Chapter 11

Ntone knew she would never forget that night. An odd feeling had kept her awake all through the night. She had tossed on the bed causing it to creak loudly. The downpour that began at midnight seemed to herald the approach of an inexplicable event. Tired of tossing, she got down from the bed provoking it to creak even more loudly. “Mrs. Barbara was probably fast asleep.” She thought after observing that the creaking of the bed had not affected the other woman’s sleep.

Ten years behind bars had taught her a lot about thriving in hardship. Despite the thick darkness, she easily located the black sack under Mrs. Barbara’s bed. She removed a candle and matchbox from the sack. In a short while, the room was faintly illuminated. She pulled out five hard cover notebooks. The other four were already filled up. She flipped through the pages, smiling at the corrections made by her roommate. She was grateful that her roommate had read through the manuscript. As she concluded the work, her spirit suddenly dampened. Life imprisonment was simply life imprisonment! For ten years, she had expressed her feelings and dreams in writing under the supervision of Mrs. Barbara. Now, the tears simply streamed down her face reminding her of the bleakness of her situation. The ink also flowed onto the tear-stained pages, revealing the agony of an aggrieved woman.

It’s been a very long journey

I’ve shut my eyes to the fears ahead

Believing in the triumph of womanhood

Trusting that truth will prevail

It’s not enough to let the tears flow

It’s only just to join in the struggle…

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At the sight of the warder, the rake in her hand suddenly dropped to the ground. The warder who drew closer with menacing steps had her eyes fixed on her. Barbara was heaping rubbish into a large sack and seemed oblivious to the warder’s presence. Whenever it rained, the rubbish of the entire state seemed to flow into the prison environs. They always had extra work to do after a downpour. Ntone shot her cellmate a curious glance while the other returned an anxious stare and continued with her duty.

“Ntone Francis,” the warder called out. While Ntone waited for her to speak further, she thought she saw a smile on the warder’s face. It however faded just as quickly as it came.

“A letter has just arrived from the Supreme Court requesting for your immediate release on grounds of wrongful trial.”

Ntone opened her mouth to speak but the words simply got stuck to her throat. Her legs were probably glued to the ground. She couldn’t move them. “Was she dead?” She wondered. Her gaze shifted to Barbara Johnson, the woman who had given her hope throughout her stay behind prison bars.

“Ntone Francis, we have to go now.” The lightskinned woman announced but was surprised at the still figure of the prisoner. She probably anticipated a completely different reaction.

Ntone remained glued to the spot. She felt as if she was spinning in circles. She was probably spinning too fast for she suddenly slumped on the bare earth.

After regaining consciousness, she was helped to her feet. Still speechless, she followed the warder to the reception. Her mother and brother were there. Dazed, she walked towards them but suddenly stopped when she saw an entourage leave the office of the Chief Warden. Two men flanked by military escorts approached her. Although she had never seen him in person, she knew he was the Vice-Chancellor of Achiever’s university. She didn’t think it was real. Her mother and brother now stood before her. Their faces danced before her like Christmas bells on a church roof. More people walked towards them including the Vice-Chancellor. Everyone was speaking, but she couldn’t make much of what they were saying. Nna Awor must have cried for a very long time. Her swollen eyeballs contrasted with the broad smile on her face. Ntone felt like an artifact on display for a group of excited school children. When her mother hugged her, almost squeezing the life out of her, it seemed like she had been shredded to a million pieces.

“Idorenyin was murdered by a boy she dated on campus because she left him for someone else.” Ntone wasn’t sure about who was speaking. There was definitely no way she could see anyone through the thick mist that clouded her vision.

“You are now a free woman.”

And that was it. The clanging of metals as a prison security man unlocked the gates didn’t have the semblance of a dream. Nonetheless, she didn’t just run through the gates. Her back was turned before anyone could stop her. She had to say goodbye to the friends she had made in prison. And there was Barbara Johnson! It was a most heartrending sight as she tearfully hugged the other woman.

“Thank you,” Ntone cried, releasing large teardrops on the other woman’s clothes. “One day, you will also leave this place and I will pray for that day to come quickly.”

Barbara nodded tearfully, as she patted the girl’s back.

“Don’t forget the manuscripts.” She reminded in a sad voice.

Ntone smiled through thick and salty tears as she pulled out the dusty sack from under the bed. After one last embrace, Ntone pulled off the yellow prison wear.

“May God be with you,” Barbara prayed, amidst a flood that swept through her face without warning.

“I’ll never forget you. Thank you.” Ntone replied shakily, and followed the warder out of the cell.

“I told you my child that truth will prevail.” Nna Awor said, as Ntone rejoined the group at the gate. Ntone nodded.

“Sister, let me help you with the sack.” Nkoro, who was now a lawyer offered, after observing the way his sister desperately clutched the sack to her chest with one hand while the other held her skirt in place.

“The government has granted you a scholarship throughout your university education.” Nkoro informed her, his voice dropping to a whisper. Ntone wondered at the change in her younger brother’s features. He was a grown man. She smiled at his burly appearance. How she had missed out on a vital part of his life! Her mother on the other hand had aged and there was no evidence of black hair ever growing on her head. In spite of the fact that she had greyed completely, her agility was quite surprising.

“Why are we still here? What are we waiting for?” Ntone asked anxiously, as she handed the sack to Nkoro.

They were still at the gate and she noticed that the Vice-Chancellor was having a serious conversation with a group of people.

“I think we are waiting for the press.”

“The press?” she asked, almost shouting. “I don’t want any press interviews right now, especially with the way I look.”

“I don’t think the situation at hand is still about you, my dear sister. The university handed you over to the police without proper investigation and the court wrongfully convicted you of murder.”

“What about the police?”

“Don’t worry. You’ll see.” Nkoro assured. “Now, what do you have in this sack? It’s quite heavy.”

“I wrote it in prison. Do you think it can be published?”

Ntone watched Nna Awor and her brother exchange surprised glances. They both had tearstains on their cheeks. It took a while before Nkoro finally found his voice.

“I studied law in the university just to prove your innocence. There’s nothing I would not do for you.”

As hope shone before her, the smile that had been concealed for too long by the agony of her predicament suddenly broke free.

“They are my dreams from prison.”

The mother smiled amidst tears, while the brother gently squeezed her shoulder.