Five years ago,869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5kJmJu4Dj
February 13th, 2010.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEuDia7BYY
Mpunde Girls Secondary School,869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhNhpsOUT8
Zambia.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTib8UJ9RP
I gasped for air as I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHymLC7ph7M
quickly sat up on my bed, holding my burning throat and feeling my lungs869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKg51zbJTT
ache as air quickly flooded in. For a moment, I thought I was drowning 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LrEUTFjC1
in water, but I was actually taking in air. I coughed out a little and 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3A4IrEulIe
opened my eyes. The lights in the dorm were all turned on and the bunker869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSx3cPaXNu7
beds were all empty. For a moment, I panicked as I quickly got out of 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgqnIXxChI
bed on the bunker bed below, looking around the dorm. There was no one 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F6Xs37UD8
and I felt scared and worried. I quickly looked out of the window and I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQnIRcfdFD
realised that the sun was rising up from the east. I couldn’t help but 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYiXQmY8tS
sigh in relief, but then again, I realised that I was running late and 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0EI0dLSXs
my dorm mates were obviously hitting the showers in the ablution. And I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcEp56est1
was the only one left in the dorm.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW5SL2ALDt
I quickly grabbed my 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2Tbi84lG6
toothbrush, toothpaste, my bath towel and cloth. Quickly slipped my feet869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3iGuDHUnF
into my bath slippers and when I turned around the corner of my bunker 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRlUes9nyD
bed to grab my bucket, I realised it wasn’t there. I sighed, this time 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0baH5kp75Z
in frustration.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLWIx7rfKn
Obviously because I knew869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvLESeO0Pv
who took it. If it wasn’t my bunker mate, then it was probably one of 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTftvsmn0p
the dorm mates. In my nightdress, I rushed out of the dorm and headed 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3fzrVB8XA
for the ablution. The ablution was one place where I found it so 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsSFMnSaZ3
repulsive to be in. Despite it being cleaned every day, it was always a 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGq2JY09AgE
surprise how it gets messed up and flooded afterwards. When I mean 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6T7Ic5a5Kf
messed up, I mean the toilets is one thing you wouldn’t like to see 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigQjFBwfg0
first after you eat a meal. For a moment, I wonder if we really are 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsSDBKlsFv
girls or sometimes we act like boys who like to leave a mess. We are 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5O9hD85Xf
“GIRLS” for crying out loud. And as far as I know, we need to take care 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpKwePPXc1
of ourselves and the environment around us. Looks like being in boarding869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0bOliZe0k
school, you get to know that sometimes things aren’t always what you 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gS8HyPnhX
thought it ought to be.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNJASufEpj
On either side of the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkCLGEbPI6
ablution were the shower side and the toilet side. In between was a 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlKrFWeNjf
passage where people could move around and line up their buckets to get 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVqo9t7ycS
into the shower cubicles. When it gets flooded, it’s pretty hard to move869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLt3WcMj4D
around and many people have slipped and fallen. Trust me; it’s not a 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6IqT2hQFM
pretty sight when you see someone falling on their back into the water, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhsNEis3A2
which was probably dirty. Luckily for me, that hasn’t happened, yet. I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc7BSxe2r1
wasn’t pushing my luck on that one. One day, I would probably fall and 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oD9l2XYQy
hopefully I wouldn’t break my bones in the process. At the far end of 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnaqQx7DES
the ablution were sinks where you can go and brush your teeth and wash 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahBvE9XK2D
your face. And by the corner was a store room where we kept the cleaning869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DLyskIGby
materials for the ablution.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkW7VH6iXB
I stood by the door of 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWuL12vU2l
the ablution, and as usual, there were queues of buckets all lined up, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhXDLZipsV
their owners standing beside them waiting for the shower cubicles to be 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw5jz8JrLZ
vacant. I looked around for my bunker mate and I couldn’t see her on any869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdLs39fdTF
of the queues. I considered her to be in the shower and so I went by 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpSYgqu8C9
the sink to brush my teeth. The ablution was flooded again and so as 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcbqtAYGyT
always I had to be careful, taking a step at a time.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7rf7t0tFa
When I finally got to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSk8tgIpKpX
the sinks, all in one peace, I suddenly felt a jolt of pain in my head 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLWTXEiVyu
as though I was just struck by lightning. It felt more like a migraine 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhThjBJ6coe
and I held my head, almost screaming out in pain. I saw a dark image 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ094VvEaKzF
flash before my eyes and for a moment, I thought the lights went off and869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jyEG3vm8q
come back on. But when I looked around everything around the ablution 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkJL2Swx9y
