Overview

They came, guns blazing.  Shem’s boys who were in the car drove off after hearing the sirens.  Shem was confused, bang! bang!  Two shots on the chest.  He fell. A pool of blood formed around him. She ran to him, “I love you, come with me”, he choked handing her the knife. Disgusted she stood back, watching the life drain from his eyes, his blood in her hands.

Natalie and Shem met when he was in his second year of campus. She was working part-time at the local club by the night and by day she attended the Rafiki college of design nearby.

Being his second year, Shem had gotten used to campus life, going out with the boys, girls, booze and a few drugs. He first noticed Natalie while she was serving the next table.

“Don’t even try her”, someone had announced at the table.  “yea, tough as nails that one, be careful”, another echoed.  That however fid not discourage Shem.  He began to monitor her routines, what time she got off work, the route she took home, what she liked.  Some would call this stocking, semantics. This became his obsession. He believed they were meant to be, soulmates. A few months later Shem and Natalie had become good friends, he would walk her home, bring her blueberry ice-cream, even help her clear some tables. He had won her heart. Persistence pays. 

The challenge though, was that the boys always made fun of Shem about Natalie.  He had earlier disclosed that Natalie was strict on sex before marriage and so they hadn’t done the deed yet.  “she is probably giving it to someone else”, they would say.  “You need to make her understand nothing is for free”.  This bothered him, his men needed to know he was a man, but how was he to convince Natalie to give it up?  He would pressure her, over and over.  She was unyielding.  Arguments became a daily occurrence. He would rage and break bottles at her work place. The two would breakup for a few days then get back together.  Mostly it would be him apologizing, expecting a great makeup session, nothing.

He grew tired.  One year, wasted on one woman and nothing?  His boys were right.  Maybe she was giving it to others. Maybe it was all an act with him. 

Shem had gotten himself into a bad crown, taking more illegal substances than his body could keep up with.  He would stick needles and loose his functional mental ability.  He would hear voices in his head.  They would send him to Natalie’s work place. At the house or the club.  He would sing for her, cry for her, hold her sometimes too tight she got scared. Other times he would push and shove her demanding she love him like he loved her.  Show up with the boys threatening to tear down the place if she didn’t show public affection.  He was arrested a few times, but he kept coming back. She lost her two jobs.  Which employer would tolerate this?  The violent, erratic acts were brought to her doorstep.  Her ailing mother feared for her daughter’s life. Natalie was terrified for her life. 

She gathered courage to call it quits.  This relationship had taken a toll on her.  Shem and the boys could hear none of it.  “This breakup means war” he declared. “how can she use our boy like this, who does she think she is?”. Thus, they plotted, revenge.  Word reached Natalie, she planned get out of town. Her mum insisted. She had planned to leave in the night, travel by bus to the next town not too far from her mother. 

When he learnt of this, he was furious.  He showed up that night high as a kite, anger flaring, knife in hand. “If you go, we both go”, he said. “We are either alive together or you are dead to me.  I will not allow you to give my love to another man”.  She screamed.  Neighbors heard, called the police. An armed man was making threats. They came, guns blazing.  Shem’s boys who were in the car drove off after hearing the sirens.  Shem was confused, bang! bang!  Two shots on the chest.  He fell. A pool of blood formed around him. She ran to him, “I love you, come with me”, he choked handing her the knife. Disgusted she stood back, watching the life drain from his eyes, his blood in her hands.

By Ciku Maigua

WRITER: Ciku