Five years ago,765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIghx5Z0PjR
February 13th, 2010.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdKTcpbnwG
Mpunde Girls Secondary School,765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakyk7pGAhV
Zambia.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqvowHhrXN
I gasped for air as I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyZQreWiXN
quickly sat up on my bed, holding my burning throat and feeling my lungs765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ964SKV5cp1
ache as air quickly flooded in. For a moment, I thought I was drowning 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLfT74QYKg
in water, but I was actually taking in air. I coughed out a little and 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDE6SgMHSv
opened my eyes. The lights in the dorm were all turned on and the bunker765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8R3uMwNBmP
beds were all empty. For a moment, I panicked as I quickly got out of 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPd6ZhzyNyM
bed on the bunker bed below, looking around the dorm. There was no one 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyVThKIiLk
and I felt scared and worried. I quickly looked out of the window and I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTxrZW6I3u
realised that the sun was rising up from the east. I couldn’t help but 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KPpsmavGK
sigh in relief, but then again, I realised that I was running late and 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjEmzgQrOq
my dorm mates were obviously hitting the showers in the ablution. And I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMmktURxgi
was the only one left in the dorm.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQoq5QoK4T
I quickly grabbed my 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0UEoHLfyc
toothbrush, toothpaste, my bath towel and cloth. Quickly slipped my feet765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2HPBflqWz
into my bath slippers and when I turned around the corner of my bunker 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sNj3f7trm
bed to grab my bucket, I realised it wasn’t there. I sighed, this time 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvj2AC3QBS
in frustration.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EQqppgko3
Obviously because I knew765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIVCE8XUnf
who took it. If it wasn’t my bunker mate, then it was probably one of 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKByxQbUV5
the dorm mates. In my nightdress, I rushed out of the dorm and headed 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryLt9I7DOk
for the ablution. The ablution was one place where I found it so 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyNLx6RAmx
repulsive to be in. Despite it being cleaned every day, it was always a 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEEzIIKWex
surprise how it gets messed up and flooded afterwards. When I mean 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBYxkMHnPR
messed up, I mean the toilets is one thing you wouldn’t like to see 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lyoZqwwH1
first after you eat a meal. For a moment, I wonder if we really are 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuIbJe8eDJ
girls or sometimes we act like boys who like to leave a mess. We are 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJxJvW5a3Q
“GIRLS” for crying out loud. And as far as I know, we need to take care 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1PK8VqZCb
of ourselves and the environment around us. Looks like being in boarding765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG8YGVvyYy
school, you get to know that sometimes things aren’t always what you 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42leq5JtCd
thought it ought to be.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB9A23l8Zu
On either side of the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrO6hj5BoJ
ablution were the shower side and the toilet side. In between was a 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0oBys7EKM
passage where people could move around and line up their buckets to get 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehcvvyRVBK
into the shower cubicles. When it gets flooded, it’s pretty hard to move765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHB2NvdqQJ
around and many people have slipped and fallen. Trust me; it’s not a 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxgIyCJo3F
pretty sight when you see someone falling on their back into the water, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb3EqZuWBA
which was probably dirty. Luckily for me, that hasn’t happened, yet. I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU8adglydn
wasn’t pushing my luck on that one. One day, I would probably fall and 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgHB1h01xn
hopefully I wouldn’t break my bones in the process. At the far end of 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbSPxhTNrn
the ablution were sinks where you can go and brush your teeth and wash 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzMNVbCPYb
your face. And by the corner was a store room where we kept the cleaning765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XgvUcTGkj
materials for the ablution.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jyBtzjTZY
I stood by the door of 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbwcEbv7n8
the ablution, and as usual, there were queues of buckets all lined up, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ08NzJvFL1
their owners standing beside them waiting for the shower cubicles to be 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvlzdJUCJQ
vacant. I looked around for my bunker mate and I couldn’t see her on any765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnWtVbyplJ
of the queues. I considered her to be in the shower and so I went by 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7f4hVS3Fa
the sink to brush my teeth. The ablution was flooded again and so as 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1iEx11rMk
always I had to be careful, taking a step at a time.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUl9SXZR4Hk
When I finally got to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uQ5thpayp
the sinks, all in one peace, I suddenly felt a jolt of pain in my head 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs5OcrrkiV
as though I was just struck by lightning. It felt more like a migraine 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVZb9tiYrT
and I held my head, almost screaming out in pain. I saw a dark image 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnXk0dgaWz
flash before my eyes and for a moment, I thought the lights went off and765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3m4agY15Wx
come back on. But when I looked around everything around the ablution 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkx74pwlBQ3
