Five years ago,763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUVUTMHzrC
February 13th, 2010.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9mZW26MCS
Mpunde Girls Secondary School,763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tinaJBKdF
Zambia.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KDGpTqrdO
I gasped for air as I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAssaoCxBO
quickly sat up on my bed, holding my burning throat and feeling my lungs763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMP7RNozC7
ache as air quickly flooded in. For a moment, I thought I was drowning 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4crNgwWDS
in water, but I was actually taking in air. I coughed out a little and 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVEMMHK3Cg
opened my eyes. The lights in the dorm were all turned on and the bunker763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhc96rGW1I
beds were all empty. For a moment, I panicked as I quickly got out of 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtrAI0QnZQ
bed on the bunker bed below, looking around the dorm. There was no one 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMByR9pbHx4
and I felt scared and worried. I quickly looked out of the window and I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNziC6JD4zM
realised that the sun was rising up from the east. I couldn’t help but 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVVlthLmin
sigh in relief, but then again, I realised that I was running late and 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8rHxvwz3I
my dorm mates were obviously hitting the showers in the ablution. And I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrk3LpmtYeZ
was the only one left in the dorm.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MGYWDCcUc
I quickly grabbed my 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXt5v7iuin
toothbrush, toothpaste, my bath towel and cloth. Quickly slipped my feet763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zZ1wjncbv
into my bath slippers and when I turned around the corner of my bunker 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4WoLLG3f5
bed to grab my bucket, I realised it wasn’t there. I sighed, this time 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiOwojVXLi
in frustration.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1Yluiq2C6
Obviously because I knew763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHC8StZ1Ok
who took it. If it wasn’t my bunker mate, then it was probably one of 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXU5ToIIeY
the dorm mates. In my nightdress, I rushed out of the dorm and headed 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDwjyRFBK5
for the ablution. The ablution was one place where I found it so 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQAHCNUcG8
repulsive to be in. Despite it being cleaned every day, it was always a 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQ7XsTLcQf
surprise how it gets messed up and flooded afterwards. When I mean 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQTAli1N9w
messed up, I mean the toilets is one thing you wouldn’t like to see 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU41LQ0oKgc
first after you eat a meal. For a moment, I wonder if we really are 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfBzVYQT5m
girls or sometimes we act like boys who like to leave a mess. We are 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgjRK0AgKb
“GIRLS” for crying out loud. And as far as I know, we need to take care 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVeIb2FamQ
of ourselves and the environment around us. Looks like being in boarding763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIWnZgyBPe
school, you get to know that sometimes things aren’t always what you 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwc0Su5JEF
thought it ought to be.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6yG68Evng
On either side of the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4EWtO2fo9
ablution were the shower side and the toilet side. In between was a 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zTdnV9i5P
passage where people could move around and line up their buckets to get 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtn9yV3JBd
into the shower cubicles. When it gets flooded, it’s pretty hard to move763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Gnlgjnmy6
around and many people have slipped and fallen. Trust me; it’s not a 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmHmBzVAa4
pretty sight when you see someone falling on their back into the water, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt4SkK4SOn
which was probably dirty. Luckily for me, that hasn’t happened, yet. I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ehQO9lIzq
wasn’t pushing my luck on that one. One day, I would probably fall and 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34rfwGoNkM
hopefully I wouldn’t break my bones in the process. At the far end of 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mL2WI2M6o
the ablution were sinks where you can go and brush your teeth and wash 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwujTvOzqKy
your face. And by the corner was a store room where we kept the cleaning763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafM2Z9ajHA
materials for the ablution.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6f7IGbPfJ
I stood by the door of 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzixtXkVNQ
the ablution, and as usual, there were queues of buckets all lined up, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUC4QTFeuN2
their owners standing beside them waiting for the shower cubicles to be 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cpUMJxJfJ
vacant. I looked around for my bunker mate and I couldn’t see her on any763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAne651LmLm
of the queues. I considered her to be in the shower and so I went by 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE179RaQReg
the sink to brush my teeth. The ablution was flooded again and so as 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmZnD9DvRy
always I had to be careful, taking a step at a time.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKItGouhHfv
When I finally got to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29jAZfh3Sk
the sinks, all in one peace, I suddenly felt a jolt of pain in my head 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyje2YaULp
as though I was just struck by lightning. It felt more like a migraine 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjJFoYYbZf
and I held my head, almost screaming out in pain. I saw a dark image 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXKGWXfwt7
flash before my eyes and for a moment, I thought the lights went off and763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dAPRon9g1
come back on. But when I looked around everything around the ablution 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aSDnST83j
