Chapter one

Tuesday, 25th October. The day her world changed.

"Mom..." she whispered in tears to her mother. ''Mom get up!'' She yelled.

''I can't My baby. Leave me behind. I'll be fine.'' Her mother said back trying to contain the pain from the gun wound in her chest. She knew far too well what fait awaited her but she wanted her daughter to have a chance to get away. A chance at a life that had been stollen from her by the pull of a gun's trigger.

''I won't leave you behind.'' Zara pleaded for her mother to comply.

''I want you to promise me something-'' Her mother continued without paying attention to her daughter's words. ''Promise me that you will fight.'' The last word pronounced with so much force that it felt like it increased her bleeding.

''I want you to fight for the right thing no matter what it costs. I want you to....'' She coughed violently. Blood oozing from her mouth. ''I want you to be strong and remember that I will always be watching you from up there-'' She tried to point at the dark sky above them, barely managing to raise her hand but her daughter got the sign perfectly.

"I promise mommy.'' She let the words out of her after accepting that her mother's condition couldn't be helped. She had lost too much blood.

Her mother gathered what little strength she had left and used it to take off the bead chain she wore around her neck. It was made for her by her mother who had died four years ago. Wearing it made her feel like her deceased mother was always there, walking with her every step of the way...almost like she never left. She hoped it would do the same for her daughter.

"Take it...It's yours now.'' She placed the chained beads in Zara's shaky hand. "I love you. Now run. Go as far away as you can and warn them.''

Those were the last words she heard her mother say before she took to her heals and run like that's what she lived to do. She run for hours. Her tiredness would not overcome the fear of what she had left behind her. She wouldn't let those barbarians kill her just like they did her mother and the rest of her family. No. She was going to make it. She was going to escape and warn the others but before she could think twice...her body collapsed out of exhaustion. Her feet felt numb and so did the rest of her body.

Going any further was no longer an option. She needed to rest and she knew it too. She had a few more hours until the harsh African sun rose so she decided she would use that time to get a little rest.

Sleep was difficult though. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it all over again. The events of that night which had caused her family's death mocked her from the inside. Why did it have to be her? Why was she the one to watch those traitors as they raped older women of the tribe and tore the flesh of young children? Why did she have to watch her people be killed with such brutality? Why had the god's chosen to save her and kill the rest of the people she loved?

She wanted to die. To follow her family in the happy place. But, she knew she couldn't let that happen. There were people whose lives depended on her. People who would die if she didn't take  the news to them.

So, when she finally couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, the girl fell asleep. But not with sorrow, not with anger or rage. She fell asleep with determination, drive and most importantly.....the will to fight. To fight whatever challenges she would face. To fight as courageously as she could so that her life would not be in vain. The life that her mother had taken a bullet to protect.

That girl is me. I am Zara Wandea.