The Beggar’s Child: (Story)By: Jude Ifeme
Meena watched her Mama dutifully re-open the large infected wound on her left leg; she carefully scrape open the darkened incrustation with her fingernails and pinch them away bit by bit leaving a fresh lesion sprouting fresh blood and pus. Meena did the best she could to suppress her revulsion. “Wouldn’t you rather lie to eat than steal?” Mama finally responded, her eyes rolled awkwardly to the side to catch Meena’s, but that did not erase the furrows of pain engraved across her forehead. Meena looked away from the crooked look, her heart pounding. She knew it was time; her mother seemed to edging closer to insanity with her desire to attract more pity to herself. Her father was more decent at least; he did not inflict injury on himself. “Besides, we don’t force them to give us alms. Meena, would you not lie to feed your sick Mama?” “But Mama you are not sick, you are the one scraping your wounds every night so it wouldn’t heal.” Her Mama recoiled with a frown. Meena felt...