ORION NNEOMA LAMONT

Everywhere looked like hell. Smelt like it. And suddenly, became it. Slurring out profanities, he took in more gulps of Spirytus Vodka as his colossal, blood-stained chestnut eyes darted here and there.

Hanging slack was his jutted jaw letting his mouth slightly open, as he consumed more and more glasses of the intoxicant before him.

"Nuray." I sighed as I took calculated steps toward him. Hoping not to regret this nor to have my intentions misinterpreted.

Hoping not to end up as a scapegoat when I have committed no crime. For Nuray Igwe was a violent beast.

I took more calculated steps towards him and froze when those colossal blood-stained eyes met mine and all I could read was pure disdain.

Nevertheless, I spoke up.

"You've taken enough bottles of... of that Vodka. Y-You should take no more."

At first, I thought it was going to be a deafening silence that would follow suit. That silence where we both will ponder and have a rethink. But the clinking of bottles on the marbled ground killed such thought.

"You're such a mistake, that I would n-never..." He coughed, choking as splutters of saliva escaped his mouth. "You killed my dreams, Orion." He slurred.

I was such a mistake?

Oh wow.

So much for being caring. So much for backing away from my family and cleaving to him. I was such a helpless Idiot.

I heard a click and then darkness fell upon the room. The square of the windows let in little rays of light which did a poor job of illumination.

Nuray was the one. He must have played with the room switch, which was just behind the chair he sat on. As darkness slowly flooded the room, I felt a sense of deja vu.

Same time last month, on a fateful night like this, Nuray had toyed with light, rendered me defenseless and had beaten me to a point where I wished I was rather dead than alive. The pain that came with that night was damn excruciating.

But I still love him.

Even when he never failed to remind me how much pain in the behind, I was to him. How opportunities, my presence in his life, had denied him. And how accursed I was.

Something hard collided with my left chin and I let out a sharp cry.

Tears stung my eyes and I veered back, hoping nothing lethal was behind me as my eyes searched for his silhouette. But none, I found. Due to nyctalopia, it was impossible for me to see in slightly dark places without my glasses. Nuray knew and took advantage of that. Just like he did, last month.

Something sharp cut through my left chin, pelting off my skin. Now, I couldn't hold back the tears as they rolled my cheeks. I began to weep.

"You have no right to tell me what is enough or not!" Nuray spat. "Useless women like...like you a-are the cause of the problem we men are facing today... in... this country." The rest of his words came out in slurs.

"You're such a beast! And you will rot in hell!" I barked.

I couldn't see him but with how close his voice sounded; I knew he was just a breath away. I had to defend myself. But it would be stupid of me to try to defend myself against someone I couldn't see.

I instinctively brought my hands to my face as blows graced it, trying to shield myself from him. Of course, that wasn't enough so, I fell. I fell hard to the ground, writhing in pain.

As I lay there whimpering, I curled into a ball, awaiting the imminent storm, for I knew that all this was just foreplay.

●●●●

"Orion, what is wrong with you? Why are you letting this man trample on you like this?" That was Vesper, my eldest cousin, speaking.

After choosing Nuray over my family, she was the only one that never failed in beckoning me to leave Nuray and retrace my steps. She kept warning me. But I was too smitten to listen to anyone.

And the bitter part of this all was that I couldn't let go of him. My heart, secretly, still tugged for him for that beast!

And I was too ashamed to tell everyone asking for my return. But now, more than ever, I wanted to bare myself to her.

I needed redemption!

"Honestly speaking, Ori," Vesper called me for short as she spoke. Her thick brows, lowering and pulling close to each other as the inner corner of it angled up adorably.

"Everyone misses you." She took my hands from where they laid limp in between my thighs, into hers, and squeezed it ever so lightly. "Your mother, Bianca, Nova... and even your dad asks of you."

I gulped down my saliva as it formed a heavy lump in my throat.

Why was she telling me this now?

"It's not too late to come back to your people and stop staying with that abusive beast!" Vesper said with concern etched on her face.

It was way too late!

