Five years ago384Please respect copyright.PENANALiYjZtwLTx
Mpunde Girls Secondary School384Please respect copyright.PENANAIRuwZqCBvn
The Poultry384Please respect copyright.PENANAR3vVOhsIqX
384Please respect copyright.PENANAfBgpa5LUAe
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAmrEWyOsDRf
384Please respect copyright.PENANATLQzhggj7W
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAZktbiBRc1B
384Please respect copyright.PENANAdJQsXvyl3P
I sat up slowly. How could the poultry have a hole on the floor? How come I hadn't noticed it the first time?384Please respect copyright.PENANAVqu3jg03Kt
384Please respect copyright.PENANA12CrnF9ylu
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA02UtAFnwzm
384Please respect copyright.PENANAcFNlnxsjXB
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAS4DLepZkMh
384Please respect copyright.PENANAgOi823ljry
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAJtUAR5I3bp
384Please respect copyright.PENANA7gXZ29JDbR
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAQiw3Z3Dkz5
384Please respect copyright.PENANAZik6FoXSmt
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAAwyTwHV04J
384Please respect copyright.PENANAZUbN9ZN1JV
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAq2tPpSSS5R
384Please respect copyright.PENANAC3ttom1Qa8
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:384Please respect copyright.PENANAF5jeVrE8nH
384Please respect copyright.PENANAdSGJp6GPHX
"Diana."384Please respect copyright.PENANA2aMMh48h0c
384Please respect copyright.PENANAG7J2shnT1C
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAVfW8n2l1uk
384Please respect copyright.PENANA31lSZZS85Z
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANASoUcs2rJdC
384Please respect copyright.PENANAVMFgaYPhL8
"Diana, Diana!"384Please respect copyright.PENANAsimajEQuuj
384Please respect copyright.PENANAWFGHKWrwh4
I gulped as I felt my insides shake. Okay, this was no joke. There's definitely somebody out there.384Please respect copyright.PENANAnB9e9JM8zK
384Please respect copyright.PENANArRAhnyZoOn
Just as I turned back to look at the hole, something unexpected started to happen. It was fixing itself up.384Please respect copyright.PENANAlF3AXwtiL0
384Please respect copyright.PENANAWSZhywuywm
"No, no, no!" I exclaimed as I made a jump for it.384Please respect copyright.PENANA6lu0mjzG6u
384Please respect copyright.PENANAxsvrza5KwL
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAwuyLJEdqrl
384Please respect copyright.PENANANoDCHNpoMv
"Diana," came the whisper again.384Please respect copyright.PENANAyK9AhCSSUU
384Please respect copyright.PENANAQJRy7Yer7X
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANABGpE1zMjre
384Please respect copyright.PENANAOhaTz0NSlN
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAC7Z7gXBBWC
384Please respect copyright.PENANAnzdCS6ngcr
"Diana!" came the whisper again.384Please respect copyright.PENANAArUqUOboSe
384Please respect copyright.PENANAIWglSvnEFT
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?384Please respect copyright.PENANA4Ks8r4QTlv
384Please respect copyright.PENANAuDKQ7Vt3S2
"Who are you?" I asked this time around. I couldn't keep quiet any longer.384Please respect copyright.PENANAfl8tEyORkO
384Please respect copyright.PENANARWvoMH6xGN
"I've been waiting for you, Diana," came the the voice again, but still in a whisper.384Please respect copyright.PENANAs2m4aPKBgE
384Please respect copyright.PENANADikt2x2Rju
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAblc1Cm34B3
384Please respect copyright.PENANAHiTXbXd886
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA2NlvsjfQdL
384Please respect copyright.PENANAHriZ13wWmw
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?384Please respect copyright.PENANAT396YYlXdx
384Please respect copyright.PENANAsStAnIT2wr
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAIslUbGN15N
384Please respect copyright.PENANADDSsmGCaCZ
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAy1c8tiZMYp
384Please respect copyright.PENANA0j9uNZ9OYn
"Wait, hold up," I called out to it.384Please respect copyright.PENANAxvhigR4Fu7
384Please respect copyright.PENANA740kOAlEn3
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANANGaUIXp2Ag
384Please respect copyright.PENANAdLHzZ5l5lf
