She has to do this before sunset. Who got her in this position?

Her naivety and her shallow mind, unable to comprehend life’s toughest test has gotten her into something she can never turn away from. This was a test, from whomever, to know the decision she will make. A number of curious eyes glanced at her as she makes her way past each one of them to an almost collapsed building people dreaded to go. But life has surprises for the unprepared. Her heart thumped in her chest that she held it tightly as if it might fall out at any moment. It was hard. Especially for a 17-year-old without proper education to go through an unending pain. Her scrawny looking hands still held onto her crumpled T-shirt she wore with a pleated black skirt. Flashbacks from yesterday kept playing repeatedly in her mind amidst her current situation.

***

He was in the process of unbuttoning his rather dirty shorts in front of her. She stopped him abruptly. She was angry. How stupid could he be for thinking she called him out for sex. Today, wasn’t the usual. It was a cold night to decide the fate of a child. Oh wait, to agree to a fate, she has decided for herself.

Felix leaned casually on an old deserted van they stood against.

“What is it?”

“I am late.”

“Late to where?” He scratched his dry-looking messy hair. Hair which probably hasn’t been washed for months.

“Are you playing dumb or you are dumb?  Is this something you should ask?”

“Fine, I didn’t get it when you said late. Please explain it to me.”

His mannerism distinguished him from other street boys in Madina. He said please at the right time and even apologizes when he might have offended someone. That was how sweet and nice he was. But his inability to clean himself up is the only problem. The problem of the street boys.

Fidgeting with her unkempt nails, she blurted out.

“I’m pregnant.” She raises her head to see his reaction.

Eyes bawled. Hands out of pocket.

“Huh?”

How could they prevent the inevitable? No protection has landed them there in the cold night.

“Give me some money to get rid of it.” She swallowed hard.

He fishes a wad of cash out of his pocket before asking casually.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Do you have any suggestion?”  She retorted back.

Was it pity she saw in his eyes? Probably not. He must be happy she’s letting him off the hook.

He counted everything and gave it to her.

This was their first time but not for their friends who had gone through the same ordeal.

“Call me if you’re finished.”

She nods and headed for the dark night without looking back.

The screaming of a man’s voice brought her back to the real world.

He held a signboard written “Don’t kill a human God has created” boldly written on it.

Inwardly, she wept. Being new to all this didn’t help. She hadn’t consulted with her mum or sisters. It is her decision to make but the pain inside was killing her. The man was right. No child deserved to have their life taken from them even before they can see the world.

She rushed passed the man’s yelling.

Finally, in the very private secluded corner which housed an old woman, was a long queue. Girls her age stood casually, waiting for their turn. In conclusion, they were all there to kill an unborn child. How many young girls did this every year or even every month?

After an excruciating hour of waiting, it got to her turn. She knocks on the old looking door before pushing to go inside.

She took in her surroundings. Rusted cold metal tools, some as big as her full hand, lay on a metal tray beside a worn-out hospital bed.

“Lie down and open your legs” her rough voice came to her like a nightmare.

Hesitantly, she did as she ordered. The old woman bared her decayed teeth at her, smiling.

“It will be over soon,” she assured her making her shut her eyes to go through the possible pain.

She felt a tear escape her still shut eyes. This is the time you think about so many things and do nothing at all.

“Ow!” She screamed.

The old lady forced her back down before she could try raising herself up again.

She lost sight of everything around her. Even with the constant clattering of tools. Her senses falling into the deep with her.

***

The beeping sound wakes the girl from her slumber. Taking in her condition, she reasoned that she was in a hospital.

“I will kill this girl today!” if Lisa’s mum were to escape from the clutches of the male nurses who had held her, Lisa might receive the beatings of her life.

“What’s going on?” Lisa asked the young woman seated next to her on a hospital chair.

She sat upright.

“Did the baby die?” Her widened eyes were proof of how expectant she was for a reply. Ignored, she rose up not heeding to the warnings of her sister to lie down. It was quite surprising that he was fit to stand on her own. The male nurses had managed to send her mother out of the ward.

“Thump thump” she jumped repeatedly. Expecting to feel no pain but she did feel pain in her lower abdomen.

“You better sit down. Your baby is safe. Did you really think you can do what you want because it’s your body?”

She wanted to bawl her eyes out at her sister but she was not having any of it.

“I’m taking my leave. Come home if you want and there are chores at home waiting for you.”

She’s known this lady her entire life to expect a sisterly love. Mavis as she affectionately calls her is not your regular sister to laugh at jokes with. Nor take your place in completing a task for you when ill.

“Can I come with you?” She literally begged.

Mavis sized her up. “You should appreciate that I came here to see you. Come home later.” And she was gone.

