© Tisa Phiri


Standing on the edge of a cliff in the dark night, she felt a grip of fear engulf her. The fear of leaving the horrible world that she had come to live in for the 15 years of her life filling her heart. "What is left to live for?" She asked herself trying to suppress the fear of death with that of facing her tommorow.

She closed her eyes and pulled back the memories of hours ago.. she was laying in her hard bed trying to rest after spending the rest of the day toiling in the fields where she had gone to work for some money. Not only to feed herself but her selfish step father who just went around the compound aimlessly and drinking heavily on the expense of other people's works and would later on get home to expect her to give him food.

Over time she thought she would get accustomed to giving him food but the worst night mare of him taking advantage of her body was so much ubearable.

There was nothing that tore her apart more than the issue of her step father forcing himself on her since she was only 10. She had thought after the death of her mother which too had a lot of unanswered questions would at least surpass that pain but she realised nothing would cover the shame, the pain, the toture, the sound of a Hot man and his smelly sweat falling on her body as he contiously pounced on her small miserable body.

She held on to the rails that were the only barrier between her and the steep cliff she was standing on. Closing her eyes and letting herself free from the world. She slowly slid her hands letting go of the rails. " forgive me Jesus" she whispered and flipped herself off.

The sharp pain that came from her hands as something pulled her up made her realise she was still alive and whoever was interfering with her decision to leave the world was shouting as she pulled her up the steep. Giving her hand s very sharp pain where the person was holding her.

" what the hell is wrong with you idiot! " came a sharp voice of a girl almost her age and another one who looked a bit shoddy and rough on the face who both held her away from her suicidal point.

" what where you thinking throwing yourself down there?" The tall girl shouted at her again this time she sat up looking around.

" I didn't tell you girls whoever you are to interfere, I want to die, I can't live any more. I can't go home back to that monster and worst still work up and face the torments of tomorrow. Please leave me alone and let me finish what I came here for" she shouted crying and getting herself back to the cliff.

" you have lost your stupid mind!" Came the voice of the same girl who stood talk among them. " we all have our issues, we all suffer and wish we were dead. We all have been living under the torments of hell in this earth but we never contemplate kiiling ourselves. Life was given to us as a gift from God and so we have to live it. Wether in suffering or in good times" she added seriously pulling the suicide girl back.

" I don't care about your philosophy. If you feel you can continue living in this tormented life then suit yourself!, am done! " she yelled back fighting to leave the grip of the two girls who now were pulling her away from the cliff and leading her to the main road leading the way to the compound.

" well, find another day to kill yourself and not today. We don't want to live Our miserable lives adding the torment of seeing a stupid girl committing suicide!" The fat girl now responded using her evident strength pushing her to the ground angrily.

There was silence as the girls sat down near each other. Each of them lost in their own thoughts. A person passing that route would think they were in some kind of ritual ceremony where they were required to remain silent for hours.

The heavy buddens of their lives weighing heavily upon them they could barely notice the presence of each other. The deep darkness surrounding them reminding them of their own toils.

" what is your name?" The fat girl broke the silence asking the one they just saved.

" Thandiwe" she responded abruptly without showing any interest in the conversation.

" My name is Saliya and she's Matilda, but she likes being called Mattie" the fat one talked patting the tall girls hand who was still quiet looking down on the ground.

" so what are you girls doing out here this late?" Thandi asked looking at her newly found company.

" that should explain to you that you are not the only one who had been through a lot of suicidal conditions. A we just a couple of two girls trying to find a way to survive even when we have few reasons to live for." Mattie spoke up now fully alert.

Thandi could not clearly see the faces of the other gilrs as they talked but she could relate to them. Knowing somehow that they too were like her in some ways.

" do you have a home?" Thandi asked the girls when she finally noticed their unwillingness to move away from the dry ground they all sat on.

" we have no where to go. We were hoping to find a place under the market shed but we have to wait for the guard to sleep so that we can sneak in the shed and sleep behind the sacks loaded with charcoal." Explained Saliya.

" well, at least I have a home or let me say a place to lay in. If you girls don't mind we can go there together and spend a night. Tommorow we can get to know each other before you find your way to wherever" shrugged Thandi standing up and wiping her back.

The two girls looked at each other, Mattie stood up too and extended her hands to pull up her friend and Saliya moaned loudly as she stood straight dusting her hands.

" well, we surely can use a proper roof" giggled Mattie leading the way to the surprise of Thandi who thought she was the one to be in the lead owing to the fact that they were all heading to her place which Mattie had no idea which direction it was. She shrugged somehow matching Mattie's bossy altitude to how she spoke to her earlier.

The girls walked in silence with their feet stomping softly on the hard ground making little sounds as they stepped on some dry grass and leaves in the small path that led from the hill and Bush place to the compound which was dark signifying people were asleep and all the fires and lights put off.

The only light they could see ahead was meters away where the dignified people of the compound had built their decent homes and had their houses connected to the power grid.

Saliya who was tagging behind Thandi wished inside her heart they were heading to the lights. Thinking for a change she would spent a night in a house built in concrete blocks.

Much to her disappointment, Thandi took over Mattie's position when they came to a cross roads and headed to the dark side of the compound where they could see a full view of the first house which was almost falling as it bend towards the ground.

The walked through a few poorly structured houses which were favoured by the dark and one wouldn't really tell how dilapidated they were.

They came to a halt in front of a small building with a slightly open door, they all wondered if there was anyone inside.

" shshshshsh! Let me check if my father is in there. We cannot let him see us walk in." Thandi whispered to the girls and slowly pushed the door open to check inside. She sighed realising the silence of the inside. Her step father was not around.

" come in girls" she called them in and led them to a small room which was the third room of the house which served as her bedroom.

She didn't bother to look for a lamp to turn on as she already knew where her small bed was.

" so how are we going to sleep on this small bed?" Winced Saliya folding her hands.

" well this is all I have to offer you guys. " sighed Thandi patting her small bed.

" come on Sali stop being ungrateful, this is far much better than outside in that shed full of charcoal bags" Mattie scolded her friend sitting next to Thandi.

" well, we need to sleep, if we are lucky my father won't come back from his drinking place" Thandi told them pulling up the thin blanket and indicating for her friends to lay down.

They had to sleep with their heads in the widith sides of the small bed as they could not fit vertically.

Thandi closed her eyes trying to allow sleep take her mind off the suicide attempt she just had. The slow movements of Saliya's sleepy body next to her causing her to shift slightly to create some space between them. Mattie too seemed fast asleep and she couldn't help admire them. She had been fighting insomia for months and no matter how tired she felt at times, she couldn't just get herself to sleep that deep.

Thandi couldn't wait to hear their tales the following morning. Believing something about her life would change with the coming of the two strange girls in her life, she believed from her mother's speeches that nothing was really a coincidence in one's life. Everything has its purpose.


To be continued

Source : www.youngicee.com

The Undisputed - Episode 2

© Tisa Phiri


The girls woke up with a start as the loud noise from the door draged them out of their sleep.

They all sat up aggited, except for Thandi who seemed to be aware of what was going on. Her father was back home and as always he pushed the door wide open and shouted her name above his voice.

" where are you, stupid ungrateful girl!" He screamed hitting plates and pots from the room in the middle of the house.

" am here father!" Responded Thandi fear written all over her face. The very presence of the man in the next room made her shake unbearably.

She jumped out of bed and pulled a wrapper from the line crossing the room where her clothes hang.

" stay here and don't talk please. He's nuts there's no telling how he will treat you all" she warned the girls and headed to the door as the loud noise covered their ears.

Mattie and Sali looked at each other both with a million questions but none bothered to utter a word.

" how many times must i call you before you give me the attention that I need you stupid girl!" Thandi's step father yelled at her pulling her closer to him.

" am sorry Father, I was asleep and didn't hear you walk in" Thandi answered turning quickly to look at the other room where she had left her friends.

" look at me!" The man ordered placing his hands on her shoulders his drunk red eyes piercing her very soul.

Thandi slowly lifted her shaky face staring at the man before her the smell of bear and dirty touching her nostril and getting to her gullet making her burp as she struggled to keep her insides together. His scruffy face looking like an hungry dog about to feed.

"I am hungry I need food. " the man whose name was Mavuto spoke sternly as his eyes searched around the body of a small girl and lust building up as he landed them on her body top which showed off her small round hard breasts.

He kicked his lips lustifuly, " go on and prepare my food then I will finish up with your sweet body later on" his wearily smile opened as he pushed her back.

Thandi staggered back and managed to find her balance from the wall.

" am sorry but there's no food in this house, we used up everything we had yesterday and I have not been luck in finding jobs to do the past days." she answered almost in a whisper as she prepared her body to be hit any moment.

"Oh, so now you will starve me to death, eehee? Is that your plan? To purnish me after giving you a roof to lay your stupid body in since your mother died. You pay me by lazing around!" Mavuto yelled loudly pulling the poor girl back to his filthy self and roughly tearing off her top.

Thandi was now panting and crying as her father grabbed her waist pulling down his trousers ready to rape her a millionth time.

She screamed to beg him to let go but he hit her hard to silence her, ignoring her cry to be left alone.

Mattie and Sali stood by the door on the other side of the room and peeped through the hole watching as the man in the other room tore apart the clothes of Thandi.

" we cannot let him do that to her while we watch" Mattie spoke up courageously. " but she said we shouldn't move from here" protested Sali shaking vividly her lips trembling.

" well, stop being a coward, it will be three against one and that man is drunk, he cannot beat us all. We have to help her, come on you fatty!" She pulled Sali dragging her out of the room and they came into full view of Mavuto who had now succeeded pushing Thandi down and was getting ready to push himself in her.

" leave her alone you animal!" Mattie shouted holding a cooking stick in her hands ready to hit him.

Mavuto who was now fully aware of the presence of strangers laughed hysterically shaking his head in disbelief. " well, well, who has come to disturb me in my own home?" He laughed still holding Thandi to the ground.

"I said leave her alone!" Mattie raised the cooking stick higher. " She s just a girl, just look at how you have hurt her face already. What is wrong with you?" She added her hands trembling but now not with fear but rage.

The sight of lust in the man before her reminding her of her own experience with rape.

Without warning she viciously hit Mavuto in the head and immediately he fall to the ground holding his head in pain.

" come on get up!" She shouted at Thandi who stood surprised at the courage she was seeing in her friend. She was still in shock when Mavuto pulled Mattie back and started hitting her.

Seeing how he was attacking Mattie, Thandi gained courage to defend her friend and she got to fight her father pushing him back with full force.

