THE WAR

The year 2040

(Four African girls just joined campus are hanging in their room, background murmur and laughs. One girl goes to the washroom and starts complaining about the room status)

June: Hey guys, this bathroom is so not well maintained can you imagine we will stay here for the next 1 year (Sighs). I think we should look for a better room.

The rest: definitely

An elderly woman walks in

The Woman: Hello ladies, sorry to interrupt but you girls will occupy the room on the first floor. This room will be used by the third year students.

The girls look at each other then to the woman

Aisha: Let us hope the other room is better. Girls lets go and check it out

The girls carry their belongings not so happy about the certain change,

 June murmurs: ‘they should have just sent us to that room in the first place. Now we have to carry all these languages downstairs again!

The ladies finally arrive at their allocated room which to their surprise is at a worse state than the other. Disappointment on the girls faces

Natasha: Well at least the bathroom is in the room, and check this, there is even a hot shower.

The girls’ faces brighten up a little bit. 3 more girls enter, not so pleased to see that June and the rest have been added to their room. The girls look at each other and start spreading their beds.

Amani: Hey June have you gone to the school market yet? The rest of us went their earlier and it is amazing how a university can have a market and a railway passing through it, you should go check it out.

June: Yeah sure. Maybe in the evening.

Natasha: Guys are you hearing that commotion

Aisha: Yah, but I was told campus would be rowdy especially during campus election

The girls look through their windows

One of the other girls: Maybe we should go check it out. But it just the first day of school so what could it be

Amani: Hopefully not something serious I can’t imagine starting school with something like a strike.

Suddenly a group of other students run past the hostels towards the gate. The girls are now on their feet with fear written all over their faces.

June: This is serious. People are actually running outside what could be happening

Natasha: Guys we are the only ones left in the hostel.

Amani checks the hallway

Amani: Everyone is out. Maybe we should go too

Aisha: Argh I can’t believe this is happening on our first day of school.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The girls go outside and notice a group of students pushing the gate while another group who are non-students trying to push the gate open from outside.

Natasha: What the heck is going on over there?

June: Oh my God! What should we do?

Aisha: Run

The rowdy group, nonstudents, manages to open the gate, Background voices saying ‘take the ladies’ is heard the students are now scattered everywhere and running. June and her friends are separated.

Leader of the group: Kill the men and take all the ladies

June runs towards the gate and manages to get out. She finds an abandoned car, attempts to open it but the keys are not there. At the back seat there is a baby, she looks around in fear and takes the baby. She attempts to run away but one of the men runs after her and captures her. The man is masculine build with a scary face

The man 1: Master, this one has a baby. What should I do with her?

The Leader: Take her, take all girls even those with babies.

Young men try to defend themselves as most of them are killed, most women are captured and we see June carrying the baby as the captives and their captures walk aware.

The men are dressed in Arabic clothing and mostly speak in Arabic. Some of the girls cry as they are pushed and dragged to walk. June comes to learn that a war broke and many people have been killed so far

Man 2: Walk! We have a long way to go ladies.

 Its nightfall, they have been walking for eight hours towards the north. June checks on the baby and she is doing fine.

June: Can I have water and food for the baby please she has not eaten for more than 5 hours.

Man 3: (Laughing) this one wants baby food, do you think we carried baby food for you and your baby!

The leader: Give her some water. We should camp here for the night we still have a long way to go.

The world is not what it was, most people have died, buildings have been bombed and a majority of those who have remained have formed tribes. The men build a campfire and started roasting bush meat. The men are laughing as they point to the ladies

Man 4: I will make that one mine (the rest laugh out loud)

Man 1: The one with a baby is a cute one but a burden. She won’t go so far with the baby

Man 5: Maybe we should leave her or kill the baby

Master: No she will be of benefit soon, we can’t kill a baby

Most of the ladies are now asleep but June is still feeding the baby some smashed food. She tries to go to sleep but cries silently thinking of where her family could be.

Two weeks later;

they have been walking and have reached the desert. The men see a cave but are hesitant to go through.

Man 5: Master, I think there is another tribe that lives on the other side. We can’t just go in like that

Man 1: I agree let’s send someone to first check if it is safe ( looks at June who is now so tired from carrying the baby)

Master: (Points at June) You go in , the two of you ( points at two men ) should follow her closely

June shakes, the two men push her inside the cave as they drag behind

Man 6: Can you walk we don’t have the whole day

Suddenly a tall dark good looking man appears at the other side of the cave holding what looks like a gun

The man: Stoop! Where do you think you are going (He cocks his gun and points it towards June) Go back before I start shooting all of you

June: Please help me.. rescue me, take me from these men ( June cries and begs the man)

Man 6: We are the tribe of Mbalamwezi and we can take down your tribe if you don’t back off

The man: I dare you

The two men walk backwards and go back to their master. June remains behind and is taken captive by the man. She looks at his face and although she is so weak and scared she cant help but admire the man’s eyes and good looks.

The man: Hello am Kwan, you will be assisted by those ladies. (Two women take June into a hut and give her some water and milk for the baby. The baby is now too weak and cannot feed on her own. One of the ladies take the baby and give her milk.)

Kwan and some of his men go back to guard the entrance of the cave

On the other side of the cave

Man 6: They have guns sir

Master: (Shouts at the top of his voice) we are the men of Mbalamwezi and no one can dare challenge us. Let’s shoot some arrows in the air so that they can know who they are dealing with.

The men skilfully shoot arrows into the air

Kwan: (Replies with a loud voice) And am Kwan, leader of the Nam tribe. You don’t want to mess with us. I demand that you change your route and go elsewhere

Kwan and his group also shoots some arrows into the air to show their prowess. The master of the Mbalamwezi sees this and is astonished at the Nam tribe’s shooting skills. He commands his men to change the route.

June and the ladies show sign of relief as the Mbalamwezi tribe retrieve and they are seen changing their route. June is now in the company of the Nam women, Kwan passes by and they exchange glances. Kwan is a strongly build, masculine gentleman with a face that drove all the ladies crazy.