"Sir, I don't have much to ask, it is all clear. I just wanted to say: that it was a great class. I really learned a lot," said a guy in the front.
"Okay, Sgo. Thank you, anyone else- with a question?"
Brothers had nothing to ask. The class sounded crystal clear even to me, a newcomer. It struck me with awe.
"I thought him that," said Judas who stood right behind me.
I turned my head and found that he actually spoke to me.
"Okay." I didn't know what more to say.
I don't like people telling me stuff I didn't ask. If someone I did not fear asked that I would ask them: 'Ubuzwe ngubani?[1]'. But I couldn't mess with that guy. He was the trainer guy from earlier: scary. He too would teach me a lot of combat from his morning sessions.
[1] Who asked you?
Men didn't share their rooms and their rooms had no doors; they used sheets to cover their doors. As a man, you were not to take off your clothes at night when you sleep. And your gun should be under your pillow at all times during the night to be ready for war at all times. The night dragged long. With my train of thoughts crossing the dark sky in a long trail of empty questions. The bright moonlight remained the only thing that brought hope into my lonely life. I stared through the curtain-less windows admiring the glitter of stars upon that vastness of space. The next thing I found myself tiptoeing into the next room. As I entered an ax flew past me through to the wall next to my head. A shadow somersaulted over me. Someone grabbed me from behind. And put a cold metal against my neck. I had entered the room of Squdeyi, and he was not impressed.
"What do you want here?" he said with a whispering scratchy voice.
"Please, sir. I'm just..."
"Ek se, what are you doing here?" he groaned.
"It's me Gift," I said in a low voice.
Squdeyi released me, switched on the light, and plucked out his ax from the wall.
"I could have killed you; you know?"
I knew.
"What do you want?" he asked.
At this time, I wasn't even sure what I wanted.
"I wanted to ask if..." I stumbled on my words.
"What do you want, man? I have to sleep. I'm training you tomorrow. If you don't want to sleep it's your choice. Ek wil slaap."
That came as a revelation to me.
"The guy who was sent to the island, you know him?"
Finally, I could come up with a sensible sentence.
"How could I not know him? Hy mos is my autie," he said impatiently.
"Yes, I was thinking about him. Don't you think you have to know what's happened to him? How long has he been gone?"
At this point, I had recollected myself entirely.
"He's been gone long enough. What's your problem? Het Elijah vir jou gestuur?" he said stretching his big dirty eyes.
"Man, no. I'm not gestuur. He only told me about the guy. I don't even know him. I'm just concerned."
Squdeyi looked at me deep into the eyes.
"You are really concerned," he said.
'This is a trained soldier I can't fool him.' I thought,
"Yes, man. Aren't you concerned about the poor guy?"
"You are my man," he confirmed.
"What?"
"Ek moet hom bel. It's not allowed but I should…"
"Don't you think you should ask Elijah first?"
"Elijah won't allow it. He doesn't allow everything, ek is bekommerd oor hiedie kameraad[9],"
"But..."
"Are you a friend of is jy 'n vyand?" he required, stretching those eyeballs again.
"Man, I'm a friend be cool."
"I'll call him," he said calmly.
"Hay, call him man, call em"
"Yes, ek sal, I'll call him tomorrow. We must know what is happening with him,"
At this moment he raised his scratchy voice.
"Wooo, man, I must sleep now, ey. Tomorrow is training, man, sure." I dismissed myself with a little bit of regret.
"Tomorrow is training, my comrade, and hey: just a heads up. The boys always have some initiation ritual for a newcomer, so watch out."
I went to my room, regretting it. 'What have I done?'
"I'm such a... I don't even know what I am, but there must be something I am."
Something was wrong with the situation, and I was not happy with it. I shouldn't have asked because now more haunting thoughts engulfed me, and this thing about initiation rituals. What was that about? The night now rushed in the direction of the sun. As dusk approached, my eyelids were starting to kiss. In no time the bell rang, and everyone raced to the showers.