ZILA THE OUTCAST TWIN
Episode 24.
I was counting my step as I walked toward mother’s chamber where the whole noise was coming from, my two brothers were saying something but I wasn’t listening, I also saw Riko, i heard my name but I don’t know who called, my brothers stood outside the door, Riko was also outside,
Nobody dares to go in, nobody dares to even get close when Pah is enraged, if it was before I will coil up in my chambers and will not come out until his anger has subsided, but not today.
Today I will dare…today I will face him, I have being so afraid for too long, afraid of what he will do to me if he finds out.
Afraid of what people will say and do,
i Started letting go of fear after speaking to mother, and I after i told Marie about it whom I know will take the news round the tribe,
I don’t care any more, let the news go round, let it be said that Mbazi and Zila, first son and daughter of one of the most important man in the tribe eat and dine with the outcast, they live and move among them and even went as far as choosing a life partner among the forbidden, let people talk anything they like, the mouth is mostly meant for two things, which is eat and talk,
I have let go of fear, I have expected the worst and it has come, I will face my worst enemy which is fear to the face, am ready for anything it takes,
I went close and put my ear close to the window I can hear Pah was pacing round the room and shouting at mother
“don’t speak such thing to me, Tabi, how will you believe such a thing, is never said or done…not in this tribe and it can never be from my house…never…may the gods forbids such an abominable thing… I will so deal with Mbazi if I found out is true…no it can’t even be true..
It was a perfect time to go in, let me receive what awaits me and put it behind me, I can’t run away, Pah, always tell me never to run away from trouble, I should always face it like man that I am, today Pah has become my trouble and I will face him like the man he strongly trained up,
I kicked hard on the door and found out it was lock, I kicked again, ignoring my brothers and Riko who was shouting my name, I heard Mekah saying I should run away before Pah gets me, because if he does get me I will be a dead man” i ignored him, I looked at Riko who nodded, giving me a go ahead, it was high time, I nodded back at him and kick the door harder this time no respond,
I was about kicking again, i shifted back and went with full force to hit the door, as I was about hitting hard on the door it suddenly flew open and I loose my balance and found myself on the floor, I fell like I had no stamina, I fell at Pah’s feet, he was the one that fling the door open with force, he bent down and picked me up from the floor like I was nothing, his strong hands digging right into my arms, he dragged me inside and locked the door, I saw mother sitting on the floor and weeping, she looked up at me and shake her head before standing up and saying to Pah
“let go of him, can’t you see you are hurting him…let go of him Bazi..he is hurt..
“and he will be more hurt if I found out what you told me is true, and if is not true he will so regret ever saying things he was not sure off, Tabi I have always told you about this boys, if you leave them or give them a chance to make a mistake they will use it to paint themselves red, you always tell me not to be too hard on them because they are boys and they are in their prime, now you have seeing what the over looking is causing to us, if is true Mbazi spoke to you about such nonsense then he is in for some serious trouble,
“Bazi, please… don’t do this…if you hurt any of this children the gods gave to us you would have also hurt me…let him go… Mbazi you shouldn’t have come inside here…you should have ran away, you know who your father is… Bazi listen to me and take out your rage on me but let my son go…
“I have always listen to you but not today…I’m not listening to you today because is always listening that is making Mbazi to misbehave, how can you sit and listen to him talk such trash to you and you carried such nonsense to me, you have being saddened since yesterday all because of him, you know me and how important I am In this community, and you didn’t even caution him, you make him feel what he was saying to you was absolute, oh may the gods have mercy..
He pushed me one side and I fell beside mother, how can I even face a man like Pah that has handle sword during his youth and fought for our tribe, more reason he was tag as a very important man, is very strong just one blow from him will send me to the ground, this time mother tears couldn’t even soften him, I can feel his rage from where I stood, I try to be brave up and be strong but the man standing before me is so terrifying, I stood there anyway, my legs kept on shaking, his eyes looks so terrifying, I have never seeing Pah that way before, he focused on me and said
“now tell me, your mother told me you were at the forbidden side…and your sister is also there… tell me exactly what you told your mother because I don’t even understand what she has being pleading to me about…I want to hear from you…you are a man..talk to me…I’m listening
“Pah please..i beg of you to calm down and listen to..
