THE EVIL FOREST.

Chapter 1 Abednego, a young energetic boy in Namamali’ village. A lively boy worth emulating. He had a certain irrefutable logic about himself that is so fascinating. Most people in the village couldn't afford to be away from him due to his personality that was promising. He was brought up in a robust family and vigorously lived with great dreams and visions of getting married and raising up a healthy family, just like his parents. “Having a brilliant family is the most vital thing on earth, ” he amicably figured out to. As time went by Abednego began to focus on how to get a family of his own. "One day I will marry a woman of my dream, and when I do so, I will make sure that it lasts for a lifetime," he pondered upon himself. Though there was a challenge with Abednego's parents, whenever he made friends his parents would ask him not to trust them and have close relationship. According to his parents, his being sensitive might get their child hurt easily, so they asked him to maintain distance with people. So Abednego never made friends. He would share his thoughts, feelings with his parents most of the time. But as he entered teenage life he found it difficult to share his feelings with his parents anymore, as they were bit conservative. He lacked self confidence and proper communication skills, which often would result in misunderstandings. He found it difficult to express himself. People's comments would carve on his mind making a scar. To avoid people's comments he tried to be a perfectionist. Later, he became obsessed with perfection. He never shared this with his parents thinking that this might make them unhappy. All these feelings were buried deep within, having no one to share with. Abednego thought his wife, when he gets married, would cure his loneliness. Barely a year after, Abednego met with Nina, a young beautiful girl, who would later be Abednego's wife. She was a jovial girl coming from Abednego's neighboring village. They later met at dinner, an informal gathering done yearly in the outskirts of Namamali village. They had attended almost a decade earlier. Throughout the evening, they found each other again and again. Nina loved Abednego's easy laugh. "He liked my smile," she amicably said to herself. It was obvious they were both interested. They were the last to leave. A week later, Abednego asked Nina out. Nine months later, they walked down the aisle and pledged their lifelong love and faithfulness to each other. It was a traditional marriage that was attended by almost everyone in that small village of Namamali. This young energetic boy, Abednego, knew marriage would bring change, but change —even when expected — can still be surprising and unfamiliar. They are different; their personalities echo quite opposite voices. The girl was invigorated by time with villagers; while Abednego leaves a new group dazed and overwhelmed. They couldn't get enough time with each other. Depression began affecting Abednego, it was piercing his heart deeply like a hot knife through butter. The paradox is obvious yet quite mysterious. At times, when they were talking, Nina felt so understood — like he really “get s”her. The way they were interacting made her feel as if they were cut from the same cloth. Then, a small shift in tone, her eyes water, and Abednego says the unthinkable, "You cry a lot.” Suddenly, Abednego is alone — and want to be! How could one statement instantly distance them and leave him blankly starring at the same person that, only moments before, he had been savoring? But to his wife, tears represent devastation or catastrophe. His moist cheeks and brimming tears frighten and confuse Nina. Even unwrapping their wedding gifts was an eye -opening experience for Abednego. The couples returned home from our honeymoon to a living room overflowing with presents. It was unlike anything they had seen before, and Abednego was ecstatic! It took them days to get through this generous bounty: pots, dishes, linens and more. It warmed their hearts to realize that each gift had been hand-selected by friends and family. By day two, they'd established a pattern. Abednego would unwrap. She would squeal with delight and record the gift information. He would organize the pile and return with a new present. Finally, they unwrapped the pot followed by other sealed vessels in soft goat skin, now it was Abednego's turn to smile. It hit Abednego that the entire ritual of wedding gifts is more for the wife. In jest, his sweet wife picked up her three gifts and said, “Well, at least I got three things," they both laughed. The kind of life they were going to live is what mattered little to him, but Nina didn't that it mattered to him. Abednego playing along, even participating in the unwrapping, proved to him he was invested and trying. She was learning how to better love him, and Abednego was learning what life can mean to him, he knew difficult times were ahead, difficult moments that can't be explained. They were living in a terrible land, a terrible village governed by a cruel king, Imboko. Abednego saw it wise not to disclose any secret to Nina, her wife. He knew that she will not be able to grasp it, so he chose to keep it to himself. Abednego loved that after so many years of waiting to wake up next to his wife, that