seemed to be normal. Usually when the power cuts, we girls like to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgExrOOpTv
scream, a lot, except for a few of us who are already used to the dark. 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEnBNTR2Uk
This time, that wasn’t the case. Everything seemed normal and I felt 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHo9cImUaOt
maybe I was being delirious.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD5cqSFafd
“Hey, Diana, are you okay?”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVmGsap5Dv
I turned to the last 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVuVTEIbRg
shower cubicle which was closer to the sinks, and there wrapped up in a 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiNitYpgTz
pink towel stood my bunker mate, Christine. And just as I expected, she 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPzq8vd1jW
was holding my bucket. She slowly walked over to me, trying to avoid the869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DpzObBk5x
dirty ablution water from flowing into her bath slippers.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJTI8qom3l
“Are you okay? It looks like you just saw a ghost,” Christine had a worrying look on her face.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZg3d2a6jD
“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.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFi1YOnUUe
“You had me worried, I thought you saw something like a ghost.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CbpTjXIFZ
“You know I don’t believe in such things as the ghosts that haunt people around school.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfqzp472BM
“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.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEncLTdJ2Tt
“What happened to you 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5pS6tjMys
today, anyway? You’re usually the first to wake up when the morning bell869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMnvZRk2oM
rings. But today you slept like a rock,” Christine added on, this time 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYuumHQ5iL
there was a concerned tone in her voice.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k4p9i8QxW
It hadn’t occurred to me869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOC2FPvddd
that I had never heard the morning bell in the first place. I was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EhmtwdhPU
always the early bird and I was never a heavy sleeper. I was always 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwfJwtC7Zl
sensitive with whatever sounds I get to hear. But today, I hadn’t even 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOqxWPJbR7
heard my own dorm mates’ footsteps as they always rush out and into the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIuYMKKYeA
dorm.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDTCPjFV91
“I guess today just wasn’t my day,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLO2QN97as
“Well, you better hurry 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREN6m3yrf6
up then,” said Christine, handling the bucket over to me, “you don’t 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNcEuClp4y
want to be caught by the prefects when it’s time to clean up the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRm7S2opWv
ablution. And that’s not how you want to start the day.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAZRkIsHGW
I scowled again as I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RV99sEEE5
took the bucket away from Christine. As I mentioned earlier, the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9UOyt1R0z
ablution always get cleaned. And we the pupils clean it with the senior 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbAgbLONXF
prefects as our supervisors. At 6:30 AM, everyone should vacate the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRbHXEi9oH
ablutions so that the assigned group of pupils put to clean up the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3FRbT8Yw1
ablution should do their work. If you’re caught still in the showers, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOEwDTcrac
you would obviously have to join in the cleaning process. And that 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZGRdFSwxb
proves to be twice as difficult when you know you’re also assigned to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgIJcg7f2w
another area to clean in school. As soon as I finished brushing my 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQkYwjB8I6
teeth, I quickly got out of the ablution to fetch water by a nearby tap.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPmypgQv9r
Most of the showers never worked in the ablution, henceforth, fetching 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FN19nUIGW
water outside.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7oJVbtObI
Luckily, for me, there was no queue and I did things as fast as I could.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9gSwubM5t
Afterwards, I went back into the ablution and quickly found a vacant cubicle.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRc9F86Kw8
After getting cleaned 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWV4frs6N9q
up, I wore my beige school uniform, clean white stockings and I had my 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlhAZrneKX
black shoes, neatly clean and polished. I looked at myself in the mirror869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdMFl7DSWp
and made sure my short afro hair was neatly combed. I had cut my long 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8qT9Gqb3Z
hair a year ago before coming to this missionary school. As usual, one 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBogYQrg31v
of the rules was not to come with long hair, especially if was it was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9CLnXaPXh
permed. They strongly insisted on natural hair. I had to cut my hair 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVVL2GQhKN
when I was going into grade 8 and I felt it was pretty unfair. But after869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSbnFxrXn5
that year, I kind of got used to it. Surly they were just trying to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOlHPHo5zj
promote equality amongst us, but there were a lot of things I never 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjTI8t2moa
found amusing in this school.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTQblMwFbr
Mpunde Girls Secondary 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPstjdoEq80
School, a Catholic school run by the Hand Maid Sisters. Located in the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLI1h6Ub6Jq
Central Province of Zambia in the town of Kabwe, but pretty much away 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXJgrOJecV
from civilisation. When I say that, I mean the school is located far 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMhBjnXzJ7