seemed to be normal. Usually when the power cuts, we girls like to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBH68ha4d2
scream, a lot, except for a few of us who are already used to the dark. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GA1r6wibX
This time, that wasn’t the case. Everything seemed normal and I felt 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1oLE89CHU
maybe I was being delirious.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcD8iZt3o9c
“Hey, Diana, are you okay?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTw95yyF1P
I turned to the last 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhitEgLI33a
shower cubicle which was closer to the sinks, and there wrapped up in a 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvXxDFwaXS
pink towel stood my bunker mate, Christine. And just as I expected, she 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE1qkIaalm
was holding my bucket. She slowly walked over to me, trying to avoid the763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMQSUHOA8D
dirty ablution water from flowing into her bath slippers.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhLBGGjeKl
“Are you okay? It looks like you just saw a ghost,” Christine had a worrying look on her face.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3KNcSOZg1
“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.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXk2b5wqzRv
“You had me worried, I thought you saw something like a ghost.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PiYT0P0wi
“You know I don’t believe in such things as the ghosts that haunt people around school.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45Ec9PLlW5
“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.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX52SXnDGe8
“What happened to you 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLKT5Zyyuv
today, anyway? You’re usually the first to wake up when the morning bell763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYUqyh3do2
rings. But today you slept like a rock,” Christine added on, this time 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sO0GhV3Ps
there was a concerned tone in her voice.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxWph5I9Vs
It hadn’t occurred to me763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6GWc6SLZD
that I had never heard the morning bell in the first place. I was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxUHD3oUkJ
always the early bird and I was never a heavy sleeper. I was always 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oP1PbuYS0
sensitive with whatever sounds I get to hear. But today, I hadn’t even 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnazpyTqFiv
heard my own dorm mates’ footsteps as they always rush out and into the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwGOBP6gvp
dorm.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZKZLUU1Ju
“I guess today just wasn’t my day,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj75ZDqzFnN
“Well, you better hurry 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN295b31Z4
up then,” said Christine, handling the bucket over to me, “you don’t 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdaLZzcAVg
want to be caught by the prefects when it’s time to clean up the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrIOXWmYs9
ablution. And that’s not how you want to start the day.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLeYdGynIX
I scowled again as I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfx9VovhaHF
took the bucket away from Christine. As I mentioned earlier, the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrdYvpI2fW
ablution always get cleaned. And we the pupils clean it with the senior 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjQTHOWMPD
prefects as our supervisors. At 6:30 AM, everyone should vacate the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8ahIFhRJe
ablutions so that the assigned group of pupils put to clean up the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvMGC5HJgi
ablution should do their work. If you’re caught still in the showers, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1QF9YnY2D
you would obviously have to join in the cleaning process. And that 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwXqbPjbCC
proves to be twice as difficult when you know you’re also assigned to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIHmtjmT63
another area to clean in school. As soon as I finished brushing my 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1httEZSgk
teeth, I quickly got out of the ablution to fetch water by a nearby tap.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4JqaLCFlm
Most of the showers never worked in the ablution, henceforth, fetching 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuYggqgbC7
water outside.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNfEhKl1Vg
Luckily, for me, there was no queue and I did things as fast as I could.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3PXclvuGl
Afterwards, I went back into the ablution and quickly found a vacant cubicle.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeXQSh0NL8
After getting cleaned 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgbc63Ii6L
up, I wore my beige school uniform, clean white stockings and I had my 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPb8DIQ8oKk
black shoes, neatly clean and polished. I looked at myself in the mirror763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7iqxUdIoB
and made sure my short afro hair was neatly combed. I had cut my long 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dzIPEYSDK
hair a year ago before coming to this missionary school. As usual, one 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aceIYEX40
of the rules was not to come with long hair, especially if was it was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda2uJ7WWJS
permed. They strongly insisted on natural hair. I had to cut my hair 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiD97PzyIUE
when I was going into grade 8 and I felt it was pretty unfair. But after763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQuxowBdnj
that year, I kind of got used to it. Surly they were just trying to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyz70xu7q0i
promote equality amongst us, but there were a lot of things I never 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHY96zVxbN
found amusing in this school.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEIs61eNcB
Mpunde Girls Secondary 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHijCcdautz
School, a Catholic school run by the Hand Maid Sisters. Located in the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9tiQI30mA
Central Province of Zambia in the town of Kabwe, but pretty much away 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdouhlG9fs
from civilisation. When I say that, I mean the school is located far 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pprDMVZtf