Sali too joined in and the three girls screamed and cried as they all beat up the now staggering man. He stood up to fight his way out but the vicious and angry girls launched their anger at him hitting him with anything they could hold their hands on, from the room.

Mattie and Sali stood back after realising how weak and blood Mavuto had become, but Thandi wouldn't let go, she cried as she contiously hit her step father in the head and chest with a heavy pot letting out all her anger and her pains and suffering for years.

" stop now!" Mattie pulled her up from him as Mavuto groaned painfully blood covering his face.

" we have to go out of here!" She added looking at her friends. " Thandi put on something else and cover your body, we have to leave now!" She ordered pulling the plastic shoes and putting them on her feet.

" are you crazy? Where do you think I will go from here? This is my home. My mother worked hard to build this house for us and it's the only thing she left me. This man found me here and there is no way am leaving it for him." Thandi cried pointing at the silent form of Mavuto.

" well, suit yourself, this man might die any minute and you will have yourself to blame if the cops put you away in Prison for the rest of your miserable life!" Mattie yelled back holding Sali's hand.

Thandi stood watching them not knowing what to do. Either she followed the two strangers she met the previous night or await her fate in the house she grew up in with Mavuto not showing any signs of life.

" wait! " she shouted realising the girls where walking away leaving her behind.

Mattie sighed looking back as Thandi pulled down a blouse on her naked breasts as she trailed behind them just as they were almost leaving the compound.

" I promise we will be okey girls, if that man is dead, well, hell awaits him. But if he's going to wake up, his wounds will be a reminder for him not to ever take advantage of a girl" she added holding her friend's hands assuredly. For some reason they seemed to believe her and gained confidence in her words.

They quickly walked out of the compound heading to the busy market and finding their way through the clouds of people who were already filling the market stalls as the early traders got to their businesses. The sounds of their voices calling out to customers reaching the ears.

They managed to escape the clouds and headed out using the small road leading to stalls of goats and swine being sold on the other side, the stench of the dung from the stalls choking their nose.

" where are we going guys?" Sali finally asked as they past to join the road that joined a tared road from the shanty compound market.

They managed to get as far away from the town centre of Lusaka out to a different compound and they finally decided to sit down under a big tree to rest and catch their breath as they had been walking since the incidence at Thandi's house.

Thandi took time looking at her companions. Mattie was taller than both of them, she was light in complication a long face with cute features her curly hair evidently long even if she had plaited some kind of Bantu knots that were way out of neatness. Her soft eyes, pure white outmarking her facial features. The small round mouth with thin lips giving Thandi the impression that Mattie was like she had noticed earlier, talkative. The floral dress she had on reached beneath her knees showing of her strong legs.

She turned her head to look at the heavy form of Sali who she noticed was huge even though her round face with small Chinese eyes could show that she was younger than both of them. She had a wide smile that showed off all her teeth especially when she laughed which Thandi noticed she did a lot from the way she laughed as they walked to the point they were sitting.

Her round legs looked white from the dust that had covered her feet. She was clad in a short which looked brownish but she wondered if her perception that it used to be orange were true. She wore a baggy tshirt that didnt give justice to her already big body. Luckly she had small hard breasts poping up.

Her small feet , she could figure out she was a size less than hers. But the look of her short hands warned her that Sali had some natural strength to man handle someone.

Thandi was more like a link between the two girls, she was not as tall as Mattie but an inch taller than Sali, she was the darkest of the two with a soft and smooth dark skin. Her forehead was a bit wide and round with her short kink hair she would qualify for a black African girl contest.

Thandi as thought by many people, was beautiful. At her age she already had round contours around her body which she came to hate somehow thinking if she wasn't some what that naturally beautiful, her step father couldn't have seen a woman in her instead he could have known she was just a girl.

Her mother died three years back, she had walked in from school one morning just to find people gathered around the house.

" Thandi poor child this world is so cruel. With all the suffering you and your poor mother have been through, she has committed suicide leaving you alone in this world" an elderly woman shook her head as she held Thandi by the hand and lead her to sit outside the rid mat where a group of other women sat crying and wailing in sorrow.

Thandi was only 12 by then doing her 6th grade at a nearby government school. She had decided to ignore her step father who always found a way of manipulating and sleeping with her even when her mother was still alive.

She feared he would kill her mother if she said anything to Her, so to keep her dear mother safe and alive, Thandi had to bear the secret of her step father's trails of raping her.

She had wanted to run away from home after her mother's funeral after her step father assured her mother's sister who lived far away on the Copperbelt she had no idea where exactly, offered to get her. Mavuto however, protested saying he was going to take care of her as he considered her his daughter even if he never fathered her.

Owing to the fact that the sister to Thandi's mother was also not doing so good, being married to a polygamist who had five wives on some farms with her being the fourth one, the decision for Thandi to remain with her step father sold out and that was how she found herself leaving under his torment for the past 3 years of her life.

Now that she had taken the chance to join her newly found family, she wondered how the three of them, Mattie was was a year older than both of them, Sali the seemingly weakest of the three and herself where going to make it through life with nothing but their breaths.

She sighed sadly looking up at Mattie who had now stood holding her small waist as she looked far away .

Thandi stood up and went to stand next to Mattie, " thank you for saving me back there" she spoke up her hands holding each other.

" I was once like You, until one day I said enough. Though you are lucky you only had your vicious father to face. " she shrugged not turning her eyes from where she had been staring, her dress blowing up in front of her as the small winds blew around them.

" tell me all about yourself Mattie" Thandi spoke softly looking at both Mattie and Sali more like " I want to know who you are girls and what your stories are"

" you and us are just beginning our journey of life together and today you will get to know both of us and how we found ourselves at the cliff last night and saved you from getting youself the easy way out of life."

Mattie smiled holding Thandi's hand and leading her to sit down on the rock besides the tree bunk.

" we will tell each other our stories later guys, for now we have to find food. Am starving" yawned Sali patting her big tummy.

The girls giggled at her and Mattie nodded her head in agreement. "Let's find food then, later on we can talk about ourselves" she shrugged casually leading the girls to the township ahead of them to find jobs to do.


To be continued.

Read more here: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Episode 3

© Tisa Phiri


After going round a few houses and doing some chores, the girls managed to make money for food. They walked to some restaurant and ordered some food.

" you think he's dead?" Thandi asked no one in particular as they ate silently.

" mnmmmhmh", murmered Sali.. " he deserved to die after what he was doing to you all these years" she shrugged her mouth full.

" I don't know if I really want him to die guys... I mean, i have lived with him for years and even though he's has been cruel to me, I don't wish him dead especially from my hands" Thandi shook her head tears forming in her eyes.

" Well, it's true killing him will not only be bad but it will complicate our lives" Mattie chipped in putting her fingers on the plate of relish.

" I don't think he's dead though. He was drunk so the beating left him very weak. But I still feel he will live" she added.

" I don't get you Mattie, you are the one that made me escape home that my step dad will die, here you are saying otherwise. Why the hell did you want me out of my own house?" Thandi snapped.

" oh my God you are unbelievable, we helped you from that man's hands and instead of being grateful, you spit in our faces. You know What?, we were fine the two of us before you came. So you can as well find your way back to your abusive father?!" Mattie raised her voice at Thandi.

" oooho guys calm down" Sali raised her hands between the two. " stop yelling at each other. We all know what we did was to save you Thandi and that your father is an animal. Stop fighting and start thinking of the way forward from here. There's no turning back from this pact. The three of us now have to figure out a way to survive otherwise if we separate ourselves, life will be harder" she frowned sadly as Thandi and Mattie looked at her face.

" Am serious girls, we are a team and together we can conquer." She smiled widely making her friends sigh and relax.

" am sorry Mattie, am just confused and I can't help worry about that man. I guess am being a child taking out my anger on you" Thandi looked at Mattie.

" it's alright. Sali is right. For some reason God brought us together and so we have to stand together. I don't know where we go from now or what to do but let's promise to stick together. Let's just say, we are 'The Undisputed!' " She exclaimed proudly raising head as her friends laughed along too.

" I have an idea!" Mattie added seriously looking at her friends.

" what's That?" Sali asked asked as she cracked the bone of a chicken thigh making some noise causing Thandi and Mattie to smile in unison.

" well, Thandi we can't just be going round and sleeping on the streets. Let's go back to your house since you said you mother built that house, Right? " she asked sitting up.

" Yeah, so?" Thandi looked at Mattie with attention.

" so we won't let your father take away your home. And since Sali and myself here are homeless, we together are going to grab the house from that animal and make it our own. " Mattie announced her idea excitedly as her friends looked on.

" that's a great idea Mattie!" Supported Thandi

" but wait " she frowned sadly sitting back in the chair her hands slamming the table between them.

" what now?" Sali asked

" Well, you guys are forgetting the possibility that my father might be dead. And even if we say he's not, how are we going to convince him to leave the house for us? He's older than us remember and he's a man for that matter a violent one" Thandi shook her head defeated by the thoughts of her step father.

" see, believe me I still feel that man is alive, and if so, he is weak from the beating. Those pots and cooking sticks gave him a great deal of pain. So," Mattie paused looking at her friends with assurance.

" so?" Asked Sali impatiently.

" so we will go back There, force him to move. We will tell him If he doesn't we will kill him. Am sure he will obey " Mattie smiled profoundly.

" Well, am not sure. That idea is crazy Mattie. I don't think.. ."

" stop doubting and being scared for once in your life Thandi" Mattie cut in.

" you have been used and tormented by that man for years. It's time you stood up for yourself and face him with newly found courage!" She shouted holding Thandi's hand.

" oh right let's try this then. I just hope you are right. Trust me I know that man very well" Thandi sighed..

" well, we will be fine girls" Mattie smiled looking at Sali and then Thandi.

They finished eating their food and walked out slowly heading to the road leading to town.

" you said when we are filled up, I will get to hear your stories too" Thandi spoke up.

" oh God!, the story of my life" Mattie sighed her face turning into a frown.

" I have never really told anyone about this before, Sali only knows a scratch but today since we are together for I dont know..."

" forever! " Sali cut in with a chuckle.

" sure maybe" shrugged Mattie

" well let's hear it " Thandi stood looking at Mattie patiently waiting to hear her story.

Mattie.....

Well my full names are Matilda Gambo, I was born 16 years ago in a family of 2. My elder sister was a year older than me.

My parents were not really married, my mother told me she got pregnant with my sister when she was in senior secondary doing her 11th grade.

