"Chidera!"
Sister Becca's call seemed to have brought me back from my imaginary zone. Since five months ago,it hadn't been unusual of  me to drift away like that,but for how long had I sat there?.
I quickly got off my bed,fit my feet into my fancy rubber slippers and ran outside to answer the the call.

"Have you had breakfast yet? "She asked in a concerned tone of voice and I shook my head sideways.
" Why?"
She asked sternly but I remained mute, clutching my fingers behind my floral cotton dress.

"hurry now and eat your food. you mustn't be late for Mass".She said patting my shoulder. I looked up,at her smiling face,her sharp eyes were peering into mine. Then I looked away and scurried to the dining. I wouldn't want to offend sister Becca.She's the nicest nun here and all the kids love her. Though, she could be strict when  the need arises.

I walked to my table and sat on the long bench.The table was empty but for Philip.He was a slow eater.
I had few friends but he was my best.
None of us kids know how we got here, the nuns don't tell us. Philip however had sneaked into the main office out of curiosity and gathered some information.
He lost his parents at infantry,in a car accident and he was the only survivor. Sometimes I think it would've been better if he didn't know.

"You took so long Dera,are you okay?"
He asked and I replied that I was fine. I lifted the lid of the plates containing my meal. The sunday-morning meal of beans and pap had turned cold. At least the surface of the pap was covered with liquid evaporated milk. It made me smile.
"Hurry Dera,we mustn't be late for mass"Philip reminded me.
I ate quickly that I nearly choked. When I had finished my breakfast,we rushed out of the dining hall - to the chapel, for mass.
Shortly after mass,we were engaged in little chores and afterwards leisure.
Some of us were playing outside, some took to our beds.

The grounds werecovered in carpet grass with scanty weeds, growing beside the fences. There were also mango, orange and pawpaw trees in the premises.
On the day we hadn't enough food to eat,we would fill our stomachs with balls of oranges and large pieces of pawpaw. Afterwards,hunger would elude us.

The weather was getting cloudy, showing signs that it was going to rain. The nuns instructed us to get inside ,then they shut the doors. We got into our rooms and after a while it began to rain.
Raindrops splattered on my bed. I reached out to the window and shut it as more drops splattered across my face. It was getting cold.The weather was quite convenient for a nap but I wasn't tempted.I sat on my bed and looked outside.The bed was a double bunker and mine was the top one. I shared the room with the three other girls. The room was a small one,if you ask me, not too small to be managed though.

As I looked outside, watching the raindrops splatter violently against the Louvre and gradually trickle down,I drifted away again... into my imaginary zone.

✨✨✨✨✨

This place has been my home for as long as I can remember and I hold memories of no other place than here. Rachel, the girl with whom I share a bunker with became a part of our big family about two years ago. It was a relative that had brought her here.One who in my opinion has no conscience. Children are blessings!.
Which was worse?. Growing up with blissful memories that cannot be relilved, memories that would evoke nothing but grief or having no such happy memories,no grief to endure, just growing up to meet things as they are.
No memories of a home,a real home.
With a father, mother and a sibling(or several.. the more the merrier).
As I closed my eyes,l imagined both scenarios.

✨✨✨✨✨

It was on a day like this that I heard a tap on the door. Afterwards it swung open and Sister Patricia walked in with an announcement.
"Chidera,you have visitors"
I quickly got off my bed and went to receive the unanticipated visitors. I met a young man and a woman at the visiting room. They wore bright faces and spoke calmly. They left me with a gift of fancy rubber slippers.
Ever since, I had received several little gifts from the nuns,on their behalf.
The reason for their constant visits and gifts remained ambiguous to me
One thing was certain,I wasn't swayed by their bright faces or little gifts.
Their presence had only ignited feelings of anxiety,curiosity and uncertainty.

I was still reminiscing when I heard a tap on the door. I shifted my gaze from the window,to the door. I heard a tap on the door again.Afterwards,it swung open and Sister Patricia walked in ... just like she did,
On a day like this,five months ago.



#child #rainyday#orphan #mixedfeelings #friendship #sundaymorning #unanticipated #girl #shortstory #highprofile #newstory

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