Zebra’s Life by Busola Elegbede

 
   Squinting angrily, I shielded my eyes from the blinding lights that fell from the flats looking down my window. Zebra’s cries intensified and resounded in the early hours of the hot morning like the sound of a traumatized opera musician. Lifting my tired head off my pillow I received a knock on my nose. Jesus! Obinna, do you want to kill me; I screamed angrily at my husband of only two weeks. He adjusted his pillow and continued to sleep, like an overgrown grizzly bear unaware he had hurt and upset me. Serves me right, I married a giant the kind that has no worries. I could not understand how an intelligent enlightened girl like me got to this point.

     Squeaking annoying sounds escaped from the window; I didn’t need to look up because I knew why. The burglary proof swayed instead of protecting us and securing the window, that’s another reason I’m upset. Obinna had paid for the flat without making sure everything was intact.

 Exhaling, I flicked back my freshly straightened shoulder length hair and placed my flat palm firmly on my no longer smooth oval face. Fighting back wicked tears, I threw back my head and sniffed at the same time. It can only last for a while, yes, only for a while.

     Zebra’s black and white stripes caught my attention; she landed on my window pane and stared at me with through those familiar evil green eyes that bored into my angelic brown eyes. She was speaking to me and I knew why.

      Last night, Zebra had given birth to eight kittens and had laboured hard to acquire them.  I had also laboured hard to raise half of the rent money eighty thousand and was traumatized when Obinna and I moved in yesterday.

     Angry barks erupted from the landlords’ dog; Tiger recognized Zebra’s scent and crashed angrily onto his metal cage. The heartless dog had fed on all eight kittens the night before; like sisters in a cruel world, we had both lost it all. Zebra growled at Tiger; venting at the mastiff that stole her life. Much like I do at Obinna with, no effect. Her life was a sign of hope to me and….THUD! 

Metal crashed hard onto the concrete, startled me and prompted Obinna to jump out of bed. Armed robbers, I thought and protested with fear in my voice. 

I didn’t want to live here, you insisted…  Obinna silenced me by placing his large hands over my mouth. From a crouching position in the corner of my room, I watched in horror as a skinny man in white, lifted up a rusty rake.  Zebra struggled hard and screamed, trying to get the metal teeth out from her neck.  Obinna hissed and stood up; it’s Mark, the guard. My eyes danced strangely from the metal teeth to the blood dripping down Zebra’s white and black coat. Zebra struggled hard for her life and sadness engulfed me as I began to shiver.

Why would he do such; I blotted out through trembling lips. My eyes flooded quickly with tears prompting Obinna to turn and stare at me, SUYA, why else?
Suya is grilled cow or ram meat coated with blended groundnuts, bell peppers and spices, not cat meat. What kind of animal eats cats?

Poor Zebra; I lamented and stretched my legs to free the blood flow and raced to the entrance.

You can’t stop a man from eating what he wants, Omolara please this is our first night here.

     Obinna tried to stop me and failed. I marched straight up to the landlords flat and banged repeatedly at his door; I watched him stare out of his curtains at me. He unlocked his secure burglary proof and stared at me. 

 You need to fix the burglary proof; I told him firmly and folded my hands across my small full breasts. 

 Eh hehn, is that all? The landlord asked, he sounded a little disappointed

 I won’t live in fear and I insist you call the welder now, now, now.  

The landlord laughed and Obinna took a step forward.

 Ah, okay o, the landlord gasped and looked around him; he searched and found what he was looking for in his hand and signalled to Obinna as he dialled his phone.

The landlord claimed to my dismay that the welder was not available and that infuriated me.

If you don’t call him now then Zebra fate would befall Tiger. 

This further confused the landlord who opened his mouth to protest and then froze. He was in total shock and left his mouth wide open.

Prompting Obinna and I to turn and see what he was looking at.        

      Mark swayed awkwardly with a satisfied grin on his face; he had Zebra’s head in one hand and her body in the other. 

     The landlord shivered and stepped back as my eyes followed the trail of blood Mark had left.

Iru wahala wo le leyi? He protested and dialled his phone and paced up and down his balcony. 

You have to come, now; he insisted and nodded his head. I had a feeling my stay here would be a little bit better from now on 

      It was a busy noisy day, the sound of the hammer didn't disturb me nor did the lights of the welding-machine hurt my eyes. Obinna watched me strangely, hugged me and then let his head touch the tip of my head; a gesture he had long abandoned.

I like the new you, he told me as he squeezed and hugged me gently. I reciprocated and laughed, it felt alien to me but good. Tiger barked angrily at everyone but none paid any attention to the over grown cannibal.  After all, he would eat his last supper tonight; I laughed out and squeezed my darling. Zebra my little kitten in cats heaven, you will not die in vain.

 I wonder what Marks fate would be? I couldn’t think of any right now but I knew it would come to mind.

      Later that day, Obinna tugged firmly at the secure burglary proof now shielding the window into our bedroom and smiled at me. I laughed, and followed my dear husband. The landlord was lucky and Tiger was permanently now asleep.

      The night clouds had covered everywhere and my tired eyes were succumbing to sleep. Obinna opened the door and I entered our home; he locked the door and we both curled up together on our mattress. I still heard Zebra’s cries but they are only tears of joy; she’s reunited with her babies and had sacrificed her life so I could control mine.

The End or Is It?

***COPYRIGHT 2016***
***Busola Elegbede***