25 Years Ago
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the dirt pathway that led to Gumamela’s modest home. She trudged along, her worn slippers kicking up small clouds of dust with every step. The usual cacophony of the bus terminal still rang faintly in her ears, blending with her thoughts as she approached the house.
Her mind drifted to Wile, as it had throughout the day. Despite everything he’d said—or, rather, hadn’t said—the mystery surrounding him gnawed at her. Wasn’t he supposed to be a sheltered rich boy? Then how could he move with the practiced ease of someone who’d been forced to learn skills for survival? She couldn’t shake the image of him fetching water, cooking dinner, and cleaning the house like he’d done it a hundred times before.
Stepping inside, the sce