away from town and deep into the bush. It’s located in the farthest 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDbsfBsndG
rural part of Kabwe.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvkPU0E9xS
When I first came to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HbSnC5dbc
this school to write an aptitude test to go into grade 8, I was greeted 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSMdK2EuOD
by the lovely surroundings of the school. The lawns of the school were 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFQpifcPPY
properly well cared for, and there were beautiful flowers everywhere. A 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3zaY60FI2
beautiful Catholic church was situated right outside the school grounds,869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgr5ylZ8mO
meant for the local people that lived around that area and for us 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR6fFGL3b3
pupils. The attractive colours painted in different Catholic symbols, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CLYjmD17S
inside and outside the walls of the church were astonishing to look at. 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESjWnIOoxy
It looked more like art in my eyes.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0lTHiPldM
At that moment, I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxKLB3tsWp
thought things were going to get better in my life. The school was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyo2HfU7TA
beautiful and the Catholic sisters and teachers who introduced 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodftV8afO8
themselves to us girls and our parents, seemed so kind. And I was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQPcD1ahC0
Catholic, so attending mass wasn’t much of a big deal. I thought I was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoROcEYv2YR
going to love this place and make it more like my second home. But 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTkm5tXt0B
things weren’t the case when I got to know the school a whole lot 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oh2aI7VZQ
better. I remember a certain friend of mine back home tell me that,869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSMkHQIkNH
most Catholic girl schools in Zambia were highly recommended because 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JbEp8X0lz
the Sisters were strict and pupils are disciplined. As far as I had 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraaI9wVS9m
known, most Sisters were meant to be kind and loving, not strict and 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJW8Ukic0D
mean. It looked like I had been stuck in oblivion for quite a while in 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GDitkiCpf
my life, that when I got to know what my friend truly meant, it was like869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPofkoatnY
a hammer blow to the head. One's thing for sure, I didn’t like this 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8pmeDEYtW
school. Every time we begun a new term, I would pray for the three 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4hNm2tCfi
months to pass by quickly. Whenever I came back home, it felt like I had869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NWWkBoS2t
just come back from a beat-down, and as usual, losing the match every 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZcIFsqxlZ
time.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1GMcrgknh
The school was strict 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDXJ8XTGHk
and on point with their rules, I felt like a minion under their control.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSZSGhJp3Z
Any little offense you make, they will take you as an offender. They 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0ux4TvuDo
were strict with how you kept the rooms and the surrounding areas clean.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK8Wjrdg1E
If they found that nothing was clean or things were out of place, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKMxcp0sRV
whether in the dorms or in the surrounding areas, either one of the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiclHj3o3j
sisters or one of the teachers on duty, would call the pupils assigned 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DI7I3YLcj
to cleaning the area or the dorm, out of class to go back and do their 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQquMq7hryw
work properly. And by the end of the day they are given a punishment, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVaGE5PpP9
which was usually to weed the garden, clean the poultry shack or sweep 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYkSaWMvXq
up the leaves in the orchard. To me, that’s like working twice as hard 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM6vGJbvzW
as you usually do on a daily basis. There was nothing you could do about869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjxvLl2se6
that anyway. That wasn’t the only that ticked me off sometimes. Most 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9Ss2cLmo4
prefects were mean and complete jerks towards us. It’s even much worse 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkpbnj4iNN
when you were in a lower grade. That meant more work, and if things 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnd0aw93ZHs
weren’t done right, punishment in the worst way, cleaning up the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQWac3AlSv
disgusting ablution or weeding the entire garden, with your hands. And 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBG7gq4FR3W
they always had a special day to punish offenders. If you know you were 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZHUbGk2Y6
late for classes or attending meals and your name was written in any of 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDQ55K6iK2
the prefect’s books, just know you will find yourself on the offender’s 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmGrhGSIMv
list which is always stuck on Thursdays. That means after classes on 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8adkmLLph
Thursdays, the first thing you would want to see first is if you’re on 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QIQCWnI5b
the offender’s list. If you aren’t, then it’s just a time to relax. If 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PB1p93DLS
you are on the list, get ready to thoroughly clean up the whole school, 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoTxCfNn6Y
you aren’t going to get off that list so easily if you didn’t work. 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7TKL802Sn
You’ll just find yourself on the other week’s offenders list.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICFxf2rgTt
Enough about what ticks 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuV7gDzMtK
me off in this place. It was 7:00 AM and that meant it was time to get 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKDZ4uPHDl
