MELAMINA THE QUEEN

CHAPTER 33

I watch as the young girl sings a very peaceful melody that cleanses the heart and soul. She is weaving the grass, staring into space but her voice captures your attention even if you don’t want to. She smiles, shaking her head at some thought that’s in her head before continuing with the melody. I am mesmerized by everything she is doing. Her voice, her beauty, her kindness that you can feel from affair. She feels so pure and genuine.

“At some point you are going to have to leave this place.” Gogo comes to stand next to me and I chuckle, starring ahead at the mesmerizing singer. I love it here. It is so peaceful and quiet. You don’t have to worry about anything. There is no hunger, no drowsiness, just peace. If this is what heaven feels like, then I don’t wanna go.
“Why would I leave this place, gogo? There is so much peace and tranquillity here. I don’t have to worry about anything. I just have to enjoy the moment as if it’s my last one. I don’t wanna leave.”
She scoffs. “You forget that you are not dead yet, Lwandle. You have eight kids that need you. A husband that would move mountains for you. Parents who will crumble into pieces if they were to lose you. Friends who depend on you like you are the last drop of water on earth. Do you really wanna take that away from them prematurely? Your kids aren’t even old enough. They have not experienced full mother’s love.”

I frown, turning to look at her. My kids. The twins. The quads. They need me. But I am at peace here. I have never felt so calm and alive before. Not even in my teens. This is a new feeling and I somehow wanna treasure it. “Gogo, I…”

She shakes her head. “I understand what you feel, mzukulu. Trust me I do. But this is the place you will come to after you have walked your whole journey. This is where you will rest for eternity. But for now, go back to your people. They need you.”

I sigh and stare at the girl with a peaceful melody. I don’t know what happened but one minute I was cuddled with my husband and the next, I woke up in the graves. I was so confused about what was happening until this old woman showed up and explained everything to me. She is my great-great grandmother. My great grandfather’s mother who was actually the king. Inkosi YaseMbo. They were originally from the Bhaca tribe, and they still practice some Bhaca traditions but living in KwaZulu Natal forced them to adopt more Zulu traditions.

What happened was that my grandfather, Nqobimpi, was the eldest son of the late King Gadlazephuke Mkhize. He was the crowned prince, and he was supposed to take over the throne after his father’s death. But Nqobimpi found God and that drove him crazy. He abandoned his family and threw away his birthright. He relocated to Kwa Nongoma where he started his own family. His first wife was a spiritually gifted sangoma and he threw away izikhwama zakhe zobungoma. That angered the Mkhize ancestors even further and they made sure that most of his children inherit their mother’s spiritual gift. Not only did the ancestor’s do that, but they also killed five of my aunts and uncles. Yeah, the Mkhize ancestors are cruel. Anyways, my grandfather never reconciled with his family till the day he died, and his sins befell his descendants. That’s the explanation I got from my great-great grandmother for being here. The ancestors were protecting my spirit because it’s not safe for me to float in between the land of the living and the dead. My spirit is powerful and if someone were to get a hold of it, shit would go sideways fast.

“All is going to be well, mzukulu. But your fight is not over yet.” She holds my hand and squeezes it. “We are behind you hundred percent. Us and your marital ancestors. We would never let anything bad happen to you, but you have to show your will to fight before we even show our support.”  
I smile at her. “Thank you, gogo.” I look at the singing girl one more time before closing my eyes.

×××

“This is not right. It has been twenty-five hours, 34 minutes and 56 seconds since her siblings woke up, but she is just lying there. Something is wrong. What if the ancestors decided to change their minds and take her?” Kuhle’s voice is the first thing that I hear when I gain consciousness. It feels like he is pacing up and down.
“Calm down, Kuhle. She is going to be fine. The Mr. know it all uncle said she is going to be fine. Just believe.” My father’s voice utters and Kuhle scowls. I know he is about to say something that he will never be able to take back, so I slowly open my eyes and clear my throat. I look around and this room is so unfamiliar. “Ntombifuthi.” My father is the one near to me, so he rushes to squeeze my head and brushes off some hair in my forehead. “Oww, mtanami.” He brings me up and squeezes me into his arms. I hear sniffs after that and my heart breaks. I have never seen my father cry before, but I guess the possibility of me not waking up nearly broke him.

“Daddy, I am okay.” My voice is a bit hoarse, but I know he needs to hear it. “I am back now.”
“I thought I lost you.” I can’t even recognize his voice. He stops hugging me but keeps me at arms’ length. “What happened? Where were you?” he caresses my cheek.
“Somewhere safe and far away from here.” He sighs and looks at my husband who looks like he just wants to jump me at any point. He hugs me again before kissing my forehead and standing up.
“I will let everyone know that you are awake.” He walks out.
Kuhle rushes to the bed and holds me tight to his chest. He doesn’t say anything for a few minutes before he takes a deep breath, probably gathering his thoughts. “I had to make sure you’re the real deal before I said anything.” He starts off and I snort. “If I had the power, I would kill ancestors because this gift they gave you scares the shit out of me each and every time. I can never take a breather because when I think they are done, they just do something bizarre to throw me off my game. How am I supposed to be prepared for this, baby? How?”

I rub his back and sigh. “I can only imagine what you are going through, myeni wami. I know this is hard, but I did not choose this. They chose me, so they have the power to use me however they want.”
“But to what end?”
“Till the day I die.” He exhales loudly and looks at me. “You are my everything, baby. I can’t do this life thing without you. If you have a way, don’t put me through what just happened again. I am too old to worry about something uncontrollable like this. What if my heart fails me and I die while you’re unconscious? Plead with your ancestors not to scare us like this again. Please.”

Hearing him say that just breaks my heart. Tears fall down my cheeks and he wipe them. If he knew that I didn’t want to come back, he would be heartbroken. So, this is something I will keep from him till the day I die. “I love you, Kuhlekonke.”