Five years ago382Please respect copyright.PENANAL8aYmEV4qp
Mpunde Girls Secondary School382Please respect copyright.PENANASybCkXJjVm
The Poultry382Please respect copyright.PENANAlMfO1RrJly
382Please respect copyright.PENANAfhepwoEw24
I screamed. And the next thing I knew, I landed chest first onto what felt like a hard cold floor. My chest and ribs ached painfully. I slowly rolled over on the floor so as to lie on my back. I took a knock in my knees too. The pain all over was unbearable.382Please respect copyright.PENANACX1iecbr1H
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I looked above and saw the hole that I fell in. I saw the gaping space and a few rays of sunlight coming in. A few puffs of sawdust fell onto my face. I coughed as I rubbed my face to wipe them off. I had to get up. It felt like I hadn't fallen far. I could make it if nothing in me was broken, especially my legs.382Please respect copyright.PENANAF9VbWFhUIl
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I sat up slowly. How could the poultry have a hole on the floor? How come I hadn't noticed it the first time?382Please respect copyright.PENANA2xxisXtCNq
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I held my aching left shoulder as I looked up. Coming to the poultry looking for the ball was a bad idea. It was all thanks to Christine and Amanda that all this was happening to me.382Please respect copyright.PENANAv8Hr6zsYEs
382Please respect copyright.PENANAuyQg2YnPcT
I stood on my own two feet and straightened up. I didn't feel any bones broken or dislocated. But that was yet to be known.382Please respect copyright.PENANAU48A7O0Rbi
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I looked up at the hole and just as I expected, the distance wasn't massive. I could easily jump and hold on to the edges to pull myself out.382Please respect copyright.PENANAhe98b5Dr58
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My body still ached and I had to prepare myself if I was going to make the jump. But just before I could, I heard a weird noise behind me.382Please respect copyright.PENANAveMVH06FT3
382Please respect copyright.PENANAp4QF0x9ZHP
I quickly turned around and realised that I hadn't taken the time to look around to see where I was. In front of me stood complete darkness. I was in some kind of room because of the visible stone black walls to my sides and the one behind me. As much as I looked, I couldn't see anything.382Please respect copyright.PENANAxx2fMdtCbu
382Please respect copyright.PENANAlJQteJQwTM
I shrugged my shoulders as I came to the conclusion that what I probably heard was nothing. There was no need to start chasing after something in the dark when you have no idea what's there. What I learnt in horror movies: don't go chasing after things you know nothing about. It just gets you killed.382Please respect copyright.PENANAz6hoOWjKer
382Please respect copyright.PENANADZJgGjLxJU
I turned back to look at the hole and just as I steadied my body to jump, I heard the noise again and along with it came a whisper:382Please respect copyright.PENANA1eWYbOB7xo
382Please respect copyright.PENANAElk9K0ahIQ
"Diana."382Please respect copyright.PENANAXlthuevbMu
382Please respect copyright.PENANAug8tToj3cJ
I grew spooked. What was that? I turned my head again. Was someone out there? As much as I wanted to call out, I didn't want to. Another thing I learnt in horror movies: don't answer to what calls you out in the dark. It might just come get you for real.382Please respect copyright.PENANAwJpqbXapcP
382Please respect copyright.PENANASLGIVjuVc3
I continued to look and this time, crazy images appeared in my head. What if there's some monster that lived down here and it knew my name? I assume that most weird supernaturals had a tendency of knowing their victims' names, almost like they were psychic or something. No, no, no. There's nothing out there. I am just imagining things.382Please respect copyright.PENANAmPs7h73oX2
382Please respect copyright.PENANAC9EwdBnjgm
"Diana, Diana!"382Please respect copyright.PENANAK84VfA0wwG
382Please respect copyright.PENANAdwBm6sA8gQ
I gulped as I felt my insides shake. Okay, this was no joke. There's definitely somebody out there.382Please respect copyright.PENANAzpOcwQV5nq
382Please respect copyright.PENANANMPCJsPxD7
Just as I turned back to look at the hole, something unexpected started to happen. It was fixing itself up.382Please respect copyright.PENANAWGvmnP8mkf
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"No, no, no!" I exclaimed as I made a jump for it.382Please respect copyright.PENANAiAzeLkbbnl
382Please respect copyright.PENANAJw54SFFU3L
