Life above all episode 32&33

LIFE, ABOVE ALL

Episode 32

GANIZANI

I woke with a start. My sheets twisted around my body, my heart was beating hard beneath my ribs and I was panting heavily as thick beads of sweat trickled down my face.
I tried to catch my breath as my mind was still filled with images of the dream.
I have been having the same dream since my sister disappeared.
In the dream my mother would walk into my room wearing a white dress smeared with blood and crying out to me, each time I try reach out to her, she moves further away from me then disappears.
Picking myself into a crouching position, I look around the room seeing a bit of what is there even though it is dark, then I hear light snoring coming from Thoko, she has been sleeping on the other bed in my room ever since Tiya disappeared.
Speaking of Tiya, it has been two weeks since she went missing. We’ve searched everywhere but not a sign. It’s been the hardest two weeks of my life, I haven’t been sleeping well nor have I been eating enough. The police were alerted too, they have launched a search for her but so far nothing has come up. I just can’t work out how someone could have vanished into thin air in the blink of an eye.
I stood up and quietly made my way out of the bedroom to the living room downstairs. I made myself some coffee and sat on the couch thinking about Tiya.
Has she been eating? Is she warm enough? Is she smiling? Are they torturing her? Is she still even alive?
‘Ganizani!’ A soft familiar voice startled me from my reverie.
I quickly turned around and stared in confusion when I saw Thoko standing there with a sad sleepy face.
‘You should be sleeping,’ I said
‘I heard you wake up, are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?’ she asked
I sighed Thoko was a whole lot smarter than she appeared.
‘Come!’
I carried her and put her on my laps.
‘Ganizani!’ she said
‘Yes.’
‘Is Tiya dead?’ she asked staring at me with tears in her eyes.
‘No,’ I shook my head
‘Auntie Stella said, she is dead just like mum she is never gonna come back.’
‘No she is not dead,’ I quickly said, how could Auntie Stella be that insensitive as to tell a little girl such heartbreaking things?
‘I don’t want her to die, I can’t imagine life without her,’ she cried.
It broke my heart to see Thoko in tears I pulled her into my arms and consoled her. She calmed down after a few minutes
‘We just need to have faith that she’s alright.’
‘Okay.’
‘Please God let her still be alive,’ I thought to myself
Thoko and I slept on the couch I put a coarse blanket over her and a thin cushion beneath her head so she could sleep comfortably.
‘Did you just sleep on my couch?’ Auntie Stella’s loud voice woke me.
I shot my eyes open and yawned loudly then I stood up and stretched,’ Morning,’ I politely said
‘Nyo-nyo! Mtchew,’ she clicked her tongue, ‘Get your filthy sister off my couches, do you know how expensive they are? How dare you sleep on them?’ she angrily asked.
Auntie Stella had just bought the new couches a week ago along with other expensive furniture.
I scooped Thoko in my arms and bypassed Auntie Stella I laid her on the bed and went to take a bath. Today with the help of some friends I will be going round sticking missing person posters.
After my bath, I bathed Thoko too and got her ready for school, I don’t trust Auntie Stella hence I couldn’t leave her home while I went on my quest.
I walked into the living room with Thoko in my hands and made her breakfast. Father joined us a while later.
‘Aren’t you going to school?’ he asked
‘No,’ I shook my head
‘Why?’
‘I have to continue looking for my sister.’
‘Are you a police officer? What makes you think you will do a better job at finding her?’
‘For all we know she could be dead,’ Auntie Stella interrupted
I shot her a death glare.
‘Life must go on, let the police do their job,’ she said
‘Exactly what I have been telling him. Yes Tiya is my daughter and I am affected by her disappearance but I won’t put my life on hold for her.’
I shook my head.
‘You are a disgrace to fatherhood,’ I spat
He shot me an evil glare before he raised his hand whipping it hard across my face, I saw stars. I held the side he had slapped and tears trickled down my face.
‘Don’t you dare talk to me like that, I am your father and I deserve some respect,’ he lashed at me.
‘Darling!’ Auntie Stella began, ‘Don’t get angry it’s too early don’t mind this boy. He is just a child.’
‘I don’t know where I went wrong with these children,’ he replied
‘It’s okay,’ she gently patted his back.
Disgusted, I grabbed Thoko and marched out of the house.
When I left Thoko at school, my friends and I started sticking the posters in different places.
I had called my grandmother the previous day and informed her of what was happening, she had promised to come as soon as she could. Atleast she would pump some sense into my father.

TIYA

I was lying on the bed, my hands bound to the headboard. I kept going in and out of unconsciousness, my vision was blurry and unclear, my mouth was gagged & my head was pounding.
I don’t know how many days have passed ever since I was locked up in this strange room. I seriously don’t even know who tied me up to this bed like this. I just woke up one day and found myself like this.
I have barely been able to sleep, I am hungry- my stomach keeps twisting, my throat and lips are dry.
‘Who is holding me captive and what do they want from me?
Lord I am so scared, I want to go back home being in the house with Auntie Stella is better than being in this place where I don’t know what’s going on and what they will do to me.
‘Is Ivy safe? Did they kill her? What happened the night I slept at her house? Wait am I still in her house? The questions ran through my mind but no one provided the answers.
*****