"I can't leave Nuray. Not when I'm carrying his child. I can't give birth out of wedlock, Vesper. And I need to constantly remind him to pay my bride price," I stated.

Her eyes looked so sad as they stared at me. From that, I knew what she was going to say.

"Orion, if you die tomorrow in his hands, I doubt if anyone will come for you," she deadpanned.

I scoffed. "You don't have to come for me. I love Nuray and he loves me too!" I retorted.

"For goodness sake, what, just what do you know as love? Love is kind, selfless, and beautiful. But look at you, Ori! You're just twenty-six and you're looking older than dirt. Your once blossoming skin has faded. You look like a shadow of yourself. Your parents invested a whole lot in you. And the least you can do now is to come back to your people. Come back to sanity!" Vesper ended with a scream.

I pursed my lips before I said what I said next. "Vesper, all this won't change a thing. I understand your point because you're not yet engaged. You haven't tasted of love. Of its sweetness and sourness. The way it intoxicates one to a point of utter silliness, making a complete fool of yourself in the eyes of others..." I stopped, letting out a cough. "Let's just end this matter, Vesper. My heart's burning."

"I should get you a glass of water." She said, standing up and moving towards the dispenser. "Cold or warm?"

I muffled, "Warm."

Maybe I should have told her the real tale, asked her the real question.

'Cause all that I said about love wasn't true. Maybe I could have rather rephrased it to; have you ever fallen in love, such that you slip out of their arms and land right on the floor in pains, in agony, and total brokenness would you toss and whimper at your state and then like dust, you get blown away and forgotten?

Maybe I should have said that. Because I loved Nuray but he doesn't love me. And he's ready to slit my throat and bruise my soul upon the slightest provocation from me. As much as I love him, I want to live, too.

"Here." Vesper came to the couch where I was and handed me the glass of warm water as she settled herself right beside me.

I took just a sip from the glass and placed it down on her wine-red, glass side table.

"I'll be going back to my office to continue from where I stopped. You know, I took permission from my boss to see you. And had it not been that we were childhood friends, he would ignore me right away." Vesper chuckled, lightning up the mood a bit.

"Who?"

"Hoku Ezeh," She answered. "Your childhood crush."

For the first time in a long, long while; a small smile crept up my face.

"Are you done drinking the water? Let's get going!" Vesper grabbed her red Versace handbag that was on the couch she was earlier sitting on and brought out her car key, jingling it as she made it to the door.

"Uhm," I said. She stopped and turned to me. "I'll be going back to Nuray's house, yeah?" I bit back a sarcastic laugh.

What a world. Big and fiery. Yet small, too small and beautiful.

"You said so, Ori. You said to end this issue and that you were madly in love with a beast," came her reply. "So, good luck, Beauty."

I cued her sarcasm as she turned and left the house with me tailing her.

●●●●

The skunk smell of lemongrass and burning wood filled my nose and it scrunched up in utter disgust. Nuray was smoking.

If he wasn't drinking, he was smoking.

He wouldn't be industrious, yet he wouldn't let me work.

And only heaven knows how we would pay off our debt. The beast might even suggest selling my child. For all he cared, the child's a mistake from a mistake.

I stood by the door as I watched him hold a lighted cigarette, in between his second and middle finger, bringing it right up to his mouth as he sucked in his cheek and inhaled slowly; reminding me of the yellow stain on his nails due to his smoking habit.

He showed forth psychoticism whenever he was high; not just from his wines but from his cigars.

A part of me told me to run. To run without looking back and flee for my life and that of my unborn child. To run into the hands of my family and friends who turned their backs against me.

But a dominant part made me stay. And not just to watch from the door but to walk right into the sitting room and let him behold me.

He puffed and looked at me, eying me thoroughly. Then suddenly, chuckled darkly. "You returned... again. Orion, do you enjoy getting hurt? Do you know how much I want to squash your stupid face like a lemon until you meet your demise?"

He smiled. His dimples were out on display as I watched them. As usual, one was way longer and deeper than the other. That distinct feature of him was so beautiful to me.

