Five years ago,902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWWIRdOB14
February 13th, 2010.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgZQOSldYJ
Mpunde Girls Secondary School,902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNId2gTWOl
Zambia.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrNUoMHDRu
I gasped for air as I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0CNyvjkhr
quickly sat up on my bed, holding my burning throat and feeling my lungs902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEbk1kyaVm
ache as air quickly flooded in. For a moment, I thought I was drowning 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXc5k2pc5NP
in water, but I was actually taking in air. I coughed out a little and 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3qDsSAm27
opened my eyes. The lights in the dorm were all turned on and the bunker902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv06fqbUYwF
beds were all empty. For a moment, I panicked as I quickly got out of 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8zQ75n0pt
bed on the bunker bed below, looking around the dorm. There was no one 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmMfIbepxz
and I felt scared and worried. I quickly looked out of the window and I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTdcOOyDZf
realised that the sun was rising up from the east. I couldn’t help but 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3m5ToB94Sr
sigh in relief, but then again, I realised that I was running late and 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkXKca5oJ3
my dorm mates were obviously hitting the showers in the ablution. And I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfbXgYU8gl
was the only one left in the dorm.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnXy3KRL5D
I quickly grabbed my 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFOaZIJ4d7
toothbrush, toothpaste, my bath towel and cloth. Quickly slipped my feet902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4Wl1a6zY0
into my bath slippers and when I turned around the corner of my bunker 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB6DzkS8LA
bed to grab my bucket, I realised it wasn’t there. I sighed, this time 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NgwAAPAMx
in frustration.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJTjf3bs9f
Obviously because I knew902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1kTevZwKP
who took it. If it wasn’t my bunker mate, then it was probably one of 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bKml5ger1
the dorm mates. In my nightdress, I rushed out of the dorm and headed 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPQuDvlNYb
for the ablution. The ablution was one place where I found it so 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsATwvgrSNG
repulsive to be in. Despite it being cleaned every day, it was always a 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9axzznDC1
surprise how it gets messed up and flooded afterwards. When I mean 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4vf60WWSy
messed up, I mean the toilets is one thing you wouldn’t like to see 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZF7ODufi7
first after you eat a meal. For a moment, I wonder if we really are 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhbZvg0qHw
girls or sometimes we act like boys who like to leave a mess. We are 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWcFNQxpMP
“GIRLS” for crying out loud. And as far as I know, we need to take care 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvQ7lZfm0t
of ourselves and the environment around us. Looks like being in boarding902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIB4LmKnTH
school, you get to know that sometimes things aren’t always what you 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeGNMgiweI
thought it ought to be.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrOH1FBmuX
On either side of the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3gN7rN9wc
ablution were the shower side and the toilet side. In between was a 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwkzg3L6Oa
passage where people could move around and line up their buckets to get 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnaK93Bovc
into the shower cubicles. When it gets flooded, it’s pretty hard to move902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktiCGEWv7E
around and many people have slipped and fallen. Trust me; it’s not a 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsebdt50cwv
pretty sight when you see someone falling on their back into the water, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT4AvPw3rU
which was probably dirty. Luckily for me, that hasn’t happened, yet. I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UQq4YFU2f
wasn’t pushing my luck on that one. One day, I would probably fall and 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3EGftTmr0
hopefully I wouldn’t break my bones in the process. At the far end of 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQtjrIKZej
the ablution were sinks where you can go and brush your teeth and wash 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8eVMSNg9l
your face. And by the corner was a store room where we kept the cleaning902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThnepx57uC
materials for the ablution.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhaj8Paenu
I stood by the door of 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7jnDWjJyy
the ablution, and as usual, there were queues of buckets all lined up, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCPDxKaFI7
their owners standing beside them waiting for the shower cubicles to be 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5rSdMf1qC
vacant. I looked around for my bunker mate and I couldn’t see her on any902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JQhnPhCpu
of the queues. I considered her to be in the shower and so I went by 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxh3Mz2Ylu
the sink to brush my teeth. The ablution was flooded again and so as 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmphPXs2CTY
always I had to be careful, taking a step at a time.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwjhYe8Cbr
When I finally got to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLdDc4FppT
the sinks, all in one peace, I suddenly felt a jolt of pain in my head 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHlaKak2CD
as though I was just struck by lightning. It felt more like a migraine 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6i4zR6LTQ
and I held my head, almost screaming out in pain. I saw a dark image 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe914lAAILw
flash before my eyes and for a moment, I thought the lights went off and902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJXoP08mcW
come back on. But when I looked around everything around the ablution 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMBTgKA97p
