Thank you for reading my first chapter.

Below are some pronunciations of some names in this chapter.

Vinjero-Vee-Nje(this is pronounced as ‘nju’ is pronounced in injury)-ro

Akafula-Aker-Foo-Lah: this the Chichewa term for pygmy.

Bembe-Bay-mbay (mbe is pronounced as the ‘mbay’ in Bombay)

Limbani-Lee-mber-nee(mba is pronounced the same way ‘mbi’ is pronounced in combine)

I will be putting only names of those characters who are mentioned frequently.

Chapter 2

Ipyana

My head was throbbing. I held it in my palms. The dark room I was in kept shaking. I tried to get up but my body would not let me.

“They drugged you.” A voice said. “That’s why you feel that way. Lie down in a few hours the symptoms will completely wear off.”

I closed my eyes.

When I awoke, there was light in the room. I saw a girl with her legs folded together she was doing sit-ups in between the bed I was on and another one.

“Finally awake?” she said without stopping. She was the same voice from earlier. “There is a water bottle beside my bed. I know you must be thirsty.”

I went to the headboard of the other bed and grabbed the water bottle. My throat was scorching dry. The girl kept grunting and breathing out. Her merlot brown skin glistened with sweat. She lay down, inhaled then hurled herself onto her feet. She walked up to the water bottle.

“You finished all the water?” she said wiping the sweat off her face.

“I’m sorry.” I touched the sleeve of my sweater. These were not the clothes I was in when I was in the pod. I was now wearing a graphite tank top, granite sweater and graphite shorts. And so was the strange girl. I must have been dreaming.

“It’s okay. I know the drug they use makes one really thirsty. We will get more when they come do their rounds.”

“Who are they?” I asked, as I sat down on my bed.

“The guards.”

“Guards? What do you mean? Are we in prison?” I searched my mind. I did not remember committing any crime. How did I end up in this dark one window room?

“You could call it prison. But that would be incorrect. Just know that the guards make sure we don’t get out.” She walked to the far end of the room near the window. She was doing quick jabs and hooks. She was so focused it was like before her stood an enemy.

“What is this place?” I asked, scanning our tiny room.

“I don’t know. They kidnap Akafula and make them fight. Those who win get to leave.”

“Is that why you are training?”

“Yes. The marches start tomorrow.”

“Even for me?”

“Even for you.” She turned to face me then said. “My name is Vinjero.”

“I’m Ipyana.”

She continued doing jabs and hooks in alternation. I had heard of illegal fight clubs but none just for pygmies.

“I’m going to win tomorrow’s fight. I have to get out of this place.” She was on the floor doing push ups. From my bed all I could see was her kinky bun rising and descending.

“How long have you been here?”

“I don’t know.” She paused as though lost in thought. “I don’t remember when I first came. Lucky you, you are from Kaulimi so you don’t have to train as hard as me.”

“How did you know I’m from Kaulimi?”

She grunted then chuckled. “The tatts on your arm.”

I pulled my sweater’s sleeve and looked at the three tattoos of circles on my right arm.

“They are going to march you with someone of your calibre. Maybe Vitumbiko, he is a professional boxer.”

My stomach was knots. I swallowed hard. I had managed to get a bare pass in my combat courses. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the three basic stands of Bembe. The last time I had used it was a year ago with Salifya. I slowly stood up and started doing the three stances of Bembe. I was moving onto the forms.

“This is Bembe?” She said with awe.

I paused and nodded my head.

“Teach me.”

“I can’t. We aren’t allowed to teach it to….outsiders.”

“I understand.” She dropped to floor and started doing push ups with one hand. I don’t know why she wanted Bembe she was clearly stronger than me. I continued doing my forms. Who dressed me? Who invaded my space in that way? Where was Sali’s pod? What happened to my phone?

“State your essentials.” A stern voice, from behind the door, barked. Vinjero had told that one of the guards would ask me this.

“Now the mistake I made was choosing silly stuff. I chose mango juice, a phone and another pillow. They brought the juice and the pillow but not the phone. So don’t mention tech. Ask for a water bottle, sanitary pads, and the third can be whatever you think you need.”

“Tampons, a blanket and a water bottle.”

“Noted. There will be provided at the end of the day. Your number is 911908.” The guard footsteps could be heard walking through long corridor outside our room.

