life above all episode 22&23

LIFE, ABOVE ALL

Episode 22

“Most often what our children really need from us is our attention.”
***

TIYA

I walked down the long corridor to the headmaster’s office. I took a deep breath and knocked at the door, ‘come in,’ was the response.
I walked in and firmly closed the door behind.
The headmaster was sitting behind his desk. To the right side sat Mrs. Kandeya my class teacher and to the left sat my father, he looked unhappy.

‘Sit down,’ Mrs. Kandeya (teacher) gestured to the empty chair.
I sat down while gazing at my father.

‘Mr. Phiri, you came at the right time,’ the head master began, ‘This is Mrs. Kandeya your daughter’s teacher and she was just telling me a few things concerning Tiyamike before you arrived,’ he said.
Father nodded his head.
‘Tiyamike, I think you know why you have been called.’
I choose to remain quiet.
The headmaster looked at my teacher and said, ‘You can go ahead madam.’
‘Thank you,’ she replied, ‘As I was telling the headmaster just before you came, Tiyamike’s performance has gone down plus her behavior these days leaves much to be attended to.’
Father cleared his throat.
I could feel my heart thumping rapidly in my chest as she explained my change of attitude to my father.
‘Today I even kicked her out of my class for not concentrating and instead of being remorseful, she just clicked her tongue and walked out of the classroom, I seriously don’t know what’s going on with her.’
‘Do you have anything to say for yourself?’ The headmaster asked me
‘No,’ I shook my head, what could I even say under such circumstances

Father shot me an evil glare, ‘I send you to school and this is what you do?’ he asked
I kept quiet.
‘Answer me!’ he growled
I still didn’t respond.
‘Calm down,’ Mrs. Kandeya said, ‘she is just a child and what she needs is guidance. I personally feel she hasn’t gotten over her mother’s death.’
‘Is she the only one to lose a mother?’ Father asked
‘No, she isn’t but people grieve in different ways maybe being rebellious is her way of coping with the pain.’
‘You are right,’ the headmaster responded, ‘How best can we help her?’
‘Counseling,’ Mrs. Kandeya responded
‘I will not waste my money paying for her counseling fees she is such an ungrateful child.’
‘We have a counselor at the school and we offer free counseling sessions.’
‘Okay.’
‘This girl has always been brilliant and well behaved so we will try our best to help her get back into shape,’ she said
‘And Mr. Phiri, there is also need for you as a parent to sit her down once in a while, give her attention.’
‘I am always there for these children I don’t know why they are behaving like street kids.’
‘Lies! Lies!’ I wanted to say but I kept my cool.
‘How is the relationship between Tiya and your new wife?’
‘Well my wife is a good woman, she is a good with children, Tiya has just been stubborn and she has refused to recognize her.’
I laughed and they all looked at me.
‘I am sorry but you and I know your wife isn’t all that loving.’
‘Tiya!’ Mrs. Kandeya called
‘I am just being honest.’
I hated the way he described his wife, why was he trying to make her look like an angel when she was the devil’s advocate?

‘Enough,’ father,’ screamed and I kept quiet.
‘You are such a disgrace,’ he said
‘You need to calm down,’ the headmaster said
He stood up, ‘I am taking her home with me now I will sort her out.’
‘She is only a child please don’t be so hard on her, what she needs is your love and support.’
‘Thank you, if that will be all, we shall take our leave.’
He grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the office through the corridor. I tried to break loose from his grip but to no avail.

I looked back at the windows most were filled with pupils faces watching as father dragged me while ranting and raving. I got in the back seat and dropped my back on seat next to me. He got in and drove off.
He pulled the car in front of our house an hour later and we both jumped out.
I walked into the house followed by my father.

‘Hold it right there,’ he yelled as I was about to rush towards my room.
I stood completely still afraid to move, I was petrified of what he would do or say.

