The mysterious voice

She gazed at the stars, as tears dropped down her cheeks. Just about year ago, in cold June breeze 

she sat on the same spot as she sitting today in the warmth of her boyfriend’s arms, while enjoying 

the melodies of his deep voice. She can hear the echoes, “Mercy, look at that star”, isn’t it 

beautiful, he asked? She recalls how his voice melted every fiber of her body, yet she wonders 

what that was. As she gazes at the stars, loneliness grips her. She can hardly breath, her nostrils 

are filled with tears that found their way to the inferior nasal meatus. She cursed the day she 

opened the door to her heart. How could I allow that monster to come in, she pondered? 

Having been raised In a Christian family, she grew up as one of the finest girls. Her principles 

were beyond the reach of many girls of her age. Since the age of 3, Mercy never a single day 

absconded church. Being first born in the Family of Mr. and Mrs. Misomali, she was not only a 

source pride to her aging parents but also a source joy, peace and long-lasting happiness. Mercy 

was indeed a beacon of hope to her three siblings. Many parents in her village hated their kids 

because of her. She set the standard so high, that many parents wished her to be their daughter. 

With her extra-ordinary performance in mathematics and sciences, Mercy won several awards. 

Though she was born in a poor family, not even a single day she smelled poverty. Ever since her 

early stages of academics, mercy won several sponsorship programs due to her outstanding 

performance in class. She was the real hero. She was the champion of moral uprightness. Indeed, 

Mercy was a true product of educate a girl child campaign. The only thing she knew better was 

how to live. Mercy never worried about where to get her next food, shoes or clothes. Everyone 

envied her. How could she be such a lucky person. 

It’s getting colder and colder, where is the warmth I used to have, she wondered. Where is the man 

that used to sit beside me here and tell me all the stories about the stars? Questions could not leave 

her mind. She tried to wrap herself up in her big jumper which she got when she travelled to Europe 

to attend the united nation general assembly as a youth envoy. As she looked at the stars, she 

remembered the stories he could tell her. With his arms around her, he called her name, “Mercy”, 

what do you see in sky? 

The stars, she responded 

Why do they shine differently? Khuzwayo asked? She wondered what he is up to. Why is he so 

much interested to talk about the stars? With his arm around her, Mercy’s heart was beating so 

fast. She felt like she is having palpitations. Is love a beautiful thing like this? She has never felt 

this way before. The stars, though all shining, but they shine so differently, some are brighter than 

others, Khuzwayo continued. They both looked at the sky, as if to prove what Khuzwayo was 

saying is right. As their eyes danced in their orbits, they gazed at each other, and then looked to 

the sky again. “Khu” Mercy called him, do you see that star over there, she asked? Joy filled his 

heart, he laughed and then said yes “Mercy”. They looked at each other again. You know what 

Mercy? She said “Aha”, that star that shines so much brighter than others is……. YOU! Her face 

shined liked diamond in the sky. She tried to find a word to say, she never thought he could say such a thing. She smiled at him, he smiled back. Before she altered a word, Khuzwayo continued; 

the mother earth is like the sky, its people are like the stars, some shine brighter than others, some 

are more visible than others, yet they all shine. Mercy, you are that star than shines more brighter 

than others. She trembled with happiness. Mercy was so happy to have found such a guy who 

could express to her, her love language, “affirmation”. Khuzwayo was a real substitution to her 

parents, he always complimented her. His love to her was so real. 

Mercy was the dream of every boy on the compass. she was well molded; her figure left many 

boys mouth agape. Unlike many other girls who spend half of their day in front of the mirror trying 

to beautify themselves, Mercy’ was an exception. She was beautiful inside out. Her inner beauty 

radiated to the outside world. Her unadulterated face could shine like the glory of the rising sun in 

the corridors of Chimphangwi University. Ever since she joined college, she was the centre of 

discussion in the boy’s lounge. When she Climbed the DNA shaped staircase in the Library, she 

left many boys confused. Her beauty was the reason why many boys who used to study on the first 

floor never got good grades in class. She was the real definition of a beautiful woman. Her voice 

was so alluring, it could penetrate to the deeper parts of the brain, and zero in there. Every boy 

who heard her speak, never found peace. The echoes of her voice were so real, till no man could 

find sleep but sit still and listen to the unsung melodies. 

Her singing in the joint College choir was the reason why “Lupakisho’s Lecture Theatre” was so 

full of people during weekend services. She was the reason why boy’s attendance to church on 

campus dramatically increased. Just two years prior to her arrival in college, boys never attended 

any services. One wondered if church was just meant for girls and the few men holding positions. 

Her arrival was like a bet that attracted many souls into the church. In the secular language one 

would say she was the real “Miss church” of all times. The number of boys attending church on 

compass changed on a supersonic speed. Mercy was indeed a force to reckon. 

Unlike other beautiful girls, Mercy never boasted about her beauty. When boys complimented her, 

she could just smile, she never knew how to talk back to a boy. She never altered a word when she 

is complimented, but her smile was enough to make you Restless. Her performance in class was a 

nightmare to many boys, who believed in men superiority. For the past three years she topped the 

class. Her usual appearances on the dean’s list cemented her beauty. 

