Happy Birthday (Short Story) - Completed Season 1

Season 6 years ago

Happy Birthday (Short Story) - Completed Season 1

"Happy Birthday to you , Happy Birthday to you...... " the chants drift eerily in my subconscious thoughts. The cold and unfeeling grip of the handcuffs like the touch of an infuriated ghost murdered unjustly but seeking vengeance leads me to shudder in shock and disbelief. I can feel their eyes on me, all the students caught up in this scene with me , and the shame that is the effect of these powerful stares do all but knock me to the ground. A deranged sense of humour distracts me for a second and a confusing smile distorts my deceitfully emotionless face. It's like a party , a birthday party without cakes and smiles, a cursed birthday surprise just for me .

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Flashback . It's morning and its freezing everywhere but the girls in the hostel don't mind. I've always wondered what sort of creatures they are, washing and cooking every minute, going to friends rooms to gist if free. No time for art, no time for creative reading, no idea or curiosity concerning a different way of life other than domesticity. The graceful bodies walk past my room window, some naked, most scantily clad , some in towels , carrying food, plates or buckets for bathing. I'm lying on my bed huddled in my blanket . I check my phone. 7: 30 am. Another cold and drab day where everyone is going to smile as if everything is peachy when it is indeed not. What's so sweet about a cold , damp, dark day where every step freezes your toes and ices up your body ? Typical birthday weather.

I swipe through my phone apps. WhatsApp.......WhatsApp....... WhatsApp....... Where are you.... I immediately focus on my dear boyfriends contact......nothing. He forgot my birthday again. And as usual, while I plan to get him a gift for his birthday I guess he will gift me with nothing , and think I am dumb enough to believe he will actually take me somewhere this year. He doesn't care but atleast he's the only one who will claim me. My friends say I have low self esteem, but what the heck ? This relationship is a joke. He treats me as if I do not exsist.

" She's on her phone again o, early in the morning . Jinx, this phone will not kill you . " A cheery face pops up beside my bunk bed, defying all evidences of the drab weather. It's Simi, my room mate. She's an agile enough girl , like all my roommates, always jumping about cleaning things and washing up and down like hyperactive kids overfed with sugar. Luckily for me, these sets of roommates have accepted me with all my introverted tendencies, with a slight attempt at mentioning me in conversations even when I don't try. Yes they say nasty things to me , they made my life in the room so much hell this semester that I temporarily fled the room as they took advantage of my docility, but it's better than roommates that keep you at a distance and call you a witch because you're not extroverted, isn't it ?

" Hmmm she'll never leave that phone " Ngozi, another roommate comments with disgust in her tone, while carrying some ingredients out of the room for cooking, her hands full. She kicks the door open with transferred aggression and bolts out with a hateful expression on her face. I wonder what I did to deserve such holy anger. Maybe they love me too much. The other roommates are warming up to the conversation. " Better stop being addicted to that phone " another roommate called Beatrice yells across from her own corner. She's a know it all, leader of the Christian cause, boaster of her famous virginity and morals ............all while gossiping and verbally bullying me with the others. I told her my secrets some months ago, believing she was some sort of angel. Next thing I knew my roommates were insulting me with them for the rest of the semester while she unashamedly joined in. I heard someone went to the boys hostel and mentioned that someone in our room had done so and so. Even gave the exact room number. Well what ro you expect me to do but socialize with them despite all this. I'm the friendless one so I'm meant to accept whatever comes to me with no qualms or choices. If not I'm abnormal.

Simi smiles broadly and wickedly across her attractive , smooth , lovely face. Obviously with the intent of mischief and play. Maybe they're trying to make things up to me. Yesterday she and her sister gifted me with a chocolate cake made themselves. I guess that wipes up all the bad memories. Remind me to give someone a chocolate cake next time I make them angry. " Come down birthday girl , we need to celebrate with you ". Yeah they know my birthday date. I told them, in the spirit of friendship. Anything not to be branded an abnormal witch in this paranoid country Nigeria. " Don't disturb her now, it's cold " Ngozi's sister adds , with a giggle in her throat. I know the ritual. They are going to douse me in water and I am not going to love it this cold morning. These are the rituals of university students but what the heck you've gotta go along with it. I've never been the laughing, giggling screaming type but I'll have to try. I step gingerly out of bed and the cold laps up my big toe.