‘What happened?’ auntie Stella walked into the living room, ‘You are back home early, is everything the matter?’ she asked
‘Can you believe this idiot? I have been sending her to school and she has been misbehaving.’
‘Darling, I think this child has demons,’ Auntie Stella said, ‘She needs prayers.
‘You are the one with demons, evil witch,’ I shot back at auntie Stella
‘What did you just say?’ Father asked
‘Your wife is the one with demons not…,’
Father raised his hand and whipped it hard across my face cutting me short before I could finish my sentence.
‘You know what?’ I angrily yelled, ‘I am fucking tired of this nonsense, I hate you both so much. I wish you had died instead of mum.’
With that said I dashed down the hall to my room.
He burst into the room a minute later carrying a hosepipe in his hands.
‘You think you can disrespect me?’ he roared
Silence
‘What the hell is wrong with you?’
‘I just want my mother,’ I said
‘Then you mother you will have,’ he said before the beating began.
‘Clack,’ the hosepipe struck my bare flesh.
‘I will kill you so that you can reconcile with your mother,’ he kept hitting me with an amazing intensity.
The beating was intense but I didn’t cry neither did I scream. I was quietly waiting for him to finish so I could get on with my life.
I was quiet as he continued pashing on my legs, butt and back.
I think I have sort of become immune to pain because no matter how much he beat me, I didn’t cry.

‘You will go to the farm as soon as you write your exams because I might end up killing you here,’ he yelled
‘Darling let her be,’ Auntie Stella held his hands back she always came to my aid at the last minute. Demon of a woman, I will get back at her.
‘This girl will be the death of me,’ he screamed.
‘It’s okay.’
‘I don’t know what I deserved to have her as a child, some people have normal children and this is what I got.’
‘Ouch,’ I felt those words deep.
Auntie Stella held his hand and walked him out of the room.
I was s0 angry, I wish I could tie him up and beat him the way he beat me.
Anyway I stood up slowly and went to the bathroom I took a cold shower and went back to my room. Then I slumped on top of my bed and lay back closing my eyes.
This must be the worst day of my life, how could everything have gone wrong?
****