It was no use. As much as I tried over and over, I still couldn't reach the edges as the hole grew smaller and smaller. My heart started to beat even faster when the concrete hole finally sealed itself and I was surrounded by darkness.382Please respect copyright.PENANAvcQRDhjRAe
382Please respect copyright.PENANAyzk2m4QF0g
"Diana," came the whisper again.382Please respect copyright.PENANAlrPVL24Gqu
382Please respect copyright.PENANAxM0TccvCTN
I leaned back against the wall, my heart beating even more. I wrapped my arms around myself as I shook in fright. I am one person who didn't mind being in the dark, but not like this. The place was pitch black and someone out there was calling out to me. Could this be my bitter end? Death would have a laugh at me if it ever came to be.382Please respect copyright.PENANAwOJ7c9sfFf
382Please respect copyright.PENANAaijxejRxud
I sat on the floor, curled myself up with my knees below my chin, my arms still wrapped around myself. This is it, I thought. I could imagine what the headlines of the national newspapers was going to be like: Girl at Mpunde Girls gone missing..., or is she dead? That would be enough to leave my parents agitated or even terrified. What happened to their baby girl, people would ask. She got stuck under the poultry and died there, that's what.382Please respect copyright.PENANAFMTb30c85V
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"Diana!" came the whisper again.382Please respect copyright.PENANAbrbBceu0v1
382Please respect copyright.PENANAvBWLyMEyH2
My heart skipped a beat as I turned to my left. Someone had just whispered in my ear. And the creepy part was that I hadn't felt anyone's presence nor did I hear any footsteps. Was I talking to a ghost?382Please respect copyright.PENANATOuRuQChjn
382Please respect copyright.PENANAIbsHNsg7JV
"Who are you?" I asked this time around. I couldn't keep quiet any longer.382Please respect copyright.PENANAShDTGo6D2n
382Please respect copyright.PENANA0qWnPW7UE4
"I've been waiting for you, Diana," came the the voice again, but still in a whisper.382Please respect copyright.PENANAC9fPpcTL9N
382Please respect copyright.PENANAK5gtYT9SkY
A bright purple light suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. I shrieked. I stood up and I noticed that the ball of light was on my nose. I shrieked again as I tried to swat it away, but everytime I did, it would float right back like an annoying insect.382Please respect copyright.PENANACbpNDZgJAY
382Please respect copyright.PENANA9yHctxXKKk
I stopped fighting with the little thing and my eyes focused on it. The purple ball of light was nothing more but a glowing purple butterfly. I could hardly feel it on my nose except the warmth it brought onto the small area of my nose.382Please respect copyright.PENANAeZLJDW9nLK
382Please respect copyright.PENANAkvC0AibSp4
I continued looking at it and admired how beautiful it looked. I had never seen a glowing butterfly before. All this felt unreal. Was I dreaming?382Please respect copyright.PENANAmYThJfs8M2
382Please respect copyright.PENANAWUVXIcOW1a
I brought my finger up to my nose and as if the butterfly knew what to do, it went on it. For some reason, I smiled. I wasn't afraid anymore and I definitely wasn't dreaming.382Please respect copyright.PENANA9tBTtUiIqz
382Please respect copyright.PENANAUm4tKZFJbh
The butterfly fluttered its purple wings and took to the air. It hovered a few inches above me before it started to flutter away in the darkness.382Please respect copyright.PENANAnzZU8RvJ0y
382Please respect copyright.PENANADUfAdQ9hVx
"Wait, hold up," I called out to it.382Please respect copyright.PENANAq9FHTtTdH4
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I followed it in the dark. I had no idea where I was going. All I did know was that I had to follow it.382Please respect copyright.PENANAmvpA2weT5L
382Please respect copyright.PENANAKGBn9UQrEz
I noticed that I was walking down a long dark hallway. The butterfly's glowing light hit the black coloured walls on the sides. The place was still pitch black and I grew anxious with each step that I took.382Please respect copyright.PENANAJhcA4JMI54
382Please respect copyright.PENANAbB2yrz2WrU
After a few minutes of walking, I reached a doorway. I was afraid to go beyond. What if all this was a trap and I was going to find myself falling again and this time, into a deeper hole?382Please respect copyright.PENANAjs4r0EMIWZ
382Please respect copyright.PENANAQqiAPQyeFr
The butterfly still fluttered its wings beside me, then it went right through the doorway. This time, its glowing light not hitting the walls or even the floor. That made me guess that in front of me stood a vast room of space with no walls or floor within close range.382Please respect copyright.PENANA6WBHRh1igG
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As the butterfly continued to flutter away, the whisper came again:382Please respect copyright.PENANABrSa3UAAFD
