FAMILY SECRETS
CHAPTER :10
UNEDITED
[NANDI’S POV ]
I rushed to the kitchen with the herbs in my hands. I started boiling the some water, while I was waiting for the water to boil I crushed some some garlic, turmeric, ginger and added them to the boiled water and I also added the leafs as they were after throughly washing them .
The mixture blended very well in the pot, the concoction was coming alright, it was turning into the deep green I wanted in to be to show that it is ready and I that I haven’t forgotten anything Gogo taught me. The ingredients and the measurements were correct.
When I was ten years old Gogo used to take me to a certain mountain where most traditional healer used go to dig up some herbs. The mountain was behind our small little house back in the village, it sounds close right? Well no it wasn’t close it was a one hour walk to get to that mountain and that became a reason why Gogo and I decided to grow those very same herbs from the mountain in our garden. Gogo was getting old she could no longer walk for to long and she couldn’t send me to the mountain alone either because apparently according to Gogo people get lost there because the mountain wasn’t just a mountain it was a mysterious mountain that revealed it’s self to those who wanted to use it herbs for good and you had to whisper something into the air for it to reveal it’s self just like Gogo used to.
One day an old man fell in our door step, his legs and hands were swollen, he said he went to many doctors but they couldn’t help him because they said that they didn’t see anything wrong with him and he couldn’t go to another hospital because he had ran out of money, he had no medical aid nor a family. Upon hearing the old man’s story Gogo went to the garden, picked some herbs and cooked them into a concoction, after the concoction had cooled down she helped the old man drink it. After two days of drinking the concoction the old man healed and from there on many people have been coming to our small house for help.
The concoction was finally ready so I poured it in a soup bowl, put it in a tray and took it up to Duma’s room. When I got there the help told me Duma had already vomited two times while I was in the kitchen.
I walked into the room and found akhona and mthokozisi standing and waiting on me with the concoction. I set on Duma’s bed and the help, helped him sit up so that he can drink the concoction.
” my dear friend your pretty lady promised to get you something that would make you feel better right? Well it is here but it’s very bitter, but I know my friend isn’t scared of anything even if it’s something bitter, I know my friend will drink it up like a brave boy he is because my friend is very brave and he has to be brave because he promised to protect me and to be strong and be able to protect me he has to drink this concoction so will you drink it? “I asked and Duma nodded after hesitating a bit.
He took the bowl and drank the concoction all up in a jiffy and I quickly unwrapped a chocolate bar for him to eat to get rid of the bitterness.
” is this concoction going to work? ” akhona asked
” I don’t know about completely healing him but it will get rid of the heat, the cough and the vomiting.” I said
“then what’s the point of giving him this concoction if it is not going to completely heal him?” akhona asked
“akhona please, it’s okay if the concoction doesn’t heal our son completely it will at least heal soon parts of this illness and buy the doctors some time.” mthokozisi said
I turned my attention to Duma
” now you see my little friend you will be feeling better in no time if you drink this concoction for three days straight.” I said and Duma’s face turned sad
“don’t be sad my little friend, it is said that the bitter the medicine on your tongue the sweeter and healthier it is for your insides especially the heart.” I said and my little friend’s smile came back
As I was talking to Duma I noticed that the lady holding the bucket which Duma was vomiting in slowly struggling to breathe, it seems like she was slowly losing consciousness.
” are you okay ms? “I asked
” I am sorry ma’am but seeing young Mr Qamata vomiting is slowly making me feel uneasy. ”
” it’s okay Ms, give me the bucket you can leave. “I said and she put the bucket down and left.
Mthokosizi and akhona set down on their son’s bed so I decided to give the parents some space with their child.
As I was slowly moving in reverse to give the parents some space with their child my eyes never left this beautiful scene in front of me that’s why I walked in reverse because I was watching them hug. The beautiful view didn’t last long as my eyes shifted from it to the disturbing bucket of vomit.
I took it and looked inside it, there was nothing but water inside the bucket, I know Duma has been vomiting water but a little of food he ate should also be in there, he should have vomited it too but the is nothing but water, water that was clean and clear enough to fool a person into thinking it’s clean drinking water.
I brought the bucket closer to my nose because of the weird smell, the water smells like that of the sea, I smell a whole sea inside this bucket. Just when I was about to put my hands inside the bucket akhona screamed.
” Duma!!! DUMA!!! MY SON!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY SON???!!!”
I turned to Duma upon hearing akhona’s scream and he was unconscious.
“wait it’s oka…. …..
Just when I was about to finish explaining what’s happening akhona stood up from the bed angry and tried to attack me but mthokozisi caught her in time.” WHAT THE HACK DID YOU DO TO MY SON??? WHY ISN’T HE WAKING UP ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HIM???” akhona yelled
“akhona it’s just…….
” AKHONA STOP THIS MADNESS RIGHT NOW! “mthokozisi yelled at akhona but akhona didn’t pay any attention to mthokozisi she was determined to bite my head off
” WHAT DID YOU PUT IN THAT CONCOCTION??? ARE YOU…..
just when akhona was about to finish accusing me of trying to harm her son the help entered Duma’s room with a man holding a briefcase .
“ma’am the doctor is here.” the help said
Akhona immediately rushed to him and dragged him to Duma’s bed.
“Doctor please help my son I don’t know what this woman fed him, he is not waking up, he just fainted.” a crying and desperate akhona pleaded and the doctor got to work.
Five minutes passed as the doctor was examining Duma.
“doctor you have been quiet for five minutes now please tell me what’s wrong with my son.” akhona said
” ma’am please relax, your son is okay he is just knocked out by some medication and he seems to be responding well to it his heat is going down by the minute. Whatever he was fed is strong I can tell. “the doctor said
” that’s what I have been trying to tell you. The concoction can cause drowsiness. The ill person needs to be relaxed in order for it to work that’s why it causes drowsiness. “I said