Mmeso Inspires: Creeping

She felt a touch on her thigh. It was a cold hand. It slowly move upward to her stomach and then to her neck. It tried stifling the life out of her before she jumped up from her sleep to the cold stare of her husband, Nnamdi.

She rubbed her face. She has been dreaming. Why is my husband looking at me in that manner? she thought.

“Honey, you are awake? She asked shaking. She was terribly scared.

“Yes… he mumbled.

“Last night you returned from work and when I asked for intimacy you turned it down because you are exhausted. And here you are awake in the middle of the night looking at me like that… You scared me. I had a bad dream”,  she said. Her husband did not utter a word. He pulled the duvet to cover his body and turned to the other side of the bed.

She pulled out the duvet from his body in annoyance.

“I said I had a bad dream and you are not saying anything, Nnamdi”, She shouted.

“You are raising your voice”, he chided pointing at the wall clock.

It was few minutes past two. She ignored him.

“You have been acting strangely nowadays, Nnamdi. You barely eat my food, you barely touch me, you don’t make me feel loved again, you don’t even have time for us again, we don’t pray again, many times I woke up in the middle of the night only to caught you looking coldly or strangely at me. What is wrong with you Nnamdi? Oh goodness this is not the same man I got married to. Is anyone threatening you? Are you hiding something from me? Are you possessed? Are you… he stopped her.

“Enough of that, woman. So I can’t think and relax in my house again? he asked raising his eyebrows.

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“What about the feelings of your wife, Nnamdi. We have just been married for six months and I am feeling tired already. You’ve changed completely and that was the beginning of my constant nightmares. What’s wrong? she complained sobbing.

“Will you stop disturbing my sleep or I will be forced to leave the room for you”, he said.

Anuri stared at her husband in disbelief. He ignored him because she knew if she argued further. He will definitely leave the room for her. She did not want that to happen because she was already scared.

She quietly went down on her knees and began to pray.

“And what did you think you are doing? Nnamdi asked as he sprang up from the bed.

“I’m praying”, Anuri fearfully said. She was not just scared of her dream but her husband.

“No. I don’t think you should disturb my ears with prayers now. That is the last thing I want to hear”, he said looking intently at her.

“You know I don’t shout when praying. It will be a silent one. I told you I had a bad dream. I want to pray about it”, she calmly said.

“You should obey me woman! he commanded.

Anuri take a quiet questioning look at the man she said “I do” at the alter six months ago. He had completed changed.

“You wanted intimacy few hours ago right? I think I am ready now”, he said unbuttoning his pyjamas.

“Are you really stopping me from praying, Honey? Anuri asked puzzled.

“Are you not the same person that have been complaining that I am not fulfilling my conjugal responsibilities.? he asked.

“Nnamdi. For the past one month and two weeks you have not touched your wife and you don’t even feel anything about it. What is the cause of the  sudden change of mind and mood. Is there something you are not telling me my love? You can talk to me. I’m your wife for goodness sake”, Anuri calmly said.

“Stop asking me useless questions and climb up the bed now! he thundered.

She noticed there were beads of perspiration on his forehead despite the fact that the room was properly ventilated and it was drizzling outside. His eyes were red and puffy too.

“No. I’m not in the mood”, Anuri angrily said. she hated the fact that her husband had replied her disrespectfully.

He dragged her up the bed and tore off her cloth from her body. Anuri was too shocked to resist or even raise alarm. she couldn’t even comprehend what was happening. Her dream was beginning to make sense to her now.

All of a sudden. Nnamdi held his head and fell of the bed, weeping.

“I will confess!  I will confess!! he said.

Anuri was short of words. she glanced at the wall clock and it was just quarter to three in the morning.

“Confess what, Nnamdi? Why are you doing this to me? she said crying.

She fumbled for her phone to call either her parents or her husband’s but she couldn’t find it. She remember vividly that she had left her phone on the bed when she was about to pray before the whole thing began.

“I will confess … I will confess!! he continue saying amidst sobs.

Anuri wanted to scream for help but she decided against that for the sake of her family’s integrity. She rushed to the parlour in search of whatever. Two old men clad in black were seated on the sofa but the door was locked just the way she had left it before joining her husband in the bedroom.

She let out a loud scream that must have shaken the neighbourhood before passing out.

The light quickly went off. Shadows roam about as the wailing voice of Mr. Nnamdi Akunwata could be heard from miles away.