Mamela [Completed]

Shamiso

~~Prologue~~

Shamiso is a Shona name which means:
1. a marvel or
2. an astonishing event.

Shona is one of the native languages of the Bantu speaking people of Zimbabwe.

.........Now, on to the story....enjoy.
* * * *

"....My child,be weary of those charming varsity boys most of whom are wolves in sheep's clothing. Don't let them take away your virtue and destroy your future. Make me proud Shami,make me proud."

Those had been her mother's parting words of advice eight months ago when Shamiso headed off to university to begin her freshman year.

She had not heeded her mother's words of advice and now, she found herself heavily pregnant and alone. How would she face her mother, not to mention the church elders?Having been raised in a conservative society,she had made up her mind and decided to run away.

The road is long,winding and riddled with potholes. With each fleeting second, Shamiso grows wearier and increasingly restless. To make matters worse, the Kombi (mini bus) is almost as old as time itself which makes the journey even more tedious.

Some of the passenger seats are full of holes with dirty rags stuffed in them, creating an illusion of comfort to the passengers. Shamiso's window seat is no better, and each time the minibus takes a sharp turn, she is forced to grab the seat in front of her to avoid being thrown topsy-turvy .

The old woman next to Shamiso is somehow comfortable enough to slip in and out of naps,her silver head bobbing from side to side.On her lap sits a small tub of peanut butter which she intends to sell in her village.

With a sigh, Shamiso begins to ponder on her life. Never had she imagined in her lifetime that she would find herself on such a dilapidated kombi headed for Rusape her mother's native village.

Resting her weary head on the window, Shamiso indulges the scenery. The beautiful savanna vegetation is lush and succulent. The rain has revived the scanty dry and thirsty vegetation after a long drought.

Her thoughts drift....

"If only I were a herbivore, I would have enjoyed chewing the succulent leaves....Whoa! wait a minute, what? "

Flustered,she blinks awkwardly and turns away ,praying inwardly for her sanity to return to her.

Her own imagination frightens her. Clearly,the stress and shocking reality of events was taking its toll on her mind.

She can still remember it as though it were yesterday. Arriving at the university and meeting a charming senior student.

It had been love at first sight,that was, until she fell pregnant. He had wanted her to abort, but fearing for her life, she had been adamant.To cut the long story short, that had marked the end of her whirlwind romance.

As Shamiso sat drowning in her own misery,bitter tears streamed down her cheeks as she silently mourned the death of her once promising future.