Rungi entered the house in a haste and picked a sickle, basket with three boiled sweet potatoes and a small jerrycan of water in it plus a small pair of "lugabile", these were shoes made by Old car tires, they were cost effective and lasted one over five years, most families in Isingiro village preferred them, plus that's what they could afford.
"Put on your shoes, it's good you have on your sweater already, let's go, let's not make your grandmother wait," Rungi said.
As it was in the early morning hours, dew had covered the entire mountains and lands. The journey to the garden was met with tall grass that had to be swatted to the side to pave way for them. Seeing her child's small figure behind her, Rungi felt that if it was within her power, she would tell Orisi to go back home and catch up on sleep like all the other grandchildren in her in-laws' homes.
"The house is always empty, i am scared of staying alone there, going to the garden, I can witness the sun rise which is amazing," Orisi said as she followed behind Rungi.
Rungi was surprised at her telepathic like level of thinking, but then again, this was her flesh and blood, their connections was greater than anything. Looking behind her, she felt blessed to have such a child, Orisi never complained about anything and was always understanding since her childhood. Sometimes she wished for Orisi to fuse around like all the other children her age.
"I promised to buy you boots, next week, remind me when i go to the market. These lugabile are good to use at home and travel but not in the garden," Rungi said. She had on boots on her feet like most adults in the family who participated in farming and harvesting, young children usually went barefoot or with lugabile and adults didn't care much about that since that was the norm, however for her child, she wanted to get her the best of things and make her life easier.
The garden came into view and women with a traditional cloth wrapped around their heads came into view. These were some of the daughter-in-laws and aunts in the Mani family and some other village women who had come to help with the harvest, they bowed their heads backs hunched as they harvested millet amidst small talks.
"Finally arrived? Take the other side of garden," Songu said as she pointed on the left side of the garden but her tone was laced with complaint.
Looking on the left side, the millet there was long and no one had even started harvesting on that part, meaning she and Orisi would be separated from the rest of the women. This did not cause her any type of discomfort as she really couldn't bare another exchange with her mother-in-law.
Orisi followed behind her mother on the other side not before looking back at her grand mother's hands: black mist surrounded her entire hand and was slowly spreading to her arm.
"What are you looking at! If you don't have what to do go home and help your aunt in cooking lunch for us!" Songu said as she turned away her hands from Orisi's view, quickly starting to harvest millet.
Orisi turned her gaze away and sat on a stone that her mother pointed at for her to sit, guarding the water and sweet potatoes. When left unguarded, monkeys from the near by forests would feast on them.
"Why let Orisi sit, the importance of letting children come here is to let them learn, next time bring another small knife with you so she can start harvesting," Songu said to Rungi before turning back to her duties.
"Alright," Rungi said.
Yingi, one of the sister-in-laws and wife to Micheal looked at Songu with disdain. So what if she was from a family with money and praised for her beauty by everyone! she was now alone, a widow abandoned by her own family! She was now an ordinary village woman. Even if her daughter was beautiful and bright at school, praised by all teachers there, she was still unable to continue her studies and would probably get married or pregnant by the age of 15!
"I heard there is a new government school that was recently constructed. It is basically free. Books, pencils and school uniforms are free. Mother-in-law, How about we let Orisi complete her studies there," Yingi said with a concerned tone. Rungi looked at Yingi who was always good at pretending and wondered what she was scheming now.
"What is the importance of educating a girl? Our generation of women weren't educated, aren't we sensible and alright? Since the school is free anyway, I don't mind here attending," Songu said.
"I also heard about the school, we talked with my husband and are planning to send our son there, those private schools are really expensive, it's a good this government school came at the right time!" A village woman, Maru said with a smile.
Yingi watched her with contempt but her face was graced with a smile. Village people could always stay backwards like Maru who thought taking her child to a government school was an achievement.
Who didn't know that such schools didn't have good facilities and services! Their teaching was also mediocre to the core. Students from such schools couldn't go far in life. In the real world, status was measured from the schools children went to and the connections they made! Only a foolish person would willingly send their child to governments schools known as charity to the poor among the middle and upper class families.
However, she couldn't voice her ideas. She had to look for a way to talk to her husband and let him talk to his mother about the issue. Her children were her everything. She wanted them to attend Kinta Junior and High school, the best school in Isingiro Village that Orisi formally attended. Songu was unpredictable and talking to her upfront might yield different results from the ones she expects.
Suddenly, a chuckle rung out through the atmosphere attracting the attention of the women around. Rungi saw her daughter with a straight long grass in her moth heartily laughing and she also smiled: Orisi was always like this, saying random words or laughing at something.
Orisi really loved coming to the garden, ever since she was five years old. she discovered that without even probing out anything from anyone, she could read their mind as long as she had any kind of physical contact with that person. She didn't need to touch them everyday, it only took one time and then she was able to directly 'listen' to their inner voice. Yingi was scared of Songu but was always eager to suggest funny ideas, it was amusing to see.
"What are you laughing at?" Yingi asked. Looking at the small girl with big eyes laughing at nothing, she felt that the death of her father had got to her head.
"Nothing, its just that. Aunt Yingi, why don't you allow Bwengo and Kwezi to attend the government school with me, it might be good for them," Orisi said with a smile looking directly into Yingi's eyes.
Hearing Orisi mention her children, she further disdained her to the core, she would never let her child go to a charity school! Good for them? what would this village rat know about what was good for her children.
"Sister-in-law, i suggest consoling Orisi, her head might not be well due to the incident. I really care about Orisi's well being but if her state of mind is revealed to the people, who knows what they might think?" Yingi said with forced pity making Rungi angry, her daughter was brilliant and nothing was wrong with her head! It was very obvious that Yingi said these words so the village women around could listen and spread them around.
"What is with all this lengthy talk! Will you harvest or talk for the whole day?" Songu's harsh voice echoed through the garden making Yingi quickly turn to the activity at hand.
Orisi silently looked at Yingi and turned to pick another long grass besides her, the one in her mouth was dry from sucking the water in it. She then put it in her mouth, looking in a distance as she chewed down on it.
This world was really strange, what Yingi wished to happen to her would happen to her daughter instead and the school she loved her children to attend was the root cause of their set back.
She was suddenly reminded of what her father read to her from the bible one time: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.
Orisi slowly looked up at the sky, and wondered why she was born with such an ability? She couldn't see any of her future events or life, this alone was frustrating as she really didn't want to be involved in other people's lives.