RIPPED OFF
My blurry eyes opened slightly and were welcomed with the sight of red clothes tied on chairs. The room exuded a choking scent of an ointment that caused a lump to form on my throat. A cloth stained with blood lay carelessly on the floor and I saw my mother with my grandma in the dark corner of the room. An old woman who trembled as she walked, joined them.
The clattering sound of metallic objects hit me on the ear – razor blade, scalpel and scissors. Frightened to my bone marrow, I got up from where I lay but my mother trundled me which resulted in hitting my head on the wall. I let out a shrill cry.
“Stop the struggle, young woman, it’s your coming of age rite.” My mother explained.
Her voice that should have been laced with truth and hope took on the garment of dissonance, sound of despondency. I managed to free myself from my mother’s tight grip. I quickly planned an escape route but luck ran out on me. I was brought to a halt with a deafening slap that made me stagger. My mother’s eyes were all bloodshot as she glared at me. Hot tears dripped from my eyes into my mouth.
The tears tasted like pain, it was mixed with a thousand senses of taste – metallic, sour, salty, and bittersweet – the taste of blood. The aftereffect of biting down my lips in desperation. Blood mixed with fear; fear mixed with shock. I knew betrayal must have a taste.
My eyes became a dark pool of tears when I smelt the pungent stench of the liquid the old woman brought out from a bag.
“It is time to have you mutilated.” She said, without paying attention to my pain.
My mouth was forcefully ripped open, the strong blend of tears and moist rag pressed against my tongue. I screamed against this fierce attack, clamoured, in the loudest tone my voice reeds can take, “free me! mummy, please…pl…ease… don’t allow her to rip me off my assets! She exhaled and looked away.
Then, a part of my vagina was ripped off. My vagina didn’t trouble them but they brought trouble in a thousand folds into its abode. Tired of struggling, I watched, helplessly, as blood tickled out of my vagina. I would never remain the same; my assets have been stolen.
11 Responses
End Female Genital Mutilation
End female genital mutilation
Thank you so much, sir
We stand against female genital mutilation
Exactly.
Well done, Akams. 🌹❤️
This is beautiful. Thank you for lending your voice against female genital mutilation.
Thank you so much, Coach Reejay.
The concept of female genital mutilation has always been one that greatly saddens me. With your words you’ve painted a perfect picture of the ordeal of a victimised female. One that no female child really should ever have to go through. One that must be brought to an end.
A job well done, dear.
You’ve written well.
Thank you so much, Favour.
God bless you.
It’s one thing to have an idea of what to write, it’s another thing to pen it down in a way that goes deep into the mind of the reader. This is well crafted story, Francisca.
Stop female genital mutilation!
Thank you so much, Ama.