Chapter 7 7th Chapter

Tina saw her mother's receding figure as she sloped down to the tall bush at the back of Mahuge's kraal. "I told you, mama, Tina is much wiser than you. Now that you have given up easily I will harness my plans without you impeding me, jealous woman!" she muttered and pursed her lips and then shifted her gaze back to Mahuge's compound.

Rabu sighed deeply in relief. He was now out of the trap. "Marrying Tina! I would rather be dead than see it happen. Thank you, papa. He said in his heart and peeked at his father appealingly." It was a narrow escape for him, otherwise, he would have been in deep shit.

"Rabu!" She muttered, lifted her head and gazed at him smiling and her heartbeat violently in her chest. She bit her nails and flung her arms around. "My sweet Rabu!" She was all of a sudden antsy.

"Why have all these people converged in the compound? She mumbled and flicked her eyes from face to face as they started to and fro busy as bees. Is there some sort of a communal gathering, wait- they are just Rabu's family? What could be the occasion? She wondered and goggled her eyes."

"Hey, Rabu, go and help your brother to skin the goat. Make sure you wash the meat and clean the innards very well. You remember what happened last time at the initiation ceremony. This time you better make sure it doesn't repeat itself or I'll forget you are my son." He said. His tone was eloquent. His eyes narrowed as he spoke and then motioned him to Amelia's direction. Rabu nodded dumbly and galloped away.

In a moment, Tina saw Rabu part from the party heading to the direction of the grazing yard near his father's hut and pursued him with her eyes until he vanished.

" I will wait for Rabu, I will wait."

She could hear the chattering voices of Mahuge's wives. That night, they prepared one big meal, unlike any other ordinary day. In such instances, they wouldn't have to follow the schedule of who is to prepare her husband's dish and who is not. They had to set their differences apart and do what was expected of them or else Mahuge would slash their bottoms as if they were children.

Moments later, Kibuzi bleated loudly and ceased. It must have been the blunt knife that cut through his throat. Tina was curious. The sound came from the same direction that Rabu took earlier.

"I must find him and talk to him before he joins the rear. I can imagine how excited he will be knowing that I am now a free bird no longer entrapped in a cage. She thought and her face crinkled up a wide smile. If only she could predict the unseen future she would think twice about her nasty decision. Slowly and carefully she wormed through the grass behind the compound and as she crawled further, could distinctly hear voices a few metres towards the big blackjack tree near the banana plantation.

"I feel sad that I won't have to graze Kibuzi anymore, poor goat! Rabu said as he removed a sack that contained the offals. "He was a good goat, look how fat he is! Oh, today I will eat my fill." Nana said and giggled as he drooled at the fatty fresh meat.

"You better be keen this time. If you dare take more than enough like last time I won't accompany you to the latrine. Who knows what might happen to you; the wolves might celebrate too. As they say, one who laughs last laughs best, Hmh!" He said with a sarcastic hour and laughed.

Nana was instantly gripped with fear. He was frightened of wolves and the mere sound of the word set his teeth to the edge. He snuggled over to his elder brother who, seeing that he was starting to act weird, remarked,

" Coward! woman! Come on, wash those offals before I beat the hell out of you." He yelled. Nana scowled. He knew he had to obey him because he was his elder brother.

"I wish I was the eldest." He muttered and separated the smelly innards and cleaned them thoroughly as if they were clothes.

Tina could now see Rabu clearly, but She couldn't approach him because Nana was there. She didn't wish to plunge Rabu into trouble as much as she wanted to be close to him, to embrace him and sniff his body scent.

As such, she was aware of the consequences if Nana saw them together. Suddenly, Nana noticed that there wasn't enough water left in the barrel to rinse the meat. "Brother," he said motioning to the empty water barrel,

"I will bring some more water."

"Alright. Please be quick at least once. Papa will soon start yelling and you know what that means."

Nana nodded and splinted towards the kitchen

Tina was delighted that finally, this was her chance to see his lover. She stretched up and straightened her dress and just before she could take a step forward, she heard Mahuge's rough voice,

"Hey, what are you still doing there?"

Her heart palpitated in fear and she stood rooted on the ground and awaited her fate. She closed her eyes and could feel him come closer behind her.

Her knees knocked as she started in space with terror. She knew Mahuge wouldn't pardon her. He would frog her and haul her back to her home. If that happens she will be made a punching bag, and worse still won't have Rabu.

"Father of my ancestors, please let me jump this hurdle. You know I love Rabu." She prayed and stepped on her toe. It was believed that this would impede or divert bad luck. In a moment, she saw Mahuge stand over his two sons, reprimanding them for laziness. He had come from another direction and couldn't see her. She must have been shadowed by the big Jack tree. Instantly, she drops sighs heavily. "Whew! It seems today is fatally flawed. Damn it!" She grumbled but was relieved that what she felt earlier was just an imagination.

She cursed and crouched. Moments later Rabu and Nana lifted the meat on their shoulders and took it home while Mahuge tailed behind them. For a moment he had an instinct that someone was watching them. Rapidly he twisted his head and looked back, but didn't see anyone and carried on.

"Godawful! This is because of Mahuge's visitor." Tina pouted and her face glinted with despair.