It was like every other evening, the aroma of fried chicken transmitted through the air and into my nostrils, triggering the rumbling sounds of hunger — I hadn't eaten good food in a while.
I laid on the bed inhaling the beautiful scent while waiting for dinner to be served.
"Didn't you hear me call you?" My mum angrily said, her head poking through my room door which was wide open.
"I thought I closed the door" I said in surprise.
"You must be out of your mind, if I come in there I'll deal with you." I sensed the anger in her voice and jolted from my bed in response.
"Please be fast, make sure you get to the kitchen in seconds, I'll be waiting." She said while heading towards the kitchen.
I took the first few steps but staggered. Surprised at what was happening, I paused momentarily, it felt as though the whole room spun. I got myself together and slowly walked to the kitchen.
"Grind that pepper in the mortar." This was the first thing my Mum said before I could step foot into the kitchen.
"Mummy, it felt as if my room was spinning."
"Will you shut up and grind that pepper." She replied. "You're trying to evade work again, lazy boy!"
My Mum had just returned from work, so I wasn't surprised at her display of anger and irritation. It was almost like a custom. I don't know if it was the work or perhaps the stress at work, but each time she got back from office, her countenance changed.
"I'm not trying to evade ..."
"Stop defending yourself, sit there and pound it." She said in a much more softer tone.
I sat on a small brown stool, looked down to the kitchen floor just in front of where I sat, and there it was— a big brown mortar and pestle with the red pepper in it. She had already set everything for me.
I began to smash the pepper in the mortar with the pestle, creating a wave of noise.
"Knock! knock!" We heard a voice at the entrance door.
"Are you waiting for me to check out who's at the door? Get up from here!"
"I.. I... I'm going" I stood up with fear, and ran towards the door."
On getting there, I felt a strange feeling, it was somewhat inexplicable but it felt like I could see the floor spin in a circular motion, yet again.
"What's happening?" I muttered to myself.
I waited till I gained balance before I opened the door. Suddenly, our next door neighbour who we referred to as "MT" rushed into our home as though she paid for our rent. We gave her the nickname "MT." It meant "Madam trouble." She was belligerent in nature and was a thorn in the flesh to us.
"Why are you people disturbing my sleep, Don't you have an electric grinder?" She shouted at the top of her voice.
My mum rushed out of the kitchen...
"Mrs Ayo, I'm really sorry". It was my son who was recklessly pounding the pepper with the pestle, it won't happen again."
Mrs Ayo stared at my Mum for a while, it seemed my Mum's apology had sunk in, mitigating her anger. She then left through the entrance door.
"Emeka this is all your fault!"
"But you were the one that arranged the mortar and told me to pound the pepper in it."
"You should have padded the mortar to prevent noise."
"I didn't know, sorry" I replied. I knew she was about to whoop the hell out of me, so I acted like a humble kid.
"By the way, how many times have I told you to enquire before opening my doors to strangers? What if it was a thief, what would have happened?"
Her eyes turned red, the wrinkles on her forehead became prominent, her gaze went straight into my eyes, and her fists clenched. I needed no sorcerer to tell she was about to kill me— I guess she had been waiting for this moment.
"I forgot to..." Before I could complete the statement, my face was smacked so hard, and it was the last thing I remembered.
I woke up in an unknown hospital, struggling to keep my eyelids open the first few seconds. I felt this deep desire to sleep.
"Emeka, Emeka, can you hear me?" A soft voice echoed in my ears while my eyelids intermittently opened and closed.
I eventually opened my eyes, and came into view of the white ceiling above me— it was still spinning, but this time, it felt less intense.
"What happened?" I asked in a really dull manner.
"You lost consciousness."
"You mean I fainted?" I asked like a 4 year old kid.
"Yes, you did."
"I think it's all because of the spin that happened at home."
"No, it's not because of the spin, the doctor said it's hypoglycemia" my Mum replied.
It was the first time I heard that word. "What's hypoglycemia?" I asked.
"It means you don't have food in your body ... By the way how many times did you experience that 'spin thing' you were talking about?"
"Two times, and I'm still experiencing it now."
"Sorry, just relax. I think you're just dizzy and that's why the whole place is spinning. You could have told me it was that serious." She said.
"I actually did but you claimed I was giving excuses."
"Sorry, I was just stressed. I was so scared it was the slap that made you faint. I promise not to beat you again" She gave me a side look while smiling and we both laughed.
I acted like I took her word for it but Deep down, I knew she wasn't going to change — I knew her too well and a few weeks after discharge, she didn't prove me wrong.