Five years ago,651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjfHqwm3Yc
February 13th, 2010.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjbHiknqQ0
Mpunde Girls Secondary School,651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFs4RO7yeCm
Zambia.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPnu5wDYTf
I gasped for air as I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbCpLdoTgd
quickly sat up on my bed, holding my burning throat and feeling my lungs651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUAl8OCyUh
ache as air quickly flooded in. For a moment, I thought I was drowning 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNp7NPhyht
in water, but I was actually taking in air. I coughed out a little and 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PyPikK03v
opened my eyes. The lights in the dorm were all turned on and the bunker651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqFkctEu4h
beds were all empty. For a moment, I panicked as I quickly got out of 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5LdkACzhm
bed on the bunker bed below, looking around the dorm. There was no one 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjySERESGh
and I felt scared and worried. I quickly looked out of the window and I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpsPDBjr0i
realised that the sun was rising up from the east. I couldn’t help but 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqVL3Iv6II
sigh in relief, but then again, I realised that I was running late and 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYlCUu92Eb
my dorm mates were obviously hitting the showers in the ablution. And I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDplE6Hy66K
was the only one left in the dorm.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqNbqIrWzO
I quickly grabbed my 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxf6oibhMYE
toothbrush, toothpaste, my bath towel and cloth. Quickly slipped my feet651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnlLL9RgLn
into my bath slippers and when I turned around the corner of my bunker 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuM6J7upO4
bed to grab my bucket, I realised it wasn’t there. I sighed, this time 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyDTg4RJia
in frustration.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIt8KSQCTE
Obviously because I knew651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQYhDDcp3R
who took it. If it wasn’t my bunker mate, then it was probably one of 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImFcx5NBLK
the dorm mates. In my nightdress, I rushed out of the dorm and headed 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9cQil4SMI
for the ablution. The ablution was one place where I found it so 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Mb3TTVxDP
repulsive to be in. Despite it being cleaned every day, it was always a 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmQeJeWIaP
surprise how it gets messed up and flooded afterwards. When I mean 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJza2joenF
messed up, I mean the toilets is one thing you wouldn’t like to see 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzjw3p81BR
first after you eat a meal. For a moment, I wonder if we really are 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvTyrbys2D
girls or sometimes we act like boys who like to leave a mess. We are 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeN9LLXbk0
“GIRLS” for crying out loud. And as far as I know, we need to take care 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkjLzncZhY
of ourselves and the environment around us. Looks like being in boarding651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ379UO2pvaC
school, you get to know that sometimes things aren’t always what you 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93TkJo7MR0
thought it ought to be.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPY2xIRbSj
On either side of the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DloZBLcmC
ablution were the shower side and the toilet side. In between was a 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgmDI4zS59
passage where people could move around and line up their buckets to get 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8In5O4MZY
into the shower cubicles. When it gets flooded, it’s pretty hard to move651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DgCkalveh
around and many people have slipped and fallen. Trust me; it’s not a 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4NUlYUxU3
pretty sight when you see someone falling on their back into the water, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5e3jLdsjj
which was probably dirty. Luckily for me, that hasn’t happened, yet. I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoK1aQD4DB
wasn’t pushing my luck on that one. One day, I would probably fall and 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6nkaymfSj
hopefully I wouldn’t break my bones in the process. At the far end of 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagXPbqZE1F
the ablution were sinks where you can go and brush your teeth and wash 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGsRB5YnDE
your face. And by the corner was a store room where we kept the cleaning651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG1PkZ7ttn
materials for the ablution.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW13TeBAhRK
I stood by the door of 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFk8zLJMF4
the ablution, and as usual, there were queues of buckets all lined up, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgGaZAX3ly
their owners standing beside them waiting for the shower cubicles to be 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp4dcDzHYc
vacant. I looked around for my bunker mate and I couldn’t see her on any651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYIV5lCtf7
of the queues. I considered her to be in the shower and so I went by 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzbtHf2rpp
the sink to brush my teeth. The ablution was flooded again and so as 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPEcqSlRo5
always I had to be careful, taking a step at a time.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4IAGCQWPJ
When I finally got to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFyyZFUEpD
the sinks, all in one peace, I suddenly felt a jolt of pain in my head 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJwRCl2Pr8
as though I was just struck by lightning. It felt more like a migraine 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxuFlNv0Uk
and I held my head, almost screaming out in pain. I saw a dark image 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LZHr9FuVn
flash before my eyes and for a moment, I thought the lights went off and651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC78UjcSWdG
come back on. But when I looked around everything around the ablution 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiMvR4DEHr