Her parents were not doing fine financially, her father, was retired from the police force owing to his sickness. My mother wasnt sure of what was wrong with her father but she had noticed how sad and broken their home had become after her father fell sick. She told us some people spread rumours that my mother was sleeping around whilst her father was ill.

The news of my mother getting pregnant added to the sorrow as it led to the death of her father.

My mother's mom blamed it on my mother that it was her fault her father died and so she chased her to go and stay with the man who got her pregnant.

Lots other issues happened, but all i know is that my mother got pregnant again a year after staying with my father, who was still staying at his parent's house too.

To cut the story short, my father ran away leaving my mother with two babies at his parent's house who in turn made her leave claiming their was no reason for her to stay when the man responsible for her children fled.

My mother was cornered, she could go back to her mother who had vowed never to accept her back as her child. Desperation led my mother to start sleeping around bringing men to our house, Years later, after she tried to do some business and failed to keep up with our demands.

We dropped out of School soon after and my mother started coercing my sister and I to sleep with men for money.

The worst was some of those men started taking advantage of me and my sister. My mother was always so drunk she rarely paid attention to us.

Just like you Thandi, I was first raped when I was only 11. I tried to tell my mother but apparently she liked the money she was getting from that man so she scolded me instead. Telling me never to tell a soul or she would throw me out. That was the beginning of her selling us out.

My sister and i were meant to sleep with men by my own mother in exchange for cash. Sadly 2 years ago my sister got sick and like always my dear mother paid no attention to her. I was made to care for her until she gave up her life.

You girls have no idea how much pain I felt loosing my own sister to death and having a mother who gives no damn about it.

I decided enough is enough. Even though my mother insisted I continued prostitution with her so as to help us survive, I made up my mind to run away from home.

One day as I planned my escape, my mother's man can home when I was alone. He tried like he always did to rape me but guess What?, I was ready for him.

With everything in me I fought him hard managing to escape his grip and grabbing a knife from the kitchen. I stabbed the man in the leg and fled from the house.

That evening when I walked back home, I found my mother waiting for me furious that I made her lose her favourite customer because I was stupid. She blamed me and my sister for ruining her life.

She threw me out of the house and I got my already packed bag leaving not minding the dark night.

I got on a bus from Kafue and travelled here in Lusaka that very night. I was walking around the streets desperate and cold when I bumped into Saliya. She was curled in the corner of the building crying.

I somehow related to her and the two of us spend a night cuddled on some card boards in the street.

We walked around sleeping under the shed we told you about feeding on the little money I got from home. A week later we were walking around the compound waiting for the guard to sleep as he had chased us the other day. That's when we came to find you. We saw you climb the rails on that cliff and decided to save your life.

So that's it. We are here now and am sure you now know why I relate so much with you Thandi. I have been where you have as well. Though I had to sleep with several men as compared to you who was only used by one man.

...............................

" oh God!" Thandi sighed sadly stopping to look at Mattie. "I dont know what to say. Here I was thinking am the only one whose been through the worst. My God men are cruel" she shook her head tears in her eyes as she saw Mattie sobbing silently.

The girls held each other closely in the middle of the road. Everyone who passed them wondered why they where in that position. Little did they know that they where connecting to each other, somewhat finding solace in each other.

" okey girls enough!" Mattie broke the hug.

" come on, lets continue moving ahead. Remember we have an animal man to deal with" she smiled rubbing Thandi and Sali's back.

" wait a minute, Sali, I have not heard your story." Thandi giggled.

" what happened sweet fatty!" She exclaimed with a smile as she wiped a tear from her eyes.

" what has the world thrown on this sweet thing who looks so delicate?" She added

" come on I will tell you the story before we get home. It's nothing like you guy's stories. It's more like, what can I say?" Sali paused holding her round chin.

" a mysterious one" she chuckled narrowing her small eyes.

" well, lets hear the story of a mysterious fatty Saliya" Mattie shouted raising her hand up.

"Stop calling me fatty you girls, it's not funny!" She yelled back acting furious.

" am sorry love but look at You, you all steak and fat" Mattie giggled making all of them laugh.

" okey, don't mind this skin girl, She s just jealousy of you" Thandi told Sali with a laugh.

" if you girls don't stop the fatty thing I will not say anything about myself. You have no idea how much I hate myself because of this very body you teasing me about. It's like every one sees everything wrong with the way God made me and it hurts" cried Saliya and the girls knew she was dead serious. Something happened that caused her to hate her body in that manner and they knew it's time to get serious and comfort their friend.

" we are sorry girl, we were just playing with you. You are beautiful the way you are. Come on now, wipe your tears and give us that sweet smile " Mattie held her shoulders as Thandi nodded her head in agreement.

" let's get home first then I will tell. I need to sit down" Sali smiled wiping the tears from her cheeks.

" sure sweety, come on" Thandi smiled back and they held hands walking together through the busy road as they got closer to the busy area.


To be continued

Source: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed


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Episode 4
© Tisa Phiri

The silence that surrounded Thandi's home as they approached it made the girls think twice about their actions.

" what if he's dead and no one knows about it yet?" They all seemed to wonder silently.

Sali and Mattie looked at Thandi with the hope that she would gain momentum to step forward and open the door to her home. Little did they know that she too was as scared as they were. The thought of her step father being dead inside there making her clench her fist to gain the strength not to step back and run away from what always used to be her home.

" you think he's still in there?" Sali asked pulling her t-shirt nervously one of her fingers in her mouth.

" I don't know, it's too quiet maybe he's dead" Thandi shivered not moving an inch from where she stood.

" come on guys let's go and check. We can't back down now" the courageous Mattie spoke up pulling her friends to the door.

They got to the door and as they were about to push it open, they heard the deep groanings from inside. They all sighed in relief at once smiling at each other as they pushed the door wide open coming to the full view of Mavuto who was now seated his face still stained with dirty and a strip of blood on his side cheek.

" how dare you!" He gnarled at them as the girls stood in front of him with their faces serious.

Thandi smiled for the first time realising the power that was in numbers. She could see her Father's fear, he was trying to act tough but his eyes said it all. The menacing stance the girls had intimidated him so much that his hoarse voice was cutting as he tried to scream at the girls.

" get out of my house you evil girls from hell!" He gnarled loudly.

" am sorry Mavuto!" Thandi spoke back closing in on her step father, " my mother sweated to build this small house for me and herself, you are the foreigner in this house and today, am taking over what belongs to me. No more tolerating your animosity and ill treatment of me. " she chuckled narrowing her eyes to show how damn serious she was being.

Mavuto looked at Thandi, her eyes widely fixed at his form he felt intimidated.

" oh my God I can't believe a girl I raised would turn out on me like that, you are so ungfateful you little thing. I picked you up when your mother died and this is how you pay me back, ganging up with these two demons from God knows where wanting to kill me?" He burst out clearly looking sobber.

" these demons as you call them are my friends and from today onwards my family. We are here to ask you in a polite way to leave my house. This was built by my mother's very own sweat and where ever she is she will agree that am the one to inherit it. " Thandi spoke sternly.

Mavuto stood up steadly making Mattie and Sali to stand back ready to fight.

" oh dear step daughter, I pity you girl. You have no idea what you have just done. By the time am done with you all you will know why my father named me Mavuto!" He shouted angrily pulling out his belt his shaky hands failing to get to it loose in time. Not certain whether it was the effect of not drinking or the fear of the three girls who stood upright challenging him.

" come on girls at him!" Mattie charged before Mavuto could manage to get his belt from the waist.

Mavuto stepped back seeing the girls lifting items from the floor ready to launch at him again.

" okey stop!" He yelled realising it was not a joke the girls where pulling in him. He thought he couldn't afford another beating, his wounds from the previous one were still fresh.

" now daddy!, Thandi smiled teasingly.. "pack your bags and leave. This is our house, you are not to return." She stood her head high waving her finger in the air at him.

" another thing!, Sali spoke up for the first time as Mavuto walked to the other room to get his things. He stood in the door way his eyes on the fat girl that looked like those in some violent cartoons.

" we already told the police what you have been doing to Thandi. They are on their way here and any minute you delay in packing out, they are closing in on you" she smiled her wide smile revealing her fully packed mouth even though her teeth weren't as clean.

Thandi and Mattie both looked at each other and smiled. They had not anticipated such a brilliant idea to come from Sali, if only they had used that before, the man could have fled some minutes ealier.

" am leaving dammit!" Mavuto yelled loudly pulling open the Curtain that acted as a door to the room that once used to be his bedroom.

The girls giggled as he left the house slowly taking in their faces and walked through the door and disappeared outside.

" yes yes!" They jumped in excitement hugging and dancing around at their victory.

" he's gone!" Sali screamed on top of her voice after peeping outside and not seeing the presence of Mavuto.

The girls went on for another 15 minutes celebrating and mimicking Mavutos actions as they laughed loudly. They cleaned up the house and threw out a couple of things that belonged to Mavuto. Now they had a home and they had each other.

Thandi sat down the door way as the sun went down that day. She kept her eyes on the red sky her mind wondering away.

She recalled how her mother had to pay almost every dime she had from the piece of land she had sold out and the little she made from her small sales, so that she could built that house.

" I want what's best for you my child. I never got to live in a decent place but I will try put a roof on your head. Even when we sleep without eating, I want you to be safe and warm in this house you seeing here" her mother told her one day as they sat in the middle of the compound as she packed small packs of groundnuts for sale.

" I will complete my education mother and build you a very big house!" She had exclaimed proudly making her mother smile.

" ofcourse my baby, you are very intelligent and God willing I will do what I can to ensure you get that education you so much need" her mother held her hand her eyes filled with love for her.

Thandi knew her mother was serious and if not for her death which up until then, she knew wasn't her wish to kill herself, but someone made her do it or killed her. Even though she had no way of proving it, she knew her step father had something to do with it.

She recalled overhearing them quarrel one afternoon, her step father was so drunk and her mother was yelling at him. " how could you!, she shouted, " she s just a girl for God's sake,"

Thandi couldn't get the rest of the conversation as her books fall off and alerted her mother and father of her presence.

The following day she came back finding a funeral and people claiming her mother hanged herself but she didn't buy the story. Even though she had no voice to tell the truth, deep in her heart she knew the actual truth.

Tears run her face as such thoughts clouded her. She could hear the giggling and chatting from inside but she couldn't pay attention to her friends who were now preparing a meal for them.

" come on inside, you don't have to cry cause you are not alone any more" came Mattie's voice bringing her back to the present.

