Elton Tonny
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 9, 2022
- 396
- 2,976
- Thread starter
- #221
DRAXTON
A Story by Elton Tonny
Familia, Urafiki, Mapenzi, Mahaba, Siri, Tamaa, Hila, Unyanyasaji, Usaliti, Mauaji, Mambo Yasiyotazamiwa
(R-rated 18+)
Enjoy!
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SEHEMU YA KWANZA
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Siku ambayo Draxton alivamiwa kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho na kijakazi mkatili wa Efraim Donald, mwanaume huyu alikuwa amepitia jambo ambalo alijitahidi sana kuzuia kwa kipindi kirefu tokea alipofika Tanzania. Mwanaume aliyeagizwa na Efraim Donald kumtafuta Draxton, aliyeitwa Suleiman, alikuwa amelazimu unyama wa Draxton utoke mchana kweupe baada ya kumpiga kwa risasi nyingi akidhani kwamba angeweza kumuua, lakini matokeo yakawa ni kifo kwake yeye mwenyewe. Draxton alikuwa amejitahidi sana kuficha uasili wake kwa kujenga nyumba ndogo maeneo ya msitu ambako palijificha, na pia kuchukua hatua ambazo zingezuia madhara makubwa wakati wowote upande wake wa mnyama ungetaka kutoka; yaani kujifunga kwa minyororo.
Siku hiyo Suleiman aliposababisha mnyama huyo atoke, aliweza kuondoka msituni hapo na kufika eneo lenye makazi ya watu wachache, naye akasababisha vifo vya watu 16 waliokuwa maeneo ya mashine ya kusaga nafaka. Hakukuwa na watu walioweza kumwona kwa usahihi, naye akaendelea kusonga mbele na kufikia eneo lingine lililokuwa na msitu pia, na huko akajilaza tu baada ya kushiba kupitiliza kawaida. Draxton alikuja kufumbua macho yake ikiwa imekwishafika usiku sana, na ingawa hakuweza kukumbuka kilichoendelea baada ya kubadilika kwake, aliingiwa na mfadhaiko mwingi moyoni kwa sababu alijua ni lazima tu alikuwa amesababisha matatizo kutoka kule alikokuwa. Akajilaumu sana moyoni kwa kuamua kubaki huku. Alihisi labda angetakiwa tu kuwa ameshaondoka kipindi kile Namouih amegundua siri yake, huenda haya yangeepukwa. Lakini kabla ya kufikiria mengine zaidi, angepaswa kutoka eneo hilo kwanza, ajue ni maafa makubwa kadiri gani alikuwa amesababisha, ikiwa kuna watu walimshuhudia mnyama wake, na ndiyo afanye nini baada ya hapo.
Akatoka sehemu aliyokuwa na kuanza kutembea akiwa bila nguo mwilini. Akafikia sehemu fulani iliyokuwa na vibanda vya mbao vilivyotengenezwa kwa kusudi la kuwekea bidhaa, na kwa wakati huo hakukuwa na mtu hata mmoja. Baada ya muda mfupi ndiyo ikawa imefika pikipiki iliyobeba wanaume wawili waliofanya kazi ya ulinzi wa maeneo. Alijaribu kuwaomba msaada ili aweze kurudi nyumbani, lakini wakaingiza mambo ya kijinga kwa kumwomba awape malipo kwanza kwa njia ya ushoga. Alipokataa, wakajaribu kumlazimisha na hata kuanza kumpiga kwa marungu yao mwilini kwake. Alikasirishwa sana na jambo hilo kiasi kwamba akawa anataka awafundishe adabu, lakini hakutaka afanye hivyo kwa kupitiliza, alitaka awafundishe adabu akiwa yeye kama yeye. Ni wakati alipokuwa anataka kuwapa dozi waliyostahili pale wanaume hao walipovutwa nyuma kwa nguvu na kuangukia mpaka usawa wa pikipiki yao. Draxton alikuwa amepiga goti moja chini wakati huo, akihisi maumivu sehemu za mikono na mgongoni, lakini ikawa ni kama yote yamepotea kwa sababu sasa ufahamu wake ulikuwa umetekwa na jambo fulani ambalo lilikuwa geni kabisa kwake.
Hakumwona mtu aliyewavuta wanaume hao, lakini harufu yake aliivuta vyema. Harufu hiyo ilikuwa tofauti na harufu ya binadamu wa kawaida; ilikuwa harufu kama ya kwake! Yaani, yeye akiwa kama mnyama pia, aliweza kutambua kwamba aliyewavuta wanaume hao hakuwa binadamu kikamili, ila mnyama kama yeye. Akasimama taratibu akiwa anajaribu kutafuta uwepo wa kiumbe huyo, maana hisi zake za unyama zilimweka katika hali fulani ya tahadhari kama vile kujua hiyo ingekuwa ni hatari kwake yeye pia. Wanaume wale wawili wakanyanyuka upesi huku wanaangalia huku na kule, kisha wakamwangalia Draxton na kusimama kwa kujihami.
Draxton akawa amesimama huku amekunja uso kwa njia fulani makini sana, akiwa anazifungua hisi zake zote za juu ili kutambua ni nini kilichokuwa kinawazunguka, na ni hapo ndiyo askari wale wakasaidiana kunyanyua pikipiki yao ili wakimbie kwa kuwa tayari walihisi hapo kuna balaa zito kuliko walivyodhani. Hawakuwa hata wamefanikiwa kuinyanyua sawa na hapo hapo akatua mtu fulani aliyempa mgongo Draxton, na kwa macho ya haraka Draxton akaona jinsi mtu huyo alivyovishika vichwa vya wanaume hao na kunyonga shingo zao kwa kasi sana! Wanaume hao wakadondoka hapo hapo na kuanza kushtuka kiasi, kisha wakatulia.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama mtu huyo mbele yake. Alikuwa amempa mgongo bado, na alionekana akiwa amevaa kitu kama sweta gumu la brown na suruali ya jeans pamoja na viatu vyeusi, na kichwa chake kilikuwa na nywele ndefu nyeusi na laini kama za mzungu. Na ndiyo huyo mtu aliyekuwa anatoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida iliyoendelea kuzipiga vizuri kona za pua ya Draxton. Kisha, akageuka taratibu na kumtazama Draxton usoni, na kiukweli Draxton akashangaa sana. Kwanza, mtu huyo alikuwa mwanaume. Pili, alikuwa mzungu, mwenye mwonekano kama wazungu wa kwenye tamthilia za waturuki wenye ndevu nyingi. Kiumri angeweza kusemwa ana miaka inayofika 40, naye alikuwa mrefu kumfikia Draxton.
Mwanaume huyo akaanza kupiga hatua chache kumwelekea Draxton, naye Draxton akajitahidi kuendelea kusimama kwa ujasiri huku akiwa bado haelewi kinachoendelea na kutojua cha kutarajia. Huyu mzungu alikuwa nani? Kwa nini alijitokeza wakati huu? Na kwa nini alitoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida? Mwanaume huyo alipofika mbele yake Draxton, akamtazama kwa macho fulani yaliyojaa matumaini sana, kama vile kusema alikuwa amefurahi kumwona, kisha akaweka mkono wake alioukunjia ngumi kwenye kifua chake usawa wa moyo, halafu akashuka chini na kupiga goti moja kwa njia fulani kama amemwinamia kuonyesha heshima. Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini tu, akiwa amebumbuazishwa na jambo hilo, na mwanaume huyo akawa ameinamisha uso wake.
"It is an honor to be in your presence... Maximilian."
Mwanaume huyo ndiye aliyesema maneno hayo, akimaanisha anahisi kama vile amewadhifika kuwa mbele ya Draxton. Draxton alishangazwa sana na uhakika wa kile ambacho mwanaume huyo alikuwa amesema, hata jina lake la mwanzo alilifahamu vizuri kabisa.
"Who are you? (Wewe ni nani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mwanaume huyo akaunyanyua uso wake na kumwangalia, kisha akasema, "My name is Mark. I am a man who is going to help you know who you truly are... and what that means for people like us (Jina langu ni Mark. Mimi ni mtu nitakayekusaidia uweze kujua wewe ni nani hasa... na jambo hilo linamaanisha nini kwa watu kama sisi)."
"What do you mean? (Unamaanisha nini?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Everything you've ever asked yourself about your life, I have the answers. I will help you learn the truth, because now more than ever... we need you Maximilian. You are our only hope (Kila jambo ambalo umewahi kujiuliza kuhusu maisha yako, mimi nina majibu. Nitakusaidia uujue ukweli, kwa kuwa wakati huu zaidi ya wakati mwingine wowote... sisi tunakuhitaji Maximilian. Wewe ndiyo tumaini letu la pekee)," mwanaume huyo akamwambia.
"We? (Sisi?)" Draxton akauliza akiwa hajaelewa anachomaanisha.
Mwanaume huyo mzungu kwa jina la Mark kama alivyojitambulisha, akafumba macho yake kwa kifupi, kisha akayafumbua na kumtazama Draxton tena.
Draxton akashangazwa na alichoweza kugundua kuwa jambo ambalo hakuwahi kudhani angekuja kuliona. Macho ya Mark yalikuwa yamebadilika na kuwa ya rangi ya njano, kitu kilichomwambia mwanaume huyu kwamba hapo mbele yake alikuwa pamoja na mtu mwenye hali kama ya kwake. Hakuwahi kufikiria kabisa kwamba siku kama hii ingewahi kufika baada ya yeye kuja kwenye nchi hii, na sasa akawa ametambua kwamba kumbe kulikuwepo na watu wenye hali kama yake ya kuwa wanyama, na kama mzungu huyo alivyosema, inaonekana hata walikuwa wengi sana.
Lakini huyu Mark alijua vipi kuhusu historia halisi ya maisha ya Draxton ambayo hata yeye Draxton hakuifahamu vyema? Ni kwa nini hakuwa amemtafuta muda wote huo ndiyo aje kumtafuta wakati huu? Wonyesho huu wa heshima mpaka anapigiwa magoti ulimaanisha nini? Na ni nini kilichokuwa kimempata Mark na "wenzake" kilichomfanya afikiri kwamba Draxton anaweza kutoa msaada wowote kwake? Kwamba Draxton alikuwa kama nani mpaka aonwe kuwa msaada pekee kwa watu hao? Sasa ndiyo uliokuwa wakati wa kuyapata majibu ya maswali hayo yote, hivyo Draxton akaamua kumsikiliza mgeni huyu asiyejulikana alitokea wapi.
Macho yake Mark yakarejea hali ya kawaida, kisha akanyanyuka kutoka chini hapo na kuelekea miili ile ya maaskari aliowaua walipokuwa wakimzingua Draxton. Akaanza kufanya utaratibu wa kumvulisha mmoja wao nguo alizokuwa nazo mwilini, naye Draxton akaendelea tu kumtazama kwa umakini. Haingekuwa rahisi kwake kujua ikiwa nia ya mtu huyo ilikuwa nzuri, lakini kuona tu kwamba alikuwa wa aina yake ni jambo lililomfanya atake kujua mengi zaidi. Hii siku haikuwa imekwenda vizuri sana kwake, na ujio wa mwanaume huyo ulielekea kuleta mambo mengi mazito zaidi. Mark akawa amemvulisha shati na suruali askari mmoja, kisha akamrudia Draxton na kumnyooshea nguo hizo kama anampa avae. Draxton hakuzipokea, bali akawa anamwangalia tu usoni.
"Please wear this for now. We have to get out of here. I believe you will need to clean up some things before I tell you everything (Tafadhali vaa hizi kwa sasa. Tunahitaji kuondoka. Naamini kuna mambo utahitaji kuweka sawa kabla sijakwambia kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
"What things? (Mambo gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It was um... a bit of a mess you made in public a few hours ago. If you can think of anything that will need some fix so nobody tracks it back to you, I'll help you with it (Ilikuwa... ni mambo mabaya kiasi umefanya hadharani masaa machache yaliyopita. Ikiwa kuna jambo lolote linalohitaji kurekebishwa ili watakaofatilia wasije kukufikia wewe, nitakusaidia kwa hilo)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akaendelea kumwangalia tu.
"I understand that this is very surprising, and you got every right to doubt my intentions. Look, I know what you've been through. It wasn't easy. I relate deeply on how you feel. But I have no intention of harming you. Besides, there is no such thing as harming you because you are very powerful. Just trust that whatever am going to tell you is very important... you'll decide whether to help us or not (Ninaelewa haya yote yanashangaza, na una kila haki ya kushuku nia yangu. Ona, ninajua mambo uliyopitia. Hayakuwa mepesi. Ninaweza kuelewa kiundani sana namna unavyohisi. Ila sina nia ya kukudhuru. Hata hivyo, kukudhuru wewe ni kitu ambacho hakipo maana una nguvu nyingi. Amini tu kwamba chochote nachotaka kukwambia ni muhimu sana... wewe ndiyo utaamua ikiwa utatusaidia au la)," Mark akamwambia.
Aliongea maneno hayo kwa njia yenye heshima kuu, naye Draxton akayaangalia mavazi yale aliyoshika mwanaume huyo, kisha akayachukua na kuanza kuvaa.
"I'll get rid of the bodies, then we can go wherever you want to first (Nitaiondoa miili hiyo, kisha tutakwenda popote pale unapotaka kwanza)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton hakuwa na neno. Akamtikisia kichwa tu kukubali, na mwanaume huyo akazifata maiti za maaskari wale wawili, kisha akaibebanisha vizuri na kuinyanyua kwa pamoja. Nguvu alizokuwa nazo zilionyesha kweli alikuwa wa aina yake Draxton, naye akaelekea upande wenye miti zaidi na kuitupa huko; akiifukia kwa manyasi mengi yaliyokaukia chini. Akarejea kwa Draxton na kumkuta ameshavaa nguo zote, na kichwani alivalia kofia ya askari mmoja ili kuficha nywele zake nyeupe. Mark akainyanyua pikipiki ya wale jamaa na kumtazama Draxton machoni kama kumwambia anasubiri. Draxton akaenda na kupanda kwenye pikipiki hiyo, akishika usukani, na baada ya kuiwasha Mark akaketi nyuma pia. Ni kweli kabisa kwamba alihitaji kurekebisha mambo mengi kule alikotoka, hivyo bila kukawia akaiweka pikipiki mwendoni kutafuta barabara kuu.
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Baada ya kuzunguka kwa dakika chache akawa amepata uelekeo alioufahamu, naye akajitahidi kupita sehemu alizojua kwamba asingevuta umakini wa watu wa usalama. Imeingia mida ya saa kumi na mbili alfajiri akawa amefanikiwa kuwafikisha kule kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho. Draxton alikuta eneo hilo likiwa namna alivyolizoea, isipokuwa wakati huu lilikuwa tofauti na jinsi alivyokumbuka kuliacha mara ya mwisho. Aliweza kuona damu nyingi iliyokauka sehemu ya ardhi mpaka kulifikia gari lake, ambalo lilikuwa na mkunjo mdogo na mikwaruzo ya mbali kwenye usawa wa mlango. Kulikuwa pia na vipande vidogo vya miguu na mifupa hapa na pale, naye Draxton akaelewa kwamba mmiliki wa hivyo alikuwa Suleiman, yaani marehemu Suleiman.
Mark akamwambia kwamba wangehitaji kuisafisha sehemu hiyo upesi na kuondoa mambo yote upesi kabla ya maaskari kufikia hapo katika uchunguzi wao, lakini Draxton akakanusha, akisema tu kwamba angekwenda huko ndani kuchukua vitu vichache kisha wangeondoka kwa kutumia gari lake. Akamwacha Mark nje na kwenda ndani. Alikuwa na huzuni sana moyoni, lakini akajikaza na kwenda chumbani kuchukua vitu vichache. Kati ya vitu hivyo ilikuwa ni picha ya muda mrefu sana ya mama yake mzazi, na baada ya kuitazama kwa ufupi akaiweka mfukoni na kubeba mizigo yake mpaka nje. Mark akamsaidia kuipokea mizigo na kwenda kuiweka kwenye gari, kisha wawili hawa wakaingia ndani. Draxton alikuwa kimya tu, akiushikilia usukani na kuitazama nyumba hiyo kwa umakini, kisha akawasha gari na kuligeuza; akiiacha nyumba yake kwa mara ya mwisho.
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Mwendo wa dakika kama 20 ulitosha kuwatoa huko misituni na kuwaingiza jijini zaidi. Bado wanaume wote walikuwa kimya, nao walipokuwa mwendoni bado, wakasimamishwa na askari wa usalama barabarani, aliyeomba utambulisho wa Draxton na leseni. Baada ya kuhakiki, askari huyo akawaachia, na safari ikaendelea. Mark akawa ameshangazwa kiasi na uwepo wa askari huyo mapema namna hiyo barabarani.
"On the road this early? He must really like his job (Yaani yupo barabarani mapema yote hii? Basi atakuwa anaipenda kazi yake sana)," Mark akavunja ukimya hatimaye.
"They like to give a good impression (Wanapenda kutoa mtazamo mzuri)," Draxton akasema hivyo kwa utulivu.
"To their superiors (Kwa wakuu wao)," Mark akasema.
"Yeah. Probably has to do with what I did yesterday (Ndiyo. Inaweza pia kuhusiana na nilichokifanya jana)," Draxton akasema.
"Or maybe it's just an early shift (Au labda ni zamu ya mapema tu)," Mark akamwambia.
Ukimya ukafuata tena, kisha Draxton akauliza, "How many did I kill? (Nimeua wangapi?)"
Mark akamtazama kwa ufupi, kisha akasema, "Sixteen (Kumi na sita)."
Draxton akakaza meno yake akihisi vibaya sana moyoni. "My God... how could I let this happen? (Mungu wangu... nimewezaje kuruhusu hii itokee?)" akajisemea kwa sauti ya chini.
"It wasn't your fault (Hayakuwa makosa yako)."
"Don't say that. You don't know anything (Usiseme hivyo. Haujui lolote lile)."
"I know everything (Najua kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akamtazama kwa umakini.
"I mean... at least a huge part of things. But I know you didn't want this. And trust me, we can fix it (Namaanisha... nafahamu sehemu kubwa ya mambo yote angalau. Ila najua haukutaka hili. Na niamini, tunaweza kulirekebisha)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akaendelea tu kuendesha gari lake akiwa na mengi akilini.
Baada ya dakika chache, wakawa wamefikia pale kwenye nyumba ya kupanga alipoishi, naye Draxton akaegesha gari lake na wote kushuka. Wakaitoa mizigo yake na kwenda mpaka getini, na kwa muda huo lilikuwa wazi kwa ndani; yaani halikuwa limefungwa kutokana na mwanaume mmoja aliyekuwa mume wake Rehema kuwahi kuondoka kwa ajili ya kazi. Hivyo Draxton akalisukuma tu, nalo likafunguka. Wapangaji wengine walikuwa wamelala bado, isipokuwa ya yule binti aliyeitwa Kuluthum ambaye alikuwa anamwandaa mvulana mdogo wa familia yao kwa ajili ya kwenda shule. Draxton na Mark wakapita tu mpaka kufikia upande wa vyumba vyake, kisha akafungua tu na kuingia ndani.
Mark akamfata taratibu mpaka sehemu ya sebule, naye Draxton akamwambia anaweza kupumzika kwenye sofa hapo ili yeye aende kujisafisha vizuri kisha waje kuzungumza. Lakini Mark akasema hapana. Akamwambia kwamba aende kujisafisha kisha apumzike, yaani alale kabisa, na kwa sababu yeye Mark alikuwa ameshapajua hapo basi angemfata baadaye ili waweze kuongea vizuri. Akasema alikuwa na chumba kwenye hoteli fulani jijini hapo hivyo angeenda huko kwanza kisha angerudi muda ambao Draxton angekuwa ametulia vya kutosha. Draxton akatilia maanani pendekezo hilo, akiona ni kweli kwamba alihitaji muda wa kuwa mwenyewe kwanza kabla ya mambo mengine mazito ambayo mwanaume huyo alitaka kumweleza. Akamkubalia na kumwambia achukue gari lake ili iwe rahisi kwenda alikotaka, lakini Mark akasema haingekuwa na shida kwa sababu alitambua kwamba eneo la hapo halikuwa mbali na hoteli alipokaa, hivyo akasema angechukua tu usafiri wa pikipiki. Akaondoka hapo hatimaye, naye Draxton akakaa kwenye sofa kwanza.