seemed to be normal. Usually when the power cuts, we girls like to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoAPT19nyR
scream, a lot, except for a few of us who are already used to the dark. 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjopFHpgLo
This time, that wasn’t the case. Everything seemed normal and I felt 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2WjLsfm2H
maybe I was being delirious.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaRI5nf7Xz
“Hey, Diana, are you okay?”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYG65ndod9
I turned to the last 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fjZ6DkJjy
shower cubicle which was closer to the sinks, and there wrapped up in a 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwEueuf6hR
pink towel stood my bunker mate, Christine. And just as I expected, she 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjtttu1PJF
was holding my bucket. She slowly walked over to me, trying to avoid the651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1C1y56niOb
dirty ablution water from flowing into her bath slippers.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6sw1Rsw4Q
“Are you okay? It looks like you just saw a ghost,” Christine had a worrying look on her face.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoZX4pGM5C
“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.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QyUjzCo9o
“You had me worried, I thought you saw something like a ghost.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjrzqqODEn
“You know I don’t believe in such things as the ghosts that haunt people around school.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoxMujLKiA
“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.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfF9XihBjc
“What happened to you 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6znKGsClFd
today, anyway? You’re usually the first to wake up when the morning bell651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1hPvzQBmq
rings. But today you slept like a rock,” Christine added on, this time 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9D9zsjyQh
there was a concerned tone in her voice.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDEfGPLhNd
It hadn’t occurred to me651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkP6b7w3xK
that I had never heard the morning bell in the first place. I was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiD17Xh83k
always the early bird and I was never a heavy sleeper. I was always 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOqwV5VqAq
sensitive with whatever sounds I get to hear. But today, I hadn’t even 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSrVF0Tpgv
heard my own dorm mates’ footsteps as they always rush out and into the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRTr1qeiVH
dorm.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5V5PZNWoBt
“I guess today just wasn’t my day,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqi72QDgvlC
“Well, you better hurry 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2W4yTLBi1
up then,” said Christine, handling the bucket over to me, “you don’t 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVg5Jd49Tf
want to be caught by the prefects when it’s time to clean up the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpfcry9J31
ablution. And that’s not how you want to start the day.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxv7BuPkid
I scowled again as I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1cCFuOUKe
took the bucket away from Christine. As I mentioned earlier, the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxRByx4TF5
ablution always get cleaned. And we the pupils clean it with the senior 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxO4kLNyL7
prefects as our supervisors. At 6:30 AM, everyone should vacate the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCb38vPNDh
ablutions so that the assigned group of pupils put to clean up the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pRT9Ro8qp
ablution should do their work. If you’re caught still in the showers, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYig2TioYU
you would obviously have to join in the cleaning process. And that 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fTNd0sEpJ
proves to be twice as difficult when you know you’re also assigned to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENEzA6msNG
another area to clean in school. As soon as I finished brushing my 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIFeDCZCvC
teeth, I quickly got out of the ablution to fetch water by a nearby tap.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoz1M9COqa
Most of the showers never worked in the ablution, henceforth, fetching 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AKHzKp7wX
water outside.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaUpV9ZfhA
Luckily, for me, there was no queue and I did things as fast as I could.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5mpkuWO1Z
Afterwards, I went back into the ablution and quickly found a vacant cubicle.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RZw11M2YL
After getting cleaned 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXRTF8yR5l
up, I wore my beige school uniform, clean white stockings and I had my 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zImwJS4wZ
black shoes, neatly clean and polished. I looked at myself in the mirror651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQpKeVSMIi
and made sure my short afro hair was neatly combed. I had cut my long 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkD4WHMAxn
hair a year ago before coming to this missionary school. As usual, one 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtDLk0rtRJ
of the rules was not to come with long hair, especially if was it was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQh8Kr2F5jo
permed. They strongly insisted on natural hair. I had to cut my hair 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopix7Vl2PV
when I was going into grade 8 and I felt it was pretty unfair. But after651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleWmr1hxCn
that year, I kind of got used to it. Surly they were just trying to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPKf7Jxnvc
promote equality amongst us, but there were a lot of things I never 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wgv9n8P0w
found amusing in this school.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSNs80DoHU
Mpunde Girls Secondary 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHJQiqVIAn
School, a Catholic school run by the Hand Maid Sisters. Located in the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrhDhBtaoq
Central Province of Zambia in the town of Kabwe, but pretty much away 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi772GoOE5d
from civilisation. When I say that, I mean the school is located far 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxrSMne4V1
