Unveiling themselves under the large cloth they took a moment to catch their breath. Sipho bent his back forward letting his hands touch his slightly bent knees for support while inhaling and exhaling through the mouth. Whereas, Parla sat on her buttocks, knees raised up like mountain summits as she kept rubbing her patella; feeling the excruciating after signs of crouching, the first stage is complete. In this half-lit hall; due to the crumbled openings on the roof, they could see a log tied at both ends which is also attached to another rope to a wall from where they stood. At the edge, lies an unlit black pit with no where to climb up but to just sink farther into the pool of death. This implies that in order to get across is to untie the rope on the wall and let the log swing back and forth while trying not to fall over.
Both clones helped in untying the rope and held it as leverage when the log gains momentum in swinging back and forth to get across. Sipho agreed to go first in the attempt to cross, they signal each other to release the rope and log begin to swing. He was waiting for the right moment; calculating the speed and time as he walked six steps backwards, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opens his eyes, exhales through his nostrils and starts to run. On the sixth step he jumps to the log as it swings away but he makes it to the ropes, he pulls himself up and the weight pressure forces the log to gain momentum to increase again. After this action, it seemed to cause a fracture on the roof where the ropes are nailed to support the log, and it could break off in a matter of minutes.
Sipho successfully crosses the log bridge and jumps onto the other side of the ramp. Parla begins to imitate what Sipho has done by walking six steps backwards, she takes a deep breath and starts running and jumping on the sixth step. She accomplishes that but by her third swing a fragment of the roof starts to crumble, loosening the attachment that was beginning to fall. Parla shouts for Sipho's help as huge blocks of stones are tumbling down around her, she slips on the log but quickly catches the rope; however, the ropes from where she jumped unwind and snaps causing the log to spin and swing, simultaneously. Parla continues to cry for help as the log slows down into a halt, Sipho lies flat on his stomach on the ramp's edge, and stretches out his right hand. He cries out her name giving her confidence that she is not alone; but, Parla is too scared to reach out to him for the fear of plunging into the dark pit.
As Parla hangs on, she looks up and hears the ropes that are dangling from the roof are quickly snapping apart. She is swallowing hard; whilst, Sipho is still reaching out for her, she put her feet to the log while making its last swing towards Sipho, and she thrust her body to his arms - grabbing them tightly and not letting go. He pulls her up and wipes her tears of her red cheeks after experiencing trauma that she had never experienced before, he clutches Parla to comfort her until she stops hyperventilating.
When stage two of the log bridge was complete, there were five steps of stairs descending to another room. As they held hands, Sipho accidently pushes a rope with his ankle which connects to a hinge that activates four swinging boulders. He starts scratching his head hard while slowly tightening his grip to Parla's hand, she begins to tremble as she holds back her tears - making her eyes glisten like melting ice on a hot summer's day. Sipho kneels and analyses the sequence of the boulder's movement; one after another he concentrates and calculates in deep thought. He turns to Parla and speaks softly, "Parla, I want you not to be afraid no more. Follow the things I am going to do, be strong". Nodding his head and rubbing his hands from her shoulders to elbows.
He passes the first boulder, he lies down by the second boulder as it swings above him, he then wakes up where the third boulder was coming right at him, fast, he simply raises his arms high and spins to a full 360 degree twirl, and the last boulder he dives out and rolled onto his back to his feet. Parla wiping off the tears and stood up trying to build self-confidence. In her starting position; she freezes like a lake on winter's night, she did not know what to do or what to say until Sipho shout out her name when a boulder is swinging straight towards her. Like a light bulb switched on, she becomes alert of the incoming boulder and remarkably she does these extraordinary gymnastic moves.
Moves such as a back flip before standing on her hands with legs spread apart, she spins while standing on her hands, and then managed to do a low bridge position to lying down flat on her stomach. she slithers her way up to her feet when the third boulder moved away and cart wheeled herself out using only one arm. Sipho is in shock that he has nothing to say but smile, uncontrollably, hugging Parla in relief of her safety - in that moment Parla felt a sense of comfort. There is a weird yet tingling sensation inside her stomach; going weak on the knees, and her heart beating as loud as an African bongo drum only used at ceremonial rituals - she felt happy.
YOU ARE READING
ISIPHO SOKUZALWA (Gift of Birth) by MINENHLE S MKHIZE
Science FictionSipho and Parla wake up in a cindered Earth from the a ice slumber - not knowing they are clones. They travel across the ash-covered world trying to find self-identity, the reason for their creation, and will there be others like them.