Kwa wakati huu alikuwa anawaza zaidi kuhusu hali ya Namouih. Ikiwa Efraim Donald alitambua kwamba mke wake anatoka ndani ya ndoa yao na kufikia hatua ya kumwagiza Suleiman amuue, basi huenda ingekuwa hatari sana kwa mwanamke yule kuendelea kuwa kwake. Ingawa Namouih alikuwa mchango mkubwa katika kumsaidia na shida aliyokuwa nayo ya kubadilika, bado alikuwa ni mke wa mtu, na yeye Draxton alikuwa ni mpenzi wa rafiki ya huyo mke wa mtu. Mambo yalikuwa yamezidi kuchacha hasa kwa kuwa suala hilo lilipelekea vifo vingi vya watu wasiokuwa na hatia, na jambo hilo lilimchoma kupita maelezo. Yale yale aliyokuwa ameyakimbia Marekani na Venezuela yakawa yamejirudia tena. Hakuwa hata na hamu ya kushika simu kuangalia kama alitafutwa, hivyo akanyanyuka tu na kwenda chumbani, naye akavua nguo zile za maaskari na kuvaa taulo, kisha akaelekea bafuni kule nje na kuoga. Alipomaliza akaingia tu ndani na kuvaa pensi ya kijani pekee, na haikuchukua dakika nyingi baada tu ya yeye kujitupia kitandani usingizi ukamchukua kutokana na uchovu uliokuwa mwilini mwake.
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Muda fulani kupita, mwanaume huyu akaanza kusikia sauti za mbali za mlango uliogongwa kwa nguvu, naye akashtuka na kuweza kuzisikia vizuri zaidi kumfanya atambue kwamba ulikuwa ni mlango wake. Akajinyanyua taratibu, naye akaivuta simu yake kuangalia muda. Ilikuwa inakimbilia saa saba mchana, na kwenye kioo cha simu yake aliweza kuona taarifa ya simu ambazo hazikupokelewa kutoka kwa Namouih na Blandina. Za Blandina ndiyo zilikuwa nyingi zaidi, na baada ya mlango kusikika unagongwa tena, akaiweka simu pembeni na kutoka chumbani. Alidhani ingekuwa ni Mark ndiye aliyerudi, lakini alipofika usawa wa mlango na kukaribia kuufungua, akahisi harufu aliyoifahamu vyema; harufu ya Blandina.
Akafumba macho yake na kuinamisha uso wake kwa kuingiwa na simamzi, lakini akajiweka sawa na kumfungulia. Hangeweza kujizuia kumtazama mwanamke huyo kwa huzuni kutokana na yote yaliyokuwa yameendelea tangu amekutana naye, na Blandina alikuwa ameonyesha kiwango cha hali ya juu sana cha upendo kwake kwa muda mrefu kiasi kwamba hisia za hatia kutokana na mambo aliyofanya Draxton yasiyokuwa halali kwenye uhusiano wao zilikuwa nzito kupitiliza. Lakini licha ya yote, Blandina akaingia ndani hapo na kumkumbatia. Akambusu kwa upendo na kumwomba amweleze sababu zake za kumficha matatizo aliyokuwa nayo, na alisumbuliwa na nini hasa. Draxton akamwongoza kwenda mpaka kwenye sofa, na hapo akajaribu kuomba samahani kwa yote, huku Blandina akimsihi amwambie ukweli. Draxton alikuwa karibu kabisa kumwambia mpenzi wake kila kitu lakini Blandina akaitwa ghafla ofisini kutokana na dharura iliyomhitaji.
Mwanaume akamwambia aende tu, nao wangetafuta muda mwingine wa kuzungumza kwa kina, na ndiyo Blandina akatumia nafasi hiyo kumwambia asiache kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya siku ya kuzaliwa kwake Namouih ambayo ilipangwa kufanyiwa nyumbani kwa Efraim Donald. Baada ya Draxton kukubali, mpenzi wake akaondoka, akimwacha mwanaume anawaza ikiwa kwenda lingekuwa jambo la busara hasa ikiwa Efraim Donald alijua kumhusu. Lakini kabla ya yote angetakiwa kumsubiri Mark kwanza ili aje kuzungumza naye, na ndiyo angejua ni sehemu ipi angetakiwa kusimama baada ya hapo.
★★
Yalipita kama masaa mawili baada ya Blandina kuondoka kwake Draxton, na kufikia mida hii mwanaume huyu tayari alikuwa ametulia vya kutosha kuweza kuzungumza na Mark, ambaye bado hakuwa amerudi. Alipika na kula chakula kiasi kilichokuwepo kwenye friji, na sasa alikuwa akitazama tu taarifa zilizohusiana na msiba uliosababishwa na mnyama aliyekuwa yeye mwenyewe. Sehemu nyingi za mitandao ya kijamii suala hilo lilizungumziwa, huku watu wengi wakiipondea serikali kwa kutoweza kushughulika vyema na majanga ya namna hiyo sikuzote yakitokea. Akafatilia taarifa za watu waliouawa na kugundua kwamba 15 walikuwa ni vijana wadogo waliokuwa wakicheza tu mpira eneo lile, na mmoja alikuwa mzee aliyefanya kazi ndani ya mashine ya nafaka.
Alihisi majuto mengi mno, na hasira kali ikamwingia iliyomfanya anyannyuke kutoka sofani na kupiga ngumi mezani. Ilivunjika kabisa na kusambaa, naye akawa anapumua kwa nguvu sana na kukaa chini. Kwa nini maisha yake yalikuwa hivi? Na hata kama angetaka kufa ili kukomesha matatizo yote aliyotokeza, ni jambo ambalo halikuwezekana. Kwa nini ilikuwa hivyo? Maswali na machungu yakiwa yanaendelea kumtawala mlango wa kuingilia ndani hapo ukafunguka. Draxton hakunyanyua uso wake kumtazama aliyeingia kwa kuwa tayari alijua ni nani. Mark ndiyo alikuwa amefika. Mwanaume huyu akakaribia sehemu ambayo Draxton alikuwa amekaa, akiona jinsi vipande vidogo vya meza ilivyozagaa, naye akamwangalia kwa uelewa.
"You want to talk about it? (Ungependa kulizungumzia?)" Mark akauliza.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "No. I just wanna listen to you (Hapana. Nataka tu kukusikiliza wewe)."
Mark akarudi nyuma kidogo, naye Draxton akajinyanyua na kuketi kwenye sofa tena. Alipomwangalia Mark, Draxton akagundua kuwa mwanaume huyo alikuwa anaweka umakini wake upande mwingine wa sebule, kama vile anatafuta jambo fulani.
"What is it? (Kuna nini?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akamwangalia na kusema, "I'm picking up an unfamiliar scent in here. It's... feminine (Ninaweza kuvuta harufu fulani isiyotambulika ndani humu. Ni... ya kike)."
Draxton akaelewa, naye akamwambia, "I had a visitor earlier. She's my friend (Nilikuwa na mgeni mapema leo. Ni rafiki yangu)."
"I see (Naona)," Mark akasema hivyo, kisha akaketi pia.
Draxton alikuwa na uso ulioonyesha mawazo sana, na mgeni wake alilielewa hilo vizuri.
"You gonna be okay? (Utakuwa sawa?)" Mark akauliza.
"Yeah, just... tell me. I want to know everything (Ndiyo, wewe... niambie tu. Nataka kujua kila kitu)," Draxton akasema na kumtazama machoni.
"What do you know about the way you are? (Unafahamu nini kuhusiana na jinsi ulivyo?)" Mark akamuuliza.
Draxton akatulia kidogo, kisha akasema, "Other than being an impossible to control murderous monster, nothing (Tofauti na kuwa mnyama muuaji asiyeweza kuongozwa, sijui lolote)."
"I've been where you have, and I know with you it has been a huge burden for a long time because you never fully understood yourself. Maximilian... you are a very complex being none of our kind can fathom to be, and even though I can walk you through many answers about what we are, understanding how YOU are is still a mystery (Nimeshakuwa kwenye sehemu uliyopitia, na ninajua kwako wewe imekuwa ni mzigo mzito sana kwa sababu hukuwahi kuelewa namna ulivyo kikamili. Maximilian.. wewe ni kiumbe mwenye utata sana hakuna hata mmoja wa aina yetu anaweza kuufikia, na ingawa ninaweza kukuelezea kuhusiana na aina yetu, kuelewa jinsi WEWE ulivyo bado ni fumbo)," Mark akamwambia.
"You're saying... that we are of the same kind, but I'm different? (Unasema... kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja, lakini mimi niko tofauti?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"What do you mean? How... how is it possible that we are what we are? (Unamaanisha nini? Kivipi... inawezekana vipi kwamba tuko namna tulivyo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It's because of your father, Obadiah Draxton (Ni kwa sababu ya baba yako, Obadiah Draxton)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini.
"He was a special animal scientist in the 19's, during the GED, leading up to the second world war. You may be familiar with your father's history that he, among other scientists, tried to do an experimentation where a human and an animal could interbreed, but their expectations never gave favourable fruits. Your father, unbeknownst to many, continued to search for ways to make his theories work, and at last succeeded in combining human cells with those of a wolf to produce an hybrid child, and an immortal one... you (Alikuwa ni mwanasayansi mtaalamu wa wanyama miaka ya 19 huko, wakati ule wa mshuko mkubwa wa kiuchumi, mpaka kufikia vita vya pili vya dunia. Unaweza kuwa unajua historia ya baba yako kwamba yeye, pamoja na wanasayansi wengine wa wanyama, walijaribu kufanya majaribio ya kuwezesha mwanadamu na mnyama kuzalisha kwa pamoja, lakini matarajio yao hayakuwapa matunda yaliyotazamiwa. Bila mtu mwingine kujua, baba yako aliendelea kutafuta njia za kufanya mawazo yake yafanikiwe, na mwishowe akaweza kuunganisha seli za mwanadamu na zile za mbwa-mwitu kutokeza mtoto wa aina mbili, na asiyeweza kufa... wewe)," Mark akaeleza.
"How did he manage that? (Aliwezaje kufanikisha hilo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"That IS the mystery. But what he did was a miracle, that we only see in movies and books. Whatever he did with producing you is what makes you immortal Maximilian, and it is still impossible to know what unless maybe... (Hilo NDIYO fumbo. Lakini alichokifanya kilikuwa muujiza, kama tu ile tuionayo kwenye filamu na vitabu. Chochote alichokifanya kukuzalisha wewe ndiyo kilichowezesha usiweze kufa kabisa Maximilian, na bado haitawezekana kujua ni nini isipokuwa labda...)"
"I get cell-checked (Nitazamwe kwenye seli zangu)," Draxton akamalizia maneno ya Mark.
"Yeah. But no one is going to force you to do something like that especially since it may cause a wreck to our well kept secrecy of our kind (Ndiyo. Lakini hakuna atakayekulazimisha ufanye jambo kama hilo hasa kwa sababu inaweza kuleta shida kwa upande wetu wa kutunza siri kuhusu aina zetu)," Mark akasema.
"How is it possible that we are of the same kind if my father only ever created me? (Inawezekanaje kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja ikiwa baba yangu alinitengeneza mimi tu?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Well, some people wanted to know how he did it after finding out about you, and I can say he saw they had ulterior motives. He hid you, but they caught him, forced and tortured him to give you up... only he didn't and that's why... they killed him, and faked his death as suicide (Kuna watu waliotaka kujua alifanyaje mpaka kufanikiwa walipogundua kukuhusu, na naweza kusema aliona kwamba walikuwa na makusudio mabaya. Alikuficha, lakini waliweza kumkamata, wakamlazimisha na kumtesa ili awapatie wewe.. lakini hakufanya hivyo na ndiyo sababu... wakamuua, kuweka kifo chake kiwe bandia kwa kufanya ionekane kwamba alijiua)," Mark akasimulia.
Draxton akatazama chini.
"His research was sought after for years, but they didn't succeed in finding it. It might have appeared your father got rid of everything he worked on, but it wasn't like that. One of the many scientists he worked with was his closest friend named Charles Delmas. He somehow knew how your father managed to make you come to reality, so he was working secretly, by himself, to carry on with your father's work. He very much succeded in creating a human-wolf eventually, especially after technology improved. But just like your father, he was strictly careful not involving any untrusted person in that. It turns out that, the experiment included the combination of his own blood, semen, wolf cells, and other stuff, into the productive organs of a woman. There was a special process here on making this actually work that only he and your father knew of, like interbreeding surrogacy, and as such, another human-wolf baby was born (Utafiti wake ulisakwa kwa miaka mingi, lakini hawakufanikiwa kuupata. Ingeonekana labda baba yako aliharibu kila kitu ambacho alifanyia kazi, lakini haikuwa hivyo. Mmoja kati ya wanasayansi wengi aliofanya nao kazi alikuwa rafiki yake wa karibu aliyeitwa Charles Delmas. Alifahamu kwa njia fulani namna baba yako alivyofanikiwa kukuleta duniani, kwa hiyo kwa usiri mkubwa, akaendeleza kazi ya baba yako yeye mwenyewe. Alifanikiwa kutengeneza mtu-mwitu baada ya muda, hasa kwa kuwa teknolojia iliboreka zaidi. Ikagundulika kwamba jaribio hilo lilitia ndani kuunganishwa kwa damu yake, mbegu za uzazi, seli za mbwa-mwitu, na mambo mengine, ndani ya ogani za uzazi za mwanamke. Kulikuwa na utaratibu wa kipekee hapa uliofanywa ambao ni yeye na baba yako tu ndiyo walioufahamu, kama upandikiziwaji wa mayai ya viumbe wa aina tofauti, na kama ilivyo, mtoto aliye mwanadamu-mwitu akazaliwa)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton hakusema chochote zaidi ya kuendelea kumsikiliza mwanaume huyo.
Mark akaendelea kusimulia, "The outcome of doctor Charles' work was a bit different from that of your father. Surely, the hybrid born had similar traits like those you got, but it wasn't immune to death like how you are. At first that didn't matter because none of anyone knew about your features, and even doctor Charles himself tried for two decades to find you but did not succeed (Matokeo ya kazi ya daktari Charles yalikuwa na utofauti na yale ya baba yako. Kiuhakika kabisa, mtu-mwitu aliyezaliwa alikuwa na tabia kama ulizonazo, lakini hakuwa na uwezo wa kujikinga dhidi ya kifo kama wewe. Mwanzoni hilo halikujalisha kwa kuwa hakuna aliyejua kuhusu sifa zako, na hata daktari Charles alijaribu kukutafuta kwa miongo miwili bila kufanikiwa)."
"What happened then? (Nini kikafuata?)" Draxton akamuuliza
"Well, he monitored the child closely as he grew up. He raised him as he was his own son, and after fully understanding his growth development, Charles figured out that his son's offsprings would inherit his wolf genes, so he had to make sure when that time came his son would be ready to deal with everything that he was going to have to be... not just part human, part wolf, but a good father to all of his children (Basi, alimwangalia mtoto huyo kwa ukaribu kadiri alivyoendelea kukua. Alimlea hasa kutokana na yeye kuwa mwanaye, na baada ya kuelewa maendeleo ya ukuaji wake kikamili, Charles aligundua kwamba wazao wa mwana wake wangerithi chembe za uhai za mwitu wake, kwa hiyo alihakikisha kwamba muda huo ukifika basi mwanaye angekuwa tayari kushughulika na mambo yote aliyohitaji kuwa.. siyo nusu-mwanadamu na nusu-mnyama tu, bali kama baba mzuri kwa wazao wake)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So Charles continued doing other experiments like the ones that produced his son, and that brought four other hybrids. He had a secret base somewhere on the mountains and that's where all of them grew together (Kwa hiyo Charles aliendelea kufanya majaribio mengine kama lile lililozalisha mwana wake, na hiyo ikaleta watu-mwitu wengine wanne. Alikuwa na jengo la kisiri eneo fulani la milimani na huko ndiko hao wote walipokua kwa pamoja)," Mark akamwambia.
"Meaning they were also his children (Ikimaanisha na wenyewe walikuwa ni watoto wake)," Draxton akasema.
"Yes. Their animalistic change kicked in when they reached adolescence. Charles had mentally prepared them for the change, and the way his first son embraced it in a controllable manner, it happened the same way with the other hybrids. Through time, many aspects of their lives changed, while continuously learning how to control their abilities and hide them from the rest of the world, they found a deep bond between themselves that was very different and strong, thus lived in a special way to maintain stability and order for all of their kind in the future. It was always about keeping one another safe, so they established a set of rules and regulations that would help protect our kind in it's small world. As time went on, they reproduced themselves, creating families on a safe ground, and the first five hybrids were the leaders of the packs created (Ndiyo. Badiliko lao la unyama liliwapata walipopevuka. Charles aliwaandaa vizuri kiakili kwa ajili ya badiliko hilo, na jinsi ambavyo mwana wake wa kwanza alilipokea kwa utaratibu mzuri ilitokea kwa njia hiyo hiyo na kwa wale wengine. Kadiri muda ulivyopita, nyanja mbalimbali za maisha yao zilibadilika, huku wakiwa wanaendelea kujifunza namna ya kuziongoza nguvu zao na kuzificha kutoka kwa wengi duniani, walipata muungano wa ndani sana uliokuwa tofauti na wenye nguvu, hivyo walianza kuishi kwa njia ya pekee ili kuweka uwiano na utaratibu mzuri kwa ajili ya watu wa aina yao kwa wakati ujao. Sikuzote ilikuwa kuhusu kulindana, kwa hiyo waliwekeza sheria na taratibu ambazo zingelinda watu wa aina yetu ndani ya dunia yao ndogo. Muda ulipoendelea kusonga, walizaliana, wakiunda familia kwenye eneo salama, na wale watu-mwitu watano wa kwanza kabisa ndiyo walikuwa viongozi wa makundi waliyotengeneza)," Mark akaelezea.
"Packs? (Makundi?)"
"Yes, just like how wolves live in packs Maximilian. Their growth, our growth, is very rapid. In just 7 years one would already be what a normal human being is 18 years old, and that was due to our bestial nature forcing the growing of the human body and mind to escalate. So when I said adolescence I meant 7 years Maximilian, but I know that wasnt the case with you (Ndiyo, kama tu ambavyo mbwa-mwitu huishi kimakundi Maximilian. Ukuaji wao, yaani ukuaji wetu, ni wa kasi sana. Ni ndani ya miaka 7 tu mmoja wetu angeweza kuwa namna ambavyo kwa mwanadamu wa kawaida ni miaka 18, na hiyo ilikuwa kwa sababu hali yetu ya unyama ililazimu ukuaji wa mwili wa kibinadamu na akili visonge kwa kasi. Kwa hiyo niliposema kupevuka nilimaanisha miaka 7 Maximilian, ila najua haikuwa namna hiyo kwako)," Mark akasema.
"No. I grew up like a normal person. So how old are you? (Hapana. Nimekua kama mtu kikawaida. Kwa hiyo una miaka mingapi?)"
"I'd say over 200 years bestially. In a normal calendar I would be 38 (Ningesema zaidi ya miaka 200 kiunyama. Kwa kalenda ya kawaida nina miaka 38)," Mark akajibu.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So, their family as whole was well protected, in such a huge world full of bad. It wasn't easy to always keep order, you know there's just gonna be that one person who wants to be above it all. Well, that time came when two wolf children killed another accidentally. They were both like adolescents, still new to their change, overwhelmed by it, and while playing in their wolf forms the kids hurt the other intensely. The one that died was the daughter of one of the leaders. He was hurt, saddened, angered by her death and wanted to kill the children who caused it as punishment. They weren't from his own pack, so there was a resistance from the other children's families and even disapprovement by the other leaders, who cited the incident as an unintentional accident and his want to punish them was nothing but an unfair vengeance (Familia zao kiujumla zililindwa vyema, hata ingawa walikuwa ndani ya dinia iliyojaa mabaya. Haikuwa rahisi sikuzote kuuendeleza utaratibu, unaelewa kwamba sikuzote ni lazima tu kutakuwa na yule mtu anayetaka kuwa juu ya mambo yote. Huo muda ulifika wakati ambapo
watoto-mwitu wawili walipomuua mwingine kwa tukio baya. Wote kwa pamoja walikuwa kama vijana tu waliopevuka, wageni kwenye mabadiliko yao, ikiwa kama imewazidia, na ndiyo walipokuwa wanacheza ndani ya maumbo ya unyama wakawa wamemuumiza vibaya sana mwenzao. Aliyekufa alikuwa binti wa mmoja wa wale viongozi. Aliumizwa, alisikitishwa, alikasirishwa na kifo cha binti yake naye akataka wale watoto wengine wawili wapewe adhabu ya kifo. Hawakuwa wa kundi lake mwenyewe, hivyo mgomo ukawepo kutoka kwa familia za watoto hao na hata kukataliwa kwa suala hilo na wale viongozi wengine, walioonelea tukio zima kuwa ajali tu ambayo haikutazamiwa na hivyo yeye kutaka watoto wapewe hiyo adhabu ilikuwa ni kutaka tu kisasi kisicho na haki)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akaendelea kusikiliza kwa utulivu.
