DUNNI, AND HER MISERY 

Dunni sighed as she watched the helpless body of her mother on the flat hospital bed. The sigh was too deep for a girl of 8; which made her aunt wondered aloud, “What does she knows?”. As she looked at the little girl with deep pity, a weeping little wet-puppy. This little lass didn’t move an inch from where she was sitting, she remained seated like a statue as she was lost in thought; which gave her aunt more concern on “What could a girl of eight be thinking of?”.   Aunt Sandra moved closer to Dunni, pated her back and told her to get ready so they could go back home. Dunni was uncomfortable with this suggestion by her aunt. Oh, she protested, she willed and would loved to be left with her mum! But her aunt turned deaf ears, and as  she pointed at her school uniform. “You have to go to school tomorrow, Dunni! You haven’t even change your uniform and your dad will soon be around to pick you up. So, get ready, dear”. Dunni quickly cut her aunt short by saying “he is my Step dad!”. Aunt Sandra who had been bottling everything up since morning unleashed her anger as she started, “what difference does it make?” “He took you in like his own daughter, treated you right, when will you accept he is your dad?” “Your mother just had a miscarriage; do you think she will recover quickly when she wakes up to realize you still haven’t accept your step father as your own father?” Aunt Sandra went on and on but she came back to her senses in time just to realize she had said too much to this little girl. ‘she was just 8 after all! what does she know about miscarriage?’; She wondered. She pulled Dunni to her warm bossom, squatted to meet Dunni’s height. Dunni placed her head on Aunt sandra’s soft chest as she muttered, “ I just want to stay with mum”. Aunt Sandra consoled and told her not to worry that she (Sandra) won’t leave her mother’s side. At last, Dunni promised to go home with her step dad. In the evening, her step dad, Mr.Kunle, came in to look at his beloved wife, he brought some dinner for them and stayed around for a while. He sat close to his wife as he held her hand passionately, he kissed her cold forehead and said “I love you, Stay strong for Dunni and I”, Dunni who witnessed all these gave her step dad a very cold look. Mr. Kunle left for home with Dunni who sat alone at the passenger’s seat. She looked so scared as she was filled with both fear and hatred for her ‘kind’ step dad. He was less concerned about her expression and he returned every bad expression from her with a wide  suspicious smile. He drove through the the city of brown roof as he wore the mischievous smile. Dunni on the other hand got lost in the beautiful scenery and settled down as she admires the beauty of nature. Dunni’s step father cut the brake while driving on high speed which made her hit her head against the back of the front seat, and her face wrinkle out of anger. She snapped at him in disgust and the thought of how she despise him swirl in her head. She entered the room and shook her head on the sight of leftovers in the living room; there were clothes lying on different angle, the room welcomed them with series of horrible smell joined together! She left the living room for toilet, unfortunately, she jumped out of the toilet like a rat running away at the sight of light.  Everywhere was a mess, and there and then, she missed her mum more. That night, Dunni laid down on her bed, tossing every second as she look at every corners of the room; she stared at the ceiling and turned her head. Then she noticed everything inside the room; with those that she had never paid attention: the cracks on the wall, the dirts on the door and many more. She heard a footsteps at her door and wondered if it was her stepdad. Dunni was fidgeting and biting her nails as the steps get closer; waiting. She didn’t know where to turn to, if she were to run or stay or pretend she was asleep. She held onto her pillow and started crying. The door was opened widely, revealing her step father with the ray of light from the hallway reflecting his presence there; ‘a dark soul and figure. Mr. Kunle saw the pool of tears and that broadened his smile. He started talking with his mischievous smile; he said “You didn’t close that door today?” “Were you expecting me already?” “Are you scared that I will kill you if you had left the door shut?”… Dunni was panting in fears, her chest heaving as her tears flow down her smooth chubby cheeks uncontrollably; her yellow top was drenched in tears. Now, she had already stood up from the bed, for every step she took backward, her step father moved in towards her. “Dunni, when will you love me like your father?” “When will you accept me?”  