Innocent
“Goaaaallll!” I shout, waving my arms in the air. My brother Deo is a great soccer player I tell you. Why do the village children argue with Deo all the time, he made that goal, I saw it! All the kids think I’m crazy, but my Amai says I’m just different and special. They keep quarreling, what are they all looking at now? Oh no, jeeps with soldiers and they have guns! I hate soldiers, they scare me, they make Innocent nervous, what should I do, I’m scared. Hide. I must run and hide. I slip away and no one sees me. I’m walking fast, I want to go home, I’m safe at home, I must wash my hands too. I got red dust on my pants, Innocent doesn’t like being dirty.
I’m home, I am scared to go outside, the soldiers are here, they wear masks, and I don’t like it. I don’t want them to see me but I must know what’s going on, so I look through a little hole on the front wall of my home, I see Amai, Grandpa Longdrop, Deo and the villagers with the mean soldiers. The ugly boss man is talking to Amai, why is he talking to Amai? She is walking towards our home, I mustn't let her to see me and call me outside to the soldiers! I shall go and hide; I hear the door shut, I think Amai is gone now. I go back and look through the hole in the wall again.
I see Grandpa Longdrop talking to the boss man. The boss man shouts but I can’t really understand what he’s saying, but all everyone gets down on the ground, except Grandpa Longdrop. Oh no! NO NO NO! The boss man hit him! No! Innocent must do something! Now he kicks Grandpa Longdrop, and for a moment Inncocent remembers when Grandpa Longdrop told me and Deo the story of a strong man long, long time ago that could not be beaten by the soldiers and any man. I must be like the strong man in the story! I run out of home and grab a stick. I’m running towards the boss man, I keep telling myself I am not afraid! “MUST PROTECT GRANDPA LONGDROP! AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!” I shout and hit the boss man’s hands with the stick, I think it’s broken.
I’m being beaten now, the soldiers are hitting me with their guns, I will not cry. I’m getting dirty, Oh I hate it! I cover my head with my arms and hands. My ammai screams for the soldiers to stop but they don’t listen. They only listened the boss man when he said to stop. They’re dragging me away now, I feel the rocks on the ground cutting my back and the soldiers hold me so tight. I spit at one man’s face and he hits me across mine. Why are they bringing me to the Kraal? I want to take a bath, but I know they won’t let me. They let go of me and before I knew it my wrists are being tied to pegs, and I’m naked. The soldiers also tie my legs apart from each other to a log. They laugh, spit and pee on me. Innocent doesn’t like this. I smell like pee, sweat, blood. I stink, and when Deo comes to get me, I wanna go home and wash with hot water and soap. I need my clean clothes too. I know I did what I had to do. I had to defend Grandpa Longdrop, he’s old and they should not have beaten him. The soldiers have no respect for their elders. I know Grandpa Longdrop is proud of me.
I lie with my eyes closed, I’m weak. I’m hearing faint footsteps, I hope it’s Deo. The boy unties the sack from my neck and removes it. I open my eyes and see Deo, I’m happy to see my brother and I smile. He takes me off the pegs and helps me stand up. He says we must go now and he needs to hide me from the soldiers. “Deo, I’m dirty, I need to wash, I need my pants.” I’m brushing off the ants that crawled on me. “Not now Innocent, we need to go before the soldiers find me and take my clothes too, Do you want everyone to laugh at us and our butts when both of us our naked?” I understand my brother, and I try to walk, he helps me. “Where are we going Deo?” I see that we're going far from the village. “I need to check on Amai and Grandpa Longdrop before the soldiers notice I’m gone. I’m taking you to the pipes by the river.” I wonder why he’s taking me all the way there.
We get to the pipes and Deo helps me walk to the pipe closest to the river and farthest from the village. He lays me down inside it; “Don’t get out of here Innocent, Don’t come out okay?” I nod my head and I will listen to Deo. “They mustn't hurt him, I couldn’t let them hurt Grandpa Longdrop.” I tell Deo while he grabs some dried bush to cover the opening. “Grandpa Longdrop will be alright Innocent. I must get back to the village.”
