Come Back to Me

By Ikechukwu Joseph

"How did you read my thought? Where were you when all these woes befell me? Yet you claimed you were assigned to protect me..." Amanda's anger rose as well as her voice.
Mr. Familiar rose in defense. "I'd never left your side nor forsook you for a minute..."
"Liar! Get out of my sight..." but she piped down after offloading her frustrations on Mr. Familiar. He was the only one closer to her now in her moments of deep loneliness. "Why did you desert me like the others?" Her tears flowed down like a river. She was deeply hurt.
"I had never and I will never desert you. You're a child of destiny. The call is yours. You are meant to discover yourself and destiny all alone. I am only a guide and guard. I am many things to you. I was Mr. Johnson the fisherman, when you got lost at sea. I was there to stop Mr. Ahab when he tried to rape..."
Amanda shuddered and returned to her proper self and senses. "How did you know all my secrets... no one but..."
"I was the unknown sailor that rescued you from the sea mishap. I instigated Anita, the prison inmate to take the poisoned food meant for you. I..."
"Stop, stop, stop." Amanda's head grew big and full. She cried the more. After some long silence, she raised her head and asked, "why did you not save Lucy, my husband and others in the accident?"
There was another long silence. "I was only sent to you..."
"Come Back to Me" (Amanda Series Book One) is the story of a young girl, who found love in a supposedly old man.
"I was torn between the man I love and the future ahead of me. The man who stole away not only my heart but also my loneliness, depression, boredom of life and rejection. The gold I could not find in the young and exuberant, in the strong and mighty, in the rich and the poor, I found in him. Call him old but to me he ressurected my life and the youthfulness I lost long ago. I see in him life and vibrancy, a future that will never die, a sun in me that will shine forever, a beauty that will never fade even in death. It is only you." Face your obstacles and offer forgiveness where possibe to heal wounds. Amanda did just that - a recipe she left for the hurting and down trodden. Get your copy of this page turner and life changer, "Come back to me (Amanda Series, book 1) today and for your friends too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ikechukwu Joseph
• Release date: Feb 25, 2024

Book preview

Chapter One

Holiday is coming. No more morning bell. No more teachers whip. No more… Amanda sang as she continued with her daily house chores, relishing the euphoria of freedom and peace of mind associated with the holidays. No early morning rising at 5.30 a.m. to do morning functions. No brain tasking assignments nor rib cracking field works. Then her mother, Mrs. Ann Ama called out to her only surviving daughter, Amanda, Amanda, listen to the news or radio jingle. They just announced summer holiday Camp for teenagers and young adult of school age.

Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Amanda exclaimed, raising her hands in appreciation. She'd always been easy going and the cheerful type despite the myriads of problems they'd to go through in the absence of a father.

She wrote down the date and venue. Amanda was really ready and looking forward to the bonfire, singing competition, games and the new friends she would make.

The Summer Holiday Camp was organized by UNICEF - United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, the UN children's agency that works for the protection and survival of children around the world.

That makes it very interesting, the mother concurred. Amanda, opportunities for international Scholarship abounds with UNICEF, so you must attend

Mum, you can trust your daughter. Whose blood runs in my veins? Of course, the blue blood of a royal life and winner."

Seeing her mothers countenance, she retracted, Your blood or dads or both, a united front.

Do you have a dad? the mother retorted, banging her hands on the table in front of her.

Mum you should understand me. I do not mean to offend you, sweet mother o, she said with expression and emphasis.

I suffered under the rain and the sun to raise all of you, all alone, I mean all with the help of God. I saw your siblings under painful circumstances die in my hands. Where was he? Almost to teardrops now that turned to anger. Please do not mention that name here again in this house, as she walked away banging the door behind her. Outside with an air of breeze over her as if calling her senses back, she realized that self-interest and being self-absorbed is denying the kid her right. Children have rights and deserve some respect too. Respect they say is reciprocal. Every child must be accorded his or her own space and rights in the family.

The husband had eloped with his student-lover to start another life and abandoned them to their fate. He never came back and never once asked about his daughter Amanda who was about a year old. Amanda was abused by other kids as a child without a father and many other humiliations she had to go through in school. They tortured her feelings with statements like, Everybody should answer their fathers name. Every child without a father is what? ... Especially during special occasions where parents were invited. Amanda had no father to stand for her, only her mother. They were ejected from their residence as they could not afford the rent. In the open cold Amanda fell sick and was hospitalized. She escaped death by the whiskers unlike her siblings. So, you should appreciate the mothers anger and frustrations.

The Holiday Camp held at kilometer ten, along Lagos Ibadan expressway, at the military owned base, more like a military camp. Everything was regimented and security was so tight because of the menace of kidnappers at that time.

Camp activities involved indoor and outdoor activities, most of which included canoeing, hiking, bonfire and so on. New activities were introduced. Programs like camp for performing arts, music, magic, computer programing and programs for special-needs children. Educational, athletics and cultural development was the primary purpose of this summer camp. One of the outdoor activities was a trip to the lakeside.

The counselors or cabin leaders had a manageable size of campers for purposes of group activities. Each group surrounded their bonfire telling folk stories, singing or even cooking. One of the groups that strayed into the nearby bush set the place on fire. This caused great damage as some other groups in the swamp area were cut off. The way back was all on fire. But for the rescue team that saved the day it would have been a total disaster. Did they really save the day with some campers still missing?

Lucy and Amanda met at the camp but during the lake visit they decided to explore the waterside during the free time. They went too far beyond the swamp away from other campers. It became frightening when they seemed lost and could not trace their way back. As they blamed each other for suggesting or not suggesting the venture, Amanda the guiltier party thought of a way out.

Let us call the camp security chief.

How will that be as we dont have their numbers? Lucy replied apparently in anger banging her foot