seemed to be normal. Usually when the power cuts, we girls like to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiSK1e90RR
scream, a lot, except for a few of us who are already used to the dark. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFe6ExduZs
This time, that wasn’t the case. Everything seemed normal and I felt 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVpnNeIKxZ
maybe I was being delirious.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7mIem1l43
“Hey, Diana, are you okay?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24BmqeZxOs
I turned to the last 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ0GdoYxZA
shower cubicle which was closer to the sinks, and there wrapped up in a 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcB7xos3T9
pink towel stood my bunker mate, Christine. And just as I expected, she 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBdoXKOtXQ
was holding my bucket. She slowly walked over to me, trying to avoid the902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRV70GOTZzE
dirty ablution water from flowing into her bath slippers.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQc4xrXKwEL
“Are you okay? It looks like you just saw a ghost,” Christine had a worrying look on her face.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL1Xf4KBuH
“No, I’m fine, just a little ache in the head, that’s all,” I replied, trying to act normal when I really wasn’t.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcot5PKNSG
“You had me worried, I thought you saw something like a ghost.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhr0G4iTPQ
“You know I don’t believe in such things as the ghosts that haunt people around school.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwY8m5u2S5
“Well, you better believe. One day it might just visit you,” Christine said that with a laugh. All I did was scowl back at her.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVreKJdMHbM
“What happened to you 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDKFyGl4N0
today, anyway? You’re usually the first to wake up when the morning bell902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiiJCxxQfv
rings. But today you slept like a rock,” Christine added on, this time 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAx7FAIHyS
there was a concerned tone in her voice.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW6yubiS47
It hadn’t occurred to me902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTj717yccCO
that I had never heard the morning bell in the first place. I was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGmXqIKp7I
always the early bird and I was never a heavy sleeper. I was always 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoZgHrq3JN
sensitive with whatever sounds I get to hear. But today, I hadn’t even 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNeqf0foLe
heard my own dorm mates’ footsteps as they always rush out and into the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnISx6ti9B
dorm.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVmAfOIsZj
“I guess today just wasn’t my day,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZ0C7zRYE4
“Well, you better hurry 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBJPmsxI1z
up then,” said Christine, handling the bucket over to me, “you don’t 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4Dp4LxFXM
want to be caught by the prefects when it’s time to clean up the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWOJPvVgBS
ablution. And that’s not how you want to start the day.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtLBMtA3FR
I scowled again as I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLsT5E5Jbt
took the bucket away from Christine. As I mentioned earlier, the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCXdWKlRig
ablution always get cleaned. And we the pupils clean it with the senior 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHQGT80m6E
prefects as our supervisors. At 6:30 AM, everyone should vacate the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtn5q27zOP
ablutions so that the assigned group of pupils put to clean up the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMadEoeI70k
ablution should do their work. If you’re caught still in the showers, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQxK7chdz8
you would obviously have to join in the cleaning process. And that 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVasvNHm2mN
proves to be twice as difficult when you know you’re also assigned to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGfeG0eRZa
another area to clean in school. As soon as I finished brushing my 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDZNS0vGpP
teeth, I quickly got out of the ablution to fetch water by a nearby tap.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaTQbkLtVK
Most of the showers never worked in the ablution, henceforth, fetching 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNG1b90Kol
water outside.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qSgSWryP8
Luckily, for me, there was no queue and I did things as fast as I could.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfOvKA00T5
Afterwards, I went back into the ablution and quickly found a vacant cubicle.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLGGStG1ZM
After getting cleaned 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0u2riKqxH
up, I wore my beige school uniform, clean white stockings and I had my 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqXYTFaXpZ
black shoes, neatly clean and polished. I looked at myself in the mirror902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5ePZE1202
and made sure my short afro hair was neatly combed. I had cut my long 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCftae6CE5
hair a year ago before coming to this missionary school. As usual, one 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYPGx94gBQ
of the rules was not to come with long hair, especially if was it was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxn2tW47vzp
permed. They strongly insisted on natural hair. I had to cut my hair 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6ia7PUIkR
when I was going into grade 8 and I felt it was pretty unfair. But after902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VoOIXJYyF
that year, I kind of got used to it. Surly they were just trying to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w8AAVy5sq
promote equality amongst us, but there were a lot of things I never 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JUIyINhMh
found amusing in this school.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPhZPofDju
Mpunde Girls Secondary 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fv27NsGYu
School, a Catholic school run by the Hand Maid Sisters. Located in the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsRItQ1ePw
Central Province of Zambia in the town of Kabwe, but pretty much away 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhhoVo7F8J
from civilisation. When I say that, I mean the school is located far 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1zhV1QVEF
