Chapter one
"Nomcoba,wake up and take off those clothes!" It was her mother's angry voice.Nomcoba slowly got up and sat on the mattress,rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Get up,stop wasting time!" Her mother yelled.Nomcoba was used to her mother shouting and yelling all the time,she cared little until she saw MaSithole and MaSangweni standing behind her mother, inside her hut. Nomcoba could hear her heart beating fast.She wished she had some magic powers that could make her disappear or make her invisible."I was wondering why you are not preparing for the Reed dance like other girls,all you do is sleep and being a shadow of yourself, I cannot keep wondering,MaSithole and MaSangweni will give me the answers today",Her mother said, stepping back.MaSithole was an elderly woman in her late sixties,she was a respected woman who held tradition and customs with high regard,she groomed young girls and led all the rituals and ceremonies the girls were expected to do in Umgubo village,MaSangweni helped her with everything,she was in her early fifties.
"You can go out so we can check her",It was MaSangweni talking to Zinzile,Nomcoba's mother.Zinzile went outside and waited a few feet from the door.After some minutes,MaSithole came out of the hut holding Nomcoba's hand, dragging her to her mother. "She is no longer a virgin!"You have disappointed me Nomcoba!"MaSithole was breathing hard with fury.Nomcoba felt her heart sink,her head spinning, they ruined their plan.Mvelo had promised to marry her soon before anybody found out but things didn't go as they planned,she was caught.
Zinzile didn't know what to do,she paced to and fro, she felt like screaming, shouting, crying at the same time.She felt temperatures rising rapidly but she understood it was only her body temperature,she started sweating,she was angry that she wished she could squeeze Nomcoba into a tiny thing in her hand.Zinzile could no longer control her anger,she slapped Nomcoba so hard that she stumbled to the side and almost fell.MaSangweni quickly pulled Nomcoba by her hand and wrapped her in her arms to protect her from her mother.Nomcoba started crying."You are disrespecting us for beating a child infront of us Zinzile!"It was MaSithole shouting at Nomcoba's mother. Zinzile tried to calm herself down and apologised.
"Unfortunately we all know what this means, according to our tradition, Nomcoba will be married to an old man,as a second wife or third,she cannot marry a young man of her choice or any young man,she must be married off to an old man as soon as possible so that if she is pregnant,the pregnancy should start showing in that man's home before it becomes a shame",It was MaSithole reminding them of what they all knew. Nomcoba cried out loud, MaSangweni patted her back trying to comfort her. "You have ruined your life!" said Zinzile as she left them standing there."We are leaving, tomorrow a man will be chosen for you",said MaSithole to Nomcoba.They left Nomcoba standing alone, her world had just come crashing down on her,that was not the plan they had with Mvelo.
Zinzile ignored Nomcoba throughout the day,she didn't talk to her or respond to her apologies.
When it was getting dark in the evening, Nomcoba took her mother's wrapper and wrapped a few clothes of hers,she was alone at home,her mother had gone to call her uncle.She walked slowly out of her hut ,she went behind with the intention of using the small gate behind the huts.She had managed to sneak out in the afternoon to meet Mvelo when her mother went to fetch water and they agreed to escape."Nomcoba!"her mother yelled.Nomcoba jumped up in fright.She was caught again,this time trying to run away. "Come back here,if you go , don't come back",her mother said.Nomcoba turned slowly and walked towards her mother and uncle,her late father's young brother,Zwelethu Khumalo.They went into the kitchen and sat around a burning fire,there was dead silence for a moment.Nomcoba couldn't look at or greet her uncle,she was embarrassed and scared.
"I heard what happened my daughter,you have disappointed me,you have disappointed us as the Khumalos but I'm against this nonsense thing your mother and those women are saying,that you will be given to an old man!what about the boy who did this?why can't he marry you? why an old man?"Zwelethu said. "But you know our tradition uncle, tradition says she must be married to an old man not a young man",Zinzile said ,she sounded so calm this time."What stupid tradition?whose daughter?my late brother 's only daughter?who made that stupid tradition? instead of saying the man who disvirgined a girl must marry her,you give her to an old man,that is why these boys will continue to do this, this tradition is not happening in this family,we shall see!"Zwelethu spoke like he didn't mean it. Zinzile shook her head,she was beginning to regret why she called him there,she knew Zwelethu was a stubborn man,he seemed not to take anything serious especially the traditions and customs people followed,he always spoke his mind,he was sometimes disrespectful and daring.
"The meeting will be held tomorrow in the afternoon at chief 's home,a man will be chosen for Nomcoba to marry as soon as possible", Zinzile informed Zwelethu regardless of him being against the tradition.Zwelethu laughed mockingly and clapped his hands."So you people are serious? I will be there,we shall see!"He said as he stood up and left."You are sleeping in my hut tonight so you won't run away and make things worse",said Zinzile to Nomcoba angrily.Nomcoba was upset,her mother just ruined all her plans.What was she going to do?marry the old man?No,she still had time, marriage preparations would take a few days, they still had a chance to run away,She thought."You will not run away Nomcoba,you will stay here and face the consequences of your actions",Zinzile interrupted her thoughts.Nomcoba was shocked,how did she read her mind?.
