CHAPTER TWO: The Firewood And The Fire

After Aunty Tosin, Bolade's uncle's wife, left the kitchen, Bolade sprang into action. He went to the backyard to light the fire, but he found no firewood.

He was torn between two options: going inside to inform Aunty Tosin that there was no firewood, or going into the bush to search for some himself. Bolade chose the first option. He went back into the house and told his aunt that there was no firewood he could use.

But his aunt started ranting and insulting him. "Are you an imbecile? Are you a child? You are so senseless that your brain could not tell you to go and get firewood?" Bolade answered that he did not know where to get it from. His aunt gave a savage reply. "Come and get them from my head, since you are too senseless for your brain to tell you to go to the bush and search."

Immediately, tears filled Bolade's eyes. He told his aunt that he was afraid to go into the bush at that time; it was still very early, the cocks had not even crowed for the second time. But his aunt's words hurt him even more.

"How is that my business, ehn? Tell me, how am I supposed to be concerned by that? Am I your parents? Didn't your parents teach you how to be hard-working? Well, I don't blame you, because your parents were also lazy, always asking my husband for money."

Bolade couldn't do anything but cry. When Mrs. Durojaiye saw that he made no attempt to move, she shouted at him.

"Are you okay? I said go! Go and search for wood. Let the cock crow again before you get home and you will see. Useless child!"

Bolade ran into the bush as fast as his little legs could carry him, crying all the way.

Bolade finally got to the bush and gathered the wood, but he did not know how to light it. His only option was to go to his aunt or his uncle, and he chose the second.

He went to his uncle's room and was glad when he did not meet his aunt there. Mr. Durojaiye was surprised to see him and asked what he needed. Bolade told him that his aunt told him to light the firewood, but he did not know how.

Mr. Durojaiye feigned surprise as he heard what Bolade said. "Your aunty told you to do that?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Bolade replied.

"Didn't your parents teach you all these things?" Mr. Durojaiye asked again, and Bolade said no.

"That's bad. My brother's wife ought to have taught you all that. But you will have to go and meet your aunty to teach you, in case of next time. Okay?"

Bolade felt sad at that statement, but he did not complain. He left the room in search of his aunty, his heart beating very loud. When his aunty saw him, she launched at him, beating him, calling him names, raining curses on him, telling him that he would not succeed in killing her the same way he killed his parents.

Finally, she asked why he had not lit the fire. Bolade explained everything to her — how he brought the wood but didn't know how to light it, how he met his uncle, what his uncle told him, and how he searched for her.

His aunt shouted at him again and then showed him how to light it. She only gave instructions while Bolade carried them out. When Bolade made a mistake, it was another round of beatings for him.

Finally, he succeeded in lighting the fire. His uncle's wife told him to hurry because his uncle had to go to his farm.

QUESTIONS FOR MY READERS:

1. Do you think Bolade's uncle knows how his wife is treating Bolade, or is he pretending not to know?

2. If you were Bolade, would you have gone to the bush at that early hour?

3. What do you think Aunty Tosin will do next after Bolade lights the fire?

Please drop your answers in the comment section, I love reading them. Don't forget to like and share! Your comments give me strength to continue this story.