"That leader got so upset that he threatened to kill the children by himself. The other leaders tried to calm things down but he insisted on avenging his daughter. Things went... very wrong... the other four leaders disbanded him from their unity, and it fueled his anger even more. Very much later, using his own pack, he plotted the deaths of the other four leaders, and killed all of them on the day he faked a truce after inviting them and their families to a small reunion celebration. He also knew that the leaders' firstborns would inherit their parents' powers to become the next leaders of their respective packs, so he killed all of them too. He wanted to be the only original hybrid left to lead all of the born human-wolves, and he killed anyone of them who dified him. A lot died Maximilian. He killed my parents, and my brother too (Huyo kiongozi alikasirika sana kiasi kwamba akatishia kuwaua wale watoto yeye mwenyewe. Viongozi wengine walijaribu kutuliza hali lakini yeye akasisitiza kutaka kulipa kisasi kwa ajili ya binti yake. Mambo yalikwenda... vibaya sana... wale viongozi wengine wakamwondoa kutoka kwenye umoja wao, na hiyo ikamwongezea hasira hata zaidi. Baadaye kabisa, akilitumia kundi lake mwenyewe, alipanga vifo vya wale viongozi wengine wanne, naye akawaua wote kwenye siku aliyowaalika kufanya sherehe ndogo ya upatano uliokuwa bandia. Alijua pia kwamba wazaliwa wa kwanza wa viongozi hao wangerithi nguvu za wazazi wao ili kuwa wakuu wa makundi waliofuata baada yao, kwa hiyo akawaua pia. Alitaka kuwa mtu-mwitu wa kwanza pekee aliyebaki ili kuwaongoza watu-mwitu wote waliokuwepo, na aliua yeyote kati yao ambaye angepingana naye. Wengi waliuawa Maximilian. Aliwaua wazazi wangu, pamoja na kaka yangu)," Mark akasema hayo.
Draxton akamtazama kwa hisia za huruma.
"For those of us who remained, we had to abide by his new rule. He's very ruthless. You know... before his rampage we were about half a thousand in population, but up to now there is only a few numbers left of us to even reach a hundred (Kwa sisi ambao tulibaki, ilitubidi tujiweke chini ya utawala wake mpya. Ni mtu mkatili sana. Unajua... kabla ya ghadhabu yake tulikuwa na idadi inayokaribia nusu elfu, lakini kwa sasa hivi hatuko wengi hata kufika mia)."
"He killed hundreds of people and nobody knew about it? (Aliua mamia ya watu na hakuna mtu aliyejua kuhusu hilo?)"
"You mean normal to government people? No. Aside from being a murderous scum but that guy is also very rich. The entirety of his territory has many places where he can do evil things and no one gets to hear of them. He controls us because we've sworn to be his people, so even when some of us try to play rebel we can't really outrun the influence he has on us (Unamaanisha watu wa kawaida mpaka kufikia serikalini? Hapana. Mbali na kuwa muuaji sugu lakini huyo jamaa ni tajiri pia. Sehemu kubwa ya himaya yake ina sehemu ambazo anaweza kufanyia mambo maovu na hakuna mtu yeyote anayeweza kujua. Anatuendesha kwa kuwa tumeapa kuwa watu wake, kwa hiyo hata nyakati ambazo baadhi yetu tunajaribu kujifanya waasi hatuwezi kuukimbia uchochezi alionao juu yetu)."
"What influence? You are telling me that this guy controls your free will? Is he God? (Uchochezi gani? Unataka kuniambia kwamba huyu jamaa anaendesha uhuru wenu wa kuchagua? Yeye ni Mungu?)"
"No, it's not like that. You see, that bond I mentioned is like a connection in our animalistic side. We live with it, and only the original hybrids and their first offsprings have the power to be pledged loyalty to so that they may protect everyone in their pack. That bond is very powerful. It's the same as how wolves are, except with us having a human side it helps not being fully controlled like mad animal puppets. I... I know there is a lot you don't understand Maximilian but please... trust me when I tell you that you are our only hope in defeating our evil leader (Hapana, haiko namna hiyo. Ni kwamba, ule muungano niliousema ni kama uvutano katika upande wetu wa unyama. Tunaishi nao, na ni watu-mwitu wa kwanza kabisa na wazao wao wa kwanza ndiyo wenye nguvu ya kuweza kutiishiwa ushikamanifu ili waweze kuwalinda wote wa kwenue makundi yao. Huo muungano una nguvu. Ni kama tu mbwa-mwitu kabisa walivyo, isipokuwa kwetu sisi kuwa na upande wa kibinadamu inasaidia kutoendeshwa kama wanaseserere vichaa. Nina... ninajua ni mambo mengi usiyoelewa Maximilian lakini tafadhali... niamini nikikwambia kwamba wewe ndiyo tumaini letu pekee katika kumshinda kiongozi wetu mbaya)," Mark akamwambia kwa kusihi sana.
Ni kweli kabisa kwamba mambo mengi ambayo mwanaume huyo alikuwa ametoka kusema yalimchanganya sana Draxton, na alitaka ufafanuzi zaidi lakini aliona woga mkuu ndani ya Mark ingawa alionekana imara. Ni lazima tu alikuwa anahofia mambo mengi mabaya kutoka kwa huyo kiongozi, na kama yeye Draxton ndiye aliyekuwa tumaini lao kutoa msaada, alihitaji kujua alihitajikaje hasa.
"How am I going to do that? (Nitafanya hivyo jinsi gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza, akiweka mawazo mengi pembeni kwanza.
Mark akasogeza kichwa mbele na kusema, "You have to come with me Maximilian. You can defeat him by taking over the entire pack, and if need be, take him out as well (Unatakiwa kuja nami Maximilian. Unaweza kumshinda kwa kulichukua kundi lote, na ikihitajika, kumwondoa yeye kabisa)," Mark akasema.
"What? Go with you? (Nini? Niende pamoja nawe?)"
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"That... that is way too much (Hiyo... hiyo imezidi kipimo sana)."
"Maximilian please try to understand... (Maximilian tafadhali jaribu kuelewa...)"
"I do understand, but son, that is way off my mark. As much as I could believe everything you have told me, it is still so... new... to me. I don't even know where you're from, where you want us to go, how you found me, what I'll be doing and how that will affect the life that I have now... (Ninaelewa, ila mwanangu, hii kitu iko nje ya mstari wangu. Kwa kadiri ambayo ningeweza kuamini yote uliyosema, bado kila jambo ni... geni... kwangu mimi. Sijui hata unatokea wapi, unataka twende wapi, umenipata vipi, nitafanya mambo yapi na ni jinsi gani yataathiri maisha niliyonayo sasa...)"
"And I will fill you in with everything you need to know, but just really... (Na nitakueleza kila kitu unachotaka kujua, lakini kiukweli tu...)"
"Please, please, stop. This... this is a very confusing time for me. I don't know if I'm ready for whatever it is you think I can do to help, but right now, I'm really tired (Tafadhali, tafadhali, acha. Huu... huu ni wakati wenye kuchanganya sana kwangu. Sijui ikiwa niko tayari kwa lolote lile ambalo unadhani naweza kufanya ili kusaidia, lakini kwa sasa, nimechoka sana)," Draxton akamwambia ukweli.
Mark akatazama chini kwa huzuni kiasi, kisha akasema, "I understand. I'm sorry for tyring to force so much on you. I'm just really desperate (Ninaelewa. Samahani kwa kujaribu kulazimisha mambo mengi juu yako. Ni uhitaji mkubwa tu nilionao)."
Draxton akafikicha uso wake kwa kiganja taratibu, kisha akauliza, "How long are you going to be around? (Utakuwa huku kwa muda gani?)"
"A few days. I only had a stay for two weeks here (Siku chache. Nilikuwa na wiki mbili tu za kukaa huku)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "Alright. Give me a day or two, I need to sort some things first, then we'll meet again. Maybe talk some more and see where all of this will lead. Is that okay? (Sawa. Nipe siku moja au mbili, kuna mambo nahitaji kupangilia kwanza, kisha ndiyo tutakutana tena. Labda tutazungumza zaidi kuona haya yote yataelekea wapi. Hiyo ni sawa?)"
Mark akatikisa kichwa kukubali.
"Okay. You got a phone? (Sawa. Una simu?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akatoa simu yake na kumpatia. Draxton akaifungua na kuandika namba zake hapo, kisha akamrudishia.
"You can call me then I'll let you know when we can talk (Utaweza kunipigia nami nitakujulisha ni muda gani tunaweza kuzungumza)," Draxton akasema.
Mark akaitunza namba ya Draxton ya Tanzania kwa simu yake, naye akamshukuru kwa kumsikiliza na kisha akamuaga na kuanza kuondoka. Draxton alikuwa anataka kumsindikiza lakini mwanaume huyo akasisitiza kumwacha tu ili apumzike, hivyo akaondoka peke yake. Draxton akabaki ndani kwake kwa wakati huu akifikiria kuhusu mambo machache aliyotoka kusikia kwa mwanaume huyo. Haijalishi kama ilikuwa kweli au la, kilichohitajika ili kutoa msaada uliotakiwa kilikuwa kikubwa, lakini alipofikiria mambo vyema zaidi akatambua kwamba huenda hii kwa njia moja ama nyingine ingekuwa ndiyo nafasi yake ya kwenda mbali kuepukana na matatizo ambayo yalikuwa yamejitokeza huku.
Kila mara alipotaka kujihakikishia ndani ya akili yake kwamba kuondoka ndiyo ingekuwa jambo sahihi la kufanya, moyo wake ulilikataa wazo hilo hasa ulipopitisha midundo ya hisia alizokuwa nazo kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa huku. Moyo wake haukutaka kabisa kuwaacha Namouih na Blandina. Lakini tena jambo hilo ndiyo moja kati ya mambo yaliyomchanganya hata zaidi; yaani ni jinsi gani angejigawa kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa na sehemu muhimu sana ndani ya moyo wake. Hakujua mambo yangekwendaje, lakini alijua angetakiwa kuweka hali yake kimahusiano iwe sawa kabisa kwa wanawake wale kabla ya kuchukua maamuzi ambayo yangehitajika kuchukuliwa. Akaamua tu kuanza kupiga hatua hiyo kwa kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya Namouih nyumbani kwake siku hiyo, naye akanyanyuka na kuanza kusafisha ndani hapo kisha aende kujiandaa kwa ajili ya sikukuu hiyo ya kuzaliwa Namouih.
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ITAENDELEA
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Huo ndiyo mwanzo wa hadithi tamu ya DRAXTON. Waweza kuipata yote kwa bei poa WhatsApp ama hapa hapa JF kwa bei poa kabisa. Karibuni sana.
WhatsApp +255 678 017 280
DRAXTON
A Story by Elton Tonny
Familia, Urafiki, Mapenzi, Mahaba, Siri, Tamaa, Hila, Unyanyasaji, Usaliti, Mauaji, Mambo Yasiyotazamiwa
(R-rated 18+)
Enjoy!
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SEHEMU YA KWANZA
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Siku ambayo Draxton alivamiwa kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho na kijakazi mkatili wa Efraim Donald, mwanaume huyu alikuwa amepitia jambo ambalo alijitahidi sana kuzuia kwa kipindi kirefu tokea alipofika Tanzania. Mwanaume aliyeagizwa na Efraim Donald kumtafuta Draxton, aliyeitwa Suleiman, alikuwa amelazimu unyama wa Draxton utoke mchana kweupe baada ya kumpiga kwa risasi nyingi akidhani kwamba angeweza kumuua, lakini matokeo yakawa ni kifo kwake yeye mwenyewe. Draxton alikuwa amejitahidi sana kuficha uasili wake kwa kujenga nyumba ndogo maeneo ya msitu ambako palijificha, na pia kuchukua hatua ambazo zingezuia madhara makubwa wakati wowote upande wake wa mnyama ungetaka kutoka; yaani kujifunga kwa minyororo.
Siku hiyo Suleiman aliposababisha mnyama huyo atoke, aliweza kuondoka msituni hapo na kufika eneo lenye makazi ya watu wachache, naye akasababisha vifo vya watu 16 waliokuwa maeneo ya mashine ya kusaga nafaka. Hakukuwa na watu walioweza kumwona kwa usahihi, naye akaendelea kusonga mbele na kufikia eneo lingine lililokuwa na msitu pia, na huko akajilaza tu baada ya kushiba kupitiliza kawaida. Draxton alikuja kufumbua macho yake ikiwa imekwishafika usiku sana, na ingawa hakuweza kukumbuka kilichoendelea baada ya kubadilika kwake, aliingiwa na mfadhaiko mwingi moyoni kwa sababu alijua ni lazima tu alikuwa amesababisha matatizo kutoka kule alikokuwa. Akajilaumu sana moyoni kwa kuamua kubaki huku. Alihisi labda angetakiwa tu kuwa ameshaondoka kipindi kile Namouih amegundua siri yake, huenda haya yangeepukwa. Lakini kabla ya kufikiria mengine zaidi, angepaswa kutoka eneo hilo kwanza, ajue ni maafa makubwa kadiri gani alikuwa amesababisha, ikiwa kuna watu walimshuhudia mnyama wake, na ndiyo afanye nini baada ya hapo.
Akatoka sehemu aliyokuwa na kuanza kutembea akiwa bila nguo mwilini. Akafikia sehemu fulani iliyokuwa na vibanda vya mbao vilivyotengenezwa kwa kusudi la kuwekea bidhaa, na kwa wakati huo hakukuwa na mtu hata mmoja. Baada ya muda mfupi ndiyo ikawa imefika pikipiki iliyobeba wanaume wawili waliofanya kazi ya ulinzi wa maeneo. Alijaribu kuwaomba msaada ili aweze kurudi nyumbani, lakini wakaingiza mambo ya kijinga kwa kumwomba awape malipo kwanza kwa njia ya ushoga. Alipokataa, wakajaribu kumlazimisha na hata kuanza kumpiga kwa marungu yao mwilini kwake. Alikasirishwa sana na jambo hilo kiasi kwamba akawa anataka awafundishe adabu, lakini hakutaka afanye hivyo kwa kupitiliza, alitaka awafundishe adabu akiwa yeye kama yeye. Ni wakati alipokuwa anataka kuwapa dozi waliyostahili pale wanaume hao walipovutwa nyuma kwa nguvu na kuangukia mpaka usawa wa pikipiki yao. Draxton alikuwa amepiga goti moja chini wakati huo, akihisi maumivu sehemu za mikono na mgongoni, lakini ikawa ni kama yote yamepotea kwa sababu sasa ufahamu wake ulikuwa umetekwa na jambo fulani ambalo lilikuwa geni kabisa kwake.
Hakumwona mtu aliyewavuta wanaume hao, lakini harufu yake aliivuta vyema. Harufu hiyo ilikuwa tofauti na harufu ya binadamu wa kawaida; ilikuwa harufu kama ya kwake! Yaani, yeye akiwa kama mnyama pia, aliweza kutambua kwamba aliyewavuta wanaume hao hakuwa binadamu kikamili, ila mnyama kama yeye. Akasimama taratibu akiwa anajaribu kutafuta uwepo wa kiumbe huyo, maana hisi zake za unyama zilimweka katika hali fulani ya tahadhari kama vile kujua hiyo ingekuwa ni hatari kwake yeye pia. Wanaume wale wawili wakanyanyuka upesi huku wanaangalia huku na kule, kisha wakamwangalia Draxton na kusimama kwa kujihami.
Draxton akawa amesimama huku amekunja uso kwa njia fulani makini sana, akiwa anazifungua hisi zake zote za juu ili kutambua ni nini kilichokuwa kinawazunguka, na ni hapo ndiyo askari wale wakasaidiana kunyanyua pikipiki yao ili wakimbie kwa kuwa tayari walihisi hapo kuna balaa zito kuliko walivyodhani. Hawakuwa hata wamefanikiwa kuinyanyua sawa na hapo hapo akatua mtu fulani aliyempa mgongo Draxton, na kwa macho ya haraka Draxton akaona jinsi mtu huyo alivyovishika vichwa vya wanaume hao na kunyonga shingo zao kwa kasi sana! Wanaume hao wakadondoka hapo hapo na kuanza kushtuka kiasi, kisha wakatulia.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama mtu huyo mbele yake. Alikuwa amempa mgongo bado, na alionekana akiwa amevaa kitu kama sweta gumu la brown na suruali ya jeans pamoja na viatu vyeusi, na kichwa chake kilikuwa na nywele ndefu nyeusi na laini kama za mzungu. Na ndiyo huyo mtu aliyekuwa anatoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida iliyoendelea kuzipiga vizuri kona za pua ya Draxton. Kisha, akageuka taratibu na kumtazama Draxton usoni, na kiukweli Draxton akashangaa sana. Kwanza, mtu huyo alikuwa mwanaume. Pili, alikuwa mzungu, mwenye mwonekano kama wazungu wa kwenye tamthilia za waturuki wenye ndevu nyingi. Kiumri angeweza kusemwa ana miaka inayofika 40, naye alikuwa mrefu kumfikia Draxton.
Mwanaume huyo akaanza kupiga hatua chache kumwelekea Draxton, naye Draxton akajitahidi kuendelea kusimama kwa ujasiri huku akiwa bado haelewi kinachoendelea na kutojua cha kutarajia. Huyu mzungu alikuwa nani? Kwa nini alijitokeza wakati huu? Na kwa nini alitoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida? Mwanaume huyo alipofika mbele yake Draxton, akamtazama kwa macho fulani yaliyojaa matumaini sana, kama vile kusema alikuwa amefurahi kumwona, kisha akaweka mkono wake alioukunjia ngumi kwenye kifua chake usawa wa moyo, halafu akashuka chini na kupiga goti moja kwa njia fulani kama amemwinamia kuonyesha heshima. Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini tu, akiwa amebumbuazishwa na jambo hilo, na mwanaume huyo akawa ameinamisha uso wake.
"It is an honor to be in your presence... Maximilian."
Mwanaume huyo ndiye aliyesema maneno hayo, akimaanisha anahisi kama vile amewadhifika kuwa mbele ya Draxton. Draxton alishangazwa sana na uhakika wa kile ambacho mwanaume huyo alikuwa amesema, hata jina lake la mwanzo alilifahamu vizuri kabisa.
"Who are you? (Wewe ni nani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mwanaume huyo akaunyanyua uso wake na kumwangalia, kisha akasema, "My name is Mark. I am a man who is going to help you know who you truly are... and what that means for people like us (Jina langu ni Mark. Mimi ni mtu nitakayekusaidia uweze kujua wewe ni nani hasa... na jambo hilo linamaanisha nini kwa watu kama sisi)."
"What do you mean? (Unamaanisha nini?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Everything you've ever asked yourself about your life, I have the answers. I will help you learn the truth, because now more than ever... we need you Maximilian. You are our only hope (Kila jambo ambalo umewahi kujiuliza kuhusu maisha yako, mimi nina majibu. Nitakusaidia uujue ukweli, kwa kuwa wakati huu zaidi ya wakati mwingine wowote... sisi tunakuhitaji Maximilian. Wewe ndiyo tumaini letu la pekee)," mwanaume huyo akamwambia.
"We? (Sisi?)" Draxton akauliza akiwa hajaelewa anachomaanisha.
Mwanaume huyo mzungu kwa jina la Mark kama alivyojitambulisha, akafumba macho yake kwa kifupi, kisha akayafumbua na kumtazama Draxton tena.
Draxton akashangazwa na alichoweza kugundua kuwa jambo ambalo hakuwahi kudhani angekuja kuliona. Macho ya Mark yalikuwa yamebadilika na kuwa ya rangi ya njano, kitu kilichomwambia mwanaume huyu kwamba hapo mbele yake alikuwa pamoja na mtu mwenye hali kama ya kwake. Hakuwahi kufikiria kabisa kwamba siku kama hii ingewahi kufika baada ya yeye kuja kwenye nchi hii, na sasa akawa ametambua kwamba kumbe kulikuwepo na watu wenye hali kama yake ya kuwa wanyama, na kama mzungu huyo alivyosema, inaonekana hata walikuwa wengi sana.
