1 I Am Cursed

"How long did it rain last night Linda? Was it an El-nino or maybe worse?"

The students burst into a fit of laughter.

***

I am Linda Hausa

I am a seventeen years old Kenyan Teen

What else can I say?

I am from a rich family.

I am the only child though my parents have been trying to get another child but they were cursed to only bear me. They had even thought of adopting but my dad's masculine ego got in the way.

I am an introvert. Some would call me a nerd but I do not wear round-framed spectacles nor do I wear baggy, unfashionable clothes. I am usually at the top of my class at the best high school in the country.

I am quite sporty. I love running. I had been in the school's track team until they kicked me out after my cursed condition was leaked to the entire school. They actually said that they did not need free water outlets in the team. The nerve! Yet I had won them three trophies, which was quite a record.

Yeah! I am no ordinary girl.

But I do not have magical abilities or superpowers. I wish it was that though.

The thing is that I still...still...wet...wet my bed.

And I do not stammer as well. I just do not like admitting my condition.

My parents have tried literally everything in their power to cure my condition but all efforts have been futile.

I can not count how many top doctors they have taken me to in the country and even outside the country like India, Egypt, Italy and South Africa. Most of them sent me away with meagre capsules and diets that did not help at all. They only lowered my self esteem.

They then resorted to take me to priests, fathers, bishops and I have even been to Vatican City but their prayers may have probably been blocked by something or got lost on the way as a matter of fact.

My parents have gone to the extent of offering millions of Kenyan Shillings to top churches but no!

You would not believe it when I tell you that my parents have even taken me to several witch doctors.

One of them who was from Tanzania had the guts to even tell me to drink a glass of my own pee every day for five days. But since I was desperate, I tried it and after the first sip, I vomited my stomach out and I could not eat or drink anything for three days straight.

That is not even crazy. One asked us to give an offering of a cow's eggs, a hen's milk and a live cobra. He even threatened that if we did not get him this things he would haunt us forever. Then my dad had him arrested but he was later released.

After all those failed attempts, I resorted to not taking any fluids even water, three hours before I could go to sleep. I generally stopped taking fluids except the occasional glass of water but all this is just as bad as the previous ones.

I agreed to one thing, I was cursed.

My parents started spending less time with me. They were clearly disappointed in me even though I did not wish this on myself. That is why they tried to get another child but they were unlucky.

They stopped taking me on business galas, on tours, on shopping sprees and I am spending most of the time with the maids nowadays.

And that is not all, I do not have a single soul in whom I could confide in with my problems, that is, I did not have even a single friend.

I have never had a boyfriend before and I do not even know what a kiss feels like.

But there was a sentence that helped me face my pitiful life, 'What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

***

" Please mind your own business. I am not up for this right now."

" Poor babygirl. It seems like you had a rough night. Did the diapers not serve their job?"

Once again the crowd of students roared into laughter.

I could not take it anymore.

The bell rang.

I started panicking. I had not gotten my books from my locker and Math was my first lesson.

Everyone in the school knew if you were late to Sir Dickson's class, you were doomed for a couple of days. He would make you frogjump to the Deputy's office to explain why the hell you were late.

The frogjumps would make your legs hurt for the next few days.

No one in their right mind would be late to his class.

So I grabbed the first book I could find and ran to class on the now clear hallways.

Thank heavens I was an athlete.

***

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