AMARACHI THE BEAUTIFUL POOR CHILD
Amarachi The Beautiful Poor Child - Chapter Three
Theme: And Her Journey to Destiny-Discovery
By Erasmus Ugochukwu Okafor
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plagiarising, commercialization, or rewording of
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Amarachi’s arrest seemed like a movie, with no one knowing her
whereabouts and what led to her arrest.
Ego Oyibo tried calling her daughter on the phone severally but was
more disturbed because she’d not heard from her for a while and her daughter
never returned home the day she was meant to, and a few days later. There
was no way she could connect to Osisioma even though she’d never met her in
person except for hearing good things about her from her daughter
concerning how helpful she’d been to her.
It was obvious to Ego Oyibo that her daughter had gone missing, taking
her happiness to disappear with her. Ego's entire world suddenly crashed in a
wink, making her emaciated and stressed. Life abruptly lost its sweetness,
welcoming an untold melancholy and trauma into her lowly life.
From a little bird (Chibunna) Osisioma got the information of Amarachi’s
arrest but couldn’t get any clue of how to get her located. It wasn’t just easy for
the entire student’s in the Economics department when the news finally broke
out that the guru that just gave the best pre-examination preparatory lecture
just varnished like a mirage.
Uremma was nowhere to be found within the period of Amarachi's
search because people had a clue that she was the one that came with the
policemen for the arrest.
Uremma’s life was that of a classy babe that no one could come close to
except well scrutinized and considered. Even lecturers dare not make any
attempt to give her a rescript (carry-over) in any of her academic courses. The
fear of the political idol being her dad is the beginning of wisdom. No man
dares to talk to Uremma the beautiful princess anyhow because she’s the one
that chooses a man and not the other way round. The only man that she
allowed into her life was Dave Akajiaku, the son of King Akajiaku 1 of Okporo.
Dave popularly known as Dave Handsome because of his cuteness was
also someone who could get away with anything in the school due to his
influence. Dave was a man of an exploit, aside from the fact that his dad’s
influence got his back. He comes to school in any kind of car he wishes and
could attend classes whenever he wants.
Dave and Uremma always travel abroad whenever they wish, just for the
weekend or holiday. In school, they have friends that help them write their
courses and class quizzes and get paid for their services.
Most girls in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, could give up everything
just to have one minute with Dave handsome but he was too choosy and picky.
That womanizing part of his life was what Uremma couldn’t stop because she
knew that Dave could be deadly and rascal, so she had to be meticulous while
dealing with him.
Dave was the head and Capone of Ndi Obodo fraternity. His involvement
with this group made the fraternity more popular than any other group or
brotherhood in the school.
The anti-cult group of the school had done much to end such nefarious
activities in the school but the influence of Dave Handsome as the leader kept
proving their efforts abortive.
**
Ozo Odenjinji (Uremma’s dad) was someone both respected and feared,
that was why no one could confront or contend with him except people of the
same political class with him.
One week after Amarachi's arrest without any positive result in finding
her, Osisioma and Akunna took off straight to Uremma’s house at Government
House, Awka, after getting the information that government official van
accompanied the police for Amarachi’s arrest. One of the officers that came
for the arrest was Uremma's bodyguard.
Read similar story: ISADORA (The homeless girl)
Before her decision to visit Uremma, Osisioma had gone around the
entire police station far and near but couldn’t get a clue of the arrest on the
police's official record.
Naturally, Osisioma and Uremma being in the same rich circle were
never in good terms. Uremma sees Osisioma as a competitor and not a friend.
People love Osisioma more because of her humility. This makes Uremma so
envious and sad; hence, the diehard competition between them. The two girls
change cars, wears, and jewellery as they wish. This was even a major part of
the competition between them.
It’d been so difficult for Osisioma to make up her mind to confront
Uremma since they were rivals. But being that everything at the moment was
about getting to know where Amarachi was taken to, she had no choice than
to meet her arch enemy.
“How will you deal with this epitome of arrogance?” Akunna asked
Osisioma as they drove to the government house, “I’m beginning to entertain
fears, and you should too,”
With that disdainful smile accompanied by a snort, Osisioma shook her
head and continued driving without uttering a word. She didn’t just want to
get angry at Akunna for that suggestion to retreat.
“I didn’t say we shouldn’t go but we need to be careful and diplomatic
about it,” Akunna added, feeling uncertain and deterred, “you could have
involved your dad whose influence could help a lot,”
Muteness thrived at that particular time, ominous humming from
Osisioma and a transfer of aggression to her driving ensued. Akunna would
have asked her to take the driving easy but being a woman of easy fright, she
couldn’t speak further but remained calm.
After passing the well known Aroma-flyover, Osisioma pulled over and
opened the door for Akunna, “can you now go down, let me continue alone?”
Akunna being fidgety and fretful remained glued to the seat as her eyes
dropped submissively. “I was just trying to make us be careful, that’s all,"
Osisioma closed the door and drove off to Uremma’s house.
