Despite the fact that Ateeka was dark in complexion, she still remained a gorgeously young-looking and robust lady. Her hair of great lustre descended to her back like a mango tree blessed with evergreen leaves. Ateeka behaved and dressed decently. People, particularly her teachers in school liked her piety and chastity. She was one of the few ladies who were not negatively influenced by the so-called modern civilization of the West. Her parents were always heavily praised and admired because of their disciplinary measures, strictness, firmness etc. in the family.
A lot of good and bad friends went to Ateeka to impose certain influences on her. Bad friends had tried fruitlessly to maladjust her. Some cheats called teachers in her school too had tried to misguide and mislead her but but all in vain. Ateeka became a lioness whose appearance attracted attention but created fear in the minds of those trying to approach her for a relationship. Nevertheless, she still had some number of good friends who almost behaved the way she did.
Though most young ladies were found with boyfriends, Ateeka had non. In fact, her own female friends had to be selected too so that she fell not to the prey of bad company. Many guys in her school and community had tried to get her attention–good and bad –but she never listened or looked at them. Indeed, some group of guys arranged a prize for anyone who got her attention and finally won her rigid heart.
Ateeka was blessed with a wonderfully retentative memory and intelligence. She also had unmatched passion for studies. She promised to chase after her dreams if God grants her the financial, psychological and the physical wherewithal. She always thought of how her father could make her dream becomes a reality with his petty trading right before he lost his life in a ghastly accident while he was returning home from a weekly market in a neighboring town.
Since the untimely death of her father, the family fell into suffering. They hardly ate twice a day. Ateeka's Hijabs faded as she could not get another one. Some friends whom she denied laughed and gossiped her –always saying– she reaped the harvest of arrogance and strictness to religion. But the only thing that worried her beyond any other thing was how to move further in her studies.
One fateful day, Ateeka attended a seminar which centered on women empowerment. She got to know that through a radio programme where the announcement was made. Issues about women were raised, particularly on how women could engage in domestic business to minimize their over-dependence on men. Because of the smart and intelligent way Ateeka asked some questions and responded to some issues in the seminar, she attracted a man sitting behind her who happened to be a middle-class Nigerian. He was absolutely impressed by her use of English language - syntactically and phonologically. Her maturity in speech fascinated him too.
Immediately the seminar came to an end, he approached her. Despite all his effort to get her attention, she resisted. He then left in quietude that could not be explained of either rejection, shyness or arrogance. He however, followed her in his car without her knowledge till he saw the house she entered.
The man was also young-looking and handsome, a man who always appeared smart and nice in his well-ironed checkered shirts, and pairs of jeans trousers. He always visited Ateeka's area till he got to know some people there. He asked several questions about her. Knowing very well about the condition of her family, he sympathized with them and promised to see her parents no matter what was going to happen. The very day he visited the house, he dressed decently and elegantly in caftan. He revealed his reason of the visit. This made Ateeka's mother very happy not because of the elegant dress he wore but its decent nature; it is celebratory and congratulatory to find such a well-mannered individuals seeking one's daughter's hands in marriage.
In just a short period of time, the man began wiping Ateeka's tears by paying the school fees she could not pay. He oftentimes sent food stuff to her family. Just few months later, Ateeka was to register WAEC, NECO and JAMB. The man took all the responsibilities. She could not thank him enough. The relationship deepened and they were all happy to be together. When Ateeka was going to make her JAMB registration, the man said he would convey her to the registration centre in his car so that he gave her company. While going, he parked and went to a provision store while she awaited him in the car. He bought soft drinks. Ateeka was pressing her phone, so she could not see what he was doing. He moved to the other side of the store and put some drugs inside the soft drinks. Immediately he returned into the car, he uncapped the plastic bottles and gave her showcasing his affection and love. She was glad over that and released a striking smile on her dimpled face.
Immediately she drank, she became tipsy and suddenly fell asleep in an unconscious state. He drove his darkly tinted car to a distance, moved Ateeka to the back seat and raped her. She did not wake up until when the sun was bidding farewell. She felt somehow between her two legs and noticed something so detestable. She cried and asked why he did that; he told her it was out if sheer love, affection and desire. As if Ateeka should set the car ablaze so that they both lose their lives but she resisted that temptation. She intentionally refused to react fiercely or shout in the car. She also refused to tell anyone about the most painful, sorrowful and agonizing experience in her life.
Since he raped her, he began to treat her unfairly and unjustly. In fact, he chased her away many times out of his sight. But it became amazing how Ateeka stuck to someone who raped her, broke her virginity and harassed her. She did whatever humanly possible to impose her love into his mind. She was never worried by his ill-treatment towards her–but the pain remains like a fire between her ribs. It gladdened her so much when he phoned her one day after weeks of absence and rejecting her phone-calls. To her greatest surprise, he talked to her about marriage. She informed her mother gladly and all rejoiced.
After lot of preparations, the wedding day arrived; they became happy couples. On the following day after which the bride friends left, the groom relocated from his room of bachelorhood to his bride's room. They prayed and ate the smoked chicken before going to bed.
The groom moved to the wardrobe to change for the night while his bride shyly covered herself in the blanket. When he returned to the bed, he slowly stretched his hand to her forehead. Very shocking how she fiercely pushed away his hand and hit him on the face with something she held. It was a knife. She went on and stabbed him on the stomach while he covered his running blood face with his hands. He shouted and the neigboures rushed in who found his lifeless body sprawled on the reddish carpet.
The police arrested her within that night. Investigation started. Journalists too rushed to gather news on the detestable scenario. But whenever she was asked on why the whole bloody incident, she always said, ' I married him not because I love him but because that is the easiest way for me to take revenge.' People always asked about the reason for the revenge; many of them were curious of what he did to her that she resorted to revenge. And she always said: ' He deceived me, raped me and destroyed my dream'. She also added that: 'Killing him is just the only thing that can save her from such agony; save other young ladies from falling into his trap and innocent young men from learning such his despicable attitudes.'
To her, he was like a flower but remained the serpent under. So she stooped and conquered him.
Fiction
Abdul Mutallib Muktar
abdulmutallib.muktar@gmail.com
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