Tales of a 13-Year-Old Drug Addict

Who can save her?

Simi's mother's phone rang. 'Who could it be? she sighed.

'Hello, is this Ms. Newton... your daughter is in a coma! She has just been rushed to Kubwa general hospital. Please start rushing down now,' said the male voice when she picked up.

What! What happened? Ms. Newton yelled. 'Egba mi o. Hello, hello'.

But no response.

She quickly rushed out of her small office in the Ministry of health. Her only child had just fainted in school. What could have happened? What if…

Thoughts kept running through her head as she boarded a Keke from Federal Secretariat to the hospital.

Simi was her everything. Nothing could happen to her beautiful 13-year-old daughter. She had Simi enrolled at Government Secondary School Kubwa after she was separated from her husband.

Baba Simi was a great drunk who had complicated her life in many ways. She had to leave him when he nearly beat her to death after getting drunk one night. Her family had warned her about getting involved with him but she loved him. She chose him over her family.

Now Simi was all she had. She didn't earn much as a civil servant. But she would give her last to see her daughter happy. Simi was pretty, smart, and sociable. She had good grades. Everything appeared to be going on well. Until now.

She ran into the hospital yelling, 'Omo mi da? Patients and nurses stared at her. A doctor approached her asking for more details about her child. 'Her name is Simi…she could barely speak.

Just then Simi's teacher walked in. 'You're welcome ma'. 'Welcome ba wo, she answered grabbing the man's tie. Where is my daughter? What happened to her?

The doctor managed to calm her down.

'Madam please calm down. This is a hospital. Let's go to my office.' The doctor took a deep breath as he sat down.

'Ms. Newton, your daughter has been using drugs.'

'Ann Ahn, why? Was she sick and didn't tell me? I could have taken her to the pharmacy.

The doctor replied, ' not just any drug, I mean ecstasy and traces of Opium were found in her system. She has been taking it for a while but I believe she took in too much this time. Her body could not digest the large quantity, so it went into shock. That is why she was brought here.'

'Doctor, are you sure of what you're saying? I've never seen my daughter take alcohol let alone take drugs.

'Well, she's a child, and they can be sneaky sometimes. You just didn't pay enough attention. She has to be transferred to the Federal Medical Center. There, the toxins will be flushed out of her system. Then I advise you to take her to a rehabilitation center. To avoid a reoccurrence.

'Thank you, doctor'. Grateful her daughter had hope of recovery. Please can I see her now?

'Yes, please'. Replied the doctor.

Simi looked pale. Not the plumpy child she knew.

'Simi, my joy, my pride, my everything. Tears welled down her eyes as she sat beside her daughter on the hospital bed. '

What happened?

'Mummy, I'm sorry. My friend said it would not hurt me, cried Simi. ' Your friend? Ta ni yen?

'Fola'. She replied.

'You've never mentioned that name to me before'.

Just then it dawned on her that she didn't know any of Simi's friends. She only knew her daughter was in Junior Secondary Class 3D. Her teacher was Mr. Ifeanyi. And one girl came to her house from time to time. She couldn't remember her name.

'You know you can always talk to me my child' Simi looked away.

'His name is Fola, he is my boyfriend.'

'Ah! Boyfriend ke! What do you need a boyfriend for? Who is he?

'He is in SS2. He said he liked me. We started dating 8 months ago. I stay with him most of the time after school. I knew he and his friends took some things and when I asked him what it was he said it made them feel good.

One day he told me to try it. I wasn't comfortable but because I was always around them, I tried it. It felt strange but I liked it. And I started taking it with them.'

'How come I didn't know? Why didn't you tell me? Asked Ms. Newton.

'I wanted to but you hardly pay attention to me. You come back late from work and you are always busy with your phone afterward. I was so bored. Fola and the substances kept me happy. Mummy, the substances kept me happy not you.'

'Ah, mo gbe! I have failed you, my child. I am sorry. I thought I was doing my best. Please forgive me. I want to be a better mother henceforth. I cannot lose you o. Please give me another chance''

'I am sorry too Mummy. I should have spoken to you regardless. You have always done your best for me. I don't want to take drugs again. Please help me, mummy'.

Tears flowed from their eyes as they held onto each other.

Suddenly, Simi's body began to shake uncontrollably.

To be continued…