he now does, despite the warnings that someday he will get tired. Waiting for his wife wasn’t passive; it was active. He prepared, anticipated and hoped. His life didn’t begin when he met Nina. He already had a life, a life he was readying and expecting to share with another. He couldn’t wait for a wife to complete him. He would be his complement. He knew God could fulfill him; it wasn’t going to be his wife's job to meet his every need. Daily, he made choices to create a life that another would want to become a part of — and he had the faith that one day, a woman would join that life. When you have longed and hoped for someone for such a long time and she's finally here and real, the joy in having your heart’s desire doesn’t soon diminish. Their lives are now intertwined. But there was still much more hidden in the closet that would eventually unfold. Despite the fact Abednego wanted a family of his own, there was much more than that in the village of Namamali. The only secret that he was supposed to reveal to the wife before it was too late. The land was crying, the land couldn't make their life better, it will only make their life bitter. No male child was kept buy the parents, boys were king's object, the now reigning king known as Imboko. Imboko was a horrifying leader whose leadership was filled with blood. Will they enjoy their marriage, that was the question that lingered Abednego's mind. Though marriage was valued in Namamali village, but the king was making the life of every villager bitter. It was real on a dreary Wednesday afternoon when Abednego returns from working in farm, he was dead tired. He entered in their hut, closed himself in before he proceeded to bed. So many issues had preoccupied his mind, many families were destroyed by the king in that land. Now he is married but has kept the secret away from the wife. "What if she finds out," he wondered People were being killed every now and then, "Probably Nina, his wife or even himself could fall a victim," thoughts crossed his mind. He looked up at the soot strand, hanging above his head touching their grass thatched house. Though Nina loved him, yes, but she was in a wrong land, a land that could easily open up and swallow her at any given moment. He felt sad for her. He dreamed of one day liberating the village from that cruel king, he saw himself slaughtering the king as the whole villagers applauded him. "What a brilliant day will it be," he admired. Years went by and Nina's love and her husband grow stronger and stronger. After fifteen years of staying together, something strange was taking place in their love triangle, Nina wasn't conceiving. This became as a shock to Abednego. Nights became nightmares, "There's something amiss in this marriage", Abednego thought. "What could be happening, could I be a problem, Oh, no. It cannot happen, it, can’t be that way," he refuted. They have been living together happily but when the issue of not having a child crossed Abednego's mind, he covered his head and began to sob uncontrollably. Her wife Nina couldn't think of it anymore. When she think of high hopes she had, dreams and visions of raising up robust family, she became so sad. "What did I do to deserve all this?" She questioned. " wish I could tell her how I feel...I wish I could tell her how I feel," Abednego retorted. "In the morning, I cant take anymore, but I have to, I have to tell her. Yes, I will tell her how II feel, she is my wife, I know she loves me. I have no objection but to tell her how I feel.," he said to himself while feeling worried. Nina's husband walked silently towards there hut, sat down and started pondering in his heart, "There, yes there, like an escaping shadows of darkness that room behold of you," he said to himself. "The light touch her exquisite features, long dark hair past her shoulders, her lips as red and flawless as a bloom rose, eyes so captivating that shocks all my senses, you are flawless in every way imaginable, you are my burning desire, my endless love, and yet the most beautiful and good hearted suffers a mental disorder," he thought about her, expressing his deeper love to Nina her wife. It wasn't known how long he took outside there, but when he stood up to go around his checks, he realized that time had really gone so first. The moment he made a move towards the door of their hut, there she was, a girl standing looking outside their hut. He knocked but she didn't seem to hear so He opened the door , stepped in and as he did she turned her head and gave an angelic smile, his heart melted he was so stun by her natural beauty he forgot what he was doing there he probably was sitting here for like the whole afternoon before she approached him and asked, "you must be exhausted?" "yes, yes, no, I mean YES!" Abednego was nervous never in their life has he ever seen a mortal goddess stand before him so amicably, despite the fact that they were in deep challenges of living together for fifteen years, as wife and husband but without getting any child. "Is there anything we can do to have a child?" He asked. She turned, looked outside the window of their hut and said, "No, there's no any other way." "How could she say no?" Abednego pondered. "You don't have any idea on how we can get a child?" He went further to asked. "Yes, but