away from town and deep into the bush. It’s located in the farthest 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUByTXEWuam
rural part of Kabwe.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2g74eFFJw
When I first came to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRPsvbSCFp
this school to write an aptitude test to go into grade 8, I was greeted 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFTlgrbVOu
by the lovely surroundings of the school. The lawns of the school were 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWWsq0lzuk
properly well cared for, and there were beautiful flowers everywhere. A 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcUs7dvzpi
beautiful Catholic church was situated right outside the school grounds,651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfP11Dg9jB1
meant for the local people that lived around that area and for us 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGRsjBOoyQ
pupils. The attractive colours painted in different Catholic symbols, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxAxSJiM2g
inside and outside the walls of the church were astonishing to look at. 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1nI0btRG1
It looked more like art in my eyes.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbZfeMmH9q
At that moment, I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYhxZFE2et
thought things were going to get better in my life. The school was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2NgPBssfc
beautiful and the Catholic sisters and teachers who introduced 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtorCekfWt
themselves to us girls and our parents, seemed so kind. And I was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2vqfKZBzv
Catholic, so attending mass wasn’t much of a big deal. I thought I was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QXDBwEbhg
going to love this place and make it more like my second home. But 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPkhiNXYtP
things weren’t the case when I got to know the school a whole lot 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡua9VypRBDN
better. I remember a certain friend of mine back home tell me that,651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtxsHDybQq
most Catholic girl schools in Zambia were highly recommended because 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNRGF2GcHn
the Sisters were strict and pupils are disciplined. As far as I had 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatCaltPUWx
known, most Sisters were meant to be kind and loving, not strict and 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuG7eZMvoJt
mean. It looked like I had been stuck in oblivion for quite a while in 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwmwrJUyi3
my life, that when I got to know what my friend truly meant, it was like651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXInUs4DZRD
a hammer blow to the head. One's thing for sure, I didn’t like this 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPP4p57X4T
school. Every time we begun a new term, I would pray for the three 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhZQONPC4Z
months to pass by quickly. Whenever I came back home, it felt like I had651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvphwG3wIIX
just come back from a beat-down, and as usual, losing the match every 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYsLpBGZqW
time.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKeEQOLhwQ
The school was strict 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgH0gqjBLIQ
and on point with their rules, I felt like a minion under their control.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RO1ECNaN6
Any little offense you make, they will take you as an offender. They 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmi6awJHIan
were strict with how you kept the rooms and the surrounding areas clean.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQz8Alxw5H0
If they found that nothing was clean or things were out of place, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOU9JuRBNZ
whether in the dorms or in the surrounding areas, either one of the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZtUSnH9Eq
sisters or one of the teachers on duty, would call the pupils assigned 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEszplFPD0
to cleaning the area or the dorm, out of class to go back and do their 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjMVWFn3sH
work properly. And by the end of the day they are given a punishment, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJLaAIeMY1
which was usually to weed the garden, clean the poultry shack or sweep 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYlRXXuJ1z
up the leaves in the orchard. To me, that’s like working twice as hard 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqRhyulUPA
as you usually do on a daily basis. There was nothing you could do about651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoZzLNabBM
that anyway. That wasn’t the only that ticked me off sometimes. Most 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpht0NnAH2I
prefects were mean and complete jerks towards us. It’s even much worse 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFl8laTVQw
when you were in a lower grade. That meant more work, and if things 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vOX3MCsUc
weren’t done right, punishment in the worst way, cleaning up the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu66KI5Yy48
disgusting ablution or weeding the entire garden, with your hands. And 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSEtfEH2fy
they always had a special day to punish offenders. If you know you were 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0feWkKqKG
late for classes or attending meals and your name was written in any of 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRW6AhSan7V
the prefect’s books, just know you will find yourself on the offender’s 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnLbPpug11
list which is always stuck on Thursdays. That means after classes on 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNGOL15onP
Thursdays, the first thing you would want to see first is if you’re on 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SrNXjz9vt
the offender’s list. If you aren’t, then it’s just a time to relax. If 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTjejAGQwr
you are on the list, get ready to thoroughly clean up the whole school, 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMpElrrRo0
you aren’t going to get off that list so easily if you didn’t work. 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNCqCvhwOd
You’ll just find yourself on the other week’s offenders list.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjPaYj9GT5
Enough about what ticks 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIJaimmAcT
me off in this place. It was 7:00 AM and that meant it was time to get 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqD0xm8ekC
