Chapter 2: Temwa
Temwa has lived in her older sister’s shadow for as long as she can remember. Now she has to go to high school with her.
At least five pigs are dead by the time I wake up. George, the gardener, is mowing the grass with a mower that sounds just like the pigs screaming.
I’m almost going to miss it.
It is only eight in the morning but you would think, by the way my older sister sweeps into the room, that it is almost noon on a Sunday and I missed church.
“Are you seriously still in bed?”
She opens the curtains and blinds me with the sunlight.
“Come on Elita. I’m awake already!”
“You don’t look it. You still need to shower and eat and then we have to get some last minute things for the corridor and go.”
Elita tries to get me out of bed but I give her a good kick and after a while she leaves.
George has stopped mowing the grass and for a good five minutes the house is silent and I think-
“Temwa!”
My mother doesn’t sound pleased.
When I get to the dining room she’s sitting at the table carefully wrapping little packages in pink and purple paper.
“Your sister tells me you’re still not awake.”
“Well that’s stupid. If I wasn’t awake I wouldn’t be standing here.”
“Don’t be rude Temwa.”
Her voice is stern but I can see her trying not to smile. Elita may be her favorite but I’m the one who makes her laugh.
“What are the packages for?”
“Your corridor mates. Temwa thinks it’s a great way to bring everyone together. No other Prefect is doing it.”
I go to the kitchen to make my tea so that my mother won’t see me sneer. Ever since Elita was made Prefect last year and then Head of House a few months later my parents think she can do no wrong. All her brilliance before and after seemed to stem from her being Head of House. I’m sure her first shit was somehow an omen with the way they go on about it.
“Hey mum you know how you can request to be in another house if you don’t like the one you’re in?”
“Don’t worry Temwa. Elita already has it sorted with the House Mistress. You’ll be in Mlonyeni House just like her.”
“That’s what I don’t want.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I never wanted to go to Kamuzu Academy but anyone with even some semblance of money wants to send their children there. I live in Elita’s shadow enough at home; I don’t need to do it in high school as well.
My tea has already begun to go cold and in the distance I hear another pig squeal loudly before its throat is slit.
That may be an omen too.