Getting there, Oma saw many security guards but couldn’t enter the
estate because of how strict they were. They vehemently didn't allow them
pass, as if they'd been instructed to do so. The only way that Osisioma could be
allowed into the estate was to be forceful about it. She started causing trouble
as she raised her voice hard; raining down abuses on them and reminding
them of who her father was. She began to make noise with her car; honking
the horns, and threatening to gain entrance to see Uremma, no matter what it
takes.
Her stubbornness paid off, getting her a pass, and then she drove into the
estate.
Getting into the government estate, there were many houses, making it
hard for Osisioma to know where Uremma lives.
One of the security guards helped her out to Uremma’s gate and left
immediately to avoid being seen.
Osisioma remained there and waited after using the horn severally but
Uremma’s gate never moved let alone opening.
After a while, she alighted from the car, still looking gorgeous on her
Gucci evening gown, accentuated with golden high-heeled sandals.
Looking up straight at the CCTV by the gate, she yelled: “Uremma, I know
you can hear me and see me too. I’m not here to fight with you, and I’m not
here to compete with you, but I came to tell you that wickedness will get you
nowhere. You’ve hated Amarachi enough. She isn’t part of our personality
fight or even in our social class. Her only crime against you is to be involved
with me and be helping me out in academics. Other intelligent students could
have been of help to you if you needed any. Why is Amarachi so special? She’s
even not in the same department as you. If you want to fight me, you can do
better than arresting an innocent girl whose mom is possibly in anguish for
not seeing her daughter for about one week now. If you have a conscience...”
You can also read: WRITTEN (predestination)
The smaller gate suddenly opened, making her to pause as she stared with
curiosity and uncertainty.
Uremma was seen coming out and looking as beautiful as she’d always
been.
“The talk of the devil,” Akunna muttered in the car and shut the door
harder to avoid being involved with the two elephants.
Coming closer to Osisioma who was looking elegant and cute, Uremma
sighed and moved around her to observe her competitor contemptuously.
“You may be surprised to know that the arrest has nothing to do with my
personality issues with you, woman,” Uremma hollered and came straight at
Osisioma looking into her eyes; eyeball-to-eyeball.
The two beautiful queens were of the same height as they remained there;
exchanging battle of looks.
“What have you done to Amarachi and where is she now?” Osisioma
asked meekly and courteously, “I can’t even locate her and I have nothing left
other than beg you to release her for me, please. Let’s keep this fight aside for
now,”
Uremma kept looking intently at Osisioma but never said anything other
than the scornful gaze she welcomed her with.
Akunna summoned the courage and came down from the SUV but didn’t
go closer. From her position, she took a deep breath and said: “Please, Miss
Uremma, give us a clue because our friend needs us now, and her mom needs
her most right...”
“She has the mark,” Uremma retorted angrily.
“Mark?” Osisioma and Akunna chorused bewilderedly.
“What mark are you talking about?” Osisioma queried as she sauntered
thoughtfully around the gate.
“Amarachi has the tattoo indicating that she’s the leader of the Slay
Queen; hence the arrest,” Uremma said and turned to leave.
“Please, wait,” Osisioma called out and tried to hold her back but
remembering they were like cat and rat, she retracted her moves. “Can we
please see her or you tell us where she is?”
“Yes, please,” Akunna supported, “just a location is okay for us,” she
pleaded.
The gate chattered as if someone was about to join them from the
compound; the dogs in the compound barking, while the rich girls kept gazing
at each other.
“I’m here,” Amarachi said and came out from the gate, “can I go home
now, Uremma?”
Osisioma and Akunna so surprised seeing Amy looking haggard, so they
rushed at her and hugged her, lest she’d fall.
Amarachi looked worn and sad, appearing more confused and unsettled.
“What happened to you, Amy?” Osisioma asked as she observed her all
over; from sole to crown, “what mark was Uremma talking about?” she
queried with utmost confusion.
“Can we go now, please?” Amarachi reiterated angrily and started going
into the car, still wearing the same dress she wore when she was arrested.
“I’ll see to the end of this, and must find out what went wrong, I promise,”
Osisioma blustered and made sure that Amarachi was well seated in the car,
and then jammed the door. “I don’t know what you guys did to my friend but I
must find out soon, I promise you that,”
Uremma simply hissed disgustedly and went back into her compound,
and then jammed the door behind her with a transfer of aggression to it.
Osisioma continued driving with both joy and curiosity until she got to
Unizik junction where Amarachi demanded to be allowed to go quickly to
meet her mom.
The entire questions from Osisioma got no reply from Amy. She simply
allowed Amarachi to go as she requested because the last time she checked,
Amarachi says the things she wants to and keeps secret the things she wants to. Forcing her is like splitting hairs or shooting an arrow in the wind. She had
to concur and allow her to go.
**
Getting to Onitsha, Amarachi went straight home and found her mom
weeping profusely and acting strangely and traumatised while some
neighbours held her closely so that she wouldn’t commit suicide as she already
threatened.
Seeing her mom, Amarachi rushed towards her and embraced her with
tears in her eyes. “Ego Oyibo, I’ve missed you. I’m sorry for putting you
through all these,”
It was surprising to the people that Amarachi returned unhurt. The
rumour around the neighbourhood was that she’d been used for money ritual.
