It's Part of us

As the days were coming closer and closer, Michael couldn't help but feel butterflies in his tummy. He sat there for a long time staring into space. He had a longing in his eyes, the longing that everything would come to an end as soon as it had started. He missed his cousin miserably. His village was to have a visit from the people who allegedly murdered his cousin but no action was taken about it. The more he remembered all that, the more he hated "the government" and himself.

~18 months ago~

Michael was an ordinary village boy who grew up with twelve other kids in his village. The village was a very peaceful place and a nice place to live in. A village where everybody knew each other’s name by heart. The one where a child was raised by a community. It was in this village that Michael grew up to love and to cherish all the beautiful things it could offer, good or bad.

Kamiti village was located at the edge of the forest where a small meandered between it and the forest. The people who lived here were very much attached to their traditions and treated the forest with great care. Nobody was allowed to cut down trees unless he/she was given permission from the community elders. Kamiti River was the source of water for all the lives that lived in the village and people protected it.

For a long time, peace was known in the village. People shared everything. During celebrations, it was accustomed that one family would host the villagers for the celebration. It was during Christmas celebration lunch that they noticed that one of them was missing. It was Nick, Michael’s cousin. Before lunch, he was seen strolling around the village anxiously.

“He’s probably scared to come out now, maybe he wants to eat alone.” Somebody said sarcastically.

“Yes, it’s probably puberty, you know teenagers how they are,” somebody else said and laughed.

They ignored and continued eating their lunch.

~Earlier that day~

“Michael! Michael!” Nick called, “come quick! I need to show you something.”

Michael came running as Nick, who looked very excited, kept shouting and calling out his name. His face and body movements could tell it all. He was jumping up and down in excitement.

“What’s up boy!” Michael called up to him, “you look very excited, it’s like you just won a lottery.” He said and laughed.

“Haha, very funny,” he said, “if I did do you think I would still be here? I would be on my way to the states now.”

He pulled out a torn piece of paper from his pocket and shoved it right under Michael’s nose.

“Ew! That smells really bad!” Michael said as he jumped away.

In the paper, there was a note stating that the “new government” was looking for people to train them to lead their respective villages according to the “new rules”

“Tell me why you are excited about this again?” Michael asked looking at Nick keenly. They grew up together, so he could tell when his cousin was up to no good.

“Please tell me it is not what I think it is,” he said as he looked at him with pleading eyes.

              **************   

It was almost dusk and there was no sign of Nick. Michael knew that he was in big trouble as he had not tried to keep him from leaving, and most importantly tell this to his parents or talk to an adult. He knew that no matter what happens, he was never going to talk to anyone about it. Deep down his heart, he knew that somehow he had to find his cousin, but how?

It took him weeks before he finally decided to break the silence about his missing cousin. One day he approached his mother and pretended to ask where Nick went.

“Why ask me? You are always hanging out together,” his mother said, not looking up from the sowing machine. Worries and sadness were written all over her face. He hated seeing her mother like this. She always loved Nick like her own son as she was his legal guardian. Nick lost his parents when he was young and his mother took their responsibility. Finally, he decided to come clean and explain what has been haunting him for weeks.

“What?!” she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “you knew this all along and you never said anything?”

She left the house and ran towards the fields where her husband was working.

It was then decided that five men would accompany Michael to trace his cousin.

They left early in the morning as people bid them goodbyes and wished them a safe journey. Rebecca, Michael’s mother went back to her house, kneeled, and prayed for her sons’ return. She prayed for their protection hoping that they would eventually bring back Nick. For the prodigal son to return home.

           *******

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months but they never returned. Whispers spread across the village that the “new government” had “killed” them. Nobody would talk about it loudly since they believed it was a sin, a taboo and that one would be punished severely. Those who had sent their sons out to look for Nick was grieving and were in a lot of pain. It was as if they already knew that their sons were dead. They would often gather around the fireplace in the evening at one’s homestead to give each other comfort and to support each other. The smell of death filled the air.

One evening Michael and his team arrived back in the village. They entered the village one after the other, silently. Grieve was written all over their faces. One look at them and you could tell that something was amiss. Michael and Antony were at the rear and were carrying something in a sack. It was a human’s body. They were carrying Nick.

The first person who saw them was a little girl who after seeing them, started screaming and crying. Her screams were heard by a neighbor who in turn started screaming. Soon enough the village was filled with screams and lots of crying.

“Why would they kill such an innocent boy?” people started asking even though they knew nothing about what had happened.

A funeral was prepared and they sang dirges when Nick was buried. Michael had lost his brother, a best friend nobody would ever replace. It was then that he decided he was going to fight back for his brother.

Before they found Nick, they had heard that the “new government” was going to clear the forest near Kamiti village for timbers to build houses. What he did not know was the time they were going to come. He decided to write a letter and take it to the “office” where he was told that his cousin died after arguing and getting into a fight with a police officer.

Soon it was Christmas celebrations again, but this time nobody seemed to be in the mood for celebration. Not even Michael whose favorite time was the Christmas season. This time he decided to take his letter, the petition to “the office”.

It was here where he met with the “boss” who was in charge of the training, and who allegedly led to the death of his brother. He told him his case, handed him a letter, which was more of a one-sentence note, to him.

“DON’T CUT THE TREES IN THE FOREST, IT IS A SACRED PLACE AND CUTTING TREES THERE IS A TABOO.” He read out loudly before throwing the paper into the trash can.

“Rubbish! Who are you to tell me what to do? Don’t you know who I am?” he asked and started laughing. Everybody else who was present in that room started laughing.

“We’ll be there in 5 months,” he said adjusting his tie.

Micheal left the room so downhearted but he was not going to give up. After narrating his ordeal, the villagers were angry and started cursing the “new government”

“Damn the rules! Damn the government!” Michael cursed under his breath.

~Present~

He woke up earlier than usual. This was the day they were coming to clear the forest. It was the day he would face the government and tell them about the people’s needs, why they should not clear the forest. Even though he was only twenty, he was going to stand up for the village.

It was during mid-morning when the cars arrived at the village and headed to the forest. Lots of people from the city came to witness the clearing of the forest; the journalists, students, and the officials were all present. For this was the largest forest. The government officials knew that the villagers would not let them but they were surprised that they were not there. Little did they know that a bigger surprise was waiting for them, they were gathered around the only entrance to the forest holding up signs which read "THIS FOREST IS PART OF US AND WILL ALWAYS BE". It was there that Michael stood up to address them…