It had been a couple of weeks since the uneasy truce between the two girls, but slowly they had begun to tolerate each other to the point of mutual humour. “I’ve been meaning to ask, I kicked your friend in the face, but I didn’t get punished, what’s up with this school?” Mulenga asked flipping through her notebook searching for an experiment to present at the up coming science fair.
“We call this a ‘PRT’ a positive reinforcement technique. Well the school calls it that anyway.” Kezipe shrugged. “Instead of giving your butt a whooping, they make you bunk mates with a random familiar.” Kezipe continued as she sat on the floor legs crossed sculpting feet to her wire structure. Mulenga turned her back to her notes and table to speak with Kezipe
“What the heck are you making?” Mulenga asked, her train of thought derailed by Kezipe’s wire figure. “I’m sculpting the word of God as it created the world, cool right?” Kezipe beamed down at her idea taking shape. “That’s art, but this is a science fair. What are you doing?” Mulenga pointed out the difference obviously for Kezipe. “Ma had a private conversation with a six year old boy, who happened to convince her that everything was essentially a science. Imagine that, a six year old using ‘essentially’. Anyway Ma has never told anyone what happened that day but science fair stuck for all our school projects.” Kezipe spoke, focused on filling in the wire feet with paper.
“I’ll get back to that, but I don’t even know what to do for the science fair. I’ve wasted my days going through sciencey books.” Mulenga declared her defeat, throwing the book in the air. “What is this place?” Mulenga moved to sit beside Kezipe while she filled her wire. “How long you been waiting to ask that? This is a school for the underprivileged, most of us are orphans with no one to take care of us on the outside, so Ma built this place to care and prepare us for the world” Kezipe spoke with no interruption to her paper filling.
“Don’t slump newbie, let me give you a grand tour of the grounds seeing as you arrived late, I’m certain you know nothing about this place.” Kezipe got to her feet, grabbing Mulenga in the process.
***
“The street we’ve left behind is called ‘Mpamvu street’ because Ma believes bonds are the basics of a healthy life, so bonds are strength.” Kezipe guided her explorer with zest and enthusiasm. “The doors outside are in the other direction no?” Mulenga asked surprised with what the new hallway turned into. “Yes, but no-one is going outside, all the buildings are connected, through tunnel ways which I am about to show you.” Kezipe said excited to teach something new.
The two chatted walking down the stairs with walls laden with paintings and portraits everywhere.
“Where is everyone else by the way?” Mulenga asked finally noticing how they’d moved with not even a soul besides theirs in sight. “Students are not allowed out of their rooms after hours, but when else will you experiencethe school for all it is during the crowded day?” Kezipe asked as they reached a metal tunnel walk through. “Past this tunnel is our training facility, can’t get you closer I’m afraid. High security facility, cause it houses state of the art training equipment.” Kezipe talked walking past the tunnel, further into the schools belly.
“I’m taking you to the library which is never closed, not even after hours.” Kezipe bragged. “How do you know it’s never closed” Mulenga asked “I love reading, I’m there alot especially when I need…”
Kezipe stopped talking as she heard noises coming from the entrance to the Library. “I know who you are and what you want.” The voice spoke, as the ladies approached with caution towards the Library doors hoping to peer into the library. “Wapi, you don’t understand anything, always chasing imaginary problems.” The unseen figure spoke keeping her back towards the library doors. “Just leave the girl alone” Wapi warned the mysterious lady.
“If I worked for the Royal Clan as you suggest then this conversation would be futile. Because if the clan wants Mulenga, there is nothing this school or anyone in it could do to stop them” the unseen figured continued. As soon as Mulenga heard her name, she panicked knocking herself into the fire extinguisher next to the doors. With Kezipe forced to put her hands over Mulenga’s mouth to avoid her from giving their position away. Kezipe raised her free hand to her lips signalling Mulenga to remain silent.
“Why do they want Mulenga?” Wapi asked the stranger “The story is, she might be the lost child of Commander Sitali” the stranger replied. “Commander Sitali only has one child with his wife, unless Mulenga is the rumoured child out of wedlock” Wapi aired his shock. “If she truly is the Commanders daughter then we have a whole host of different issues” Wapi said.
Mulenga and Kezipe had been so engrossed listening to the flow of new information they had forgotten they were leaning against the Library doors. Kezipe lost balance forcing the door to creek open and causing the two voices in the library to become silent. “Who is there?” Wapi asked.
The question caused both girls to panic with fear as they rushed up the stairs, through the hallways until they got themselves back to their room. Slamming the door as soon as they got into their room locking it behind them, panting hard and hoping no one followed them.
“Why are you being hunted?” Kezipe asked Mulenga once they were convinced no one was chasing after them. “I don’t know, but I will find out. Starting with that mysterious lady.” Mulenga said with a defiant look in her eyes.
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