“Mkpulumma,” Ego Oyibo called and observed her daughter’s body to
ensure she was safe, “What have you done to me?”
Amarachi knew that whenever her mom calls her Mkpulumma, she’s so
happy at the moment and that showed she wasn’t insane as people around
believed. She took her mom into the house, forced the door to close but the
door was really bad and couldn’t close well as she wanted; therefore allowing
some lights to find their ways into the dilapidated house. She went straight and
got a lamp, lit it to disperse the darkness of the room and undressed before her
mom.
Ego Oyibo was appalled seeing her daughter looking the way she did but
more disconcerted seeing Amara who always likes to hide her nakedness
undress before her.
“What did they do to my daughter bikonu (please)?” Ego Oyibo asked
rhetorically.
“Mom, sit down first,” Amy said in a coarse voice and flashed the lamp on
her hips region, “Mom, I have a tattoo that indicated I’m the leader of the fraternity of the slay Queens; that was the reason why I was arrested but
believe me, I know nothing about it. When I left Onitsha to Awka, I had
nothing like this on me. I have no explanation of what happened and how I
got the mark,”
Amarachi, at that point, began to doubt herself, believing that some parts
of her life could have been deleted or nipped in obscurity for her not to
remember when she joined the Slay Queens, let alone being their leader. This
was a mystery.
Ego Oyibo observed her daughter closely and was surprised seeing the
tattoo of a naked mermaid drawn on her daughter’s back by the hips region.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” she asked with tears in her eyes
while trying to wipe away the tattoo with her thumb, ''You always hide your
body, so how am I sure that this hadn't been there before?''
“Mom, you can’t clean it,” she said assuredly, “I’ve tried several times to do
that while in custody, including the use of sharp objects that ended up making
the surface of the tattoo as rough as it is, as you can see,”
The mom kept forcing the tattoo out with her wrapper soaked in soapy
water but that wasn’t working, so she broke down in tears.
“Ego Oyibo, Nnem” Amarachi muttered and pulled her into a hug, “I’m so
confused right now. I simply went to Awka to help my friends with their exam
preparation but ended up getting a tattoo on myself even without
remembering how it came to be. Is this spiritual or what?”
Ego Oyibo shrugged with dismay. “I think I’ve warned you severally to cut
off from the memory you have about your school because it’d keep hunting
your emotions but you never listened. Now see,”
You can also read: RAQUELIA (Romance)
The mom remained confused but had to summon the courage to get her
daughter’s mind settled, and a way of helping herself too; at least to play the
role of a mom to her. “Did anyone rob you before your arrest? How come you
got a huge sum of money with you? Is there something you’re not telling me,
Mkpulumma?”
“Yes, yes...!” Amy exclaimed looking perplexed. With a wince, she looked
intently at her mom, “Ego, how did you know about the money, please?” she
asked curiously.
“Wait,” Ego Oyibo said and went to a native clay pot she kept under the
bed, brought out some stuff in black leather. Slowly, she unwrapped the bag
and handed over some money to her, “this is a hundred and fifty thousand that
was left by the door of the house three days back. I came back one night and
saw it well-positioned but I couldn't say how it came to be, except a note that
accompanied it,” she handed over the note to Amarachi.
Hastily, Amy grabbed it and perused the note. She got more confused and
mystified.
“An angel is watching over you, Amarachi, the beautiful poor child. Your
money from the Slay Queens,” Amy read out to the mom's hearing and put
back the money and the note into the clay pot.
“Mom, I really don’t know what’s happening around me,” she voiced and
held her mom closely, let out a faint smile of anguish, “This too shall come to
pass just as we’ve been undergoing a lot and surviving,”
Ego Oyibo wasn’t convinced with the exhortation but just had to accept
the situation the way it was.
“Just be careful, my daughter,” She said and kissed her forehead, “we shall
get over these too. If not that you’re my daughter that I know so well, I
wouldn’t have believed that you have nothing to do with the case you were
arrested for,”
“I know that your next question would be how I got the money,” Amy said
and took a deep sigh as her heart throbbed.
“Keep talking,” Ego said as she remained attentive, ''I'm listening,''
“The students I taught for their exams raised cash of hundred thousand
Naira for me,” she said with gladness amid her confused state of mind, “Then
Osisioma added a fifty thousand to it,"
“Osisioma again!” Ego exclaimed as she shook her head in surprise, “this
girlfriend of yours has always been God’s sent. I’d like to meet her someday if
you would let me,”
With smiles on her face she poked her mom's cheek gently and started
locating her towel for a proper warm bath; to wash away her troubles of one
week in the past.
“Of course you will see Osisioma in an opportune time, I promise,”
Amarachi assured her.
Amarachi remained so befuddled and numb thinking about the strange
tattoo and how the lost money returned to her family house; the same location
where no single student knew she lived. Her life was suddenly characterised
by mystery and puzzle that she couldn’t even demystify.
NEXT CHAPTER
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