Our house is close to the beach and the sea is a constant companion there. Mother said that she does not like it because many bad things happen there at night but she cannot leave because that is the place that father expects her to be. She wants him to meet her there whenever he returned from his journeys. He came sometimes and when he did, she was happy, singing and always smiling but when he didn't, she would sit by the door, her knees raised to her chest, her eyes staring into the distance, her teeth chewing into her nails. I think mother is in love with father. I didn’t like father. He made mother cry whenever he leaves.
I called him father but he was not my father. Mother said my father is a big man in another city. Mother said that my father is dangerous and wants to destroy us. I don’t understand how father is not my father. Everybody I knew has one father and their father loved them. I have two fathers and I do not like any of them. I sometimes wanted to be a woman because my fathers are men.
Mother warned me to never talk to strangers. Strangers come to the beach every day. Like that one that asked me my name and gave me a one naira note. I didn’t give the money to mother. She would be angry that I talked to a stranger but the man was nice and he knew many things. He said he knew mother but I shouldn’t tell her that he was around. He said he would come and see her later. Now we won’t see him again and I won’t get more one naira notes.
At the beach, when the sun was setting and the heat had cooled off with the breeze ruffling the face of the sand and my skin, I would pick seashells, pebbles, cowries and different stuff that the sea brought to the shore. I picked only the unique ones. The colour of the item determined if it went into my pocket or got tossed back into the sea. I also found lost wristwatches, wallets, clothes and one time I found a magazine of nude girls. Mother always took those things for me and sold them in town. When she saw the magazine though, she beat me with it then she tossed it into the fire. She warned me never to look at such filth. She said I was a better man than that. I did not understand but I never picked any magazine again whether filled with nude girls or scribbled with words. I did’t like mother being angry with me.
My pebbles were magical and filled with power from the sea. I knew this. I didn’t bring my catapult but I could use my hands. I will dispatch with the terrible ghosts that seek to part mother from me. I giggled with glee at the thought then I stumbled. A face stared at me from the small puddle in front of me. Its eyes were wild and it had a wicked smile filled with white sharp teeth. I knew that this was the mastermind, the thief that sought to cut me off from my mother. Mother stopped when I stumbled and grunted in frustration, then she started to move but stopped when she saw that I was not following.
“Bode? What is it?” she asked, her voice coming from far away.
I was in a battle with the beast. I had tossed the milky stone at him but he had his shield up and the stone bounced off him without a scratch. I was testing the monster’s defenses. I heard it cackle with the wind and it raised its hands out of the water and dragged me in. I fell into his domain but I was not afraid. We struggled and trashed in the puddle that had become the sea. I grabbed him by his waist but he was as slippery as an eel. He slid through my fingers, his mocking laughter filling my ears. I threw the mud coloured stone at him and he began to sink into the mud that suddenly spread around him. His laughter ceased and anger filled his face. I was hearing shouting behind me but I was afraid to turn. He might take advantage if I lose focus.
He did something and began to rise out of the muddy trap. He spread his hands and bat-like wings appeared, attached to his arms and torso. I threw two multi coloured stones at him and they scattered into arrows that pierce his wings. He fell back into the mud. I walked close to him and watched him as he cursed and ranted at me, his eyes filled with hate and I pushed the black stone into his chest. Smoke started to rise from his chest and he looked at me with a triumphant smile then it turned to surprise and then to panic and he began to scream. His scream sounded like the horn of a big lorry and I closed my ears.
A hand spanked my behind and I turned. It was my mother, frowning at me, her eyes filled with worry.
“Do you want to kill yourself? Didn’t you see the lorry coming?” she asked.
In front of me, a lorry carrying cattle was passing. We were at the bus stop and the day had lightened. We boarded a bus and mother paid the fare.
“There is no need for us to go, mother. I have destroyed him.” I said.
*“Destroy him? No one can destroy him my son. He will not stop until he takes you from me.” Mother muttered to herself.
I wanted to disagree but when I looked out of the window, I saw him standing there by the silent streetlight staring at me with anger in his eyes. Mother was right. He was not done and my stones were finished. I knew who the enemy was now. I will be prepared. I pushed the bag out of the way and laid my head on mother’s warm laps. I will be prepared.
THE END.
You can read the previous part here;
Part 1
©warpedpoetic, 2019.