IVORY
After I had met Mr. Kevin Ernest, the farm manager, and was told the list of things I was to expect here, Zala led me to the hostel. My guards and Cassidy followed me with my suitcases as we went out the 'OFFICE' building and into the brick building on the right. Mr. Kevin insisted that I discard my guards and Cassidy once I was done using their services.
Zala led me up a flight of stairs and knocked on a door. A short ebony girl, who was dangerously curvy, opened the door. Her brown eyes smiled at Zala and looked at me in askance.
"Hey Zala. What's good?" She asked, her accent strange. Again.
Why could I not identify these accents? It was getting on my nerves. Was this what I would go through all the time? Listening to different accents hit me from every direction?
"Everything," Zala replied. "You have a new roommate. Mr. Kevin's orders. He says to be nice to her."
The girl leaned in the doorway and accessed me, then took notice of the people behind me.
Her eyebrows shot up, "She coming with these people too?"
Zala laughed, "No, silly. Just her. They will only help her settle in."
The girl nodded her bald hair and shrugged then walked out the room and gestured with her fleshy arm. "Go on."
I gave her a quick nod and sauntered in, my guards following me behind. I glanced at the girl to see her giving me judging eyes.
"Who does she think she is?" I heard the girl whisper to Zala. "Who wears a suit to a freaking farm?"
The bedroom's did not equal even half of mine at home. It was small and compact. How would all my stuff fit in here? There were two tiny beds on each side of the room and two wardrobes built into the wall. I opened an adjoining door to discover a smaller room, containing a bathroom and toilet. How would I fit in there?
I snapped my fingers and my guards set to work on Cassidy's orders. When they were done, the pale yellow painted room had transformed into a stunning blue beauty. They had managed to fix a standing fan for me. A vanity table. Some electrical appliances. And most importantly, an ashtray.
I smiled at the outcome but my expression turned sour when the girl told me. "There is not enough space in here for all these. Remember this is not just your room."
I ignored her and nodded to my guards and Cassidy to leave. They bowed and exited. The girl banged the door behind them and swaggered to her bed. She watched me.
"Oh how the mighty has fallen," she taunted.
I ignored her and made to undress. I heard her gasp at the sight of my tatted back. I wore a loose but expensive chiffon gown and lay in bed, using my phone.
The girl shifted in her bed, ignoring me too. Why did they all wear this beautiful material? Where did they get it from?
"Your material. Where did you get it from?" I interrogated her, still looking into my phone.
She had managed to whisk out a magazine on Africans and looked quite interested in it. She kept turning the pages but did not answer me.
I dropped my phone and faced her squarely, "I was referring to you, you know."
She gave me a mock expression. "Oh were you? I thought you only had convo with certain kinds of people. I should definitely not be on that list."
I gave her a quizzical look.
"What? You think when you change your environment from your high class nonsense to this place, everyone would forget what a sick brat you are? If you want to survive here, you had better learned to respect people. I definitely would not take shit from you. And do not talk to me ever," she yelled, turning her side to face the wall.
My eyelids blinked in astonishment. No one, except Jide, had ever stood up to me. I never expected anything less; Grandma had warned me about blacks being too vocal.
I lay back down on the bed and continued with my phone. Who needed her? I could survive quite well on my own.
I cannot survive here, I quickly realized when the bell went by seven pm for dinner. There were over a thousand blacks here. Plus I could not find my way. There were no maps or schedules given to me. I was pushed to every side by everyone hurrying along to dinner. I followed the throng and they led me outside the building to meet another throng of boys coming from the other brick building to our left. The crowds got mixed and I was bumped into all the more. I followed them to a large hall behind the office building, where everyone lined up to get their meal.
It was soon my turn and I was given a strange looking meal. I groaned. Was I expecting anything better? I trudged to a table no one had occupied and gazed at the meal. I watched the people after a while. They looked so happy and free, engrossed in their talks, acting like a new comer was not in their midst. They all looked to be teenagers and youths in their late twenties, no one older.
"Ivory," I heard a male voice call my name as he sat on the opposite bench of the long table. He flashed me a grin. "So nice to finally meet you."
I gave him a scorn.
He dropped his tray and raised his hand in surrender, "Come on. I do not bite. Just trying to start up a convo with the most famous CEO in the United Kingdom." He chuckled.
I raised my brows, a sign that he should get to the point and fuck off instantly.
"I am Kofi," he stretched his arm for a handshake.
I did not reciprocate and he dropped his arm, still smiling. "Tough one, are you not?"
I rolled my eyes.
"What are you trying to do with the snub?" My 'roommate' asked Kofi, standing in her curvaceous glory by my table with two tall black girls, whose hairs were braided in cornrows.
"Trying to make new acquaintance," he informed them, his stare fixed on me.
The girls laughed and spoke to each other in a strange language.
"Good luck," one of the girls told him and they moved on their way.
He shook his head ruefully, "You have made me a laughing stock."