seemed to be normal. Usually when the power cuts, we girls like to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1anOkWXDwg
scream, a lot, except for a few of us who are already used to the dark. 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcWbbfZmYj
This time, that wasn’t the case. Everything seemed normal and I felt 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoac8nIw6MX
maybe I was being delirious.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFDAmbAWfB
“Hey, Diana, are you okay?”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd1IpbZrvq
I turned to the last 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphBqCRZlOF
shower cubicle which was closer to the sinks, and there wrapped up in a 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF0VgSPXSX
pink towel stood my bunker mate, Christine. And just as I expected, she 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mvv0VTzZf
was holding my bucket. She slowly walked over to me, trying to avoid the765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicAwiaZ7u1
dirty ablution water from flowing into her bath slippers.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoDDN578vS
“Are you okay? It looks like you just saw a ghost,” Christine had a worrying look on her face.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhevAJDCz9s
“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.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd82Z5J4LD
“You had me worried, I thought you saw something like a ghost.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncoBuznUSk
“You know I don’t believe in such things as the ghosts that haunt people around school.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsemcUaoYL
“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.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3edUrm6S2B
“What happened to you 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtlqinx3NL
today, anyway? You’re usually the first to wake up when the morning bell765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQUeCeqEQT
rings. But today you slept like a rock,” Christine added on, this time 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftbQlL1kGC
there was a concerned tone in her voice.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡey5e17ZleY
It hadn’t occurred to me765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZpCZ1syrW
that I had never heard the morning bell in the first place. I was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1g9VFMro2
always the early bird and I was never a heavy sleeper. I was always 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZB2I7Upvv
sensitive with whatever sounds I get to hear. But today, I hadn’t even 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfOU6Mv6OM
heard my own dorm mates’ footsteps as they always rush out and into the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09MUI9gZlL
dorm.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgTsS1mt8F
“I guess today just wasn’t my day,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdVjeibCT8
“Well, you better hurry 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizjnQDjnB9
up then,” said Christine, handling the bucket over to me, “you don’t 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonklZk9Idp
want to be caught by the prefects when it’s time to clean up the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrF3CD5j5su
ablution. And that’s not how you want to start the day.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFhOWuc7XV
I scowled again as I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VKt3bwVTb
took the bucket away from Christine. As I mentioned earlier, the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78m4w4RWbw
ablution always get cleaned. And we the pupils clean it with the senior 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKaqe8Sutd
prefects as our supervisors. At 6:30 AM, everyone should vacate the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2oU6tuXOa
ablutions so that the assigned group of pupils put to clean up the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpEhTjC1xr
ablution should do their work. If you’re caught still in the showers, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xFtXPhcVH
you would obviously have to join in the cleaning process. And that 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUVjsTT0UH
proves to be twice as difficult when you know you’re also assigned to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnV8jLhcUUd
another area to clean in school. As soon as I finished brushing my 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFA4XBiOpOM
teeth, I quickly got out of the ablution to fetch water by a nearby tap.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgVodPJcQN
Most of the showers never worked in the ablution, henceforth, fetching 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ540CZUPCga
water outside.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwC6KW6vo5
Luckily, for me, there was no queue and I did things as fast as I could.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXijbYORGPG
Afterwards, I went back into the ablution and quickly found a vacant cubicle.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnx6R1x6Are
After getting cleaned 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNw2PMHCWo
up, I wore my beige school uniform, clean white stockings and I had my 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XthGrKy93
black shoes, neatly clean and polished. I looked at myself in the mirror765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbi1r0zsgT
and made sure my short afro hair was neatly combed. I had cut my long 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeGP8RaK95
hair a year ago before coming to this missionary school. As usual, one 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Kv8Rfld1b
of the rules was not to come with long hair, especially if was it was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eDifom1sM
permed. They strongly insisted on natural hair. I had to cut my hair 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3g0ipizdF
when I was going into grade 8 and I felt it was pretty unfair. But after765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkNHb4xA0C
that year, I kind of got used to it. Surly they were just trying to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7QRiGpxn8
promote equality amongst us, but there were a lot of things I never 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyI0S09p5ZU
found amusing in this school.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkJJs7T7uR
Mpunde Girls Secondary 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZmKw8bxXx
School, a Catholic school run by the Hand Maid Sisters. Located in the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZkxZymm8h
Central Province of Zambia in the town of Kabwe, but pretty much away 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghqOTUblvG
from civilisation. When I say that, I mean the school is located far 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xvVh6ThVl
