He writes short stories that has a very unique and great style mr paul chiwude is from the eastern part of nigeria .he has written many short stories yet to be published.he his a rear germ ,Mr paul chiwude graduated from imo state university ,as a mass communication student .pls lets share is story to make the world recognise him .his short story is stated below.
Papa's New Wife : A Short Story
Papa runs into his room. He curses and grins and bits his front teeth in mad rage. Climbing on to a stool he drags a pistol he had kept in the ceiling and rushes out of the door.
"Where is that foolish boy" He ask walking menacingly to the dinning room.
Udechi on sighting his father dashes out of the dinning and runs to the backyard door. Papa took a aim at him, but the door swings open as Udechi dives into the dark. Panting heavily and shattered, he made his way to the fence tapping instantly on the top layer as he flew high over the other side and then into a patch of tall brushes. Papa kicked the door open in pursuit and rushes to the fence. Later and after many attempts to scale through, he shook his head in disbelief and moved back into the house.
"Why did he run? He should have waited and show me that he is a true man. Egbe elu gba gbuo ya". Papa fumes in Igbo.
He always curses in Igbo whenever he gets angry. But today, this particular anger stems from his sons guts. Udechi has spoken up to our Papa for the first time of his life and Papa was no one to take such from anyone not even his own son. But he was surprised with the guts of his eldest son, because Udechi has never stand up to him before. He scratches his head and thought about what really went wrong. This boy is a good son, he thought. He hardly messes around with bad company, he takes good care of the home in my absence, he is intelligent and has just entered his second year at the university. What a wonderful child a father could call his own. But no, he thought again; this boy is trying to cause a mutiny against my decision in this house. Is he suppose to be against my choice of a new wife? He queried. He moves close to the window and touches the curtains, the gun smelt the window pane and he feels it's weight pulling down from his hands. Later he walks into his room and slip the pistol gently into the ceiling. He heaved a sigh and felt his heart and touched his face and became human at last. He had almost killed his son and he felt remorse. But Papa isn't one to show a weak face to his children, the thought of it made him chin up. Breathing slowly, he opens the door after spending few minutes in the room and sat down on the parlour chair. The chairs were blue and ran round the sitting room encircling the table.
"Who gave this useless boy such a gut" Papa fumes shaking his head. He muttered a curse word and bangs his right hand on the table. Aunty Ebi walks close to her husband and sits beside him, heaving her shoulder up and down, as people do when showing concern. "Tufiakwa" she said, snapping her fingers. "Biko Nnam calm down, I know that boy is growing wings, but please carrying a gun to shoot your own son is very bad. Chukwu nna ekwela ihe ojo, biko don't let people hear what happened this night o" she concluded.
"And what will happen if people know, after all he is my son and doesn't that stupid boy deserve to be shot, even if I had killed him nothing will happen" he replied.
"You will be arrested for murder" she said.
"I repeat nothing will happen, it is called provocation in law and nobody will charge me for manslaughter. I'm a Policeman and I know what is provocation and what is murder. He concluded, hissing and cursing as he fixed his eyes to the ceiling. Aunty Ebi stares at her husband with consternation and said nothing. She never thought her new and loving husband could have such a heart to kill someone, let alone his own son because of a little disagreement. And she knew that Udechi was a good boy, and knew how highly the father spoke well of him. She could remember that afternoon before she moved in with Papa Ada, how he came to her that day with smiles on his face and a content mustache. He told her that his family supports his idea of a new wife and that he was grateful to his son Udechi who surprisingly stood by his decision. She had moved in and had come to like Udechi for that role he played. But tonight, she knew that Udechi didn't cause the problem but that she was the main architect of the quarrel, that Udechi only stood up against perceived injustice meted to his siblings. It happened that she and her husband had just come back home from Awka that afternoon. The weather was hot and the sun brought down a curtain of heat on the earth. No sooner had the green Volvo zooms its way into the large compound and making a loud 'voooo' noise than both Precious, Nmezi and Dilichukwu run out from the house shouting 'Papa Oyoyo, Papa Oyoyo' as they hug their father in turns. They were happy to see him come home to Orlu again, after almost two weeks absence in service to the police force. He smiles back at his children rubbing their head one after the other and told them to go carry the bag of garri and yams he brought along from Awka. He asks about Obanjika and Udechi, but was told that they went to their maternal home to visit their uncle Iwemba. It didn't took long after they entered into the house, had Aunty Ebi gone to the market to buy soup items for dinner. Later in the evening, Obanjika and Udechi would join our Papa in the sitting room, while Aunty Ebi prepares the food and dishes them out in plates. She and her husband ate theirs together, while the children took theirs into their rooms. After ten minutes, Dilichukwu came out of his room with plates on his hands asking for more garri. He wasn't satisfied with the little food rationed to him and was still hungry. He went to the parlour asking for permission to make more garri but was rebuffed by Aunty Ebi who convinces Papa of his children's gluttony and swear not to allow it continue. When Udechi overheard her saying those words, he wasn't happy and went to meet his father to convince him that a little garri is not a big deal and that the soup will be warmed again if Aunty Ebi is scared of her soup getting sour. As he came close to his father, he observes a change. Daddy's lips were stiff, his eyes shone red and he wore a stern look on his face. Before he could mutter a word, Papa shouted him down and told him that he wasn't ready for such nonsense anymore.
"You children have formed a bad habit of eating too much, don't you know that things are hard these days" Papa said
"But Papa, we have a bag of garri in the house and sleeping half hungry is not good. We've really not been eating well since your absence and if Dilichukwu makes just a cup of garri nobody will complain" he stammered.
"Don't you have ears, nti kichiri gi? Papa interrupted, nobody is making any garri in this house, you people should sleep like that. Anybody that disobey's my wife will have me to contend with" Papa concluded.
A drop of tears falls from Udechi's eyes and rolls on his cheek as he turns to go, Papa could hear him mutter the word " You and your wife should eat your garri". Papa calls him back and tries to understand the meaning of what he said.
"It seems that you and your siblings are not happy that I came back home, Papa Inquired? Because if you really do, then you wouldn't be grumbling"
"What is it with garri, Udechi said sobbing gently, Papa ever since you brought this woman into this house you've changed. You hardly give us good money for our upkeep, you spend much time in Awka than before and when we complain you tell us that you'll leave us and carry both little Precious and your new wife to live permanently in Awka" what did we do wrong? He asks
"Nkita racha gi anya nga! Are you people not giving me much troubles, will I kill myself for you and your siblings. It is only Precious that I have pity on because she is still a little child, the rest of you can take care of yourself, especially now that you've decided to be listening to Ada. Don't worry, allow her to keep turning you against my wife, when I leave you people, she will come and take my role as your father" He replied.
" If you leave, we will still survive, said Udechi crying profusely now, I will take care of my younger ones and nobody will get hungry again. Ordinary garri for that matter" he said.
As soon as he finished speaking the house went silent, the other children held their breath because they could feel the inevitable. Nobody has spoken up to their father before. Nobody till this moment. Papa was boiling hot now and cursing and grinning hard. He kicks the stool close to him and aims his cup at Udechi. Missing at a close range he grinned and ran into his room. Later he would come out with his pistol and chase Udechi and almost shoot him. And Udechi will run to our maternal home and cry to Mama Nke Ukwu and Uncle Iwemba and they will both come and report the matter to Dede Collins, my Papa's older brother who would summon both Papa and his new wife for questioning.
To be continued
Copyright: Paul Chiwude 2018.estheriwunwa.blogspot.com
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