I have a mom and dad, I will reason out with them." she said. " Why don't we think of any other vital way instead of consulting them?" He asked. "Sure, that's a great observation. I've been thinking about it since I've been here." She told him. "Good, but what hell are we going through?" Abednego asked. He resolved in his heart that no matter what happens, he will never leave his wife Nina to suffer the shame of barrenness alone. "Whatever that happens to my wife, Nina, I will never leave her." He softly said. He proceeded to walk out their but she grabbed his arm and told him how much he appreciates his love. She also promised to be faithful to him and never to despise their marriage. Towards the end of sixteen years, Nina run to the husband while holding her tummy. "Guess what!" She exclaimed. "I am pregnant!" She shouted at the bottom of her voice, then she said, "Well my dear husband, it is a pleasure. If only I would of met you in a different setting. I couldn't really say anything you see I'm the shy girl when imelody just to carry the tummy, funny I think." She marveled. Chapter 2 Three Months later it was all smiles. The waves of jubilation was ringing in the air, celebration was heard everywhere. There was joy in the life of these two couples who had stayed for so long without a child. Abednego couldn't believe how the heavens downed on him with search great blessings. Life was now real in their eyes. It led to all the prominent people in the village of Namamali to visit t hem, including the highly esteemed chief. Presents were brought from all corners. Sorrows were turned into joy. "Nina, Nina, daughter of great land". Women would be heard singing. What a joy was it on the land for Nina, Abednego's wife to conceive after patiently waiting for all those years. It was a great joy indeed that filled the entire land of Namamali. Abednego couldn't sleep that night, it was so hard for him to fall asleep, he was just thinking about her, about Nina's pregnancy. "what can I say, how can I act, what should I do, every time I enter the sleep realm I see her face and I get a burst of energy. The joy of being a father, what a joy. I am so happy, I will be a father." He murmured. "Is he a boy or a girl?" He silently asked while gazing up in the sky at the blazing moonlight. The next morning his eyes were burning and his head was pounding from another sleepless night, but he got up as fast as he could get up, he even got to the farm an hour early. Three hour s went by without no sign of him leaving the firm. He was going crazy himself. The thought of having a knew born child were freshly lingering in his mind. A moment later he was back in the hut sitting next to her on the floor. It was horrible for him to see her like this, he felt like crying his feelings were unexplainable. His thoughts race of Why and a million answer unsolved. His heart race as if he was having a panic attack of reason his longing to see her all the time and seeing her here with a promising belly of a expectancy. Then she turned her head from sorrow and grief to happy and tearful. "What happens now if we get a girl?” He asked. She said she didn't want to take her herbs because it clouds her thoughts and makes her seem like she will vomit out the pregnancy. Abednego reasoned with her joyously and told her that he was comforting her because she was thinking too much. "I always think about you Abednego, that day I first met you, I couldn't sleep. I stood up all night just waiting to see you the next day. Abednego, I thought of you as well, I've never in my life had problems sleeping until I met you." She blatantly told him. Three hours past and he cherish those hours, he was making pictures memories every time she smile, scratch her head, fixed her hair. Finally, he stood up and proceeded to walk out. He felt lovely hands of what soft and desire combined grabs mines then she asked, "May we join hands as we walk?" "Of course Nina." He responded. She laid her head upon her chest embracing one of her hands with both of hers. Her sensational smell full his nose of exotic images he never been to. As they walked they approached the inner room in the house. She gave him a kiss on his cheek then she smiled and left the lights that enhances her feature to a shadow and darkness room where a small square window lets some sun lights enter. He head back to the outside room reserved as kitchen and as soon as he head back, the memories lingered in his mind. So fresh like a morning dew. At night Abednego couldn't sleep at all. It was another sleepless night, this time he was thinking about when will she get out and if she would still talk to him or if he was just about the pregnancy. Whatever he was to her, he didn't care as long as if he was at least next to her as a loving and caring husband. The next morning he had forgotten that she had openly told her how much she loved him and how much she will work to her utmost ability to bring up their family in a robust manner. It was really a beautiful piece of open dialogue between a husband and a wife. He took something from his skin pocket, placed it inside of an old bag hewned in a goat skin and placed it next to the bed. He was having a lot of work in the farm, so knew that the farm work wouldn't deter him from being closer