One day, Ruth sat grinding the mealies to make samp. A car arrived at her homestead. She stood up to see who it was. It was her husband, Henry. He had visitors with him. A woman came out of the car, her son, Dennis, also came out. She welcomed her husband and her son, waiting for introductions.

“Welcome my husband, my son and you, Mama. I thought you were only coming next month,” she said and led them to the house.

They sat on the sofa and waited. Her husband looked serious. Ruth stared at the woman who looked down shyly. Something was up, she felt it was bad news.

“My wife, I married Sarah, she is my second wife. We bought a plot so we can start building a few kilometres from here,” he said cautiously.

“What? This can’t happen,” Ruth stood up harshly.

“It’s already done, she is my wife as you are,” Henry said.

“But she is as young as your son,” she shouted.

“Yes, I need more children, you only have two, but I want more. Ruth, you are old now”, he stood up.

She sat down to digest all this. She stared at her son who looked at the ground. She went outside, and Dennis followed her.

“Ma, Dad is right. Let him do what he wishes,” he said, consoling his mother.

“It’s fine son, I accept,” she said softly.

Dennis hugged his mother. In her heart, she was against it. She wanted to strangle that woman who wanted to share her husband. Dennis doesn’t know me, I am going to hurt that idiot, she thought.

*****

Two more bodies were buried in the same graveyard. Ruth met up with her friends.

“Today, it’s joy time, we are feasting,” Muchaso said.

“Yes, it is, why doesn’t Ruth invite her sons to join our clan,” Norbet said.

They were in their sixties; nine of them who met up during daylight. They kept staring at Ruth.

“My sons hate my behaviour, and they pray. They want me to join their church,” she answered quietly.

Norbert shook his head. Muchaso smiled and started giggling with the other man. Ruth was stressed, but she couldn’t allow her sons to know that their mother is a witch.

“Let’s meet at 11 p.m.,” Muchaso said as they parted.

Ruth arrived home and saw Dennis’ car. She saw David and a woman. She quickly greeted her sons and went into the lounge.

“Ma, I have paid lobola for Samartha,” Dennis said.

“Is she my daughter-in-law?” she asked, pointing to the young woman.

Samartha was wearing a doek and a zambia on from her waist. It was a culture that she covered her legs and head as a daughter-in-law. In Shona, it’s muroora.

“Nice meeting you, I am happy my son,” she stood up and hugged her.

“What about you, David?” she continued.

David put his hand on his head and smiled. “Not now Ma, it will come,” he answered shyly.

Ruth rejoiced heavily. She rejoiced for one of her sons getting married. The other joy was the meat of the dead bodies. No one knew what happened in the graveyard. All the dead were eaten by Ruth’s parents and other family members, which were part of the clan. She and her elder sisters agreed to remain in the group while other siblings changed their belief, they attended churches. It was the same with the other families who were in the same village, who were part of the witches. Only those who chose to be in it ate the flesh and became witches.

She prepared supper before she left. She went to the spooky graveyard. It was so silent even animals didn’t come there often. It was fenced with a wire around it. They were surrounded by tombstones and mud with stones.

The silence was so fierce only the blowing of wind could be heard. People went to the graveyards only to bury, put tombstones and also to clean the graves. They went to the grave of the boy who had died, she met Muchaso, who was standing outside.

“Are you ready?” he asked laughing.

She nodded while he hit the tombstone twice as if he was knocking. It opened, and they went inside. It closed quietly behind them.

***

Tell us what you think: Why do you think people choose to be witches?