382Please respect copyright.PENANAd5Crw1kPqu
"Come, Diana."382Please respect copyright.PENANAMjiCsAZ4tO
382Please respect copyright.PENANAKJs1Hkbh1Z
I looked below to see if there was any stairway or sight of a floor. I still couldn't see anything.382Please respect copyright.PENANACYb19mv0Y0
382Please respect copyright.PENANAiK4xRuE28e
"Umm, no thanks," I said. "It's pretty dark."382Please respect copyright.PENANAx41t9FUxEW
382Please respect copyright.PENANAAYf42QETk8
"Come. Nothing will happen to you."382Please respect copyright.PENANAUCEnyJa0bS
382Please respect copyright.PENANAQVjHcin7MT
I raised an eyebrow. "I love my life, mind you."382Please respect copyright.PENANAzNyCGlMNGJ
382Please respect copyright.PENANAiySefezBkh
"Take a step forward, do not be afraid."382Please respect copyright.PENANA16KOIloL1t
382Please respect copyright.PENANAa8YbwEdveX
I thought of the last four words: "Do not be afraid." It reminded me of a bible passage we read last Sunday when Peter tried to walk on water and he grew scared that Jesus had to help him. Jesus told him to take courage and not to be afraid. Was this the same scenario I was facing; like a test?382Please respect copyright.PENANA6kwHOCEQXm
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"Step forward," came the voice again. "I promise that nothing is going to happen to you."382Please respect copyright.PENANA6QKa5dNzf2
382Please respect copyright.PENANAtxu2oYATUI
I gulped as I looked at the dark emptiness where there was supposed to be a floor. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. If I was to plunge to my death, I would rather have my eyes closed.382Please respect copyright.PENANATflOhUcHu2
382Please respect copyright.PENANAPYuDrO7hJA
I breathed out and took a step forward very slowly. And just as I had expected, I didn't feel the floor and my heart skipped a beat, but very quickly, my foot stepped on something solid. Was it a floor?382Please respect copyright.PENANAED1anzHhlc
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Feeling relieved that I wasn't going to fall after all, I put my feet together and opened my eyes. What I saw beneath me, made my eyes widen with wonder.382Please respect copyright.PENANABQWsxlQVFc
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I had stepped on a floor tile and I noticed that it was no ordinary one. It was made of glowing green butterflies.382Please respect copyright.PENANAaUqkGa2dAH
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I couldn't help but stare. Soon, I slowly took another step forward. Immediately, another glowing tile appeared. This time made up of glowing yellow butterflies. Without fear, I took another step forward and a blue one appeared. Afterwards came red, purple, orange butterfly tiles. The six colours repeated themselves in different sequences so it was hard to tell which colour came next.382Please respect copyright.PENANAITtlJLkKO1
382Please respect copyright.PENANA8MfLWS1h9z
I was enjoying this. I had never seen anything like it before. I slowed down for a bit to take a look around. The place was still dark except for the glowing tiles I had walked on.382Please respect copyright.PENANAS1g0yKjMuS
382Please respect copyright.PENANATqRj6lViuu
I went on to look ahead and I stopped walking abruptly. I thought I was about to run into something when in fact it was just the purple butterfly. I sighed in relief.382Please respect copyright.PENANAsJamltBx2p
382Please respect copyright.PENANAfWZvt2bP6I
The butterfly kept fluttering its wings and it came close that it landed on my nose again. My nose started to itch like I wanted to sneeze. I wiggled my nose to prevent myself from doing so, but I couldn't help it.382Please respect copyright.PENANArAX0IwUdHb
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"ACHOO!"382Please respect copyright.PENANADMmGSP0S4s
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"Bless me," I said to myself and when I opened my eyes, the butterflies of all the six colours: red, blue, green, orange, yellow and purple, filled up the place around me.382Please respect copyright.PENANAJ91xvyAjZY
382Please respect copyright.PENANANCfpdY5cYT
I looked around in amazement as they flew around. With their glowing light, I could see six tall stone pillars in front of me, three on each side. They went all the way upwards. I looked further up and there was no ceiling, just never-ending darkness. I looked forward and in between the pillars was a stone aisle. At the far end of the room, I made out a giant stone statue of a butterfly.382Please respect copyright.PENANAmnjgZ1qug0
382Please respect copyright.PENANAjaWvWBrbK6