STELLA

Today is the day, the day I finally become a full member of the cult. It’s been two weeks since I went through the first initiation and I should say I have no regrets, the money is everything. I think now understand why people sell their souls to the devil, the benefits are breath taking.
I can’t wait to see what lies ahead of this initiation.
Anyway I stepped out of the bathroom and dropped my towel to the floor then I opened my closet and pulled out a red dress and quickly got dressed.
I stood in front of my mirror and looked at myself then I grabbed my small suitcase and walked out.
‘You are traveling?’ Rita asked
‘I will be out for a few days,’ I said
‘To?’
‘Alice you are not my husband, so back off.’
‘Okay.’
‘Anyway, take good care of my husband I will be back before you know it.’
I had told my husband I would be visiting my auntie who was ill in the village.
‘Travel safely.’
‘Thank you.’
I stepped out of the house slamming the door behind my back.
****

Episode 33

STELLA

The sky was dark and the wind was blowing violently making my scarf & shirt to also flutter. We had just stepped out of the car and were heading towards the woods where the initiation would be taking place.
Mr. Bwalya was walking behind me. Never look back. Never turn around. Just keep going forward. Those were the rues.
We walked into the depths of the trees going further inside till I saw some lights up ahead, we walked towards them and saw that it was a house, as we got closer I realized that it wasn’t a mare house but a mansion. I could also see a lot of shadows passing in front of the windows.
When we got to the front door, the door instantly opened and Mr. Bwalya instructed me to enter backwards. I entered with my back and he also did the same.
We got to a large room which had several windows side by side all around the room and at the top of each window was a symbol of a black sun.
Several people in the room where seated on the floor, they were dressed in white robes with black crosses designed on them, seated at the center of the room was the old man with the long beard.
Mr. Bwalya sat next to a beautiful young light woman with long hair, he asked me to sit too.
A moment later, everyone in the room except the old man got down on their knees and started chanting some strange things, while doing that they were swaying, bending forward and backward & turning their heads from right to left. This went on for about ten minutes.
Then the old man gave a deep laugh and everyone got back into their sitting positions.
Afterwards, someone stood up and asked all new members to walk to the front, I stood up alongside five other people, three were men and two were women.
We were then instructed to kneel before the old man and we did just that.
‘Do you know what you are about to get yourselves into?’
‘Yes,’ we nodded our heads.
‘Is there anyone who has changed their mind about being initiated into the family? Speak now or forever hold your peace?’
No one responded, I guess everyone had been told that at this stage going back would be fatal & disastrous you would either get mad or be struck by an incurable disease.
‘Then we can go on,’ he said, ‘Please answer the following with audible Yes.’
‘Do you promise to abide by the rules of the Black- Arms Family? Do you vow to follow all the commandments and are you ready to make the sacrifices required by the family?’
‘Yes,’ we answered loudly at the same time.
‘Everyone in the room clapped their hands and ululated a lilting screech.
Afterwards we were asked to undress then some of the members rubbed some reddish stuff all over our bodies, we were then each given a glass of blood to drink and some powder was rubbed on our heads.
A moment later, a shrill hissing sound echoed around the room and I noticed a strange glow emanating from a nearby room.
‘This is the last & final part of the initiation. It is also the most important,’ he announced.
They handed each of us some sharp red knives and places a huge bow of water in the center of the room.
‘You will get down on your knees in front of the bow and strike the knife in it. Whatever you see in there, do not scream or hesitate to strike, just do it bodily and walk away.’
The first person went then the second, the third & fourth, when the fourth person looked into the bowl, she screamed her lungs out dropping her knife to the ground.
All of a sudden a long hissing sound echoed in the room and the woman in question was lifted by an unknown force, she screamed as she hit the wall with a thud before falling unconscious to the ground.
My heart was beating hard and fast against my chest as all this was going on, for a minute I wished I had not come here, what was in the bow that made her scream like that? Was she dead just like that? Would her family ever find her? Would I be strong enough to stab into the bowl?
All kinds of questions ran through my mind and I shivered in fear. Nevertheless I pushed the thoughts from my mind, resuming back to the task at hand.
I walked towards the bowl and knelt down in front of it then I stared into the bowl and my husband’s face appeared, I carefully stuck my knife into the bowl and the face disappeared then I stood up.
Everyone in the room applauded after this and we were handed our own robes similar to the ones they were wearing.
‘Welcome to the family,’ they said before they all went round shaking our hands.
A moment later we all sat down on the floor again.
‘Being a part of this family gives you a privilege to have money in excess, you will never be broke again and you will have powers to strike those who provoke you but sacrifices have to be made.’
‘Okay,’ we replied
‘We have sacrificial ceremonies every after three months so be ready to sacrifice something or someone special or important to you.’
We were also told to be waking up at 2 am every Wednesday for a special ceremony this would give us more powers and strengthen the bond of the family.
‘More instructions will given to you all since you have to spend a few days here and learn about some of the rules of the family.’
‘Thank you,’ we said
‘Are we ready for our meal?’ one old woman asked
‘Yes,’ everyone excitedly answered
She stood up, walked towards the body of the woman who had collapsed and slaughtered her to pieces, this was the most horrific thing I had ever witnessed, I could feel bile rising up in my throat but I kept swallowing it back, afraid I would break a rule if I threw up.
There was blood all over the place and this seemed to excite everyone.
When she was done, she put the flesh on the tray and asked us to each pick a piece, I was hesitant at first but after everyone had gone, I grabbed a piece as well and started chewing the meat.
‘It is done and dusted!’ he said and they all clapped.
****

To be continued