Deo is right. I know Grandpa Longdrop will be okay and Amai and Deo too. We’ll all be together again, as if the soldiers never came and I can wash as soon as Deo comes to get me and takes me home.
I’m home, I am scared to go outside, the soldiers are here, they wear masks, and I don’t like it. I don’t want them to see me but I must know what’s going on, so I look through a little hole on the front wall of my home, I see Amai, Grandpa Longdrop, Deo and the villagers with the mean soldiers. The ugly boss man is talking to Amai, why is he talking to Amai? She is walking towards our home, I mustn't let her to see me and call me outside to the soldiers! I shall go and hide; I hear the door shut, I think Amai is gone now. I go back and look through the hole in the wall again.
I see Grandpa Longdrop talking to the boss man. The boss man shouts but I can’t really understand what he’s saying, but all everyone gets down on the ground, except Grandpa Longdrop. Oh no! NO NO NO! The boss man hit him! No! Innocent must do something! Now he kicks Grandpa Longdrop, and for a moment Inncocent remembers when Grandpa Longdrop told me and Deo the story of a strong man long, long time ago that could not be beaten by the soldiers and any man. I must be like the strong man in the story! I run out of home and grab a stick. I’m running towards the boss man, I keep telling myself I am not afraid! “MUST PROTECT GRANDPA LONGDROP! AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!” I shout and hit the boss man’s hands with the stick, I think it’s broken.
I’m being beaten now, the soldiers are hitting me with their guns, I will not cry. I’m getting dirty, Oh I hate it! I cover my head with my arms and hands. My ammai screams for the soldiers to stop but they don’t listen. They only listened the boss man when he said to stop. They’re dragging me away now, I feel the rocks on the ground cutting my back and the soldiers hold me so tight. I spit at one man’s face and he hits me across mine. Why are they bringing me to the Kraal? I want to take a bath, but I know they won’t let me. They let go of me and before I knew it my wrists are being tied to pegs, and I’m naked. The soldiers also tie my legs apart from each other to a log. They laugh, spit and pee on me. Innocent doesn’t like this. I smell like pee, sweat, blood. I stink, and when Deo comes to get me, I wanna go home and wash with hot water and soap. I need my clean clothes too. I know I did what I had to do. I had to defend Grandpa Longdrop, he’s old and they should not have beaten him. The soldiers have no respect for their elders. I know Grandpa Longdrop is proud of me.
I lie with my eyes closed, I’m weak. I’m hearing faint footsteps, I hope it’s Deo. The boy unties the sack from my neck and removes it. I open my eyes and see Deo, I’m happy to see my brother and I smile. He takes me off the pegs and helps me stand up. He says we must go now and he needs to hide me from the soldiers. “Deo, I’m dirty, I need to wash, I need my pants.” I’m brushing off the ants that crawled on me. “Not now Innocent, we need to go before the soldiers find me and take my clothes too, Do you want everyone to laugh at us and our butts when both of us our naked?” I understand my brother, and I try to walk, he helps me. “Where are we going Deo?” I see that we're going far from the village. “I need to check on Amai and Grandpa Longdrop before the soldiers notice I’m gone. I’m taking you to the pipes by the river.” I wonder why he’s taking me all the way there.
We get to the pipes and Deo helps me walk to the pipe closest to the river and farthest from the village. He lays me down inside it; “Don’t get out of here Innocent, Don’t come out okay?” I nod my head and I will listen to Deo. “They mustn't hurt him, I couldn’t let them hurt Grandpa Longdrop.” I tell Deo while he grabs some dried bush to cover the opening. “Grandpa Longdrop will be alright Innocent. I must get back to the village.”
Deo is right. I know Grandpa Longdrop will be okay and Amai and Deo too. We’ll all be together again, as if the soldiers never came and I can wash as soon as Deo comes to get me and takes me home.