Lakini huyu Mark alijua vipi kuhusu historia halisi ya maisha ya Draxton ambayo hata yeye Draxton hakuifahamu vyema? Ni kwa nini hakuwa amemtafuta muda wote huo ndiyo aje kumtafuta wakati huu? Wonyesho huu wa heshima mpaka anapigiwa magoti ulimaanisha nini? Na ni nini kilichokuwa kimempata Mark na "wenzake" kilichomfanya afikiri kwamba Draxton anaweza kutoa msaada wowote kwake? Kwamba Draxton alikuwa kama nani mpaka aonwe kuwa msaada pekee kwa watu hao? Sasa ndiyo uliokuwa wakati wa kuyapata majibu ya maswali hayo yote, hivyo Draxton akaamua kumsikiliza mgeni huyu asiyejulikana alitokea wapi.
Macho yake Mark yakarejea hali ya kawaida, kisha akanyanyuka kutoka chini hapo na kuelekea miili ile ya maaskari aliowaua walipokuwa wakimzingua Draxton. Akaanza kufanya utaratibu wa kumvulisha mmoja wao nguo alizokuwa nazo mwilini, naye Draxton akaendelea tu kumtazama kwa umakini. Haingekuwa rahisi kwake kujua ikiwa nia ya mtu huyo ilikuwa nzuri, lakini kuona tu kwamba alikuwa wa aina yake ni jambo lililomfanya atake kujua mengi zaidi. Hii siku haikuwa imekwenda vizuri sana kwake, na ujio wa mwanaume huyo ulielekea kuleta mambo mengi mazito zaidi. Mark akawa amemvulisha shati na suruali askari mmoja, kisha akamrudia Draxton na kumnyooshea nguo hizo kama anampa avae. Draxton hakuzipokea, bali akawa anamwangalia tu usoni.
"Please wear this for now. We have to get out of here. I believe you will need to clean up some things before I tell you everything (Tafadhali vaa hizi kwa sasa. Tunahitaji kuondoka. Naamini kuna mambo utahitaji kuweka sawa kabla sijakwambia kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
"What things? (Mambo gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It was um... a bit of a mess you made in public a few hours ago. If you can think of anything that will need some fix so nobody tracks it back to you, I'll help you with it (Ilikuwa... ni mambo mabaya kiasi umefanya hadharani masaa machache yaliyopita. Ikiwa kuna jambo lolote linalohitaji kurekebishwa ili watakaofatilia wasije kukufikia wewe, nitakusaidia kwa hilo)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akaendelea kumwangalia tu.
"I understand that this is very surprising, and you got every right to doubt my intentions. Look, I know what you've been through. It wasn't easy. I relate deeply on how you feel. But I have no intention of harming you. Besides, there is no such thing as harming you because you are very powerful. Just trust that whatever am going to tell you is very important... you'll decide whether to help us or not (Ninaelewa haya yote yanashangaza, na una kila haki ya kushuku nia yangu. Ona, ninajua mambo uliyopitia. Hayakuwa mepesi. Ninaweza kuelewa kiundani sana namna unavyohisi. Ila sina nia ya kukudhuru. Hata hivyo, kukudhuru wewe ni kitu ambacho hakipo maana una nguvu nyingi. Amini tu kwamba chochote nachotaka kukwambia ni muhimu sana... wewe ndiyo utaamua ikiwa utatusaidia au la)," Mark akamwambia.
Aliongea maneno hayo kwa njia yenye heshima kuu, naye Draxton akayaangalia mavazi yale aliyoshika mwanaume huyo, kisha akayachukua na kuanza kuvaa.
"I'll get rid of the bodies, then we can go wherever you want to first (Nitaiondoa miili hiyo, kisha tutakwenda popote pale unapotaka kwanza)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton hakuwa na neno. Akamtikisia kichwa tu kukubali, na mwanaume huyo akazifata maiti za maaskari wale wawili, kisha akaibebanisha vizuri na kuinyanyua kwa pamoja. Nguvu alizokuwa nazo zilionyesha kweli alikuwa wa aina yake Draxton, naye akaelekea upande wenye miti zaidi na kuitupa huko; akiifukia kwa manyasi mengi yaliyokaukia chini. Akarejea kwa Draxton na kumkuta ameshavaa nguo zote, na kichwani alivalia kofia ya askari mmoja ili kuficha nywele zake nyeupe. Mark akainyanyua pikipiki ya wale jamaa na kumtazama Draxton machoni kama kumwambia anasubiri. Draxton akaenda na kupanda kwenye pikipiki hiyo, akishika usukani, na baada ya kuiwasha Mark akaketi nyuma pia. Ni kweli kabisa kwamba alihitaji kurekebisha mambo mengi kule alikotoka, hivyo bila kukawia akaiweka pikipiki mwendoni kutafuta barabara kuu.
★★
Baada ya kuzunguka kwa dakika chache akawa amepata uelekeo alioufahamu, naye akajitahidi kupita sehemu alizojua kwamba asingevuta umakini wa watu wa usalama. Imeingia mida ya saa kumi na mbili alfajiri akawa amefanikiwa kuwafikisha kule kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho. Draxton alikuta eneo hilo likiwa namna alivyolizoea, isipokuwa wakati huu lilikuwa tofauti na jinsi alivyokumbuka kuliacha mara ya mwisho. Aliweza kuona damu nyingi iliyokauka sehemu ya ardhi mpaka kulifikia gari lake, ambalo lilikuwa na mkunjo mdogo na mikwaruzo ya mbali kwenye usawa wa mlango. Kulikuwa pia na vipande vidogo vya miguu na mifupa hapa na pale, naye Draxton akaelewa kwamba mmiliki wa hivyo alikuwa Suleiman, yaani marehemu Suleiman.
Mark akamwambia kwamba wangehitaji kuisafisha sehemu hiyo upesi na kuondoa mambo yote upesi kabla ya maaskari kufikia hapo katika uchunguzi wao, lakini Draxton akakanusha, akisema tu kwamba angekwenda huko ndani kuchukua vitu vichache kisha wangeondoka kwa kutumia gari lake. Akamwacha Mark nje na kwenda ndani. Alikuwa na huzuni sana moyoni, lakini akajikaza na kwenda chumbani kuchukua vitu vichache. Kati ya vitu hivyo ilikuwa ni picha ya muda mrefu sana ya mama yake mzazi, na baada ya kuitazama kwa ufupi akaiweka mfukoni na kubeba mizigo yake mpaka nje. Mark akamsaidia kuipokea mizigo na kwenda kuiweka kwenye gari, kisha wawili hawa wakaingia ndani. Draxton alikuwa kimya tu, akiushikilia usukani na kuitazama nyumba hiyo kwa umakini, kisha akawasha gari na kuligeuza; akiiacha nyumba yake kwa mara ya mwisho.
★★
Mwendo wa dakika kama 20 ulitosha kuwatoa huko misituni na kuwaingiza jijini zaidi. Bado wanaume wote walikuwa kimya, nao walipokuwa mwendoni bado, wakasimamishwa na askari wa usalama barabarani, aliyeomba utambulisho wa Draxton na leseni. Baada ya kuhakiki, askari huyo akawaachia, na safari ikaendelea. Mark akawa ameshangazwa kiasi na uwepo wa askari huyo mapema namna hiyo barabarani.
"On the road this early? He must really like his job (Yaani yupo barabarani mapema yote hii? Basi atakuwa anaipenda kazi yake sana)," Mark akavunja ukimya hatimaye.
"They like to give a good impression (Wanapenda kutoa mtazamo mzuri)," Draxton akasema hivyo kwa utulivu.
"To their superiors (Kwa wakuu wao)," Mark akasema.
"Yeah. Probably has to do with what I did yesterday (Ndiyo. Inaweza pia kuhusiana na nilichokifanya jana)," Draxton akasema.
"Or maybe it's just an early shift (Au labda ni zamu ya mapema tu)," Mark akamwambia.
Ukimya ukafuata tena, kisha Draxton akauliza, "How many did I kill? (Nimeua wangapi?)"
Mark akamtazama kwa ufupi, kisha akasema, "Sixteen (Kumi na sita)."
Draxton akakaza meno yake akihisi vibaya sana moyoni. "My God... how could I let this happen? (Mungu wangu... nimewezaje kuruhusu hii itokee?)" akajisemea kwa sauti ya chini.
"It wasn't your fault (Hayakuwa makosa yako)."
"Don't say that. You don't know anything (Usiseme hivyo. Haujui lolote lile)."
"I know everything (Najua kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akamtazama kwa umakini.
"I mean... at least a huge part of things. But I know you didn't want this. And trust me, we can fix it (Namaanisha... nafahamu sehemu kubwa ya mambo yote angalau. Ila najua haukutaka hili. Na niamini, tunaweza kulirekebisha)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akaendelea tu kuendesha gari lake akiwa na mengi akilini.
Baada ya dakika chache, wakawa wamefikia pale kwenye nyumba ya kupanga alipoishi, naye Draxton akaegesha gari lake na wote kushuka. Wakaitoa mizigo yake na kwenda mpaka getini, na kwa muda huo lilikuwa wazi kwa ndani; yaani halikuwa limefungwa kutokana na mwanaume mmoja aliyekuwa mume wake Rehema kuwahi kuondoka kwa ajili ya kazi. Hivyo Draxton akalisukuma tu, nalo likafunguka. Wapangaji wengine walikuwa wamelala bado, isipokuwa ya yule binti aliyeitwa Kuluthum ambaye alikuwa anamwandaa mvulana mdogo wa familia yao kwa ajili ya kwenda shule. Draxton na Mark wakapita tu mpaka kufikia upande wa vyumba vyake, kisha akafungua tu na kuingia ndani.
Mark akamfata taratibu mpaka sehemu ya sebule, naye Draxton akamwambia anaweza kupumzika kwenye sofa hapo ili yeye aende kujisafisha vizuri kisha waje kuzungumza. Lakini Mark akasema hapana. Akamwambia kwamba aende kujisafisha kisha apumzike, yaani alale kabisa, na kwa sababu yeye Mark alikuwa ameshapajua hapo basi angemfata baadaye ili waweze kuongea vizuri. Akasema alikuwa na chumba kwenye hoteli fulani jijini hapo hivyo angeenda huko kwanza kisha angerudi muda ambao Draxton angekuwa ametulia vya kutosha. Draxton akatilia maanani pendekezo hilo, akiona ni kweli kwamba alihitaji muda wa kuwa mwenyewe kwanza kabla ya mambo mengine mazito ambayo mwanaume huyo alitaka kumweleza. Akamkubalia na kumwambia achukue gari lake ili iwe rahisi kwenda alikotaka, lakini Mark akasema haingekuwa na shida kwa sababu alitambua kwamba eneo la hapo halikuwa mbali na hoteli alipokaa, hivyo akasema angechukua tu usafiri wa pikipiki. Akaondoka hapo hatimaye, naye Draxton akakaa kwenye sofa kwanza.
Kwa wakati huu alikuwa anawaza zaidi kuhusu hali ya Namouih. Ikiwa Efraim Donald alitambua kwamba mke wake anatoka ndani ya ndoa yao na kufikia hatua ya kumwagiza Suleiman amuue, basi huenda ingekuwa hatari sana kwa mwanamke yule kuendelea kuwa kwake. Ingawa Namouih alikuwa mchango mkubwa katika kumsaidia na shida aliyokuwa nayo ya kubadilika, bado alikuwa ni mke wa mtu, na yeye Draxton alikuwa ni mpenzi wa rafiki ya huyo mke wa mtu. Mambo yalikuwa yamezidi kuchacha hasa kwa kuwa suala hilo lilipelekea vifo vingi vya watu wasiokuwa na hatia, na jambo hilo lilimchoma kupita maelezo. Yale yale aliyokuwa ameyakimbia Marekani na Venezuela yakawa yamejirudia tena. Hakuwa hata na hamu ya kushika simu kuangalia kama alitafutwa, hivyo akanyanyuka tu na kwenda chumbani, naye akavua nguo zile za maaskari na kuvaa taulo, kisha akaelekea bafuni kule nje na kuoga. Alipomaliza akaingia tu ndani na kuvaa pensi ya kijani pekee, na haikuchukua dakika nyingi baada tu ya yeye kujitupia kitandani usingizi ukamchukua kutokana na uchovu uliokuwa mwilini mwake.
★★
Muda fulani kupita, mwanaume huyu akaanza kusikia sauti za mbali za mlango uliogongwa kwa nguvu, naye akashtuka na kuweza kuzisikia vizuri zaidi kumfanya atambue kwamba ulikuwa ni mlango wake. Akajinyanyua taratibu, naye akaivuta simu yake kuangalia muda. Ilikuwa inakimbilia saa saba mchana, na kwenye kioo cha simu yake aliweza kuona taarifa ya simu ambazo hazikupokelewa kutoka kwa Namouih na Blandina. Za Blandina ndiyo zilikuwa nyingi zaidi, na baada ya mlango kusikika unagongwa tena, akaiweka simu pembeni na kutoka chumbani. Alidhani ingekuwa ni Mark ndiye aliyerudi, lakini alipofika usawa wa mlango na kukaribia kuufungua, akahisi harufu aliyoifahamu vyema; harufu ya Blandina.
Akafumba macho yake na kuinamisha uso wake kwa kuingiwa na simamzi, lakini akajiweka sawa na kumfungulia. Hangeweza kujizuia kumtazama mwanamke huyo kwa huzuni kutokana na yote yaliyokuwa yameendelea tangu amekutana naye, na Blandina alikuwa ameonyesha kiwango cha hali ya juu sana cha upendo kwake kwa muda mrefu kiasi kwamba hisia za hatia kutokana na mambo aliyofanya Draxton yasiyokuwa halali kwenye uhusiano wao zilikuwa nzito kupitiliza. Lakini licha ya yote, Blandina akaingia ndani hapo na kumkumbatia. Akambusu kwa upendo na kumwomba amweleze sababu zake za kumficha matatizo aliyokuwa nayo, na alisumbuliwa na nini hasa. Draxton akamwongoza kwenda mpaka kwenye sofa, na hapo akajaribu kuomba samahani kwa yote, huku Blandina akimsihi amwambie ukweli. Draxton alikuwa karibu kabisa kumwambia mpenzi wake kila kitu lakini Blandina akaitwa ghafla ofisini kutokana na dharura iliyomhitaji.
Mwanaume akamwambia aende tu, nao wangetafuta muda mwingine wa kuzungumza kwa kina, na ndiyo Blandina akatumia nafasi hiyo kumwambia asiache kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya siku ya kuzaliwa kwake Namouih ambayo ilipangwa kufanyiwa nyumbani kwa Efraim Donald. Baada ya Draxton kukubali, mpenzi wake akaondoka, akimwacha mwanaume anawaza ikiwa kwenda lingekuwa jambo la busara hasa ikiwa Efraim Donald alijua kumhusu. Lakini kabla ya yote angetakiwa kumsubiri Mark kwanza ili aje kuzungumza naye, na ndiyo angejua ni sehemu ipi angetakiwa kusimama baada ya hapo.
★★
Yalipita kama masaa mawili baada ya Blandina kuondoka kwake Draxton, na kufikia mida hii mwanaume huyu tayari alikuwa ametulia vya kutosha kuweza kuzungumza na Mark, ambaye bado hakuwa amerudi. Alipika na kula chakula kiasi kilichokuwepo kwenye friji, na sasa alikuwa akitazama tu taarifa zilizohusiana na msiba uliosababishwa na mnyama aliyekuwa yeye mwenyewe. Sehemu nyingi za mitandao ya kijamii suala hilo lilizungumziwa, huku watu wengi wakiipondea serikali kwa kutoweza kushughulika vyema na majanga ya namna hiyo sikuzote yakitokea. Akafatilia taarifa za watu waliouawa na kugundua kwamba 15 walikuwa ni vijana wadogo waliokuwa wakicheza tu mpira eneo lile, na mmoja alikuwa mzee aliyefanya kazi ndani ya mashine ya nafaka.
Alihisi majuto mengi mno, na hasira kali ikamwingia iliyomfanya anyannyuke kutoka sofani na kupiga ngumi mezani. Ilivunjika kabisa na kusambaa, naye akawa anapumua kwa nguvu sana na kukaa chini. Kwa nini maisha yake yalikuwa hivi? Na hata kama angetaka kufa ili kukomesha matatizo yote aliyotokeza, ni jambo ambalo halikuwezekana. Kwa nini ilikuwa hivyo? Maswali na machungu yakiwa yanaendelea kumtawala mlango wa kuingilia ndani hapo ukafunguka. Draxton hakunyanyua uso wake kumtazama aliyeingia kwa kuwa tayari alijua ni nani. Mark ndiyo alikuwa amefika. Mwanaume huyu akakaribia sehemu ambayo Draxton alikuwa amekaa, akiona jinsi vipande vidogo vya meza ilivyozagaa, naye akamwangalia kwa uelewa.
"You want to talk about it? (Ungependa kulizungumzia?)" Mark akauliza.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "No. I just wanna listen to you (Hapana. Nataka tu kukusikiliza wewe)."
Mark akarudi nyuma kidogo, naye Draxton akajinyanyua na kuketi kwenye sofa tena. Alipomwangalia Mark, Draxton akagundua kuwa mwanaume huyo alikuwa anaweka umakini wake upande mwingine wa sebule, kama vile anatafuta jambo fulani.
"What is it? (Kuna nini?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akamwangalia na kusema, "I'm picking up an unfamiliar scent in here. It's... feminine (Ninaweza kuvuta harufu fulani isiyotambulika ndani humu. Ni... ya kike)."
Draxton akaelewa, naye akamwambia, "I had a visitor earlier. She's my friend (Nilikuwa na mgeni mapema leo. Ni rafiki yangu)."
"I see (Naona)," Mark akasema hivyo, kisha akaketi pia.
Draxton alikuwa na uso ulioonyesha mawazo sana, na mgeni wake alilielewa hilo vizuri.
"You gonna be okay? (Utakuwa sawa?)" Mark akauliza.
"Yeah, just... tell me. I want to know everything (Ndiyo, wewe... niambie tu. Nataka kujua kila kitu)," Draxton akasema na kumtazama machoni.
"What do you know about the way you are? (Unafahamu nini kuhusiana na jinsi ulivyo?)" Mark akamuuliza.
Draxton akatulia kidogo, kisha akasema, "Other than being an impossible to control murderous monster, nothing (Tofauti na kuwa mnyama muuaji asiyeweza kuongozwa, sijui lolote)."
"I've been where you have, and I know with you it has been a huge burden for a long time because you never fully understood yourself. Maximilian... you are a very complex being none of our kind can fathom to be, and even though I can walk you through many answers about what we are, understanding how YOU are is still a mystery (Nimeshakuwa kwenye sehemu uliyopitia, na ninajua kwako wewe imekuwa ni mzigo mzito sana kwa sababu hukuwahi kuelewa namna ulivyo kikamili. Maximilian.. wewe ni kiumbe mwenye utata sana hakuna hata mmoja wa aina yetu anaweza kuufikia, na ingawa ninaweza kukuelezea kuhusiana na aina yetu, kuelewa jinsi WEWE ulivyo bado ni fumbo)," Mark akamwambia.
"You're saying... that we are of the same kind, but I'm different? (Unasema... kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja, lakini mimi niko tofauti?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"What do you mean? How... how is it possible that we are what we are? (Unamaanisha nini? Kivipi... inawezekana vipi kwamba tuko namna tulivyo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It's because of your father, Obadiah Draxton (Ni kwa sababu ya baba yako, Obadiah Draxton)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini.
"He was a special animal scientist in the 19's, during the GED, leading up to the second world war. You may be familiar with your father's history that he, among other scientists, tried to do an experimentation where a human and an animal could interbreed, but their expectations never gave favourable fruits. Your father, unbeknownst to many, continued to search for ways to make his theories work, and at last succeeded in combining human cells with those of a wolf to produce an hybrid child, and an immortal one... you (Alikuwa ni mwanasayansi mtaalamu wa wanyama miaka ya 19 huko, wakati ule wa mshuko mkubwa wa kiuchumi, mpaka kufikia vita vya pili vya dunia. Unaweza kuwa unajua historia ya baba yako kwamba yeye, pamoja na wanasayansi wengine wa wanyama, walijaribu kufanya majaribio ya kuwezesha mwanadamu na mnyama kuzalisha kwa pamoja, lakini matarajio yao hayakuwapa matunda yaliyotazamiwa. Bila mtu mwingine kujua, baba yako aliendelea kutafuta njia za kufanya mawazo yake yafanikiwe, na mwishowe akaweza kuunganisha seli za mwanadamu na zile za mbwa-mwitu kutokeza mtoto wa aina mbili, na asiyeweza kufa... wewe)," Mark akaeleza.