"Where are you from?" I asked quietly.
"Ghana," he replied in ecstacy.
I had heard about the country just once.
I nodded and asked again, "Who were those girls?"
"The curvy one is Makena. Men, that girl does things to guys with those killer curves," he drawled in a daze.
"And what about the others?" I inquired.
He was eating now, "Wangui and Njoki, the twins."
"Where are they from?" I watched, wondering how he was enjoying the strange looking food.
"Kenya," he replied and his eyes zeroed in on my food. "Why are you not eating?"
"I do not feel hungry," I lied but my tummy growled loudly in protest.
He smiled teasingly at me, "Someone says otherwise. Come on, eat up." He urged me, spooning a handful into his mouth.
"I do not like the look," I opened up to him.
"'Do not judge a book by it's cover', you whites always say that. Come on, give it a try," he urged.
I picked my spoon and filled it with the strange food. I looked at it disgustingly and enclosed my mouth around it. My eyes lit up in pleasure. Wow.
I nodded and chewed, "It is good."
"See?" He replied.
"What is it called?" I asked through a mouthful.
"Afval. A South African delicacy," he said.
I noticed that material again, he was wearing it and so was everyone in the room. Not the same patterns but the same material.
"I love this material. Where did you get it from?" I inquired, taking a spoonful of the dish.
He smiled proudly, "It is called Ankara. It is African clothing."
I breathed in awe, relaxing a bit. "You all have beautiful clothing. How can I get one?"
He nodded to a table behind, "You can ask Jide."
I shot my eyebrows and turned slowly to see the huncho sitting at a table and talking animatedly to a group of guys and girls. He did not look so uptight as I had known him to be.
I turned back to Kofi. "What is he like?"
He gave me a look, "Why are you asking?"
I shrugged, "Well, he stood up to me the first time we met. I did not like him for that."
He smirked, "Princess always love to have her way, huh?"
I smiled proudly. This guy gets me. "A lot."
"He is a cool person. Everyone likes him. He enjoys his solitude. Do not step on his foot and he would not step on yours. Well, that is like everyone's thing around here," he told me.
That should have been enough details for me, but I still felt a nagging curiosity in me. I should not even be asking of the dude.
"Oh," I replied.
"We had better eat up and go to sleep. It is going to be a long day tomorrow," he informed me. "And you are not as bad as everyone says you are."
My face scrunched up in curiosity, "What?"
"When we were told you would join us here, no one took the news happily. They were all grumbling. But you are not as horrible as they portray. I mean, look at you. I do not think you to be a snob or snub o whatever you British dudes call it," he rambled.
I laughed loudly, so loudly, that the chatter in the room stopped and everyone's gaze was on me.
"Wow," Kofi breathed out and took a picture immediately with his phone. "That should be the most beautiful sound I have heard this week."
I felt my ears burn and cheek colour. Aunt Joan had spent three years trying to bring an unforced smile to my lips; but within a few minutes, Kofi was not only able to bring a smile but a laugh. And it felt strangely good.
JIDEHer laughter rang in my ears. I was quite surprised but it felt so melodious coming from the stoic cold girl I had met and heard a lot about. Everyone watched her and it was like the time had stopped to capture this moment. She looked around when her laughter died down and her blue eyes caught mine. She gave me a brief glance and returned her gaze to Kofi. I had to admit Kofi had won my admiration. He was just working her softly and penetrating quite easily. I was not sure I had such patience. I heard Makena snort beside me. "She has got the nerves to laugh." The white light bulbs above reflecting off her bald ebony head. "Kofi does know his skills. Once he softens her, we will deal with her," Kadin, a Moroccan teenage boy hissed. I shook my head in dissent, "Kevin said to be nice.""Does not mean we should be," Wangui interjected, spooning into her mouth. "We can't just let her go after what she has done to our home," Tumpale, a Malawian girl, gruntled. "We were not able t
I frustratedly kept scrubbing my hair, trying to wash off the mud from it. I needed to get to a saloon to get this done exceptionally but when I asked one of those beasts in the farm, a bucket of mud bathed me from behind. I could not get their mocking laughs out my head as I hurried out of the farm to the hostel. The incessant ringtone of my iPhone made me wash the foam off my hair. It was not as clean as a professional would have done it, but it was preferable at the moment. "What is it?" I growled into the phone, without looking at the caller ID. "What do you think you are doing getting cozy with those barbarians?" Grandma's icy voice cut through the speaker. I winced a bit like I was actually cut but replied calmly, "I do not understand what you mean." "You are all over the internet, Ivory," she growled in a calm voice. I rolled my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "What are you saying Grandma? I am always all over the net. Why are you making it sound like news?" S