away from town and deep into the bush. It’s located in the farthest 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlrIWw2eWz
rural part of Kabwe.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMOZd6neyd
When I first came to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3SY5l6TK7
this school to write an aptitude test to go into grade 8, I was greeted 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCvWQ6dMNJ
by the lovely surroundings of the school. The lawns of the school were 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTIoY8uccQ
properly well cared for, and there were beautiful flowers everywhere. A 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSoftvGrO1
beautiful Catholic church was situated right outside the school grounds,902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtioDdwgMe3
meant for the local people that lived around that area and for us 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOCrPqhqXh
pupils. The attractive colours painted in different Catholic symbols, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7HgdYcA4x
inside and outside the walls of the church were astonishing to look at. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuanGg0pyL
It looked more like art in my eyes.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5XryItZba
At that moment, I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfk1X6ReUL
thought things were going to get better in my life. The school was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqz6hcJKJQK
beautiful and the Catholic sisters and teachers who introduced 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKewRSh0Nx
themselves to us girls and our parents, seemed so kind. And I was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgKYZmh61H
Catholic, so attending mass wasn’t much of a big deal. I thought I was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hvTEPVecc
going to love this place and make it more like my second home. But 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRQZJDgLjx
things weren’t the case when I got to know the school a whole lot 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCxFGTvj3C
better. I remember a certain friend of mine back home tell me that,902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9zcWu9XH5
most Catholic girl schools in Zambia were highly recommended because 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXIibiaZWf
the Sisters were strict and pupils are disciplined. As far as I had 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWsaPQwr7u
known, most Sisters were meant to be kind and loving, not strict and 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaKT9SvrYx
mean. It looked like I had been stuck in oblivion for quite a while in 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGB0KWWmOrn
my life, that when I got to know what my friend truly meant, it was like902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRurOUGFQsW
a hammer blow to the head. One's thing for sure, I didn’t like this 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47vhyRkNfY
school. Every time we begun a new term, I would pray for the three 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv862fg4RTM
months to pass by quickly. Whenever I came back home, it felt like I had902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydbM1POaF0
just come back from a beat-down, and as usual, losing the match every 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrpk5wA7ZX
time.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdiKfwCtR1
The school was strict 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMqy2jiVcJ
and on point with their rules, I felt like a minion under their control.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnvseDBTYX
Any little offense you make, they will take you as an offender. They 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGxg8u9m0c
were strict with how you kept the rooms and the surrounding areas clean.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eukPP5jfw
If they found that nothing was clean or things were out of place, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCF9pWLgW3S
whether in the dorms or in the surrounding areas, either one of the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznLQq6Z6T2
sisters or one of the teachers on duty, would call the pupils assigned 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStYClJ8RUf
to cleaning the area or the dorm, out of class to go back and do their 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfzmMz4FTC
work properly. And by the end of the day they are given a punishment, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRQuhnQ3Hy
which was usually to weed the garden, clean the poultry shack or sweep 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAWrCl0Osl
up the leaves in the orchard. To me, that’s like working twice as hard 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVP8Dezd4l6
as you usually do on a daily basis. There was nothing you could do about902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4pGabfruA
that anyway. That wasn’t the only that ticked me off sometimes. Most 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjMJcQ2lOs
prefects were mean and complete jerks towards us. It’s even much worse 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FaehdzF2A
when you were in a lower grade. That meant more work, and if things 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxhYD6ykGC
weren’t done right, punishment in the worst way, cleaning up the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2jWGhQjo0
disgusting ablution or weeding the entire garden, with your hands. And 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzy9tYAPmh
they always had a special day to punish offenders. If you know you were 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXQU6FZrEi
late for classes or attending meals and your name was written in any of 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06tJvxd1Rb
the prefect’s books, just know you will find yourself on the offender’s 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67UzRM1x4e
list which is always stuck on Thursdays. That means after classes on 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fFsFpFC5a
Thursdays, the first thing you would want to see first is if you’re on 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52lyia9bLn
the offender’s list. If you aren’t, then it’s just a time to relax. If 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14GNnB1eJh
you are on the list, get ready to thoroughly clean up the whole school, 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs21ns1LBLV
you aren’t going to get off that list so easily if you didn’t work. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYC02F0yLT3
You’ll just find yourself on the other week’s offenders list.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6b3zFaCx9
Enough about what ticks 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TUePdBZGT
me off in this place. It was 7:00 AM and that meant it was time to get 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDYZtcGjqX
