FICTION
BLUE DUST |||EPISODE ONE
BY KUDZAI MWANZA
N
okutenda Madavanhu
walked briskly along a worn
out dust path that was
between a cemetery plot. She found
herself repeatedly wishing for
someone, anyone to appear either in
front of her or behind, but every time
she turned no one was there. Nothing
was there. It was silent. Nothing apart
from her moved, breathed or made
noise. As a result, the noise her
footsteps were making was amplified
and echoed every where. The echoes
made her shiver and she could feel
cold sweat rolling down her neck,
down to waist band of the low cut blue
jeans she was wearing. She was
blessed with a fat free body, most
people called it thin, she called it
skinny like there was a difference, and
as such looked great in everything she
wore. She was tall, taller than most
women she knew and she had clear
chocolate brown skin, brown soft
eyes, nude colored lips and high
cheeks bones. Coupled with shoulder
length dreadlocks that were as black
as the designer formal black jacket
she was wearing, clean and well cared
for and always smelled of Dark ' n'
Lovely moisturizing sprays.
She swallowed hard as she tried not to
look at the graves, most of which were
covered with over grown weeds and
vegetation. Here and there, she would
see one that was well kept and the
granite still looking new and a little
beautiful. Hey...she found herself
thinking. Isn't thinking about the
beauty of a grave a taboo in some
cultures, maybe her own. Not that she
subscribed to culture or cultural
activities. She saw herself through
modern lenses unlike the rest
of her family members.
The surface of such grave
stones were awash with a
warm yellow illumination
coming from a combination
of tower lamps that lit
Warren hills from every
angle and corner. The
warmness of the lighting was
a sharp contrast to the dark
and heaviness of the night.
She increased her steps when her neck
hairs erected, after she thought she
heard footsteps behind her. She broke
into a scared sprint. As she turned to
her left following the road, she saw
her boyfriend exiting his black Nissan
twin cab, which he had parked in the
middle of a round about made by most
of the roads that ran through the
cemetery. He was standing under a
tower light and hence was well soaked
with bright yellow light.
‘..He had deep cuts and
bloody scratches all over his
left hand. The right sleeve
was still intact and hid his
hand, but was drenched in
blood...’
She was relieved to see him. But then
she abruptly stopped. The lighting
was as bright as day and it hid nothing.
She swallowed again as she began to
walk toward him, trying to keep an
open mind. Zvikomborero Tomudai
turned away from his car and spotted
his girl friend. He tried to smile but
could not, coldness had sipped
through his body and had froze every
warm feeling he had. He thought of
walking toward her then thought not,
then changed his mind again as he
began to walk slowly toward her.
“What happened to you?” Nokutenda
asked, concern fully registered on her
face.
“Happy new year. What plans do you
have for 2015?” Zvikomborero asked
as he focused more on his girlfriend's
fore head than her soft brown eyes
that he used to love so much. He
opened his arms for a hug, but his
girlfriend remained frozen.
“Zviko..” She said in a whimper
thinking of so many reasons why
hugging him right now would be
wrong.
“Its nothing. Don't worry about it. It
was just a small fight.”
There was nothing small about what
she was seeing. His shirt was torn and
shredded in so many places. It was
missing the left sleeve. He had deep
cuts and bloody scratches all over his
left hand. The right sleeve was still
intact and hid his hand, but was
drenched in blood. His blue trousers
were dirty and bloody and his right leg
had a slit that ran through to the knee.
His face was clean but his eyes were
suddenly cold and vacant. He hid his
hands away from her and she was no
longer settled.
“You had another fight with your
wife?!” She demanded with a voice
that was louder than she had
anticipated. It actually took
Zvikomborero with surprise.
“She is my ex wife. Whatever I do
with her is none of your business.” He
answered pointing his index finger at
her.
“I am your girlfriend....” She
protested, throwing her hands in the
air with so much force.
“Yeah! And not my wife. Don't get
confused.” Zvikomborero snapped,
taking a step back away from his
girlfriend.. “We are here as detectives.
Lets stick to the job!”
Nokutenda licked her lower lip as she
ran her left hand through her pony tail.
She cleared the throat as she tried to
smile to stop tears from falling.
“Right. I think we should follow this
road, it will take us to our crime
scene.” she said pointing to the road
that was unfolding before them,
leading toward more graves and even
brighter harsh lighting.
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