Hello my good people. This is my attempt at a Fantasy novel and I hope you enjoy it. It’s still a working progress like the title says. Don’t be shy, drop your comments.
Prologue
The Butterfly effect. A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazon and through seemingly unrelated events leads to a tornado in Tokyo. Seems a bit far-fetched, doesn’t it? That something as irrelevant as a flapping of wings can lead to disaster. Why blame a butterfly for a tornado thousands of kilometres away! She doesn’t know that doing what comes naturally to her can cause such a catastrophe.
Considering what has been happening in my life I know I’m just projecting my feelings onto the butterfly. My situation has nothing to do with the butterfly or the ensuing chaos of her flapping wings. The Butterfly effect simply states a principle and does not in any way blame the butterfly for anything.
It’s not my fault what happened. Or maybe it is. In the ensuing chaos of the past few months it’s gotten hard to pinpoint exactly who is to blame. I know I am partly to blame but so is Ogol, Imana and even Ajok.
From the moment we are born and as we grow we are taught that every action has a consequence. Cry as infants, we are fed. Play with fire, you get burnt. Don’t do your homework assignment; the teacher will be just in their punishment. Talk back to your very traditional African parents and face the dreaded mwiko, slipper, belt or slap that’ll leave you certain that not even the best WWE wrestler can best your parents.
For every action taken there is a consequence, be it negative or positive and we have to deal with the consequence. In my case my actions lead to the end of a mighty people; the entire erasure of the powerful Otuho Kingdom from the annals of history. It might have been caused by my boarding the KBS to Kawangware, or buying chewing gum from the kind hawker while on the bus, or maybe even taking off my glasses to sleep. Just like the butterfly, my tiny insignificant action may have led to a chain reaction ending in catastrophe.
Now I’m seated atop the picturesque Imatong Mountains facing the Kingdom of the people I unwittingly destroyed. Surrounded by bamboo trees and silence occasionally disrupted by the chirping of birds. What I seek is atonement for my reckless actions. Atonement that can only be fulfilled by my death.
Life truly is funny. A few months ago I would have gladly welcomed death as a reprieve from the constant pain of living. But now, all I want is to live. To taste avocado that dreaded creamy fruit. To learn to code, hug a tree or simply smell the flowers. Alas, life is never how we want it but rather how it wants to be.
For every action there is a consequence and I’m willing to pay the ultimate price to atone for my action.