"How did he manage that? (Aliwezaje kufanikisha hilo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"That IS the mystery. But what he did was a miracle, that we only see in movies and books. Whatever he did with producing you is what makes you immortal Maximilian, and it is still impossible to know what unless maybe... (Hilo NDIYO fumbo. Lakini alichokifanya kilikuwa muujiza, kama tu ile tuionayo kwenye filamu na vitabu. Chochote alichokifanya kukuzalisha wewe ndiyo kilichowezesha usiweze kufa kabisa Maximilian, na bado haitawezekana kujua ni nini isipokuwa labda...)"
"I get cell-checked (Nitazamwe kwenye seli zangu)," Draxton akamalizia maneno ya Mark.
"Yeah. But no one is going to force you to do something like that especially since it may cause a wreck to our well kept secrecy of our kind (Ndiyo. Lakini hakuna atakayekulazimisha ufanye jambo kama hilo hasa kwa sababu inaweza kuleta shida kwa upande wetu wa kutunza siri kuhusu aina zetu)," Mark akasema.
"How is it possible that we are of the same kind if my father only ever created me? (Inawezekanaje kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja ikiwa baba yangu alinitengeneza mimi tu?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Well, some people wanted to know how he did it after finding out about you, and I can say he saw they had ulterior motives. He hid you, but they caught him, forced and tortured him to give you up... only he didn't and that's why... they killed him, and faked his death as suicide (Kuna watu waliotaka kujua alifanyaje mpaka kufanikiwa walipogundua kukuhusu, na naweza kusema aliona kwamba walikuwa na makusudio mabaya. Alikuficha, lakini waliweza kumkamata, wakamlazimisha na kumtesa ili awapatie wewe.. lakini hakufanya hivyo na ndiyo sababu... wakamuua, kuweka kifo chake kiwe bandia kwa kufanya ionekane kwamba alijiua)," Mark akasimulia.
Draxton akatazama chini.
"His research was sought after for years, but they didn't succeed in finding it. It might have appeared your father got rid of everything he worked on, but it wasn't like that. One of the many scientists he worked with was his closest friend named Charles Delmas. He somehow knew how your father managed to make you come to reality, so he was working secretly, by himself, to carry on with your father's work. He very much succeded in creating a human-wolf eventually, especially after technology improved. But just like your father, he was strictly careful not involving any untrusted person in that. It turns out that, the experiment included the combination of his own blood, semen, wolf cells, and other stuff, into the productive organs of a woman. There was a special process here on making this actually work that only he and your father knew of, like interbreeding surrogacy, and as such, another human-wolf baby was born (Utafiti wake ulisakwa kwa miaka mingi, lakini hawakufanikiwa kuupata. Ingeonekana labda baba yako aliharibu kila kitu ambacho alifanyia kazi, lakini haikuwa hivyo. Mmoja kati ya wanasayansi wengi aliofanya nao kazi alikuwa rafiki yake wa karibu aliyeitwa Charles Delmas. Alifahamu kwa njia fulani namna baba yako alivyofanikiwa kukuleta duniani, kwa hiyo kwa usiri mkubwa, akaendeleza kazi ya baba yako yeye mwenyewe. Alifanikiwa kutengeneza mtu-mwitu baada ya muda, hasa kwa kuwa teknolojia iliboreka zaidi. Ikagundulika kwamba jaribio hilo lilitia ndani kuunganishwa kwa damu yake, mbegu za uzazi, seli za mbwa-mwitu, na mambo mengine, ndani ya ogani za uzazi za mwanamke. Kulikuwa na utaratibu wa kipekee hapa uliofanywa ambao ni yeye na baba yako tu ndiyo walioufahamu, kama upandikiziwaji wa mayai ya viumbe wa aina tofauti, na kama ilivyo, mtoto aliye mwanadamu-mwitu akazaliwa)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton hakusema chochote zaidi ya kuendelea kumsikiliza mwanaume huyo.
Mark akaendelea kusimulia, "The outcome of doctor Charles' work was a bit different from that of your father. Surely, the hybrid born had similar traits like those you got, but it wasn't immune to death like how you are. At first that didn't matter because none of anyone knew about your features, and even doctor Charles himself tried for two decades to find you but did not succeed (Matokeo ya kazi ya daktari Charles yalikuwa na utofauti na yale ya baba yako. Kiuhakika kabisa, mtu-mwitu aliyezaliwa alikuwa na tabia kama ulizonazo, lakini hakuwa na uwezo wa kujikinga dhidi ya kifo kama wewe. Mwanzoni hilo halikujalisha kwa kuwa hakuna aliyejua kuhusu sifa zako, na hata daktari Charles alijaribu kukutafuta kwa miongo miwili bila kufanikiwa)."
"What happened then? (Nini kikafuata?)" Draxton akamuuliza
"Well, he monitored the child closely as he grew up. He raised him as he was his own son, and after fully understanding his growth development, Charles figured out that his son's offsprings would inherit his wolf genes, so he had to make sure when that time came his son would be ready to deal with everything that he was going to have to be... not just part human, part wolf, but a good father to all of his children (Basi, alimwangalia mtoto huyo kwa ukaribu kadiri alivyoendelea kukua. Alimlea hasa kutokana na yeye kuwa mwanaye, na baada ya kuelewa maendeleo ya ukuaji wake kikamili, Charles aligundua kwamba wazao wa mwana wake wangerithi chembe za uhai za mwitu wake, kwa hiyo alihakikisha kwamba muda huo ukifika basi mwanaye angekuwa tayari kushughulika na mambo yote aliyohitaji kuwa.. siyo nusu-mwanadamu na nusu-mnyama tu, bali kama baba mzuri kwa wazao wake)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So Charles continued doing other experiments like the ones that produced his son, and that brought four other hybrids. He had a secret base somewhere on the mountains and that's where all of them grew together (Kwa hiyo Charles aliendelea kufanya majaribio mengine kama lile lililozalisha mwana wake, na hiyo ikaleta watu-mwitu wengine wanne. Alikuwa na jengo la kisiri eneo fulani la milimani na huko ndiko hao wote walipokua kwa pamoja)," Mark akamwambia.
"Meaning they were also his children (Ikimaanisha na wenyewe walikuwa ni watoto wake)," Draxton akasema.
"Yes. Their animalistic change kicked in when they reached adolescence. Charles had mentally prepared them for the change, and the way his first son embraced it in a controllable manner, it happened the same way with the other hybrids. Through time, many aspects of their lives changed, while continuously learning how to control their abilities and hide them from the rest of the world, they found a deep bond between themselves that was very different and strong, thus lived in a special way to maintain stability and order for all of their kind in the future. It was always about keeping one another safe, so they established a set of rules and regulations that would help protect our kind in it's small world. As time went on, they reproduced themselves, creating families on a safe ground, and the first five hybrids were the leaders of the packs created (Ndiyo. Badiliko lao la unyama liliwapata walipopevuka. Charles aliwaandaa vizuri kiakili kwa ajili ya badiliko hilo, na jinsi ambavyo mwana wake wa kwanza alilipokea kwa utaratibu mzuri ilitokea kwa njia hiyo hiyo na kwa wale wengine. Kadiri muda ulivyopita, nyanja mbalimbali za maisha yao zilibadilika, huku wakiwa wanaendelea kujifunza namna ya kuziongoza nguvu zao na kuzificha kutoka kwa wengi duniani, walipata muungano wa ndani sana uliokuwa tofauti na wenye nguvu, hivyo walianza kuishi kwa njia ya pekee ili kuweka uwiano na utaratibu mzuri kwa ajili ya watu wa aina yao kwa wakati ujao. Sikuzote ilikuwa kuhusu kulindana, kwa hiyo waliwekeza sheria na taratibu ambazo zingelinda watu wa aina yetu ndani ya dunia yao ndogo. Muda ulipoendelea kusonga, walizaliana, wakiunda familia kwenye eneo salama, na wale watu-mwitu watano wa kwanza kabisa ndiyo walikuwa viongozi wa makundi waliyotengeneza)," Mark akaelezea.
"Packs? (Makundi?)"
"Yes, just like how wolves live in packs Maximilian. Their growth, our growth, is very rapid. In just 7 years one would already be what a normal human being is 18 years old, and that was due to our bestial nature forcing the growing of the human body and mind to escalate. So when I said adolescence I meant 7 years Maximilian, but I know that wasnt the case with you (Ndiyo, kama tu ambavyo mbwa-mwitu huishi kimakundi Maximilian. Ukuaji wao, yaani ukuaji wetu, ni wa kasi sana. Ni ndani ya miaka 7 tu mmoja wetu angeweza kuwa namna ambavyo kwa mwanadamu wa kawaida ni miaka 18, na hiyo ilikuwa kwa sababu hali yetu ya unyama ililazimu ukuaji wa mwili wa kibinadamu na akili visonge kwa kasi. Kwa hiyo niliposema kupevuka nilimaanisha miaka 7 Maximilian, ila najua haikuwa namna hiyo kwako)," Mark akasema.
"No. I grew up like a normal person. So how old are you? (Hapana. Nimekua kama mtu kikawaida. Kwa hiyo una miaka mingapi?)"
"I'd say over 200 years bestially. In a normal calendar I would be 38 (Ningesema zaidi ya miaka 200 kiunyama. Kwa kalenda ya kawaida nina miaka 38)," Mark akajibu.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So, their family as whole was well protected, in such a huge world full of bad. It wasn't easy to always keep order, you know there's just gonna be that one person who wants to be above it all. Well, that time came when two wolf children killed another accidentally. They were both like adolescents, still new to their change, overwhelmed by it, and while playing in their wolf forms the kids hurt the other intensely. The one that died was the daughter of one of the leaders. He was hurt, saddened, angered by her death and wanted to kill the children who caused it as punishment. They weren't from his own pack, so there was a resistance from the other children's families and even disapprovement by the other leaders, who cited the incident as an unintentional accident and his want to punish them was nothing but an unfair vengeance (Familia zao kiujumla zililindwa vyema, hata ingawa walikuwa ndani ya dinia iliyojaa mabaya. Haikuwa rahisi sikuzote kuuendeleza utaratibu, unaelewa kwamba sikuzote ni lazima tu kutakuwa na yule mtu anayetaka kuwa juu ya mambo yote. Huo muda ulifika wakati ambapo
watoto-mwitu wawili walipomuua mwingine kwa tukio baya. Wote kwa pamoja walikuwa kama vijana tu waliopevuka, wageni kwenye mabadiliko yao, ikiwa kama imewazidia, na ndiyo walipokuwa wanacheza ndani ya maumbo ya unyama wakawa wamemuumiza vibaya sana mwenzao. Aliyekufa alikuwa binti wa mmoja wa wale viongozi. Aliumizwa, alisikitishwa, alikasirishwa na kifo cha binti yake naye akataka wale watoto wengine wawili wapewe adhabu ya kifo. Hawakuwa wa kundi lake mwenyewe, hivyo mgomo ukawepo kutoka kwa familia za watoto hao na hata kukataliwa kwa suala hilo na wale viongozi wengine, walioonelea tukio zima kuwa ajali tu ambayo haikutazamiwa na hivyo yeye kutaka watoto wapewe hiyo adhabu ilikuwa ni kutaka tu kisasi kisicho na haki)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akaendelea kusikiliza kwa utulivu.
"That leader got so upset that he threatened to kill the children by himself. The other leaders tried to calm things down but he insisted on avenging his daughter. Things went... very wrong... the other four leaders disbanded him from their unity, and it fueled his anger even more. Very much later, using his own pack, he plotted the deaths of the other four leaders, and killed all of them on the day he faked a truce after inviting them and their families to a small reunion celebration. He also knew that the leaders' firstborns would inherit their parents' powers to become the next leaders of their respective packs, so he killed all of them too. He wanted to be the only original hybrid left to lead all of the born human-wolves, and he killed anyone of them who dified him. A lot died Maximilian. He killed my parents, and my brother too (Huyo kiongozi alikasirika sana kiasi kwamba akatishia kuwaua wale watoto yeye mwenyewe. Viongozi wengine walijaribu kutuliza hali lakini yeye akasisitiza kutaka kulipa kisasi kwa ajili ya binti yake. Mambo yalikwenda... vibaya sana... wale viongozi wengine wakamwondoa kutoka kwenye umoja wao, na hiyo ikamwongezea hasira hata zaidi. Baadaye kabisa, akilitumia kundi lake mwenyewe, alipanga vifo vya wale viongozi wengine wanne, naye akawaua wote kwenye siku aliyowaalika kufanya sherehe ndogo ya upatano uliokuwa bandia. Alijua pia kwamba wazaliwa wa kwanza wa viongozi hao wangerithi nguvu za wazazi wao ili kuwa wakuu wa makundi waliofuata baada yao, kwa hiyo akawaua pia. Alitaka kuwa mtu-mwitu wa kwanza pekee aliyebaki ili kuwaongoza watu-mwitu wote waliokuwepo, na aliua yeyote kati yao ambaye angepingana naye. Wengi waliuawa Maximilian. Aliwaua wazazi wangu, pamoja na kaka yangu)," Mark akasema hayo.
Draxton akamtazama kwa hisia za huruma.
"For those of us who remained, we had to abide by his new rule. He's very ruthless. You know... before his rampage we were about half a thousand in population, but up to now there is only a few numbers left of us to even reach a hundred (Kwa sisi ambao tulibaki, ilitubidi tujiweke chini ya utawala wake mpya. Ni mtu mkatili sana. Unajua... kabla ya ghadhabu yake tulikuwa na idadi inayokaribia nusu elfu, lakini kwa sasa hivi hatuko wengi hata kufika mia)."
"He killed hundreds of people and nobody knew about it? (Aliua mamia ya watu na hakuna mtu aliyejua kuhusu hilo?)"
"You mean normal to government people? No. Aside from being a murderous scum but that guy is also very rich. The entirety of his territory has many places where he can do evil things and no one gets to hear of them. He controls us because we've sworn to be his people, so even when some of us try to play rebel we can't really outrun the influence he has on us (Unamaanisha watu wa kawaida mpaka kufikia serikalini? Hapana. Mbali na kuwa muuaji sugu lakini huyo jamaa ni tajiri pia. Sehemu kubwa ya himaya yake ina sehemu ambazo anaweza kufanyia mambo maovu na hakuna mtu yeyote anayeweza kujua. Anatuendesha kwa kuwa tumeapa kuwa watu wake, kwa hiyo hata nyakati ambazo baadhi yetu tunajaribu kujifanya waasi hatuwezi kuukimbia uchochezi alionao juu yetu)."
"What influence? You are telling me that this guy controls your free will? Is he God? (Uchochezi gani? Unataka kuniambia kwamba huyu jamaa anaendesha uhuru wenu wa kuchagua? Yeye ni Mungu?)"
"No, it's not like that. You see, that bond I mentioned is like a connection in our animalistic side. We live with it, and only the original hybrids and their first offsprings have the power to be pledged loyalty to so that they may protect everyone in their pack. That bond is very powerful. It's the same as how wolves are, except with us having a human side it helps not being fully controlled like mad animal puppets. I... I know there is a lot you don't understand Maximilian but please... trust me when I tell you that you are our only hope in defeating our evil leader (Hapana, haiko namna hiyo. Ni kwamba, ule muungano niliousema ni kama uvutano katika upande wetu wa unyama. Tunaishi nao, na ni watu-mwitu wa kwanza kabisa na wazao wao wa kwanza ndiyo wenye nguvu ya kuweza kutiishiwa ushikamanifu ili waweze kuwalinda wote wa kwenue makundi yao. Huo muungano una nguvu. Ni kama tu mbwa-mwitu kabisa walivyo, isipokuwa kwetu sisi kuwa na upande wa kibinadamu inasaidia kutoendeshwa kama wanaseserere vichaa. Nina... ninajua ni mambo mengi usiyoelewa Maximilian lakini tafadhali... niamini nikikwambia kwamba wewe ndiyo tumaini letu pekee katika kumshinda kiongozi wetu mbaya)," Mark akamwambia kwa kusihi sana.
Ni kweli kabisa kwamba mambo mengi ambayo mwanaume huyo alikuwa ametoka kusema yalimchanganya sana Draxton, na alitaka ufafanuzi zaidi lakini aliona woga mkuu ndani ya Mark ingawa alionekana imara. Ni lazima tu alikuwa anahofia mambo mengi mabaya kutoka kwa huyo kiongozi, na kama yeye Draxton ndiye aliyekuwa tumaini lao kutoa msaada, alihitaji kujua alihitajikaje hasa.
"How am I going to do that? (Nitafanya hivyo jinsi gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza, akiweka mawazo mengi pembeni kwanza.
Mark akasogeza kichwa mbele na kusema, "You have to come with me Maximilian. You can defeat him by taking over the entire pack, and if need be, take him out as well (Unatakiwa kuja nami Maximilian. Unaweza kumshinda kwa kulichukua kundi lote, na ikihitajika, kumwondoa yeye kabisa)," Mark akasema.
"What? Go with you? (Nini? Niende pamoja nawe?)"
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"That... that is way too much (Hiyo... hiyo imezidi kipimo sana)."
"Maximilian please try to understand... (Maximilian tafadhali jaribu kuelewa...)"
"I do understand, but son, that is way off my mark. As much as I could believe everything you have told me, it is still so... new... to me. I don't even know where you're from, where you want us to go, how you found me, what I'll be doing and how that will affect the life that I have now... (Ninaelewa, ila mwanangu, hii kitu iko nje ya mstari wangu. Kwa kadiri ambayo ningeweza kuamini yote uliyosema, bado kila jambo ni... geni... kwangu mimi. Sijui hata unatokea wapi, unataka twende wapi, umenipata vipi, nitafanya mambo yapi na ni jinsi gani yataathiri maisha niliyonayo sasa...)"
"And I will fill you in with everything you need to know, but just really... (Na nitakueleza kila kitu unachotaka kujua, lakini kiukweli tu...)"
"Please, please, stop. This... this is a very confusing time for me. I don't know if I'm ready for whatever it is you think I can do to help, but right now, I'm really tired (Tafadhali, tafadhali, acha. Huu... huu ni wakati wenye kuchanganya sana kwangu. Sijui ikiwa niko tayari kwa lolote lile ambalo unadhani naweza kufanya ili kusaidia, lakini kwa sasa, nimechoka sana)," Draxton akamwambia ukweli.
Mark akatazama chini kwa huzuni kiasi, kisha akasema, "I understand. I'm sorry for tyring to force so much on you. I'm just really desperate (Ninaelewa. Samahani kwa kujaribu kulazimisha mambo mengi juu yako. Ni uhitaji mkubwa tu nilionao)."
Draxton akafikicha uso wake kwa kiganja taratibu, kisha akauliza, "How long are you going to be around? (Utakuwa huku kwa muda gani?)"
"A few days. I only had a stay for two weeks here (Siku chache. Nilikuwa na wiki mbili tu za kukaa huku)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "Alright. Give me a day or two, I need to sort some things first, then we'll meet again. Maybe talk some more and see where all of this will lead. Is that okay? (Sawa. Nipe siku moja au mbili, kuna mambo nahitaji kupangilia kwanza, kisha ndiyo tutakutana tena. Labda tutazungumza zaidi kuona haya yote yataelekea wapi. Hiyo ni sawa?)"
Mark akatikisa kichwa kukubali.
"Okay. You got a phone? (Sawa. Una simu?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akatoa simu yake na kumpatia. Draxton akaifungua na kuandika namba zake hapo, kisha akamrudishia.
"You can call me then I'll let you know when we can talk (Utaweza kunipigia nami nitakujulisha ni muda gani tunaweza kuzungumza)," Draxton akasema.
Mark akaitunza namba ya Draxton ya Tanzania kwa simu yake, naye akamshukuru kwa kumsikiliza na kisha akamuaga na kuanza kuondoka. Draxton alikuwa anataka kumsindikiza lakini mwanaume huyo akasisitiza kumwacha tu ili apumzike, hivyo akaondoka peke yake. Draxton akabaki ndani kwake kwa wakati huu akifikiria kuhusu mambo machache aliyotoka kusikia kwa mwanaume huyo. Haijalishi kama ilikuwa kweli au la, kilichohitajika ili kutoa msaada uliotakiwa kilikuwa kikubwa, lakini alipofikiria mambo vyema zaidi akatambua kwamba huenda hii kwa njia moja ama nyingine ingekuwa ndiyo nafasi yake ya kwenda mbali kuepukana na matatizo ambayo yalikuwa yamejitokeza huku.
