The Mysterious Ghost

By Sabbath de Yecouba

This anthology of short stories is unique in a way that the characterization emulates the South Sudanese society. It demonstrates livelihood to feel and solely instils a better understanding of South Sudanese and how they relate to their neighbors in the flow of these stories.
It serves as a great critique to the downright political mess which hampers peaceful coexistence amongst the people of South Sudan. Some stories have emanated from the most recent war playing a great challenge to bad political life in the country.
Nevertheless, the unity that some South Sudanese have shown to their other tribesmen alongside the rebellions is shown contrary to disunity. It criticizes and suggests the track which should have been followed instead of the track which nearly torn the nation apart.
There is a plight of children and women and more so the importance of unity, transparency and peaceful coexistence in nation building. These are shown through actions of the characters in these twelve stories and their traits as opposed to or in acceptance of various arguments. This collection is a one of its kind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: XinXii
• Release date: Jul 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781495234095

Sabbath de Yecouba

Mam'er Abraham Ku'ot (Sabbath de Yecouba) is a Journalist and a poet. He studied Journalism and Mass Communication at Mount Kenya University, Kenya. Sabbath was born in Panyagoor, the current headquarter of Twic East County, South Sudan in 1985. He now lives in Juba, South Sudan.

Book preview

The mysterious ghost

&

other stories

All rights reserved

ISBN-10: 1495234096

ISBN-13: 978-1495234095

Sabbath de Yecouba © 2014

Email: [e-mail]

E-Book Distribution: XinXii

www.xinxii.com

Other titles by Sabbath de Yecouba

Betrayed: For Love (Novel)

Born, To Write (Poetry)

Mentored by a Rebel (Poetry)

Table of Contents

The Mysterious Ghost

The Clinic

Tales of War

Serving the Press

Thieves without a Fortieth Day

Once upon a Friday in Nairobi

Mistaken for a Thug

My Life in the Barrack

Three Bloodspots in Honey

Home Affairs

The Black Messiah

Adams and Chips

The Mysterious Ghost

The smoke blankets the loft of the shed. But only when you are at the roadside facing the graveyard, you envisage the navel of the shed.

She covers her navel with damp attires. Dust is blown onto it by the winnowing wind of devils and the spirits of the ghosts caress these damp clothes.

You can have your choice of a material which you will find definitely a few strides to the closest market called Libya.

The shed is roofed with portions of plastic mats, papyrus, some cut off pieces of iron sheets used to build tall buildings close by and damp clothes which will leave you unawares. You interrogate. Does it drip on them or not?

You will think raindrops fall on them. For sure, it is a wonder for you won’t bring out in reality whether the rags are dressed on the virgin sheets or cover the void. Should you find out one, you will have been pleased.

There seems to be a specialty in this shed for a smoke always comes out of fire. Fire burning the house, fire cooking food or fire boiling water; all to say about that fire.

It is a relatively square shed. From where you are standing, you will not find the entrance. Round it and bend a little there. This is Regina, the granny and her grandson that you have found in the shed. Their smoke never dies till they have embarked on their journey to look for what to eat in the evening. They have chosen to live in this graveyard for its secrecy. It will not be demarcated. When they bring a bulldozer to bulldoze the un-demarcated land for a space to curb insecurity, this land is ignored.

What will a graveyard be demarcated for? The cost of the land in the city is higher than their living standards. But she at least can be too welcoming when you stoop to see what deal of a smoke it is every morning. She sits behind her kettle. Her grandson sits opposite her.

He says, Grandmother. I wish you will not leave me like my mother did to me.

I will not leave you, my son.

She does not bother even to call him her grandson.

She knows that he needs a feeling of the love taken away from him. The love he should have embraced from his mother. Their water boils. She puts in tea leaves to warm themselves with it before they go out when it has drizzled on them or the contrary.

Regina was left with this boy after her daughter Sanya was involved in a fatal accident. They bought a perfume and sprayed it all over her body. A body lotion that she loved was smeared all over her body. Her hair was plaited like she loved. She was dressed up in her best clothes like she would rise again. That was how they said she would feel that she was loved dearly before she died.

The murderer was held in custody. The murderer was released after his bailout. Regina goes to her daughter’s grocery daily. Her grandson meets her only in the evening.

He begs every person who seems to pass near him. Sometimes, he may make ten pounds. If unlucky he meets the devil. He returns empty handed.

Regina is old. She tries to buy vegetables from the closest market and sells them. It is not profitable. Her vegetables she has planted have dried. She replants and pests and weeds have choked them.

Jazzy has become her only hope. After their daily tea, he goes to the market. He has had a friend who cooks in a Hotel. She sees him, feels considerate and gives him food. When she has some pounds, she asks him to help her wash plates. She gives him money. He takes food home for his granny.

Where did you get this food from grandson? asks Regina.

From a friend.

He is given remnants of food in this Hotel instead of its throwing in the bin.

What friend grandson?

A woman who works in an eatery in Munuki.

She is empathetic.

Yes, but pledge grandmother. Will you not leave me?

I won’t leave you.

Grandmother, I will be wealthy one day.

Amen, grandson. You are a child. You will be well-heeled.

It rains violently sometimes. She holds him like a chicken and her brood. Dirty water drops onto them. They push to the corner which has the iron sheet roof. It becomes a safe night to them.