“Memorise the number. That is your name now.” Vinjero said.

I did not know the full extent of those words.

A large man handed me an oval tablet as small as a pea.

“This is your pill.” Vinjero said.

It had my number on it. “I thought we were coming to get food?” I looked at the people in front of us on the queue, none of them had food.

“This is our food newbie,” a young man behind me chuckled. He was short, with scrawny physique and syrup brown skin tone.

“They did a blood test which told them your dietary needs. This pill has all your nutritive needs.” Vinjero explained.

“So we don’t get food?” I asked.

“Not in this dump.” The scrawny man snarled. Pygmies of different ages, all walked in a line exiting the common area, with the guards handing out pills, into the corridor. When they reached their cells, they would break off from the line and enter their cell. How did they all get here? After watching Vinjero swallow hers with water. I did the same after we got back into our cell. I felt like vomiting but I forced myself to swallow. Something about this place told me I would not get another pill for sometime. The after taste of the pill was vile. I kept getting dry heaves.

“You get used to the taste after sometime.” Vinjero said.

Vinjero was right. They put me against the professional fighter Vitumbiko. He growled when the referee blew his whistle, then kicked me in my shoulder. I went down. He followed me, throwing a succession of blows on my face. He knocked me out in 30 seconds flat and left me with a broken nose. I would not know though, because I passed out and the “team” healed my broken nose while I was out. Vinjero told me.

“Why didn’t you fight back??” Vinjero’s forehead formed a crunch. “I didn’t see you throw a punch.”

I turned to face the grey wall. The tears that gullied down my face felt like acid.

Vinjero walked from her bed to my own and put her hand on my arm. “What is it?”

“I’m not a fighter!” I yelled. “I don’t understand what’s going on here. Why do we have to fight each other? Why are they holding us captive? Why are they treating us like circus animals? Placing us in front of an audience like that? I just want to go home.”

“Ipyana, I hate it here too. But there is no chance of escape. There only way to get out is to do what they want which is fight.” She spoke gently. “I’m not a fighter either but here I have to be. It’s there only way to survive.” She hugged me from behind. “I can do all things through God who strengthens me Philippians 4v13. You can do this.”

A siren went off. Vinjero led me to the arena where the fight had taken place. Inside the cage were five pygmies lined up before us. The auditorium was filled with the rest of the captives. A man dressed in a grey turtle neck and green slacks walked into the auditorium from a door to the left corner of the room. He was holding a gun, a large rifle gun.

He walked into the ring where the pygmies were. “It’s time for education and execution!” he cajoled. “This is an assault rifle. If you paid attention in history you would know what this is. Or if you watched movies from the previous century like I often do. I digress.” He pulled the trigger and shot the first pygmy. We all gasped as we watched the pygmy’s body fall. “This is what happens to those who lose more than one fight.” He shot the next pygmy. The sound of the shot echoed throughout the room. “I forget how powerful these weapons were built to be.” He shot the third pygmy. Our gasps seemed to amuse him. Vinjelo put her hand over my shoulder.

I turned to face her. “Why isn’t anyone stopping him?”

“Because, the last person who tried to stop Limbani got sold as a sex slave to one of their brothels.” Vinjero retorted.

“You are the last pygmy. Out of the kindness of my heart, I will offer you choice. You will choose where this bullet lands. Do you want it through your forehead like your friends or somewhere else?” Before the pygmy replied. He shot the pygmy’s stomach. He was laughing when he said, “After all variety the spice of life.” He watched the pygmy bleed with a smile on his face. “Nobody likes a predicable show, right?” I closed my eyes and my ears.

“Don’t do that, if the guards notice, they will mess you up.” Vinjero said.

I opened my eyes. We all stayed till the young man bled to his death. Just watching, the life flow out of him. After the poor pygmy had finally died, Limbani took a deep bow. And we all clapped for him.

Creator's Note: 

Thank for reading this chapter. Feeling impatient? You can find out what happens next by crossing over to amazon: http://a.co/aOrvZ7W

Don't be shy to comment, I am always looking to chat. 

Discussion: What do you think of Ipyana?

What do you think of Limbani's shows?

Do you think Ipyana will win her next fight since her life depends on it?