"Nuray, when I love, I give it all. My soul, body, and mind will I lay at your feet. Your imperfections are suddenly the brightest stars that light up, even my gloomy countenance. You looked right at me. At the helpless being before you and with a smile reaching your eyes, you trample on me and merry within you. Do you think I would hate you? That I would fall out of love with you and get easily repulsed? Well, I think of you as the essence of my life."

I breathe; therefore, I love.

Nuray looked stoic. Swiftly, he put his cigar on his left hand and used the right, to reach for his pocket. "I've always wanted to do this. But you just made this sooner," He extracted a Pistol from his pocket.

My eyes bulged out as my heart began beating erratically. My hands and legs were shaking. And I instantly wanted to pee. I wanted to cry, laugh, wail, plead with him, then run back to mom and dad. And Nova, Bianca...

I wanted to do everything!

I had to live to love him.

No, no. Orion what is wrong with you?!

I had to live to love myself and... and my unborn child.
"Don't you understand that you are parasitic? I hate you, Orion. Everyone should. And that's probably why your parents turned their damn backs against you," he said.

My lips were shaky and tears brimmed my eyes. I wanted to talk. To tell him that I wouldn't be a pain to him again. But my lips kept quivering. They wouldn't form intelligible words.

But then, he pulled the trigger and it sounded more like a pop than a louder crack.

I made to run, to avoid being hit by the bullet. But my legs stood there, almost paralyzed.

That was when I finally wet my undies with urine, closing my eyes and waiting for my end. But rather, I heard a moan. And it didn't come from me.

My eyes flew open. I was transfixed.

How was Nuray down, with his gun tossed aside?

And what were Vesper and the two policemen beside her, doing here?

✨✨✨✨

VESPER CHIMAMANDA LAMONT.

I shut the door behind me once I was fully inside my three-bedroom apartment cutting out the only source of illumination which had earlier been provided by the lighted lobby way consequently enveloping myself in darkness, just the way I preferred it.

The silence was heavy in the air as it bounced off all corners of the almost empty walls constantly reminded me of how lonely my life was.

Already familiar with the place, I sluggishly maneuvered my way around the scantily furnished house until I got to the living room.

I pulled the switch on the table lamp which was situated on the stool that just stood beside my couch. The dull glow of the lamp came on barely displacing the darkness while scattering only around the area surrounding it and part of the couch.

With a heavy sigh, I collapsed upon the slightly worn-out couch. Drained of every kind of strength, I struggled to get a hold of the tv remote which laid just next to me.

Once the remote was in my palm, I flipped through channels deliberately trying to buy myself sometime before going to bed.

I darted my eyes towards the opposite white wall immediately capturing the only feature on it, the clock.

I stared at the golden wall clock which hung elegantly from its chain (an enlarged form of a pocket watch) noting that it was still six p.m.

The seconds hand crawled on deliberately taunting me as my eyes drifted slowly away from the clock and back to the television.

Despite the fact that I worked overtime, I still got back early enough to hear my own loneliness resonating in this void called an apartment.

My life was just as empty as the apartment was but it was a bit more comforting than staying at my parent's house. Where I had to be constantly reminded that I was still single and wasn't getting any younger.

People I didn't even know were related all constantly pestering me to settle down with a guy while expressing how they couldn't wait to drink palm wine.

It took much self-restraint to not tell them how it would gladden my heart to see them choke on the palm wine, that is, if they eventually got it.

After the usual routine of scrolling through every channel on my DSTV decoder, I finally got up to retire to my bedroom.

Once I had changed out of my clothes and taken a long shower, I finally had the time to reflect on my life as it had become the only thing which could consume my spare time.

I laid on my exaggerated bed without getting rid of the extra decorative pillows. I couldn't fall asleep if I didn't have them flanked at my sides. I had grown a sense of comfort by merely being surrounded by them. It gave me a sense of security and somehow made it feel as if I wasn't all on my own after all.

If only that could manifest into reality.

But yet it couldn't, and how desperately I wished it could. Even if for a moment I could go back in time to relive the splendid moments, the feeling of euphoria that always pulsed through me solely by having him lain next to me, contrasting the immense dysphoria I felt by trying to replace his presence with pillows.

