The Stranded Soul

Meeting Dorcas and making her my girlfriend was among the best decisions I ever made in my life.

She was a simple african girl who totally believed in pure love and never believed in selling her heart in exchange for money.

"Karubembe,when I tell you I love you,just believe me.When I tell you I truly appreciate us being in love,just trust our love process"She once told me one-day as I took her back home after a long day together.

Her words always seemed so strong and real to me and just like any romantic man would do,I wrote them in my notebook for my reference.

Her friends had become my friends too and it's out of this that I got an opportunity to know her secrets and her history too which made it easier for me to easily bond with her.

Now, everything was working out well between Dorcas and I until I invited her to a choma festival that was organized in one of the best market in the city.

It was her first time to attend such a festival and she was very happy that I had chose to attend with her this great festival.

"Thanks for this opportunity,love.I am happy I met you and am looking forward for more of such surprises"she happily told me during our normal evening walks.

The choma festival was to start the next day ,on Saturday,very early in the morning and we therefore had to do go home early so as to prepare ourselves for the mighty event.

When the day arrived,I wore my favorite suit that Dorcas loved so much and majestically walked towards Dorcas's place where I was to pick her.

Her home was about 2km from my place and since I was somehow broke,I decided to walk so that the little money I had would buy atleast a piece of nyama choma for her.She had come to know that I was a broke guy and she had learnt to wholeheartedly accept the little things I always offered her.

I arrived at her place within thirty minutes and I had to wait for her to fully dress.Her mum had come to love me and was used at welcoming me at their home with a cup of fermented porridge .

Dorcas finally came out of her bedroom dressed in yellow and I couldn't hold back but just smile back at her beauty.

Was more than proud to hold her right hand as I helped her get out of her home.

We arrived at the choma festival abit late and we ofcourse met the place fully packed.

I really knew men would snatch my girlfriend away if carelessly left alone and therefore I chose to hold her hand fully as I tried to look for a good place for us to sit down.

Dorcas was abit nervous and I tried my best to keep her busy with my good sweet stories. Everything was working out well between us until a guy dressed in white came and sat next to us.She kept staring at her and I knew things were not right.

I started looking for a new place to settle and it's then that i made the stupid decision that I regret to date .

"Love,just stay here so that I could go and look for a better place for us two"I instructed her as I walked towards the left side of the venue.

I had even forgotten to warn her not to talk to anyone until I came back especially the guy who was dressed in white.

It took me about 7 minutes to get a good place for us .When I went back to the place I had left my Dorcas,she was nowhere to be seen and the seats there were occupied by new people.

"Hello please?Where is the lady who was seated here?"I asked one of the gentleman who pretended not to have heard my question.

"Kindly help me out sir.She is my girlfriend and it's her first time in such a festival.Please""I begged him as I calmly held his left shoulder.

The person next to the gentleman looked at me and our of pity responded back.

"We have just come now, brother.

However,before we took our seats,we saw the lady leaving and was trying to avoid a guy who seemed to be bothering her"he shockingly told me.

"Which direction did she go , please.Kindly speak out"I tearfully begged him.

"I never concentrated much on them but it must be in the left side of the tent because she was standing at the corner of the tent when i last saw her with the guy"the man calmly told me.

"Thanks so much , sir"I thanked him as I desperately tried to spot my girlfriend.

Even the guy in white was nowhere to be seen and this even worried me even more.I was confused and shocked beyond words as I tried to think of her whereabout.I confidently started searching her in every corner of the venue hoping to see her.

All this bore no fruits and I couldn't believe all that was happening.

The surprise festival had automatically turned into a nightmare for me.

I even wondered why I had brought a stranger to such a sensitive event .I started blaming myself for everything that had happened to Dorcas .I knew pretty well that of the guy in white tries to harm her in any way, Dorcas would never forgive me .She would ofcourse blame me for abandoning her and leaving her alone in the hands of strangers.

I walked past a group of ladies and hopelessly sat outside one of the blue tents hoping that Dorcas would show up from any direction.Her parents would never forgive me if I went back home without their beloved daughter.

How would I even get the courage to tell them that her daughter got lost while we were in the choma festival?

"Help me God"I silently prayed as I lifted my eyes up to the ceiling that was mounted to the open building next to the festival's tent.