" yeah of course, I just miss my mother so much it hurts." She sniffed in wiping her face.

" I know, unfortunately I hate my mother, sometimes I wonder if she really gave birth to me. Yours was evidently a good woman and she did deserve you. Mine on the other hand, is in a wrong place. I wish she was dead" Mattie spat squatting next to Thandi.

" how can you wish such for your mother Mattie? She s your mother no matter what she did. " Thandi looked up at her.

" well, what sort of mother would subject a 12 years old child to prostitution all in the name of survival?. I swear I hate her, I don't know if I will ever have a heart to love a man in my life. Every man I see all I feel is hatred and my thoughts are always evil towards them. " Mattie shrugged sadly.

" it's alright dear, am sure one day your mother will realise how much she hurt you and your sister." Thandi tried to smile to comfort he friend.

" well, honestly I dont think I will ever forgive her. Anyway, enough of that evil witch, lets sit inside and finish preparing our Kapenta, we need to enjoy ourselves today and tomorrow we will think of what next to do" Mattie stood up holding Thandi's hands like they have been best friends for a long time.

Laying on their backs that night, the girls chatted softly recalling their good times in Life, mostly when they were still very young. How they used to enjoy playing around. The world had forced them to grow older than they were. They had to start reasoning like adults if they were to survive life.

" I wish I could see my parents again" Sali sighed making her friends go mute instantly realising she was just beginning to tell her story.


To be continued

Read more episodes here: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Thanks for the mention, im gonna follow bumper to bumper. Weldone dear.

Thanks for the mention dear. Am following

5

© Tisa Phiri


Saliya's story..

" Being born from two people that are both considered a curse and as outcasts of the village was not easy. " she started as she continued laying down her eyes to the roof of the house.

" my mother was, no" she paused clearing her throat. " she's a witch" she spoke calmly and both Mattie and Thandi looked at her turning on their sides to have a view of her round face.

" what do you mean?" Thandi was first to find her voice.

" well, I don't know how to say it guys, the thing is my mother can see things, she can tell someone's life from looking them. She too can speak something on someone and the thing would come true" she added sighing as she let the information sink in her friends minds.

" okey" Mattie murmered in a way that showed she was having a different perception about Sali. In her mind she was imagining how Sali's mother could have transferred that to her daughter, she flinched a bit at the thought of her friend having anything to do with her mother's way.

" don't worry guys am not like my mother" Sali sighed like confirming Mattie's thoughts.

" Well, I can't imagine living with someone who can easily say things and it happens" Thandi laughed out.

" so will you girls let me finish this or not?" Sali sat up looking at the two friends.

" well go ahead Sali, we are listening" they answered eagerly wanting to hear more.

" Well, the thing is that my mother's family members didn't want her and they treated her as an outcast. She was forced to move out of her village in Luagwa and move close to Chinyunyu were she settled with no one else knowing who she was. She could also give some herBs to cure some diseases and other things that I never really understood.

The thing is my mother met my father right in Chinyunyu and without knowing who she was, my father married her and I was born 9 months later.

My father who was also fleeing from I dont remember where learnt the truth about my mother. But it was too late to let her go since they had started a family.

Trouble started when my mother could see my father's affairs with other women. One day, out of anger she spoke against a woman that she was suspecting to be going out with my father. She cursed her to death and the following day the woman died mysteriously.

People came to know of that truth and you cant imagine what they did to my poor mother.

I was only 2 years old then and very fat too. The whole community raised against my mother including my father. They stripped her naked and called her all sorts of names.

Some people said I was not a human being but some kind of vudoo since I looked so huge and big for a two year old." Sali sighed remembering her mother's story.

" what happened next?" Mattie asked after a couple of minutes when she realised how quiet Sali had become.

" Well, that was the beginning of problems for us. My mother had to flee the village but unfortunately my father forced her to leave me behind. I was only a baby but my father insisted I stayed back.

Well for fear of being murdered by the angry people, my mother left me. She however, sneaked back into our house one night 3 years later and took me away with her. That's the time i came to learn the truth since then I was a bit older.

Leaving like normads was not easy for both of us. We settled somewhere in Chongwe with my mother's cousin who had these children that always made funny of me. They would say all sorts of things about my body, you are too fat, you eat a lot, you are a child to a witch and that's why you are so big so that she can climb on you every night...." Sali paused shedding tears as she listed the names she was called by the kids she lived with.

" sorry for that Sali, you are beautiful I can assure you. Those kids where just playing with You" Thandi patted her hand comforting her.

" yes don't worry we will never call you fatty anymore" Mattie added too.

" so what happened there after?" Asked Mattie again

" my mother was not happy with the treatment the other kids were giving me. She had tried to contain her inner powers to avoid being chased but one day it got worse and the elder boys took me in the bush tieing me to a tree that I had some powers to flee myself.

I had to stay in the bush for hours screaming and crying for help. I was so hungry and thirsty I felt I would die there.

They tied me in the morning and it took my mother the entire day to search for me. I was almost collapsing the time she found me.

I recall how mad she was as she put me in her back and struggled to walk back home.

That night she called her cousin and talked to her about what her children had done to me. The cousin however, just took it casually and said they were just kids.

That angered my mother who had expected them to be purnished for what they did. When nothing was done my mother just that moment spoke against the children saying the worst she shouldn't have."

Sali was silent recalling how she woke up the following morning to the cries of her mother's cousin and his wife. Finding out what happened, she came to know all their children were stuck with some sort of sickness. One was blind, the other had sores all over his body and the other had some kind of growth on his back.

Thandi and Mattie who were now scared of what they were hearing looked at each other.

Mattie wanted to ask what happen later on but she wasn't sure she was ready to freak out even more than she was. It was dark outside and she started imagining a witch standing out there ready to pounce on them.

Sali sighed before continuing.. " that night my mother was tied to a tree by the people in the community calling her a witch and said they would burn her to death.

She cried for mercy and that she never meant to say anything. According to her, she never did anything to fulfil her words but only knew that whenever she was angry and uttered anything against anyone, that person suffered terribly.

She told me she had no control over what happened except to avoid saying evil or even thinking it over someone.

So that night as the people discussed her odeal, My mother whispered for me to ran away lest I was killed too. I fled crying and ran to the main road to find a way out of that place.

I could hear noise behind me of people shouting and yeling at my mother. I had stopped at some point wishing I could go and be with her but her words came strong back to my mind.

" go my child, you will survive and live a life better than this. You have to be strong. You are my child and I know you are stronger than you think. There's power inside you and it will guide you to the right place" she cried as she told me.

Turning back I ran to the road side and got on a canter that was transporting vegetables to the city. That's how I found myself here in Lusaka city, alone and scared. I spent two days walking around the streets hungry and tired until Mattie found me."

" oh my God you were right, your story is mysterious. I swear I feel so scared right now. So can you also do what your mother could do? Do you know if she's dead or alive?" Thandi asked one question after the other.

Sali looked at her and lay back down since she had sat up.

" I don't know if she's alive or dead Thandi, I also don't know if I inherited what she had too. I mean am her child and that's possible right?" She sighed sadly.

" but I wish with everything in me i am not in any way like her" she added seriously.

" no you are not Sali. You are just an ordinary girl like all of us and don't worry we will not let anything bad happen to you" Mattie assured her with a smile even though she couldn't see it as they were laying in the dark preserving the lamp light for the next day.

As the girls slept, Sali cried herself to sleep at the thought of what she had been through. She had never had a permanent home all her life and she hopped somehow she would end up having a family and a home with her two friends who clearly didnt seem judge her in a bad way.

Deep down she felt she had something of her mother but she vowed to never harness that inner power that she knew led to evil.

She had no idea how to pray but she knew if she could trust the God that Mattie always talked about. He could help her rid of the evil that she could have inherited from her mother.

Days later, the girls went out selling ice block on behalf of a certain lady who hired them from the other side of the compound.

They could get some buckets filled with small packs of ice water and some sweat Ice blocks and went round the streets and market selling.

" how much have you sold?" Thandi asked her friends as they sat to rest on the rocks near a small path their buckets placed in front of them and a pack displayed on top to show the possible customers what they were selling.

" well I only have 10 remaining" Sali responded.

" today has been bad on me, I have only sold half the bucket. I need to sale more before it all melts." complained Mattie shaking her head her face tired. She wiped the sweat from her face as she held on to a small plastic where she had put the money from the sells.

They were still talking when two tall boys came their way. " bring that money you girls or we will beat you up!" One of them spoke as they stood in front of them.

" this is not your money you thief, go away!" Mattie couragiously shouted standing up as Sali shook in fear and Thandi stood too not knowing how it will all end.

" give it to me you stupid girls or I swear you will regret this" the boy yelled the more closing in to grab the money and search them for more.

" stay away from us or I will call my uncle there to beat you up!" Thandi screamed trying to scare the boys away but they both laughed loudly and one of them grabbed Mattie's plastic with money. He the turned to grab Thandi to get hers too but they all heard a sharp mysterious voice screaming besides them.

They turned to look at the direction of the voice just to find Sali shedding tears her hands trembling and she made a fist like containing something which was hot and threatening to come out.

" fall down and twist your legs you thieves!" They heard her yell her mouth vibrating as she fought hard to contain herself.

To the surprise of everyone around them, the boys fall down and each one held their legs screaming in agony as some excruciating pain run through their ankles.

" Sali!" Mattie shouted holding her hands to stop her from tormenting the boys.

" stop it now, you are killing them!" She shook her making Sali came to realising what was going on.

" lets get out of here!" Thandi shouted grabbing her bucket as the boys limped to get away.

" what was That?" They both asked Sali as they ran away from the market place.

" am sorry, I dont know I just got angry and then , I... I... I... i don't know what happened" she stammered her hands still shaking.

Thandi and Mattie looked at each other realising what just happened and connecting the dots from Sali's story.

Mattie shook her head worriedly as Thandi slipped to the ground not knowing what to make of what they will have to deal with.


To be continued

Read more here: www.youngicee.com

6

© Tisa Phiri


Months passed and the girls got close together. They did almost everything together, sharing and buying food to feed themselves from the different works they managed to get from the market and streets.

With days passing and a lot of activities happening around them, the girls were slowly forgetting what happened at the market with the boys. They simply avoided the subject of Sali' s powers especially when one day Thandi and Mattie discussed the issue and Sali caught them talking.

" what will happen if one day she gets mad and says something to hurt any of us?" Mattie asked Thandi as they sat outside their house Thandi washing some clothes in a dish.

