Beating The Odds – Episode 2

Beating The Odds – Episode 2

© Brian Ngoma

The bus drove into Mukobeko Medium prison at exactly 12pm on a Tuesday. Kayila was tired with the court procedures and just wanted to rest. Over the past month since she was charged with second degree murder, it had been a nonstop ride from and to the courts. She was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for the murder of her husband Clive. She didn’t have anything to live for but the child growing in her womb worried her. Getting out of the bus and making a cue, she looked around and saw a huge wall fence surrounded the whole environment.

“Iwe move!” a female officer in charge shouted at Kayila.

Kayila moved with the other new inmate. The other inmates were watching them from the wire fences as they made their way to the collection’s reception. Kayila saw the faces of these women and felt pity for them. She could tell that these women were broken. Little did she know that, that would become her in the near future. “Where do I put this?” She asked the officer.

The officer laughed and stepped towards Kayila. She grabbed the bag of clothes from her and threw it on the floor, “There!” she yelled.

Kayila stiffened.

“You don’t talk till I talk to you waufwa?” the officer shouted.

Kayila bowed her head. “Yes madam.”

“Who’s the pregnant one between the two of you?” the officer asked walking back and forth. The other new inmate looked at Kayila nodding her head. “Who is pregnant between the two of you?” she asked again impatiently.

Kayila couldn’t get her voice out, she raised her hand. The officer walked back to her and looked at her from toes to head. “The one who murdered her husband?” the officer asked.

Kayila didn’t say a thing. “Well, this will be interesting,” the officer said. “Now both of you, take out those clothes you are wearing and place them in the bucket over there,” she pointed at the bucket. She watched them take off their clothes and changed into prison uniforms. “follow me now,” she directed them.

The two women were photographed, fingerprinted and palm printed. They were both assigned prisoner identification numbers and an identification card. They were taken to their cells respectively. Kayila was placed in a cell which was already overcrowded. It was a tiny small room with no ventilation and no windows. Kayila mentally counted the women in the cell and could see six of them in the cell. “This is your cell from now on,” the officer told her. “Get in now,” she pushed Kayila. “25 years in here,” she laughed and slammed the cell door in Kayila’s face.

There was no space to sit. The women blankly looked at Kayila as she stood in a corner of the cell. After observing her for a while, they all turned their heads away. Kayila remained standing. She was now regretting ever wanting the court procedures to come to an end, at least she was allowed to sit down and lay down at the remand. She stood in the corner for two hours and fatigue kicked in. In her condition, she really needed to rest. She didn’t know what to do, the women were indifferent to her.

Kayila had started dosing off while standing when she heard a baby cry. She looked at the women in shock and wondered why a baby could be in that cell when it was stuffed. Thinking about her baby in the womb, she felt sick realizing that, that was the same fate that her child would be entitled to. “What have I done?” she asked herself under her breath.

The women in the cell shifted uneasily as if making way. Kayila could now see the mother of the crying baby sitting properly to breastfeed her. The mother looked pale and malnourished. She looked at Kayila and forced a smile. “Welcome mama,” the woman said in a friendly tone.

“Thank you,” Kayila said stretching herself.

“Come sit with me,” the woman said while looking at the other women. “It’s fine she will take my baby’s place, I’ll hold her in my arms,” the woman said.

Kayila found her way to where the woman was sitting. She reached and sat down. She felt her body relax but she needed to rest, at least lay down because her back was hurting. “Thank you very much,” Kayila thanked the woman. “Your baby is beautiful,” she said looking at the baby. “I’m Kayila by the way.”

“I’m Mweene but you can call me Mayi Tasha,” the woman introduced herself. “All mothers in here are called Mayi and with my daughter’s name here, I’m Mayi Tasha.”

“Is it a short form for Natasha?” Kayila asked looking at the small beautiful creature.

“No, it’s just Tasha,” Mayi Tasha smiled looking at her baby.

“How old is she?”

“One year nine months,” Mweene said with a sad face. “My baby is malnourished; we don’t get proper food in here. The prison service doesn’t allocate food to our children in here and we are forced to feed them what we eat hence hindering their growth. Since she’s not considered for food, I’m forced to give her my share of the food. It’s really awful being here. No pregnant woman or mother with her child is supposed to be here.”

Kayila was shaking. She watched Mayi Tasha breastfeed her baby and could see that she too needed attention. “Isn’t there a special place for pregnant women or mothers in this prison?” She asked Mayi Tasha.

“No but that’s what they say out there,” another woman answered Kayila. “This place is a hell hole and it’s unfortunate you are pregnantnt,” the woman looked away.

How did she know? Kayila looked at the woman and felt scrutinizing eyes from the other women. She turned her head to face Mayi Tasha when she saw a sorrow face from her. “I didn’t plan to come here,” Kayila said.

“I know,” Mayi Tasha said. “You will survive don’t worry.”

Seven months later, Kayila’s health had deteriorated. She was getting sick every week and sometimes for weeks. The conditions in the prison made it even worse. The food she was given together with the others left much to be desired. To make matters worse, she had not attended any antenatal for the whole seven months she had been in prison. She once went to the clinic and was told the nurses were not working. From that time onwards, she had not gone back there. Every night she went to sleep, she prayed to God to thank him for Mayi Tasha because had it not been for her, she didn’t know how she could have survived. Mayi Tasha was her stronghold. Kayila survived and knew her child would survive because Tasha had beaten all the odds. She was now walking and running freely at two years five months. She brought joy to the two women.

There was also something wrong with Mayi Tasha. Kayila had observed on most nights, Mayi Tasha would be taken away by the prison guards and brought the following day all bruised up. Kayila had tried to ask her about what goes on but she never said anything. Kayila stopped asking questions but she was getting worried for her friend.

One evening, Mayi Tasha was awoken by silent cries from Kayila. “Kayi, what is wrong?” she asked concerned.

“I think my water just broke,” Kayila cried.

Mayi Tasha jumped to her feet and ran to the cell door. “She’s going into labour!” she shouted. She kept looking if someone would come but no one came. She turned around and went to Kayila and knelt before her. “No one is coming,” she said dropping tears. “What do we do?” she asked.

“Get out of the way,” the quiet older inmate said. “She’s giving birth from here, we have no option. Can everyone get up and step aside,” she ordered them. “Kayila I need you to be strong,” the old woman said. “Do it for your child.”

Mayi Tasha, Tasha and the other women stepped aside. They watched the old woman tend to Kayila. Mayi Tasha knelt down holding Tasha in her arms and closing her ears. A moment later, they heard a baby cry. The women were in awe. It was like light had shone in their dark lives. They all smiled looking at Kayila’s baby. For the first time, they all talked to each other. Kayila looked at her baby and smiled and thanked the heavens. “It’s a boy,” she said looking at Mayi Tasha who couldn’t wipe the grin out of her face.

It Begins.

To be continued

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