The Big Lie - Final Art

Annie was lost in thought about the misery in her life. She was thinking and sobbing. At times she wished she never existed.  She was lost in thought to the extent that she had no knowledge of when her mother entered her room.  Annie heard her mother’s thick voice and stood up instantly.

‘’ Annie!  I am back, so can we begin? We have wasted time on this topic, please no more drama again.’’ She said staring at Annie with so much disgust and hate. Annie couldn’t look at her mother’s face; the expression on her face alone made it difficult for Annie to altar a word. What a day! Annie is so scared of her mother that she can’t talk to her about anything that has to do with her life.

In Annie’s mind, she was praying for the ground to open up and swallow her. Impossible! Annie was shaking and trembling with fear to the point that her feet and fingers became cold. Her mum could feel the fear within Annie, but she wasn’t moved by it. The look on Annie’s face could melt a stone hearted person, but not her mother’s heart.

Annie was still looking down, sobbing profusely, and thinking that her cry would make her mother take it easy on her. Her mother was still waiting for Annie to begin talking; it seems she is running out of time. She stood up from the chair in Annie’s room, got close to Annie, held her shoulder and screamed her name; ‘Annie!’’

Annie looked up with shock, shaking and wailing. God! Her mother’s eyes were burning, red and hot. Annie stood at a spot, without moving an inch, her legs clinched and her eyes twitching. These expressions on Annie’s face could tell that there is something she is hiding. Her heart was beating as fast as a wall clock. She could barely breathe due to her mother’s presence. Poor little thing! She is so helpless.

You can’t force a horse to drink from a river. No way! Her mum might drag her, beat her, but if Annie refuses to talk she would, but she is so scared that she has no choice but to talk. Her heart is so fragile that it beats at any little thing. Her mum knows how fragile Annie is; there is no need dragging the matter for too long. She went back to her seat, her legs spread widely and her hands placed together on her chin. Her eyes were fixed on Annie, stamping her feet continuously.

‘’ Annie for the very last time, where are you coming from? And by the way, where do you always go to; I have noticed your usual outing these days, but I decided to be mute about it. As a wise woman, I was waiting for the day I will catch you, and that day has come.  My dear, start explaining to me ‘’. She said trying to get her balance on the chair.
Occasionally, Annie would look up to see the look on her mum’s face, but when she looks at it, it wasn’t encouraging at all. Annie couldn’t comprehend how her life has turned upside down, what would become of her after telling her mother the whole truth of what really happened to the money. Annie managed to mumble a word;

‘’ okay mum, I will tell you the truth’’. Her mum was relaxed a bit, trying not to lose focus. She waited for like 15 minutes, not a word was heard. She fixed her gaze on Annie, trying to make her notice that she is losing her patience. ‘’ Annie! I am losing my patience; I don’t have the whole time in this world. Start talking now! ‘’ she commanded
So many things were going through Annie’s mind, which her mother can’t understand. Annie started sobbing continuously, rubbing her palms together; she would look up, look down as if she was searching for words to start with. ‘’ that your crocodile tears will not move me a bit, better stop it and do what I asked you to do before I unleash the beast in me. You know how your body go be if I handle you properly.’’ She said, looking at Annie disgustingly and hissed.

‘’ I...I...I... I have been going to my friend’s house ‘’ Annie paused; her mum was still waiting for more from Annie. Annie continued; ‘’ she took me to see a doctor and I used the money you gave me to do a...a...abortion’’. Annie said stammering and staggering backwards.

‘’Abor what! ‘’ she stood up at the sound of the word 'abortion.'  Annie have finally unleashed the beast in her. ‘’ You did an abortion? Annie you have killed me ooo! How can you do such a thing?'' She started beating Annie to the point that she almost strangled her. She grabbed her two ears, twisted it so hard that Annie released a loud scream. This time, Annie gathered enough strength to set herself free from her Mum’s strong hold on her. She ran towards the door which was locked by her mum. She stood there, shaking seriously because she is in between a battle that only she alone has to fight.

