Fiery Ring

Image source: metaAi

“Theresa!”
“Theresa!”
The mom called from the kitchen
She called again, this time with much energy. Yet there was no response. She wondered where Theresa would have gone. She was in the kitchen helping her with the evening meal. Theresa’s behaviour is something else this day, the mom's reason again. This time she lowered the gas regulator and walked out to check if she'd see Theresa. She walked into the sitting room, then to Theresa's room, and finally to the restroom. She wasn't around. She then stepped outside in case she had sneaked out to make some calls, as the order day that she left her in the parlour to go to Varenda to make calls. On that day, after she called Theresa twice, there was no response. She walked quietly and met her on the call. She asked her who was talking to her, and she lied that it was her female classmate. Although the mom perceived that it was a boy, she put the phone down and promised to give it back after a few days.

                       ***

Theresa just turned 17 years old some months ago, and she had begun to show a strange attitude at home. Before now, she had been open to her mom, telling her some things happening around her, her friends and teachers. But recently she hardly talks to her mom she prefers to spend time alone in her room. Earlier, the mom thought that it was a result of a mobile device bought for her by her dad. Initially, when her father nursed the idea of getting her a phone, her mom kicked against it. Insisting that until she finishes her examinations in the month to come. “My daughter is old enough to own a phone” the father had said. “This phone issue might caused a distraction to her” she had insisted. In most families, the mother will only have a say, but the father will have his way.

                    ****

She walked around the entire house she couldn't find Theresa. She wanted to go out of the gate when she perceived burnt food. She knew that her food was getting burnt hence she rushed into the kitchen. As she dashed into the kitchen, Theresa was suddenly in there trying to switch off the gas.

“Where are you coming from”? the mother shouted at her. For some minutes, Theresa was lost in the moment, not knowing what to say. “I said Where are you coming from? She thundered. At this point, Theresa knew that if she lied, her mom might descend on her, and if she told the truth, she would also descend on her.

“I was in the restroom room” she stammered
“You must be an assistant devil with these lies”
“If you don't tell me the truth now”, she said, aiming at the spatula that was lying hopelessly on the cupboard.
Theresa knew what was to come so she immediately ran out of the kitchen and out of the compound entirely.
“Come back here”, her mom called, but Theresa was gone.
“At last, you will still come back to this house”, she consoled.

The sun was going down, and night was coming, Theresa had not been back. The food has been served on the table and Dad is at the door.
“Honey, welcome”, she greeted her husband.
“How are you, my dear”? He asked kissing her forehead. “I am fine, honey”, as she took the bag from him and they walked into the room.
“Where is Theresa”? He asked while removing his clothes. She explained everything to him.
“What time did this happen”?
“About a couple of hours ago while I was preparing the evening meal”
“That's so serious”, he reacted casually as he walked into the bathroom. Hoping that she might be in the environment waiting for his dad to arrive so she can have a safe place.

It's past 8:00 pm and Theresa is not back at the house. Where could this girl go, they wondered. They called several times, and she wasn't answering calls. Fear and anticipation fill their thoughts, and they decide to go out in the night and look for her. Two hours later, Theresa was not found. They had planned to go to the police station the following day if she didn't return home. On their way home, her mom decided to call again and a male voice from the other end responded.
“Who are you”? The voice said
The mom was confused, she signalled her husband to come closer as she put the phone on a loudspeaker. “I said who's on the line..” the voice said again. “Who are you?” both of them asked at the same time, as though they had earlier planned for it. The voice from the other end did not respond, it was as if someone was mumbling from the background, “it's my mom” The mumbling was loud enough that they could hear from this end. “Theresa, come back home”, her father said, but the call had dropped before he could finish his statement. They looked at each other and couldn't say anything. He told her to call again, but this time her number was switched off.

It was a moment for Mr.and Mrs. Sylvester. The information has spread everywhere that Theresa ran out of the house to an unknown destination. News such as this spreads like wildfire, and it was already in the hearing of her schoolmates. Her examination was supposed to take place in a few months, yet no one knows her whereabouts. The school and other members of the community took it upon themselves to search for her, but all efforts couldn't yield a result. The examination had ended, and on a fateful Sunday evening, Theresa came back home looking so tattered and unkempt. The father was sitting at the front of the house reading from his phone. She walked up to him, knelt and began to weep, asking for forgiveness. The father was disappointed in her, reflecting on how they suffered looking for her. He thought about the money they had spent on her to give her a better life, and he reflected on the humiliation the people had meted out to him. He was speechless. He knew that Theresa had made a wrong choice and her decision was influenced by her age range and the friends he kept. While weeping and pleading, a hand touched her, and she lifted her head, and behold, it was her mom. She held her by the hand and embraced her. They took her in and cleaned her up