away from town and deep into the bush. It’s located in the farthest 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjlvUQNYLj
rural part of Kabwe.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoa4e9zEU3f
When I first came to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24KnlW03Cc
this school to write an aptitude test to go into grade 8, I was greeted 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM8bRwojdw
by the lovely surroundings of the school. The lawns of the school were 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgOXUcFE06
properly well cared for, and there were beautiful flowers everywhere. A 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwkPlXzDiv
beautiful Catholic church was situated right outside the school grounds,765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSJKDPSXM2
meant for the local people that lived around that area and for us 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEdDBLBNpk
pupils. The attractive colours painted in different Catholic symbols, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnA03jjUHq
inside and outside the walls of the church were astonishing to look at. 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh32YlFwxhb
It looked more like art in my eyes.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZukKbmhNZV
At that moment, I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLRZBpsRWp
thought things were going to get better in my life. The school was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdnxmLfabj
beautiful and the Catholic sisters and teachers who introduced 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvz8Q5JH6i4
themselves to us girls and our parents, seemed so kind. And I was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtPezF9SPZ
Catholic, so attending mass wasn’t much of a big deal. I thought I was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgInZKwIXIh
going to love this place and make it more like my second home. But 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YTeRRn4UK
things weren’t the case when I got to know the school a whole lot 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaqYRn6BYb
better. I remember a certain friend of mine back home tell me that,765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi67D950F7Y
most Catholic girl schools in Zambia were highly recommended because 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiTl2tOXSh
the Sisters were strict and pupils are disciplined. As far as I had 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP00qSyzgoY
known, most Sisters were meant to be kind and loving, not strict and 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcyekNXY9w
mean. It looked like I had been stuck in oblivion for quite a while in 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVG9eIFRb5
my life, that when I got to know what my friend truly meant, it was like765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoSzbD1gHD
a hammer blow to the head. One's thing for sure, I didn’t like this 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgTaQxIRL2
school. Every time we begun a new term, I would pray for the three 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtbPBdG3cG
months to pass by quickly. Whenever I came back home, it felt like I had765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWfYlgwBtP
just come back from a beat-down, and as usual, losing the match every 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAIHmdrqdg
time.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Hm8b1HBjY
The school was strict 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoexzPQwrIX
and on point with their rules, I felt like a minion under their control.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygtMV6Ia8b
Any little offense you make, they will take you as an offender. They 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAEcAe4kTC
were strict with how you kept the rooms and the surrounding areas clean.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5bcNalK3u
If they found that nothing was clean or things were out of place, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2El9lD5SG
whether in the dorms or in the surrounding areas, either one of the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDPxTUgAiB
sisters or one of the teachers on duty, would call the pupils assigned 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9z5KOQ4D4
to cleaning the area or the dorm, out of class to go back and do their 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo2jZu7hrJ
work properly. And by the end of the day they are given a punishment, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEx6zy57xU
which was usually to weed the garden, clean the poultry shack or sweep 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbVcbl4rPB
up the leaves in the orchard. To me, that’s like working twice as hard 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsK7lhpk54v
as you usually do on a daily basis. There was nothing you could do about765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ELcHJHGsb
that anyway. That wasn’t the only that ticked me off sometimes. Most 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNg4ccsFhQ
prefects were mean and complete jerks towards us. It’s even much worse 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQG6vQdn0f
when you were in a lower grade. That meant more work, and if things 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sPyaDjHLA
weren’t done right, punishment in the worst way, cleaning up the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSr4PijqKp
disgusting ablution or weeding the entire garden, with your hands. And 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5i4Mq2ovqB
they always had a special day to punish offenders. If you know you were 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxql1WOXWmB
late for classes or attending meals and your name was written in any of 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCydZvkMg87
the prefect’s books, just know you will find yourself on the offender’s 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jGn9Vq5OB
list which is always stuck on Thursdays. That means after classes on 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7LyJw94Yp
Thursdays, the first thing you would want to see first is if you’re on 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkFGJEO2vt
the offender’s list. If you aren’t, then it’s just a time to relax. If 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHBWWNqVyL
you are on the list, get ready to thoroughly clean up the whole school, 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4ejDAFzvO
you aren’t going to get off that list so easily if you didn’t work. 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCE6uP5Qm2
You’ll just find yourself on the other week’s offenders list.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUeokoV6qn
Enough about what ticks 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeU2K4FZnQQ
me off in this place. It was 7:00 AM and that meant it was time to get 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIVoutk8Da