" I don't know. I was so scared seeing those boys squirm last time. I have never seen anything like that Thandi. Am honestly freaked out" she said holding her hands around her.

" I don't know too Mattie but one thing is for sure, Sali is not a bad person. We have stayed with her and we both know how good she is. She's jovial and smiles a lot. Seeing her will make you think she cannot hurt a fly" she sighed as she bend down to rinse the clothes.

" well we know she can hurt someone though, and pretty badly for that matter. I don't even want to think of what will happen if she ever got mad at any of us and something bad happened" Mattie went on.

" don't worry it will never get to that. Besides what can we do? Chase her?, no way Mattie. You are the one who always push us together and say we need to stick together. No one is leaving here. Whatever we have to face we face it together, remember? " she smiled looking at Mattie as she reminded her of her own words.

" I know, I didn't say we chase her. Am just concerned" she scoffed.

Sali shed tears as the two talked. They didn't see her stand behind the door listening on them. She shook her heard realising what her presence meant. She had come to love her friends and never wished to hurt them. She wished she never inherited her mother's power.

The fear of living her mother's life gripping her and making her cry the more. She wanted to belong but she felt she was different and wasn't going to fit in.

Thandi and Mattie looked strong and courageous just what she needed to survive but she felt weak. Even when her friends would say she was the strongest of all, she knew she couldn't match the courage and optimism of Mattie and the reasoning and sensitivity of Thandi.

She could see how they all worked out things together with them saying she had the most brilliant mind and strength too.

Thandi would always say she bound them together. Even when they had differences, Sali was to bridge the gap between the girls.

That afternoon she tried to escape to avoid harming her friends even though she knew she wouldn't do it deliberately.

She had packed her small bag and left when the others where taking a bath. Heading out to no where in particular. She spent the rest of the afternoon walking around and that night she wanted to spend it on the corner of the street Mattie met her earlier.

" what the hell do you think you are doing?" Mattie yelled at her when the girls got to where she was.

" Sali, you made us look for you the whole afternoon. How could you just leave like That? You scared us" Thandi spoke too as the girls stood high on her.

Sali cried looking at the worried faces of the two.

" am sorry, its just that i dont want to hurt you guys. I don't know what this is in me and I can not forgive myself if anything happened to you two. I love you, you were my family "

" we still are family Sali" Thandi interrupted.

" you are not a monster dear. Please let's go back home. We both know you cannot hurt us, well at least not deliberate but you leaving is not a solution. Come on let's get back home" the girls held Sali up with Thandi grabbing her bag.

" we love you and we were sick worried something happened to you" Mattie spoke as they held Sali each one each hand as they slowly walked back.

" I have an idea! " exclaimed Sali as they passed the streets light crossing over to the other side.

" what is That?" Thandi asked looking back at Sali who was now a step back.

" Well, we have to find something to do. We are not going to live our lives like this girls working for small moneys which doesn't even satisfy out hunger. " she stopped as they got on the other side of the road the light from above the street light shining in her round face and showing off her orange dress and now so dust feet in slippers.

Thandi and Mattie looked at her attentively knowing she was now coming up with her ideas.

" lets go back to school and then we will start our own businesses. Make a lot of money and buy lots of nice food" she smiled looking at her friends.

" oh Sali, we have talked about this before, where do we get the money to go to school.? We are barely managing with the little we work for everyday." Thandi shrugged.

" that's were am coming, Thandi. We have to find an orphanage to sponsor us. The other day I over heard a woman say she saw some people from some organisations talking to street kids. She said they wanted to help them out so we should find them to ask them to help us" Sali expalined now walking along. Stepping on the side of the road as a car drive by.

" that's a good idea Sali, we should do that." Mattie shouted out trotting ahead and walking her front on her friends as she walked backwards.

" well were do we find them?" Thandi who was smiling too asked.

" I don't know but tommorow we can go round and try look for where those people are" Sali responded calmly.

" see, we couldn't have thought of that if not for our brilliant Sali " exclaimed Mattie turning to walk in a normal way.

The following morning the girls went round in search of some organisation to help them.

They came to a wide gate somewhere in the township they were directed to by the people they asked.

" so what can I do for you girls?" A tall and dark lady asked them as they were led inside by the man who opened then gate for them.

The entrance had a poster written " welcome to Charity Orphanage"

" we are, we are asking ..." Sali stammered not knowing how to begin.

" we are here to" Thandi and Mattie spoke at the same time, making the lady look at them confused

" go on tell her" Thandi told Mattie nodding her head slowly.

" we want help. We have no parents. We stay together the three of us and live from the little money we make from the streets. Our parents are all dead" she said sadly looking at Thandi and Sali making sure they both agreed on the sorry. She couldn't say her mother was alive so she had to make sure the others agreed to her story.

Sali and Thandi nodded assuring their friend to go on.

" so what can we do for you girls?" The lady asked them after they finished telling their story.

" we want to go back to school" Thandi spoke this time.

" we were looking for any organisation that can help us go back to shool" Sali added.

" Well, you guys have a very sad story and am so touched. But unfortunately this Ophanage isn't for Children of your age. We only accommodate those below the age of 14. Unfortunately we don't have enough to support beyond that. Even these we help here are to be adopted somehow to easy our burdens." The lady spoke calmly to the girls files as they listened their hope gone.

" am sorry we can't help You" the lady added and the girls thanked her and stood to leave.

" wait!" The woman called them just as they were about to walk out the black gate. The girls tuned back to look at her in unison surprised she was walking fast towards them.

" maybe I can help you girls. Listen, some people come here to check on the kids and donate some things. I will try talk to them as they will be a gathering tomorrow. Let me see if I can get some of them to help you girls" she smiled at them.

" you will do that!" Exclaimed the girls sighing and smiling at their newly found hope.

" well I will try. Come back tomorrow afternoon we will see what comes out of this" the lady smiled at them.

" thank you mam" they smiled at her and walked out with happy faces.

" there's hope girls " Mattie told them as they walked to the bus station.

" yeah I think I like that woman, she seems to be a good person" Thandi answered.

"I hope tommorow will be a good day for us. " Sali sighed.

" it will be"Mattie smiled assuredly.

The following morning they spend time cleaning themselves. " we have to look clean for those people to see we are good girls and can do things right." Mattie suggested.

She sat down as Thandi braided her hair.

" your turn Sali" Thandi pulled Sali to sit after she was done with Mattie who kept checking her braids made from the old wigs in a small mirrow.

Thandi did her own hair too and by the time it was mid day they were ready to go back to the orphanage.

" come here girls!" The lady from The other day called them late in the afternoon after what seemed like a party for the kids ended.

" I managed to talk to some people. The good news is that i manged to find some people willing to help you girls" she smiled at them.

" and?" Sali who seemed to notice there was more to the good news asked.

" oh girls am sorry but you will have to be separated. You won't be helped by one person there are three families to help you out and you all have to go your separate ways" the lady went on taking her eyes from each one of them , one by one.

" what?" Thandi asked her eyes wide open.

" but we have lived together for over a year now, we don't want to live separately. Let them help us as we continue living together at our home" she cried tears forming in her eyes at the thought of living without her friends.

" yes aunty, let them help us but we stay together " Mattie agreed

" am sorry, if these people help you, you will all be required to do some sort of work for their families. Given you all grown up, they will help you by giving you some job at their homes and in turn pay you so that you can go to school. That was the agreement any way, so what do you girls say?"she asked them.

The girls were quiet for a while. They knew they needed that help but the fear of living without being close to each other was evident on their faces.

" you will be fine girls. Am sure once in a while you will be seeing each other. The families all live here in Lusaka" she assured them.

After a long discussion the girls had reluctantly agreed to the offer. They were told some arrangements were to be made for them to attend classes at the same time work as domestic workers at the respective families.

They however asked for a day for them to prepare and say bye to each other promising to get back to the orphanage to be picked by their newly found bosses and well wishers.


To be continued

Read more here : www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Nice story you gat here...keep on

Eeyah

7

© Tisa Phiri


The silence that surrounded them as the girls sat inside the house was disheartening, the voices of people talking and shouting from outside was the only thing There ears could hear.

Thandi was standing by the small window of the room they were in which had served as her bed room for all her life as far as she could remember. Thinking of how she was going to step into the new phase of her life where she will have to experience living with people she didn't know. She had turned 16 and she knew she was somehow supposed to get something worth in her life and education could really help, but the thought of what lay ahead of her sacred her. The fact that she had gotten used to staying with her two best friends over time, she didn't want to let go.

There was strength when the three stuck together. Things wére easy. They fought their battles together and no matter how tough, she realised with Mattie and Sali around all seemed easier. She had lost hope of living before the two came into her life and now a bigger chank of her life was them. How was she going to live away from what gave her the strength to forge ahead, she thought to herself tears forming unconsciously in her eyes.

Sali was not trying to hide herself. She had been shedding tears for some time since the news of them going apart hit them . Her fear was the greatest of all. She feared what would happen with her and the powers she had inside her. How on earth was she going to control them without Thandi and Mattie?

They made everything better by assuring her and all the time they had lived she at no point lost it to do anything to harm anyone.

" what if the people who will get end up treating me badly and I will end up loosing myself ?, what if one day I will wake up and turn into a monster like my mother? Will I manage alone? " were a series of questions that flooded her mind as she sobbed silently.

On the other hand, Mattie was not shedding any tears, not that she wasn't sad but she was thinking she had cried enough in her life. Sometimes she just ran out of tears and that was one of the days. She sat on a stool her hands held to her head as she stared at the small brazier that was burning slowly in front of her.

She wanted to be strong for her friends. She had always acted tough and optimistic but at this point she couldn't help feel something was going to go terribly wrong with the coming of the new development.

Going to three different families wasn't going to be well no matter what, for to the three of them. She knew she always advocated for them to stick together? But did she have the rights to step in her friends dreams of getting education. She could suggest they never leave, but then What? What would become of them without education?

She knew thinking of marriage was never going to happen as herself, she had little desire in starting any family after what she went through with her mother.

She had vowed never to let herself get manipulated by a man. Ending up pregnant was the thing she never dreaded to think about.

" am not going!" Sali spoke up sniffing as she raised her head to look at her friends from side to side.

" What?" Thandi responded wiping her own tears.

" yes, you guys can go On, am remaining here. Am different from everyone you know that it will be harder for me to live with strangers and contain myself. You guys need the jobs and the education. You have to go and persue your dreams. " she added seriously.

