Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite

Last edited by krazzy on Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:16 am; edited 1 time in total

The Green of her Soul

She sat and listened to the darkness. Like a thick, uncomfortable blanket, it covered Monrovia. For ten years, it had been this way. A thick, murky overcast, enveloped the collective fears of the people, and placed it like a blatant billboard for the eyes of people who had power but had no compassion.

Surrounded by armed soldiers who saw their guns as toys to show who was in control, she experienced the flashback again. It is so real; she feels beads of sweat at the back of her neck. The visceral reaction made her to endure the demons and also scream at her children to go to bed. They had just eaten a late night meal of bulgur wheat and rice mixed in equal parts; with vegetable oil. This meal was courtesy of a friend who worked in the nearby displaced camp. She and her five children lived in a zinc house owned by a Congau old lady, whose children had sent for her, to go to America, a few days before Kakata fell to the rebels. The old lady used the house as storage for her goats and tools. It was Kwita’s home.

In the flashback, Kwita summarized thirty gory minutes of revulsion and brutality into ten. She thought she was walking to freedom, she and her fiancé. They had completed high school in December 1988 and enrolled at LU the following year. Surely their plans were certain. In fact, they had gone through the traditional marriage ceremony in Gbartala in January 1990. Her mother did not want her staying with James without some form of commitment from his family. So they walked to freedom; from the midnight clutches of marauding death squads. She was dark and tall, with thick black hair braided in bonsway. When the fighting was over, she told herself, she would spend two hours in Miss Nanu beauty salon, getting herself back together. She walked like a woman who knew her purpose, making her stand out in any crowd. James walked with her, carrying a small load on his head.

The crowd was unforgettable. Hungry and petrified people, moving like a dam had broken; except that they did not touch like flowing water. The moved like the monthly flow of a woman… At the checkpoint, a tall soldier called aloud: All the Krahn and Mandigo people…yor move from the group now. We gah special flight for yor’. He said it twice and she noticed him twitching as she and James neared him.

‘Halt’, he screamed. According to him, his ring, given to him by the old medicine man in Butuo was hot and burning his finger, a sign that they were enemies-Krahn and Mandigo.

He wore a loose fitting green jacket with black jeans, two sizes larger than his normal fit. Around his neck were red and black ropes, the locket, a black stone wrapped tightly. Remove all of these clothing and the AK-47, he looked like one of the young boys from her village that had helped them during the marriage ceremony, fetching wood and bringing water for the cooking.

When they stopped, she tried to smile; and in a shaky voice, she told him that they were going to the other side, towards Taylorta, Gbartala area. High on marijuana, cane juice and power, he separated her and James, taking Kwita to the CO. The CO had a toothy grin and a half-filled bottle of palm wine. She looked at his jacket and thought she saw bloodstains but did not have the chance to inspect further. He took her into a dark room for ‘investigation’. In the outer room, a group of teenage boys held on to their guns, knives and x-rated magazines.

In the room, the CO asked no questions. He pushed her on a grimy bed and with a smile on his face, placed the bloodstained knife at her throat. The first tear transformed the primary colour in her mind from an unhealthy golden yellow of fear to red of violence. She knew now what was on his jacket. She screamed but it came out in high silence. He raped her and told her she was not even ‘sweet’ enough to remain with him, as a wife. He pushed her outside, to the jeers and laughter of the small soldiers. Some of them nursed their erections. Her mind was blocked though he remembered one thing-James. How could she explain this when she did not even know the words that described this violation?

She walked out; and the scream and sunlight hit her simultaneously. Someone was calling her name. A painful wail; then dead silence. People moved faster, away from the sound and the checkpoint. Moving in the direction of the scream, she felt a hand take hers and pull her away.

‘Let’s go this way. I will explain when we go far’, a fat man told her. She had seen this man in the neighborhood two weeks ago. So she followed him. James had been tied in a mat and beaten to death with a pestle. As the CO raped her, violating her insides with a penis that had function like this for months; James was violated on the outside with a pestle. Death had come to the two of them, but she lived.

She walked away from the man, not sure of her next move. The sugar cane dirt that covered the road was like a rug so she felt a false sense of comfort in her rage and pain. Fifty checkpoints later, at midnight, she went to the school in Kakata where the displaced people were. Someone had an old rusty bucket. She needed a bath more than she needed food or safety.

The flashback ends when she takes bath. She hears noise in the room and finds her children playing and laughing. Her oldest daughter reminds her of a bloodstained knife and a dark room. She tells them to keep quiet as she has to rest. Tomorrow, she was going to the TRC to explain her story-the one that did not end with the pain and rape but continued to ostracizing, pregnancy and now hard time. The people were coming to Gbartala for people to talk about what happened during the war. She kept saying no because the family had called her just before Christmas to warn her not to spoil their name. Some things are kept in secret. The people in the village had come from Garmu way and did not know what happened at checkpoints in Monrovia.