Kila mara alipotaka kujihakikishia ndani ya akili yake kwamba kuondoka ndiyo ingekuwa jambo sahihi la kufanya, moyo wake ulilikataa wazo hilo hasa ulipopitisha midundo ya hisia alizokuwa nazo kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa huku. Moyo wake haukutaka kabisa kuwaacha Namouih na Blandina. Lakini tena jambo hilo ndiyo moja kati ya mambo yaliyomchanganya hata zaidi; yaani ni jinsi gani angejigawa kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa na sehemu muhimu sana ndani ya moyo wake. Hakujua mambo yangekwendaje, lakini alijua angetakiwa kuweka hali yake kimahusiano iwe sawa kabisa kwa wanawake wale kabla ya kuchukua maamuzi ambayo yangehitajika kuchukuliwa. Akaamua tu kuanza kupiga hatua hiyo kwa kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya Namouih nyumbani kwake siku hiyo, naye akanyanyuka na kuanza kusafisha ndani hapo kisha aende kujiandaa kwa ajili ya sikukuu hiyo ya kuzaliwa Namouih.
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ITAENDELEA
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Huo ndiyo mwanzo wa hadithi tamu ya DRAXTON. Waweza kuipata yote kwa bei poa WhatsApp ama hapa hapa JF kwa bei poa kabisa. Karibuni sana.
WhatsApp +255 678 017 280
A Story by Elton Tonny
Familia, Urafiki, Mapenzi, Mahaba, Siri, Tamaa, Hila, Unyanyasaji, Usaliti, Mauaji, Mambo Yasiyotazamiwa
(R-rated 18+)
Enjoy!
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SEHEMU YA KWANZA
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Siku ambayo Draxton alivamiwa kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho na kijakazi mkatili wa Efraim Donald, mwanaume huyu alikuwa amepitia jambo ambalo alijitahidi sana kuzuia kwa kipindi kirefu tokea alipofika Tanzania. Mwanaume aliyeagizwa na Efraim Donald kumtafuta Draxton, aliyeitwa Suleiman, alikuwa amelazimu unyama wa Draxton utoke mchana kweupe baada ya kumpiga kwa risasi nyingi akidhani kwamba angeweza kumuua, lakini matokeo yakawa ni kifo kwake yeye mwenyewe. Draxton alikuwa amejitahidi sana kuficha uasili wake kwa kujenga nyumba ndogo maeneo ya msitu ambako palijificha, na pia kuchukua hatua ambazo zingezuia madhara makubwa wakati wowote upande wake wa mnyama ungetaka kutoka; yaani kujifunga kwa minyororo.
Siku hiyo Suleiman aliposababisha mnyama huyo atoke, aliweza kuondoka msituni hapo na kufika eneo lenye makazi ya watu wachache, naye akasababisha vifo vya watu 16 waliokuwa maeneo ya mashine ya kusaga nafaka. Hakukuwa na watu walioweza kumwona kwa usahihi, naye akaendelea kusonga mbele na kufikia eneo lingine lililokuwa na msitu pia, na huko akajilaza tu baada ya kushiba kupitiliza kawaida. Draxton alikuja kufumbua macho yake ikiwa imekwishafika usiku sana, na ingawa hakuweza kukumbuka kilichoendelea baada ya kubadilika kwake, aliingiwa na mfadhaiko mwingi moyoni kwa sababu alijua ni lazima tu alikuwa amesababisha matatizo kutoka kule alikokuwa. Akajilaumu sana moyoni kwa kuamua kubaki huku. Alihisi labda angetakiwa tu kuwa ameshaondoka kipindi kile Namouih amegundua siri yake, huenda haya yangeepukwa. Lakini kabla ya kufikiria mengine zaidi, angepaswa kutoka eneo hilo kwanza, ajue ni maafa makubwa kadiri gani alikuwa amesababisha, ikiwa kuna watu walimshuhudia mnyama wake, na ndiyo afanye nini baada ya hapo.
Akatoka sehemu aliyokuwa na kuanza kutembea akiwa bila nguo mwilini. Akafikia sehemu fulani iliyokuwa na vibanda vya mbao vilivyotengenezwa kwa kusudi la kuwekea bidhaa, na kwa wakati huo hakukuwa na mtu hata mmoja. Baada ya muda mfupi ndiyo ikawa imefika pikipiki iliyobeba wanaume wawili waliofanya kazi ya ulinzi wa maeneo. Alijaribu kuwaomba msaada ili aweze kurudi nyumbani, lakini wakaingiza mambo ya kijinga kwa kumwomba awape malipo kwanza kwa njia ya ushoga. Alipokataa, wakajaribu kumlazimisha na hata kuanza kumpiga kwa marungu yao mwilini kwake. Alikasirishwa sana na jambo hilo kiasi kwamba akawa anataka awafundishe adabu, lakini hakutaka afanye hivyo kwa kupitiliza, alitaka awafundishe adabu akiwa yeye kama yeye. Ni wakati alipokuwa anataka kuwapa dozi waliyostahili pale wanaume hao walipovutwa nyuma kwa nguvu na kuangukia mpaka usawa wa pikipiki yao. Draxton alikuwa amepiga goti moja chini wakati huo, akihisi maumivu sehemu za mikono na mgongoni, lakini ikawa ni kama yote yamepotea kwa sababu sasa ufahamu wake ulikuwa umetekwa na jambo fulani ambalo lilikuwa geni kabisa kwake.
Hakumwona mtu aliyewavuta wanaume hao, lakini harufu yake aliivuta vyema. Harufu hiyo ilikuwa tofauti na harufu ya binadamu wa kawaida; ilikuwa harufu kama ya kwake! Yaani, yeye akiwa kama mnyama pia, aliweza kutambua kwamba aliyewavuta wanaume hao hakuwa binadamu kikamili, ila mnyama kama yeye. Akasimama taratibu akiwa anajaribu kutafuta uwepo wa kiumbe huyo, maana hisi zake za unyama zilimweka katika hali fulani ya tahadhari kama vile kujua hiyo ingekuwa ni hatari kwake yeye pia. Wanaume wale wawili wakanyanyuka upesi huku wanaangalia huku na kule, kisha wakamwangalia Draxton na kusimama kwa kujihami.
Draxton akawa amesimama huku amekunja uso kwa njia fulani makini sana, akiwa anazifungua hisi zake zote za juu ili kutambua ni nini kilichokuwa kinawazunguka, na ni hapo ndiyo askari wale wakasaidiana kunyanyua pikipiki yao ili wakimbie kwa kuwa tayari walihisi hapo kuna balaa zito kuliko walivyodhani. Hawakuwa hata wamefanikiwa kuinyanyua sawa na hapo hapo akatua mtu fulani aliyempa mgongo Draxton, na kwa macho ya haraka Draxton akaona jinsi mtu huyo alivyovishika vichwa vya wanaume hao na kunyonga shingo zao kwa kasi sana! Wanaume hao wakadondoka hapo hapo na kuanza kushtuka kiasi, kisha wakatulia.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama mtu huyo mbele yake. Alikuwa amempa mgongo bado, na alionekana akiwa amevaa kitu kama sweta gumu la brown na suruali ya jeans pamoja na viatu vyeusi, na kichwa chake kilikuwa na nywele ndefu nyeusi na laini kama za mzungu. Na ndiyo huyo mtu aliyekuwa anatoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida iliyoendelea kuzipiga vizuri kona za pua ya Draxton. Kisha, akageuka taratibu na kumtazama Draxton usoni, na kiukweli Draxton akashangaa sana. Kwanza, mtu huyo alikuwa mwanaume. Pili, alikuwa mzungu, mwenye mwonekano kama wazungu wa kwenye tamthilia za waturuki wenye ndevu nyingi. Kiumri angeweza kusemwa ana miaka inayofika 40, naye alikuwa mrefu kumfikia Draxton.
Mwanaume huyo akaanza kupiga hatua chache kumwelekea Draxton, naye Draxton akajitahidi kuendelea kusimama kwa ujasiri huku akiwa bado haelewi kinachoendelea na kutojua cha kutarajia. Huyu mzungu alikuwa nani? Kwa nini alijitokeza wakati huu? Na kwa nini alitoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida? Mwanaume huyo alipofika mbele yake Draxton, akamtazama kwa macho fulani yaliyojaa matumaini sana, kama vile kusema alikuwa amefurahi kumwona, kisha akaweka mkono wake alioukunjia ngumi kwenye kifua chake usawa wa moyo, halafu akashuka chini na kupiga goti moja kwa njia fulani kama amemwinamia kuonyesha heshima. Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini tu, akiwa amebumbuazishwa na jambo hilo, na mwanaume huyo akawa ameinamisha uso wake.
"It is an honor to be in your presence... Maximilian."
Mwanaume huyo ndiye aliyesema maneno hayo, akimaanisha anahisi kama vile amewadhifika kuwa mbele ya Draxton. Draxton alishangazwa sana na uhakika wa kile ambacho mwanaume huyo alikuwa amesema, hata jina lake la mwanzo alilifahamu vizuri kabisa.
"Who are you? (Wewe ni nani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mwanaume huyo akaunyanyua uso wake na kumwangalia, kisha akasema, "My name is Mark. I am a man who is going to help you know who you truly are... and what that means for people like us (Jina langu ni Mark. Mimi ni mtu nitakayekusaidia uweze kujua wewe ni nani hasa... na jambo hilo linamaanisha nini kwa watu kama sisi)."
"What do you mean? (Unamaanisha nini?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Everything you've ever asked yourself about your life, I have the answers. I will help you learn the truth, because now more than ever... we need you Maximilian. You are our only hope (Kila jambo ambalo umewahi kujiuliza kuhusu maisha yako, mimi nina majibu. Nitakusaidia uujue ukweli, kwa kuwa wakati huu zaidi ya wakati mwingine wowote... sisi tunakuhitaji Maximilian. Wewe ndiyo tumaini letu la pekee)," mwanaume huyo akamwambia.
"We? (Sisi?)" Draxton akauliza akiwa hajaelewa anachomaanisha.
Mwanaume huyo mzungu kwa jina la Mark kama alivyojitambulisha, akafumba macho yake kwa kifupi, kisha akayafumbua na kumtazama Draxton tena.
Draxton akashangazwa na alichoweza kugundua kuwa jambo ambalo hakuwahi kudhani angekuja kuliona. Macho ya Mark yalikuwa yamebadilika na kuwa ya rangi ya njano, kitu kilichomwambia mwanaume huyu kwamba hapo mbele yake alikuwa pamoja na mtu mwenye hali kama ya kwake. Hakuwahi kufikiria kabisa kwamba siku kama hii ingewahi kufika baada ya yeye kuja kwenye nchi hii, na sasa akawa ametambua kwamba kumbe kulikuwepo na watu wenye hali kama yake ya kuwa wanyama, na kama mzungu huyo alivyosema, inaonekana hata walikuwa wengi sana.
Lakini huyu Mark alijua vipi kuhusu historia halisi ya maisha ya Draxton ambayo hata yeye Draxton hakuifahamu vyema? Ni kwa nini hakuwa amemtafuta muda wote huo ndiyo aje kumtafuta wakati huu? Wonyesho huu wa heshima mpaka anapigiwa magoti ulimaanisha nini? Na ni nini kilichokuwa kimempata Mark na "wenzake" kilichomfanya afikiri kwamba Draxton anaweza kutoa msaada wowote kwake? Kwamba Draxton alikuwa kama nani mpaka aonwe kuwa msaada pekee kwa watu hao? Sasa ndiyo uliokuwa wakati wa kuyapata majibu ya maswali hayo yote, hivyo Draxton akaamua kumsikiliza mgeni huyu asiyejulikana alitokea wapi.
Macho yake Mark yakarejea hali ya kawaida, kisha akanyanyuka kutoka chini hapo na kuelekea miili ile ya maaskari aliowaua walipokuwa wakimzingua Draxton. Akaanza kufanya utaratibu wa kumvulisha mmoja wao nguo alizokuwa nazo mwilini, naye Draxton akaendelea tu kumtazama kwa umakini. Haingekuwa rahisi kwake kujua ikiwa nia ya mtu huyo ilikuwa nzuri, lakini kuona tu kwamba alikuwa wa aina yake ni jambo lililomfanya atake kujua mengi zaidi. Hii siku haikuwa imekwenda vizuri sana kwake, na ujio wa mwanaume huyo ulielekea kuleta mambo mengi mazito zaidi. Mark akawa amemvulisha shati na suruali askari mmoja, kisha akamrudia Draxton na kumnyooshea nguo hizo kama anampa avae. Draxton hakuzipokea, bali akawa anamwangalia tu usoni.
"Please wear this for now. We have to get out of here. I believe you will need to clean up some things before I tell you everything (Tafadhali vaa hizi kwa sasa. Tunahitaji kuondoka. Naamini kuna mambo utahitaji kuweka sawa kabla sijakwambia kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
"What things? (Mambo gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It was um... a bit of a mess you made in public a few hours ago. If you can think of anything that will need some fix so nobody tracks it back to you, I'll help you with it (Ilikuwa... ni mambo mabaya kiasi umefanya hadharani masaa machache yaliyopita. Ikiwa kuna jambo lolote linalohitaji kurekebishwa ili watakaofatilia wasije kukufikia wewe, nitakusaidia kwa hilo)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akaendelea kumwangalia tu.
"I understand that this is very surprising, and you got every right to doubt my intentions. Look, I know what you've been through. It wasn't easy. I relate deeply on how you feel. But I have no intention of harming you. Besides, there is no such thing as harming you because you are very powerful. Just trust that whatever am going to tell you is very important... you'll decide whether to help us or not (Ninaelewa haya yote yanashangaza, na una kila haki ya kushuku nia yangu. Ona, ninajua mambo uliyopitia. Hayakuwa mepesi. Ninaweza kuelewa kiundani sana namna unavyohisi. Ila sina nia ya kukudhuru. Hata hivyo, kukudhuru wewe ni kitu ambacho hakipo maana una nguvu nyingi. Amini tu kwamba chochote nachotaka kukwambia ni muhimu sana... wewe ndiyo utaamua ikiwa utatusaidia au la)," Mark akamwambia.
Aliongea maneno hayo kwa njia yenye heshima kuu, naye Draxton akayaangalia mavazi yale aliyoshika mwanaume huyo, kisha akayachukua na kuanza kuvaa.
"I'll get rid of the bodies, then we can go wherever you want to first (Nitaiondoa miili hiyo, kisha tutakwenda popote pale unapotaka kwanza)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton hakuwa na neno. Akamtikisia kichwa tu kukubali, na mwanaume huyo akazifata maiti za maaskari wale wawili, kisha akaibebanisha vizuri na kuinyanyua kwa pamoja. Nguvu alizokuwa nazo zilionyesha kweli alikuwa wa aina yake Draxton, naye akaelekea upande wenye miti zaidi na kuitupa huko; akiifukia kwa manyasi mengi yaliyokaukia chini. Akarejea kwa Draxton na kumkuta ameshavaa nguo zote, na kichwani alivalia kofia ya askari mmoja ili kuficha nywele zake nyeupe. Mark akainyanyua pikipiki ya wale jamaa na kumtazama Draxton machoni kama kumwambia anasubiri. Draxton akaenda na kupanda kwenye pikipiki hiyo, akishika usukani, na baada ya kuiwasha Mark akaketi nyuma pia. Ni kweli kabisa kwamba alihitaji kurekebisha mambo mengi kule alikotoka, hivyo bila kukawia akaiweka pikipiki mwendoni kutafuta barabara kuu.
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Baada ya kuzunguka kwa dakika chache akawa amepata uelekeo alioufahamu, naye akajitahidi kupita sehemu alizojua kwamba asingevuta umakini wa watu wa usalama. Imeingia mida ya saa kumi na mbili alfajiri akawa amefanikiwa kuwafikisha kule kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho. Draxton alikuta eneo hilo likiwa namna alivyolizoea, isipokuwa wakati huu lilikuwa tofauti na jinsi alivyokumbuka kuliacha mara ya mwisho. Aliweza kuona damu nyingi iliyokauka sehemu ya ardhi mpaka kulifikia gari lake, ambalo lilikuwa na mkunjo mdogo na mikwaruzo ya mbali kwenye usawa wa mlango. Kulikuwa pia na vipande vidogo vya miguu na mifupa hapa na pale, naye Draxton akaelewa kwamba mmiliki wa hivyo alikuwa Suleiman, yaani marehemu Suleiman.
Mark akamwambia kwamba wangehitaji kuisafisha sehemu hiyo upesi na kuondoa mambo yote upesi kabla ya maaskari kufikia hapo katika uchunguzi wao, lakini Draxton akakanusha, akisema tu kwamba angekwenda huko ndani kuchukua vitu vichache kisha wangeondoka kwa kutumia gari lake. Akamwacha Mark nje na kwenda ndani. Alikuwa na huzuni sana moyoni, lakini akajikaza na kwenda chumbani kuchukua vitu vichache. Kati ya vitu hivyo ilikuwa ni picha ya muda mrefu sana ya mama yake mzazi, na baada ya kuitazama kwa ufupi akaiweka mfukoni na kubeba mizigo yake mpaka nje. Mark akamsaidia kuipokea mizigo na kwenda kuiweka kwenye gari, kisha wawili hawa wakaingia ndani. Draxton alikuwa kimya tu, akiushikilia usukani na kuitazama nyumba hiyo kwa umakini, kisha akawasha gari na kuligeuza; akiiacha nyumba yake kwa mara ya mwisho.
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Mwendo wa dakika kama 20 ulitosha kuwatoa huko misituni na kuwaingiza jijini zaidi. Bado wanaume wote walikuwa kimya, nao walipokuwa mwendoni bado, wakasimamishwa na askari wa usalama barabarani, aliyeomba utambulisho wa Draxton na leseni. Baada ya kuhakiki, askari huyo akawaachia, na safari ikaendelea. Mark akawa ameshangazwa kiasi na uwepo wa askari huyo mapema namna hiyo barabarani.
"On the road this early? He must really like his job (Yaani yupo barabarani mapema yote hii? Basi atakuwa anaipenda kazi yake sana)," Mark akavunja ukimya hatimaye.
"They like to give a good impression (Wanapenda kutoa mtazamo mzuri)," Draxton akasema hivyo kwa utulivu.
"To their superiors (Kwa wakuu wao)," Mark akasema.
"Yeah. Probably has to do with what I did yesterday (Ndiyo. Inaweza pia kuhusiana na nilichokifanya jana)," Draxton akasema.
"Or maybe it's just an early shift (Au labda ni zamu ya mapema tu)," Mark akamwambia.
Ukimya ukafuata tena, kisha Draxton akauliza, "How many did I kill? (Nimeua wangapi?)"
Mark akamtazama kwa ufupi, kisha akasema, "Sixteen (Kumi na sita)."
Draxton akakaza meno yake akihisi vibaya sana moyoni. "My God... how could I let this happen? (Mungu wangu... nimewezaje kuruhusu hii itokee?)" akajisemea kwa sauti ya chini.
"It wasn't your fault (Hayakuwa makosa yako)."
"Don't say that. You don't know anything (Usiseme hivyo. Haujui lolote lile)."
"I know everything (Najua kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akamtazama kwa umakini.
"I mean... at least a huge part of things. But I know you didn't want this. And trust me, we can fix it (Namaanisha... nafahamu sehemu kubwa ya mambo yote angalau. Ila najua haukutaka hili. Na niamini, tunaweza kulirekebisha)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akaendelea tu kuendesha gari lake akiwa na mengi akilini.
Baada ya dakika chache, wakawa wamefikia pale kwenye nyumba ya kupanga alipoishi, naye Draxton akaegesha gari lake na wote kushuka. Wakaitoa mizigo yake na kwenda mpaka getini, na kwa muda huo lilikuwa wazi kwa ndani; yaani halikuwa limefungwa kutokana na mwanaume mmoja aliyekuwa mume wake Rehema kuwahi kuondoka kwa ajili ya kazi. Hivyo Draxton akalisukuma tu, nalo likafunguka. Wapangaji wengine walikuwa wamelala bado, isipokuwa ya yule binti aliyeitwa Kuluthum ambaye alikuwa anamwandaa mvulana mdogo wa familia yao kwa ajili ya kwenda shule. Draxton na Mark wakapita tu mpaka kufikia upande wa vyumba vyake, kisha akafungua tu na kuingia ndani.
