MEMENTO ROCK

Broken souls

Seconds passed, minutes followed, days, months and eventually years. No talk, no visit, no visit and life turned to hell. I missed her a lot but I could do nothing. I prayed that we might meet a day of days.

I was fifteen years, two days from my birthday. I will never forget this day. My uncle John Gatu was sitting on the kitchen bench, by then I used to live in my grandmother’s home. He used to call me Name, other times Mundu wa nyumba. I was busy cooking ugali when I started singing. 

My brothers that you know

Heaven is the simplest

Soon I reach my father’s home

I am going home

Joy, joy peace… peace 

Soon I reach my father’s home

I am going home

My sister that you know

Heaven is the simplest 

Soon I reach my father’s home

I am going home…

“Hahahaha!” he laughed contemptuously, “who are you singing to! Sister! Brother! Do you have one?” He asked infuriatingly.

          I stopped and removed mwiko from the pot and gazed at him furtively, “I have a sister to whom I love very much that is Annitah Wambui daughter to late Wambugu,” I answered him fortuitously.

“Beste! Stop dreaming. Its fool day fooled. You are the only existing member of Wambugu family. Your sister died two years after yours parents, your mother’s mother killed her…,” he said depressed

“What!” I yelled haughtily.

 I became passive aggressive and turned to wall. I placed my head on the wall and started grieving bitterly

“Yes,” he confirmed, taking mwiko and continued cooking.

She died when I was in class four, why didn’t they tell me this? Is this family or temptations, I thought silently.

“Cry, when it is over you will stop. I am not you mother to soothe you,” he said walking out. I was left heart broken by the news which were worst breaking news ever heard

I recalled of best moment that we were together, songs that she taught me, childish games that we played that formed best days of my life. I disbelieved that life was long to live without a family member, mostly Annitah who never left me alone.

Although I was mortal, death was like running from GSU to al-Shabaab. Some said suicide was the solution but who brought information about spirit world? Why do they fail to come back to give us a leak? This was some signs that earth was the best place to live….

I wished I could have been given an extra day

Yes! I was left in a love comma, mega admiration of having sister. But she was like phantom.it seemed she had given me a glass of philter. I kept dreaming with her seeing a vision when with her and even leaving her voice in the midst of the night. She was in my life a person who I lived for loved my sister. Days went one although I missed her.

One day after getting the news with hornet sting that intertwined my heart with fear I was to register for my K.C.P.E exams in Murichu primary school.my Uncle John sold our belongings saying that the money was to help me that year. He then requested me to change my name to Stephen Ndirangu Gatu saying that an orphan could not register for the exams.

I had nothing to argue but agree. I registered and some days later I did my exams under the leadership of C.S Joseph Kaimenyi. I scored three hundred and nine where I joined Gatundia secondary school as a day scholar.

I did my best and at the midterm I scored a plain A.As a kind of gift our principal promised to take us for a trip in Thomson falls and K.C.C Nyahururu.

With anxiety of a gratis trip I prepared for the trip and counted days and nights to the day.