This time around , I did everything in silence. I never told anyone. Mai VaMaidei would never tell a soul, that’s how she was made, a repository of secrets. I was the big mouth, excitable at times but this time, I kept my mouth shut. The stakes were too high.
All the paperwork was ready, I had the visa. The air ticket was paid for, I was just waiting for the day of departure for overseas to start a new life. It should not surprise anyone that I had never boarded an aeroplane before in my whole life. And no one in my family had travelled overseas.
I was going to break the jinx. Why was I so secretive about my overseas journey?
It had all started with Mai VaMaidei. One of her friends at the market had told her a sad story of a cousin who tried to travel abroad for work and had a farewell party. In the morning, the day of travel, the cousin was found dead, just like that, without falling ill.
We had made the decision with Mai VaMaidei that we would only inform our relatives and friends once I had settled at my new work in the United kingdom for at least one month. The stakes were too high to take any chances.
I knew that once I went overseas, I was not going to come back soon to my home country for a visit. It could take me maybe at least another two years to make the journey back home.
I suddenly had a strong desire to at least go to the countryside one more time before my overseas departure. Inwardly, I knew that if I did not take this one final journey, I was going to regret it. I convinced myself that this journey to Chokodza would cure any future home sickness.
I was going to take as many pictures as possible of our homestead, the grazing lands, the little streams which carried many fond memories of my childhood, the umbrella- shaped trees, the iconic baobab trees that graced our part of the savannah grasslands and the fabulous blue skies. I was even going to find time and take pictures of the derelict , rundown, weather- beaten dilapidated grocery stores at our township. I was sure the pictures would give me fond memories of my village in the near future.
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It did not take much to convince Mai VaMaidei about my desire to travel to the countryside. She was skeptical at first but easily agreed. I had another five days before my flight. I would only spend one night in the countryside and that would be enough.
I travelled early and arrived in the village at dusk. The raptors, the common birds of the savannah which include songbirds, the African Hawk Eagle and the grasshopper buzzard were already nestling in their nests.
After meeting some of my relatives, I went into my bedroom and settled for the night. As I was tired, I soon went into a deep slumber.
Something woke me up at exactly midnight. I knew it was midnight because I checked the time on my iPhone 7 plus. At first I did not know where exactly the strange sound was coming from until it was almost too late. Something was moving stealthily on the roof of the house. And as the strange creature or whatever it was moved, the four walls seemed to be closing in on me. And on top of that, there was a strange guttural sound that echoed in the room.
My skin suddenly grew goosebumps, the little hair on my scalp stood on end and sweat ran down my body, soaking my night gowns.
I threw away my blankets. I started praying, violent prayers against the dark evil forces, calling on God for divine protection and I kept on repeating the words,” The devil is a liar! The devil is a liar! The devil is a liar.” After the prayer, it all went quiet all of a sudden as if nothing had happened. I never closed an eye after that.
I left the village at dawn, without bidding anyone goodbye.
*Onie Ndoro
X@Onie 90396982