to work. The way we were allocated to our places of work is according to869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEg96rmsfo
dorms. There are 10 dorms in school. The size of the dorm also depends 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwrVEx9ItL
where you’re allocated to work. For example, the second biggest dorm 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv67pi64pwV
called Dolores, which I’m in, usually worked in big places like the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdl6oUobGB
orchard. And smaller dorms like Xavier A, usually worked in smaller 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXeMqDN79A
areas like the kitchen area or the ablutions.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxJhqxYYAd
It was time to go to the869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEFzdVkXis
orchard, and as usual, we were always greeted by the sight of leaves 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhuVQmjI9O
everywhere in the morning. Most of the time, people would usually sweep 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfnSi4jyo6
up the leaves with a rake, but here, we would use brooms made up for the869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljE4Nnc222
strongest tree branches. It was more than enough to sweep up the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySQxpd8av8
leaves. So, we got to work with the brooms. Since there weren’t enough 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafBzLtlDJZ
brooms, most of us had to wait until one finishes her potion and gave it869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98i2gPRbAO
you. I was one of those waiting today and I stood under a tree. 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz4rIXGpn5
Christine came up to stand beside me. Our dorm prefect, Chileshe, stood 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBCpdgWhTV
in front of us, doing her duty, to supervise.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvixGKuhy4L
“Hey, are you going to tell me why you couldn’t wake up today?” Christine asked, nudging her elbow to my side.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInRPb0WiIq
“I don’t know,” I replied. “And you are such a bad bunker mate. You couldn’t even wake me up.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUuegqQAcf
“Huh?” Christine looked confused as she looked at me. “I tried to wake you up, but you were as still as a rock.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqutidaUb4
I now stared back at Christine with a frown. “Are you sure? I didn’t hear you at all.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNk2tkZZ5O
“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.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnZAmNLlZJ
I shook my head. This 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xYEgIT60J
was ridiculous and Christine was taking it like it was one big deal. If 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWCyw7GUIa
she was going to start talking about ghosts again, like she usually 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EYhn7sQbC
does, I didn’t know what I would do to her that would land me in serious869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUkaKRdxXw
trouble.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjuJiisGkn
“Christine, all that just happened to me today. It’s not like it’s going to happen again,” I said.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL97dVbhPcC
“Diana, you had me worried,” said Christine. “What if you didn’t wake up?”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstjyxrNLzt
“But I woke up, didn’t I?”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlk3dEFfNG
“Somehow I feel that there is something you aren’t telling me.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQqxqR6WNb
I grew startled by what 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoCW0bF9KP
Christine said. I was just about to ask what she meant by that when 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMHciWrjsx
Amanda came back from sweeping her potion and Christine was quick enough869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwinvhC9Bj
to get the broom before anyone else. I could feel that Christine was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2cMISmxkg
really mad at me and the confusing part about it was why she was taking 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcC5RZkXE0O
all of this seriously. If I wanted an answer, I was so not ready to get a869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofIHyjPlch
ridiculous one from Christine. She was so superstitious about things 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF01OSkgha
and I wasn’t coping with all of that ever since I first came to school 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0l1OJQHlPe
and learnt mysterious things that I wasn’t even willing to know.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnxiZMDGuv
Amanda came to stand 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsGrBQ4MZg
beside me as we watched Christine head towards her portion of the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZf6utLMMl
orchard. I drew out a breath of air. Amanda who had a bunker bed right 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8VP7UDqmo
next to Christine’s and mine, looked over at me. By the look on her 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAPGAkZQwd
face, I could tell she knew what Christine and I were arguing about. I 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9TCLKl6a5
wasn’t even ready to hear what she had to say. Hearing from Christine 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wbOoJJkwe
was more than enough.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBGRa2M41D
“I wouldn’t be so mad at Christine if I were you,” said Amanda.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIRi2gbXfu
“I’m not mad at her,” I said, “I just feel that she is making a mountain out of a mole hill.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQt7iEtOc3C
Amanda folded her arms 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPx55nTv8s
across her chest and leaned in closer to me so that people wouldn’t hear869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGjiNDSFf4
us. “I was there when Christine tried to wake you up. You didn’t even 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDgdiqmieN
move an inch. You just laid there. And you looked, I don’t know, dead.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTdYkiAPvo
As far as I had known 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84IoLoPgWW
Amanda, she was one person who always aired out her honest opinions 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugoiB8ss4n
about things and she was one who wouldn’t even lie. She was quite 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuxwyfyBM0
terrible at it if you ask me. I knew what she was telling me right now 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkorD48i3d
was the truth. I swallowed, still finding it hard to believe what Amanda869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWwRunv8HK