Mark akamfata taratibu mpaka sehemu ya sebule, naye Draxton akamwambia anaweza kupumzika kwenye sofa hapo ili yeye aende kujisafisha vizuri kisha waje kuzungumza. Lakini Mark akasema hapana. Akamwambia kwamba aende kujisafisha kisha apumzike, yaani alale kabisa, na kwa sababu yeye Mark alikuwa ameshapajua hapo basi angemfata baadaye ili waweze kuongea vizuri. Akasema alikuwa na chumba kwenye hoteli fulani jijini hapo hivyo angeenda huko kwanza kisha angerudi muda ambao Draxton angekuwa ametulia vya kutosha. Draxton akatilia maanani pendekezo hilo, akiona ni kweli kwamba alihitaji muda wa kuwa mwenyewe kwanza kabla ya mambo mengine mazito ambayo mwanaume huyo alitaka kumweleza. Akamkubalia na kumwambia achukue gari lake ili iwe rahisi kwenda alikotaka, lakini Mark akasema haingekuwa na shida kwa sababu alitambua kwamba eneo la hapo halikuwa mbali na hoteli alipokaa, hivyo akasema angechukua tu usafiri wa pikipiki. Akaondoka hapo hatimaye, naye Draxton akakaa kwenye sofa kwanza.
Kwa wakati huu alikuwa anawaza zaidi kuhusu hali ya Namouih. Ikiwa Efraim Donald alitambua kwamba mke wake anatoka ndani ya ndoa yao na kufikia hatua ya kumwagiza Suleiman amuue, basi huenda ingekuwa hatari sana kwa mwanamke yule kuendelea kuwa kwake. Ingawa Namouih alikuwa mchango mkubwa katika kumsaidia na shida aliyokuwa nayo ya kubadilika, bado alikuwa ni mke wa mtu, na yeye Draxton alikuwa ni mpenzi wa rafiki ya huyo mke wa mtu. Mambo yalikuwa yamezidi kuchacha hasa kwa kuwa suala hilo lilipelekea vifo vingi vya watu wasiokuwa na hatia, na jambo hilo lilimchoma kupita maelezo. Yale yale aliyokuwa ameyakimbia Marekani na Venezuela yakawa yamejirudia tena. Hakuwa hata na hamu ya kushika simu kuangalia kama alitafutwa, hivyo akanyanyuka tu na kwenda chumbani, naye akavua nguo zile za maaskari na kuvaa taulo, kisha akaelekea bafuni kule nje na kuoga. Alipomaliza akaingia tu ndani na kuvaa pensi ya kijani pekee, na haikuchukua dakika nyingi baada tu ya yeye kujitupia kitandani usingizi ukamchukua kutokana na uchovu uliokuwa mwilini mwake.
★★
Muda fulani kupita, mwanaume huyu akaanza kusikia sauti za mbali za mlango uliogongwa kwa nguvu, naye akashtuka na kuweza kuzisikia vizuri zaidi kumfanya atambue kwamba ulikuwa ni mlango wake. Akajinyanyua taratibu, naye akaivuta simu yake kuangalia muda. Ilikuwa inakimbilia saa saba mchana, na kwenye kioo cha simu yake aliweza kuona taarifa ya simu ambazo hazikupokelewa kutoka kwa Namouih na Blandina. Za Blandina ndiyo zilikuwa nyingi zaidi, na baada ya mlango kusikika unagongwa tena, akaiweka simu pembeni na kutoka chumbani. Alidhani ingekuwa ni Mark ndiye aliyerudi, lakini alipofika usawa wa mlango na kukaribia kuufungua, akahisi harufu aliyoifahamu vyema; harufu ya Blandina.
Akafumba macho yake na kuinamisha uso wake kwa kuingiwa na simamzi, lakini akajiweka sawa na kumfungulia. Hangeweza kujizuia kumtazama mwanamke huyo kwa huzuni kutokana na yote yaliyokuwa yameendelea tangu amekutana naye, na Blandina alikuwa ameonyesha kiwango cha hali ya juu sana cha upendo kwake kwa muda mrefu kiasi kwamba hisia za hatia kutokana na mambo aliyofanya Draxton yasiyokuwa halali kwenye uhusiano wao zilikuwa nzito kupitiliza. Lakini licha ya yote, Blandina akaingia ndani hapo na kumkumbatia. Akambusu kwa upendo na kumwomba amweleze sababu zake za kumficha matatizo aliyokuwa nayo, na alisumbuliwa na nini hasa. Draxton akamwongoza kwenda mpaka kwenye sofa, na hapo akajaribu kuomba samahani kwa yote, huku Blandina akimsihi amwambie ukweli. Draxton alikuwa karibu kabisa kumwambia mpenzi wake kila kitu lakini Blandina akaitwa ghafla ofisini kutokana na dharura iliyomhitaji.
Mwanaume akamwambia aende tu, nao wangetafuta muda mwingine wa kuzungumza kwa kina, na ndiyo Blandina akatumia nafasi hiyo kumwambia asiache kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya siku ya kuzaliwa kwake Namouih ambayo ilipangwa kufanyiwa nyumbani kwa Efraim Donald. Baada ya Draxton kukubali, mpenzi wake akaondoka, akimwacha mwanaume anawaza ikiwa kwenda lingekuwa jambo la busara hasa ikiwa Efraim Donald alijua kumhusu. Lakini kabla ya yote angetakiwa kumsubiri Mark kwanza ili aje kuzungumza naye, na ndiyo angejua ni sehemu ipi angetakiwa kusimama baada ya hapo.
★★
Yalipita kama masaa mawili baada ya Blandina kuondoka kwake Draxton, na kufikia mida hii mwanaume huyu tayari alikuwa ametulia vya kutosha kuweza kuzungumza na Mark, ambaye bado hakuwa amerudi. Alipika na kula chakula kiasi kilichokuwepo kwenye friji, na sasa alikuwa akitazama tu taarifa zilizohusiana na msiba uliosababishwa na mnyama aliyekuwa yeye mwenyewe. Sehemu nyingi za mitandao ya kijamii suala hilo lilizungumziwa, huku watu wengi wakiipondea serikali kwa kutoweza kushughulika vyema na majanga ya namna hiyo sikuzote yakitokea. Akafatilia taarifa za watu waliouawa na kugundua kwamba 15 walikuwa ni vijana wadogo waliokuwa wakicheza tu mpira eneo lile, na mmoja alikuwa mzee aliyefanya kazi ndani ya mashine ya nafaka.
Alihisi majuto mengi mno, na hasira kali ikamwingia iliyomfanya anyannyuke kutoka sofani na kupiga ngumi mezani. Ilivunjika kabisa na kusambaa, naye akawa anapumua kwa nguvu sana na kukaa chini. Kwa nini maisha yake yalikuwa hivi? Na hata kama angetaka kufa ili kukomesha matatizo yote aliyotokeza, ni jambo ambalo halikuwezekana. Kwa nini ilikuwa hivyo? Maswali na machungu yakiwa yanaendelea kumtawala mlango wa kuingilia ndani hapo ukafunguka. Draxton hakunyanyua uso wake kumtazama aliyeingia kwa kuwa tayari alijua ni nani. Mark ndiyo alikuwa amefika. Mwanaume huyu akakaribia sehemu ambayo Draxton alikuwa amekaa, akiona jinsi vipande vidogo vya meza ilivyozagaa, naye akamwangalia kwa uelewa.
"You want to talk about it? (Ungependa kulizungumzia?)" Mark akauliza.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "No. I just wanna listen to you (Hapana. Nataka tu kukusikiliza wewe)."
Mark akarudi nyuma kidogo, naye Draxton akajinyanyua na kuketi kwenye sofa tena. Alipomwangalia Mark, Draxton akagundua kuwa mwanaume huyo alikuwa anaweka umakini wake upande mwingine wa sebule, kama vile anatafuta jambo fulani.
"What is it? (Kuna nini?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akamwangalia na kusema, "I'm picking up an unfamiliar scent in here. It's... feminine (Ninaweza kuvuta harufu fulani isiyotambulika ndani humu. Ni... ya kike)."
Draxton akaelewa, naye akamwambia, "I had a visitor earlier. She's my friend (Nilikuwa na mgeni mapema leo. Ni rafiki yangu)."
"I see (Naona)," Mark akasema hivyo, kisha akaketi pia.
Draxton alikuwa na uso ulioonyesha mawazo sana, na mgeni wake alilielewa hilo vizuri.
"You gonna be okay? (Utakuwa sawa?)" Mark akauliza.
"Yeah, just... tell me. I want to know everything (Ndiyo, wewe... niambie tu. Nataka kujua kila kitu)," Draxton akasema na kumtazama machoni.
"What do you know about the way you are? (Unafahamu nini kuhusiana na jinsi ulivyo?)" Mark akamuuliza.
Draxton akatulia kidogo, kisha akasema, "Other than being an impossible to control murderous monster, nothing (Tofauti na kuwa mnyama muuaji asiyeweza kuongozwa, sijui lolote)."
"I've been where you have, and I know with you it has been a huge burden for a long time because you never fully understood yourself. Maximilian... you are a very complex being none of our kind can fathom to be, and even though I can walk you through many answers about what we are, understanding how YOU are is still a mystery (Nimeshakuwa kwenye sehemu uliyopitia, na ninajua kwako wewe imekuwa ni mzigo mzito sana kwa sababu hukuwahi kuelewa namna ulivyo kikamili. Maximilian.. wewe ni kiumbe mwenye utata sana hakuna hata mmoja wa aina yetu anaweza kuufikia, na ingawa ninaweza kukuelezea kuhusiana na aina yetu, kuelewa jinsi WEWE ulivyo bado ni fumbo)," Mark akamwambia.
"You're saying... that we are of the same kind, but I'm different? (Unasema... kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja, lakini mimi niko tofauti?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"What do you mean? How... how is it possible that we are what we are? (Unamaanisha nini? Kivipi... inawezekana vipi kwamba tuko namna tulivyo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It's because of your father, Obadiah Draxton (Ni kwa sababu ya baba yako, Obadiah Draxton)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini.
"He was a special animal scientist in the 19's, during the GED, leading up to the second world war. You may be familiar with your father's history that he, among other scientists, tried to do an experimentation where a human and an animal could interbreed, but their expectations never gave favourable fruits. Your father, unbeknownst to many, continued to search for ways to make his theories work, and at last succeeded in combining human cells with those of a wolf to produce an hybrid child, and an immortal one... you (Alikuwa ni mwanasayansi mtaalamu wa wanyama miaka ya 19 huko, wakati ule wa mshuko mkubwa wa kiuchumi, mpaka kufikia vita vya pili vya dunia. Unaweza kuwa unajua historia ya baba yako kwamba yeye, pamoja na wanasayansi wengine wa wanyama, walijaribu kufanya majaribio ya kuwezesha mwanadamu na mnyama kuzalisha kwa pamoja, lakini matarajio yao hayakuwapa matunda yaliyotazamiwa. Bila mtu mwingine kujua, baba yako aliendelea kutafuta njia za kufanya mawazo yake yafanikiwe, na mwishowe akaweza kuunganisha seli za mwanadamu na zile za mbwa-mwitu kutokeza mtoto wa aina mbili, na asiyeweza kufa... wewe)," Mark akaeleza.
"How did he manage that? (Aliwezaje kufanikisha hilo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"That IS the mystery. But what he did was a miracle, that we only see in movies and books. Whatever he did with producing you is what makes you immortal Maximilian, and it is still impossible to know what unless maybe... (Hilo NDIYO fumbo. Lakini alichokifanya kilikuwa muujiza, kama tu ile tuionayo kwenye filamu na vitabu. Chochote alichokifanya kukuzalisha wewe ndiyo kilichowezesha usiweze kufa kabisa Maximilian, na bado haitawezekana kujua ni nini isipokuwa labda...)"
"I get cell-checked (Nitazamwe kwenye seli zangu)," Draxton akamalizia maneno ya Mark.
"Yeah. But no one is going to force you to do something like that especially since it may cause a wreck to our well kept secrecy of our kind (Ndiyo. Lakini hakuna atakayekulazimisha ufanye jambo kama hilo hasa kwa sababu inaweza kuleta shida kwa upande wetu wa kutunza siri kuhusu aina zetu)," Mark akasema.
"How is it possible that we are of the same kind if my father only ever created me? (Inawezekanaje kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja ikiwa baba yangu alinitengeneza mimi tu?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Well, some people wanted to know how he did it after finding out about you, and I can say he saw they had ulterior motives. He hid you, but they caught him, forced and tortured him to give you up... only he didn't and that's why... they killed him, and faked his death as suicide (Kuna watu waliotaka kujua alifanyaje mpaka kufanikiwa walipogundua kukuhusu, na naweza kusema aliona kwamba walikuwa na makusudio mabaya. Alikuficha, lakini waliweza kumkamata, wakamlazimisha na kumtesa ili awapatie wewe.. lakini hakufanya hivyo na ndiyo sababu... wakamuua, kuweka kifo chake kiwe bandia kwa kufanya ionekane kwamba alijiua)," Mark akasimulia.
Draxton akatazama chini.
"His research was sought after for years, but they didn't succeed in finding it. It might have appeared your father got rid of everything he worked on, but it wasn't like that. One of the many scientists he worked with was his closest friend named Charles Delmas. He somehow knew how your father managed to make you come to reality, so he was working secretly, by himself, to carry on with your father's work. He very much succeded in creating a human-wolf eventually, especially after technology improved. But just like your father, he was strictly careful not involving any untrusted person in that. It turns out that, the experiment included the combination of his own blood, semen, wolf cells, and other stuff, into the productive organs of a woman. There was a special process here on making this actually work that only he and your father knew of, like interbreeding surrogacy, and as such, another human-wolf baby was born (Utafiti wake ulisakwa kwa miaka mingi, lakini hawakufanikiwa kuupata. Ingeonekana labda baba yako aliharibu kila kitu ambacho alifanyia kazi, lakini haikuwa hivyo. Mmoja kati ya wanasayansi wengi aliofanya nao kazi alikuwa rafiki yake wa karibu aliyeitwa Charles Delmas. Alifahamu kwa njia fulani namna baba yako alivyofanikiwa kukuleta duniani, kwa hiyo kwa usiri mkubwa, akaendeleza kazi ya baba yako yeye mwenyewe. Alifanikiwa kutengeneza mtu-mwitu baada ya muda, hasa kwa kuwa teknolojia iliboreka zaidi. Ikagundulika kwamba jaribio hilo lilitia ndani kuunganishwa kwa damu yake, mbegu za uzazi, seli za mbwa-mwitu, na mambo mengine, ndani ya ogani za uzazi za mwanamke. Kulikuwa na utaratibu wa kipekee hapa uliofanywa ambao ni yeye na baba yako tu ndiyo walioufahamu, kama upandikiziwaji wa mayai ya viumbe wa aina tofauti, na kama ilivyo, mtoto aliye mwanadamu-mwitu akazaliwa)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton hakusema chochote zaidi ya kuendelea kumsikiliza mwanaume huyo.
Mark akaendelea kusimulia, "The outcome of doctor Charles' work was a bit different from that of your father. Surely, the hybrid born had similar traits like those you got, but it wasn't immune to death like how you are. At first that didn't matter because none of anyone knew about your features, and even doctor Charles himself tried for two decades to find you but did not succeed (Matokeo ya kazi ya daktari Charles yalikuwa na utofauti na yale ya baba yako. Kiuhakika kabisa, mtu-mwitu aliyezaliwa alikuwa na tabia kama ulizonazo, lakini hakuwa na uwezo wa kujikinga dhidi ya kifo kama wewe. Mwanzoni hilo halikujalisha kwa kuwa hakuna aliyejua kuhusu sifa zako, na hata daktari Charles alijaribu kukutafuta kwa miongo miwili bila kufanikiwa)."
"What happened then? (Nini kikafuata?)" Draxton akamuuliza
"Well, he monitored the child closely as he grew up. He raised him as he was his own son, and after fully understanding his growth development, Charles figured out that his son's offsprings would inherit his wolf genes, so he had to make sure when that time came his son would be ready to deal with everything that he was going to have to be... not just part human, part wolf, but a good father to all of his children (Basi, alimwangalia mtoto huyo kwa ukaribu kadiri alivyoendelea kukua. Alimlea hasa kutokana na yeye kuwa mwanaye, na baada ya kuelewa maendeleo ya ukuaji wake kikamili, Charles aligundua kwamba wazao wa mwana wake wangerithi chembe za uhai za mwitu wake, kwa hiyo alihakikisha kwamba muda huo ukifika basi mwanaye angekuwa tayari kushughulika na mambo yote aliyohitaji kuwa.. siyo nusu-mwanadamu na nusu-mnyama tu, bali kama baba mzuri kwa wazao wake)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So Charles continued doing other experiments like the ones that produced his son, and that brought four other hybrids. He had a secret base somewhere on the mountains and that's where all of them grew together (Kwa hiyo Charles aliendelea kufanya majaribio mengine kama lile lililozalisha mwana wake, na hiyo ikaleta watu-mwitu wengine wanne. Alikuwa na jengo la kisiri eneo fulani la milimani na huko ndiko hao wote walipokua kwa pamoja)," Mark akamwambia.
"Meaning they were also his children (Ikimaanisha na wenyewe walikuwa ni watoto wake)," Draxton akasema.
"Yes. Their animalistic change kicked in when they reached adolescence. Charles had mentally prepared them for the change, and the way his first son embraced it in a controllable manner, it happened the same way with the other hybrids. Through time, many aspects of their lives changed, while continuously learning how to control their abilities and hide them from the rest of the world, they found a deep bond between themselves that was very different and strong, thus lived in a special way to maintain stability and order for all of their kind in the future. It was always about keeping one another safe, so they established a set of rules and regulations that would help protect our kind in it's small world. As time went on, they reproduced themselves, creating families on a safe ground, and the first five hybrids were the leaders of the packs created (Ndiyo. Badiliko lao la unyama liliwapata walipopevuka. Charles aliwaandaa vizuri kiakili kwa ajili ya badiliko hilo, na jinsi ambavyo mwana wake wa kwanza alilipokea kwa utaratibu mzuri ilitokea kwa njia hiyo hiyo na kwa wale wengine. Kadiri muda ulivyopita, nyanja mbalimbali za maisha yao zilibadilika, huku wakiwa wanaendelea kujifunza namna ya kuziongoza nguvu zao na kuzificha kutoka kwa wengi duniani, walipata muungano wa ndani sana uliokuwa tofauti na wenye nguvu, hivyo walianza kuishi kwa njia ya pekee ili kuweka uwiano na utaratibu mzuri kwa ajili ya watu wa aina yao kwa wakati ujao. Sikuzote ilikuwa kuhusu kulindana, kwa hiyo waliwekeza sheria na taratibu ambazo zingelinda watu wa aina yetu ndani ya dunia yao ndogo. Muda ulipoendelea kusonga, walizaliana, wakiunda familia kwenye eneo salama, na wale watu-mwitu watano wa kwanza kabisa ndiyo walikuwa viongozi wa makundi waliyotengeneza)," Mark akaelezea.
"Packs? (Makundi?)"
"Yes, just like how wolves live in packs Maximilian. Their growth, our growth, is very rapid. In just 7 years one would already be what a normal human being is 18 years old, and that was due to our bestial nature forcing the growing of the human body and mind to escalate. So when I said adolescence I meant 7 years Maximilian, but I know that wasnt the case with you (Ndiyo, kama tu ambavyo mbwa-mwitu huishi kimakundi Maximilian. Ukuaji wao, yaani ukuaji wetu, ni wa kasi sana. Ni ndani ya miaka 7 tu mmoja wetu angeweza kuwa namna ambavyo kwa mwanadamu wa kawaida ni miaka 18, na hiyo ilikuwa kwa sababu hali yetu ya unyama ililazimu ukuaji wa mwili wa kibinadamu na akili visonge kwa kasi. Kwa hiyo niliposema kupevuka nilimaanisha miaka 7 Maximilian, ila najua haikuwa namna hiyo kwako)," Mark akasema.
"No. I grew up like a normal person. So how old are you? (Hapana. Nimekua kama mtu kikawaida. Kwa hiyo una miaka mingapi?)"