As she tried to wrap herself in the jumper while still gazing at the stars, she wondered who could 

comfort her. She has comforted many of her friends when they suffered in the hands of merciless 

vampires masquerading as men in jeans. Many wounded hearts and broken souls she nursed, yet 

there was no one to nurse hers. Her bones feezed to death as her tissues scrambled for ATPs. It’s 

the second day now since she ate. How could life be unfair like this? All men are indeed the same. 

She recalled how she met Khuzwayo. It was one Sunday night when there was a church concert. 

Khuzwayo was just a year ahead of her. He was a very devoted church member famously known 

as “Atsogo”. He heard various positions in the church ever since Mercy joined the college. 

Khuzwayo skills in playing musical instruments were unbeatable. Unlike her, his background was 

a little bit different. His parents weren’t that much of Christians as her’s were. 

On several occasions Khuzwayo could play instruments when Mercy was singing her angelic 

specials in the church. His instrumental skills graced her sweet melodious voice. Since then Mercy 

and Khuzwayo grew so close to each other. Even though Khuzwayo proposed Mercy several times, 

for almost a year, she always turned him down. Mercy never believed in dating. Her plan was that 

she will never date till she gets her degree. As the pressure from Khuzwayo grew bigger and bigger, 

she didn’t know what to do. To some extent she liked the guy, but she wasn’t sure if he is the one. 

She cursed that concert night when she allowed the devil masquerade into her heart like an angel. 

Mercy and Khuzwayo had a joint performance at the concert night. Fortunately, their joint 

performance scooped the first position. Deeply excited, the two jumped into each other as their 

guitars dangled on the floor. Its “Over!” one boy shouted in the cloud. Khuzwayo was the new 

hero in the college. The situation in the theatre was tense as boys shouted “Khuzwa, Khuzwa, 

Khuzwa, Khuzwa!!!”. It was a triumphant entry into Mercy’s heart. 

As the memories grew stronger, her body grew weaker and weaker. It’s only been a year yet all 

that victory has been turned into a moment of pain and deep sorrow. The voice of her Dad never a 

single day stopped danced in front of her ear drum; “My daughter Ndaziona (Mercy’s middle 

name), the devil is very smart, he is very beautiful, he is very religious, be very careful, don’t be 

deceived with these vampires who masquerades as the anointed one’s of God”. It’s now more 

audible than ever before. I could have listened, but now it’s too late. She cursed the day she 

succumbed to his feelings. Since that day Mercy never walked freely in the corridors. The story 

was everywhere in the corridors of Chimphangwi that the “Wall of Jericho has fallen”. 

Khuzwayo stopped playing the instrument at the church concert. His Mission has been 

accomplished. Not only did Mercy lose her virginity, she also realized that she is pregnant. Could 

this be the end of my career, she wondered? Tears dropped down her cheeks like a water at Nkula 

Falls. Where is he now that promised that he will care for me all the days of my life? Ever since 

she was in a relation with him her performance was greatly affected. Everyone wondered what has 

happened to her. Friends tried to talk to her but love gave her a deaf ear. Now the water is spilled 

on the sand, she wonders how she can take it back to the bucket. 

Its barely 3 am in the morning, she is still in the football arena. How could that religious man 

rejects his own baby, how could he turn me down like this, how could he want me to terminate the 

life of his own baby? The more she thought the more she cried. She was not ready to abort the 

baby, nor was she ready to terminate her career life. She was the only hope to his family. Everyone 

looked to her. As dawn approached, amidst the many thoughts she unconsciously falls asleep. She 

heard a gentle whisper into her ear. She felt like she is dreaming. Someone just called her name, 

yet she didn’t know who that person may be. The whisper got louder and louder. She woke up and 

looked around there was no one. As she tried to open her eyes, she heard another gentle voice 

“Look into the sky”. Could this be hypoglycemia? I have not eaten for 2 days now, she thought. 

As she sat amazed the voice came again “Look into the sky”, she realized she is not dreaming, 

could this be a vision? 

She turned her head to the east; the sky was very cloudy and the stars were barely visible. As she 

kept looking, the cloud began dispersing little by little. Her eyes got tired looking, but she heard a 

voice keep on looking, just keeping on looking. She pressed on, she kept looking unto the sky. As the cloud began clearing, she felt the deep sorrow is her heart getting lighter and lighter. She 

wondered what’s happening. She kept looking toward the east, and then she saw the morning rising 

star, it was so much brighter than all the stars she ever saw in the arms of her monster boyfriend. 

The more she gazed at the star, the more she realized there is hope for the living. Mercies heart 

grew lighter and lighter. The Morning star was a symbol of hope to her and her unborn baby. She 

vowed to continue her education. She remembered she is a conqueror, the more she looked at the 

star, the more her heart got filled with joy and prospects of new life but the voice still remains a mystery UpToDate.