MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

THE JOURNEY OF ZAMA DLALA

THE JOURNEY OF ZAMA DLALA

CHAPTER TWO

As per promise. We are anxiously waiting at the reception to be attended to. I’ve been biting my nails like there’s no tomorrow. I look at my hands and I notice that the biting has also affected the flesh. I’m bleeding a bit. I want to continue biting my nails, but I will be facing consequences.

“I’m hungry.” Luisa complains. She’s grumpy, and it’s understandable we’ve been for some time now. We’ve been here since morning, and it’s not even funny no more. An hour is way past and I left my mother with her friend. I know she doesn’t mind looking after her, but the woman has some chores to do.

“This is just ridiculous.” I say standing up. I need fresh air before I lose it.

“Uyaphi?” Mother Luisa.

“I need to breathe.” I walk out of the hospital to stand outside. The outside alone is suffocating. I need to be home. Mother is on medication.

“Zama. Why are you standing outside? Did they not allow you in?” Mncedisi asks. I sigh out of relief seeing him.

“We were told to wait for family. We have been waiting for about an hour now.”

“We got a call this morning saying we are needed urgently.” He says, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

“I hope it’s good news.” I say.

“I hope so too.”

We see Mncedisi’s mother walking slowly towards us. She looks drained, like she never slept. I may not know the pain she is feeling, but I know how it feels to hold your last breath for your loved one. She walks past us and we follow. She sits quietly on the benches, and you can tell she wants to cry, or she has been crying. We are just sitting there, nobody is saying a word to anyone. I bring my finger to my mouth but stop. Can’t be biting my finger nails. My fingertips have cuts already, but the silence is freaking me about. Finally! The doctor remembered us. Mncedisi had to go to the reception to tell them that they are here.

“You are still here?” The doctor looks at me, then looks at Luisa.

“We wanted to see her before we leave.” She takes a deep breath and writes something on the file, then gives it to some nurse who was walking past. Instructions of the file being left at the laboratory.

“Doctor. How is my daughter?” I’m failing to even look at her. Mncedisi has his mother right under his arm. She is broken. Her voice is barely out.

“I’m afraid I don’t have good news.” She says making Luisa to gasp in shock then utter the unthinkable.

“Is she dead?”

“What! No, no.”

“Then what it is doctor?” Her mother asks.

“Sizakele suffered seizures later yesterday after surgery. We tried sedating her, keeping her in control, but her brain had shut down…

“Uthini kimi dokotela?” I can imagine the pain the mother is going thorough.

“She suffered a closed head injury. This occurred when an outside force subjected. We believe that she landed painfully with the back of her head penetrating the skull. And caused a lot of brain swelling.” This just keeps getting worse.