" no Sali, this was your idea. You need that education as much as we all do. You cannot remain here no matter what. If we decide to go let's all go. If not then fine, let's stay here and live in poverty for the rest of our lives. Otherwise whatever one of us does we all do" Mattie spoke up standing up and pacing around the room as she talked.

There was some silence again for a couple of minutes. This time around Thandi who was still by the window sighed deeply before talking.

" guys as much as we need each other we need this. We may never have another chance to get us out of the lives we have lived. This house is all we have as our wealthy. The greatest gift we all possess as at now is each other. Am of the suggestion we go, work and go to school. That lady said all the families we will work with are within town. We can be meeting up say every weekend, we don't have to stay away from each other you know" she explained.

" Thandi is right. We need this Sali, all of us. You are going to be fine girl, you, just as we all will be okey" Mattie held their hands together.

" I will miss you so much girls, I...." Sali cried squeezing her friend's backs.

" will miss you too Sali. Not to worry though. When we get our first pay, we should all get small phones to keep in touch" Thandi suggested.

..............

The following morning, the girls woke with a new vigour, they felt determined to face what lay ahead of them with bravery.

They went to the orphanage to await their new helpers to pick them.

The first one to drive in slighly passed 13 o'clock was a couple. A dark talk man with a rough moustache and neatly shaved head. His wife a short light in complexion lady in her early 40s. The woman wore high heels and a dress that the girls felt uncomfortable with as it was so short it only past an inch across her mid thighs exposing her smooth and perfect legs.

She wore a wide smile as she held her husband's hand approaching the girls.

" who is going with them?" Sali asked in a whisper leaning close to the lady who was helping them.

She smiled at her, " don't worry Sali Mrs Kangwa and her husband are good people. They have been helping the orphanage for years. Unfortunately they have no child of their own I guess they find solace in helping young ones" she smiled stepping forward as the couple closed up to them.

" good afternoon Mr and Mrs Kangwa!, you are welcome " she greeted them cheerfully.

" good to see you Jane" the lady in heels smiled her eyes on the girls.

" wow, babe look at these lovely things we have here!" She exclaimed and stood in front of the girls.

" how are you mam?" The girls greeted her shly. Her presence and charisma intimidating them.

She sighed shaking her head. " come on girls am i that old for you to call me mam? She faked a hurt face. Call me Leticia!" She laughed slightly.

" this is my babe, Harold" she introduced her husband proudly holding his back possesively making the girls look down.

" well, who are we going with? She asked finally after her seemingly calm husband greeted the girls shaking each of their hands.

" it's up to you" The orphanage lady responded clearing her throat.

" this is Thandi, Mattie and Sali" she patted the girls respectively.

They all looked up at her with Sali trying to step back clearly not wanting to be chosen by them.

" well babe what do you think? " Leticia asked her husband. " i think its up to you Leti, Just get over this already I have a meeting tonight remember " he spoke carelessly as he got his eyes to his phone.

" okey then, I will go with...." She paused looking at the girls from head to toe. Mattie was in a black faded jeans with a white body top written 'G power' across the front. Leticia turned her eyes to Thandi who wore a striped dress in white and black which curved her small hard breasts and fall down her knees, her small figure well defined.

She then went on to look at Sali who as always was clad in loose t-shirt which was blue in colour and a blue Jean short. This time she wasn't wearing her smile. And she figited a bit as the woman went on analysing her, the more reason for Sali disliking her .

" okey, You said she's?" She sharply looked at the other lady her hands pointed at Thandi,

" Thandiwe, but you can call her Thandi" the lady smiled widely.

" well, I will pick her. I like her" she added with a cheerful smile.

Thandi looked at her friends and then at the lady Leticia. " me?" She asked not really looking for a response.

" yes, why not? You don't like us?" Leticia asked rather a bit let back.

" no mam, or sorry Leticia" she corrected herself quickly seeing Leticia's frown of disapproving the mam title.

" I didn't expect to be the first to go" she lied nervously her eyes on Mattie who nooded to support her.

" Thank you " she faked a smile and said her good byes to her friends and lady Jane before walking towards the vehicle where Leticia and Harold were waiting for her.

The comfort of a Fortune runner making her feel intimidated even more. There was something about the couple that Thandi would never dare to speak out. They looked like two actors from some movie. Something between them seemed unreal. Even though Leticia was trying to show off her husband and their marriage. Something didn't just fit in but Thandi decided to mind her business and work hard and go to school as planned.

She was shown a neat bed room after they arrived at a large house which she wondered what purpose It saved since only two people lived in it as Leticia had told her.

Immediately they drove in Leticia and herself got off the vehicle and Harold who was quiet the whole way drove out after his wife planted a quick kiss on his lips.

" this is your new room. Put your staff in that closset. Come on I show you around the house" Leticia told Thandi.

They went from room to room with Leticia explaining the purpose of each room. Ranging from the laundry room, the visitor's bathroom, the gym, the rooms for visitors, the living room, the Tv room, kitchen, dinning room and the main bedroom which had two large beds and look so extraordinary Thandi wondered if anyone had ever lay on them.

" we had a daily maid till two days ago, she quit, the reason we decided to hire you" Leticia spoke more like responding to Thandi's question of how clean the house was.

But that didn't explain why the main bedroom was still neatly made or why it had two large beds when a couple, married for that matter slept in it.

" thank you once again m.... I mean Leticia for helping me. " Thandi managed to find her low voice after the tour was done.

" just make sure you work hard and I promise you won't regret this, don't worry about cooking for me and my husband, we rarely eat home made foods. So just prepare what you can for yourself. Theres everything in their she pointed at the refrigerator and the cupboards around the kitchen. " she informed her holding her hand bag ready to leave but Thandi didn't dare ask where to. It was clear it wasnt in her place to ask about such things she figured from the moment.

" yes Leticia" she nodded her head and watched the woman leave without telling her were she was going. The next thing she heard was the sound of the car engine and a few minutes later it was silent. She looked around the house and sighed sitting on the couch her hands on her face as she took in every detail of the living room.

" well , Thandi here you are" she sighed thoughts of how it was going with Mattie and Sali coming to her mind.


To be continued

Read more here: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

8

© Tisa Phiri


A few minutes after Thandi was taken, an elderly woman driving a Toyota Mark 2 which was white in colour and a number plate which was from years back but the car still looked clean and neat. The white covers she had put on the head seats showing off how the interior of the car was, even from steps away where Sali and Mattie sat waiting patiently for their own turn to be picked.

The woman stepped out of the car her long Chitenge dress reaching her toes covering some blue sandles matching with the small patches on the material.

" helo, am sorry I am late, I had some visitors at home and you know how it is, I had to spend some time with them they came all the way from the Copperbelt" she went on giving the details which somehow bore the girls.

It was clear there intrest wasn't knowing about her visitors. They just wanted to get over it already. They had been waiting for over an hour after Thandi was picked and Mattie was almost loosing it. Thinking whoever volunteered to help them had backed out at the last minute.

" it's alright mam, am so glad you came" the lady responded calmly. A tone of relief in her voice.

" the other family has picked one girl already. We have Sali and Mattie remaining here. You can pick any of them " she shrugged moving back allowing the old woman to take a closer look at the girls.

After asking them some funny questions of where they both came from. How old they were, what they looked forward to and other questions, she finally decided to take on Sali who still didnt reveal the part of her having some strange powers.

" take care of yourself Sali, i promise you will do just fine," Thandi said, " we will get in touch. Lets meet in town next weekend okey?" Mattie hugged Sali assuring her to get going.

" okey" Sali sighed and walked away.

She sat silently in the front seat as the woman who she noticed talked a lot kept asking her one question after the other.

They drove past the compound where Sali and her friends had stayed and she turned to look at it already missing her friends.

" so what do you do mam?" She finally cut in the woman's words as she expalained to her about her sons and daughters who were studying or working.

" i retired last year. I used to work as a teacher in the ministry of education and was promoted 10 years ago as Headteacher before i retired. My husband runs his own company. " she smilled proudly.

By the time the women finished telling her about her years in service they were driving in a wide yard in Chilanga. A short guy with a funny hair cut opened the gate for them and bow a little to greet the lady.

" hey John this is Sali, shes come to help Belita with the house work and she will be staying with us. " Sali was introduced.

Coming into the house, they met a woman Sali quickly noticed was a maid because of the uniform she was clad in, a checked blue buttoned dress with a head cape. The woman was standing in the kitchen almost kneeling at the sight of her boss.

" you are welcome back home mam!" She eclaimed forcing a smile on her face.

" Belita this is Sali, the girl i told you about. Show her to your room and let her get started. We will talk about your payments and other things later on. Am tited now i need to rest" the woman spoke her eyes now on Sali who was still clinging to her small bag.

" yes mam" she bow a bit in respect like she had noticed from the other two workers.

20 minutes later, she was in the kitchen receiving instructions from Belita as she hurried her to do things pointing out that the family should be served their dinner before 7 pm.

By the time they were done serving, Sali felt a little tired. She however was told it was a trend of the house to ensure all the plates were cleaned and the dinning and kitchen swept and left clean before bed time.

She sat down on the cold tiles on the wide veranda to eat with Belita who had pilled their food on two plates. Sali wondered why they were eating something different from what was served on the main table. She had initially, thought they were to eat the food remaining in the pots.

" we don't eat what our bosses are eating. Everyday we ought to ensure that we prepare our own as instructed by the madam" Belita whsipered to Sali as to answer her unasked questions.

" okey" she responded getting to eat as she was feeling so hungry. Belita looked at her eat and shook her head.

" you must be hungry huh? " she smiled sighing.

" i only had some left over nshima with the girls this morning and i have not eaten anything since. " Sali responded now feeling ashamed of the way Belita was looking at her.

she was still munching on her food when she heard two voices giggling behind her. Sali turned her head to look at the direction of the giggles which were turning into laughter. She almost chocked when she saw two boys standing and micking her chewing.

" hahahahhaha look at how she is eating, wow , shes really fast no wonder she's so fat!" Screamed one of the boys who seemed to be around 12 or 13 years old.

" stop talking nonsense and leave the poor girl alone, its probably that she has not had such a meal in a long time" the other one who was a little bit older responded with a laugh.

At first Sali thought the older boy was being sympathetic but the laugher that followed showed how much Sali will have to bear with.

" you must be the girl from the orphanage?" the older boy asked teasingly.

" chimba! Come back here and leave that girl alone!" Mrs Numba shouted from inside the house.

" we are just checking out our new house help grand ma! " the boy defended himself still wearing a stupid smile on his face.

