My Share of the Northern Cake

Chapter Two

There was nothing else to do other than to run for our dear lives, other than to look for a route of escape out of these four walls that held us in. We had to put ourselves together and not appear as victims, that is it.

"Rakia, I think we have to leave here now."

"Yes, we have to, but don't you think they would be out there?"

"It may be so, but we can't continue staying here to become inherited victims, we have to move on. As it is, we don't have to fear anything, whatever risk shows up; we'd have to face it squarely, only one of two things would happen. Either we die or we live and both would come whether we did anything or not."

"Zinat, I wish I am as brave as you are."

"Don't worry; I am always by your side. We will both make use of my bravery only if you'll agree to move when I say it."

"I promise not to be so fearful."

"It's ok"

We opened the door as calmly as we could so no noise would be heard by the people outside if there were any. As we did, we prayed there was no one indeed waiting for Isiak to finish so he would take turn to descend on us, their early morning snacks. We opened the door gradually and I peeped. From where I stood to look, I could only see trees and grasses. We opened the door wider, still bushes. Wider again, as that could pass us out, still bushes. I got my head out properly to peer through the thick forest and could see no one close by.

"Rakia, I don't see anyone."

"How come there's no one around?"

"I don't know, they must have all gone for their assignments."

"Or perhaps, this house here is a private hideout to just Isiak."

"Maybe."

"Then let's get out please."

We started moving. We moved out of the house without knowing which direction we should go. The best was to get moving. I wondered which way to take that won't have obstacles lying in wait for us somewhere close, or which way led to our houses. No, heading towards the house wouldn't be the best option now because there was no house to get to. While we moved, we looked around in the direction of the winds, with our hearts in our hands afraid of any little sound and movement. We headed anyway that seemed right to us until we almost bumped into a man doing the thing in the bush. He quickly stood up to look because he heard our footsteps and had not seen us coming because the grasses where he was doing it were tall. Sensing danger, he quickly bent and pulled his dagga from the ground where he had forced it into and held it pointing out for defense. I took a quick look at his face. I recognized him immediately. He was among those that had come to my house for the raid and killing. As fast as our legs could carry us, we ran back and headed a different direction, running far from him. It was already almost late; he had seen us.

"You, Rakia!" he called. He recognized Rakia. I presumed he had gotten himself within a second, recognized who we were and had quickly put on his trousers, and if we didn't run faster and quickly into nowhere than we did now, he would come after us and carry out the actions he had sworn with his life to do.

He shouted something that I didn't hear very well but I knew he was calling others, which is what my instinct had told me he was going to do before we took again to our heels, away from him.

We kept running and falling and standing and running. The forest had woods and shrubs dried and living; tall green and dried grasses standing in the ways that seemed like foot paths years back. And some scratching and cutting our bodies as we ran leaving their itchy hairs on us, and some of those hairs like the ones from the devil's beans – the plant that we were told in school that its botanical name is Mucuna Utilis – left us with endless pains. The itches by the hairs from Mucuna Utilis keep tormenting someone even in one's world of struggle until one becomes undeniably aware of the them. It was so with us. But we were running too. Tired and exasperated, yet we kept running; they are still chasing. We got scared the more. We could hear their shouts and footsteps and sounds their bush brushings made as they combed through the forest chasing us. They were getting closer and closer and our hearts, mine especially, was pounding and I could literally hear the sounds it made too. I saw fear and perspiration written over Rakia's face. We have to look for what to do, at least, where to hide.