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I looked at Tessy, beautiful Tessy. Her lovely large Chinese eyes with eyeballs as white as snow. I nicknamed her Milkeyes as her eyes reminded me of the television advert of a popular evaporated milk. The first day I came to this compound, and lay my eyes on her, I knew I was in for big trouble, as she was capable of letting my weakness surface again. I had been running from this demon that has been chasing me from place to place, but always seemed to have the upper hand.
The first time I saw Milkeyes, I shivered as I became hard down there. She walked past me with her friends and smiled sweetly at me. I smiled back and she waved innocently. If only she knew what I was thinking, she would have run far far away. I instantly checked myself. No, my demons would not take over. Not this time!
The next week, I saw Milkeyes, she hugged me so tight. Gosh, she is very friendly, in fact, too friendly. Didn’t her mother tell her about the world and the wicked people in it? She kept holding my hands. She had just lost a tooth. The wide space in her dentition seemed to attract me further. I pulled her closer to me, hugged her very tight, and tickled her underarms. She responded with loud innocent chuckles which turned me on.
Over the months, Milkeyes and I became close, almost inseparable. She trusted me and told me about all her friends. I told her about my work. She could not be muted as her curiosity was insatiable. “What is this, what about this?” She always asked. Damn, she could never stop. She was such a smart lass, and always had a comeback for everything I said. Well, this was what made me love people like her more.
One fateful day, I heard a light knock on my door. I opened it and looked down, and there was my beautiful Milkeyes, with her white eyeballs staring at me sheepishly. The gap in her dentition was beginning to be replaced by another tooth half in size when compared to its surrounding companions. The pink Alice band and colourful accessories adorning her hair was in a class of its own. Oh, what a sight to behold! She was as excited to see me as I was to see her. Quickly I pulled her in through the door, passed my balcony and locked my sliding glass.
And then, just like that, BAM! He took over. I tossed Milkeyes on the bed, covered her mouth and ran my fingers all over her, every single part of her. She looked scared, I did not like her scared face so I told her it would be alright, but not before I had shouted at her to dare not make a sound. After playing with her body, I told her to touch me too, in the place where I love to be touched. I told her to play with it. At least, if I could not get any other person to touch me, I could force Milkeyes to do it.
I finally had my fill with six year old Tessy and eventually asked her why she came. With tears in her eyes, she said her mum sent her to collect my blender because hers suddenly blew up while using it. Gosh, it was an emergency! By now, her mum must have been wondering why she was taking so long. So I walked into the kitchen and gave her the blender. “If you ever tell anyone what happened today, I swear, I would kill you and your family. You don’t want to test me. Now dry up your tears, and tell your mum you had to stay long because you got carried away with the games on my new iPad.” I said to her. Tessy cleaned her tears and hurriedly ran out as I unlocked the sliding glass.
The demon left immediately she stepped out. Oh my God, what have I done? I have done it again. I did it to Tessy, my beautiful and innocent Milkeyes. She would never be innocent again. I waited anxiously that night, wondering if Tessy’s mum would badge in. Every knock on my door that evening was a source of anxiety.
One day, two days, one week, one month… no one came, no one asked anything. Life remained just the way it was before my encounter with Milkeyes. I guess my empty threats worked wonders in her mind, and I would be escaping jail one more time. I don’t know if I would be lucky next time.
I saw Tessy this afternoon. She has, for long, stopped playing with me. Her eyes doesn’t look up eagerly to me when I pass by anymore, I can’t even tell if they are still milky. I miss our times together, her innocent smiles and her never-ending questions. Our eyes suddenly locked. After few seconds that seemed like an eternity to me, she looked away to her friend and smiled. Something seemed missing from that smile… her innocence… and I was the cause of it.
She is gone. Milkeyes is gone, and left just plain Tessy behind.
These things happen everyday... very sad.
ReplyDeleteThese kind of people should be locked up for life when caught.
Sadly, right?
DeleteFirst thing's first... amazing write up.. amazing writer... amazing article
ReplyDeleteI'd love to say... I can't believe the idiot did that to a poor child but I've come to realize that there are humans in this world and there are 'humans' in this world.
We just need to educate our children more but regardless there still is and will never be an excuse for stealing a child's innocence. Cos no matter how hard she tries she'll never be able to see the world in the same light again.
Thanks for the compliment.
DeleteI would really like to study about 'why wicked people do the things they do'.
WOW. I have come to expect such splendid writing from you. It's horrible that rapists take innocence away from kids like this. I could feel the betrayal going through the mind of Milkeyes mind. This was supposed to be her "very nice and playful" neighbor. And like Nollywood REinvented said, we need to constantly educate our children. This can't be over emphasized.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. I hope I don't dash your expectations someday.
DeleteYea, she felt betrayed.
