Mtetezi

Arrival

"Congratulations Nora." were the remarks I kept on receiving as I was passing through my neighbourhood this morning. I won a scholarship to study music at the Singusic Performing Arts Academy. Of course everyone who lives close to my house knows about it. The Brown sisters made sure of that. They are always broadcasting the latest news, it seems as if that is all they do.

Oh sorry where are my manners? My name is Nora Rivers. I'm 17 and my passion is found in music. I sing in the choir and play the guitar for the band every Sunday at the Holy Baptist Church. It had always been my dream to become a professional musician and by the looks of it, well I might get what I want in the next four years after all. Speaking of which, here I am, on my way to Singusic Academy.

"SINGUSIC ACADEMY" glows the stage notifier on the back of the seat in front of me

The bus just had to squeak when braking to alert me of my stop.Stepping out of the bus I can see nothing but an everlasting sea of pine trees. This has me confused. I have to ask the driver about this.

"Umm... pardon me, but sir?"

"Yes young lady" he replies

"I believe I specifically asked to be dropped off at the bus stop by the academy"

"Indeed your request has been granted ma'am. If you look closely to your left, you will see a dusty road. I have to go. Many more stops to go"

"But wait..."

He leaves my sentence hanging and drives off with a dangerously fast speed. Just great! My first day of college, and I've already been dumped. Let me get moving then, it will get dark soon. How in the world will I be able to drag my two enormous white suitcases on that germ-infested dusty road? Aargh! I don't have a choice I guess. Here I go. This whole idea of walking along a road with a dark forest on each side is really creeping me out. The sky's dark clouds are not helping at all. I really wish I hadn't packed my headphones in one of the suitcases. What I need right now is some Beethoven. His only Violin Concerto to be specific. I have been walking for fifteen minutes on this everlasting road now.

TURN LEFT TO REACH SINGUSIC

Finally there is some sort of hope now.

Peep! Peep! Peep!

Hey not too loud please.

"That was not so loud," Says a voice on my right. Wow did he just read my mind? No, this cannot be.

"Why are you staring at me as if you have seen a ghost?" says that deep voice again.

My turn to ask, "Are you a mind reader?"

A booming laugh explodes from his brown mouth showing off his snow-white teeth.

"Don't be silly chicka. It's not me who has covered her ears with both hands,"

Oh my. I feel so silly now. Oh no, my suitcases. After picking up my now-over-dirty cases I see, a black shiny twin-cab truck. As my eyes admire its beauty I meet two chocolate brown ones. They belong to a sharp-chinned face with an almost non-existent goatee. He has such small ears.

"Are you done staring now?" says the deep voice again

"I'm so sorry. Please excuse me. I shall take my leave now"

"No wait! If you are going to the academy I can give you a ride. It's going to rain soon. I believe you don't want your suitcases to get dirtier than they already are"

Without a second thought, I accept his offer. Throughout the ride, the only information I get from him is that, his name is Richard, he plays the piano and he is going for his second year at the Academy. Twenty minutes later, I can a see two very modern buildings before my eyes. They seem to be made purely out of glass. Lake blue reflective glass.Ok maybe not glass everywhere but the workmanship is just too superb for a college. I have a feeling that whoever designed this structure is the same architect who designed the 9/11 twin towers because those two buildings are accurately identical. I might have a bad eye-sight and not wearing my spectacles right now because I broke them, however, that sight is so striking even a blind man could see. It is beautiful.

"Hello there! Nora, are you even listening to me?" where is that deep voice coming from?

"Aloha! It's me, Richard. Eloo??" Oh... Richard

"I'm so sorry. Yes I'm here"

"Are you sure about that? Do you have staring-titis or something?"

"Staring- what?" I ask back

"You know what, never mind. We are here"

Obviously we are here duh... I can see the school right in front of my eyes. What's wrong with this guy? I wonder. He even makes up his own words, which I do not understand at all. I am starting to think he is not from earth. He must be a Martian. Anyway, let me forget about him, I have got an Academy to get to...

"Nora, where do you think you are going?"

"The school of course"

"What about your luggage hmm? And how will you know where to go? You don't even have a map"

he says while looking towards the direction of the truck, at the back.

Oh, right...

"Come. Follow me. I will help you out"

he says while giving me a dazzling smile together with a killer wink. Awww.. blush-blush..

To my utter suprise, he leads me to an ancient-looking log cabin to the far east of the twins to which, previously, I was heading. The paths here are thankfully made of tar and the cabin is ornamented with a beautiful rose garden on the front. Behind the house is the forest and on the left part of the garden is a nice little fountain topped by a miniature statue of a female warrior carrying an oval shield and a spear, ready to attack. There is a cement strip, in the midst of the flowers, leading to a verandah. Silently following behind him, I suddenly start feeling dizzy. I can see several blurry figures circling me. Both men and women. They seem angry at me but what seems even much more queer is that they keep jumping up into the air like the Masai of Kenya. What is happening to me?