Sali was quiet, the two boys were a very good reminder of the boys who tied her to a tree back in Chongwe.

She felt hot tears gather in her eyes, what was she to do now that she had to face the same enemy from her past.

" Sali you have to get used to those boys. They are the grand children to Mrs Numba and they are spoiled brats as you have noticed already. Dont mind them, they are just kids after all" she added patting her hand.

Sali nodded, with everything in her , she wished things were different. She remembered Mattie 's words.

" whenever someone tries to get on your bad side, remember us and know that in spirit we will stand with you."

Sali sighed sadly her appetite lost, she stood and collected the plates walking back inside to start washing them.

Belita sent her to go and collect the plates from the table as the family had finished eating.

She walked in head down and came to a full view of 6 people seated around the table chatting. They all went silent upon seeing her enter giving Sali a hard time to stand still without shaking.

" Saliya, come over here i introduce you to everyone !" Madam Numba called her out bringing her back from her defeaning silence.

She pointed at the man across the table, " that is the owner of this house, Mr Numba, my husband, the one next to him is our last born son, you will be seeing him around as he has just completed his college degree and is now persuing some jobs" she smiled at a man of about 20 who kept his eyes on the table and only looked up at Sali once and looked back down. Sali thought he was shy.

" the one opposite him is Grace, she's my niece and stays here with us, she's doing her 11th grade in secondary school. Am sure you have met Chimba and Paul", she paused signalling the two seemingly naughty boys to keep quiet as she introduced them.

"Chimba is my first grand son, he's the child to my son who is abroad with the rest of the family. He's staying with us for the holiday and will go back when schools open there in the States.

The other boy, Paul is my daughter's child. Shes my second born and lives in the southern part of Zambia, am sure you will meet her soon too. Paul stays with us here. Lastly" she sighed looking at a girl of about 12 who sat next to her.

" we have Maria here, she's my late sister's last born child and she too lives here with us" she concluded clapping her hands softly.

" you are welcome!" Sali heard Mr Numba's deep voice and the others said it too after him. Sali could see the boys and Mary still looking at her with funny smiles and she felt uncomfortable.

" go on and get the plates dear " Mrs Numba spoke up and Sali bow slighlty getting to clean up the messed table.

She wondered how the people around the table had left so much food on their plates which was as she was told, to be thrown since it was touched, when people out there were desiring to have such meals to quench their hunger.

She felt the urge to collect the food and keep it to eat later but the abusive looks she was getting from the boys made her think otherwise. She knew if those boys could see through her thoughts they would really make funny of her.

That night, tired she went to what was to be her bed, a small single bed with some thin blanket and bedsheets. She lay on her back her eyes wide open.

" you will get used my dear child. Mrs Numba is a good woman though she sticks to her rules. Follow them and you will have no problems with her." Belita smiled as she got to her own bed which was opppsite Sali's.

" ofcourse" she sighed and pulled up the blanket turning to get her much needed sleep.


To be continued

Read more here: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

okay, following.

Hmmm

Oyin, I don't even knw dat I got a call from you, sorry for late response and thank you for the mention. You neva disappoint, just as usual, you get another fantastic story here. Pls don't starve us Oyin

Hnmm! I feel for Sali alot. I just hope she will blend in.Weldone dear ,still fololowing.

9


© Tisa Phiri


Mattie...

I sat down the cold floor my nude body tinted with the cold i couldn't feel any more cold.

The sharp pains from my abdomen making me want to scream for help but i knew there was none coming for me.

" what have i done that you have allowed so much pain and toil in my life. I have begged you, i have knelt down to pray for you to take away my pain. But you have not shown mercy on me. Please take away this pain and help me to rest, i beg you Jesus please!" I whispered my own words falling to come out of me.

" i told you this will be easy my sweet one. Now my wife will have no idea of what has been going on the past years. You are mine Mattie, your beauty, your sweet body and everything about you belongs to me, you hear?" Came a very annoying voice of Kelly as he spoke closer to my ears.

" you bastard, do you realise that the abortion you have forced me to have for yhe second time has made permanently infertile and damaged. Am in pain and i swear to God i never asked for this. God will purnish you Kelly, you are a demon and a damn rapist who has been taking advantage of me for th past 2 years. I hate you!" I cried my eyes dry as i could not cry anymore.

" well i love you Mattie. You keep me going and remember anything stupid from you and that big fat friend of yours will be in jail for life" Kelly screamed in my face his saliva splashing in on me making me more angry.

" she didnt do it deliberately you evil bastard she was just a girl and she couldnt control herself. You were not even supposed to over hear anything that night. how many times must i be tormented to pay for my friend's freedom?" I cried out this time hot tears rolling my cheeks i could feel them drop slowly onto my bare chest.

" stop talking nonsense Mattie you are no longer a child, you are a woman now and am sure you and your friends will just be fine provided you give me what i want " Kelly smiled touching my breasts and planting a kiss on my lips i felt like vomoting.

" now get dressed and take those pain killers. In two days you will be fine and i will get you back home. My wife will have no idea we are here. With you gone for a weekend to your friend's house, and myself to a meeting in the other town, nothing will ever make her know the truth" Kelly shrugged as he stood in the door way gulping some beer from the bottle in his hands and smiling widely like the devil that he was.

I lay flat on the cold floor. I swear i was tired, i had no more strenght to fight further. It was the second time Kelly was forcing me to abort and this time the doctor who attended to me after the illegal operation went wrong told me i was never going to have a child. I was now barren and even though i never thought of having children anytime sooner, it still hurt so badly.

How did i get here?

Well 2 years back, i was picked just like Sali and Thandi, in my case only a man showed up and from the first time i set my eyes on him, i felt my skin crawl. He wore a wide smile that had trouble written all over it.

He looked at me in a weired way but the lady at the lodge assured me Kelly's mother who was supposed to take me in was a good person. She told me she knew her personally from church and that she was probably busy and decided to send her son to pick me up.

I felt relieved hearing Kelly wasnt going to be my boss.

Seeing his mother was such a relief. I was so happy when she welconed me with so much joy i felt at home.

She told me i was to consider her as my mother and at first i felt it was too good to be true. With time however i realised she was a genuine person. She loved me like i was her child.

I would see Kelly once in a while whenever he came to see his mother and he always made me feel uncomfortable. I was okey because his mother was not the kind to torelate any nonsense so he kept his distance.

I started going to school like a normal child of the house. Kelly' s mother never at once treated me like a maid. She always insisted on helping out with house chores to allow me study.

To say i was happy is an understatement. I felt sad for Sali with the troubles she had to face where she had gone. Thandi too had her stories but i was the lucky one of them all. I was at home with Kelly's mother until one fateful day 6 months later, i was preparing dinner for us, it was only the two of us in the house.

A man dressed in police uniform walked to the door.. " how may i help you sir?" I smiled at him wiping my hands with a towel as he stood outside the door.

" is this the house of Mrs Julia Roberts?" The officer asked me.

" yes it is sir, but shes not here right now, she went to get something from town" i quickly explained.

" and you are?" The officer asked his face still serious. " am Mattie her ..um daughter" i managed to say just like kelly 's mother used to introduce me to people..

" anything wrong sir?" I asked him noticing how uneasy he was looking.

" am sorry lady, your mother just passed on, she was involved in a road accident at ring road on her way here. We found her details in the car from some documents and we thought of informing the family"

I couldnt hear the rest of what the man was saying my hands and legs felt numb and i found myself huddled to the floor my face wet. I was devastated and broken. Lossing Julia felt like i had lost my own biological mother. I came to love her so much and i wondered why she had to go so soon.

My night mares started two weeks after the funeral. Kelly and his wife who decided to take up the responsibility of taking over were she had left me citing thats what she would have wanted. They pleaded with me to stay with them.

" work for us and we will allow you to go to school like mother did" Kelly's wife held my hand one day. I had my items packed and ready to leave.

Kelly who acted like he didnt care if i stayed sat across the couch as his wife talked to me.

" honey, say something " she looked at her husband who was acting up looking at his phone.

" yeah, she can stay honey. I have no problem with that. " he nodded carelessly.

" you see, Kelly and i will help you Mattie come on you have to stay. The good news is that we are all moving in here." She smiled as she held her bulged stomach. Kelly's wife was heavily pregnant then.

Kelly become my night mare. His wife was kind and good to me but i had to face her husband every night with him wanting to sleep with me.

I always slept with a knife at night to attack him whenever he attempted to rape me. It worked for me for weeks. He claimed he loved me and his wife was boring for him espaecialy with her heaviness. According to him, i was the perfect woman for him and he wanted us to be together. I vowed never to allow him use me and threatening to tell his wife on him.

I could see how he got unease whenever i was with his wife thinking i would tell her but i felt for the poor lady. She already had issues with Bp during her pregnance and i never wanted to be the one to kill her or her child with the news of her stupid husband.

I was happy i succeeded in keeping him away for a while and until one day, Sali came over for the weekend.

She looked so sad and sorry i could tell something was terribly wrong. She held on to me as i hugged her and she cried loudly.

" what is wrong Sali?" I tried to sussh her but she cried the more. She tried to talk but nothing but cries came out of her.

" Sali stop crying girlfriend and tell me what is wrong" i shook her.

" we have to wait for Thandi, she's coming right?" She sniffed as she tried to contain heself.

" yes she is on her way i talked to her a couple of minutes ago. Her boss gave her a hard time leaving but she finally agreed. Am so worried about you Sali" i shook my head placing hers on my shoulders as she sobbed.

I had never seen her so scared and devasted before. My instincts told me something huge was up and i didnt want my mind to allow anything bad cross it. I was scared of the worst and i had no idea how to face what i was about to hear.

" oh Thandi! You are here!" I sighed in relief seeing Thandi walking to the back where i sat with Sali.

She was looking so good in her black leggings and a spotted top dress that fitted her perfectly. Indeed over the two years My friends had grown. With the kind of woman Leticia was, she had turned Thandi into some kind of model.

" hey girls i missed you!" She smiled coming to hug me and stopped in her step seeing how Sali was looking.

" hey sweety, whats wrong? Are you crying? Oh my Sali, whats going on?" Thandi frowned sitting down closer to Sali and holding her hand.

" Sali sweety talk to us. We are here for you, we are all here now" i pleaded rubbing Sali 's back.


To be continued

Source: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

HNNMMM!! WHAT MORE CAN I SAY.

10

© Tisa Phiri


Mattie....

" lets get inside. I already talked to my boss, she allowed me to have you here for the weekend girls. We can talk from inside" i told Sali and Thandi holding out my hand to help Sali up. She was still crying and we decided to let her calm down a little bit before she could tell us what was going on.