I continued to look around as the butterflies made the scene around me look like I was flying in the dark night sky and they were glowing stars. Most of the butterflies settled on the six pillars bringing in more light into the room. This reminded me of the way people in the Western world would decorate their houses with bright lights for Christmas.382Please respect copyright.PENANAQHE5LDLz2M
382Please respect copyright.PENANAenk1KwiOU1
I spun around as a few butterflies also did so around me. I chuckled. I looked over to my left shoulder and a purple butterfly sat there. It must have been the same butterfly that led me all the way to this point.382Please respect copyright.PENANAoaTNpyMhNY
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"They're beautiful, aren't they?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAz7w0o8xMrY
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I quickly turned towards the large butterfly statue and there stood a person in a blue robe and pointed hood. All the excitement left me as I tried to make out a face, but the hood covered the person's face all too well that I couldn't make out anything. I had a strange feeling like I knew who it was.382Please respect copyright.PENANAIOwmUaw627
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"Who are you?" I asked.382Please respect copyright.PENANAISYLV4GZ4N
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The woman gave out a little chuckle. "Have you already forgotten me, Diana?" she asked.382Please respect copyright.PENANAFFZsK0XzTH
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Then everything came back to me in a flash. She was the woman I met in my dreams three days ago. She wore a black robe back then and she gave me the note with the symbol of a butterfly in a circle, divided into four parts.382Please respect copyright.PENANAphvxBhObug
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"You're the woman whom I met in my dream," I answered as I found myself slowly approaching her.382Please respect copyright.PENANAsarncIenez
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"Indeed, I am," she said.382Please respect copyright.PENANAgFEKHqnDRe
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I stopped walking. "You never told me your name."382Please respect copyright.PENANADJJOurQZyt
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"Of course, I didn't," she said as she came towards me.382Please respect copyright.PENANAo8iQ7kMf8Q
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"What's your name, if you don't mind me asking."382Please respect copyright.PENANAgF7xp4EEgg
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The distance between us shortened. She stopped walking. A few blue butterflies fluttered around her. She lifted her black gloved hands, held the hem of her hood and pulled it back.382Please respect copyright.PENANAuD0n3ZBdEL
382Please respect copyright.PENANAkTyINGUZIl
Her long thick black hair reached beyond her shoulders. She had a smooth round face and her light brown skin shone brightly under the lights of the butterflies around her. She had soft brown eyes and her pink lips were raised up into a smile. She looked pretty, to be honest. Way prettier than any woman I had ever met so far.382Please respect copyright.PENANA967WJ8u3Ez
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"I'm Stella," she answered. "It's about time you found me, Diana."382Please respect copyright.PENANAK8zLjCBFz1
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"Uh...," I snapped out of my trance as I shook my head. "To be honest, I did try to find the symbol. I unfortunately found it in a place I least expected. And it only took me three days."382Please respect copyright.PENANAbcAfB3rNzN
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"We have all been waiting for you."382Please respect copyright.PENANAgGx8nZouCP
382Please respect copyright.PENANAre5PwcudzP
"What do you mean 'we?' I thought I was only meeting you."382Please respect copyright.PENANAQwZcVvNLqr
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"I was only just the messenger. Others have been waiting for your arrival."382Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2DUjOfIp7
382Please respect copyright.PENANAa0NJIRsp9I
"Who?" I asked.382Please respect copyright.PENANAvTjnAKLQLq
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My question was soon answered when three people appeared from behind the pillars to my left and two more appeared from behind the pillars to my right.382Please respect copyright.PENANAqWEyasODLv
