The Outcast (Previously Known As The Unwanted)

Chapter 3

"O safa, saphel' isizw' esimnyama
O safa isizwe sabantsundu
Anitshelen' inkokheli zethu zisilamulele kuloludaba"

O safa, saphel' isizw' esimnyama
O safa isizwe sabantsundu
Anitshelen' inkokheli zethu zisilamulele kuloludaba"

(The Black nation is dying
The African nation is dying
Tell our leaders to do something about this matter)

I sang along Mbongeni Ngema's song as I finished with the laundry. This was the last week to my form four exams and I believed I had done very well for preparations. This day unlike other days there were women rushing here and there, seems we would be hosting some villagers in our house.

Before long I heard Maya my sister tell her friend, "the witch doesn't know what awaits her." She chucked.
"I wish no such thing to even my worst enemy! Maya you're heartless!" He friend retorted
"I hate the witch with a passion. Wait till I put something in her soup. She will sit in the toilet until the ceremony is over." She said to her friend laughing her heart out.

I contemplated on running away and waiting to see what was happening. Before long phutu and madumbes was brought and everyone dug in eating to their fill. This was a favourite meal to our community. After the meal in came the soup. Mine was placed in front of me, I laughed inwardly as I thought of a sweet revenge.

One man led a song which everyone sang along. Me being me, decided to practice the soup on Maya and the man who led the singing. I poured a little of the soup on their cups. Maya decided to give to a man he was sleeping with to taste, as not everyone could be served with it. The man felt it tasted weird and mama decided to taste.

Mama, "it is perfectly fine. Let me take half and you can take half of mine."
The man, "no problem. We have shared much more than this." He winked at mama as I looked on.

Mama took half as agreed and the man half. So in total four people had tasted my soup. I now waited to see what would happen and alas! They had added ubangalala (traditional extract used to make sexual impotence drug) and a laxative. This meant that mama and the man would be looking for their partners in not so long as I saw mama fidgeting. Maya on the other hand followed the dude she was sleeping with, they just couldn't wait. They were all fighting to get inside the latrine and were all gripping each other without a care of their surrounding. The elders and friends who had come to whatever ceremony had to go away and wait for when they would be called again.

Papa was ranged, which he loved very much. This was after he told the man shagging mama to either disappear or a piece of his buttocks would be left there to be eaten by dogs. He ran off to his home and the only thing we could hear from our home was the woman's ululation as she had stayed for long without having it.

Today was the day, papa got to know about his wife's wayward ways. He caught her red handed, another man running his shaft inside mama! They were inseparable and moans could be heard from far and wide. People surrounded the homestead they were in wanting to get a glimpse of what was happening.

Papa had previously heard of mama's failure to close her legs and had contacted the local wizard. He had given him some charms to bind, and that is exactly what happened. Mama and her partner were both whimpering in pain, their organs had caught together refusing to part.

Maya on the other hand, after some time came out of the hut naked and running, screaming on top of her voice, "the idiot will kill me! Em you're a witch. You were supposed to be the one running around."

"What do you mean?" Papa furiously asked.
"The soup! Her soup! I .....I .....nothing. Please give me remedy! That man will kill me. I can barely walk. Help papa!"
"Go back there and let him finish what he started! Idiot! As much as I hate the witch, this is no way to treat her. She's still your sister!"
"Sister my foot!" She exclaimed walking away.

The elders gathered yet again, after a little ceremony to unbind. The man was ordered to pay papa 20 goats and 2heifers so he can leave in peace. He was also ordered to look the other way in case they ever met even on the road.

Now that I knew their intentions I decided to run away. I gathered all my clothes including school uniform and hid behind the hut first. I then ran off hoping I didn't leave any trail behind.

I went to Umholi for refuge. He and his wife welcomed me with open arms and told me that I was always welcome in their home. It is from his home that I did my final examinations.

On the day that I finished my final examination, I was sent away. I had to hide as my parents had gotten wind of where I was and were planning to take me back home and marry me off. I went to Soweto to start my life.it wasn't easy and I'll tell you why.

When I got there, new like a new born, I had no knowledge of the city. It took me some days of sleeping in the cold and being scared away by the street kids before I got a house, no a shark of a house to call home. It was on a top floor and was a two roomed shark.

The city was big but not too big and after a while after looking for a job and finding none, I decided to move to Johannesburg. In this city is where my life took a turn, a complete 360°. This is where I went through hell, something that I wouldn't want anyone to go through. This is where I met mister wrong and mister right too. This is where I was branded names that sometimes I cannot fathom.

Will this pain ever stop? I really wonder.

Don't forget to comment, vote and share.