It was a dark stormy night when something fell into my deep waters. Swiftly I swam with all my might to reach this tiny unknown bundle. I was surprised to find a wooden boat slowly sailing above me followed by the wailings of a woman. Slithering through the variety of rocks and foliage, I make my way to the bundle below the hoard of bubbles floating upwards.
Grabbing the object, I make my way to the surface and carefully swim towards the shore placing the bundle onto the muddy surface. Using my webbed claws, I lift and peel away every layer covering this squirming curiosity. My eyes widen as I realise what has just been done. Before me lay a newborn baby boy, his skin almost as pale as my own and he is barely alive. Using my powers I heal this tiny human. Muhire I whisper. I will be your mother.
“Mom?” I plead. “Can I play outside? Please?”
“No, there are dangers outside. Or did you forget?” With an eyebrow raised and her hands resting on her side, she stares at me.
“No mother, but it will not happen again.” I gently rub at the scar on my thigh.
“I will not play in the river I promise.” I widen my eyes and pout.
“Muhire! You will not leave the safety of our home and that is final.” She snaps back. Dammit. “I need to go. Remember, I cannot always come to your rescue.”
In one quick movement she gracefully disappears into the river. This sucks…
Staring at the various spiders that call our wooden roof home, I find myself bored if I stay out of the river and just follow it a bit, I should be home before she gets here. Amping myself up I feel convinced that my plan is failure proof. I quickly put on my shoes before I bolt closing the door behind me. I feel the warm bright sun burning my pale skin. I should stick to the shade; mom will notice a sunburn.
The air is humid, turning my tuft into a mane and I can hear the cicadas enjoying the midmorning sunlight. Various animals can be heard in the background. Antelopes, Lions, hyenas, baboons. Antelope that huff and puff when I come to close. I keep an eye on the river as I walk amongst the tree line, careful of where I step. Mom has had to heal quite a few scorpion stings before.
Around one of the riverbends a bright sparkle catches my eye. It’s a little deeper into the wilderness. I seek around for a small sharp rock to mark the trees so that I can easily find my way back to the river. I have seen the devastation my mother can cause when she couldn’t find me a few years ago. It’s one of the reasons why I am never allowed outside.
I head towards the light. The view of a glittering pond lighting up the area in all sorts of colours takes my breath away.
“H-hello?” I stutter out, staring at the small pale boy gawking at the pond. I have never seen such a weird sight before. He has light blond hair and milky white skin. The tiny boy bolts up and turns around to face me. Those dark chocolate eyes were wide in fear.
“Who are you?” I ask, pointing my walking stick at him.
“Muhire.” The boy says softly as his face turns to wonder. “You look just like me.” he rushes towards me, I drop the stick in shock.
“What do you mean? You are human are you not?” I ask curiously tilting my head to the side.
“Human.” He says slowly feeling the word form on his lips. His face was blank, eyes staring into nothing. “What is a human?” his focus shifts back to me.
“That’s what we,” I gently touch our chests, “are.”
“Human, I am human.” A large smile forms on his face.
“Where do you live?” I ask.
“I can’t tell you.” He became sad, looking at his feet.
“Do you go to school?” I ask again.
“What is school?” he sounded out the last word slowly again.
“It is a wonderful place, where elders teach you new things.” I smile broadly back.
“I think I want to go…” He calmly states. He quickly stared up at the sky and I could see beads of sweat falling down his forehead. He turned on his heel and ran off.
Dammit, I am going to be late. Mother will be furious. Running down the path following my footsteps, The small hut comes into view, and I pick up speed to get to the front door.
“There you are Muhire, I have been looking all over for you.” Her voice was sharp and filled with venom. She slithers closer and towers above me. Her skin was still slick from the water dripping down her black hair.
“Sorry mother, I got bored.” I look down at my feet. I feel her scaly tail envelop my body and lift me off the ground.