Dunni couldn’t say a word as she took her last step backward; she was back against the wall. Mr Kunle smirked as his shadow covered Dunni, he knelt down to be of the same height as her. He caresses her cheeks and said “Baby, I don’t like it when you cry” “Did you tell Aunt Sandra about yesterday?” Dunni Shook her head as she screamed “NO!” Mr. Kunle laughed and said “Good girl, you are not ready to die.” Mr Kunle picked Dunni up and threw her across the bed. Dunni was shedding a hot tear as at then, the poor girl was powerless, she didn’t want Mr Kunle to touch her like he did yesterday. He brought out a rope and tied Dunni to the bed, she tried to struggle until he landed her a resounding slap, and she was unconscious for a second. He told Dunni “Just do as I say, I don’t want to hurt you,idiot!” Mr.Kunle started removing her clothes one after the other until she was left naked, he placed his huge hand on her chest; his whole hand almost covered her tiny chest. He began to strok her chest gently as he placed the other hand around her vagina. Dunni had zero idea of what was going on, Mr. kunle was lost in his lustful world, he started playing with her tiny nipple; licking and sucking. Dunni knew this is an act of mother and child, why is her step father sucking her; this is more than what he did yesterday. He satisfied his urge as he brought out his fully erected penis, of course, it is bigger than her tiny genital, he looked at her and smiled, he knelt on top of her and he started rubbing his penis on her vagina. He did not penetrate but this movement is much more painful for Dunni who is only an eight year-old virgin. Mr. kunle left her with a warning to kill her if she should say a word about this to anyone! Dunni was left to cry all night, her hatred grew every nights as this went on and on until her mother came back home fully recovered. These are trying times for Dunni, she was in between the deep blue sea and the devil, she doesn’t know how to tell her mother about her step dad’s ‘acts’ with her neither does she want to keep this wicked act on (she has no knowledge about what it was only that she knew it wasn’t right). She thought of how people will point fingers at her for her mother’s broken home; “what if my mother divorced him?” “Will People blame me?” She remembered her last episode with Aunt Sandra in the hospital; how Aunty Sandra scolded her for her step dad’s matter. Dunni decided to keep these horrible memories to herself and as her hatred for her step father grew immeasurably. She could not fathom why he would be a monster behind her mother while he was playing the role of a good father and husband for the public. Year in and out, Dunni grew within the hatred, she had no choice but to live with this despicable man who defiled her, who showed her at a very young age that the world is not merely for chocolates and candies. The worst thing for her was calling him “Dad”. Those horrible memories kept haunting her and her sole wish was for her mother to divorce this man. After her secondary school valedictory service, she fell into the trap of her step father once again, he tried to have sex with her as he had always wished. Whoa, she is ripe to be eaten! Dunni fought her way out and escaped this trap.  Alas! She couldn’t tell her mother, she doesn’t want the society to blame her for her mother’s divorce but she started looking for ways to get this man out of their world. Voila! Her dream came true, Dunni  put out all evidences of her step father’s infidelity, her mother found out about this and out of annoyance served her husband a divorce letter. But Dunni didn’t see how hard this divorce was on her mother, all she wanted was for them to move far away from this bad, evil man. Awhile after they had left Mr.Kunle’s house, she thought she would be happy, but deep down she was still living in the darkness of her past; she came to the realization that her hatred wasn’t for her step father alone but for every other men alive. Thus, she planned to tell her mum about everything from where and how it started but refrained herself from letting the cat out of the bag. She believed her mother could develop high blood pressure due to this unpleasant story. Once again, she had to keep this to herself for the sake of her mother’s health. Every single day, Dunni, kept on nursing this hatred for men as she tried  to erase her memory. The fact that she is not living her life like a normal girl is a deep wound to her. How she wished and longed to come out and express her sadness, but she saw how people blame rape victims every day, hence made her lost the energy and courage to speak up. But she kept on fighting through this hatred every day! She is going to be fine… But I hope that one day, Dunni will get the courage and strength to talk! The truth is we have many Dunnis around us. But the way we react to rape issues, the stigmatization, the blame game we all put forward will put a huge seal on their mouths and this will only earn them a painful and frustrating existence. May God give every Dunni and many more like her out there; the strength and courage to come out and speak. Thanks for reading, and drop your comments. Written by: Khair Story  Idea: Sharon Aluku For more stories like this, click https://thekhairmedia.com/depressed-soul/ Like my page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/The-Khair-Media-105268240868895/?ref=br_rs