away from town and deep into the bush. It’s located in the farthest 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkRIc1E192
rural part of Kabwe.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR36O3MYbP2
When I first came to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmtKVhPiQ7
this school to write an aptitude test to go into grade 8, I was greeted 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCjd2hwLke
by the lovely surroundings of the school. The lawns of the school were 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SPEgIFQwu
properly well cared for, and there were beautiful flowers everywhere. A 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvug24qiSPE
beautiful Catholic church was situated right outside the school grounds,763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwuxcfgIsP
meant for the local people that lived around that area and for us 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYc59YCniv
pupils. The attractive colours painted in different Catholic symbols, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrWyNROwbc
inside and outside the walls of the church were astonishing to look at. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKkY1BoXSj
It looked more like art in my eyes.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0na9thH4e
At that moment, I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVi1OV8Du3
thought things were going to get better in my life. The school was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2WWCOw8F8
beautiful and the Catholic sisters and teachers who introduced 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMHOWCnSW9
themselves to us girls and our parents, seemed so kind. And I was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3t9ERYKzK
Catholic, so attending mass wasn’t much of a big deal. I thought I was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYzDloLGvV
going to love this place and make it more like my second home. But 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbesd0jVhi
things weren’t the case when I got to know the school a whole lot 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipm1ehhuSN
better. I remember a certain friend of mine back home tell me that,763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuCMJ40rrJ
most Catholic girl schools in Zambia were highly recommended because 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tWrWZzufs
the Sisters were strict and pupils are disciplined. As far as I had 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnjKs3nv1F
known, most Sisters were meant to be kind and loving, not strict and 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvPDE41Xp5
mean. It looked like I had been stuck in oblivion for quite a while in 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaRuDA5TI5
my life, that when I got to know what my friend truly meant, it was like763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9Njw5K893
a hammer blow to the head. One's thing for sure, I didn’t like this 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoutOyrsgW
school. Every time we begun a new term, I would pray for the three 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJn8SI9Pxk
months to pass by quickly. Whenever I came back home, it felt like I had763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sov6uWnU3
just come back from a beat-down, and as usual, losing the match every 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8siY45Mbrb
time.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8wrNPnmAi
The school was strict 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrsShWetuZ
and on point with their rules, I felt like a minion under their control.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHCdYbhdf9
Any little offense you make, they will take you as an offender. They 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1gjwM99KK
were strict with how you kept the rooms and the surrounding areas clean.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJrIRes0UT
If they found that nothing was clean or things were out of place, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsnFjLQUZk
whether in the dorms or in the surrounding areas, either one of the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ip3BBaytm
sisters or one of the teachers on duty, would call the pupils assigned 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rwRPcI9LU
to cleaning the area or the dorm, out of class to go back and do their 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXJ6yRCZHG
work properly. And by the end of the day they are given a punishment, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoA0KUDTuz
which was usually to weed the garden, clean the poultry shack or sweep 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZ5ze8Ma2D
up the leaves in the orchard. To me, that’s like working twice as hard 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen8rJbdudY
as you usually do on a daily basis. There was nothing you could do about763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjOn4ld3TH
that anyway. That wasn’t the only that ticked me off sometimes. Most 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pKw75D1IW
prefects were mean and complete jerks towards us. It’s even much worse 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIthDQh35FJ
when you were in a lower grade. That meant more work, and if things 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERkEHLPwfC
weren’t done right, punishment in the worst way, cleaning up the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6DRjO2Ln0
disgusting ablution or weeding the entire garden, with your hands. And 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiPzVBjcnL
they always had a special day to punish offenders. If you know you were 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0SVum8SUh
late for classes or attending meals and your name was written in any of 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmFLbo31nI
the prefect’s books, just know you will find yourself on the offender’s 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHro8f7i2jB
list which is always stuck on Thursdays. That means after classes on 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRt5c4IFp5
Thursdays, the first thing you would want to see first is if you’re on 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWC38sTIhy
the offender’s list. If you aren’t, then it’s just a time to relax. If 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQC0OHWaLCZ
you are on the list, get ready to thoroughly clean up the whole school, 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQA80oCjHMQ
you aren’t going to get off that list so easily if you didn’t work. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKnzGhpHJp
You’ll just find yourself on the other week’s offenders list.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56XHBFXay0
Enough about what ticks 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62rUAZmDZK
me off in this place. It was 7:00 AM and that meant it was time to get 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVENHHWYCm
to work. The way we were allocated to our places of work is according to763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldMe3bIvro
dorms. There are 10 dorms in school. The size of the dorm also depends 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKXNL19rgR
where you’re allocated to work. For example, the second biggest dorm 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpezbSPc26
called Dolores, which I’m in, usually worked in big places like the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5hjaCVkJk
orchard. And smaller dorms like Xavier A, usually worked in smaller 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9coEw8Rzu
areas like the kitchen area or the ablutions.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw7UfUp6nm
It was time to go to the763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOaJgA6EFZ
orchard, and as usual, we were always greeted by the sight of leaves 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡii26niNG6T
everywhere in the morning. Most of the time, people would usually sweep 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6OtYp18bW
up the leaves with a rake, but here, we would use brooms made up for the763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWOxO0bio8
strongest tree branches. It was more than enough to sweep up the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5961UiUmRX
leaves. So, we got to work with the brooms. Since there weren’t enough 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vflNHLur6
brooms, most of us had to wait until one finishes her potion and gave it763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRL52qb94Z
you. I was one of those waiting today and I stood under a tree. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKkcsokPm4
Christine came up to stand beside me. Our dorm prefect, Chileshe, stood 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PukYsP9b0
in front of us, doing her duty, to supervise.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPKIndpkhx
“Hey, are you going to tell me why you couldn’t wake up today?” Christine asked, nudging her elbow to my side.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6vJ7vr4H6
“I don’t know,” I replied. “And you are such a bad bunker mate. You couldn’t even wake me up.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDE6Io1i3ZF
“Huh?” Christine looked confused as she looked at me. “I tried to wake you up, but you were as still as a rock.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXKb6Dj7YA
I now stared back at Christine with a frown. “Are you sure? I didn’t hear you at all.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oYZzPUCYO
“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.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDZBe1ctMS
I shook my head. This 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFemHFzGy0q
was ridiculous and Christine was taking it like it was one big deal. If 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hkG6Tfh8x
she was going to start talking about ghosts again, like she usually 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVLT5gJ68G
does, I didn’t know what I would do to her that would land me in serious763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ798VnNAG
trouble.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLqhzJ2BOe
“Christine, all that just happened to me today. It’s not like it’s going to happen again,” I said.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7twBr7Iqs
“Diana, you had me worried,” said Christine. “What if you didn’t wake up?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdY42x4wE6L
“But I woke up, didn’t I?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMlFzEfFt6
“Somehow I feel that there is something you aren’t telling me.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraPjZ3W4ob
I grew startled by what 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQEPHJyeFp
Christine said. I was just about to ask what she meant by that when 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGUozNOaRu
Amanda came back from sweeping her potion and Christine was quick enough763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiK4aIxdFt
to get the broom before anyone else. I could feel that Christine was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6Qz82q6fU
really mad at me and the confusing part about it was why she was taking 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqZohpATyX
all of this seriously. If I wanted an answer, I was so not ready to get a763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7QLRel9lX
ridiculous one from Christine. She was so superstitious about things 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfRrN7b2oh
and I wasn’t coping with all of that ever since I first came to school 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsqZJgSxbx
and learnt mysterious things that I wasn’t even willing to know.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMrKlBb4D9
Amanda came to stand 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvp9r66n0M
beside me as we watched Christine head towards her portion of the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITXIN461L7
orchard. I drew out a breath of air. Amanda who had a bunker bed right 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRcQJe8Qgl
next to Christine’s and mine, looked over at me. By the look on her 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5JAPf9V89
face, I could tell she knew what Christine and I were arguing about. I 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUyRaVQmFx
wasn’t even ready to hear what she had to say. Hearing from Christine 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpSNqbJBnn
was more than enough.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3qPOB850M
“I wouldn’t be so mad at Christine if I were you,” said Amanda.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP66uKNIeu8
“I’m not mad at her,” I said, “I just feel that she is making a mountain out of a mole hill.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Fndmayh22
Amanda folded her arms 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ150RgBwYuh
across her chest and leaned in closer to me so that people wouldn’t hear763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBh7GhyTvKu
us. “I was there when Christine tried to wake you up. You didn’t even 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy7SZ8j9XX
move an inch. You just laid there. And you looked, I don’t know, dead.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9YP4Zmfqo
As far as I had known 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvnhoUkLDw
Amanda, she was one person who always aired out her honest opinions 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOqlRVqlvm
about things and she was one who wouldn’t even lie. She was quite 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGwySLDepH
terrible at it if you ask me. I knew what she was telling me right now 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp6okwVg1O
was the truth. I swallowed, still finding it hard to believe what Amanda763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WWsT8cGbO
