In the story's setting, it took place in a small town in an undisclosed country where Sally, the main character and narrator, has relocated to escape her abusive ex-husband. She decided to start a new life and returned to her mother in the meantime. However, her peaceful life was disrupted when her ex-husband, Morgan, contacted her and demanded that she return to him. In the plot, Chapter One introduces Sally, who has vowed to never again tolerate abusive behavior from men. However, her ex-husband Morgan, who had been physically and emotionally abusive during their marriage, vowed to win her back. He claims to have changed and become a better person, but Sally is skeptical. She had some reservations about him and perceived an unchanging attitude with the way he spoke to her. Sally is torn between her desire to believe Morgan's promises and her fear of his past behavior. She must return to her husband or endure the consequences of her refusal.
"I'll never be a victim of fiendish attitudes from men for the rest of my life", I assured my lovely soul when I went through the most bitter moment of my life. "I must and I'm bound to keep this", I told myself with a deep breathe. "I want to and I'll see to it that I stand by this promise, ensuring that I don't fail my soul anymore and being used by any man for his own inhumane desires".
However, life has now become very complex and difficult for me as my ex-soulmate whom I see as a man brutal to the core, wants me back.
My husband, Morgan, has sworn by the heavens and the foundations that hold the earth to get me back. "No matter how hard she tries, I must get Sally back to my house. I'll make sure that all efforts she makes to thwart my own efforts and resilience to get her back are aborted", he assured himself.
Moreover, he had purposed in his heart that if I had no intention of coming back to him, he would do whatever it takes even if it is by coercion to get me back. "If she doesn't come", he said, "the solution is force".
Not quite long, Morgan reached out to me on the phone and told me that he has now changed from his fiendish attitude. "Sally!" He said, with soft voice on the phone, "I'm no longer that man you used to know. I've repented and now I need you in my life as a tasteless tea is in need of sugar".
"I would do everything that would make you believe that I'm the only man in the world who is fit to be your soulmate", Morgan further promised.
However, I felt obliged to accept his request for now, owing to the fact that his unchanged manners are glaring enough to me. "Morgan's unchanging manners are so much clear to me now, I'm not listening to his promises this time", I told myself, relaxed my muscles. Those behaviors are red lights that I would be making another fatal mistake of my life if I dare accepting him back. "It could cost me my life this time", I said with a deep thought.
Just a few days after Morgan reached out to me on the phone, a friend of mine told me that she overheard what Morgan was planning. It was when he discussed it with his friend. Morgan was planning to draw me back to himself by force. That is if I bother not to accept his humble request. "Madam!" She called, as she used to, "You may not believe this but I think you'd better believe me on this matter. Your former husband is planning to abduct you anytime soon."
"Morgan is also planning to...to subject you to torture for declining him", she further said, as she felt reluctant to confide that part. "Just beware forthwith, that's all I want to say. You know that your pain is my pain, right?
With a faint voice, I responded, "Yes!"
Not quite long, another friend of mine came.
"Sally, Sally, Sally! How many times did I call you", My friend enquired.
"Three times!", I responded sharply.
"You wouldn't believe what your former husband is planning for you, Sally" she said, her facial expression sad.
"Yesterday, when your former soulmate was discussing with my husband, I overheard that he was planning to bring you back by force", she said, reluctant to continue, "He had..."
"No, you mustn't do this! Please tell me everything in your mind, I promise to take precaution", I cried out, with painful tears.
She then continued,
"Your ex-husband had paid some guys to arrange your kidnapping. He'd wanted to torture you before he takes you to his new home which none of your relatives are aware of."
"I advise you to take caution. Nobody must hear that I told you this", she added, as she was about to leave.
This broke my heart. I couldn't believe my ears! It was as if I was dreaming. I tried waking up but in reality, I wasn't sleeping.
"Sally, you've got some work to do. You must be smart this time! You must leave this area! Otherwise you would be killed and your body dumped somewhere else", she whispered to my ears.
She left secretly as she came secretly. Her own husband must not be aware that she had come to unravel the secret to me. Her own husband was a party in this. I knew. But my friend wouldn't say it. She knew that could end our friendship.
That very day, I went back home sad. My poor mother saw me and I felt a great deal of pity for her. I don't have a father again and I am her only son. "What would happen to her if I was forcefully abducted? What would she have done if the boys my ex-husband arranged for my kidnapping actually succeeded in their plans?" I carefully thought in my heart, I pondered on all these things. More I pondered on. I wept. I wished I wasn't born. I felt some unseen beings had deprived me of my fundamental human rights.
Sadly, my poor mother is an uneducated woman. She does sell firewood. She makes little amount of money from it. With the little amount she makes off it, she uses to sustain the whole family. We were just three. My little cousin, an orphan, who is staying with us, my mother, and me. Very hardworking and diligent. He had stopped his education to hustle for money to sustain the family. After all, food is important before any other thing. "I won't let you down, I'll soon be back in school", my cousin had once promised us, as he went out daily, figuring out how the whole family would prosper.
When I looked at all these, my heart melt. I couldn't control my weepings. I wept and gnashed my teeth. "I wished my poor mother didn't give birth to me", I said to myself.
