36 The deb (2/2)

”Orlu!” she responded with more confidence.

”That's like three days walk from here”.

She nodded and after a pause, she added, ”But it took me four days. I really had to get away from home”.

Ego was blown out of the water by her response; she knew only two things would make a girl of that age trek such long distance – either she is desperately getting away from something or she is heading for one.

”Why did you run away from home?

”I just can't get married to Mazi Obiora” she responded shaking her head slowly.

”Why don't you want to marry him? What did he do to you?” Ego further asked to clear the air.

”It is not because of what he did to me but what he did to Chidera”. She said almost in tears as her voice reduced.

”Oluchukwu, I want to help you, and I can't do that if you don't explain to me what happened?”

She nodded then said ”Yes”.

”Good, now who is Chidera?

Looking down at her fingers and removing dirt that was not visible to any other person she replied: ”She is my elder sister”.

”Alright, what did Obiora do to her?”

”He married her claiming to love her. We all encouraged her to marry him since he seemed really sincere. Unknown to us, it was as part-payment for the debt my father owed him. Some years into the marriage, he began maltreating and abusing Chidera simply because she didn't give birth to a son; she only had two beautiful daughters with him. Mazi Obiora wasted no time in getting another wife; who also gave birth to two more daughters. In his desperate search for an heir, he came to ask for my own hand in marriage using the remaining part of the debt as leverage.