to work. The way we were allocated to our places of work is according to765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRiaX21VAX
dorms. There are 10 dorms in school. The size of the dorm also depends 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXXTo8oG58
where you’re allocated to work. For example, the second biggest dorm 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68Z6opk2mz
called Dolores, which I’m in, usually worked in big places like the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYYg0nkIaq
orchard. And smaller dorms like Xavier A, usually worked in smaller 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMXMFu9BJE
areas like the kitchen area or the ablutions.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYxiKDxZ6i
It was time to go to the765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYbkBbpxG9
orchard, and as usual, we were always greeted by the sight of leaves 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVPVlEi8uV
everywhere in the morning. Most of the time, people would usually sweep 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUd519EgFs
up the leaves with a rake, but here, we would use brooms made up for the765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAXDLGurR9
strongest tree branches. It was more than enough to sweep up the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqiLBgChtK
leaves. So, we got to work with the brooms. Since there weren’t enough 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPMHyheIKT
brooms, most of us had to wait until one finishes her potion and gave it765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qpI2DsVuz
you. I was one of those waiting today and I stood under a tree. 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtccQJFPRfl
Christine came up to stand beside me. Our dorm prefect, Chileshe, stood 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmS9TLclLFV
in front of us, doing her duty, to supervise.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPR0zDCinO
“Hey, are you going to tell me why you couldn’t wake up today?” Christine asked, nudging her elbow to my side.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01zbsBeyD5
“I don’t know,” I replied. “And you are such a bad bunker mate. You couldn’t even wake me up.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeXlkkIVSr
“Huh?” Christine looked confused as she looked at me. “I tried to wake you up, but you were as still as a rock.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97aHDPxThb
I now stared back at Christine with a frown. “Are you sure? I didn’t hear you at all.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5I1SAXZQp
“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.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9cxTPsBEO
I shook my head. This 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVRZ2hqPXi
was ridiculous and Christine was taking it like it was one big deal. If 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgUnflYXHV
she was going to start talking about ghosts again, like she usually 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYV8G0zmxQ
does, I didn’t know what I would do to her that would land me in serious765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjeEbMhByv
trouble.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SeZT2KFUi
“Christine, all that just happened to me today. It’s not like it’s going to happen again,” I said.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrfdECnerh
“Diana, you had me worried,” said Christine. “What if you didn’t wake up?”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjLl2Opgur
“But I woke up, didn’t I?”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeIYeXRbS9
“Somehow I feel that there is something you aren’t telling me.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgVr0radIU
I grew startled by what 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqo8vsDy6M
Christine said. I was just about to ask what she meant by that when 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7ZHMMT2L0
Amanda came back from sweeping her potion and Christine was quick enough765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GEqM4VnEz
to get the broom before anyone else. I could feel that Christine was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAckyzJl6CC
really mad at me and the confusing part about it was why she was taking 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPmfHhqN2h
all of this seriously. If I wanted an answer, I was so not ready to get a765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2baYAYiQWQ
ridiculous one from Christine. She was so superstitious about things 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoGfmXYXCp
and I wasn’t coping with all of that ever since I first came to school 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQkeZbMujw
and learnt mysterious things that I wasn’t even willing to know.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMb0cMBMBP
Amanda came to stand 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnrvckdKCw
beside me as we watched Christine head towards her portion of the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSGnrM02wZ
orchard. I drew out a breath of air. Amanda who had a bunker bed right 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqBcazKoig
next to Christine’s and mine, looked over at me. By the look on her 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92RouBNCqT
face, I could tell she knew what Christine and I were arguing about. I 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aaItEvJK7
wasn’t even ready to hear what she had to say. Hearing from Christine 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9QDgPjI16
was more than enough.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIewrxfG14
“I wouldn’t be so mad at Christine if I were you,” said Amanda.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4DOKLIn9F
“I’m not mad at her,” I said, “I just feel that she is making a mountain out of a mole hill.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpn4PhDuQO
Amanda folded her arms 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbhTsMY59R
across her chest and leaned in closer to me so that people wouldn’t hear765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5CeN3t0E8
us. “I was there when Christine tried to wake you up. You didn’t even 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0WDjTjQGK
move an inch. You just laid there. And you looked, I don’t know, dead.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoqcvjLZGI
As far as I had known 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt8s7ogCL3
Amanda, she was one person who always aired out her honest opinions 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFhaeYN3R4
about things and she was one who wouldn’t even lie. She was quite 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWb59oWd1Ab
terrible at it if you ask me. I knew what she was telling me right now 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26r55eVI7H
was the truth. I swallowed, still finding it hard to believe what Amanda765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBdl4vdMlU