I cursed the day I was born. I just want to take my own life. Throw it on my creator's face but, that seems pathetic and impossible. Besides, I thought about my poor mother who had brought me to this level. That prevented me from doing so. I do not want her in irredeemable sorrow. "Sally, you can think better things. You've a better life still, you can figure this out", my lovely soul silently regurgitated, as I sat down reflexing on the past.
In bitterness of heart, my mother called me to herself. "Sally! Sally!" She called, coughed.
"Yes!" I reluctantly responded.
She sat me down and tried comforting me. I wasn't comforted by her words. She watched me as I wept. "Sally, I don't like the way you are breaking my heart, I want you to stop weeping and listen to what I'd like to say", she said, with curiosity in the heart. I turned deaf ears to her pleadings. But she kept pleading that I shouldn't weep any longer. "You're no more a kid. You've got to keep quiet and tell me what's going on, Sally. But, the more she pleaded that I rather stop weeping, the more I became heartbroken and wept bitterly.
Later in the day, when my spirit had come down, she told me that my ex-husband had come to the house. "Your former husband came to this house not quite long and she asked about you. He told me he'd like to know your whereabout", my mother said, took a deep breath and continued, "You wouldn't believe me, Sally. Morgan asked me how fine you've been and if you're doing well".
She continued,
"Your ex-husband told me she had once reached out to you. He wanted you back. He already told you about the reconciliation on the phone. He said you've failed to give him response ever since. He threatened that if you did not want to be reconciled with him again, he would have no option..."
"No option what?" I asked, with curiosity in mind and eagerness on my face.
"He would have no option than to collect back all the dowries he paid to the family to get me", my mother said, with a drop of tears.
I was startled.
"You see", my mother continued, with tears, "my daughter, I want you to know that in life, there will always be 'commas. Life often gives ups and downs. An example is this one. I do not want you to go back to him, but dear daughter, we don't have any options. He has threatened to collect back all the things that he put down during your engagement."
"Where do you think we'll see the money to give him back all the dowries?", my mother asked, worries covered her face.
"So, you'll have to brace up, Sally. Gather up yourself and return to him before tomorrow comes".
Immediately my mother finished the discourse, I was mentally and emotionally down.
"Morgan was the reason I was crying uncontrollably the other time", I confessed to my mother.
"He has threatened that if I wouldn't come to him, he would deploy the use of force. A strong force", I retorted.
"Besides, I can't return to the man who had my two eyes almost removed at midnight", I told my Mum, trying to bring her memory to the past.
It was an unforgettable experience that night. So horrible for a woman like me. That very night, we slept on the same bed. Suddenly, Morgan awoke. He put his two hands on my eyes and tried to pluck it out.
"No! I can't return to that kind of man, Mum", I affirmed, with a face of disagreement. That was the first time I would ever disagree with my mother.
Of course, Morgan seems to have some skill in beating me. When he beats me, you could assume he is beating a drum.
"I can't afford to do that, Mum", I reiterated, placing my two hands on my chest.
I continued.
"You've to remember that very day when Morgan pushed me down from a three-storey building just because I told him I wouldn't be going to his nightclub party, Mum. You have to remember that I was on the verge of dying if not for the swift efforts you made and the doctors who applied their medical dexterity, Momma"
"We never had sex since our marriage. No kissing, no hugging! All he does is to use me as a slave, a drum, and a cheap individual before his colleagues", I further informed my mum, I really would like to convince my Mum in this regard.
I paused a little ... And continued,
"Whether you like it or not, Mom, I am not going back to that fiendish man's place!"
"Aren't you tired of being a widow? Do you want to be childless as well? Do you want to spend the days of your life in loneliness and solitary?" I asked, expecting no further response from her.
She was quiet for a while. She had nothing to say. My words had pierced her heart, dividing asunder her spirit from her soul. She felt helpless. Her soul was in dire need of urgent help. Alas! No helper! Who would then help her?
My mother had a rethink after I told her these things.
"I must find something to do as fast as possible. My daughter must not return to that man's place. I must act fast", I heard my mother rumbled within herself as she walked away quietly.
She had wanted to make the matter known to the police. However, she thought it twice.
"Would I get justice for my daughter if I make these things known to the police?" She asked herself as she thought on the next line of action once more.
"Would I win this battle? Would it not be that I'm trying to put my daughter in some kind of danger", she asked herself again, as she kept ruminating on what she could do to prevent a potential danger.
Moreover, the police officers themselves are corrupt. They would rather defend the criminal over the victim in as much as they see him as one who could grant their will and satisfy their hungry belly.
They knew so well that anybody who would perpetrate a crime must have been rich materially and would be a kind who would want to waste his money a little bit. To thwart justice, you don't give peanuts to the police. That's another crime if you try that. They need a great deal of money to divert justice. They get their income from thwarting justice and wouldn't bother going the extra mile to turn the victim into the criminal.
Besides, my ex-husband was very popular and materially wealthy. My mother knows so well that if we are to go legal, legally we shall not win.
"Morgan is rich. We can't win him. He would make the police officers to thwart the justice", my mum voiced out.
That very day, she went to her bed. She slept off. She did not wake up till the next day.
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