We both had an idea but we didnt dare speak the obvious out. The only comforting thing was that Sali managed to move all the way fron Chilanga to Woodlands were i was. I had thought she wasn't in such much danger and trouble after all.

Sali sat down on my bed making a big sigh as the bed matress went down were she sat. Despite the troubles she seemed not to loose any weight.

" so how have you been Thandi?" I asked trying to give Sali time.

" oh my dear what can i tell you. That couple is so weird they are two people who fight everytime, i barely sleep at night due to their noise making and the bad part of it all is that Leticia wont let me sleep whenever they fight.

She would wake me up to clean her wounds and stay with her till she falls asleep in the guest room like she's a child.

Am so tired of all this Mattie. Her husband treats me like trash. Can you believe he threw a glass of juice in my face the other day, just because i mistook his wife's cup with his.

" can't you fool do anything right for once? You are just like your pathetic boss i swear i will break your neck one day! He yelled at me imagine." Thandi shook her head.

" but why did they pretend they want to help you? I mean , i understand that old woman who got Sali, she acts all church and believes she's doing it for a good cause. My dear late Julia was a saint and we all knew she had a genuine reason for helping me. But those two? I dont get it Thandi. They could have hired anyone out there. They don't go to church, am just wondering how and why they took the trouble of picking you" i raised my hand and placed it back on Thandi's laps with wonder.

" my dear, i dont know. I asked Leticia one day and she told me her husband behaves that way because she has failed to give him kids.

She told me they wanted to adopt some baby from the orphanage as suggested by Harold but Leticia wasnt ready to take care of a baby. She however said getting one of us was a deviation. She lied to her husband that there were no babies and she only found some grown girls. Suggesting helping any of us would feel as good as taking up a baby for adoption. " Thandi exaplained.

" oh my God, they call what they are doing to you helping? Insulting you every day and tormenting you with noise, to add to that they wont even allow you to go to school. What the hell!" I snapped feeling angry.

"The whole purpose of going through that trouble was to go to school look at us. They won't allow you. Sali here is too tired everyday to even think of studying. She might end up quiting after all, i really hate this guys. Am not complaining much since atleast am allowed to go to school but i have to face that Coloured jerk of my boss most of the times. " i sighed sadly my eyes filling up.

" well, i wont be going to school any more. I quit as of yersterday. " Sali responded sitting up.

" what? Why? Did they stop you from going to school?" I asked her , turning to look straight at her swallon eyes from crying.

She sniffed and used the back of her hands to wipe her tears.

" i killed some one guys" Sali started her lips shaking.

" oh no!" We shouted in unison with Thandi.

" i didnt intend to i swear. He just came from no where and hugged me from behind. I tried go fight him off but he held on to me. He was so strong i tried to scream but he wouldnt let me.. i.. i.. i ..... oh Mattie he was going to rape me. Remember you said we have to stand up against such men" Sali shook terribly as she narrated her short cuts to the story.

" okey. Calm down my love, calm down and tell us everything. Who did you kill? Where? And what really happened? say everything from the start" i held her hands controlling myself too.

" say it out already Sali, you can't keep all that to yourself sweety come on" Thandi chipped it.

" i was sent to go and collect some dry maize from Mrs Numba's farm which is adjacent to the house.

I was alone in the middle of the dry maize stems working as told, filling the sacks with maize cobs. Belita couldnt come with me cause she was not feeling too well" Sali paused .

" okey" i nodded my head wanting her to continue.

Sali continued.." like i said i was working when i heard foot steps approaching me. I turned to look at who it was but i was too late. A man moarned and grabbed my waist breathing heavily as he pressed hard on my back. i tried to turn and fight him off me but he wouldnt let go.

I tried to scream but he wouldnt stop and the next thing he pushed me to the ground and got on top of me from behind. I couldn't think of any way out.

I closed my eyes and let my mind imagine the worst for him as the man pulled down my pant his other hand still holding me down.

I felt something on me raise up strongly i was shaking. With everything in me i let a loud shout and i dont know how, but the next thing i was standing on top of the man his neck twisted. He was dead.... he died right in front of me Mattie" she shivered crying loudly.

" oh my God Saliya! That was terrible. We told you to control your feelings and powers. Now what are we going to do?" Thandi cried too

" i tried to fight them off Thandi. I swear i tried. I have endured the insults and teasing from those kids at that house and i knew i was being strong not to do anything bad to them. That...that... that man just.. oh my God what do i do? Am going to jail for murder" Sali stammered, burping as she cried.

" its okey Sali. We know you have tried all these months. You have been strong sweety and we are proud of you. But this man just pushed you to the edge. I understand you sweety" i managed to comfort her. Not believing my own words that things will be okey.

" so who is he?" I asked realising we had no idea who the man was from the story.

" he's the neighbour's son. He's a drunkard, i see him come to the house i work for sometimes. I didn't even know it was him until he died on me.

I was so scared i ran to the house. Thankfully no one was around and i went to hide in the bathroom for 30 minutes.

Last night i was so nervious i thought everyone would know what i did. I couldnt tell them guys. I lied that i wasnt feeling well too and this morning i asked for a day off so that i could tell you guys " Sali told us.

We all sat silent . We didnt want our friend in prison and we hoped no one would ever know what was going on.

We were still quiet when Sali ' s phone rung.

" who is it?" We both asked her looking at her phone.

" its Belita.. oh my God they know!" She screamed scared.

" wait Sali calm down. You have to act normal. As far as you are concerned you know nothing of that man's death. Now puck it up and tell her you are here with us " i spoke up holding the phone to Sali.

" she's right, you cannot tell anyone else about this Sali we won't let you go to jail" Thandi patted her hand to take the call. she sighed before answering and she was shaking as she talked on the phone.

" what?" We both asked her when she hang up.

" they found the body. Belita was telling me the man was found dead this morning and the police and his family are suspecting drug over dose and excessive beer drinking as the cause of his death" she explained her eyes wide open.

" thats good Sali. They won't connect you to that man's death" i exclaimed relieved.

We discussed hiding the truth between ourselves. We were not going to tell another soul about it. And i knew as long as were were quiet about it. Our Sali would be out of jail and live freely.

I was however overwhelmed the following morning when Kelly called me. He closed the spare bedroom door and asked to sleep with me.

" are you mad! How many times am i going to tell you i will never do that with you. Get it through your head Kelly, am not ever going to lay with you. And if..." i couldnt finish my sentence and he moved closer to me.

" you will sleep with me today, tommorow and anytime i want my Matilda" he teased smiling widely.

" go to hell you Jerk!" I shouted loudly.

" yes dear you are mine now, know why? " he asked trying to hold my waist but i moved back quickly.

" because i overhead you and those two friends of yours yersterday. I know Sali killed a man and you are planning on hiding the truth from the world. " he smiled victoriously i felt my inside raise up.

" you don't know anything you lier. You don't." I snapped.

" yes. And trust me i know more than you think. That woman who took your friend were friends with mom and i know where she stays. I took my mother to her place several times. She's let me see.." he closed his eyes teasing.

" got it! " he shouted raising his head.

" Mrs Numba, yeah thats it?, right?" He shook his head at me.

" please i beg you in the name of God. She didnt do it deliberately. She's just 16 please she can't go to jail. She didnt do it deliberately" i pleaded kneeling down to the floor. But Kelly wouldn't heed to my plea. He blackmailed me into sleeping with him. Saying if i did it once he was not going to say anything. After that he came again and again threatening me every time i turned him down.

I couldn't let my friend go to jail. Sali was delicate, she would be broken going to Prison. I had to endure at the hands of Kelly.

Things got even worse when i realised i was pregnant he forced me to abort. Promising he would stop but all was a lie. He kept coming on to me.

One day i refused and i thought he was joking when he told me he was going to tell Mrs Numba about what Sali did. I was cleaning plates in the kitchen when i heard a vehicle outside.

I peeped through the window and saw her walk out of her car heading to the front. You can imagine how i panicked.

Kelly smiled at me as i walked to go get the door. " i called her to tell her your little secret" he whispered in my ears and i was dumb folded.

" no you can't do this to me please! " i cried.

" well i want you to know that i can keep my words" he shrugged and opened the door to allow Mrs Numba in. I was motionless failing to respond to her greeting as she walked in.

" Mattie, are you not answering our visitor's greeting?" Kelly shook my hand and i looked up my eyes wide open.

" yes mom, you are welcome " i managed to push my words tears forming in my eyes.

I watched them walk to the living room and heard Kelly start.." so i called you to tell you about Sali , the girl you got from the...." he couldnt finish his sentence and i screamed loudly alerting everyone.

Kelly's wife came running asking what was wrong and i lied i saw a big rat pass in the kitchen.

" honey you have to get rats killer soon i hate rats" she told her husband who looked at me with a smile on his face.

I waited for Kelly's wife to walk back and i pulled his hand.

" please don't i will do whatever you want. Please don't tell her" i cried.

" you promise?" He smiled biting his tongue. " yes am yours Kelly. Just dont do it please" i begged like an idiot and he walked away.

I heard him change the story and later on Mrs Numba walked out and i sighed in relief.

" i won't let you go to jail my Sali. You will be safe as long as i do what this jerk wants" i cried stranding in front of the mirrow tears wetting my face.

Now i was barren, i felt empty inside. The hole inside seemed to be growing everyday that passes.

Thandi and Sali had no idea what i was going through. I didn't want them worry about me. At least i thought one of us ought to make it out. If i had to sacrifice myself for the girls to live better lives, i promised myself that was what i was to do.


To be continued

Read more here: www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Hnmm!! This story is becoming more emotional, I think she should let them know and let Sali use her power to dicipline that idiot. Weldone dear for the update it was right on time.

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© Tisa Phiri

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Hey! Relax, all you need is to visit the link below to continue reading

www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Still following bro.....

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© Tisa Phiri

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Hey! Relax, all you need is to visit the link below to continue reading

www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Hnnnmm!! Did I miss anything?while will this girl fall in love . Okay o. Weldone my writer, God bless you more.

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© Tisa Phiri

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Hey! Relax, all you need is to visit the link below to continue reading

www.youngicee.com/category/the-undisputed

Interesting update Enjoy other interesting stories on Tushstories via

www.tushstories.com

#Read!

Still following dear. The suspense was too much for me to bear I had to ignore my books n login to your blog to finish the story it was Wao . Patience is truly virtue

So, I finished the story already and I love every bit of it