Sisyphyra

What I Saw 06

Waking up, I just couldn't feel the ray of the sun (God's given sunlight) on my face like I used to. What I felt

was a pure yet strange coldness that my body felt numb. I could hardly feel my legs let alone my hands.

"I'm in my room, ain't I?"

Any second now, the mother should wake me up. I tried going back to catch some sleep but the coldness of

the floor sent shivers down my spine. My teeth danced in response. I don't know how long I waited and

dawdle, no one came.

"Why Is she not coming? She must be very busy in the kitchen"

My hands felt heavy, I could not lift them. The door finally opened, a large ray of sunlight flooded in. Basking

the whole room in light. It was frightening as its effect caused my lids to fall shut immediately. After some

time, my eyes adjusted to the blindness and I flipped my lids open.

"Mother?" I whispered certainly confused by the huge figure instead of the familiar petite figure standing like

a shadow by the door. Gone was the petite image I had expected. What I'm seeing now is someone different.

"Is this a dream?" I asked no one in particular. Guessing again, I closed my eyes for a second and opened them.

"Pa, is that you?" The question arose in my throat but it never made its way out. My heart skipped a beat. I

could feel cold wetness on my forehead. I knew something was not right.

"Where am I?" My voice cracked to a hoarse whisper.

The shadow moved away from the door and walked in an arrogant stance towards me. I could feel cold sweat

on my forehead run down the side of my face into my ears. Whatever he was, was intimidating. The sound of

his footsteps rhymed with my heartbeat. As the muffled figure drew closer in my line of sight, from a shadow

it moved to a blurry image. I wanted to wipe my hands on my face but my hands were still numb. Heavy.

"What's going on?"

Through the haze, the figure in the other hand slowly muffled from a blurry image of my mother to a hefty

menace-looking man with a black leaf stuck in his cornrows. His hair stood upright pointing in a different

direction like the madmen of Gadara. It looked disheveled. Then, It dawned on me as if jolted by lightning

faster than a resounding thunder.

Julibe. Feela.

I felt a strong urge to leap and run. To run as fast as my legs could carry me. I felt like a blind man with no

leading staff . I don't know where I was and I couldn't see much yet scary images of my sister Zeneba crept into

my mind. First, it was like the carved wooden toys had pierced her face harshly gushing out blood. The second

was her resounding scream that perturbed my mind into a sorrowful state. The next one was Zeneba lying on

the ground died her eyes plucked out by buzzards. The heavy steps coming my way cut off my train of

sentiment.

"She is going to be alright" I repeated this statement like a mantra and added others ones along with it.

Shortly after, my face got wet. My nose was flooded with the strange stench of smelling water. Then deep

wrenching coughs filled the dim-lit room. I felt a little comforted because I had assumed that I was not alone.

The loud stirring and turning of sides coupled with loud gasps spoke true. I was the one coughing though,

the cold wasn't my best friend.

As I continued to cough, the numbness on my hands and feet disappeared. I could feel my blood passing

through my veins as life also did. I felt rejuvenated.

Then my Father's words clicked at the back of my head "There's still hope"

The people that were with me in the room stood up and moved towards the light. I followed treading

carefully in their midst. My left leg moved slowly towards my right leg as I walked bare on the n***d floor.

Gone was my bata - my pair of shoes my father had weaves with the palm fronds. I can't seem to remember or

trace a moment it got lost. Staring at my feet, I noticed others too. Blizzard on their feet leaving red gaits on

the floor. The person at my front was limping. I think an inclusion had dented the sole of his leg. I moved to

his side and examined his face. His eyes winced on every step he took. That was probably it, I thought.

The sudden whipping and the inconsistent but loud wailing told much, this was no paradise but its exact

opposite. "It was hell on earth" a statement Julibe had always said to me when we were still friends shortly

after his only sister passed away from the fl u that had attacked the village. My eyes scanned the streams of

people, we were all boys and a bunch of developing testosterone whose beards hadn't seen the light of days.

No woman.

"What's going on?" I whispered. I felt an urge to look at my side and I did. Julibe's face stared back at me. His

face was devoid of any emotion and feeling. Expressionless. I wondered how mine was looking. Sighing

heavily, I made up my mind. I scanned the guards positioned on our sides, their gazes flickered to and fro like

the bulging eyes of a mackerel fi sh my father once caught when we swam through a river to one of the village

meetings along the swamps. My stomach grumbled loudly at the thought.

Finally, I stood by Julibe. I saw his face still expressionless but a flicker ran across his eyes bringing a sense of vulnerability to the already strange atmosphere. Our exchange ran short as many people kept falling as they

trampled on one another causing a noisy ruckus. The sudden trail of heavy panting was close by. A young lad

who was just a little bit older than I was running towards us. His bare sun-kissed back was laced with scary scars.