Mama said before she went away that all great people don’t die, they just turn into something you don’t expect. Mama went away two years ago. She was out on the street and a soldier wanted her. She was going to the church down the street. She didn’t go most Sundays but wanted to go that day. She worked there during the week, she said “Lord has me for every day except Sundays.”
She liked working there. She liked the people and they liked her, especially that soldier. He wasn’t from government, he was a man from the village. He got picked up when he was a young man, he used to fight government. He was general. He took them boys and sent them to war. Them who didn’t want to fight he kill. He was good at killing them. His men and them government soldiers. He was good at killing my mama too. She was walking to church when he called out to her.
“Habari Bi, look good today.”
“Taka, mind your business – I’m the lord’s today.”
“Sure Bi, but he ain’t going to work you like me.”
“Today I’m resting Taka, get on home.”
“Not going home Bi.”
“Well I ain’t coming with you.”
“Yes you are.”
Neighbor found her bundled up in the alley next to the church. She was shot three times, all them in the heart. Her hands stuck out of the tarp. Her nails were red with blood. Her nails had his hair clumped under them. Men told me she fought like warrior. No one knew it was Taka for a while. Church mamas brought me food. Taka would sit outside my house and watch the mamas come and go. He was looking for his next treat.
Their food was never any good, it was always their scraps. Them mamas got scared one day and never came back. Taka wouldn’t stop licking his lips. I was left to my own. I kept house like mama did. Went to church some Sundays like mama. I got thin. Neighbor would leave food at my gate some nights. He’d catch me in the mornings when I went out to sweep.
“Sorry for your mama.”
“Why?”
“She’s gone.”
“No she’s not.”
“Boy she is buried.”
“Just her body.”
Neighbor left me meat that night, looked like he hadn’t touched it. I saved some for next day. I starved, again, day after. Week went by and I still kept house like mama. Swept the porch and cleaned inside. Mama been buried for month, went to her grave some Sundays. Brushed dirt off, left food for her. Her bowl was clean every time I went. Preacher came with me one day.
“She’s not gone son.”
“I know. She’s coming back.”
“Once lord spits her out. She was good. She come back strong and beautiful.”
“Where will she come back?”
“That’s not for us to know, son.”
“She be a beautiful baby.”
“If she that.”
Preacher left me with you for hour. I cried. I went home and swept some more. Neighbor didn’t leave anything. I starved again. Next day creature left marks in the dirt on the door step. Left me chicken. I left scraps for it after I ate. Creature came and ate it all. Next day I went to church and told Preacher.
“Creature left me food day before.”
“Where did you find it?”
“On the door step. Where I sweep.”
“Your mama’s back, son.”
“What do you think she look like?”
“We got to wait for her to show us.”
I went home and swept again. I trimmed the trees in the yard. I cleaned inside house. Mama came again. Left me two chickens. I ate and left the rest for mama on front step. She ate scraps.
Next morning I woke up and men were running all up and down streets. Taka was getting pulled by his legs towards my house. Men came running up to my door. Yelling up to me.
“Azi! This man kill your mama!”
Another went yelling.
“Caught him running from Preacher after confession!”
Them men waited for me to stand with them. Two held him on his knees. Pulled his hair back. Made him look at me.
“My mama was kill by this man?”
“Yeah, told Preacher hour ago.”
“Did you kill my mama?”
I looked in Taka’s eyes. No sorrow, no pain, he ain’t feel nothing since last day fighting government in Kassala. Killed all him women and all him boys.
“Yes boy…”
One man come up with machete. Looked me over, and gave me the machete.
“Your duty to your mama.”
“I don’t want it.”
“Then I kill him.”
Preacher watched from the back of the crowd. First time I ever saw Preacher angry. I watched from the front. I got splashed when one man cut him.
He brought his arm up above his head. He looked at Taka, spat in his face. The crowd cheered. He turn around to face them all. Raise both his hands, crowd shouted more. Taka’s eyes never left mine. Man turned around quick and cut through his neck. His head rolled backwards. Them men left his eyes open, one kicked his head out the gate, two more drug his body outside too. Took his body to edge of village left him for lions. He wasn’t there next day.
I took my shirt and washed it. Hung it up on the wire in the back. Mama didn’t come that night. She must have ate somewhere else. I went to church in the morning and spoke with Preacher.
“Did he deserve it?”
“I think so.”
“Why?”
“He took your mama. He took my friend.”
“Okay Preacher.”
“Will I see you for service on Sunday?”
“No. I going to see mama.”
“Should I come with you?”
“No.”
I went and sat with you for another afternoon. Dirt covered your name, I wiped it, and sat staring at you for a while.
The tall grass started moving past your grave, near the fence of the cemetery. You peeked your eyes out. Beautiful and yellow. You watched me. I went to see your new body. You backed away. I sat back down.
“Mama, don’t be scared.”
“Mama, please, let me see you.”
“Mama…”
You walked through high grass and towards me. Your shoulders dipped and curled as you walked around me. You had beautiful yellow hair. Your paws were bigger than my face.
“Mama, you beauty.”
You sat in front of me and looked into my eyes. You sat motionless. Just looking. I reached to touch you and you placed you head in my hands. You pulled it back and rested it on my legs. You licked my legs clean of dirt.
Another pair of eyes came looking through the grass. Red as fire, looking over your body. Him crept out from the grass and showed himself. Young hyena came walking towards us. You stood up from my lap and faced it. Him came charging at you. Stood hard and pinned him, dug claws into his skin. Him laid and yelped. Blood came creeping out his wounds. Leaned in and bit his neck. Then let him go. Him went running off through the grass, dripped while he run.
Preacher walked in and looked at us. You standing next to me, your shoulder touching my hips.
“Must been Taka looking get your mama again.”
“She got him.”
Preacher looked over you, from distance. You licked the blood from your paws and laid back down with me. Preacher stood looking over us for hour. Letting you lick my legs, and palms. Me running my fingers through your hair.
“I told you she’d be beautiful.”
“Yeah Preacher and she is.”
You stood up from me and walked towards Preacher. He touched your face and you licked his palms. He bent down looked you in the eyes. He started crying. He touched you again and you left.
“She be just fine son. She be strongest lion.”