If my dreams hadn't been so brutally shattered, I would have never realized that they were just dreams, not reality. If my hopes hadn't been so horribly dashed, I would have never realized that hope was nothing more than an illusion. Blindly clutching onto a thin thread while having faith.

Nothing shattered one more than hope, the refusal to believe what was just right in front of you the whole time while rather preferring to hope for something which could never truly be yours.

Disney really fucked me with their happily ever after. As if all I had to do was sit in my house and my prince charming would oh-so-conveniently walk in to sweep me off my feet.
I chuckled slightly at my own thoughts.

How ironical was it that I had thought I had found my happily-ever-after a few months ago? When my prince charming had coincidentally just walked into my life so conveniently at a point, I was seeking redemption for my broken heart.

The way my heart used to beat erratically just by hearing his voice was a huge warning that if I didn't lay a firm grip on it, it would eventually break out of my rib cages and fly right into the hands of the one who could crush it in an instant leaving me null and void?

Destroying the very core of my existence. The flood of words he spoke did well to pull down the walls I had built, leaving me solely at his mercy. The blame wasn't his, but mine. If only I had built stronger walls, he wouldn't have pulled them down so easily.

How could I have believed anything he said? He loved me, right? Yet I was never enough, I never could be. He cheated severally even when I constantly forgave him. I forgave him the first time, the second time but the third time was the draw.

What the fuck did he take me for??

I couldn't have been so daft. I wasn't so desperate to have someone in my life that I would stay with an asshole who didn't give two fucks about my feelings.

Just because he had been the remedy for my heartache once upon a time didn't mean I would keep him in my life when all he did was hurt me as much as the one before him did.
Believing that love truly occurred as rampantly as it was written about in novels and acted in movies, was I then the only unfortunate one who never found true love?

Or were those authors and scriptwriters that sick in the head to have made me believe in the possibility of finding true love just to make a couple of dollars?

I sighed for the umpteenth time since I got back, turning around in my bed.

One thing was for sure, love did exist, but definitely not in the hearts of men.

* * * *

I woke up to the horrid sound of my alarm. Grumbling before rolling over to turn it off, I temporarily regretted not sleeping on time the previous night. But as hard as I tried, I couldn't just get myself to fall asleep.

Managing to get out of bed, I entered the bathroom. After taking my shower, I decided to get ready for work. I gently went through my clothes picking out the perfect one and taking my time to rearrange all the clothes in their right order.

Making sure that everything needed for my work was in place, I grabbed a pack of biscuit and munched hungrily. The effect of missing my meal the previous night just dawning on me.

While I was snacking on the biscuits, I noticed a brown stain on one of the white walls of my bedroom. I cringed my nose irritated by the sight and wondering how it would have gotten there.

I apparently decided that the whole apartment needed to be repainted which was quite unnecessary because the walls had been repainted just two months earlier.

But I was quite the perfectionist and I knew the spot wouldn't stop eating at me until I got rid of it. My extreme need to have everything done in a particular order was probably one of the reasons my first relationship failed so miserably.

I thought adjusting a little would help the second relationship but that didn't seem to save it either because he had dated solely for revenge. And then finally, the third relationship was just about an asshole making me feel like I could never be enough.

I sighed, trying to push the thoughts behind me and not get distracted from the work I was supposed to go to. I made up my mind to repaint the house as soon as I could.
Picking up my car keys and my red Versace handbag, I made a beeline to the room's door.

I had barely unlocked the main door for my final departure from the house when the door swung towards me violently almost hitting me in the process.

Recovering quicker than I had expected, my sense of alarm suddenly heightened as I panicked slightly. Determined to not let my fears get the best of me, I opened my mouth to scream at the intruder but my throat went dry as soon as my eyes moved to finally behold the cause of the disturbance.

Tobi Michaelson.

And at that moment, the unwanted memories came rushing back.

I walked further into the dimly lit building feeling rather too conscious of my environment. I got slight chills as I kept walking considering for a moment if it would be such a bad idea to turn around to leave.

