A Secondary School Survivor; Year One...

The Warrior Arrives

"Duna, remember everything I taught you, okay? Make mummy and daddy happy. Don't let anyone take you for granted my dear," Neka said to her eleven-year-old daughter as she fished in her pocket for any more Daria notes she could hold on to, not trusting the house mother with her pocket money.

Duna pursed her lips and looked at the girls' hostel behind her. It was nearly six in the evening now and the setting sun behind the building gave her the vibes of a giant turtle ready to swallow her whole. It didn't help that the building itself was green.

Neka seemed to notice her hesitation to leave the car and she moved to hug the girl for the last time.
"Things will be okay. You don't need to worry about that evil hostel mother while you're here." At this, Duna laughed aloud causing a few passers-by to stare at her, but she didn't care.

"Mummy don't worry. We'll remain parallel till my graduation," she said rolling her eyes as she added, "especially after making me re-pack my entire box in front of the hostel".

Her mom chuckled and patted her back.

"That's the spirit my dear. Now please release this woman so that Sogal traffic doesn't jam me." Duna groaned at this. She wished to extend the evening a bit longer, but she knew her mother was right. She sighed in defeat and got out of the car.

"Yes mummy. Greet little Osas, Jos, and Enos for me, okay? And tell Aunty Kate I said thank you for staying with me last week," she said and hugged her mother back.

"Okay, my dear. Oya go, before those yeye security people come and hold me", she replied. She prayed grace while rubbing her daughter's head as she echoed the replies and thereafter squeezed four five hundred Daira notes into her daughter's tiny palm and got into the car.

"Bye Mr. Ike," Duna called to the driver who waved back just as enthusiastically as he steered the car away from the hostel and up the drive towards the main gate.

She stood there until she could no longer tail the Toyota minivan that brought her and her brother to this place with her eyes. She ignored the urge to chase after it at the last minute and took a deep breath to calm her unsteady nerves, then turned to face the building that now held her sleeping quarters.

"Stupid turtle," she mumbled and kicked a nearby bottle cap with her sandaled foot, "six years to go then. Might as well start," she thought as she dragged her feet to her new hostel.

Walking was especially difficult, granted she had earned an injury to her big toe the previous week that hadn't healed yet, and her undeniably long house wear attire which the students wore after school.

She pulled off her beret as she stepped in. Some girls were in different corners chatting- her seniors- like old friends would. She collapsed on her newly made bed and assessed the space around her.

Her large gray box was propped up against the wall next to a smaller pink one belonging to the girl sleeping next to her probably. She decided to get her things in order before attention was focused on her like that afternoon.

She got up and stripped out of her blue and white checkered house wear, folded it neatly in two, and placed it on a hanger she left on the window. Standing now in only her undergarments and slippers she exchanged her sandals for, she rounded the bunk to see where she could fix in her mosquito net. She observed that all sleeping spaces were tagged according to their occupant's name. Apart from hers.

That being concluded, Duna set to work on rearranging her box that was now practically empty due to unnecessary interference from a certain someone.

What could be wrong with her? Does somebody have to measure detergent to bring to school? Which one is "no toilet wash allowed"? So, she doesn't like anything clean? And why can't I bring colored underwear?