to work. The way we were allocated to our places of work is according to651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAB2CiKrGmO
dorms. There are 10 dorms in school. The size of the dorm also depends 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQy6kPPnIWI
where you’re allocated to work. For example, the second biggest dorm 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1nhS1Jj7n
called Dolores, which I’m in, usually worked in big places like the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66lCox8jjl
orchard. And smaller dorms like Xavier A, usually worked in smaller 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLokueKnXm6
areas like the kitchen area or the ablutions.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlubCsp5UD
It was time to go to the651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SyDlStYvx
orchard, and as usual, we were always greeted by the sight of leaves 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03NY7eihyV
everywhere in the morning. Most of the time, people would usually sweep 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJg5uHuThpo
up the leaves with a rake, but here, we would use brooms made up for the651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AqZqEErik
strongest tree branches. It was more than enough to sweep up the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNPg7Zegsw
leaves. So, we got to work with the brooms. Since there weren’t enough 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUTjoJeRfD
brooms, most of us had to wait until one finishes her potion and gave it651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJ76x2BqPh
you. I was one of those waiting today and I stood under a tree. 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq1BAludNr
Christine came up to stand beside me. Our dorm prefect, Chileshe, stood 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwazmQTD3VI
in front of us, doing her duty, to supervise.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2BIWpmCjL
“Hey, are you going to tell me why you couldn’t wake up today?” Christine asked, nudging her elbow to my side.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDn16I2GV9
“I don’t know,” I replied. “And you are such a bad bunker mate. You couldn’t even wake me up.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuImK6Qoyz
“Huh?” Christine looked confused as she looked at me. “I tried to wake you up, but you were as still as a rock.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9vvEqzyO3
I now stared back at Christine with a frown. “Are you sure? I didn’t hear you at all.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAViK4J3Uts
“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.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NDRjUNs6l
I shook my head. This 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyW1DzKqLM
was ridiculous and Christine was taking it like it was one big deal. If 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHO6URqt2G
she was going to start talking about ghosts again, like she usually 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLt0X4rPvf
does, I didn’t know what I would do to her that would land me in serious651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPijzSXt6s
trouble.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhBb1Erd2W
“Christine, all that just happened to me today. It’s not like it’s going to happen again,” I said.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5QaKfBn0J
“Diana, you had me worried,” said Christine. “What if you didn’t wake up?”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nCww56I1T
“But I woke up, didn’t I?”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5sjO9ydRq
“Somehow I feel that there is something you aren’t telling me.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xOipoxFed
I grew startled by what 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYdSBRvGym
Christine said. I was just about to ask what she meant by that when 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSrqyhjslZ
Amanda came back from sweeping her potion and Christine was quick enough651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZUyy0AnNq
to get the broom before anyone else. I could feel that Christine was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2teptBpeq
really mad at me and the confusing part about it was why she was taking 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHcJv6fbW6
all of this seriously. If I wanted an answer, I was so not ready to get a651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ06xKtpCGC
ridiculous one from Christine. She was so superstitious about things 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG6sn7WBrL
and I wasn’t coping with all of that ever since I first came to school 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOwWMjL0QQ
and learnt mysterious things that I wasn’t even willing to know.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5emzsCK5q8
Amanda came to stand 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uhbcLeGxc
beside me as we watched Christine head towards her portion of the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPTvt2R9V6
orchard. I drew out a breath of air. Amanda who had a bunker bed right 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxARbijMsqQ
next to Christine’s and mine, looked over at me. By the look on her 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrIE1VHmc8
face, I could tell she knew what Christine and I were arguing about. I 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDrto5jBqX
wasn’t even ready to hear what she had to say. Hearing from Christine 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKlvGH3vh9
was more than enough.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSYRwckiHx
“I wouldn’t be so mad at Christine if I were you,” said Amanda.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFVR57oann
“I’m not mad at her,” I said, “I just feel that she is making a mountain out of a mole hill.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vRDh62Pk1
Amanda folded her arms 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CsF4grkid
across her chest and leaned in closer to me so that people wouldn’t hear651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXBXqZG2v4
us. “I was there when Christine tried to wake you up. You didn’t even 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBE9NZ7enI
move an inch. You just laid there. And you looked, I don’t know, dead.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVgIWnQlen
As far as I had known 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8VnyObcfP
Amanda, she was one person who always aired out her honest opinions 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklR3u5Brd3
about things and she was one who wouldn’t even lie. She was quite 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmtBAMZwSj
terrible at it if you ask me. I knew what she was telling me right now 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDg3UCwa2V
was the truth. I swallowed, still finding it hard to believe what Amanda651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7whHUC4SVv
