Abandoned - S01 E06

Story 1 day ago

Abandoned - S01 E06

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 6

ABANDONED, Episode Six

Benny woke up early that morning. Her children were still sleeping peacefully on the small mat. She looked at the small bag of garri in the corner and sighed. It would not last another day. She needed to go out again. The construction site had paid her well the last time, and she prayed they would give her another chance. She quickly cleaned herself up, fed her babies, and wrapped them securely in the basket. She carried them and walked fast towards the construction site, hoping the men there would not have forgotten her. She didn't have a choice. Survival was all she had in mind.

When she got to the site, the workers saw her and shouted in excitement. One of them ran to call the site manager. The manager came out smiling.

"Madam water carrier!" he said. "Where have you been? We've been looking for you since that day." Benny was surprised. She didn't know they would even remember her. "I thought the Job was over," she replied gently. The manager shook his head. "No o. We kept the water-

fetching job for you. It's your own permanently now. And guess what? We increased the pay to N50,000 per day," he said.

Benny's mouth opened slightly in surprise. She was not expecting that kind of good news. "Thank you so much, sir," she said. "God bless you." The manager smiled and said, "Just keep your babies somewhere safe and start. You'll be paid after the day's work." One of the workers brought a mat and placed it under a small shade. Benny laid her babies down and ki.ssed them before picking up her buckets. She began to fetch water for the workers. She carried each bucket with determination. Sweat rolled down her face, but she kept going. She wanted her children to eat well.

Around noon, the manager called her aside. "Come and eat," he said, handing her a plate of hot rice and meat. Benny collected the food with both hands and thanked him again. She sat beside her babies and ate quickly. The food gave her energy, and she returned to work immediately. The men watched her and admired her strength. One of them brought out his phone and started recording her. "This woman is trying," he whispered to another worker. They continued to record Benny as she carried buckets of water again and again. She didn't even know she was being filmed.

By evening, the manager asked everyone to gather. Benny stood aside, wondering what was going on. Then a big carton was brought forward. The manager turned to Benny. "We have something for you," he said. "You are a strong woman, and we admire your courage." He opened the carton and brought out packs of baby food, baby clothes, diapers, feeding bottles, and even a baby bed. Benny stood there speechless. The workers clapped and cheered. The manager continued, "We know you didn't ask for this, but we just want to help you and your children." Benny was overwhelmed. She managed to whisper, "Thank you."

The manager handed the gifts to her and told her not to worry about carrying them home. One of the site vehicles would drop her. Another worker stepped forward and handed her an envelope with her salary for the day. "You deserve it," he said. Benny was shaking slightly, not from fear, but from gratitude. She looked at her babies and smiled for the first time in a long while. The same worker who had recorded her earlier stepped aside and posted the video on social media with the caption: "This woman deserves help. Look at what she's going through for her babies."

By the time Benny got home that night, the video had already started gaining attention online. People were commenting and sharing it. Some wrote that they were inspired by her strength. Others asked for her account details so they could send money. The video was posted on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Within hours, it had gone viral. Some bloggers picked it up and shared the story. "Single mother carrying four babies while working at a construction site," one caption read. Benny had no idea what was happening online. She was just happy she had food, baby items, and a safe night ahead.

Later that night, her neighbour, Mama Ada, rushed into the house holding her phone. "Benny! Benny! You're everywhere online," she said excitedly. Benny looked confused. "What do you mean?" Mama Ada handed her the phone. Benny saw the video of herself working at the construction site. She saw herself receiving the baby items. Her face was clearly shown, and her name had been mentioned.

"People are asking for you. Some want to help you," Mama Ada said. Benny sat on the mat

and looked at the phone again. "Do you think this is good or bad?" she asked softly.

Mama Ada sat beside her. "It's good, my dear. People are touched by your story. Help will come," she said. But Benny was not fully convinced. She was happy that people cared, but she was also scared that the hospital or police might see the video and trace her. She didn't want to lose her children. She had gone through too much to be with them. As much as she needed help, she also wanted to remain hidden. She looked at her babies sleeping beside the new baby bed and tried to push the fear aside. "Let me enjoy this moment," she said quietly.

That night, Benny could not sleep much. She kept thinking about what would come next. Would someone really help her? Would someone arrest her? Would she be forced to return to the hospital? Her phone rang once, and it was an unknown number. She didn't answer. She turned it off and laid down again. Her life had changed in just one day. A video had brought her story to the world. But what would the world do with it? That was the question on her mind as she closed her eyes and held her babies close.