TST, 2020
Leo stood few meters away from the gate. He couldn’t enter the school. He wasn’t supposed to show his face in there. He peeked over his watch, it was 1514 hrs. His fingers scratched his hair. He had nowhere to go and nowhere to sleep. This wasn’t the first time he was in that kind of situation. He remembered his first days in the street. An empty stomach, no friends, no nice bed he used to sleep on, and no knowledge of how things were in the street. On his first day, he slept on the tree. It rained a lot that night and he knew he was going to die, but he didn’t. He survived and here he is. He will survive again.
“Hello!”
The voice jolted Leo and brought back his senses. Standing in front of him was Rachel. She was growing more beautiful. The black trouser and white blouse fitted her very well. Leo couldn’t pull his eyes away from her gymslip-thin mermaid’s figure. Sometimes all you need is just someone who can make you smile and forget about your problems.
Rachel ran and hugged him. “I missed you.”
Leo gasped. “Me too.”
“Found your message. You said it’s imperative.”
“It’s about my brother’s body in the morgue.”
“Two months have passed.”
“It feels just like a day.”
“I reminded you, you couldn’t listen.”
“I don’t remember the last time I rested.” Leo gazed over the sky.
“I’m sorry.”
“Let’s try.”
“Let’s go. Maybe we’ll find his body.”
It took an hour to reach the Muhimbili hospital morgue. They met the dieners. A woman of about fifty years old. She was in a light-blue scrub. Another woman of nearly the same age was behind her in a white scrub.
“Good afternoon.” Leo said.
“Afternoon.” The woman in light-blue scrub said.
“She is always late for her afternoon shift.” The woman in white scrub said.
“I’m tired of waiting for her every day.” The woman in light blue said.
“Excuse me, I’m here for my brother’s body.” Leo said.
“Name?” The woman in light blue said.
“Young ladies are very mulish.” The woman in white said.
“Benjamin. That’s the name.” Leo said.
“These ladies show no respect at all to their elders.” The woman in light blue said.
“It’s 1620hrs now. It’s nearly the evening shift. We have done two shifts already.” The woman in white scrub said.
“That gir—”
“Excuse me! Are you looking for my brother?” Leo said.
“Sorry, repeat the name…”
Leo gasped. “Benjamin.”
The woman in light blue scrub dug into her papers. “Men… be chary of the ladies you marry nowadays.”
“Most of them are indolent.” The woman in white scrub said.
“I wonder if they will be able to take good care of their husbands and kids.” The woman is light blue said.
“They’ll leave everything to house maidens.” The woman in white said.
“Yah—”
“Ma’am… are you looking for Benjamin?” Leo said.
“Last name?” The woman in light blue said.
“Benson. Benjamin Benson.”
The woman lowered her glasses to the nose, staring at Leo.
“What’s wrong?” Leo said.
“He’s buried by the government two weeks ago.” The woman in light blue said.
“What? Why?” Leo said.
The woman in blue thumbed on the papers. “He was badly injured. We couldn’t continue keeping him in the morgue.”
“His body was full of stabs. How bloodcurdling?” the woman in white said.
“You were supposed to wait.” Leo said.
“We did. For two months.” The woman in black said.
Leo breathed out heavily. “What kind—”
“Leo… stop it.” Rachel hugged him.
Leo’s hands were on his face. Most of his body parts were wobbly. He felt as if his heart was going to burst out of the chest. He felt as if knives were stabbing his growling stomach. He exhaled deeply. Rachel patted his back.
“Where did you bury him?” Rachel said.
“Kinondoni municipal cemetery.” The woman in light blue said.
“Is it Kinondoni or Sinza?” The woman in white said.
“It’s Kinondoni.” The woman in light blue said.
“I’m sure I heard Sinza.” The woman in white said.
“You’re getting old—”
“Can you tell me where?” Leo snapped.
“Kinondoni.” The woman in light blue said.
The women gave Leo directions and minutiae of the grave. He and Rachel left Muhimbili to Kinondoni cemetery.
When they arrived at Kinondoni cemetery, it didn’t take them much time to find the grave. They found a grave that utterly matched the descriptions they were given by the dieners.
Leo fell on the grave. It was just a small hill of soil. There was no cross on the grave. His teeth were tightly clenched. His left arm was on his stomach and his right arm gripped the soil on the grave. He felt like it was yesterday. The pictures of his moments with Benjamin flew in his head, his smiles, and his laughs.
It all started one morning in 2012. Leo was wandering around the Mbeya bus terminal where he stumbled upon a man sitting, head on his knees.
“Looks like you are no longer in the age of crying in the streets…” Leo said.
The man raised his head. Sadness, hopelessness, and grief were written all over the man’s face.
The man chuckled and exhaled deeply. “Young kid... what do you know about life?”
Leo smiled. “Life is not a garden, so quit being a hoe.”
The man laughed loudly. “What’s your name?”
“Leo.”
“Lion?” the man smiled. “I’m Benjamin.”
Leo nodded. “Mr. Benjamin, had a breakfast already?”
Benjamin shook his head.
Leo extended his hand to Benjamin. “Well, let’s go. I’ll buy you one.”
It is difficult to know at what moment love begins, it is less difficult to know that it has begun. That is how their relationship started.
Leo stared at the grave. “Hey Benji, it has been a while. I’m really sorry I couldn’t make it on time to take your body. Candidly, I’ve been through a lot of troubles recently. Maybe worst of all the troubles we’ve been through.
“Remember what happened to us on that first day we met? I told you I was going to buy you breakfast. You followed me to a restaurant, we drank and ate. When the waitress asked for money, I had nothing. They locked us in their storeroom and took all our clothes. You wanted to eat me alive that day but you couldn’t because you were full. And I was the one who fed you.”
Leo chuckled, gazing over the sky. “Hey, don’t get mad at me because I’m not crying. I’ve been crying out a lot recently, maybe my tears have gone dry.
“There is something that I must do in the next couple of days. When I’m done, I’ll move your grave to somewhere cool and bury you with apposite respect.
“So hey, don’t forget to pray for me. That death ghost that had always been chasing us is now chasing me at a very high speed that sometimes, I feel like it’s going to catch me.
“Rest in peace brother…”
Rachel helped Leo standing up. “I’m sorry, Leo.”
“Rachel, I’m sorry that I’m so complicated and I mess everything up.”
“Don’t be Leo. I understand what you are walking through.”
Leo chuckled. “Do you?”
Rachel held Leo’s hand. “What happens now?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You said that there is something you must do. What is it?”
“It’s better if you don’t know.”
“I can help…”
“Sometimes it’s a good idea to stop digging something that has been well hidden.”
“Leo, I love you. I can’t lose you.”
Leo gasped, looking at the sky.
“After you complete that task, will I be able to see you again? Will I be able to hold your hand forever?”
“I wish the answer was as simple as the question is.” Leo exhaled. “But you know what… the question is not simple either.”
He walked away from the grave, Rachel trailing him.