But Tobi had asked me to meet him here which meant he should have been standing in front of me. Tobi and his weird ways. If I hadn't fallen so deep for him, I would probably not even be standing here at the moment.
Pausing in my step, I whipped out my phone to give him a call but my actions were halted as soon as I sighted him walking towards me.

The spotlight trailed his movements as he advanced towards my direction. He stopped about five feet in front of me before going down on one knee.
My heart stopped for a millisecond as my head swarmed with so many thoughts.

HE WAS GOING TO PROPOSE TO ME!!

I prevented myself from squealing but did nothing to stop the wide smile that had probably metamorphosed into a grin.

"I'm not a poet, but from the moment we locked eyes, I knew that if I couldn't be yours, I would be no others. I never knew someone could mess with my head so much so that I had absolutely no control. It was against my will but I knew we still could be one till the end. It felt impossible but the alarming rate of my heartbeat only confirmed more than anything that it had to be the reality. And now I know that completion is impossible without because you are the completion I need. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? As you are my life and I would be damned without you."

My heartbeat was out of control by the time he was done with his proposal. I could literally jump with joy at the moment.

"Yes," the words were out before I could think it through. He scrunched his face in confusion as his eyebrows drew together. He stared at me as if I was an escape lunatic.

"You're in the way, bitch," I heard him say and it was my turn to stare at him in confusion.

What the fuck was he talking about??

It wasn't until I heard someone literally screech behind me before screaming, 'I will' that I suddenly became aware of my surroundings.

It happened so quickly, I barely had time to process what was happening but all I remember was someone running past me, brushing their elbows against mine in the process and stopping right in front of Tobi.

With a smile on his face, Tobi slid the ring in his hand into her middle finger before standing to his feet. I stared at the both of them still confused. He looked directly into my eyes and said the words, "Happy birthday, love," before wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her closer for a kiss.

A round of applause followed alongside cheers from a crowd I hadn't earlier noticed. It was when people started going towards them to congratulate them that it dawned on me.

My boyfriend and the so-called love of my life got engaged to someone else on my birthday.

"Vee..." He started, bringing me back to the present, by calling me in a way I used to find cute but found absolutely repulsing at the moment.

"Hello, brother-in-law what made you remember your sister-in-law today? And why the hell did you barge into my house like that?" I asked him.

"We need to talk."

"What happened? Did your wife, my sister, have a fight with you again?" I asked smiling at the irritated expression on his face.

"Can you stop talking and listen to me for a moment?" He asked looking more irritated.

"Why? So that you could fill me with more lies? Sorry, I don't have time for that," I said in an attempt to leave.

"Vee, I love you," he said causing me to pause and take a proper look at him.

Sick motherfucker!

"I love you too, brother," I said attempting to leave but he got in my way once more. I sighed. I really didn't have time for his rubbish. "Get the fuck out of my way or else I'll shout and I really mean it!" I threatened, too tired to actually make good of my threat.

"Hear what I have to say?" He bargained.

"No," I said backing away from him and returning to my living room.

"I did it because I thought you were responsible for his death. I mean he fucking died right after you broke up with him. What else did you want me to do? He was my brother and I felt you needed to learn a lesson..." He started saying but I cut him off midway.

"Good, lesson learnt. I have shed enough tears for you and your brother. Everything is in the past. Now, please leave my house," I said trying not to think much about the statement he just made.

That, I was the reason he died.

"But along the line, I saw that you were a truly amazing person."

"Look, if you truly love me as you say then you should know that what's done is done and leave me to live my life in peace," I said and with that, I left the house.

* * * *

After hours of working, I had taken permission from my boss to go back to my house to meet my cousin, Orion. I had promised her earlier that I would see her by the afternoon, not really realizing then how much it would interfere with my work.

When I got to my apartment, I found her already sitting comfortably on my couch. After exchanging hugs and greetings, we settled down to talk.

She narrated to me the recent events that had occurred between her and the beast whom she prefers to address as the love of her life which surprisingly was the same cycle of her being oppressed by him.

