Nduka

Prompt:

13 March

Silver Screen

Take a quote from your favorite movie – there’s the title of your post. Now write!

‘If you don’t want a story told, it’s better to tell it yourself’ – Eli Gold, The Good Wife

 Mr. Ndubisi’s house got burned last week,
So did The Okafor’s two weeks ago.
Everything comes out eventually, Nduka.
I cannot tell you enough.
You go around at night doing what you do,
Hanging out with those demons you call friends
And come back home casting furtive glances around
If the witch cried last night and the baby died this night,
We know who killed the baby.
You and your smoke-smelling cloths everywhere in your room cannot run forever.

Everything comes out eventually, Nduka.
Mama Melinda told me some young men rough-handled her daughter at the lonely market path yesterday
But thank God, Melinda has sharp nails and she managed to scratch the face of their leader
You came back home with a scar along your cheek yesterday
You walk around with those demons you call friends
But don’t you know that the corpse does not know that maggots are eating it?
Your demon followers cannot keep their mouth shut forever

Everything comes out eventually Nduka,
All the plantains in farmer Olu’s farm are gone missing
He tells me that God will punish the monkeys stealing his food
But we both know that there are no monkeys in this village
I am feeling like the in-law of the Lizard who was told
That if he keeps paying the lizard a visit every time he falls, he would be constantly travelling
Don’t let me be suffering like this forever

Everything comes out eventually, Nduka
People whisper when I pass in the market
Some flippantly ask me where you were last night
I am trying my best to protect you
But when all vulture-eaters are gathered together, the big woven basket is let down
Those demonlings you carry around would be your end
You cannot hide forever

Tomorrow, you should go to Father Frederick and confess everything to him
Maybe he can help you

If you don’t want your story told, tell it yourself
Because,  everything comes out eventually anyway
And surely, in this village, your story would be told forever