not move, her head spinning with ideas on how to escape this horrible reality she had suddenly found herself in.

“Suit yourself. Just so you know, you’re in an aja-ile(underground), there is no one around to hear you scream. The door is metal with three different padlocks. You are trapped so you can either surrender early and make this easy for all of us or make it difficult and suffer until you know that we mean business.”

When he talked towards the door and had his back turned, Bimpe seized her opportunity and jumped on him. However, her feeble attempts were no match for his solid male strength.

One punch to the head and she blacked out. She didn’t wake up until much later with her arms and legs tied to the wooden bedpost, her head bursting from pain and begging God for the first time in her life to take her life and make her safe from these monsters.

She screamed for help at the top of her lungs until her voice was hoarse and reduced to a whimper. Bimpe cried bitterly as the reality of her situation dawned on her. As Kunle predicted, no one came to her rescue. 

When they get home, Dele pulls her aside and gives her an apologetic smile before asking the question that has been troubling him for the past weeks. “Do you want to tell me about what happened when you were kidnapped? You’ve never told anyone everything that went down and you’ve been keeping everything bottled up inside. Maybe if you talk to someone, it can help relieve the pain.”

“I was raped, what more is there to say?” she glares at him with empty eyes. “If you want to know what happened, you can search the internet about the experiences of rape survivors.”

She dashes into the house and without turning back to the door, she hears Dele close the door behind them.

“Maami, we saw Kunle this afternoon at Owode.” He announces, the silence in the house is so much one can hear a pin drop. Their mother rushes out from the kitchen, looking like she just saw a ghost; the worry lines that have been permanently etched on her face deepening at that moment. “Don’t restraining orders work in Nigeria? We really have to do something about this.”

“Unfortunately, we can but it won’t work since the charges have been dismissed and the case is said to have no basis. Is it not the same police that threw away the evidence of a gang rape because of money? His father has money and that means he automatically has the law in his pocket.” Their father explained in one breath. They hadn’t noticed his presence.

They all agree that she isn’t to go anywhere alone and must have at least one person with her anytime she’s leaving the house. Bimpe tries to ignore the growing unrest in her stomach but she knows deep down that something is about to go very wrong again.