“Don’t just beg of anything yet Mbazi, I said I’m listening……to you… Go ahead and narrate to me everything you told your mother
“everything mother said is true…there’s no lie in it, Zila is alive and live among the outcast and…
“Hold on…you said Zila is alive… and live among the forbidden people. What is she doing there?…why is she there….who took her there…why have she not come home ever since she disappear, if what you are saying is true… okay fine, I want to see Zila, can you journey down to the outcast as I was told you have being doing without me knowing…can you go down there and fetch your sister because I need to see her first before believing…
“Pah Zila will never follow me home because she knows if she comes home you cage her up, if she wanted to come home she would have being home all this while… Zila found love among the outcast Pah, his name is Ladi…one of the little boys that was cast off… we both did…Kumar is an outcast too and I love her Pah…and it was from their clan I got the leaf the cured mother… mothe….
I was still speaking when something landed on my face, Pah strike me hard across the face and I fell with a heavy thud, he hit me hard again, i tasted my own blood in my mouth, he try to hit me again but Mother fell on me preventing Pah from getting to me.. after sometime i manged to stand up, blood was on my face and mouth, i stood facing him boldly… this is a fight i have dreaded most and is between me and my Pah, mother was screaming and shouting but Pah was in a serious rage
“You dare speak to me about such an abomination, you have the gut to look me in the face and boldly speak to me about the outcast, you lied to me…you lie to your father about all the journey you have being on, you lied to me about everything, you knew where your sister has being all this while and decide not to tell anyone, you brought a leaf from he outcast to your mother, why will you bring something from there to my soil, you journey to the beyond and walked on their land, dine and interact with them, Mbazi, you are my first son…the son of my right hand…I have so much deposited knowledge into you so that you won’t fall astray…
I speak to you constantly about how I want you top make a good name for your self…I even went as far as betrothing you to a good woman, one of the most beautiful maiden of this tribe, but you rejected it because you are curse of the gods, I could have easily let go if it was one of your brothers that did such evil but you Mbazi…you that I held so high,
I have taking you to virtually all the gathering that I occasionally attend so that you will understand the importance of leadership, I have done everything for you…everything a father could do for his son and yet you want to threw my name to the mood, all my years of constant coaching and guidance you want it to go down the drain, right from when you all were small I constant speak that everybody should stay away from the forbidden rot, you have no place there, non of the children born to me has a place there, I was able to save Zila because the gods predestined it, now I can’t save her again or save you…you want to be a disgrace to this family Mbazi…
what in gods name did I do to deserve such a stubborn children, other people stayed far off from the outcast rot, I speak and pass a sound warning to anybody that will dare disobey my order, nobody ever dares try, yet my own children, my first son and only daughter dares defy my orders, why will Zila chose forbidden people over her family. How did she even get there without being seeing…
is there any other way to the out cast we don’t know off…because she was suppose to be seen by the men on the watch… oh the gods has darkened my son… they have brought sorrow to my house…they have taking food from my mouth and giving to dogs… they have come upon me and my house…bringing shame and reproach along… what I speak and preach against has being defy by the children the gods gave me… what a shame…what a disgrace this children has cursed me…robbing my face to the mud without rumors…. Mbazi how dare you defy my orders…who dare you, you even know of your sister where about and never said it to anyone…you have bring disgrace to me this day…
i will do to you what I will do to those who disobey my orders, I will never be partial about my judgement ever again because you and your sister has disgraced me, Zila ran away from her groom, from me and her mother, and her brothers without a care, and she has being gone for so long without ever thinking to come home, we gave her everything, we did everything we could for her to have a better life and yet she chose the forbidden, people fear…they have great fear of the outcast, nobody dares get close and yet my own children…the children that the gods gave to me went willingly… on their own to live and dine with them and even found love among them…what an irony…Mbazi, the gods being so kind you are not the only son I have…
I could put you behind me as quickly as I can and start putting Mekah through, but I can’t..i can’t do it…you are my right hand son…my chosen one…you came into this world looking exactly like me…and since then I swore to shield and give you everything to become the man I dream desire you to be and even more…
I have constantly thanks the gods for you…thinking you will make me proud someday…just looking at you and hearing you speak those word to my face means that you have allowed the gods to curse you, I thought you will bring blessing to our tribe but you have brought disgrace… the only way I will forgive you is for you to go and fetch your sister and return home,
I will get another good man to marry your sister and you will marry Marie and live in this land and bear children, you will marry her and make me proud the way I have fashioned you to be, the only way I will forgive you Mbazi Is if you can go and get your sister home to me and your mother, get married to Marie and take up the leadership mantle of our forefathers just like me and start your journey of becoming a great man of our tribe….