to his wife, no matter what. Her wife Nina was sitting on a chair gazing at the pregnancy, she must have forgotten to comb her hair that day because it was a mess but she looked dashing. He approached her she looked up at him and smiled. She began telling him a story about a wolf dog saving peoples life, "Interesting book." He said to her. "It really is. I love stories that has anything to do with any animal, it's my passion." she said. "Would you like to walk with me outside, it's a lovely day?" she asked. "Of course." He said. "I have something to show you." She said smiling. She grabbed his hands led him outside. In the middle of this square fenced in yard was a tree, not a very big tree but a small one. She was starring at the tree then she started a very low whistle, underneath the tree roots Abednego could see two round small eyes with pointy tiny ears and as she proceeded to whistle out came this flying squirrel. She kneed down and open her pal ms to this tiny creature, the squirrel seem to know her because in an instant it jump right towards her into her pal ms. He had seen her smiled before but never like this. She told him she found it one night that it must of glided in from one of the nearby trees and couldn't get back out so it was stuck here, she told him his name and what she feeds him and that everyday she comes out of their hut to play and talk to him, how she's going to bring him home when she gets out. It was magical al most like a movie. Abednego checked on the shadow to determine the time, he kissed her wife goodbye. She let him go and she started to skip, "You make me feel like a little girl." she said. She head back in their hut, took her herbs and headed outside. 30 minutes past and Abednego had not come back, "He has stayed long." She thought. She went and Sat on the bed looking onto an invisible being just talking to herself. Later Abednego came back and could hear her. He went a little past the door to the window, stood there and kept quite. He could hear her say, "He's everything I looked for my whole life." Then a long silence like a ghost was answering her back. "Since I met him I feel so much better, he keeps my hallucinations at bay." She answers back to her invisible friend. "I will continue to see him I don't care what you say leave me alone!" she's screaming at this empty space in front of her. "He's coming back, my husband, yes my only husband. I can't wait to give him him a child. Baby boy, perhaps. Yes, I' am going to see him, your dead anyways leave me alone." She started crying saying these last words to her ghostly friend. He walked in as she turns her head smiling with teardrops escaping her eyes, he brushed her hair back and wipe her tears and she told her that she wants her to leave her alone. He left their only hut and head back towards the back of their farm. He decided to take a stroll around their farm. As he was al most near the stream where Nina fetches water, he looked back and she wasn't in her doorway window. He felt crushed and quickly rushed back home. At the door of their hut he felt a cold breeze flow up in his system. His knees became so weak. A frenzy hit him hard and he just stood there with mouth agup. He loved Nina so much, for fifteen years without conceiving and now she is pregnant. It was like a beginning of their marriage. His love towards Nina, his wife was growing stronger day by day. "She is the only bird in the nest of his heart." He said to himself. He recalled how they met and how they promises they made never to leave each other. The reminiscent was as clear as Crystal. Chapter 3 Abednego was standing there for like an hour thinking what could he have done at her ghostly friend. Hours past and it was night time, so he decided to go to sleep early and nothing still the same her face, her face, her face is all he could see, he could feel it's another sleepless night. He woke up the next morning to a soft snoring of Nina. "I probably only slept for 3 hours." He marveled. He was thinking to himself maybe he was just nervous, so he rushed to get dress and head out the door . He reached in the farm ready to begin cultivating their grown yams but already Nina had likewise wakeboarding up and followed him to the farm. He saw her, she glanced at him and started running towards him. When she reached him he was embraced with every muscle she produced wrapping her arms around him and she looked at him and whispered in his ears, "I'm sorry I just had a phase, please don't let my craziness phase get to you I really don't mean what I say." He just looked at her and wanted to pour his feelings to her, he wanted to kiss her, embrace her, with every thought, feeling, liquid, with every human physical and mental energy he could produce instead, he looked at her and said, "It's ok." So she embraced him for like 10 minutes until one of the neighbors, who happens to be their friends walked in and she released her grips. The neighbor came up to her and asked, "Will you accompany me to the market?" She replied, "No." When the frenzy died down she decided to rush back to their hut. She later on came back, changed in a knew skin the husband brought for her the previous day he came from the market and she asked him if they could go outside and see her friend. Abednego was in his heart