had just told me.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4i1OiFgTO6
“If I was like that, why651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcilS2ZXf6
didn’t you call the nurse or inform one of the prefects?” I turned to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLbJWuW1YT
face Amanda, her brown innocent eyes staring back at me.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNkfTwhdCw
“Christine was scared 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcqqahmtS3
when she couldn’t wake you. She almost freaked out and I told her that 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnAZiMH7Wq
you would be fine, that you were just in a deep sleep. I told her to 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSBmLXUvOQ
leave the dorm and that I would watch over you until you woke up. We 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKSyZac6PR
didn’t want to attract any attention among the dorm mates until we were 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aBI9nSzUk
sure you were okay.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MFki2Coyf
“Where were you when I woke up? I didn’t see you and the whole dorm was empty.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwHSPzBp27
“I was standing by the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwTfMV4FRf
door of the dorm when you woke up. And to be honest, you woke up in the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcVy4rZr8M
weirdest way possible. It was like you were given CPR and was suddenly 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2qoxsOdNr
revived.”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIQti3aHsr
Now that Amanda had 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1IdrXu8WO
mentioned it, I did wake up in the weirdest way today. I felt like 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUp3tI5gOM
someone had pumped in water into my nostrils when it was actually air. I651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jroa3vb0y
could still remember my throat burn and I held it again without even 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiuuALHeeI
realising it. I looked up at Amanda and she gave me a sad smile.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GwSFl0h0N
“And you told Christine?” I asked when I obviously knew the answer.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3WE4ucySv
“You know I couldn’t lie651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cG3S6Pigv
to her. She was worried and she has every right to. And so was I. What 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAMEPHjZPA
if you never did wake up? Have you ever thought of what would have 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMStesjkBT
happened if you had died in your sleep?”651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkhLJPFUxr
I took in Amanda’s 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGV3004YRg
questions into consideration and I looked at Christine who was busy at 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWat7lFEnI
work. It was obvious that she was avoiding me. I swallowed hard and 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFWgaI9pzK
stared off in a distance. All Christine was trying to do was help me out651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SMw9nIX9l
and I was acting like a complete jerk. But she couldn’t blame me for 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZnMfeQqot
it. I didn’t even know what had happened to me in the first place.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MzjgzMjdZ
It was now my turn to go651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKsQOJwXLj
and sweep as I took the broom from my fellow dorm mate, Chilufya who 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSOmz40pMK
was a grade ahead of me. I went to my portion under a few guava trees. 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFg9FKiv76
Before I could bend down to start sweeping, a sudden wave of pain gushed651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgeTn5bQmgw
down upon my head. The pain was so unbearable, that I almost screamed 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Am4Egrn7Y
aloud as I held my head.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oERJu12nn
As I looked around the 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxKiM4r1zk
place, everything seemed blurry. I tried blinking my eyes a few times to651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoQb4WE4al
refocus my sight, but that didn’t seem to work. I leaned onto a tree 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0VbtCvPiO
for support and I soon felt a jolt of dizziness and I felt like I would 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG35Lck3nHL
throw up at any moment. Soon, voices of concern surrounded me and I felt651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPql4mvKm82
a warm familiar hand hold my shoulder. I saw Christine looking at me 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wcsPuTATS
and with our other dorm mates surrounding me.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMGZwB1N0z
My vision was still 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym9JPtc6r2
blurry and my head ached like hell. What was even worse was the fact 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKojTi9kna
that everyone was talking and I couldn’t get a thing they said, not even651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUq75ievwD
Christine who was right next to me. I felt so confused that I was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48ckMvgwVK
afraid of running mad with all the noise. I looked around and I noticed 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHWW8agch9
that my vision was getting worse. I could notice a few of my dorm mates’651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5rB7R5B1K
faces including the dorm prefect, Chileshe. I saw Amanda at the far end651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiuEI1C5JK
of the crowd, looking scared. And I noticed someone standing right 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd3KNngTgN
behind her.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKWJxo9LCq
At that moment, my 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCppFWRunD
vision cleared when I saw the tall person who was standing behind 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5bZXDp5In
Amanda. I felt a burning sensation run through my body, but I was 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKPJxokm7A
sensible enough not to scream. I continued to look at the tall figure 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNgh8l6Yyo
and out of nowhere, a flood of images rushed through my head in a quick 651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZY2kra4vi
flash.651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzRXXM3SYP
Right before I could figure out what had just happened; I was falling into a pit of darkness, right into oblivion.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr27A0Dy1NJ