to work. The way we were allocated to our places of work is according to902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA32It0PHcD
dorms. There are 10 dorms in school. The size of the dorm also depends 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHpCOeou82
where you’re allocated to work. For example, the second biggest dorm 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBv43x8xna
called Dolores, which I’m in, usually worked in big places like the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjzgq5daaG
orchard. And smaller dorms like Xavier A, usually worked in smaller 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGWg4hdmOp
areas like the kitchen area or the ablutions.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbrSDg46SP
It was time to go to the902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KKot3PHGU
orchard, and as usual, we were always greeted by the sight of leaves 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXET3I8PU8
everywhere in the morning. Most of the time, people would usually sweep 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRwCVrkT0R
up the leaves with a rake, but here, we would use brooms made up for the902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKlL20owdl
strongest tree branches. It was more than enough to sweep up the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviwq0UYmaW
leaves. So, we got to work with the brooms. Since there weren’t enough 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZyiSFvkww
brooms, most of us had to wait until one finishes her potion and gave it902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPD3d7EHfL
you. I was one of those waiting today and I stood under a tree. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuKfSOTAmp
Christine came up to stand beside me. Our dorm prefect, Chileshe, stood 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25tTEg1zCC
in front of us, doing her duty, to supervise.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02ga34jUsY
“Hey, are you going to tell me why you couldn’t wake up today?” Christine asked, nudging her elbow to my side.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXxzsPysbZ
“I don’t know,” I replied. “And you are such a bad bunker mate. You couldn’t even wake me up.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt9Kdyw3kS
“Huh?” Christine looked confused as she looked at me. “I tried to wake you up, but you were as still as a rock.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44byS445pV
I now stared back at Christine with a frown. “Are you sure? I didn’t hear you at all.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSTa3wu5JD
“Not only did I call out to you, but I shook you too. You didn’t even budge at all. It was like you were dead or something.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU1WYA4cJk
I shook my head. This 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvblDM4Fl4K
was ridiculous and Christine was taking it like it was one big deal. If 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLrcR8WcgN
she was going to start talking about ghosts again, like she usually 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY7Xtec9Lj
does, I didn’t know what I would do to her that would land me in serious902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEhcbPNCP5
trouble.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgOXuPnxUc
“Christine, all that just happened to me today. It’s not like it’s going to happen again,” I said.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29BGQMXdJ4
“Diana, you had me worried,” said Christine. “What if you didn’t wake up?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIvSyo4YSk
“But I woke up, didn’t I?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1vRB91oLh
“Somehow I feel that there is something you aren’t telling me.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAbUmypUdI
I grew startled by what 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW2QWtHqWy
Christine said. I was just about to ask what she meant by that when 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm873rppSF
Amanda came back from sweeping her potion and Christine was quick enough902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw1Ei9uHiY
to get the broom before anyone else. I could feel that Christine was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYyHz78l2I
really mad at me and the confusing part about it was why she was taking 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJe7gjzDAV
all of this seriously. If I wanted an answer, I was so not ready to get a902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wkBTt6Igv
ridiculous one from Christine. She was so superstitious about things 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYq98eQstPu
and I wasn’t coping with all of that ever since I first came to school 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFz8QcpIY9
and learnt mysterious things that I wasn’t even willing to know.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBrJNPvQRf
Amanda came to stand 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8wqvLxFLz
beside me as we watched Christine head towards her portion of the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5cM0mSrdf
orchard. I drew out a breath of air. Amanda who had a bunker bed right 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskfUXJyjBt
next to Christine’s and mine, looked over at me. By the look on her 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdrYBjOceB
face, I could tell she knew what Christine and I were arguing about. I 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd56GuYG7HY
wasn’t even ready to hear what she had to say. Hearing from Christine 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VjFwzXQnx
was more than enough.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQYfqDifpL
“I wouldn’t be so mad at Christine if I were you,” said Amanda.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoXvze8SP4
“I’m not mad at her,” I said, “I just feel that she is making a mountain out of a mole hill.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oEqcoQLiq
Amanda folded her arms 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAK4uQn0Ob
across her chest and leaned in closer to me so that people wouldn’t hear902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CPD3cq7Oj
us. “I was there when Christine tried to wake you up. You didn’t even 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGkUgSoA3U
move an inch. You just laid there. And you looked, I don’t know, dead.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK2pdmkRii
As far as I had known 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuSUgy1iEu
Amanda, she was one person who always aired out her honest opinions 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBliBlpl88
about things and she was one who wouldn’t even lie. She was quite 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxE4AiMUOb
terrible at it if you ask me. I knew what she was telling me right now 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVeQ4OMQbP
was the truth. I swallowed, still finding it hard to believe what Amanda902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp2gxUzHmG
