OH LIFE “I MUST SURVIVE” (EPISODE TWO)

STORY SERIES

...“What did you do then”? Asked Tesa.

“I was afraid,” the mother answered. “I was all alone in this big city. I was blind. I was carrying a baby in my womb. I had no kobo anywhere in the world, I thought I should

kill myself but I didn't know how to do that. I couldn't stand the pain of cutting my own throat,”

“Stop mother! Stop! Cried Tesa, “I can’t bear it,” She wept bitterly.

“Stop crying, my child,” her mother said pulling Tesa to herself on the mat. Jarin was not now singing for alms but passers-by dropped some coins in her bowl all the same.

“Stop crying Tesa,” she said again. “All that is past now, I have you and you have me, “I’ll go on begging and that way we shall have some money to buy food.”

“Oh no! Mother,” Tesa said using the back of her hand to wipe the tears off her face, “When I am older, you won’t have to beg any more. I’ll go out and work. I’ll earn enough money to buy us food and clothing. We’ll even hire a room.”

“I’ll be glad to live under a roof once again.” Jarin answered, “I hope I’ll live long enough to see that day.”

“Now mother,” said Tesa, “I promise I shan't cry again but please tell me more about my father. Describe him so that I’ll know him if I see him. Perhaps he has passed this way many times already. Tell me more about what he did to you and what happened to you and me.

“It will make you sad, my dear child,” answered Jarin.

“It will not make me sad,” said Tesa. “I just want to know,”

“All right, I’ll tell you,” answered Jarin. “You may yet meet him one day, who knows? He may still be of help to you. I’ll continue where I stopped.”

“I did not kill myself,” she went on. “But I did not know what to do. I had no relation and friend in this big city. Amoda is your father’s name. He had many friends but once they knew I had become blind and could not serve them, they stopped coming.

“All I could do then was to go out and beg, but I couldn't see my way. Even in the house when I tried to move around, I fell down on chairs many times. At others times I hit my head against many objects.

“At first I cried and cried, but I knew that won’t help me. I managed to creep to the front door. I stood there, I saw nothing, and it was all black.

“Then a young hawker came along. I used to buy ‘ogi’(grind fermented corn/maize) from her. She kindly led me to this corner.

“I asked her to come back in the evening to take me back home. She came but I had made up my mind to never go back to that house.

“I gave her the key to our room and told her to bring me a mat, two bowls, a stick, an umbrella and one other dress, the little girl went and bought me all the things. She had a kind heart. That day I prayed that Allah should bless that girl.”

“Where is she now?” Tesa broke in.

“I don’t know,” Jarin answered. “She kept coming to see me here every day. She talked with me and it was wonderful to have someone to talk with. But one day she came here and told me that I wouldn't see her again because she was going back home. Her aunt wasn't... to be continued on Saturday.

Story series is published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Don’t miss it!!

BUY A COPY OF KIRIKIRI NEWS TODAY!!!