Chapter 8

Ntone lay in silence listening to the guttural sounds coming from the other inmate. She closed her eyes, hoping to sleep off. The buzzing sound of mosquitoes as they feasted on her caused her to be alert again. She slapped several parts of her body, wincing in pain as the mosquito bites stung her bare skin. She couldn’t sleep. She painfully sat up on the bed. The sad thoughts began to filter in again, provoking the tears to flow. Although the female warden had promised to post the letter for her, she doubted that her mother had seen it. If Nna Awor had seen it, she would be in Calabar by now. She tasted the salty liquid gushing out from her eyes. It seemed to bring back more pain. Her best friend, Eno-obong had abandoned her for fear of being connected with the murder. Seven months had already gone by. She was still awaiting trial and since she had no money to employ the services of a lawyer, the case was still pending.

Idorenyin’s father, the provost of Hallmark Polytechnic, had insisted that she remained in prison custody. They said that there were clear evidences that she was the culprit.

“You had better get a lawyer.” The man had roared at her, with fiery red eyes that threatened to burn her into ashes. The testimony of the other roommates served as embers. They had told the police that she had a fight with the late girl three days before the incident. Ntone recalled with sadness the little fight she had with Idorenyin. Ntone had mistakenly brushed her arm against the other girl’s table. Idorenyin had placed a bottle containing cough syrup on the plastic table. The bottle which landed on the ground broke into pieces causing the thick yellowish liquid to splatter against the floor. Ntone had been petrified because the cough syrup belonging to Idorenyin had cost quite a lot of money. Her fear was confirmed when the other girl lashed out at her calling her a clumsy village girl. If Idorenyin had stopped at that, it probably would have ended there. Idorenyin had however gone ahead to say that Ntone was evil and that since she came into the room, the evil she had brought from the village was manifesting in everything she did. Although Ntone had initially pleaded with Idorenyin to forgive her, the other girl’s tirades however provoked her to return an angry response. A quarrel had ensued and it was the presence of the porters at the scene that quenched the fire.

Theresa and Folashade had reported this incident to the policemen. The porters had also attested to the fact that both girls had been at each other’s necks three days before Idorenyin’s death. According to the policemen, it was only logical that Ntone had been provoked to murder her roommate after the quarrel.

More tears gushed out of Ntone’s eyes as the events leading to her detention danced before her like ghosts in a nightmare. She was innocent. She told herself, “In the end, truth will prevail.” Her mother always said that whenever her stepsister told lies about them to the villagers. She didn’t know when she slept off. The clanging of the metal gate few hours later told her it was morning.

●

“Miss Ntone Francis, you have a visitor.” A female warder announced. Her big and burly frame covered the entrance as she unlocked the gate.

Ntone nodded and jumped down from the top bunk. She followed the warder to the empty room at the entrance that served as the reception. Her legs abruptly stopped moving when she saw the thin frame of a woman clad in a familiar wrapper. Although the woman had aged as portrayed by the sunken cheekbones and weight loss, Ntone recognised her in an instant. She drew near to the corner where the woman stood with folded arms. Their eyes regarded each other solemnly until Nna Awor reached out and hugged her daughter.

“Mama, I didn’t do it. It’s all a ploy to destroy me.” Ntone sobbed, resting her chin on her mother’s shoulder.

“It’s alright my child. I know you didn’t do it.” Ntone disengaged from her mother’s arms and found seats for both of them.

“How is Nkoro?” Ntone asked.

“Your brother is fine. He wanted to come with me but I didn’t let him.” Nna Awor coughed, blinking back the mist that had gathered at the corners of both eyes. “I couldn’t afford the transportation fare for two people.”

Ntone’s eyes curiously ran over the older woman’s face. She had a sickly look.

“Mama, are you okay?”

Nna Awor made an effort to reply. Her effort only produced a dry cough.

“It’s just a cold. I will be fine.”

“Mama, I’ve caused you a lot of pain. I …”

“You better stop saying that. It’s only a phase and we’ll come out of it stronger. You don’t look healthy yourself.” Nna Awor’s eyes moved quickly, sadly taking in her daughter’s dishevelled look. “I brought you a few clothes and I hope they will let you eat the food and fruits I bought on the way.” Nna Awor bent forward. Her voice dropped to a whisper as her eyes stole secret glances at the warder’s cordon.

Ntone nodded.

“They still allow me a few privileges because I haven’t been tried yet.”

“I’ll get you a lawyer.”

“Mama, where do you intend to get the money? I know how hard you have worked just to raise your fare down here?”

“Do you really think that I would let you rot in this place? You really think I would let my investment go down the drain?”

Ntone’s head dropped as the water gathered again at the corners of her eyes. She knew she couldn’t hold them there for too long before they sought their freedom.

“How is Asinya?” she asked, feeling guilty that she hadn’t asked earlier on.

“She’s even more lippy now.” Nna Awor frowned. “She suddenly became excited the moment she knew that I was travelling down here even though I didn’t disclose the reason to her.”

“It’s okay, mama. We will get through this.”

“It’s time to leave.” A female warder approached them. A deep frown crossed her face as Nna Awor handed Ntone a black polythene bag.

“Where will you stay?” Ntone quickly asked, as the warder stepped closer.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find a way.”

“Please I want you to be safe.” She hugged her mother.

Nna Awor nodded and, after disengaging from her daughter’s embrace, gestured to her to follow the warder. They held each other in a brief gaze before Ntone was led back to the murky cell. The metal gates clanged after her, causing her heart to quake. She wondered if she would ever get used to the noise they made. They were a bitter reminder of her lost freedom.

●

Seven months had elapsed before the court finally gave its verdict. The case had been adjourned thrice. On the last sitting, the judge declared that there were clear evidences to show that she was guilty of the crime. She could still see the tears on Nkoro’s face as the judge sentenced her to life imprisonment with hard labour. He had raised his transport fare by working on hire for the villagers on their farms. Her mother had stripped off the wrapper that covered her lower trunk. She would have pulled off the black underwear that clung to her bare skin if the police men had not taken her away. They had called her a mad woman when she was only a grieving mother. “But how could the same system that had declared her guilty when she was innocent be able to tell the difference?” She asked despairingly. Idorenyin’s father, an uncouth man had thanked his lawyer and the judge profusely saying that he was grateful that justice had finally been served. It must have been just after he made this pronouncement that the heavens unbridled a torrential downpour. Unlike the dead girl’s father, the heavens must have been angry that an innocent girl had been denied justice. Or maybe, nature had also joined her mother and brother in weeping for her. Anyway, the heavy downpour and a little scene that occurred when Idorenyin’s father fell face down into the pool of water that flooded the courtyard as he made his way to his car were clear indicators that the heavens were not happy.

She could still hear her mother’s howls as they led her away.

“Truth will prevail.” The distressed woman had cried.