Annie was perplexed to the point that she was out of words. She doesn’t even know how to explain to her mum again for her to understand. Annie gathered enough courage to explain to her mum about all that happened. ‘’ mum! I am very sorry; I know I have let you down big time. I had to terminate the pregnancy because I wasn’t ready for it. I know I lied to you about the money making you believed that I borrowed it to my friend; I had to use the money because I have no one to tell. ‘’ she looked up and surprisingly, saw her mum, on the floor sobbing seriously. Whoa! It’s rare to see her in tears.

Annie continued; ‘‘I was raped few weeks ago by some man I don’t know. You were not around when the incident happened, and on the other hand, dad came back few days after the incident. I tried telling him but he was so engrossed with his project, so I decided to handle it myself and if  I decide to tell you, I might be dead before I finish  my speech.’’
Annie was so remorseful, she went close to her mum, held her on the shoulder for the very first time and said; ‘’ I am sorry mum, I was raped, and there is no way I could keep the pregnancy that’s why I had to lie to you about everything. ‘’

Her mum looked up and brushed Annie’s hands off her shoulder, still sobbing bitterly and said calmly; ‘’ that child you terminated belongs to your daddy. I supposed to be the mother of the child not your mother. You shouldn’t have killed the baby Annie, how will your father handle this.’’ She put her hands on her head like a woman who just lost her husband. Annie shifted backwards and asked; ‘’ Am I not enough for you both? What child do you need again to complete me? " .

Her mother looked at her and hissed, still sobbing and nastily replied Annie; ‘‘is like you are not getting me, my husband and I planned the whole thing. I knew you were pregnant; he was the one that raped you in order to get you pregnant for us, not for you to remove the baby. I don’t care about the money; all I cared about was what you used the money for." She paused and sobbed for a while and continued; ‘’ the plan was for you to give birth for us, who cares what happens to you afterwards, my husband will be so mad at me.’’

Annie stood up finally, confusion was written all over her face, and she didn’t get anything at all. She thought her mum might be running mad due to the shock of the news of her abortion. Annie asked clearly; ‘’ wait mum! What are you saying? Are you okay! I know you are going through a lot because of me, come on, let’s go inside, I am very sorry.’’ Annie was about to hold her mum’s hands and help her move inside, she removed her hands forcefully and said;’

‘’ are you so dumb that you can’t understand anything, listen! My husband isn’t your father, we wanted to have a child of our own that was why we took you in, because we have medical problems, you supposed to be our only hope right now. That was why he decided to sleep with you so that you might think you were raped’’. She said without feeling sorry for her actions.

Confusingly, Annie had to ask her to repeat everything she just said because she knows that her mum isn’t mad or blabbing. Annie’s lips started shaking and words were too hard to flow out from her mouth. She mumble; ‘’ you mean my father isn’t my real parent and he raped me? And you also aren’t my real mother? Mogbe! I am finished.’’
She replied Annie spitefully; ‘‘yes we are not. Can’t you get that? Just deal with that. ‘’ Annie started moving backwards, staggering holding her fore head, the situation was too hard for Annie to handle; she fainted on the floor instantly.




              ****Alarm ringing continuously****

It was exactly 6:30 on Saturday morning; Annie woke up, breathing and sweating heavily. She stood on her bed, looked around and ran straight to her wardrobe to fetch her birth certificate and other relevant documents. She glanced through it and her mind was settled a bit. She ran towards her parent’s room, opened the door slightly, and went straight to her parent’s wardrobe, slipped out all the documents she could lay her hands on. Her eyes were moving as fast as her fingers; she nodded her head when she realized that she was dreaming. She slipped them back trying as much as possible not to wake her parent’s from their beautiful sleep. She was about to move out of the room, her mum stood up sleepily and asked; ‘’ dear! Is everything okay that you woke up this early?’’ Annie replied blushing;’’ yes Mum! Everything is okay. It was just a dream!’’ Annie smiled and went back to her room to continue her sleep.