plotting of how could grab her hands, what could be the most romantic way to do it, as soon as he found a way she grabbed his leaning her head on his shoulder and her hands embracing his. They head towards the furthest corner of the river. They were so ebullient, Abednego wasn't ashamed anymore, he knew soon and very soon he shall be a happy father. Moment later they came back to where the squirrel lives. She whistles and out comes her friend, she asks the husband to give him a try. He reached his hand out and glides towards him. She leans her back on the tree with her hands folded behind her, he approached her and she said, "I've never been so happy before, I never knew that one day, at search a time like this, I will be carrying my first pregnancy. I always lived behind bars ever since the villagers began insulting us, saying that we are barren and that we can never have a child. Kiss me my dear husband, now that I can prove to the entire village that I am not barren. Show me what magic lives behind it." He moves in closer lean his head towards her closed his eyes and he could feel her heat among her lips as it approached her tender lips. He couldn't believe that their shame was finally turned into joy. They were the happiest couple. Everything about was awesome. The cloud of joy was hanging above their heads. When he was just about to kiss her, "I' m I even worthy of this?" He wondered. Just a little closer and the same neighbour came running towards t hem. So he pulled away thinking that the neighbour might be having a good report for t hem. They both run inside before they could be seen together alone, she runs to get her herbs while he entered the latrine that was adjacent to the main entrance of their home. The neighbor decided to wait there until 8 minutes passed over. She took her time inside the house before she came back. "Where were you the other time you were to take me to the market?" The neighbor asked. "My husband couldn't let me go anywhere." She responded back. The name of their neighbor was Anifa, Anifa is the eldest daughter to Mwanaidi. Their father's name is Musungu, the only neighbors that loved this couples. After a conversation that lasted for 4hours, she approached the doorway window and waited for her husband who was still outside to come and kiss her. She laid her lips upon her doorway window and when he came in he leaned in and they both could feel each other life force even though a tiny hole. She pulls away and keeps her eyes closed for a second then she opens it and she starts to cry and says in a tearful voice, "So it wasn't only your lips, it was all of you I've felt though a kiss." He placed his hands on the wall, she placed hers on top of his husband. "This moment right here will haunt me another sleepless night but I don't care I lose my sanity just so I could be with her." Abednego said to himself. An hour passed and they still standing at the same spot, all silent. "I feel asleep." She told him. So he led her to the bed and left her to sleep. " I just wanted to stay with her all night long before tomorrow." He murmured. So hours passed and she still in her slumber so he went to check up on her animal. He came back later opened the door and on her night stand is a piece of roasted cassava. He took and ate it. He was so indulge, he stayed near the bed until she woke up, her gently breathing process as she grasps her air has him breathing the same way, she hypnotize him in this tiny hut by her flawless beauty as she lays asleep, hour s pass and it was soon be the end of today and as he stood to leave to the other end of the hut, she awakes and gently grabs his fingers and says, "Please tell your family about our pregnancy. I’ve never had one even so I could imagine one day they will come and find we have a bouncing baby boy. Tell t hem, tell them you about to be a father." He approached her and lean over and kisses her head. She replied, "I love your kisses." He smiled at her then left. It was now the sixth month, just three more months and her will be bringing to this young family a bouncing boy. He organized to visit his uncle who was living in Mukunyuku village, a real rocky place. He boarded a donkey with a sack of yams and headed to his uncle's home. The whole family's there were surprised to see their nephew they yelled at him joyously. He came all the way from Namamali village to his uncle's home to bring news of his wife's pregnancy. All the way from Namamali, just to see his uncle, what a surprise and even with all his uncle's family here, he felt alone, alone without her. It was 12 a.m. and everyone one was there thanking him for the good news he brought. He was so calm, thoughts of his wife back home crossed his mind. His uncle noticed coldness in his voice and asked him what's wrong but he told them that he has, to go. He left the house bid the whole family bye and hurriedly left. He boarded his hired donkey, it was long and hectic journey. He was estimating to arrive back home in the wee hour s of the night. Sometimes he would whistle, Sometimes he would just sing love songs. The wife's love and the thoughts of having their first child had completely engulfed his mind. From a distance he could hear a sound of waves coming from a river, though he wasn't sure of the way back home. . .