13/07/2025
📖 The Girl Named Somto
Episode 1 – “Arrival”
The car smelled like leather and air freshener — nothing like home!
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Somto sat stiffly in the back seat, her nylon bag clutched tightly to her chest. She had barely spoken since the man Juliet sent picked her up from the park. He said little too — just that “Madam no like noise” and “You go dey alright.”
She wasn’t sure what “alright” meant anymore.
They pulled into a street lined with tall gates and trimmed flowers. The houses looked like they were built for kings. Then, they stopped in front of one with a black gate.
Somto’s hands trembled as the gate creaked open. The compound sparkled — tiles so clean she could see the sky in them. A maid in uniform was watering flowers. The driver gave her a nod and unloaded Somto’s bag.
Madam Juliet came out of the house slowly, sunglasses on her face, a phone pressed to her ear. She didn’t smile.
She didn’t even greet Somto.
She ended the call abruptly.
“You’re the girl, right?”
“Yes ma,” Somto replied quietly.
“Hm. Come inside.”
No welcome. No water. No kind word.
Inside, the house was another world. Marble floors. Golden furniture. Chandeliers that glittered like rain. Somto stopped to admire the ceiling.
Madam snapped her fingers. “Eyes front. You’ve never seen light before?”
“Sorry ma,” Somto said, lowering her gaze.
She followed Juliet through the house, clutching her old bag as if it could protect her.
“You’ll work here. Clean, wash, cook — everything. You eat after everyone. You speak only when spoken to. This is not your father’s house, so don’t come here and be forming pity story. Do you understand me?”
“Yes ma.”
“Your room is outside — back of the house. That small place with the iron door. That’s where all house girls sleep. That’s your space. You’ll wake by 5am. Your uniform will be given to you tomorrow.”
Somto nodded, trying to remember everything.
Then it began.
She stepped into the living room with her shoes — not knowing they should be left at the door.
She touched the glass table with her dusty hands.
She said “thank you” when Juliet handed her a worn-out bedsheet — and Juliet hissed like she had been insulted.
“Who trained you? You don’t even know how to behave in a proper house. God help me,” she muttered.
Later that night, Somto found herself in the cramped room Juliet called “hers.” No fan. Just a mat on the floor and a single bucket.
She sat down slowly. Everything ached — not from work, but from the weight of disappointment and confusion.
She missed her mother already. Her brothers. Her old bed. Even the rooster that crowed at 4am.
But most of all, she missed being seen.
Here, she felt like a shadow.
🔸 To be continued...
