“For God’s sake! Why do people misuse authority and power entrusted upon them?” Memories questioned, throwing her hands up in frustration. The three friends were sitting in her living room having a cup of tea.

“I will never forget how hard I had worked to obtain that distinction in my project at a teachers’ college. As a student I’d out done myself. All my friends used to envy and emulate me for such hard work. I wish I had known the disappointment awaiting me at the end of the road. I tell you, some people are damn evil, very evil in deed.” She said shaking her head.

“What happened, Memories?” asked Perseverance.

“My hard-earned research project developed wings and flew away from me to a deserving student who was not me. I worked for that student, and she harvested the sweat of my toil. If hell does exist, I surely pity some corrupt people. Every corrupt soul employed or unemployed. They will be answerable to the Powers above all powers. In this particular incident, one particular lecturer is accountable for the scandal surrounding the disappearing of my research at college. He robbed me of my effort, my pride as an achiever. He traded my hard earned distinction to an undeserving student. Why? Was it because he had the powers to do so? Or was it because ‘LOVE’ speaks a better language than hard work? Corruption! That was, and is corruption, and…”

Throughout her narration, Memories was trying so hard not to shed a tear, yet at the very end of the story she broke down. Her three friends Perseverance, Liz and Rosa were attentively listening to her, and they comforted her in utter most silence, also fighting tears back. Perseverance broke the silence when she said, “It’s not you alone Memories, who was robbed in this life. Every one of us at some point in life, we got bad memories of many things robbed of us knowingly or unknowingly.”

“I know,” said Memories. “But it still doesn’t make it better.”

After taking a deep breath, like one who has just finished a marathon, Perseverance spoke.

“Memories, I understand all your pains. I understand how you have worked hard. I know how challenging a research is. That is what I am struggling with at varsity right now. It needs time and commitment. However, as humans, if we do not share our experiences, sometimes we feel that what we are going through is worse than cancer,” said Perseverance gently rubbing Memories on the back.

“But when you start numbering your blessings one by one, you can start appreciating life. My predicament is one decade and a year old but it still lingers in my mind. Presently, I am twenty, and at varsity, staying with some people called by God to serve. They aren’t my biological parents yet what they do for me is next to extinct in most parents.”

“What happened to your biological parents”? Liz interjected.

“It’s a long story. I will share it with you now if you promise me that you will keep it in your hearts up to the grave.”

“We swear by our lives.” The three girls sang a chorus like in a high school national choir. As Perseverance cleared her throat to continue, Liz put her cup on the coffee table and sat on the edge of her sit. Rosa held tightly to hers even though it was now empty and cold. Memories was still rubbing her eyes but looking expectantly at Perseverance.

“I am told that my mom passed on soon after giving birth to me, due to high blood pressure. She never made it,” Perseverance began.

“Oh shame, and then?” Rosa remarked.”

“E-i-sh, yah, my father named me Perseverance after my mother’s wish. Some names, give you more than a thousand tons of challenges,” she said reflecting. “From there on, I stayed with my grandma, my dad’s mom, Granny Judy and my dad. What a sweet lady she was?” she smiled at the fond memory of her late grandmother. The others smiled with her as they could feel the love and warmth she was feeling.

“We were staying in Polokwane. When I turned five, tragedy knocked at our door again. Granny Judy started ailing and finally death stole her away. I remember very well how my father and I wailed, questioning God about the meaning of life and why good people stay for such a short time on earth yet the evil ones stays on earth forever. For me honestly the pain was not about death, but about Granny never coming back.

“The family started holding great debates about who was to be my custodian; my lonely and unmarried father or Granny Alice, Granny Judy’s sister and her family. She wanted to take me to Metz village in Limpopo. I loved gong with her, but I remembered the stories of witchcraft in that village. She used to tell granny Judy how evil that village is. I wasn’t sure what to do now. But I was only a child.”

“Ja, so said when a child goes through trauma, they feel lost,” Memories sympathized.

Tell us: What do you think will happen to her?