Knell.Ashes.Seppuku

Ashely Ropafadzo

Description

A delinquent son, a barren woman, troubled marriages, a reunion between old childhood friends, and all manner of family drama. This novel�s sudden twists and turns have all the makings of a relatable African saga. Tinashe is an intelligent and vibrant young man who is sent to the city of Gweru to further his education at Midlands State University by his father. He is staying with his aunt Margaret who is always fighting with her son Cephas. Tinashe is looking forward to enjoying life and having a great time in the city but things do not seem to be in parallel with his expectations. He later realises this when he is wrongly accused of murdering his aunt, Margaret.

Sujets

• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 17 décembre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789956764938
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

who is always fighting with her son Cephas. Tinashe is

in the city but things do not seem to be in parallel with his expectations. He later realises this when he is wrongly

Gweru. She attended Thornhill, Cecil John Rhodes and Redcliff

Loreto High School and Harare High School respectively. She

for a Bsc in Social Work Honors Degree. Knell.Ashes.Seppuku is one of her first and great works as a passionate author.

Knell.Ashes.Seppuku Knell. Ashes. Seppuku  Ashely Ropafadzo Tome

Ashely Ropafadzo Tome

Knell.Ashes.Seppuku

Ashely Ropafadzo Tome

L a ng a a R esea rch & P u blishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com

ISBN-10: 9956-763-83-7

ISBN-13: 978-9956-763-83-2

©Ashely Ropafadzo Tome 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or be stored in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher

For My Mother, Father and Siblings Alistar , Angelic and Adelis

1 argaret was still awake, her eyes wide open. Her son M Cephas had not come back home yet, it was now past three in the morning. She heaved a sigh as her eyes darted from corner to corner in her room. What was wrong with that boy? She had actually tried by all might to give him everything he wanted and had asked for albeit her relatives and friends complained about it, accusing her of spoiling the boy. They always said that he was a male child and as such had to learn how to live his life the hard way because one day he was going to be a father and a husband. Margaret turned and tossed in her bed, was she doing anything wrong in raising her children? Her first child Charity had six abortions and it all turned out to be a disaster when the doctor found out that her womb was rotten and responsible for her prolonged illness. The doctor said he had to remove the womb and burn it and that had been a sounding blow for Charity in that she was never going to be a mother for the rest of her life. Tears stung Margaret’s eyes. She wanted to let them flow freely on her cheeks but suddenly she heard the gate open and knew that Cephas had come back home. She peeped through her window, she could not see properly since her bedroom light was switched on. She heard the sound of her car as her son drove in. Cephas had done it again, he went out to party with friends with Margaret’s car without asking his mother for permission. He parked it just beside the fence surrounding the fishpond in the yard. Margaret was fuming with anger, she told herself to calm down and she took three deep breaths. The door creaked open as if some ghost had entered the house. Cephas gently shut the door and began to creep in the direction

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leading to his room. Margaret switched on the living room light, Cephas stopped and rolled his eyes as he turned his gaze away from his mother. There was a long moment of silence. Finally, Cephas decided to break the stony silence, “I thought you were sleeping already,” he snapped. Margaret decided not to answer him though she kept staring in his direction. She was torn. Part of her wanted to walk towards her son and hug him because he had come back home unharmed while the other part of her wanted to punch him in the face. Cephas began to feel uneasy and enraged as his mother kept staring at him silently until eventually he decided to go to his room. “Stop!” Margaret’s voice boomed. Cephas stopped with his back facing his mother. “I want to ask you something Cephas.” “Go on mother,” Cephas said throwing his hands in to the air in annoyance. Margaret took a few steps towards him and held his elbow, turning him around so as to make him look at her in her face. “What is it Cephas that I have done to …” she did not finish her sentence, she opened her eyes wide and realisation dawned on her. “You are drunk? Cephas, you have been drinking again?” “Mother please!” “Oh, don’t mother please me boy! You don’t have any regard and respect for me as your mother so how dare you call me mother? How dare you? Answer me!” Margaret was now shaking violently with anger. “Okay… Margaret, I’m tired right now and I’m feeling sleepy. I have to go to bed we will talk later okay? It’s in the middle of the night for goodness sake!” “I want to talk to you right now Cephas,” Margaret demanded.

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“You are freaking the neighbours!” Cephas said in a loud voice and staggering. “What?” Margaret heaved a sigh, “Cephas you took my car with you, did I give you permission to drive it?” “I don’t have answers to your stupid questions Margaret.” “Stop calling me that or I will strangle you to death you wretched son!” “You called me wretched?” “Oh, so you are hurt? You are hurt Cephas? Huh?” “I have no time for this,” Cephas said as he walked away from Margaret. “Of course you have,” Margaret said as she ran her hand over his arm and then she pulled him by the elbow. “Don’t touch me you miserable witch!” Cephas shouted vehemently as he pushed his mother away from him. Margaret lost her balance and fell on the couch. “You pushed me?” “What does it look like? Please I’m begging you to leave me alone, let me live my life the way I want and peacefully. I’ll be grateful if you do that for me you hear?” “Ceph…” “Don’t call my name! You are always bothering me Margaret. You make me think that I have to end your life so that I begin to live my life peacefully, ” Cephas said with his eyes wide open and fiercely shining, “Don’t push me mother, ” he said waving his fore finger in Margaret’s face and a dull cloud of wickedness filled his eyes. He had been holding both sides of the couch for he was leaning against it as he looked at his mother deep in her eyes. Margaret felt an icy cold shiver flow along her spine. Cephas let go of the sides of the couch and straightened from

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his bent position. He kept staring at his awe-stricken mother and then he turned to go to his room. Margaret began to cry. She cried softly and quietly until she lost control and began to cry loudly. She did not sleep. She couldn’t because of what Cephas had done and said to her. Her own son kill her? It was a taboo, this could not happen. It was never going to happen to her, Margaret kept telling herself that till she fell asleep right there on the couch.

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2 t was already nine in the morning when Margaret was I “Charity how are you?” Margaret said as she answered her woken up by her ringing phone - it was her daughter Charity calling her from the capital city, Harare. phone and yawned. “Oh mother, you are still in bed?” “Yes, my dear, I slept late last night.” “Cephas made you sleep late at night, right? Mother why can’t you just get rid of that boy can’t you see that he is messing up everything? I mean your happiness.” “How do you expect me to do that child? He is my biological son. I can’t just dump him.” “Try finding some form of discipline mother rather than just watching him. He is growing up, he is already nineteen now mother.” “Charity I …” “No mum. You’re spoiling that boy. You’re spoiling that boy and it’s not good you know!” “I know dear I’ll try my best,” Margaret just said the words even though they both knew that Cephas was no longer easy to deal with. After a moment of silence Charity decided to continue with the conversation, “I was worried about you mum that’s why I called you. I wanted to make sure that you were fine.” “You should not worry my child I’m fine. How is my son in-law doing?” “He is doing great especially at work. Um, mother, my husband Nyasha said he doesn’t want to adopt a child. He said he will wait for God’s time. I’m so confused Ma,” After a short

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