Episode 23

“Rebellion is a sign of a child fighting to be seen as who they are.”
****

TIYA

It’s 5:30 in the morning and I am awake. The sun isn’t even up yet but here I am staring into space. I couldn’t sleep last night, my body felt like it was on fire I kept turning and tossing. I hate my father even more now, he is the reason for all this pain I have endured my goal now is to get out of this house and away from him.
Today I don’t feel like going to school, not after that humiliation I went through yesterday. At six, I get up to start getting Thoko ready for school.
‘Thoko get up!’ I pulled the covers back uncovering her head.
She pulled the covers back over her head and rolled herself into the covers.
Then she went on peacefully sleeping until I firmly shook her. Only after four attempts did she open her sleepy eyes fully.
‘What?’ she asked in a low rumbling sleepy voice.
‘You need to get up.’
‘Give me a few minutes,’ she mumbled
‘Thoko, get up now, times a wasting.’
‘Fine,’ she sat up and huffed. She rolled out of bed and undressed, I walked her to the bathroom. I bathed and dressed her for school.
‘Aren’t you going to school?’ she asked as I packed her homework book.
I shook my head, ‘No.’
‘Why?’
‘I am not feeling fine.’
‘Okay.’
‘Time for breakfast now,’ I grabbed her bag and we walked out of the bedroom to the kitchen. Breakfast had already been prepared and severed by Ganizani.
‘And you?’ he asked
‘Morning to you too,’ I responded
‘Why aren’t you going to school?’
‘I am not fit enough to go to school. Your father beat me up and left me for dead last night.’
‘Why?’
I shrugged, ‘I don’t know.’
Stella walked in laughing, ‘You seriously don’t know why you were beaten?’
‘And how does that concern you? Hule! Hule!’ I ululated
‘Hule ine?’ she furiously asked poking her finger in my face.
‘You don’t touch my sister like that,’ Ganizani stood up.
‘And who invited you into this fight?’ she asked.
‘Woman! Don’t you dare provoke me,’ he glared
She clicked her tongue, ‘you don’t scare me you children of Jezebel.’
‘What exactly do you want from us?’ Ganizani asked
‘I want you out of my house, I want you gone forever.’
‘In our Mother’s house?’ I asked
‘Your mother is gone and never coming back, you can all die for all I care. Let my husband and I enjoy our marriage in peace.’
‘I forgive you,’ Ganizani said
My brother is that soft, he doesn’t like confrontations like me.
‘I will make sure you all leave this house by the end of the year. Mark my words,’ she said before marching off to her room.
‘Come on Thoko, let’s eat,’ Ganizani said
They ate their breakfast quietly. Ganizani was first to finish.
‘Stay out of trouble,’ he warned me.
‘Sure.’
‘Let’s get going Thoko, I don’t want to be late,’ Ganizani said as he waited at the door.
Thoko stood up and I walked her to the door, ‘Bye baby,’ I kissed her forehead and gave her bag before she walked out.
I closed the door behind my back and went back to the kitchen. I washed the dishes & started cleaning the kitchen. There was a knock at the door a few minutes later. I laid down the broom and went to see who it was. I opened the door and found a strange woman standing at the door she had a suitcase in her hands.
‘Eh!’
‘Mwauka bwanji?’ she said
‘Bwino bwa? Nikutandizeni?’
‘Ehe, nisakilako ba Stella ushe bankalapano?’
‘Ba Stella?’I asked
‘Ehe.’
‘Ndiwe bandani?’
‘I am her cousin from Kapiri, she asked me to come over so I can start working as a maid.’
I looked at her from head to toe and then shook my head,’ Wrong house, sibankala pano.’
She scratched her head, ‘Maybe I didn’t read her address clearly on the paper I wrote.’
‘It’s a wrong house sorry mama.’
‘Do you have a phone I can use to call her? My battery is dead.’
‘No, I don’t have.’
She took a deep breath.
‘Try some other houses I am sure you find her.’
‘Okay.’
I closed the door and went back to finish cleaning. When I was done, I went to my room. I sat on the floor thinking about what I was gonna do for the day, I needed someone to talk to, I needed to vent and I knew the person to go to.
I undressed and walked into the bathroom then I examined the damage that father had done, the welts were pretty deep and plentiful.
I don’t think I will ever forgive this man for all this pain, I want to make him pay some day, I want him to feel the pain he has caused me.
I quickly take a bath and apply some medicine to my bruises, Ganizani got me the medicine the last time father beat me up.
I got dressed and grabbed some money from under my pillow and walked out of my room, locking it behind my back.
‘And where are you going?’ Stella asked
‘None of your business,’ I rolled my eyes and headed for the door. I walked down the road and walked towards the bus stop and jumped on the first bus I saw.
I dropped off thirty minutes later and walked the short distance to his house. I was going to see Ken. I got to his house and knocked at the gate and he opened after a minute.
He looked at me for a minute or so, ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked
‘Can we talk?’
‘Why?’
‘I just want us to talk.’
‘Cool,’ he opened the gate wider and stepped aside, I walked in, he locked it and led me into the house as usual the living room was a mess.
‘Don’t mind the mess.’
‘Okay.’
He sat on the other couch and I sat on the one across from his. Silence reigns in the room for two minutes before he asks, ‘Can I get you something to drink?’
‘Sure.’
He stands up, walks to the other side of the room and pours us some glasses of whiskey, he walks back to me and hands me one glass.
‘Thanks,’ I responded before I took a swig of my drink.
‘Welcome.’
‘How are you?’
‘I am fine. You?’
‘So so.’
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I have being having issues with my father, he beat me up last night.’
‘Why?’
I shrug,’ He found out I had a phone and he became all dramatic.’
‘I see.’
I pull my shirt up and show him the bruises.
‘He did this?’
‘Yes.’
‘This is assault.’
‘Tell me about it,’ I respond taking another swig from my glass.
‘I can deal with him for you if you want. My boys can take care of him you just have to say the word.’
I bite my lower lip as I think about his offer, ‘Nah, it’s okay, I will make him pay in my own way.’
‘Okay. So what brings you here?’
‘I guess I just needed someone to talk to.’
‘And you thought of me?’
‘Ya.’
‘I see.’
‘I am sorry about what happened at the party.’
‘That is old news,’ he laughed
‘If you say so.’
‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Yes.’
‘How old are you? I want the truth.’
‘I3,’ I responded
His eyes widened in shock.
‘You are a child.’
‘I will be 14 in a few months,’ I said quickly
‘I see.’
‘Tell me more about yourself.’
‘Well I am Tiyamike Phiri, second born in a family of three,’ I began.
I told him all about my family, I told him about my mother and how she died, I narrated everything to him and he listened.
By the time I was going back home later that evening, I felt a whole lot better though I was a little tipsy. Ken drove me home, he promised to get me a new phone.
When I walked into the house, all hell broke loose, it seems the woman I had chased that morning had finally managed to call my auntie and they met up.
‘You are possessed,’ Auntie Stella yelled, ‘Today I will make sure I cast out that demon in you, it must go,’ she yelled.
She grabbed a cooking stick and tried to hit me but I held it.
‘You will not hit me with this,’ I said
‘Tiya!’
I suddenly felt sick to the stomach, I looked up at her. I felt a hot feeling in the bottom of my throat before I started throwing up.
****

To be continued