had just told me.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLG5tE6suo
“If I was like that, why763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhePTytFE3
didn’t you call the nurse or inform one of the prefects?” I turned to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlsk2kifOP
face Amanda, her brown innocent eyes staring back at me.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJX88oyvoEC
“Christine was scared 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iG2rFqz4P
when she couldn’t wake you. She almost freaked out and I told her that 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mUuxf3Z9G
you would be fine, that you were just in a deep sleep. I told her to 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEy9YL0iR5
leave the dorm and that I would watch over you until you woke up. We 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsW19VkJrS
didn’t want to attract any attention among the dorm mates until we were 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTGPKed53F
sure you were okay.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZe9WN6rzWd
“Where were you when I woke up? I didn’t see you and the whole dorm was empty.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEdFtz1Mvo
“I was standing by the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhm8t7TRdN
door of the dorm when you woke up. And to be honest, you woke up in the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmGBWFo49I
weirdest way possible. It was like you were given CPR and was suddenly 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGTot1MY7I
revived.”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIP832h6Uzi
Now that Amanda had 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKjqOWel3U
mentioned it, I did wake up in the weirdest way today. I felt like 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKtwYYXrzz
someone had pumped in water into my nostrils when it was actually air. I763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EJZxiOfmH
could still remember my throat burn and I held it again without even 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡah7khXdsZt
realising it. I looked up at Amanda and she gave me a sad smile.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkTuWaMAmC
“And you told Christine?” I asked when I obviously knew the answer.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpU5dO1gix
“You know I couldn’t lie763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDu8aglTkwt
to her. She was worried and she has every right to. And so was I. What 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiOqoR1gy9
if you never did wake up? Have you ever thought of what would have 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO39OZOShvH
happened if you had died in your sleep?”763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfoYsKAgVX
I took in Amanda’s 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbBGH6lx6g
questions into consideration and I looked at Christine who was busy at 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUukm7pNvDw
work. It was obvious that she was avoiding me. I swallowed hard and 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcWQcVaX4V
stared off in a distance. All Christine was trying to do was help me out763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgu7qc07PhU
and I was acting like a complete jerk. But she couldn’t blame me for 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEzsCF9QSP
it. I didn’t even know what had happened to me in the first place.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3Sb0lxMTE
It was now my turn to go763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBZjXdcay9
and sweep as I took the broom from my fellow dorm mate, Chilufya who 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyN07ZLS2X
was a grade ahead of me. I went to my portion under a few guava trees. 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57kVluDWr3
Before I could bend down to start sweeping, a sudden wave of pain gushed763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14vGp5QZWn
down upon my head. The pain was so unbearable, that I almost screamed 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cxPlG0XGR
aloud as I held my head.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1mwWklbGE
As I looked around the 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHQyNml9QH
place, everything seemed blurry. I tried blinking my eyes a few times to763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgu1X4j3y6
refocus my sight, but that didn’t seem to work. I leaned onto a tree 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBY2vvRMhA
for support and I soon felt a jolt of dizziness and I felt like I would 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnB5CkX3MSL
throw up at any moment. Soon, voices of concern surrounded me and I felt763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYH0Cc4P8C
a warm familiar hand hold my shoulder. I saw Christine looking at me 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxNHVdIO1w
and with our other dorm mates surrounding me.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VmMX6uozs
My vision was still 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBTX8IdVwD
blurry and my head ached like hell. What was even worse was the fact 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBiBmTULuV
that everyone was talking and I couldn’t get a thing they said, not even763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLr6VhhOZf
Christine who was right next to me. I felt so confused that I was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1WbYVUpJS
afraid of running mad with all the noise. I looked around and I noticed 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheRbWb6WrJ
that my vision was getting worse. I could notice a few of my dorm mates’763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRR4IYtwTaG
faces including the dorm prefect, Chileshe. I saw Amanda at the far end763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoLbMEph0h
of the crowd, looking scared. And I noticed someone standing right 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJXmOtNVk2
behind her.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURa3ZjsqIi
At that moment, my 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdfXLxKCco
vision cleared when I saw the tall person who was standing behind 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKpk0XHeea
Amanda. I felt a burning sensation run through my body, but I was 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLXtWudbtB
sensible enough not to scream. I continued to look at the tall figure 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pQIpU4Z1u
and out of nowhere, a flood of images rushed through my head in a quick 763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugoeyD9cjE
flash.763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUv02KTUf1
Right before I could figure out what had just happened; I was falling into a pit of darkness, right into oblivion.
763Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipp3hexBIX