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAuospET5VS9
384Please respect copyright.PENANA4C5BYnpso8
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?384Please respect copyright.PENANAZd8xOlpPGw
384Please respect copyright.PENANAXmiGbY95uS
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAnoLVD2JjHP
384Please respect copyright.PENANAG5QUEfCHeO
As the butterfly continued to flutter away, the whisper came again:384Please respect copyright.PENANAi9QePAcBw5
384Please respect copyright.PENANAwsmwGbWQKR
"Come, Diana."384Please respect copyright.PENANASqKftKHOkm
384Please respect copyright.PENANAZfAoVoLamL
I looked below to see if there was any stairway or sight of a floor. I still couldn't see anything.384Please respect copyright.PENANAjuJr7zVH7s
384Please respect copyright.PENANAyhAUQMf9rs
"Umm, no thanks," I said. "It's pretty dark."384Please respect copyright.PENANA4e3xhTpXgN
384Please respect copyright.PENANAdZicXfmcNY
"Come. Nothing will happen to you."384Please respect copyright.PENANAuaP8qqPyn5
384Please respect copyright.PENANAoU8c2YHR3D
I raised an eyebrow. "I love my life, mind you."384Please respect copyright.PENANA1rWgFPiwv9
384Please respect copyright.PENANAmDfpzfqJ4B
"Take a step forward, do not be afraid."384Please respect copyright.PENANAi8u48yXlID
384Please respect copyright.PENANA8yP038Ds6i
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?384Please respect copyright.PENANA2BxH5NPIgi
384Please respect copyright.PENANAkIjCVPJHtE
"Step forward," came the voice again. "I promise that nothing is going to happen to you."384Please respect copyright.PENANAMtRUcyJug3
384Please respect copyright.PENANAzgPi6aY3wA
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAHuObIPk090
384Please respect copyright.PENANAc96H0d3hm3
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?384Please respect copyright.PENANAjGPar80OjF
384Please respect copyright.PENANAjgwCqhR49o
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA4bKAOmfSRV
384Please respect copyright.PENANAGc7Fl2dY9V
I had stepped on a floor tile and I noticed that it was no ordinary one. It was made of glowing green butterflies.384Please respect copyright.PENANApueCEuHC4o
384Please respect copyright.PENANAcdK33Lm89b
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA7FLceysiOA
384Please respect copyright.PENANAIsXYwjdUL5
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAU6MShEay1q
384Please respect copyright.PENANApwtTLG3X16
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAjIZFsN41uW
384Please respect copyright.PENANAmVqPybvgLM
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAQYdrRJ95cV
384Please respect copyright.PENANAS5ssPogNt0
"ACHOO!"384Please respect copyright.PENANA8O84oPLpBL
384Please respect copyright.PENANAzmHGDQIOSw
"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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAJ8HGzeAPGY
384Please respect copyright.PENANAb5KPX7kLwa
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAjZd79i2Ccv
384Please respect copyright.PENANALCk45uBjRY
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAOG1tGAxYUE
384Please respect copyright.PENANAdaUVM1gEgn
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAX2INLu0FRs
384Please respect copyright.PENANAbsg0YFPK8L
"They're beautiful, aren't they?"384Please respect copyright.PENANAoVxbWvBDSO
384Please respect copyright.PENANAlXWNYWCKkH
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANASyWdRvT28C
384Please respect copyright.PENANA2SoJRP4DiG
"Who are you?" I asked.384Please respect copyright.PENANAigay7B6f5s
384Please respect copyright.PENANA0D8Rh4yrBP
The woman gave out a little chuckle. "Have you already forgotten me, Diana?" she asked.384Please respect copyright.PENANAfPUGcyM2AE
384Please respect copyright.PENANADUfGovSRQ5
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANABePARYX7G5
384Please respect copyright.PENANAayXfCwDcdZ
"You're the woman whom I met in my dream," I answered as I found myself slowly approaching her.384Please respect copyright.PENANAjnXFcAFGpd
384Please respect copyright.PENANAV5KzSA9hhy
"Indeed, I am," she said.384Please respect copyright.PENANAKJKQA3z09R
384Please respect copyright.PENANAamEYqOsRe4
I stopped walking. "You never told me your name."384Please respect copyright.PENANARim9U1H2JB
384Please respect copyright.PENANACbT0Yi2UsW