“Let me get a good look at you.” She said softly. “No burns, no cuts, no bruises.” She places me back down gently “I am mad, but proud that you kept yourself safe. Perhaps I will allow you to roam Muhire.”
A smile forms on my lips.
“Only if you promise to stay safe.” Her teal eyes glowed in the sunlight.
“I promise.”
“Let’s head inside and prepare dinner.” Mom’s voice was sweet and gentle.
“Mother, do you think I could perhaps join the other humans at school?” I ask curiously over dinner.
“No. Humans are evil, they tried to kill you as a baby.” Her features darkened and I left it at that.
Over the next few days, I snuck off to the pond and spoke with Rose. She was more than happy to teach me as I could not attend school. I learned to read and write, and to count numbers.
I kept my learning away from my mother. She would not understand.
One morning I stood waiting by the pool when Rose showed up with some new things under her right arm.
“Are you ready? I took notes from today’s lesson for you.” She smiled broadly.
“Rose, what do you think you are doing!” A gravelly voice hollered from the treeline.
“Father I?” She froze on the spot, her body shaking.
“Get away from that boy this instant!” He demanded before ripping her away from my side by her right arm.
“Ouch daddy, you are hurting me.” She cried, his hand squeezing and twisting her arm tightly. ”Why daddy?”
“He is the devil’s child.” He spat at my feet.
“NO, YOU ARE!” the loud resounding hiss coming from my mother made every hair on my body stand on edge.
“It’s you!” the man stated shakily, his eyes widening in fear.
“The Mami Wata.” I hear Rose say in a gasp.
“You will be killed, you monster.” The man declares before he runs off as fast as his feet can carry him, dragging poor Rose behind him, her arm contorting badly.
“I am sorry mother.” I choke out tears.
“Hush my child.” She cooed. “I have been keeping an eye on you and I can see that not all of the humans are bad.” She smiled at me, her pointed canines peeking from under her lip. “Let’s go home.”
I nodded and wandered on my path back. Focussing on nothing, my heart in pain. I never saw Rose again.
Late one afternoon a knock came at the door. Mother was still out, and I readied my spear before carefully stalking towards the door. The boiling pot over the fire was the only sound heard.
As I reach the door, I tightly grip the handle before flinging it wide open. Lifting the spear I give a quick thrust forward. The tip stops a breath away from a young woman’s nose.
“Muhire!” her eyes start to water, and she grabs me into a tight embrace. “Get your mother, you two should see this.”
My spear clatters to the ground and I slowly embrace her back taking in the sight and smell of my old friend.
“What is this?” I hear my mother ask behind us.
Rose let me go and faced my mother. Both of us are ready for the attack as she stares down my mother, her posture deadly serious. In shock and awe, we watch her bow down deep.
“My lady. It is an honour to be in your presence.” The rest of the night, we listened to her stories about how the village fought against its infractions and built a shrine in my mother’s honour.
My mother the Mami Wata became a symbol of peace and prosperity. Those who stood against us met with destruction and death.
—
Malek Arol Dhieu (Micah Angel) is a columnist in the No.1 Citizen Daily English Newspaper. Owning a column named “Sowing The Seed Of Truth”, he advocates majorly for change, democracy, climate change, quality education and the welfare of the citizens of South Sudan. This year, he is six years old in advocacy and his thirst for advocacy is unquenchable. Malek is a graduate of the School of Medicine, University of Juba. He is also a holder of an Advanced Certificate in Journalism at Media Development Institute/AMDISS.
Malek writes for the Right For Education Africa as a volunteer writer. He’s an associate member of the Young Global Leaders Network Inc. He won two awards. First, as a Third Prize Winner in the Human Community With a Shared Future Thematic Writing Contest by the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, and second, as a 3rd-runner in the Nile Basin Youth Competition in Uganda. In February 2023, he was selected as an African United Nations Youth Fellow for South Sudan. With this experience, he is armed with strong interpersonal communication, creativity, critical thinking and teamwork skills which are the necessities of workflow.
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