MUNACHI (unedited) | A Nigerian Thriller

"The mind can't escape what it can't forget."

The onion sizzled in the pot of groundnut oil its scent filling the kitchenette, as young Munachi assisted Ìyá in pounding the pepper for the jollof rice. The heat from the stove radiating in the small space caused them to form beads of sweat.

They both worked in silence, each lost in thought. Munachi knew her grandmother wished to speak with her, she had noticed her brooding attitude from last night and she wondered what it was that caused Ìyá to worry so much.

This quiet went on until the rice was placed in the sauce and put to steam. Munachi placed the last dish she had washed in the basket to dry, wiping her wet hand on her worn skirt she turned to her grandmother. "Ìyá mi, I'm done with the dishes. The rice should be ready in the next thirty minutes,"

Her grandmother remained silent and still on the bench facing the open door that led to the backyard, the soft breeze blowing her wrapper back and forth. Munachi noticed that Ìyá wasn't going to respond so she continued," ehe, I need to go to Mummy Blessing's store to buy the bread and egg Chisom will take to school tomorrow." Muna bent her knees in reverence and advanced to the door.

"Ọmọbinrin mi," ìyà called.

Munachi paused and turned to face her grandmother, "Yes mama." Ìyá stood from the bench readjusting her wrapper and without casting a glance to Munachi, made for the backyard through the open door, "Follow me."

Munachi saw herself follow her grandmother to the backyard and walk to the little garden of pepper, cocoyam and ọha planted weeks ago. Getting to the edge of the bamboo fence, Iya stopped and turned to her.

"The death of your parent's killers will take you no where ọmọ mi, you need to heal and move on with your life. Stop it!" ìyá cried.

Beep! Beep!

Munachi blinked in shock of the sudden outburst, she was no longer the young twenty year old that followed her grandmother to the backyard, she was much older and looked exactly as she did presently.

"No! I won't stop until those bastards get paid double in their own coin! Ìyá, it's too late to stop, try and understand," Munachi wailed as tears rolled down her cheeks, she slumped to the ground her shoulders shaking violently at the intense sobs that fell from her lips.

Beep! Beep!

"Mụnachim, get up!"

She sniffed and looked up expecting the brooding eyes of her grandmother but met with the sad light brown orbs of her mother staring down at her. "Mama?"

"Mụnachịm, get up," Vivian repeated this time her voice calm, persuasive.

Muna stood up still in shock, she looked around her and noticed she was now in the house she once called home, the living room looking just as she and her sister left it. The blood stained couch, the shattered glass family portrait, the entire room in disarray filled with the stench of blood.

"Why am I here? Where is papa? Mama, why did you bring me to this cursed place?" Muna wailed in despair being unable to grasp the time switch going on around her surroundings.

Beep! Beep!

"No matter how hard you try to deny it, this was once your home. Your happy place, Mụnachịm."