"Of course, I didn't," she said as she came towards me.384Please respect copyright.PENANAsjAcNGxhoo
384Please respect copyright.PENANAhtTHkGmhyN
"What's your name, if you don't mind me asking."384Please respect copyright.PENANA8jU2oevXay
384Please respect copyright.PENANAKFhZEr9CAh
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANApEOPCbdfwy
384Please respect copyright.PENANAbiFSaWka5l
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAhXRBWaMh1M
384Please respect copyright.PENANA0uItjE2Von
"I'm Stella," she answered. "It's about time you found me, Diana."384Please respect copyright.PENANAT2ajI2HAlH
384Please respect copyright.PENANAS49xjZdwwF
"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."384Please respect copyright.PENANAsMOD1aEac2
384Please respect copyright.PENANAScFXFr5FXt
"We have all been waiting for you."384Please respect copyright.PENANAwpyve6LTNz
384Please respect copyright.PENANAR9XK7ffV0K
"What do you mean 'we?' I thought I was only meeting you."384Please respect copyright.PENANAZR4v1IUyvC
384Please respect copyright.PENANAF4NbJqTOha
"I was only just the messenger. Others have been waiting for your arrival."384Please respect copyright.PENANAGDRHdqprpz
384Please respect copyright.PENANAe958eh9QsL
"Who?" I asked.384Please respect copyright.PENANAXnTh8kJbjS
384Please respect copyright.PENANA9Alh3k4O8R
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA0SPdqi6CGa
384Please respect copyright.PENANAWFygvJkK8U
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANApPycoekUO6
384Please respect copyright.PENANAro6oJ7zQLQ
"Welcome, Diana," spoke the man in a green robe. "We have been expecting you."384Please respect copyright.PENANAZeIokCJoPY
384Please respect copyright.PENANAsIoS7eXbio
"Well, I hope its not too late," I said as I remembered what Stella told me in my dream.384Please respect copyright.PENANAsXjciNVsek
384Please respect copyright.PENANACyzXDNsZSZ
"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."384Please respect copyright.PENANAYvKA2SUxBu
384Please respect copyright.PENANAXYRIfNY9Np
"I don't really know what I am doing here, really," I said. "All of this is really confusing."384Please respect copyright.PENANARCDqMrexZZ
384Please respect copyright.PENANA3DmU10V5Jo
"It won't be when you finally realise your true purpose," said the man in the green robe.384Please respect copyright.PENANAkc0OiaDz6k
384Please respect copyright.PENANAsryAFERDeS
"And what is that?" I asked.384Please respect copyright.PENANAIQXop9sNnJ
384Please respect copyright.PENANAPD1SXNsnzw
"You will know after your training," said the Asian woman.384Please respect copyright.PENANAdD0RTCth1L
384Please respect copyright.PENANAS3gh8huMCe
"My training?" I felt confused. I had training to do? "What kind of training?"384Please respect copyright.PENANAkgEiVoW1Gk
384Please respect copyright.PENANAtFiGYmo7mi
"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."384Please respect copyright.PENANAH2zuXsAD7J
384Please respect copyright.PENANAq6dbvmKjIJ
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAvkTPOUbrCj
384Please respect copyright.PENANAe6sV4dmiFZ
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA7yJ8izuME9
384Please respect copyright.PENANA7oVZGwWDnI
"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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA3ndVW6UfQ1
384Please respect copyright.PENANA98NzO5vDEO
"You ask a lot of questions," came the voice of a woman in the orange robe.384Please respect copyright.PENANASLf47wrAro
384Please respect copyright.PENANAweuzExP6qn
"That will be good for her," said the man in a green robe. "But too much of it is rather annoying."384Please respect copyright.PENANAmXGUe3rMN9
384Please respect copyright.PENANAvWp40askO6
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANA6dzExRgqP4
384Please respect copyright.PENANA86lajjGY7C
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANARaZnUPxzlh
384Please respect copyright.PENANAxnONY4xs1f
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAFlfCutE4fB
384Please respect copyright.PENANAsrMQMoDgp0
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.384Please respect copyright.PENANAUkIfPiLLti
384Please respect copyright.PENANAG3uiEH8z8B
"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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