About Ibe Chukwudi

English and Literature teacher, Fiction Writer, Poet and Editor

A collection of Poems

Work Edited by Ibe Chukwudi

A short story —

He Is Human, HE BLEEDS! "Knowing you is the most unfavorable thing that ever happened to me", Afaoma spits. You have added nothing good to my life, I wish I never met you", she says, as her husband Amadele makes to leave for work. She had woken up with a migraine as a result of her inability to sleep all through the night. She kept watch, waiting for the morning to come so she could give him a piece of her mind. In her eyes, he has become a monster. No man should ever treat a woman like that. She goes to lock the door and ties the key into the knots of her lappa in a bid to stop him from going to work so that he can, at least, utter a few words. To her utmost bilwilderement, he sits down on the bed and silently watches her wide drama. Having obviously lost the battle, she unties the key, opens the door and sees him out into the freezing cold outside. Sitting alone in the living room, she thinks back and wonders where it all went wrong. Dele was the best wooer back in 1997. In fact, her mental pictures of a perfect man were finally painted on that rainy night of october 10, 1997, the first day he spoke to her. She looked directly into his eyes and saw the kind of fire she had never seen before - that kind of fire that is unquenchable by a mere NO. To Afaoma, her man was simply spotless. No, he couldn't commit the littlest sins! Their relationship started with mutual respect and moved swiftly from strength to strength. In return, he bought her host of showy gifts and presented them without any form of acrimony. Their love was later grouted with series of lips biting and tongues clashing kisses, during the evenings, at Mama Achara's garden, close to his house. Realistically, even love has its inclination. Theirs started a year into their relationship, when Amadele wanted what most men would want. He wanted a taste of her juice. At least, it was a year already, and he thought he deserved it. When he spoke to her that night, in november 1998, she could already read his lips. "Afa m", he called, looking straight but lustfully into her green eyes. Do u trust me?" The questions came abruptly and she she didn't have time to come up with a well defined answer. She did trust him, but trust has it's check. "If you give me the chance, he continued, I will marry you". Her joy knew no limits at the sound of the word 'marry'. "I have given you the chance already" she answered. They held each other skintight, with their lips pressed together in accord. He kissed her even more and moved his hand to her underwear. She sprang up in surprise. He had never done that before, she wondered what had gotten into him. " Afa m, he muttered, you know I love you, and I will do nothing to hurt you". His words meant nothing to her at that time, her maidenhood meant more. "I have never been laid Dele, she cried, I can't until am married". With the information that she had never been crossed, he loved her the more. They promised to wait till the knot was tied, and their love became stronger. The pair blossomed for almost three more years. Amadele got a job offer in one of the federal ministries, after his university education. Their wedding preparation was done nimbly, because his new job required he move from Portharcourt to Lagos. The wedding itself was glamorous. Though a low key one, it was talked about around the town, because of it's uniqueness. Friends from far and near attended and brought with them gifts; loads of them. It was the night after their wedding that Dele received the biggest shock of his life. Afaoma, his jewel; his yet to be suckled orange has lost her sweetness. "Dele, she called with tears in her eyes, I lost it unwillingly". A male friend, whom I trusted, offered to give me a job, while you were still in school. I had no option but to accept", she cried on. Beyond his wildest imagination, her tale was true. He remembered all the help she rendered to him while in school. So, that was what she paid with? He thought. A mixed emotion of anger and pity crossed his mind. Anger because she did not tell him earlier. But who could blame her? Maybe she did not tell him in order not to lose him. He also felt pity for her. She must have gone through a lot. Losing her pear fruit to a man from another land. How disgusting?. He held her close with kisses they both dreamed of. Their love making was passionate that night, and it felt like the first time for her. * * * Still sitting alone, she brings her mind to the events of the last two weeks. Dele lost his job two years ago. Since then he had been a shadow of himself. He drank himself to stupor everyday and came back late into the nights. Half of his days were spent in Madam Olawumi's Wine and Bar. Only last week, he came back with the news that he had been offered a job in one of the biggest hotels in Ikeja, as a manager. Slowly, their joys returned. He stoped his regular bar visits and no longer drank at will. Her joy though was short lived. She found out that the offer of employment was gotten with her husband sleeping with the 'Oga' Madam of the hotel. She could not bear it. Her man? In bed with another woman? How could he? What is even more hurting is that he did it to get even with her. Her mind is made up! She is leaving him. She can't stay with a man who is loose, promiscuous... Even if it was for a godamme job, who cares? Come to think of it, it is not her fault. Though she did same thing once, men are not supposed to be hurt. They are not humans! They are strong, God made them that way. He has broken her heart, she can't take it. His heart can not be broken, He is not human, cut him, HE DOES NOT BLEED!

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