Her mother called her in the room and cried. ‘My daughter, when people learn book they dress and act some kind of way that make men to lose control. If you had not dressed that way with all your legs showing and your breasts full in your chest, you would have been free and James would be here’. According to her mother, Ma Garmei and Uncle Drokonkro daughters came and nothing happened to them. Surely, Kwita did something vulgar to deserve this punishment, so now she must keep quiet. The TRC was not the way they solved problems in the town. The family gave her an ultimatum. She did not accept their demands because the CO that raped her worked as a senator in Monrovia, helping to make laws. His aide was the one who separated she and James. She needed to tell this story.

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:45 am

to be continued...

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:01 am

You should write a book...if you have not already thought about it. You and Nica have a way with words.

good read, hurry up a write the rest of it na th_mrgreen

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:13 am

when i eat plenty again, i will write

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:27 pm

Can't wait to hear the remianing of the story ............tears in my eyes............ Don't want to ever imagine another War in Liberia .........The story must be told by her

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:47 pm

i love this and am printing to keep.....

i have a very good idea what to give for the 40th next year.....

smile_approve

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:51 pm

don't...the copyright authorities will be at yr doorstep for u and rj Laughing

aye, for my 40th birthday..i will make a wish list...let me start thinking now-so candy will get me a laptop to write my stories on...and th_ROFLMAO

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:00 pm

krazzy wrote:: don't...the copyright authorities will be at yr doorstep for u and rj aye, for my 40th birthday..i will make a wish list...let me start thinking now-so candy will get me a laptop to write my stories on...and

the whole thing i typed go erased angry1

i thanks for the warning, so, i should copy left? th_ROFLMAO

see? you thinking big, i lke dat.. so make the list for this year let me see smile_tongue

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:08 pm

copy it...i will complete it. i will post the update on monday. da koc and myself writing. i asked him (After he read the beginning of the story)...what do u think will happen to the woman? he said...i am scared for her. i did not allow him to read rape part. da child da my amos sawyer. th_ROFLMAO

for this year..i want something small because next yr will be big...40 gifts i demand! th_ROFLMAO

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:12 pm

krazzy wrote:: copy it...i will complete it. i will post the update on monday. da koc and myself writing. i asked him (After he read the beginning of the story)...what do u think will happen to the woman? he said...i am scared for her. i did not allow him to read rape part. da child da my amos sawyer.

for this year..i want something small because next yr will be big...40 gifts i demand!

the both boys are so advanced for their ages.. i myself can be watching my english when i near them lol!

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:17 pm

so make your owna list for 30 gifts...i like that cute speech you made...thank God for my whole 29 years... Laughing

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:19 pm

krazzy wrote:: so make your owna list for 30 gifts...i like that cute speech you made...thank God for my whole 29 years...

da small celebration there? shay...................... th_boogie

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:21 pm

i know o!

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:24 pm

maybe self we can join it. we shall see. smile_approve

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:27 pm

ehn ehn o...ahn ant mix gifts Laughing

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:54 pm

hahahaha.. i will make sure to steer clear of your gifts th_mrgreen

Number of posts : 940 Points : 1946 Registration date : 2008-04-02

Love your stories :)

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:47 pm

candygirl wrote:

krazzy wrote:: so make your owna list for 30 gifts...i like that cute speech you made...thank God for my whole 29 years...

da small celebration there? shay...................... th_boogie

dammit time can fly oh... lych street baby girl them all coming be 30?... hmmmm th_mrgreen

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:50 pm

great story yah KR and GQ is right ur need to consider writing book cuz the lil ones are starting to forget folks like Bai T. Moore etc... we want one names "Now let put out hands together for two of Liberia's reknown female writers, Krazzy and Nica".. th_icon_clap

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:51 pm

LadyFlo wrote:

candygirl wrote:

krazzy wrote:: so make your owna list for 30 gifts...i like that cute speech you made...thank God for my whole 29 years...

da small celebration there? shay...................... th_boogie

dammit time can fly oh... lych street baby girl them all coming be 30?... hmmmm th_mrgreen

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:18 am

yea..nica da my big sister on this one-CREATIVE mind...that's her.

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:20 am

tanq...u in the story. and there was one man with half face...he used ot make kwita chayren scare smile_tongue

DSP wrote:: Love your stories :)

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:23 am

before the year ends, i will post her pic at my wedding...wonders! smile_tongue

i told my kids that this is aunty candy..they said..mama stop telling stories yah..in fact let's talk abt the other pics...candy dat yr christmas... th_ipromise

LadyFlo wrote:

candygirl wrote:

krazzy wrote:: so make your owna list for 30 gifts...i like that cute speech you made...thank God for my whole 29 years...

da small celebration there? shay...................... th_boogie

dammit time can fly oh... lych street baby girl them all coming be 30?... hmmmm th_mrgreen

Subject: Re: Story! Story! -my gut was full last nite Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:25 am

krazzy wrote:: yea..nica da my big sister on this one-CREATIVE mind...that's her.

da was DSP? smile_tongue

Number of posts : 940 Points : 1946 Registration date : 2008-04-02

krazzy wrote:

tanq...u in the story. and there was one man with half face...he used ot make kwita chayren scare smile_tongue

DSP wrote:: Love your stories :)

lol you and your jokes

I only share parts because not everybody can handle everything at once. Wink

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