AGAINST THE ODDS

chapter 2

I quickly told them about her advances towards me and our recent quarrels, which had resulted in our being at loggerheads.
      "Please call her and ask," I stammered.
Cherry was brought in and, to my utter shock, confirmed that I was the one.
      "C-Cherry, have I made advances at you before?" I asked bewildered.
      "Of course you have. What do you say to me during our meetings, and have you forgotten you have forced yourself on me some weeks ago?" She continued solemnly, "You promised to marry me later when you complete school and-and..."
     "And what" an elder interjected.
She coughed and said "and begged me to accuse someone else."
She was a good actress. It was difficult to disbelieve her when she spoke. To my surprise, she even managed a tear or two.
I looked at cherry dumb-founded. I could not believe she was lying desperately about me. Unfortunately for me there were witnesses who had often seen cherry and me in questionable places at equally odd times. I had no witness. I could not bring Jennie in since it will only complicate matters. It was solely cherry's words against mine, and hers appeared to be carrying all the weight.
    After much persuasion to accept responsibility, which I strenuously resisted, Father, eyes blazing, cleared his throat and had this to say: "Hear me, elders of the village. Listen, my son. You know how devout I am as a Christian. My son's actions have gone against my principles, but most importantly he has acted against the taboo of this land. To have an affair and make an unmarried women pregnant is frowned upon in the village, a distateful act, but to rape a woman is unpardonable."
      Father paused. The room was dead quiet. My leg wobbled. My fingers trembled. My stomach rumbled and my mouth was dry with apprehension.
     "From today, he ceased to be my son. He should also consider his schooling terminated. He leaves the village by first light tomorrow morning, for he cannot live under my roof any longer." Father sat upright, indicating his pronouncements over.
       I knelt before him, weeping and pleading that he listens to me since I was innocent. This only incensed him the more. I looked at Cherry, who returned my look with a spiteful look. I surveyed the room, all the faces around me looked convinced of my guilt. I did not plead again, do I knew  it would be futile. Father was a man who never went back on his words. He assured cherry's parents some compensation. The elders conferred briefly and the gathering was dismissed. Though it was a warm evening, I shivered with cold.
      I went to my usual spot, under the tree, I sat there, brooding over the evening event, then I heard my name being called by a familiar voice. It was Jennie. She came out and say beside me. She had been crying and looked very sad.
      "I know you are innocent." She said quietly.
      "I'm glad to hear it from you," I said, looking up the starry sky. The moon was full.
      "I'm sure I may not see you tomorrow when you leave," she stopped, years welling in her eyes again. "Here, I've brought you this. It isn't much, but don't refuse it for you shall surely need it."
    I looked at the tiny parcel she pushed into my hands. I counted five thousand dollars. By village standards, that was two years hard work. It was a fortune. Her eyes pleaded with me not to turn it down.
  "But..."
   "No buts..."
She was willing to give me her hard-earned money. I took her hands in mine.
     "I shall never forget what you've done this evening."
      "I know you will do same for me"
For a full five minutes, neither of us spoke. We had to part, but it was difficult. Finally we heard her mother calling her name.
    "Well" she said and flung herself at me, sobbing
     "I will return one day to clear my name," I promised her.
    "I know you will and I pray it will be soon." We parted silently. She walked away and never looked back until she was lost in the to my sight in the darkness. I sat there for sometime and finally got up and went home.
    For the next three hours, I lay restless in bed. I kept thinking about what was ahead of me. The clock in the sitting room chimed - one...two...three...four... I heard a gentle knock on my door, and mother entered. She looked as though she hadn't slept a wink. This woman had loved me dearly all my life was being made to suffer unnecessarily. My head ached, for I was hurt that she would think I could be irresponsible.
    "Where's father?" I asked, avoiding looking at her grief-stricken face. I could not bear to see the sorrow etched on it.
    "I don't know, He left early this morning but didn't tell me where he was off to."
     The man I admire so much and drew inspiration had rejected me.
   I sighed, my heart heavy and mad my way to the bath house. After bathing, I packed my few belongings from my bamboo closet, which I had made myself, into my old worn-out suitcase. I looked at all my siblings, they all thought I was guilty. I embraced each of them after mother had given me a last piece of advice.
    "Please look after yourself well andeys hope we see you one day. Oh dear me. Why must this happen to me?" She began to sob.
     I went to her and took her hands into mine. "I'm innocent, mother," I told her. "And I shall come back one day with dignity and with my name cleared. Even if I have to go to the moon, for your sake, I will." She looked at me silently and continued weeping. I thanked my siblings for the love we had always shared together as a family and implored them to help father as much as the could on the farms.
       With tears, I based them all good-bye, picked up my suitcase and left the house where I had experienced so much comfort and love. After I had gone for a short distance, I turned one last time and saw my mother standing at the entrance to the compound. She was still in tears. For a full minute, we stood and waved at each other. Finally, unable to bear her anguish any further, I continued my journey into the unknown.
      Then it began: the drumming to signify that someone had been sent away from the village for a serious crime. Tears began building up in my eyes as I strode down the path to the lorry station. Before long, they were streaming down my cheeks. The drumming continued relentlessly, and I wondered where father had gone.