Under the moonlight

Chapter 21

Dembe's pov

After the attack on our village, life was not the same again .
The night and days dragged by slowly, as if to torture me even more.
Story telling no longer took place at night as everyone was scared for their lives.
Women walked in groups and most of the time could be spotted whispering to each other in low tones.
The children were no longer allowed to play outside as they pleased.
It was as if we were living on the edge.
The older men on the other hand held meetings almost every day from dawn till dusk, but when they went to their homes, it did not look like they had come to any agreement.
I tried to cajole Papa once into telling me exactly what they were discussing but I should have known better.
Papa would never spill the beans, even if it killed him.

"You should not concern yourself with such matters, Dembe. What you should be thinking about is a husband. "

A husband. That was one thing I was not thinking about.
How could I when every day, with every sunrise, all I could think of was Kojo.
It is not like he is not good enough for a husband, but what I was more concerned about was his safety.
He had to be alive in order to be a husband.

"Okay, Papa.  Then, maybe can I go to the stream? "

The look that he shot me was enough to burn my insides to ashes.

"I bet  there is enough water in this homestead, Dembe
Your mother already made sure of that. "

Why did Papa have to act like he did not care about what was going on in his own homestead, when in real sense, he knew everything, including what was in the pots.

" I will be in the house, then. "

I said as I walked away, trying to avoid any more questions about marriage.
I went to my room but I could not sit still.

I had not seen Kia for days now.
I only went to the market with Mama and she did not allow loitering.
We went home, immediately after buying whatever had taken us there.
I was dying. I needed to talk to Kia or someone else, apart from my parents.
I never knew that I would miss Amare, but I did.
His annoying company would have been so much better.
I stayed in my room trying to think of a few ways to get away from my parents.

Maybe, I should fake a fainting and then when I came to, I would demand to be taken to the stream for a breath  of fresh air. No, that was too dramatic, and it might even earn me a slap, considering the fact that Mama can smell melodrama from miles away.
I made a rash decision on whatever came to mind next.

I went to my window and liked around to make sure that Mama and Papa were not paying attention to the house.
After making sure the coast was clear, I stealthily jumped out of the window.
I had to get away.

I went to the only place I think of whenever I feel like I need a break from normal life even if it would be just for a few minutes: The Stream.

Normal life? Life has never been normal since the attack had happened.
I was really worried about my brother and Kojo.
It was a little bit selfish on my part, because there were many others out there, sons, husbands and even fathers,  but those two are the only ones I could think of.