The Bitter Pills

8/6/2019 The Bitter Pills

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February THE BITTER

PILLS!

20112

It is all about Political dramas in the independent Kenya, the question of land, social injustices,

governance and parenthood…more so; the novel touches relationships, love, betrayals and the

inevitable heartaches!

FAILED PROMISES!

L















Cheruo Levi Cheptora

Novel Writing

Fiction-Based on Reality

2011

Chapter One

They had played together when they were as young as four. So tight had they been it

was unthinkable seeing them apart someday. Many waters had run under the bridge.

Time

and again, Hellen remembered those eternal words: I will never let you down!

And David had meant every word. Then, his heart had known real love. He had felt

loved. And Hellen knew it, too. She had also loved him, had given out the whole of her

innocent heart, the whole of her inner self…and her body also had been entirely ownedby

him!







That was many years ago. Old Rael had rejuvenated the pleasant past. She too, had

been through hell. But time had come to implant a lesson in her life. She had come to

know

that love was such a long journey ornamented with thorns and roses as well. Yetsometimes,

the roses came with hidden semi-thorns. Such was an institution that couldn’t be

evaded and

shouldn’t be celebrated at the same time; a part of the hard school of life, whose

graduates are

hardly enthusiastic in their thereafter lives!

After the long journey, even a straw felt heavy under Hellen’s might .That the love of

a woman and a bottle of wine are sweet for a season and lasts for a time ;wasn’tdebatable

any more . She was embracing the naked truth!

***

Old Rael had told her a story of a young and beautiful girl who stumbled upon an

orphaned dove .She felt sorry for the dove and took it home where she fend for it and

they

soon became inseparable friends! The gentle bird grew up and was always with the girl.

As aresult, her father too developed fondness for the bird, and so did the mother of the

home who

cooked her best for the bird.

Time went by and the bird could now feed on its own .Then one bright morning, it

just happened…the lovely creature just disappeared into the thin air! The girl was

greatly

troubled and had to look for the bird in the adjacent bushes. On the first day of the

unfruitfulsearch, the girl came back home desperate and anguished. It was as if she had lost a

loved

one, someone dear to her lonely heart.

With encouragement from both her father and mother, she set off the next day. She

knew deep within her, that it won’t be easier, yet she felt obliged. And on the evening of



the







second day, she discovered the bird on a teak. The darkness crept stealthily and

engulfed the

whole area. She slept under that Teak. She knew that God’s angels are always

everywhereand they will take good care of her.

And as soon as she heard the whistling of the birds, she woke up from what had been

not a very sober sleep. Her somber mood was not encouraging at all. It nearly

convinced her

that everything will go wrong somewhere along the way. To her amazement, Ayub was

still

there (for this was the bird’s name). She thanked God over and over again. But the bird

took

off as soon as she was commencing a shaky climb up the giant tree! She cursed under

her

breath…and she had to follow the bird once again.

Ayub wondered all day long, perching here and there for a second. The girl followed.

And when the sun was barking hot, its wrath having dehydrated the poor girl; she rested

and

realized for the first time that she was really hungry. The wild fruits did magic to her

zooming stomach. And soon she was running again.Thorns pricked her limbs badly. At times she had to half-walk while limping and half-

run while crying. She had to get the bird, no matter what. Papa’s wrath was as ugly as

the

thick bushes surrounding Teaks she was coming across. She better died here than

under

those mighty hands of Joram, she reasoned inwardly.

The search continued for two more days. The girl was extremely exhausted. The flesh

was too weak but still, the spirit was willing and yearning to get hold of Ayub.

She was horrific, emaciated and glaring aimlessly to the dark. The moon seemed harsh

and

merciless than she would have loved to remember. And so were the bright stars. So

demeaning and mean they seemed, it really send shivers down her timid spine! But she

had to



be strong. The love for the bird kept her going. It rejuvenated her tremendous zeal and

ignited

her troubled soul. Ayub was her strength – the only source of life she was left with.







And when morning of the fifth day came, she woke up to see Ayub perched on a wild

fruit tree some yards away from her. She took aim at the bird, not with an arm, but

rather with

a renewed hope and enormous love. Ayub was still healthier as before. Except for its

whistles, the bird was humble than ever before.

The sun was rising majestically. Its strong rays overcame the mist that engulfed the

thicket. She could now see clearly. About ten meters away, was something resembling

an

elephant mushroom. The figure came out of it; and it was darkness once again.

She woke up at midnight, surrounded by close to six people. Then the light fell on her

again. The next day her soul was full of strength and she felt well. Ayub fed her with

milk

and honey till she recovered fully.

The girl never returned to her homeland ever again. She found the love of her life

disguised as an orphaned dove! And that was the end of the story…

***

She was seeing through old Rael. That she was wishing she were the poor girl, was

not a lie. Only that her soul had no more zeal. The man she had loved all her life, had

drained

all the innocence from her heart, killed the once spirited soul and covered her entire

tomorrow with a dark cloud. It could only take a miracle to retrace that good old.

All the same, God had been kind to them. The Christian missionaries were here. The

effects of their long hand were being felt in the entire Western province. Seventh Day

Adventist Church had been built at Cheptais centre. And plans were there to establish

others

up the slopes of Mount Elgon. And this was 1964; only a year after leadership was

handedover to black colonialists.