had just told me.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP2w1vBivC
“If I was like that, why902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj3kEjTvsD
didn’t you call the nurse or inform one of the prefects?” I turned to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERyizKUF0Q
face Amanda, her brown innocent eyes staring back at me.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5tbcojT0v
“Christine was scared 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqWVNzrFNy
when she couldn’t wake you. She almost freaked out and I told her that 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYZYPBaxtx
you would be fine, that you were just in a deep sleep. I told her to 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFV6MXlvN85
leave the dorm and that I would watch over you until you woke up. We 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qGbqOnQNz
didn’t want to attract any attention among the dorm mates until we were 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvW8fFDLmF
sure you were okay.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalNGaxTyow
“Where were you when I woke up? I didn’t see you and the whole dorm was empty.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9xkdvySDH
“I was standing by the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgkjpbqQhb
door of the dorm when you woke up. And to be honest, you woke up in the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZWpQqiBi7
weirdest way possible. It was like you were given CPR and was suddenly 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFklRpDGxo6
revived.”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZgMCQATqF
Now that Amanda had 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wNkKz9gP7
mentioned it, I did wake up in the weirdest way today. I felt like 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RGaysNCn4
someone had pumped in water into my nostrils when it was actually air. I902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTIWXQVJ90
could still remember my throat burn and I held it again without even 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMj2cuXJi7
realising it. I looked up at Amanda and she gave me a sad smile.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQx1Jglyk6
“And you told Christine?” I asked when I obviously knew the answer.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQG4PyXWG2Q
“You know I couldn’t lie902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YMDOF10ZP
to her. She was worried and she has every right to. And so was I. What 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvXniOaP0c
if you never did wake up? Have you ever thought of what would have 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNaKjZ3rGf
happened if you had died in your sleep?”902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KsSHFxaxn
I took in Amanda’s 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokZ78LKGvf
questions into consideration and I looked at Christine who was busy at 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTiWNG8wPc
work. It was obvious that she was avoiding me. I swallowed hard and 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBWt3fMKDp
stared off in a distance. All Christine was trying to do was help me out902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K4Bf809kq
and I was acting like a complete jerk. But she couldn’t blame me for 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh7wf8NTGR
it. I didn’t even know what had happened to me in the first place.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQ7TtRNeEl
It was now my turn to go902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMFdacOjsL
and sweep as I took the broom from my fellow dorm mate, Chilufya who 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77zepcu9IX
was a grade ahead of me. I went to my portion under a few guava trees. 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAupXyzsp2
Before I could bend down to start sweeping, a sudden wave of pain gushed902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJTFZVKyQw
down upon my head. The pain was so unbearable, that I almost screamed 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMoLdMursx
aloud as I held my head.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvUbX7C9PM
As I looked around the 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXvxZTyBxu
place, everything seemed blurry. I tried blinking my eyes a few times to902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJYS81ydZP
refocus my sight, but that didn’t seem to work. I leaned onto a tree 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbzeuu8VfX
for support and I soon felt a jolt of dizziness and I felt like I would 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGvLtj5fVK
throw up at any moment. Soon, voices of concern surrounded me and I felt902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm281Jb1Ljv
a warm familiar hand hold my shoulder. I saw Christine looking at me 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKbxfGdvkp
and with our other dorm mates surrounding me.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pgyiMFHNc
My vision was still 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVIGcLUEru
blurry and my head ached like hell. What was even worse was the fact 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNIDxfeJrK
that everyone was talking and I couldn’t get a thing they said, not even902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5C4i63Yoim
Christine who was right next to me. I felt so confused that I was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWfqFNI4gV
afraid of running mad with all the noise. I looked around and I noticed 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQNhQxEy90
that my vision was getting worse. I could notice a few of my dorm mates’902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKd2JYFD8sF
faces including the dorm prefect, Chileshe. I saw Amanda at the far end902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe0a5lSKGU
of the crowd, looking scared. And I noticed someone standing right 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoFHfGjQ0c
behind her.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6J5jg8kRkb
At that moment, my 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBXDYMaTxv
vision cleared when I saw the tall person who was standing behind 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQYAexlYsI
Amanda. I felt a burning sensation run through my body, but I was 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCtbKv599j
sensible enough not to scream. I continued to look at the tall figure 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsx9q8TFOX
and out of nowhere, a flood of images rushed through my head in a quick 902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaDGahol7y
flash.902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUTf32pOHQ
Right before I could figure out what had just happened; I was falling into a pit of darkness, right into oblivion.
902Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaXUlhgcy1
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