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They all wore robes and hoods over their heads that covered their faces too well. I noticed that each one wore a robe and hood of a different colour. Those who wore red, green and orange came from the left. The two who wore purple and yellow, came from the right. They came to stand alongside Stella with a few butterflies that matched the colour of their robes fluttering around them. They didn't withdraw their hoods.382Please respect copyright.PENANAaXt1m79Lvr
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"Welcome, Diana," spoke the man in a green robe. "We have been expecting you."382Please respect copyright.PENANAxEqUe9Y8N6
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"Well, I hope its not too late," I said as I remembered what Stella told me in my dream.382Please respect copyright.PENANA5TdSHbxmnF
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"Don't worry," said the woman in a magnificent red robe. She removed her hood. She had magnificent jet black hair. Her eyes and her face confirmed her to be Asian, but with a stern face. She smiled at me, though. "You came just in time."382Please respect copyright.PENANAwlN8Wu86iC
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"I don't really know what I am doing here, really," I said. "All of this is really confusing."382Please respect copyright.PENANAPbko1B9lvA
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"It won't be when you finally realise your true purpose," said the man in the green robe.382Please respect copyright.PENANA4udOweEPmX
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"And what is that?" I asked.382Please respect copyright.PENANATRZIIIqjYM
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"You will know after your training," said the Asian woman.382Please respect copyright.PENANAciD0XqLgiH
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"My training?" I felt confused. I had training to do? "What kind of training?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAamhsv409Hz
382Please respect copyright.PENANAm8BT04uEy9
"You will know soon enough," said Stella, as she smiled. "Come. There's a lot you need to know and you need to return before anyone notices you're gone."382Please respect copyright.PENANAD4tl2eDubT
382Please respect copyright.PENANAvecxMklFUy
Stella turned around and went back the way she came, towards the butterfly statue. The other five did the same. I stood there for a moment before following them.382Please respect copyright.PENANAZGT3j3PWhr
382Please respect copyright.PENANALiFhm47PGZ
They stopped in front of the butterfly statue and it was then that I noticed that there was a huge stone circle around it with horizontal and vertical metal beams that divided it into four parts just like the drawing and the carving I found back at the poultry.382Please respect copyright.PENANAeaKhJCjtUO
382Please respect copyright.PENANAUfYMmZ74pi
"Where are we going?" I asked. I looked around and it looked like there was no other way out of the room except from the doorway I had come in from.382Please respect copyright.PENANAOeA9Jpens4
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"You ask a lot of questions," came the voice of a woman in the orange robe.382Please respect copyright.PENANAptmV0aCwvS
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"That will be good for her," said the man in a green robe. "But too much of it is rather annoying."382Please respect copyright.PENANADwy54YZprq
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I put it in mind not to ask too many questions, especially with the man in green and the woman in orange. Probably even the Asian woman too.382Please respect copyright.PENANA6pw6uZhmHZ
382Please respect copyright.PENANABxQCnKpYwk
I felt the floor beneath me shake. Was that an earthquake? I tried not to panic as the others didn't seem fazed by it.382Please respect copyright.PENANAOaNKbLoonm
382Please respect copyright.PENANAjRCxqaQVOW
The next thing I knew, the statue of the butterfly in front of us started to glow. The light was so bright that for a moment, I lifted my hand to shield my eyes. I looked over at my shoulder and the purple butterfly was still there, like it never wanted to leave.382Please respect copyright.PENANAK8driTNotM
382Please respect copyright.PENANAsp0h4DdXCn
The brightness filled up the whole room and the next thing I knew, the light disappeared. And when I fully opened my eyes, I was in a whole different place.382Please respect copyright.PENANAXzSFJ82Cy7
382Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5SfetFqJt
"Welcome to our world, Diana," said Stella as she stood right beside me. "Someone very important has been dying to meet you."
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A Dark Destiny
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Never miss what's happening on Penana!
A Dark Destiny
Author:
Namwezi
ISSUE #14
Chapter 13
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