Chord Limitless : Episode 2

I got into the truck amongst the passengers already seated in there. I found a place in a corner and quietly pulled my wrapper around me. I was feeling so emotional so talking to people was really not an option. As the truck bobbed and drove away from my home my heart couldn't help but ache more. I was leaving the only home I had ever known. The place where I had felt safe all my life. I prayed for my mother and the siblings I was leaving behind.

I prayed Moses would care for them till I was able to return. I must have dozed off because the next time I woke up someone was shaking me and demanding for payment. I reached into the plastic where I had placed the money and pulled out a K50. He handed me back a twenty. Sleep was hard to go back to so I stared out;looking at nothing in particular. I once more prayed for my family and asked God to lead me.
We got to Choma just after eight. I asked someone who had a phone and they told me it was eight.


 I asked if I could make a call and I would pay them. They told me they first needed to buy a credit. We were taken to the station opposite the museum and that is where we disembarked. The man I had asked for help with the phone asked me to buy credit. I did as instructed. I got credit for K5 and handed it to him. He loaded it into his phone and then gave me. I punched in Harmony's number and waited for the number to go through. After three atrempts he finally picked.
"Harmony, how are you? It is I Rose?"
"Rose? Where are you? Father called me not too long ago. He is furious!"
"I am in Choma...I had to leave. Mother asked me to leave. I am coming to Lusaka please expect me."


"I...."
"Please brother. I have no where else to turn."
"Ok. I will be expecting you."
I thanked him then cut the line. I thanked the man then walked over to a makeshift shop that had just opened. I was starving. I bought yess drink and buns. I found a place to sit and I had my food as I watched people go about their business. I had been to choma a few times. Especially during school outings. I had been at Macha girls. I smiled as I thought of school. I had been one of the best pupils in my class. Always pushing myself for the sake of my mother. She had always seemed to have that faith in me and my abilities.


"Your options are Limitless my child. You will be the one to care for this family. You have a heart of gold and inner strength,something Harmony lacks."
My mind drifted to Harmony. I wondered how he was fairing. When he had firs gone to Lusaka he had been in constant contact and he would send money to us but he had somehow forgotten us. I hoped I wouldn't forget where I came from. I finished eating and stood from where I sat and asked someone for buses going to Lusaka. He pointed at a minibus. I walked to where the conductor was shouting for passengers.
"Is this bus going to Lusaka?" I asked in nyanja.
He nodded. "Yes. It is K60."


I reached into my plastic and pulled out another fifty with a ten from the chnage from my food. I had about a hundred remaining. I sat in the front seat as I wanted to see everything along the way. When the bus filled up we started off. "God lead the way and may we arrive safely."
I kept awake the entire way as I looked at each and every town along the way. I watched people,listened to conversations and thanked the Lord for the opportunity. When we got to Kafue my heart skipped. I knew Lusaka wasn't far. I asked the conductor if I could use his phone and he agreed. I called Harmony and told him we were in Kafue.
"Drop in makeni," he said curtly.


I told the conductor who nodded. Just as we were getting into Lusaka Harmony called and the conductor spoke to him before telling me that he was already at the station. I got out at the said station and stood motionless for a while as I looked around.
"Rose?"
I turned and there was my brother. I smiled as I watched him cross the road. He looked different and he had grown his beard making him look more like father. I expected him to hug me but he just stood looking at me awkwardly for a minute before I decided to greet him.


"Come,let us go home," he said before leading me away. I wanted to ask him.some questions but decided it was best we wait till we get to our destination.
We jumped on a minibus and off we went. I heard him telk the conductor that we were going to Linda compound. I looked out the window as we passes houses. I had seen big houses iin Macha but the ones I was seeing now seemed massive. We were on the road for a good fifteen minutes before we reached the Linda station. He led me away wordlessly and I had no idea how he really felt about me being here.


"You are back early?" A woman questioned him as we came to a small house after trekking for another fifteen minutes.
He turned to look at me and then at the woman. I lookedvat her too. She was in a white top and a red wrapper and had wigs on her head. She looked as though she was also bleaching. I had seen people bleach macha and had always found it disturbing.
"Who is this?" She asked putting her hands on her waist.


"My sister Rose."
She looked at me then looked at my brother before clicking her tongje and walking into the house. My brother looked at me and then led me into the house. We walked straight into a small living room. There were two sofas there covered with decorative couch covers and there was a tiny table in the middle with a table cloth and there was a small tv in the corner. Harmony asked me to sit as he followed his wife through the curtain. I didn't have to be a genius to realise that I was not welcome in the house. I sat down warily.
"Afuna chani wamene mwaleta!" I heard the woman yell. (What does the person you have brought want?)


I didn't hear my brother's respinse but the woman yelled again. "Don't we have enough mouths to feed? Batate Erica you should be serious. Three children and my young sister and now you bring in a dependant?"
Harmony had three children we didn't know about? I wondered then where they were and how old they were. The two kept on arguing until it went quiet and suddenly the surtain separating the living room from the other room was wrenched open and the furious woman walked in she glared at me before throwing herself on a couch. My brother walked in slowly before he sat.


"Rose," he said tiredly.
I looked at him. "This is Tasila, my wife," he said quietly.
I lookes at her but she didn't bother to look at me. Harmony cleared his voice.
"You have come at a bad time...."
"Just tell her that she can't stay. She has two days to find somewhere to go!" The woman said angrily.


I looked at her then at my brother. I had come all this way for him to help me and now he was practically allowing his wife to throw me out. What happened to sticking together? Helping each other out? Tears filled my eyes. I am sure my mother had no idea that she had sent me to such a place. She had no idea that the son she had hoped would help me achieve my goals had no voice in his own home. I found myself kneeling.


"Harmony please, I have nowhere else to go," I said as I rubbed my hands together.
He looked at me with so much sorrow. I heard his wife click his tongue.
"You should have thought about that before coming here unannounced!" She said in Nyanja.
I ignored her as I continued looking at my brother. He bowed his head for a while before looking up.
"I will help you find a job tomorrow but you cannot stay," he said quietly.

Watch out for episode 3