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9.the d-day

Before the d-day I had already bid my family and friends goodbye the previous day I I had made sure to capture my last moments before embarking to the militia by taking as many photos as possible .

I kept tossing in bed and frequently checking my alarm to keep track of time. Goosebumps were all over my body, sleep had already departed from my body, I only had one fear, fear of being late on my first appointment to something I considered important for the first time.

I was up and running immediately my alarm rang i wore my best blue shorts and matching top, confirmed that I had parked all the necessities as outlined on the calling letter and my ticket to the militia itself, the original calling letter.i put it in a clean envelope and embarked on my journey.
To be totally honest I've never been so many miles away from home, landing to Gilgil was going to be an adventure. I had learnt a lot in primary school at my social studies classes about the physical features in our beautiful continent Kenya ,I later advanced that knowledge at my geography classes in high school,i could have advanced more in it if my high school teacher Mrs Kim hadn't been transferred during my third year, her replacement miss Boo made me loose hope in being a geographer in future.

She would get into class and blabber the whole lesson, explaining a concept was not one of her traits, now that I think about it biology would have suited her better, she was a pro in genetics but all the same I never got to learn anything from her since I despised her.

I never got to attend any field trips after Mrs Kim left simply because her replacement despised them, she always said that she saw no need of them since they were a waste of time, energy and money, she thought that geography was all about our surrounding environment in our village, breaking class monotony was a very big deal for us, she claimed that classes were built to be used not to be left for field work excuses, that's what it was to her "a stupid excuse".

A stupid excuse I'd also call it since I can't bring myself to explain any of the physical features i encountered from my village to Gilgil, I never got to learn them practically. So there you have it.

Immediately after landing to Gilgil from a luxury shuttle, I asked for directions from a G4S soldier at a bank entry for my destination only to realize that I hadn't yet arrived.He advised that I board a motorbike and part with two hundred shillings .
Most people know that me parting with money is not one of my favorite moment i'm not a fun of it either it stings me more than a bee could but since I was in a place where I knew no one, in the middle of nowhere I didn't have a choice but to oblige and deduct the cursed note from my pocket.

Without wasting time the recommended motorist packed my boxes at the back of his dear babe and I dragged myself behind .i held so tightly into him for my dear life until we could visibly see a secluded gate in the middle of the forest, words inscribed in capital letters.:Welcome to national youth service recruits training center. Please switch off your phone and walk in platoons either dabbling or matching.
I've never felt so relieved like I did the instant I alighted from that bike, the guy drove it like a maniac .like he was doing a road test on it after service. You feel me?

Finally I was here .my destination ,my home for the next six months or so I thought. A uniformed officer welcomed me in and volunteered to help carry my stuff inside the camp where I found my fellow colleagues for the next few months.

Before joining the small groups of people assembled in the camp I had to do a few clearances here and there.

First I had to hand over my phone and any form of jewelry including my precious watch,which I was told I would recover after the said six month, they got my full attention there, how was I going to manage keeping time without my watch, it was my everything?

Surprise number two they had to confirm my height and weight. And check my urine for a pregnancy test, my blood pressure was not lucky either it had to be checked again. I later came to understand that I would undergo this processes again after a while but I didn't know the "while"would be after how long.
Jesus! Do people practice sex in training?
My subconscious mind couldn't hold itself to place.
The damn mind kept wondering.

After the programmed check I joined the others ,and we were told to wait for the vehicle that would help us carry our stuffs to the main camp field for the final clearance so we could be shown to our dormitories ,or so I thought.

As we were busy interacting I got to know a few people who hailed from the same division and county as me, James was from our nearby village and learned from my neighboring school, (brother boarding high school) while Peter was from the other side of town.
This group was majorly men apart from me and a girl I came to learn her name was Joan ,she also happened to hail from our division. And I came to judge-mental conclusion there and then that the other groups could have been assembled according to their area of residence or divisions. Or same counties for that matter.

I,ve always known all my life that I'm better in the company of men as compared to my own gender. It comes naturally to me. Believe  me when I say that compared to girls men are easy to bond with not necessarily as boyfriends ,or friends with benefits but basically friends. They lack the girl bullshit syndrome. And when they take you like a friend they will treat you like that sister they never had, protect you if need be and be there for you, you'll be able to open up to them without a care or struggle, they'll be like that counselor or adviser that never existed in your life.

As i was busy interacting with this group I realized that I had met the family I never had ,listening to each person explain their high school experiences ,escapades and the reasons that got them to try their luck in the paramilitary, I realized that I wasn't the only one with an ugly past, and there was nothing I should be ashamed of.
Only that I couldn't admit in front of everyone I had just met ,that :back home I was a mother, for this moment my subconscious admitted I was ashamed of Aggy. This revelation alone could have denied me the chance of being a para-militant. I swore there and then that me being a mother would remain a secret until I had achieved whatever brought me here. I hope there's no test that I will undertake that will reveal this, because if there is I'm done.

The main reason why almost everybody was joining the paramilitary was lack of capital for further studies, for the underprivileged ,others were in it for disciplinary actions from their parents especially those that hailed from the rich politicians, some were joining it to see if it could mend their already messed up life's, this included the drug addicts, sexual addicts, TV and movie addicts etc, the last group of people consisted of the confused generation that tried something without any ideas of the outcome since they were idle, they were in it for fun nothing more nothing less. They were just moving with the flow or doing it because others were doing it too.

One thing was clear with me though. I was messed up alright but I was doing it for Aggy and secondly to mend my ways and be a responsible reformed dependable parent, someone that my parents , family and society would be proud of some day.

As the others were busy blabbering around and about, James whispered something that made me surprised and energized at the same town.
"Joan has a four year old kid, imagine she gave birth when she was in form two".
I don't know what my facial expressions revealed but one thing was clear to me, I was not surprised. Instead I felt encouraged and motivated the more reason to keep my secret from people like James, he could spread my gospel while flirting with other girls like he just spread Joan's while flirting with me.he was a game changer.

I quietly asked him how he would feel if the tables were turned and the same thing was said about him.
He got my point and shut his beak.
I made sure to draw a covenant  between me and James so that he never reveals to another soul about Joan's secret.

As i got back to small talks with my fellow colleagues,  i could only silently pray in my heart that James lives to keep his end of the bargain  and i live long enough to witness it.