"That was a dangerous prank, man," I heard Jide's voice filter through my subconsciousness."It was a grass snake. It is harmless," I recognized the voice of the boy with the snake. "She would not know that, Adel," I heard Jide say again. "That is what made the prank all the more cool," Adel chuckled lightly. "Not cool, Adel. Not cool. Do you know what might happen if Kevin heard a word of this?" Jide asked lowly. "Why should we worry about her? If she does not survive this, then she will realize that this place is not for her," I heard Makena snap. "Makena," Jide called. I heard her bed squeak and she almost yelled, "Acha. You sound like a man whose wife is sick. You should not worry about this brat.""She is human and she may terribly break down from all these," Jide cajoled. "Well, we will see that for ourselves," Wangui dismissed. My eyelids fluttered open and my vision cleared as the ceiling came into view. I turned my head slightly to see a number of people clustered in
JIDEKevin had made an urgent assembly this morning. We stood in the courtyard, watching him pace in front of the assembly for over ten minutes. Ivory was some distance away from him, glaring at everyone. "I am highly disappointed in every one of you," he bellowed, digging his feet into the ground to keep him from pacing any further. "Fourteen years of being the manager here and I have never...NEVER... gotten any case of theft and bullying. What changed now?"He paused before continuing. "I know a lot of us here have some form of grievances towards Miss Stone," he gave me a pointed look. "But it does not give anyone the right to treat her less.""She needs to feel less now she is here," a Namibian girl quietly snickered and her friends joined in. "If you are in possession of Miss Stone's emerald trinkets..." there was a collection of gasps at the mention of 'emerald'. "...do well to return them or you all are going to face the consequences. And it would not be funny."I heard everyo
JIDEI waited for Ivory in the apple orchard, a very far distance behind the male hostel. It was quite chilly, even though I wore tons of warm clothing. I missed Nigeria. I had gotten so used to our warm climate that surviving here in the first few weeks of my arrival was hell. And though I had spent seven years in the United Kingdom, I had not fully adapted yet. I looked up into the darkness when I heard the crunching of gravel. It was lights out and no one was supposed to be out of bed. I shuddered a bit when I pictured Kevin walking up the path here and find me. There was punishment for not heeding to instructions. My mind raced for excuses to give. I heaved a sigh when I saw Ivory treading the path, a confused expression etched on her face. I was quite sure she had not been to this side of the farm yet. She looked quite good in her pink furry jacket, knee length blue shorts and knee length blue boots. Her long blond hair was tied back in a tight ponytail and her face was death
I felt light-headed as I, Jide and Makena rode back to the farm. We basked in the comfortable silence that enveloped us. Arriving at one forty seven am, I had changed into my pyjamas to rest my head for a few seconds when I heard the wake-up bell. I woke to the slight tap on my shoulder. "Wake up, sleepy head," I heard Makena's teasing voice. I blinked at her, surprised that she smiled at me. Or was that her doppelganger smiling at me?I followed her into the bathroom and soon we were on our way to morning duties. I had corn duties while Makena had rabbit duties. The corn farm was a vast field filled with tall green stalks. We were to harvest them as I was told. I ventured into the farm and everyone greeted me happily. I was awestruck. What must have happened?"Nrowee! I will lead you to your portion," a young man told me. I did not understand the first word but I walked behind him. "What did you say? The first word, I mean." I enquired. "Come-on. It is Makhuwa. A native langua
The next day, Cassidy had called to give me info on the new buildings she could get ahold of. I requested that she sent it to my mail. After the day's work and a meal of sadza, I sat in the porch of the hostel building, smoking and watching the dark sky dotted with bright stars. The moon shone at a distance, illuminating the courtyard. "I have never seen a woman who enjoy smoking this much," Jide invaded my thoughts. I butted the end of my cigarette stick and replaced it between my lips. Jide shoved it out of my mouth and crumbled it in his palms. I watched him in wonder. How could he do that when it was still lighted?"Can you let me enjoy my stick? This helps me relax," I told him. He bent his head at an odd angle and questioned me. "I thought painting helped you relax?""I stopped doing that three years ago. Grandma thought it was a waste of time. But she did not have issues with my smoking," I shrugged. "Who does that? Complain about painting but not smoking," he boomed. "Ca
Why were my palms sweating? Why were my limbs weaker? Why was I so nervous? I was not meeting up with her; Detective Michelle was. I could not bring myself to sleep after that call. I kept turning on the thin bed, yet no position seemed comfortable for me. I quickly lit a cigar to relax. Had she changed in any way? Was she more prettier now or had age dealt mercilessly with her? Would she remember who I was if she saw me? I had a feeling she would; I was her replica, I only had Father's blonde hair. I let my hand trail down my hair and brought its end to my nose. The apple scented shampoo I used tingled my nose. I breathed out and took a drag from my cigar. I had nothing to worry about, I would not meet her ever. Hours passed by and I could not sleep a wink. When the morning bell went, I had finished one and a half pack of cigar. If I was home, I would have had a bottle of whiskey. I trudged out of bed and did my morning duties before going for breakfast. "What happened to you?