She sat dejectedly on the cold floor. If she’d gotten rid of the child, she might have sung praises to God but was greatly disappointed. Money has been wasted on a failed abortion. She had no money for transport. Her mum was pissed and the only person who could have helped her, ditched her for God knows what.

Fishing out her cracked worn-out Nokia phone, she dialled his number without batting an eye.

“Hello, can you come pick me up?” She said after it hit voice mail several times.

“Is it done already?”

“Get here. You might want to hear it from me in person.”

She hanged up.

The little things she brought, went back into her polythene bag before heading for the door after changing back to her clothes.

The squeaking and crying of newborn babies at the hospital reminded her of the one she is to have in nine months.

“Hey,” his voice called out to her.

Felix met with her outside the hospital.

He looked her over. Nothing was changed about her. But he decided to ask any way.

“Did you do it?”

The tears Lord. The tears she’d been trying to put on hold, got it release.

She wiped both cheeks and sniffs

“I don’t know what happened. I woke up at the hospital after going there.”

“So, it did not happen?”

She nods.

“Come here,” he wanted to hug her so she could stop crying.

“Don’t touch me. I asked you here for transportation, and you’re offering me a hug. Maybe you think this is a joke. You’re watching movies too much. I can see it has gotten into your head.”

She walked briskly out of his sight. She is right about one thing. He had to think about this baby they have made but not the movies part. He doesn’t remember the last time he watched one. Lots of teenagers in this situation have little knowledge on how to care for a baby, therefore the baby is left in the care of their parents or guardian. The unlucky ones, take care of the child themselves.

He meant to ask about the money he gave her but her reaction after telling him what went on stopped him.

He smelled of petrol and grease. Work every day was hard but as a young man in his early twenties, he’s got to work to eat. Hand to mouth. How is he going to take care of another life without bailing like his mates had done.

He followed her back home to discuss the inevitable.

They boarded a van together and dropped off at the same destination.

“Will I see you tonight?”

Before she could throw an insult at him, he added.

“To talk about this,” he pointed at her stomach

“Let me figure this on my own for now. I have home issues to deal with.” His face hardened at her reply. She didn’t want them to talk about it then when will they have the time to do so?

“Alright. Call me if you need anything,” Concern flashed across his face. It was his first child from a girl he liked. A girl he might want to marry if he had the means.

He got moving, away from her house. A small but manageable one-bedroom house. Lisa’s mum occupied the bedroom whiles her two sisters occupied the hall. The room is mostly filthy. Hardly kept clean by anyone. Visitors sat outside, for their unkempt room is off-limit.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Aku, the youngest of the three, shrugged as she walked past her without a care.

Lisa stopped her. “Leave me alone. I’m already running late” She was neatly dressed for wherever she meant to go.

“It seems you don’t want to go.”

Sighs. She crosses her arms over her chest.

“Fine. I’m going to church.”

“Have you washed the bowls? It’s been unwashed for days and you pick up your bag to say you’re going to church. God doesn’t like dirty people.”

She chuckled. “It’s you to talk. Please, don’t ruin my mood for me this afternoon. Did I ask you where you went this morning?”

The harsh life on the street propelled youngsters to normalize disrespect for their elders and older siblings.

“You go. You will come and meet mum at home.” The constant argument between the sisters harboured more indifference than love. Who got the last words were more important than who should make up first. Aku left. Leaving her sister in her own thoughts. A habit she’s gotten used to.

It wasn’t the ordeal for Lisa. For girls like her, life still goes on. She ate the leftover on top of the kitchen shelf where every other thing is kept. Subconsciously she rubbed gently on her tummy. Trying to determine if the leftover might be enough for the unborn child and her. Shrugging, she scooped the food with her unwashed hands, into her mouth. When she was full, she wiped her oily lips and left for the streets. Because she had to rush to the abortion center, the bananas she had planned to sell have probably gone bad by now yet she decided to check in to see if there were any good ones she could sell. Or else, she would decide to eat the spoilt ones since she does not want food going waste.

“Eii I thought you won’t sell today.” Her friend, Mawuena, a girl her age asked the moment she got to the roadside.

Her mind was quite occupied. She checked over the covered fruits carefully.

“Ah! It has gone bad.”

“Eheh. What did you expect? That angels will come and sell them for you?” Mawuena chipped in.

Lisa ignored her remarks and focused on packing up the decayed banana into the waste bin.

She closed for the day only to go back with an empty stomach. She had eaten but it felt as if she had not taken anything at all. Determined to go back, she packed up and left as quickly as she came.

She fixed herself some gari soakings before lying down on the cold floor. A bit satisfied, she did something she hadn’t done in a while. Pray.

Daisy Yawson is a young Ghanaian writer and a student at University of Professional Studies.

She likes writing and watching reality shows.

WILL OUR LOVE END? Happens to be her first story on The Guest Writer series.

She returns with A STREET ROMANCE

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