Hellen had heard of the commission under the headship of an Indian Mr.Pranlal

Sheth. The commission was touring Bungoma District. And rumors were in the air, that

Kenyatta himself will follow soon.

A few of her friends had been integrated on one or two things. At least they knew a

thing more than she had wrestled tirelessly to get out of the menacing sphere of politics

and

politicians. And old Rael had also represented her church members. Reuben Chesire, a

D.O.

for Kajiado, had later on addressed a number of Cheptais residents. Should everything

sail

through successfully, Cheptais was going to be the beacon of Sabaot leadership.

The D.O had reminded them a thousand and one times, that the ever gracious leaders

were never going to let them down. That the parents of the nation will live up to their

promises; if only they could be patient more than a job! And only a few knew what that

meant!

True, on the ground, things were boiling and the “parents” had sensed an ugly

eruption. Like a burnt child, “our parents” were dreadful of the ensuing fire this time.

Everyone agreed that the intervention was timely and much needed. Exhaustive

dialogue had

been contacted and extensive consultations made throughout the region. The

commission felt

the need to address those sensitive cases and unanimously voiced their concerns.

The following were the recommendations that were agreed upon by Mr. Sheth’s

commission:

i. Some more land should be allocated to the larger Sabaot community.

ii. Sabaots be given a district of their own.

iii. The intended district should be transferred to Rift Valley Province.

iv. Communication and infrastructure be improved in the new district.







The parliament was going to pass the recommendations and signed into law by Mzee

Kenyatta. Hellen knew it will take time, but they had no other choice other than to wait.

She

hoped for the best.

As a child, Hellen remembered living with her parents and those of David in present day

central Kitale. Their neighbors used to live in present day Saboti, Endebes, Kimimini

and

God knows where else.

With time, they had been displaced from their ancestral lands by the white settlers.

Consequently; they were pushed to the fringes of Mount Elgon when others had to

cross over

to Jinja, Kapchorwa and Toroso in western Uganda.

And for years, they have lived in relative calm with Bukusus and the Ndorobos. But it

was evident they didn’t had genuine trust on each other. And Hellen feared this might

one

day land them into a very deep ditch!

Like old Rael, she had come to live oblivious of the limits. It was their duty to share in

their merry and grief as well. Indeed, a tall order that was all the same, inevitable.

Someone

had reminded her that it was a wise thing to keep your friends closer, but your sworn

enemies

closest!

***

It was nearing three months now. Soon it will be the talk of the whole village. They

will say all sorts of nasty stories and make sure she was the most uncomfortable mortal

in the

world. And she knew her image will be defaced completely.







Her studies were now practically interrupted. The three months in Matuga High had

been rather painful. The matron was a sentinel and had proved everybody wrong by

asserting

that she was expectant. She knew it was true yet she wanted everybody to believeotherwise.

Her periods had stopped and so were her immense dreams!

She had hoped against all odds that after the A’ levels, Makerere University would be

her next stop. Nothing in the world had prepared her for the present discomfort – a

burden

that had automatically ushered in disquietness and guilt she didn’t deserved.

David, the very first man in her life; had sounded very promising. The heaven he had

emphatically promised her had ironically turned into a bloody hell. And it was there tostay.

The more she tried to forget, the more it seemed lively and present in her life. Everyone

said

she better learnt living with it wholeheartedly…and it seemed she had no much choice.

All the same, she was grateful … grateful now that Old Rael was beside her; mother

had been very loving. She had defended her when Papa was breathing fire. It was true;

the

old lady had somehow lessened the grip of the Biblical eventual hell! The present hellwas

almost soothing, and she was appreciative.

Deep within her, she knew all was not lost. It wasn’t over yet. It wasn’t ripe enough to

part ways with her childhood dreams. Now she had to rely on time – the greatest healer

at

hand.

Come to think of it closely; her exaggerated vulnerability was to blame for the present

chaotic life. The man had made her feel on top of the world. She had felt the best thing

after

the gold! Her misty tomorrow had been cleared and she could feel surging forward

meaningfully- that was then. The lifetime letter had set the ball rolling. The sweet words

had



cultivated a thirst nothing could ever quench. The precious letter was hidden

somewhere no

one would ever reach. And it read:







“At long last I am opening up to you. True, we’ve come a long way. Remember the hide

and

seek games we used to play behind your garden. And the wild fruits we used to gather

deepin the forest… now I cannot tell what you think of me.

Well- I just wanted to set myself free. I feel I will never be at peace if cowardice will

overcome me. Am breaking through silence and letting out the harshest reality. A

genuine

presentation of what I would rehearse for years on end.

You see Hellen; it might be the hardest thing to do. I just cannot find the appropriate

adjectives to put in description what I feel about you. I have always adored you. Always,

you’ve been part of me. I have carried you in my heart wherever I have gone to.

Intermingled with absurd fear and respect, is the feeling. It might sound weird but it is

the

plain truth.

Now the feeling cannot just go. Girl, you have the liberty to set me free. Otherwise, the

whole

thing is slowly killing me – inside!

Yours forever

David.

She had been treated like a queen in their dormitory that glorious day. Her shy friends

had

clung on her like a cat would cling to her kittens. And every other time she read the

letter, the

more she had loved David.

Every single sigh was like a step beside some powerful gods. With all her might, she

learnt how to love best. And soon a strong bond had been established. Come the O’

level

exams, she did her best in the name of impressing the love of her life. And so did David

who

also got Division one (I).

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The Bitter Pills