had just told me.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxMHrCP9YA
“If I was like that, why869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQ8iKZMvIm
didn’t you call the nurse or inform one of the prefects?” I turned to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDVQhawf0t
face Amanda, her brown innocent eyes staring back at me.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooeSOONDgi
“Christine was scared 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1vV1RseBJ
when she couldn’t wake you. She almost freaked out and I told her that 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXl6Bw6xgD
you would be fine, that you were just in a deep sleep. I told her to 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J8D9hVXso
leave the dorm and that I would watch over you until you woke up. We 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwj4hi7Y50y
didn’t want to attract any attention among the dorm mates until we were 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZouClbstn
sure you were okay.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPtDOEJGtV
“Where were you when I woke up? I didn’t see you and the whole dorm was empty.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfnezRJWAC
“I was standing by the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZOLS3aIwN
door of the dorm when you woke up. And to be honest, you woke up in the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB3bRkjgN7
weirdest way possible. It was like you were given CPR and was suddenly 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0SnJoPrIo
revived.”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeQlY40Wqk
Now that Amanda had 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf4WR25L8c
mentioned it, I did wake up in the weirdest way today. I felt like 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseKigxS9p8
someone had pumped in water into my nostrils when it was actually air. I869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XnFqLtUwk
could still remember my throat burn and I held it again without even 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgF0Bu7ynK
realising it. I looked up at Amanda and she gave me a sad smile.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiS7YYO5Ceq
“And you told Christine?” I asked when I obviously knew the answer.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt62cRJ8MGs
“You know I couldn’t lie869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIENDR7M8cY
to her. She was worried and she has every right to. And so was I. What 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwoofMNDrI
if you never did wake up? Have you ever thought of what would have 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrF5ksYJx3
happened if you had died in your sleep?”869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOZ3CGk5At
I took in Amanda’s 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0Qe10SUgb
questions into consideration and I looked at Christine who was busy at 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXm9bq3hjpO
work. It was obvious that she was avoiding me. I swallowed hard and 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaafe6M42P
stared off in a distance. All Christine was trying to do was help me out869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmYwqt7bk6
and I was acting like a complete jerk. But she couldn’t blame me for 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8szsn0EHY
it. I didn’t even know what had happened to me in the first place.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO9R65CR4W
It was now my turn to go869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6j4BwlINVM
and sweep as I took the broom from my fellow dorm mate, Chilufya who 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbIjIqsdX8
was a grade ahead of me. I went to my portion under a few guava trees. 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlxZEvvWqd
Before I could bend down to start sweeping, a sudden wave of pain gushed869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXlVY2IX49
down upon my head. The pain was so unbearable, that I almost screamed 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweSssNBMvt
aloud as I held my head.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2P2LJnZIe
As I looked around the 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfBBCkTrAR
place, everything seemed blurry. I tried blinking my eyes a few times to869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSnqbj1Zk0
refocus my sight, but that didn’t seem to work. I leaned onto a tree 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1S4ZUw5wOj
for support and I soon felt a jolt of dizziness and I felt like I would 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX8Hw1jZeU
throw up at any moment. Soon, voices of concern surrounded me and I felt869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlRhBYgaWq
a warm familiar hand hold my shoulder. I saw Christine looking at me 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ73p15brp
and with our other dorm mates surrounding me.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXovicFzMPD
My vision was still 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzX0GotdGhw
blurry and my head ached like hell. What was even worse was the fact 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeOx88T7pk
that everyone was talking and I couldn’t get a thing they said, not even869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJ2AodMKPc
Christine who was right next to me. I felt so confused that I was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMUk6cUH52
afraid of running mad with all the noise. I looked around and I noticed 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI0AInXpYz
that my vision was getting worse. I could notice a few of my dorm mates’869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZIGUNItKh
faces including the dorm prefect, Chileshe. I saw Amanda at the far end869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAqJhoZZSc
of the crowd, looking scared. And I noticed someone standing right 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkQ6m0yimR
behind her.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQpDYpUkEX
At that moment, my 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnCgns1Y2P
vision cleared when I saw the tall person who was standing behind 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzSZ3ygYLx
Amanda. I felt a burning sensation run through my body, but I was 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFMc4clkpC
sensible enough not to scream. I continued to look at the tall figure 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmBn3prTeH
and out of nowhere, a flood of images rushed through my head in a quick 869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWmmWibycp
flash.869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZpYGPaPqQ
Right before I could figure out what had just happened; I was falling into a pit of darkness, right into oblivion.
869Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqtMXNthho
