The cockcrow doesn't start the day, it's just a reminder.

Amara stood before the glass door. She stared at the flowers and rubbed her palm on the door as a butterfly flew by.

Her eyes lit up and she smiled with pressed lips. A palm gripped her hair," Aaarghhh!!" She groaned and turned. Her gaze locked with his. His nose flared. He pushed her chest and her butt shook the floor.

She looked up and knelt down. " Dad, I'm sorry.. I'll never do that again!" She said, tears sprang from her eyes and fell from the corners of her eyes.

He raised her palm and slacked it across her face. Her cheeks burned and turned red, her palm covered her lips.

" I'm not your father!"

" I'm sorry, Sir. Ike."

" Kneel down and hold your ears. " He blurted. Her knees pressed the tiles. Her gaze fixed at the floor. " The day you walk out of that door is the day you'll die."

" Why? What's my crime?" She retorted abruptly.

" You dare ask me why?" He raised her hand in the air.

"Please!!" He heard and a palm held him. He turned and locked into her eyes. He took his hand from her and left. Amara cried as she ran into her embrace.

"Mum, I just wanted to be normal and..." She said and Ebere rubbed her palm on her back.

"It's okay.." she said. He glared and spat on her then he left.

Ebere held Amara by her arm and pulled her to herself as they walked into the room. She pushed her to the couch, Amara's butt bounced on the foam.

" Mum." She paused," Now you're going to join him?"

" Him?. Amara, he's still your father."

"What kind of father is he? No, tell me! The one that doesn't allow his child to call him DAD or the one that barters her like a punch bag."

Ebere drew closer to her and took her palm. "I love you, Amara and so does your father. Seeing you like this...hurts me." She uttered and Amara took her palm from her.

"I know he wishes I was dead but I never prayed to be born this way. You both made me like this. It's your genes.." Tears slipped out of Amara's eyes.

" If I could pay the price to see you shine like the superstar that you're."

" No, you're killing me. I have never felt the sun or flowers. I have never known what it felt like to be outside, class, church. It's been like this all my life!"

Amara turned to Ebere. Her eyes and mouth were open. She held her chest as she fell.

Amara held her arm," mummmm... Where'd you keep your inhaler?" She said and ran her fingers through her body.

*******

Nze raised his palm and slacked it across Jachimma's face. He held his cheeks and bowed his head.

"Dad it's not what you think, you're taking this too far. I wanted to make you proud but I got duped." Jachimma's voice came but he lifted his palm again and hit him.

Chiamaka rushed to his side and held his trouser." Please, my husband. He's still our only son. Let him work and refund you the money."

" He's our only son's kind of mindset that made him like this!" Nze's voice came. His teeth gnashed.

" One more chance, Nze, Ezigbo Di m." She uttered.

" No!! Enough is enough. Young man, you'll leave my house. You'll work hard to be better and if in one year, you don't become better and established, I'll disown you." Nze said and trailed off.

Chiamaka's face went red and her fingers fidgeted but she held his palms. Jachimma stood and kissed her forehead then he withdrew his palm and left.

He walked to the garage and to the black Bentley. " Young man, that's my car. If you need a car, get it yourself!" He heard and looked up.

Nze stood, his jaw clenched. Jachimma's lips pressed as he dropped the keys on the car and turned.

"You'll learn gravity more as you're leaving without too much." He added.

********

" Chikaaa!!." Ngozi called. Chika ran out of the kitchen.

" Nne, you called me." She bowed.

" And you didn't answer the first time?"

" I didn't..."

" Liar! Shut that gutter you call a mouth." She snarled and flung some notes at her." Get some beads for my Adaeze, my princess."

" Nne.."

" Go now , stinky thing. You're spoiling the air!"

" There's food on the fire, can I go after?"

" If you waste two more seconds, you'll be toothless.." she said. Chika glanced at Adaeze.

She crossed her legs and chuckled at her phone while Ngozi adorned her hair. She ran out.

******Minutes Later****

Chika walked through the narrow path swinging her arm that held the nylon. She felt a presence behind her.

She turned, and a guy trailed behind her. He wore a black hoodie, a pair of black jeans trousers.

Amara stood glaring outside the window. "If only I could flee from these walls," she thought. Then the door swung open. Ikeh walked in, Ifesinnachi followed suit.

"My husband, please don’t force her," Ebere said as she stared from the door.

"Get out!" Ikeh turned to her and she scurried out.

Amara gazed as Ikeh and Ifesinnachi went to sit. She crossed her leg over the other. Amara went before them and knelt down, "Good morning, Sir Ikeh."

"Get up! I don’t want to waste my time. I’m heading somewhere and I want to be as nice as possible!" He said and Amara nodded. She glanced at Ifesinnachi and she glared.

"Your song “Butterfly” which was released last week is reaching 1M listeners on Spotify, all thanks to my beautiful daughter Ifesinnachi!" Ikeh smiled.

"Dad is really nothing more than me being me."

"So I have called you to get her ready for the show and a major interview."

"Dad... sorry Sir Ikeh, can I.."

"Sorry Pamper, we don’t want to hear that. You teach me so I can perfect on the lines."

"Please Ifes... I want to.."

"Don’t even mention that! I’m not ready to bury any corpse. You have Xeroderma Pigmentosum and you know what that means." Ikeh said.

Amara nodded, "If I ever step outside, I’ll die in minutes!"

“ Stay at your place then..you should be grateful for us.” Ifesinachi said.

****

Jachimma sat on the Uber. His phone beeped, he slided it and placed it on his ear. "Hey man!" he said,

"I stopped by your house and your dad said you were gone. What happened?"

“ Obi..” he groaned, "Long story short, I took some money from his secretary and I invested it wrongly. He got pissed and disowned me."

"Where are you right now? You're still in the states?"

"I'm home trying to chase my dream."

"Wait... you're in Nigeria?"

"Yep..house hunt," he said and stretched his palm to the Uber. The Uber man took the paper in his palm and stared at the address. "Talk to you later," he said.

The car pulled to a halt abruptly. "What's wrong?" he said and stared out at the lonely street. "Nothing much , Sir. I'll fix it shortly!" The Uber man said and went to the engine.

He scrolled on his phone until the door opened. A man stood before him. He wore a black mask on his head. He raised his t-shirt and a pistol sat deep on his trouser. Jachima's eyes widened.

*******

Chika stopped but she ran towards her and wrapped her arms around her. "Hapu mu Aka..." she said and struggled to leave then she perceived the cologne. "Arike?" she added.

"It took you a long time to realize it was me," Arike said and laughed, then she took the hood off her face.

Chika pushed her playfully. "You made my heart race!"

"So my troublesome Chika can get scared. Wow, never saw that coming."

"So where are you coming from dressed like a man?" Chika asked.

"I went to the neighboring village, there's a good photographer there and as you know I have to take good shots for my Instagram followers."

"Chai, my friend's turned into a celebrity now and knows all the photographers." She said and her cheeks went red.

"Where are you coming from?"

"Mama sent me to get beads for Adaeze’s hair. Thanks to you, I have wasted enough time, I've got to run..." she said and took off.

Chika ran until she got to the front gate. Ngozi stood there, her back resting on the gate. Chika stared at her, "Mama... I can explain."

"Don't worry this.." She took out a black whip, "will understand your explanations. Now get inside!" She snarled

They walked into the sitting. "You are now becoming too beautiful. That's why I can't send you on errands and you return quickly. These boys & men won't let you rest."

"Nne, I'll never do it again."

"Don't you ever call me that, now take off your clothes."

A tear fell off Chika's eyes as she let her dress slip off her body. Ngozi raised her arm and landed the whip on her back. Chika screamed as her skin opened up for blood. Tears fell from her eyes.

"You stupid child, stand there!! Where are you running to?" Ngozi snarled, her face squeezed.

Chiamaka knelt on Nze’s feet and held his trousers. Tears fell down her red face. “Please my husband forgive him, he’ll never do it again. I’m worried sick. Get my son back!”

“That’s where you’re wrong. He’s our son and I want him to be the best,” He said and held her arm. He drew her up and hugged her. He kissed her neck. “You’ll be fine.”

A knock came at the door and they turned. “Hey Chizitere!” She said, and he walked to them.

“Mum, good afternoon. Your eyes they’re red!”

“It’s your brother, Jachimma. I searched for him everywhere to ask him to come back and his no where to be found.” He held her hand.

“Mum don’t overthink it. He’ll survive, he’s a man.” He said and she nodded. He hugged her, she pushed him playfully.

“Go freshen up. You reek of work.” She said. The two men chuckled. “You can talk to Cheta as well, she's been crying?”

He nodded and left.

He walked to her door and raised his fisted palm to knock but he shook his head and turned to his door. He dropped his suitcase and took off his shirt and went in the tub.

***Minutes later***

He stood, the door flung open and Cheta entered. Her dark chocolate skin radiated but her eyes were red. She wore a jean short and a white crop top. Her feet sat on the white flip flop she wore.

She reached for him and wrapped her body. She sniffled, “Babe why are you doing this to yourself? I told you he’s fine.”

“You’re not sure of that.”

“Don’t you believe me again?.”

“I do... But.”

“No buts. Have you had anything to eat?” he asked and she shook her head.

“I’m not hungry. I just want you.” She said and kissed his bare chest.

“Well you’re my sister.” he said with a smile and pushed her away. She fisted his chest and he chuckled,

“You’re my boyfriend, Silly...” She said and he covered her mouth.

“Mum and Dad are around. Remember...”

“I wish for a day we can just—”

“Me too, but unfortunately our love is forbidden...”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“We’re siblings. We share the same parents.” He uttered and she groaned. “We’re going out, let’s dress up.”

“I need you down there...”

“Really...” he said and she bit her lower lip.

******

Ngozi sat in the sitting room, the plasma television played. Chika knelt, her eyes shut and her arms raised high in the air. Amadi walked out of his room and spat on her.

“Silly child!” he uttered, and turned to Ngozi, “Nwunye Oma m(my beautiful wife), she must not be here by the time Ike gets here.”

“Nna anyi(our Lord), you should eat some food before going to pick him.”

“He said he’ll drive here himself. I need to meet with someone...” He retorted and left.

Ngozi got up and dragged Chika’s hair, she yelped until they got outside then she pushed two baskets of clothes to her.

“Make sure they’re all dried before you walk back into this house or you leave as a ghost!”She snarled.

She took the soap and carried the two baskets and left. Her legs twitched, her eyes shook as she trailed on the narrow path.

The largest basket sat on her head and her hand held the other basket as she dragged her body to walk.

She lifted her head and all she heard was the whistle of a car wheel, her gaze blurred and she fell to the side of the road.