"Her lovely large Chinese eyes...?" It's like saying a blond Nigerian, it doesn't happen.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad story, that aside you should have given hint it was from the perspective of a male. I am certain everyone read it and got a bit confused when they got to "BAM! He took over..." and you switched back to first person.
I know this piece was written to pass across a moral lesson but child abusers do not operate like that. Especially one that had succeeded with other girls. I wouldn't want to bore you with details.
Someone compared it to Nollywood, I won't take that as a compliment. They focus on the moral of the story at the expense of everything that would have made it a wonderful work of art.
Oga, na wa 4 u ooo.
DeleteIf you read the story well, you will understand that the Paedophile and the victim have no nationality. Where did you get the opinion that I am talking about Nigeria? This goes to show that you already have criticism in mind while reading it.
I also did not give the paedophile a gender. It was deliberate, because a paedophile can be of any gender.
The 'He' that took over, was the 'demon' the first person has been blaming his weaknesses on. Read it well.
And lastly, no one compared it to Nollywood. The ladies name is Nollywood Reinvented, and she made a comment, which is what Che was pointing out.
It seems you just want to pick holes in the story like you like to do a lot of time, so you refused to read the story well.
Please, let your criticisms be constructive next time. Thanks
"The first time I saw Milkeyes, I shivered as I became hard down there"
DeleteCorrect me if I'm wrong but there is a specific gender that gets "hard down there". Consciously or subconsciously, the assailant has been given a gender by the author...just an observation.
@ BB: Yep, you are right? Writer's mistake on my path. This is what I call constructive criticism.
Deletepedophiles! they are around and close to us...neighbours, relations, and friends!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you portrayed this societal problem with a story. If only we parents are not so trusting! ...A HEAVY ANGRY SIGH!
weldone.
Please, don't be angry. Such is the reality of the world we live in. We have to watch and pray.
DeleteHow you dey?
This simply broke my heart.....no words....
ReplyDeleteI was depressed for 2 nights after writing it cos I had to put myself in the character of the paedophile to create the scenes. So you can imagine.
DeleteGod knows I wont allow no "uncle" near my kid
ReplyDeleteI wish it was that easy. You know you can't be with them 24/7 bt you can teach them to always talk to you about everything, trust your instincts & pray too. It's a wicked world
Delete@ Luciano: How many people would you be able to get away from your child. The few bad ones have just tainted the men who don't have any ulterior motive
Delete@ Toinlicious: Yeah, we can only watch and pray. Its really a wicked world
DeleteWow! This is a wonderful write-up. I'm not a professional writer but you style of writing is captivating.*standing ovation*
ReplyDeleteThe message is precise and well delivered too.
Thank you very much for this compliment. It has gone a long way to encourage me.
DeleteThis was a very good read. I loved the writing style, amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteThey are real, but the saddest part is that many of them get away with the crime because people don't like to speak up.
ReplyDeletesee me shaking my head when i read it...was short of words.
ReplyDeletehe's a pedophile no doubt but the way u made him sound...as if someone shd feel fr him too...altho dts a big tufiakwa sha cos i cant imagine how that child must feel to have been tainted by someone who was ur friend.
Yep, I did that intentionally. So people will understand that these are everyday 'normal' people walking around us. People who laff, people's brothers and fathers. They don't come in horns or wearing the devil's mask, so we can never be too careful.
DeleteOh Atilola. I stopped reading when it dawned on me it was about child/sex abuse. Not my favourite topic.
ReplyDeleteBut we cant keep silent and wish it away... I did read it as man to child but reading it a second time I have realised the bias is actually mine. Women do abuse - both lil boys and girls. And they both loose their innocence even if we assume that lil boys enjoy it (they don't)
Thanks for reminding us that it can be anyone.
thumbs up.
Yes, that's exactly how its supposed to be. You will see that I gave the paedophile no gender and nationality. I actually did it intentionally. Glad you understood
DeleteI knew she was under-aged... aww soo sad cos this happens a lot ...
ReplyDeletebeautiful writing :)
Thanks o. Yea, sad. Abi?
DeleteSad existing reality.
ReplyDeleteGood awareness.
DeleteI am sad.There a way too many milkeyes' out there.
ReplyDeleteSo sad, right?
Deletehmmmmn, The write-up was captivating,was so drawn in. Seriously,people like these should be given the death sentence.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, abi?
DeleteIts really a sad reality and this goes on everyday in our world. I noticed how you made us see from the guys point too, although there is no justification for whatever is done to young innocent girls however we also have to acknowledge that these people have serious issues and we just hope they do realise and get help too..
ReplyDeleteAs for the children (The ones getting abused) We only have to hope they speak up and get help quickly because just like the end says... They just become plain and have hunting pasts...
Real sad!
Hmmm... we all have a long way to go when it comes to treating this menace
Deletenice write up,keep it up
ReplyDeleteThanks
Delete