Grandmother. Are you safe? he asks

Yes, we are, she responds.

He sleeps quietly. While he goes to his Liberty Hotel where he has had a deal with Monique, the chef, he is bothered.

A blind girl is dressed in a school uniform. She looks as if she doesn’t see to him. She holds a stick she hits anyhow ahead. If it hits anything, she finds a better passage where there is nothing solid touched unless the earth.

While the stick slides, she knows it is a gulley or a slope, any structure along the street. He observes.

She follows along the stick for real. He goes to her and is silent. He squats in front to see her if really watching him. She hits him in the head.

He stands and runs forward. Squats again and peeps but hit again in the head. She changes the direction like before while he runs forward.

She has detected something obstructing on her way.

He follows her all along. She proceeds. He touches her on her back. She turns, checks with the stick and proceeds. He grabs the stick and runs away. She stands still as he laughs.

I will beat you up. Bring my walking stick.

He sidles and squats as before. She is just quiet. He rises and looks at her straight in the eye and points his index finger at her eye directly as if to poke it. She is not moved. He laughs there. She tries to grab her arm but fails.

I will beat you.

How will you beat me? he responds. Do you see me really?

I say bring the stick, I am late for school.

He comes to her and points the stick at her. Hold it; I shall take you to school.

I am able, leave me alone now, she says. I know where I am going.

I shall take you.

He goes on the lead while he takes her to school. He asks her to take him to that school. In the school of the blind, the blind are taught on Braille. She tells him that he is not fit for he has his sight. Here is the school.

He leaves her and returns to his usual business. It has been long and the link between this boy and Monique is detected by the management of the Hotel. She is sacked. The next day, Jazzy has not found her.

Jazzy goes about to the bank of the river. He sees two boys who hold sticks which are stringed. The string is in water. Meanwhile, the string has a small piece of wood floating. He observes. At the moment when the piece of wood dips in water and emerges, the boy pulls it out hurriedly. It has caught a fish.

This second time has something like bread put in the mouth and on the tooth of the hook. He throws it too in water. It has caught fish again. He pulls it up but it is so hard. He yells for help. Jazzy and the other fisher boy come for help.

They pull it. The heavy catch pulls them in water. They don’t hold the stick anymore. The men who bath come for help and bring them out. Jazzy goes home head on.

He explains this to his grandmother. He adds that Monique has been sacked.

His grandmother is not in mood when she hears this. The lady however has to come for him the following day at her previous work place. She takes him to her house. She has to interrogate him.

Jazzy, where are your parents?

My mother died in an accident five months ago. I don’t know my father.

Whom do you live with?

I live with my grandmother.

She is concerned. She feels the hardship this child undergoes by begging on the streets.

Where do you live?

We live in the graveyard opposite Munuki. We have erected a shed there.

She is touched.

Will you take me there tomorrow?

I promise, I will.

She takes him up to their living place and they diverge.

The place they live in is a talking point to their closest relatives. They dispute why they have to live there and fail to consult them that they will live in their houses. Each one of them is called a poor thing. Jazzy has been called like this severally. He can play with some of them. Children just play with everyone.

He is called a poor thing. His old grandmother is not called this in her presence but when people plan to go, Jazzy has been told severally.

Is your grandmother at home?

It follows, Let me go and meet that poor thing.

This is a usual permission from the other colleague who must either leave too ignorant or accompany the one who intends to visit these poor things.

They visit her. Some give her some money and leave. Others go to talk about their living standards.

Jazzy. Welcome back, she welcomes.

Yes grandmother.

You are lucky, I see the paper bag.

Monique took me to her house today. We have just diverged.

You would have told her to come on in.

She said she was in a hurry. She will come tomorrow, don’t worry about that grandmother.

I will love to appreciate everything she does.

She is very kind grandmother. She resembles mummy grandmother.

It is semblance. Your mother is dead. She will not return. I think you know death means someone is gone forever. We will not see her again.

I hope now in you, grandmother. Don’t leave me like my mother did.

I shall not leave you jazzy. Old age may take me when you will have grown, a man to look for your own ways of living.

I am determined. I shall overcome anything in my youth.

You are industrious. Birds of your feather achieve their goals.

He removes the food he has in the paper bag. They eat and sleep for the night all through. Regina Hallucinates throughout the night. Jazzy is awoken and wakes her up. She says whenever he hears him speak; he has to sleep comfortably because everything is alright.

She fears threatening of his well being wherever he goes every morning too. Roads are not safe at all. A child like him too may be enticed into adoption using money and all the treasures.

Regina in the first place warned Jazzy when she heard about Monique’s association with him. Jazzy even though a child; introduced her as a good lady who understands the meaning of life. He introduced her grandmother to how caring Monique is.

His grandmother was convinced after all.

Jazzy goes to his usual work after tea. The thought provoking tea everyone sees its smoke and asks what it is. He walks begging. He has finally walked to tiredness. He has to sit under that shade and rests a bit. There is a balloon which is blown towards him. He rises to pick it yet it is blown away whenever he bows to pick it. He follows the balloon and finds himself where Monique resides. He has to meet Monique before homing.

She is prepared. She has no work still. Her job search has ended in an appointment for the next Monday. She is not worried because she knows she will earn it. She