Prelude to chaos

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Afar, Ethiopia

Amina swayed somewhere between staying awake and falling asleep but the latter would win the day. She'd been running all day and most of the night; away from the village and far from those who would steal her most treasured possession - her womanhood. '

  It's a tradition that you have a duty to upholdI'' the ignorant village elders had screamed down at her with their hot breath and vile spittle raining down on her smooth skin where she was forced to kneel down in subservience.  But she was a city girl, and an educated one at that meaning she knew the implications of what would happen if ever her 'womanhood' were taken away.

  So finding the best opportune moment to flee, Amina's feet carried her as fast as they could while the villagers still slept. Through the thick brambles she ran both for her life and for the love of her femininity. She had felt the pleasure of what it was to be a woman even though she'd never gone all the way with her boyfriend Mukhtar who'd shown her the art of foreplay. They would wait until they were married before exploring each other further but all that would be forfeited if the village crows ever laid their grimey hands on her. 

  Amina knew other girls who had suffered the indignity of Female Genital Mutilation and how afterwards their lives were destroyed beyond imagination. She knew a girl in particular; Bebi - once the village beauty who was now but a shadow of her former self and reeked of the effects of having her clitoris - nay, her spirit extracted from her body. Bebi could never bear children, and as a result her husband for whom her womanhood was removed to reduce the chances of her committing adultery duly divorced poor Bebi. 

  Amina swore on her life that she would not go down that path, and made true that vow as she scuttled away into the silent forest. 

  Now, hours later and exhausted from running, Amina fell onto a soft patch of undergrowth oblivious to the buzzing mosquitoes and croaking toads. She was far from the village and close to the edge of the city. In the morning she would rise and walk the rest of the way - but for now she would sleep. Or so she'd hoped but not for long as the rustling of footsteps in the forest brought her awake. Amina rose up, shaking the weariness from her eyes to see a dozen torchlight-wielding men emerge from the thicket towards her like evil, grinning shadows. This was it; Amina knew she was doomed. 

  'Get her and hold her down,' a hard voice bellowed, and although Amina could not see his face, she knew who it was. Adama, the uncouth male whom she'd turned down over and over again now wanted his pound of flesh - or in her case her most precious 'womanhood', but he was wrong. Amina had come prepared in case she found herself in this position. The men were now only metres away rushing to grab her before she fled again except Amina wasn't running; she sat there on the growth under the full moon shining down on her and on the sharp blade she was holding. The steely object glistened under the illumination as her hand went to her slender throat.

  'I curse you, I curse all men. You will lose what you hold most dear and you will shed tears like we have shed tears. I swear this on my very soul, Adama. I swear.' Amina snarled with a hint of a whimper in her velvety voice. And with that a quick movement of her hand which would turn out to be her final act of defiance. The men including Adama looked on in horror as Amina slumped to the ground, knees first before falling face first into the warm soil. Soon her warm blood was oozing out of her twitching body, very slowly into the earth and carrying with it her curse, except her final words would not go unheeded like those that had died unjustly before her. This time, something...a malevolent, unseen force was listening.   

 Uttar Pradesh, India.

(Author's note: This is a more harrowing part so reader discretion is advised)

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