“Pah, I can’t…hmmm… I will rather die than to live a sad life, those you said and planned for me are not what the gods called me for…I don’t want to live a regretful life…I don’t want to live a sad and bitter life…and I am not afraid of any judgement you throw at me…my mind is made up on what I want and Zila too…
i can’t watch mother die without finding a solution, you wanted her well too and now she is well and you discovered her wellness is credited to the outcast you became furious… I never wanted to defy your orders Pah, or bring disgrace to you and mother…
I have always wanted to make you proud…but Pah I’m sorry I can’t…like you said..you have other sons who will bring you blessing…but I will never live in this land and watch the wickedness of men grow, casting people off as if they are nothing…forgetting that everybody is equal before the gods, discriminating among the gods chosen people, i see why we have lots of sick people,I will never pass a night in this land knowing well that all my Pah cares about is his name, not the people’s happiness but making a name for himself…
his name and mine written in the sand of time….i’m sick and tired of you constantly fashioning my life in your own direction…you have found happiness with mother…I have found my own with Kumar and Zila found her’s Ladi who are both an outcast…
I’m done with this evil i see everyday…I have seeing enough wickedness and discrimination that will last me a life time, wickedness that even my own Pah is part off, throwing dice at people that they can easily correct and care for and casting them off…I thank the gods you understand what pain felt like when Zila was born an outcast…I remember watching you weep like a baby before you took action…then I knew that even strong men cry…you understand it better when the gods decides to do to you what you have done to so many others…now the vengeance of the gods has come again and they have remembered you this day, they have giving you double portion for all the family you caused pain, me and Zila finding love and happiness among the outcast you preach against is what the gods used to deal well with you…
this people you made us to believe that they are horrible and evil are more human than we, pass your judgement to me let me know my stand…or better still take my life because I will never be happy in this land…or the way you have planed my own life for me… you are going to loose two of your children to this people you tagged forbidden, because that is what you have done to others, who are you to even stand as judge over anyone…why can’t you allow the gods be the judge, or even if the gods chose you to judge the people, why don’t you be a fair judge, not a judge or a leader who discriminate and cast off people,
I thank the gods you have two extra son, Mekah and Mukeh, you are not at lost and maybe…just maybe..the gods may still favor you with another child… to replace the one you are about to loose to the outcast…but you and mother are both getting aged and that may not be possible…well the will of the gods be done….and may the gods do to everyone in this tribe what they have done to others…accordingly, with same measurement…let everyone be serve equally as they have served others…
I stood there as blood drew down from my arm and face looking at him…mother sat on her bed sobbing bitterly..Pah stood watching me speak without a word…
I have never stood up to him before and I was unafraid as I spoke loudly to him today, with so much pain in my heart…he was my giant and I faced him… I stood there silent drew between us…his eyes was soiled…mother sobbed silently…he sat hard on a chair beside close to him and bent his head…
I turned and touched mothers feet, mother clutched to me but I can’t allow any weakness now from mother or anyone, she may make me have a change of mind, I gently removed her hand and walked a distance… I stopped and bow to father who’s eyes was shot close, I walked away…as I came outside,i looked at my brothers who looked shivered and afraid,
I saw Riko who’s face appeared expressionless…he bow his head before looking at me, he later smile at me and nodded for me to go, I bow to him for being a great friend and encouraging me all through my hard days…I walked out and into my chamber, pick up few things and head out…I heard mother calling me to stop but my mind was made up..
I walked out and crossed the street with blood stain, i heard my name I looked back it was Mukeh, he was running behind me with a bag to his shoulder… as he catch up with me he said he was coming with me, he want to also see Zila and be wherever I chose to be,
I tried to discourage him to go back but his mind was made up, we headed to the wood and I was hearing a speedy foot step coming I pause with Mukeh and quietly waited behind a tree to see who the person was,
I was surprise to see Marie, looking confuse and running with speed a bag to her shoulder too, a fine leather sandal to her feet, she look like she was going on a journey, me and Mukeh came out of our hiding place as she kept on shouting my name, immediately she saw us she ran up-to us
“Where in gods name are you going to Marie…I’m not in a perfect mood to help you if you need my help for something, and I don’t have strength to batter words with you…I’m going back to the outcast…that’s where I belong… I’m going to be with Kumar…
“Then wherever you belong is where I want to be… I heard you speak this afternoon and knew that you are sent from the gods, you are unafraid and ready for anything that is fair and pleasing…i already like the man you have become…all thanks to your Pah, I apologies for the things I said to you earlier…
I am not asking you to marry me…no..is okay for you to marry Kumar I won’t disturb you …but you were right. There are discrimination…in our tribe and if something is not quickly done now our unborn children may end up being marked as an outcast… let’s go…I didn’t tell anybody where I was going…
I want to see for myself what the outcast looked like… I have being waiting close to your place. Watching and waiting to see if I can speak to you and when I saw you coming out I knew where you were headed…
I knew you had a great battle with your Pah… let’s go Mbazi…please don’t try to discourage me because my mind is made up…
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