"Orion, what is wrong with you? Why are you letting this man trample on you like this?" I asked, determined to talk some sense into her.

Fifteen minutes into the discussion and it was still the same dead end. We had gone over the same thing over and over again. We had talked about it severally, yet she was hell-bent on making her life a mess.

By the time we bade our goodbyes and I was on my way back to work, I stopped to truly reflect on our conversation.

Although the issue was about her, one of her statements had truly gotten to me. "I understand your point but you're not yet engaged. You haven't tasted love..."

That particular statement hit me hard. There had to be a constant reminder that I was still single, that I was alone in life.

I mean he fucking died right after you broke up with him.

I shook my head trying to get rid of all the thoughts. What was much more important at the moment was Orion. She had said she was returning to that beast and I didn't trust him one bit.

I firstly phoned Hoku, informing him that I wouldn't be returning immediately as Orion needed my help with something. Not surprisingly, as soon as he heard Orion's name, he had no problem with it.

I branched into a police station just in case I needed any help.

Gratefully, we arrived just in time to see the bastard pointing a gun at Orion. The sight made my blood boil to the extent that I felt like ending Nuray myself.

ORION NNEOMA LAMONT

Ice Age Of Hell.

"Ori," Vesper cried, tossing her Versace bag aside as she ran to me.

I stiffened as she threw her hands around me, engulfing me like I was bacteria. And I could feel the thumping of her heart as she sniffed severally like she was stopping herself from tearing up?

The policemen had already seized the cast aside Pistol of Nuray. And had aggressively set him to his feet, cuffing his hands together as they assured him that anything he said would be used against him in the court.

As they led him away, his groans filled the air as he limped, blood oozing out of his left leg and soiling the marbled floor.

"Ori, I never trusted you with him," Vesper said, releasing me from her hold. Her moist russet eyes searched mine as she finally asked if I was okay.

How could I be okay?

My man, the father of my unborn child, was being led away by the policemen and I should be okay?

Ridiculous.

"All this wouldn't have happened if you weren't so rebellious and adamant!" Vesper scolded, oblivious of the thoughts whirling in my head, making me a pack of...

She picked up her bag and placed it on the couch. "You should start packing, Ori." She stated, eying the traces of dried blood on the marbles. "You're leaving with me."

Over my dead body.

"I'm staying." That escaped my mouth as a mutter, same time my butt cheeks sank into the couch adjacent to where I had stood, motionless. "He's my fiancé and this is where I belong.

"I'll bail him out." I finished; meaning what I said.

A dark chuckle was the reaction I got from Vesper. "Nuray Igwe will rot in prison, I swear to God; he would never breathe fresh air." She promised.

Hot tears ran down my cheeks. All this was unfair.

For goodness sake, I knew my man and the height of what he could do.

He wouldn't have shot me.

Or, would he?

Would he??

I gulped down my saliva and it tasted like bile. On impulse, my face scrunched me and I suddenly felt nauseous.

I wanted to vomit.

I also wanted to drink something nice to wash down the bitter taste, down my throat.

Oh, God!

"You could stay with me for tonight and many other nights, Ori. Until you make peace with your people." The voice of Vesper talking in quite a low voice, had me looking up to her with my hand supporting the weight of my head.

For it felt like a watermelon.

Vesper was standing at the door between the kitchen and the sitting room, with her gloved hands toying around with the over washed, faded pink kitchen napkin.

Her mouth was moving. It would move so fast this minute and then ever so slowly the next. But... What was she even saying? Something funny was her consistent look at me while... soliloquizing?

I wanted to talk, call out to her that she wasn't being audible but there was something up my throat.

Letting out a small cry, I held my heavy head and suddenly threw up.

Right then and there.

"ORION!"

Finally, something I could hear. But soon, it all faded.

I knew it. Sensed it.

The tremors were back again. It wanted to take me away. But I held on firmly to hope. For with it, had I struggled to live and to let the product of my love with Nuray, Live.

And so, I survived.

AUTHORS:

May Jenny_Blinky and Prevail prevail_mc.