had just told me.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJSKaQI6Ux
“If I was like that, why765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3R9QmcK1VY
didn’t you call the nurse or inform one of the prefects?” I turned to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LFhj3uPi9
face Amanda, her brown innocent eyes staring back at me.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LXKUqqkj5
“Christine was scared 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYHKqIKHPo
when she couldn’t wake you. She almost freaked out and I told her that 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN63npuBKiQ
you would be fine, that you were just in a deep sleep. I told her to 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNiKSVpPPS
leave the dorm and that I would watch over you until you woke up. We 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5mor2ByhV
didn’t want to attract any attention among the dorm mates until we were 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89Ei6rpNvx
sure you were okay.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BpjmfKMf5
“Where were you when I woke up? I didn’t see you and the whole dorm was empty.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bhOEqcpMP
“I was standing by the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwYzhIC4BP
door of the dorm when you woke up. And to be honest, you woke up in the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLKioVzanG
weirdest way possible. It was like you were given CPR and was suddenly 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQarojaVk51
revived.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2pftysSI4
Now that Amanda had 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWmW868zsa
mentioned it, I did wake up in the weirdest way today. I felt like 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCZc1aGC4w
someone had pumped in water into my nostrils when it was actually air. I765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmerIkNW5pv
could still remember my throat burn and I held it again without even 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrAlpJxn7w
realising it. I looked up at Amanda and she gave me a sad smile.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp40Tc2WWb
“And you told Christine?” I asked when I obviously knew the answer.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswVfPZVEGC
“You know I couldn’t lie765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0awZeUzXq
to her. She was worried and she has every right to. And so was I. What 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmY3gaPRf3
if you never did wake up? Have you ever thought of what would have 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9gM9uShsR
happened if you had died in your sleep?”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZJNRjD73N
I took in Amanda’s 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIYUeoc9kD
questions into consideration and I looked at Christine who was busy at 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlBNAjC6xM
work. It was obvious that she was avoiding me. I swallowed hard and 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhhRnDkvgn
stared off in a distance. All Christine was trying to do was help me out765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP5iH2Zwch
and I was acting like a complete jerk. But she couldn’t blame me for 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBxmRFNOvO
it. I didn’t even know what had happened to me in the first place.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPQyFGTCak
It was now my turn to go765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpcAzpPEYa
and sweep as I took the broom from my fellow dorm mate, Chilufya who 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLdwmEHaUL
was a grade ahead of me. I went to my portion under a few guava trees. 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdNniwYidO
Before I could bend down to start sweeping, a sudden wave of pain gushed765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyvsmTWS9J
down upon my head. The pain was so unbearable, that I almost screamed 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTILyk6X6el
aloud as I held my head.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLIcmVyjcI
As I looked around the 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDEzcxN7VD
place, everything seemed blurry. I tried blinking my eyes a few times to765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvBlvT7wZK
refocus my sight, but that didn’t seem to work. I leaned onto a tree 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiqKEidrKM
for support and I soon felt a jolt of dizziness and I felt like I would 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMfB7wb5wO
throw up at any moment. Soon, voices of concern surrounded me and I felt765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuNNyTI7u7
a warm familiar hand hold my shoulder. I saw Christine looking at me 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZNV88pqzr
and with our other dorm mates surrounding me.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEVkZv2Ev0
My vision was still 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRXD36oUGl
blurry and my head ached like hell. What was even worse was the fact 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQyCovCjxA
that everyone was talking and I couldn’t get a thing they said, not even765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5ak4XvHLE
Christine who was right next to me. I felt so confused that I was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBn7J4iUUh
afraid of running mad with all the noise. I looked around and I noticed 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oyLgJeHjO
that my vision was getting worse. I could notice a few of my dorm mates’765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uCqmlZQSp
faces including the dorm prefect, Chileshe. I saw Amanda at the far end765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5OobncCKL
of the crowd, looking scared. And I noticed someone standing right 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoOGjQz2AZ
behind her.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh1XHctngN
At that moment, my 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojwfRlUDTq
vision cleared when I saw the tall person who was standing behind 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeBdpup8o6
Amanda. I felt a burning sensation run through my body, but I was 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9qag4MlQ3
sensible enough not to scream. I continued to look at the tall figure 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetKC1Vr6qY
and out of nowhere, a flood of images rushed through my head in a quick 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJDKrXBaO9
flash.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29cjLwmYOI
Right before I could figure out what had just happened; I was falling into a pit of darkness, right into oblivion.
765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yGkrlRzge
