JOURNEY OF NO RETURN.

 The story.

The atmosphere was heavy, that of apprehension and uncertainty as Iquo stared at the open space leading into the compound. It was around 10:33pm that evening. 

A time in Ikot Ekim community when every household had put off their lamps and retired to bed. The nocturnal sound of night creatures made the night even more looming and intense. 

Nsek has never stayed out so late no matter how fierce any argument with his wife was. In their 24 years of marriage, no matter the nature of the fights Iquo has had with her husband he will always come back home to rest in his hut. 

As time ticked away, she stared at the open compound, struggling to fend off the call of nature with the hope her husband would appear at the far end of the compound. 

Using her hand to support her chin, she wondered how things could change so fast. Her husband Nsek was no longer the man she married. He picked fights at every little argument and would end the night with curses, accusing Iquo of turning his only son, Ikpong against him. 

The situation got worse and Nsek swore never to deep his hands into the same bowl of food with his wife Iquo. Iquo in return swore never to allow her husband to see her nakedness anymore. 

As a result of this, Nsek stopped sharing a bed with his wife but opted to pack his things into his son's bedroom.

In the last argument that ensued between them, Iquo accused Nsek of emptying his pocket into the jars of palm-wine at every corner of the village, refusing to provide for the family as the man of the house. 

"Iquo, you've made me lose my potency in my house... You've succeeded in turning my only son against me and as if that wasn't enough, you've refused me food in my own house... Nsek stormed. 

Iquo, you even have the guts to deny me what rightfully belongs to me, me Nsek!  It's obvious you want to starve me to death...  I promise to leave this house for you, he said sounding convinced as if he had thought of leaving.

Iquo, if I should die, you won't live to enjoy what we labored together for", he added, storming out of the courtyard with a parked face that night.

Iquo didn't know when she was defeated by the call of nature that evening after a long wait for her husband's return. 

She woke with dull eyes, having not slept well enough the previous night. 

With the hope that her husband would return home that morning, Iquo decided that she set the house in order, and prepare his food, perhaps in a way to show remorse and buy her way into her husband's heart after all she couldn't deny missing him in her life.

That morning, at the courtyard, about some meters away from the bathroom built with a well-stacked palm frond, Iquo in search of firewood to make fire saw what took her pulse. 

At one of the branches of an Iroko tree, a few steps away from the piles of firewood there hanged Nsek with his tongue sticking out and flies flocking the scene.

Nsek took his life, and just as he promised, he left never to come back. Iquo was left with the last words that came from his mouth. "  I PROMISE TO LEAVE THIS HOUSE FOR YOU"

☆ FICTION ☆

~ Patrick Ekong