FOUL BURDENS.

CHAPTER 2

My cheek is really sore but I pay no heed to it.One of the triplets named Michael came running to the kitchen and hugged my legs squealing in delight. He's my favourite out of the three. "Maria,hamjambo?(hello,Maria). I look at the dark coloured boy whose eyes are like black coal shining in his face. He makes me smile everytime. Too bad am not allowed to talk to them unless given the instructions to do so.I pick him up and tickle his sides making him squeal adorably.
Michael suddenly frowns and holds my sore cheek with his little hands. He kisses my cheek and I chuckle at the cuteness of the situation. Suddenly Luciana enters the kitchen and pushes me away from Michael.
"Hey you dirty pig,next time I see you holding little Michael,am going to chop your fingers one by one. By now you know I keep my words. Now leave and go set the table. Now I have to wash Michael again,who knows maybe you have a history of ebola,"She hisses and stomps out of the room.
I almost laugh at the situation. If I had ebola I would have been dead by now buuuuut noooo,according to Luciana am carrying and surviving with it like aids. I walk to the dining area,to find everyone already seated at their respective places.
The wife eyes me with pure disgust,the husband eyes my bare legs,Michael smiles beautiful at me,James and Luke,the brothers of Michael,could care less. They are bickering amongst themselves and I find myself looking at them longingly wondering what it would feel like to have siblings of my own.
Luciana catches me staring and she throws the side plate at me but I duck just in time before it hits my face.She yells,"Stop casting an evil eye on my kids you whore,"I look away and go collect the pieces of the plate that have broken.But Luciana is Luciana,she continues cursing and insulting me.
"Who knows who you really are.Look at yourself,your skin is much lighter than ours,your  hair is too long and wild for your big head,your eyes are of unnatural colour and you can't even remember where and when you were born until you are eleven years old. Maybe you are a witch sent to destroy as all," She kept ranting on,"Maybe even Maria isn't your real name," when she said that my golden eyes penetrated her dark ones and I saw her eyes widen a little. But that was less of my concern, I needed to know why she said what she said.I was now thirsty for the information. Father touched her hand his eyes wide with panick and plead. Plead? That's not right. The Moses I knew never pleaded or panicked. But I knew Maria was  a name Moses gave me when he found me so what was he so scared about?
My train of thought was interrupted when father told me to take my leave for I was polluting their air with my stench of worthlessness. I nodded and walked to the kitchen but something was nagging me to go and liste to what they would talk about.So I started walking back and waited for them to talk. They were silent for some time and when I thought they would never speak,father breaks the silence.
"Mama Michael,we wajua ungeleta  matata hapa nyumbani? Kijike mile kingejua kuwa nimekiiba toka Kenya ili kiwe kijakazi hapa nitafungwa maisha? Waelewa mambo hii kweli Bibi?(Michael's mother,do you know what trouble you would have brought this household?If that thing of a girl found out I trafficked her from Kenya so she could be my slave,I would be imprisoned for life? Do you really understand the situation wife?"
"Yes husband,am really sorry,she just gets into my nerves.Am glad you took her as a slave for she is just worthless like her dead mother Gloria.As for her mzungu ( tourist) of her father,I hope he never finds her.If he does,he'll skin as alive.Husband am worried last night in the world news I saw him announcing a reward for anyone who finds her,"Luciana whimpers.
"Pah don't worry,that picture he showed is of a ten year old girl,"father said cockily,"The whore is twenty now,who will find her now?"
I didn't wait for Luciana's reply,I ran back into my room .My mind was hazy and my breathes were coming out in short pants. My chest hurt from trying to breath regularly and tears were brimming my eyes.My mother is dead?My father is searching for me?How come he's a white? My breathing was now coming out quicker making me feel like am drowning in my own enclosed space. I tried touching my throat to allow myself to breath but I could not. Black spots started appearing in front of me and within no time the darkness consumed me.
I woke up with a jolt when something cold was poured on me. I looked around me like a maniac trying to figure out what happened. Right in front of me stood the heartless Moses with a plastic bucket in his hand.Looking straight into his coal black eyes everything came rushing into my mind like the plague.I found myself glaring at him and I thought I saw a little fear in them.Good,he's scared.But just as quick as it came it left and he covered it up with a sinister smirk.
"I assume you know why am here?Its time for our daily check up. "He said mockingly.I stood up slowly and waited for his next move. The only difference today would be I was not going to let him take advantage of me. He eyed me up and down and licked his lips disgustingly and i involuntarily flinched. He's smirk widened and he continued approaching me.I never moved or showed any sign of moving away. When he was at an arms length,I took my foot back and with all my might,kicked him where the sun don't shine.He screamed like a girl and his hands rushed to grab his family jewel. And to be on the safer side I kicked him again and he collapsed on the floor and was unconscious. Good I hope he never uses that thing again in his life time.
I grabbed a clean dress and changed hurriedly before he woke up and rushed out of my room.Before my hand could reach the front door,something small and giggly held my foot. Looking down was none other then Michael."Michael am just running to the shops I will be back soon,"I said caressing his cheek and kissed his forehead knowing this would be the last time am seeing him. With that I bolted out the door like lighting.