Mandy looked at her friend's situation and didn't know what to make of it. Before Christ came into her life, didn't she speak those exact words that Skylar was speaking now? Didn't she tell her father she regretted being born? Mandy felt the sorrow in those words, but she didn't know who, between Skylar and her, suffered the most.
"I said get out of my house you two!" Skylar's voice rang loud. Mandy jerked away from her thoughts.
They wanted to plead with her to stop but she had told them that any persuasion would make her end it faster.
"Alright, Skylar, if that is how you want it, we will leave. But before then, there's something I'd like to tell you too. I have also kept some secrets from you as well."
Mandy saw a flicker of surprise on Skylar's face but she continued anyway. "Not just you, but I also have a secret I have kept from everyone all this while."
Ifes was concerned about Mandy. "Wait, Mandy, are you sure of this?"
"Yes, Ifes, I need to tell her," Mandy replied, not taking her gaze from Skylar.
Voices in Mandy's head bellowed. "What are you doing? What will she make of you after now?
Come on girl, be wise! You can't say anything now."
Mandy felt the Spirit of God nudging her to go ahead. Maybe this was Skylar's only lifeline.
"My family and I have had dark moments but we saw the light when we accepted Jesus. Mandy began narrating her ordeal.
"My family ran an illegal business. We owned a brothel, an illegal one where they deceived some desperate African girls who were tired of the poverty, starvation and every other hideous thing in their countries. Those who didn't have good food or clothes, who begged on the streets of Africa, who had no access to good health care, were the people my dad and his colleagues deluded by promising them a better life in America. These people were illegal immigrants, and business was going just fine for my dad and his business partners. But their problems started with one of the Nigerian girls."
Aha! What did Mandy say again about this Nigerian girl? Ifes remembered what she heard, but was there anything more? Everything was registering in her head now. Mandy had reacted the first time she told her she was a Nigerian during their introduction.
At this point, Skylar's eyes and mouth were widely agape as though she was watching a horror movie. Was this her friend, Mandy, beautiful and tall?
"My father's men brought this girl from Nigeria, after luring her with the promise of a good paying job over here in the States. Her family were skeptical at first, But according to my dad's men, she was beautiful and had all the shapes intact, so they thought she was a good asset. After much persuasion, her family finally let her go."
"'Don't you want your daughter to go to a better environment where she'll get all the necessary amenities? She will get a good paying job and the money she will send to you would help better your life. She could even settle down and get married to a white man if she wishes. I assure you that your daughter would be in good hands when she comes with us,' they had told the girl's parents."
"Of course, parents and guardians were left with no choice than to release their children after giving such mouth-watering offers."
"Now, back to the Nigerian. She was a Christian. When she got here, she became a tough kid for my parents and their business partners to handle."
"My father and all his staff tried all they could to convince her about making good ends meet by abusing herself sexually, but she declined, she kept saying these nine words: 'My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit!'"
"They didn't know who the Holy Spirit was; neither did they understand what she was saying. To them, Africa was a religious place where the gods they believed in left them with poverty and starvation."
"Each time she said those words, they ended up laughing at her. 'How can you say your body is the temple of your God! Is he that small?' they would mock her."
"They tried all they could, but all to no avail. It went on and on, until the day she set off and wanted to escape. Prior to that day, my dad and his men had noticed some strange movements from her, but it didn't occur to them that she was planning her escape. The night they saw her sneaking out of her room, making her way to the staircase with her luggage in hAnd they wanted to pretend as though they didn't see her and let her go. After all, she was of no use to them. But they gave it a second thought as they pondered over the possibility of getting exposed if she was seen loitering the streets of America. So, they charged after her. When she saw them coming, she bolted, maneuvering her way around the building."
Skylar held her breath until it was beginning to choke her. The whole thing was unbelievable.
"As the men came closer, she tried to jump two steps at a time. She tripped on a step, and fell over the rail. Then she landed on the ground with a thud."
"Before my Dad and his men could get to her, the damage was already done. She had broken her neck and her head, but that wasn't the worst. She died! She died!" Mandy said, choking on her sobs.
Skylar had forgotten her own issues and was now trying to digest all Mandy was saying.
"But that's not all, Skylar. I have more things to say," Mandy said.
"My brother was a drug addict and belonged to a gang. It affected his brain and he ended up in a mental asylum."
"What! When did this happen?" Skylar asked. "We were usually at your place. Not most of the time, But at least, we regulated our meetings to everyone's home."
"Of course, I kept a happy face when you guys came around. It is still a wonder to me how I managed to put up with the whole thing. Well, he died, my mum as well, after a strange illness. My dad's illegal business crumbled."
"All these happened after the death of the Nigerian. Everything wasn't looking ordinary again, so my dad told one of his friends who consulted his priest. The priest told us that we were under a curse, and we believed him."
Skylar shook her head forlornly, she didn't know what to make of that. Illegal business, brother ending up in a mental asylum before death, mother dying after a strange illness. All in one family.
"But I am happy that my mum and brother have gone home to their place of rest. Each time I remember this, I smile because I have hope."