"I'd say over 200 years bestially. In a normal calendar I would be 38 (Ningesema zaidi ya miaka 200 kiunyama. Kwa kalenda ya kawaida nina miaka 38)," Mark akajibu.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So, their family as whole was well protected, in such a huge world full of bad. It wasn't easy to always keep order, you know there's just gonna be that one person who wants to be above it all. Well, that time came when two wolf children killed another accidentally. They were both like adolescents, still new to their change, overwhelmed by it, and while playing in their wolf forms the kids hurt the other intensely. The one that died was the daughter of one of the leaders. He was hurt, saddened, angered by her death and wanted to kill the children who caused it as punishment. They weren't from his own pack, so there was a resistance from the other children's families and even disapprovement by the other leaders, who cited the incident as an unintentional accident and his want to punish them was nothing but an unfair vengeance (Familia zao kiujumla zililindwa vyema, hata ingawa walikuwa ndani ya dinia iliyojaa mabaya. Haikuwa rahisi sikuzote kuuendeleza utaratibu, unaelewa kwamba sikuzote ni lazima tu kutakuwa na yule mtu anayetaka kuwa juu ya mambo yote. Huo muda ulifika wakati ambapo
watoto-mwitu wawili walipomuua mwingine kwa tukio baya. Wote kwa pamoja walikuwa kama vijana tu waliopevuka, wageni kwenye mabadiliko yao, ikiwa kama imewazidia, na ndiyo walipokuwa wanacheza ndani ya maumbo ya unyama wakawa wamemuumiza vibaya sana mwenzao. Aliyekufa alikuwa binti wa mmoja wa wale viongozi. Aliumizwa, alisikitishwa, alikasirishwa na kifo cha binti yake naye akataka wale watoto wengine wawili wapewe adhabu ya kifo. Hawakuwa wa kundi lake mwenyewe, hivyo mgomo ukawepo kutoka kwa familia za watoto hao na hata kukataliwa kwa suala hilo na wale viongozi wengine, walioonelea tukio zima kuwa ajali tu ambayo haikutazamiwa na hivyo yeye kutaka watoto wapewe hiyo adhabu ilikuwa ni kutaka tu kisasi kisicho na haki)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akaendelea kusikiliza kwa utulivu.
"That leader got so upset that he threatened to kill the children by himself. The other leaders tried to calm things down but he insisted on avenging his daughter. Things went... very wrong... the other four leaders disbanded him from their unity, and it fueled his anger even more. Very much later, using his own pack, he plotted the deaths of the other four leaders, and killed all of them on the day he faked a truce after inviting them and their families to a small reunion celebration. He also knew that the leaders' firstborns would inherit their parents' powers to become the next leaders of their respective packs, so he killed all of them too. He wanted to be the only original hybrid left to lead all of the born human-wolves, and he killed anyone of them who dified him. A lot died Maximilian. He killed my parents, and my brother too (Huyo kiongozi alikasirika sana kiasi kwamba akatishia kuwaua wale watoto yeye mwenyewe. Viongozi wengine walijaribu kutuliza hali lakini yeye akasisitiza kutaka kulipa kisasi kwa ajili ya binti yake. Mambo yalikwenda... vibaya sana... wale viongozi wengine wakamwondoa kutoka kwenye umoja wao, na hiyo ikamwongezea hasira hata zaidi. Baadaye kabisa, akilitumia kundi lake mwenyewe, alipanga vifo vya wale viongozi wengine wanne, naye akawaua wote kwenye siku aliyowaalika kufanya sherehe ndogo ya upatano uliokuwa bandia. Alijua pia kwamba wazaliwa wa kwanza wa viongozi hao wangerithi nguvu za wazazi wao ili kuwa wakuu wa makundi waliofuata baada yao, kwa hiyo akawaua pia. Alitaka kuwa mtu-mwitu wa kwanza pekee aliyebaki ili kuwaongoza watu-mwitu wote waliokuwepo, na aliua yeyote kati yao ambaye angepingana naye. Wengi waliuawa Maximilian. Aliwaua wazazi wangu, pamoja na kaka yangu)," Mark akasema hayo.
Draxton akamtazama kwa hisia za huruma.
"For those of us who remained, we had to abide by his new rule. He's very ruthless. You know... before his rampage we were about half a thousand in population, but up to now there is only a few numbers left of us to even reach a hundred (Kwa sisi ambao tulibaki, ilitubidi tujiweke chini ya utawala wake mpya. Ni mtu mkatili sana. Unajua... kabla ya ghadhabu yake tulikuwa na idadi inayokaribia nusu elfu, lakini kwa sasa hivi hatuko wengi hata kufika mia)."
"He killed hundreds of people and nobody knew about it? (Aliua mamia ya watu na hakuna mtu aliyejua kuhusu hilo?)"
"You mean normal to government people? No. Aside from being a murderous scum but that guy is also very rich. The entirety of his territory has many places where he can do evil things and no one gets to hear of them. He controls us because we've sworn to be his people, so even when some of us try to play rebel we can't really outrun the influence he has on us (Unamaanisha watu wa kawaida mpaka kufikia serikalini? Hapana. Mbali na kuwa muuaji sugu lakini huyo jamaa ni tajiri pia. Sehemu kubwa ya himaya yake ina sehemu ambazo anaweza kufanyia mambo maovu na hakuna mtu yeyote anayeweza kujua. Anatuendesha kwa kuwa tumeapa kuwa watu wake, kwa hiyo hata nyakati ambazo baadhi yetu tunajaribu kujifanya waasi hatuwezi kuukimbia uchochezi alionao juu yetu)."
"What influence? You are telling me that this guy controls your free will? Is he God? (Uchochezi gani? Unataka kuniambia kwamba huyu jamaa anaendesha uhuru wenu wa kuchagua? Yeye ni Mungu?)"
"No, it's not like that. You see, that bond I mentioned is like a connection in our animalistic side. We live with it, and only the original hybrids and their first offsprings have the power to be pledged loyalty to so that they may protect everyone in their pack. That bond is very powerful. It's the same as how wolves are, except with us having a human side it helps not being fully controlled like mad animal puppets. I... I know there is a lot you don't understand Maximilian but please... trust me when I tell you that you are our only hope in defeating our evil leader (Hapana, haiko namna hiyo. Ni kwamba, ule muungano niliousema ni kama uvutano katika upande wetu wa unyama. Tunaishi nao, na ni watu-mwitu wa kwanza kabisa na wazao wao wa kwanza ndiyo wenye nguvu ya kuweza kutiishiwa ushikamanifu ili waweze kuwalinda wote wa kwenue makundi yao. Huo muungano una nguvu. Ni kama tu mbwa-mwitu kabisa walivyo, isipokuwa kwetu sisi kuwa na upande wa kibinadamu inasaidia kutoendeshwa kama wanaseserere vichaa. Nina... ninajua ni mambo mengi usiyoelewa Maximilian lakini tafadhali... niamini nikikwambia kwamba wewe ndiyo tumaini letu pekee katika kumshinda kiongozi wetu mbaya)," Mark akamwambia kwa kusihi sana.
Ni kweli kabisa kwamba mambo mengi ambayo mwanaume huyo alikuwa ametoka kusema yalimchanganya sana Draxton, na alitaka ufafanuzi zaidi lakini aliona woga mkuu ndani ya Mark ingawa alionekana imara. Ni lazima tu alikuwa anahofia mambo mengi mabaya kutoka kwa huyo kiongozi, na kama yeye Draxton ndiye aliyekuwa tumaini lao kutoa msaada, alihitaji kujua alihitajikaje hasa.
"How am I going to do that? (Nitafanya hivyo jinsi gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza, akiweka mawazo mengi pembeni kwanza.
Mark akasogeza kichwa mbele na kusema, "You have to come with me Maximilian. You can defeat him by taking over the entire pack, and if need be, take him out as well (Unatakiwa kuja nami Maximilian. Unaweza kumshinda kwa kulichukua kundi lote, na ikihitajika, kumwondoa yeye kabisa)," Mark akasema.
"What? Go with you? (Nini? Niende pamoja nawe?)"
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"That... that is way too much (Hiyo... hiyo imezidi kipimo sana)."
"Maximilian please try to understand... (Maximilian tafadhali jaribu kuelewa...)"
"I do understand, but son, that is way off my mark. As much as I could believe everything you have told me, it is still so... new... to me. I don't even know where you're from, where you want us to go, how you found me, what I'll be doing and how that will affect the life that I have now... (Ninaelewa, ila mwanangu, hii kitu iko nje ya mstari wangu. Kwa kadiri ambayo ningeweza kuamini yote uliyosema, bado kila jambo ni... geni... kwangu mimi. Sijui hata unatokea wapi, unataka twende wapi, umenipata vipi, nitafanya mambo yapi na ni jinsi gani yataathiri maisha niliyonayo sasa...)"
"And I will fill you in with everything you need to know, but just really... (Na nitakueleza kila kitu unachotaka kujua, lakini kiukweli tu...)"
"Please, please, stop. This... this is a very confusing time for me. I don't know if I'm ready for whatever it is you think I can do to help, but right now, I'm really tired (Tafadhali, tafadhali, acha. Huu... huu ni wakati wenye kuchanganya sana kwangu. Sijui ikiwa niko tayari kwa lolote lile ambalo unadhani naweza kufanya ili kusaidia, lakini kwa sasa, nimechoka sana)," Draxton akamwambia ukweli.
Mark akatazama chini kwa huzuni kiasi, kisha akasema, "I understand. I'm sorry for tyring to force so much on you. I'm just really desperate (Ninaelewa. Samahani kwa kujaribu kulazimisha mambo mengi juu yako. Ni uhitaji mkubwa tu nilionao)."
Draxton akafikicha uso wake kwa kiganja taratibu, kisha akauliza, "How long are you going to be around? (Utakuwa huku kwa muda gani?)"
"A few days. I only had a stay for two weeks here (Siku chache. Nilikuwa na wiki mbili tu za kukaa huku)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "Alright. Give me a day or two, I need to sort some things first, then we'll meet again. Maybe talk some more and see where all of this will lead. Is that okay? (Sawa. Nipe siku moja au mbili, kuna mambo nahitaji kupangilia kwanza, kisha ndiyo tutakutana tena. Labda tutazungumza zaidi kuona haya yote yataelekea wapi. Hiyo ni sawa?)"
Mark akatikisa kichwa kukubali.
"Okay. You got a phone? (Sawa. Una simu?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akatoa simu yake na kumpatia. Draxton akaifungua na kuandika namba zake hapo, kisha akamrudishia.
"You can call me then I'll let you know when we can talk (Utaweza kunipigia nami nitakujulisha ni muda gani tunaweza kuzungumza)," Draxton akasema.
Mark akaitunza namba ya Draxton ya Tanzania kwa simu yake, naye akamshukuru kwa kumsikiliza na kisha akamuaga na kuanza kuondoka. Draxton alikuwa anataka kumsindikiza lakini mwanaume huyo akasisitiza kumwacha tu ili apumzike, hivyo akaondoka peke yake. Draxton akabaki ndani kwake kwa wakati huu akifikiria kuhusu mambo machache aliyotoka kusikia kwa mwanaume huyo. Haijalishi kama ilikuwa kweli au la, kilichohitajika ili kutoa msaada uliotakiwa kilikuwa kikubwa, lakini alipofikiria mambo vyema zaidi akatambua kwamba huenda hii kwa njia moja ama nyingine ingekuwa ndiyo nafasi yake ya kwenda mbali kuepukana na matatizo ambayo yalikuwa yamejitokeza huku.
Kila mara alipotaka kujihakikishia ndani ya akili yake kwamba kuondoka ndiyo ingekuwa jambo sahihi la kufanya, moyo wake ulilikataa wazo hilo hasa ulipopitisha midundo ya hisia alizokuwa nazo kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa huku. Moyo wake haukutaka kabisa kuwaacha Namouih na Blandina. Lakini tena jambo hilo ndiyo moja kati ya mambo yaliyomchanganya hata zaidi; yaani ni jinsi gani angejigawa kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa na sehemu muhimu sana ndani ya moyo wake. Hakujua mambo yangekwendaje, lakini alijua angetakiwa kuweka hali yake kimahusiano iwe sawa kabisa kwa wanawake wale kabla ya kuchukua maamuzi ambayo yangehitajika kuchukuliwa. Akaamua tu kuanza kupiga hatua hiyo kwa kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya Namouih nyumbani kwake siku hiyo, naye akanyanyuka na kuanza kusafisha ndani hapo kisha aende kujiandaa kwa ajili ya sikukuu hiyo ya kuzaliwa Namouih.
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ITAENDELEA
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Huo ndiyo mwanzo wa hadithi tamu ya DRAXTON. Waweza kuipata yote kwa bei poa WhatsApp ama hapa hapa JF kwa bei poa kabisa. Karibuni sana.
WhatsApp +255 678 017 280
DRAXTON
A Story by Elton Tonny
Familia, Urafiki, Mapenzi, Mahaba, Siri, Tamaa, Hila, Unyanyasaji, Usaliti, Mauaji, Mambo Yasiyotazamiwa
(R-rated 18+)
Enjoy!
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SEHEMU YA KWANZA
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Siku ambayo Draxton alivamiwa kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho na kijakazi mkatili wa Efraim Donald, mwanaume huyu alikuwa amepitia jambo ambalo alijitahidi sana kuzuia kwa kipindi kirefu tokea alipofika Tanzania. Mwanaume aliyeagizwa na Efraim Donald kumtafuta Draxton, aliyeitwa Suleiman, alikuwa amelazimu unyama wa Draxton utoke mchana kweupe baada ya kumpiga kwa risasi nyingi akidhani kwamba angeweza kumuua, lakini matokeo yakawa ni kifo kwake yeye mwenyewe. Draxton alikuwa amejitahidi sana kuficha uasili wake kwa kujenga nyumba ndogo maeneo ya msitu ambako palijificha, na pia kuchukua hatua ambazo zingezuia madhara makubwa wakati wowote upande wake wa mnyama ungetaka kutoka; yaani kujifunga kwa minyororo.
Siku hiyo Suleiman aliposababisha mnyama huyo atoke, aliweza kuondoka msituni hapo na kufika eneo lenye makazi ya watu wachache, naye akasababisha vifo vya watu 16 waliokuwa maeneo ya mashine ya kusaga nafaka. Hakukuwa na watu walioweza kumwona kwa usahihi, naye akaendelea kusonga mbele na kufikia eneo lingine lililokuwa na msitu pia, na huko akajilaza tu baada ya kushiba kupitiliza kawaida. Draxton alikuja kufumbua macho yake ikiwa imekwishafika usiku sana, na ingawa hakuweza kukumbuka kilichoendelea baada ya kubadilika kwake, aliingiwa na mfadhaiko mwingi moyoni kwa sababu alijua ni lazima tu alikuwa amesababisha matatizo kutoka kule alikokuwa. Akajilaumu sana moyoni kwa kuamua kubaki huku. Alihisi labda angetakiwa tu kuwa ameshaondoka kipindi kile Namouih amegundua siri yake, huenda haya yangeepukwa. Lakini kabla ya kufikiria mengine zaidi, angepaswa kutoka eneo hilo kwanza, ajue ni maafa makubwa kadiri gani alikuwa amesababisha, ikiwa kuna watu walimshuhudia mnyama wake, na ndiyo afanye nini baada ya hapo.
Akatoka sehemu aliyokuwa na kuanza kutembea akiwa bila nguo mwilini. Akafikia sehemu fulani iliyokuwa na vibanda vya mbao vilivyotengenezwa kwa kusudi la kuwekea bidhaa, na kwa wakati huo hakukuwa na mtu hata mmoja. Baada ya muda mfupi ndiyo ikawa imefika pikipiki iliyobeba wanaume wawili waliofanya kazi ya ulinzi wa maeneo. Alijaribu kuwaomba msaada ili aweze kurudi nyumbani, lakini wakaingiza mambo ya kijinga kwa kumwomba awape malipo kwanza kwa njia ya ushoga. Alipokataa, wakajaribu kumlazimisha na hata kuanza kumpiga kwa marungu yao mwilini kwake. Alikasirishwa sana na jambo hilo kiasi kwamba akawa anataka awafundishe adabu, lakini hakutaka afanye hivyo kwa kupitiliza, alitaka awafundishe adabu akiwa yeye kama yeye. Ni wakati alipokuwa anataka kuwapa dozi waliyostahili pale wanaume hao walipovutwa nyuma kwa nguvu na kuangukia mpaka usawa wa pikipiki yao. Draxton alikuwa amepiga goti moja chini wakati huo, akihisi maumivu sehemu za mikono na mgongoni, lakini ikawa ni kama yote yamepotea kwa sababu sasa ufahamu wake ulikuwa umetekwa na jambo fulani ambalo lilikuwa geni kabisa kwake.
Hakumwona mtu aliyewavuta wanaume hao, lakini harufu yake aliivuta vyema. Harufu hiyo ilikuwa tofauti na harufu ya binadamu wa kawaida; ilikuwa harufu kama ya kwake! Yaani, yeye akiwa kama mnyama pia, aliweza kutambua kwamba aliyewavuta wanaume hao hakuwa binadamu kikamili, ila mnyama kama yeye. Akasimama taratibu akiwa anajaribu kutafuta uwepo wa kiumbe huyo, maana hisi zake za unyama zilimweka katika hali fulani ya tahadhari kama vile kujua hiyo ingekuwa ni hatari kwake yeye pia. Wanaume wale wawili wakanyanyuka upesi huku wanaangalia huku na kule, kisha wakamwangalia Draxton na kusimama kwa kujihami.
Draxton akawa amesimama huku amekunja uso kwa njia fulani makini sana, akiwa anazifungua hisi zake zote za juu ili kutambua ni nini kilichokuwa kinawazunguka, na ni hapo ndiyo askari wale wakasaidiana kunyanyua pikipiki yao ili wakimbie kwa kuwa tayari walihisi hapo kuna balaa zito kuliko walivyodhani. Hawakuwa hata wamefanikiwa kuinyanyua sawa na hapo hapo akatua mtu fulani aliyempa mgongo Draxton, na kwa macho ya haraka Draxton akaona jinsi mtu huyo alivyovishika vichwa vya wanaume hao na kunyonga shingo zao kwa kasi sana! Wanaume hao wakadondoka hapo hapo na kuanza kushtuka kiasi, kisha wakatulia.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama mtu huyo mbele yake. Alikuwa amempa mgongo bado, na alionekana akiwa amevaa kitu kama sweta gumu la brown na suruali ya jeans pamoja na viatu vyeusi, na kichwa chake kilikuwa na nywele ndefu nyeusi na laini kama za mzungu. Na ndiyo huyo mtu aliyekuwa anatoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida iliyoendelea kuzipiga vizuri kona za pua ya Draxton. Kisha, akageuka taratibu na kumtazama Draxton usoni, na kiukweli Draxton akashangaa sana. Kwanza, mtu huyo alikuwa mwanaume. Pili, alikuwa mzungu, mwenye mwonekano kama wazungu wa kwenye tamthilia za waturuki wenye ndevu nyingi. Kiumri angeweza kusemwa ana miaka inayofika 40, naye alikuwa mrefu kumfikia Draxton.
Mwanaume huyo akaanza kupiga hatua chache kumwelekea Draxton, naye Draxton akajitahidi kuendelea kusimama kwa ujasiri huku akiwa bado haelewi kinachoendelea na kutojua cha kutarajia. Huyu mzungu alikuwa nani? Kwa nini alijitokeza wakati huu? Na kwa nini alitoa harufu isiyokuwa ya binadamu wa kawaida? Mwanaume huyo alipofika mbele yake Draxton, akamtazama kwa macho fulani yaliyojaa matumaini sana, kama vile kusema alikuwa amefurahi kumwona, kisha akaweka mkono wake alioukunjia ngumi kwenye kifua chake usawa wa moyo, halafu akashuka chini na kupiga goti moja kwa njia fulani kama amemwinamia kuonyesha heshima. Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini tu, akiwa amebumbuazishwa na jambo hilo, na mwanaume huyo akawa ameinamisha uso wake.
"It is an honor to be in your presence... Maximilian."
Mwanaume huyo ndiye aliyesema maneno hayo, akimaanisha anahisi kama vile amewadhifika kuwa mbele ya Draxton. Draxton alishangazwa sana na uhakika wa kile ambacho mwanaume huyo alikuwa amesema, hata jina lake la mwanzo alilifahamu vizuri kabisa.
"Who are you? (Wewe ni nani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mwanaume huyo akaunyanyua uso wake na kumwangalia, kisha akasema, "My name is Mark. I am a man who is going to help you know who you truly are... and what that means for people like us (Jina langu ni Mark. Mimi ni mtu nitakayekusaidia uweze kujua wewe ni nani hasa... na jambo hilo linamaanisha nini kwa watu kama sisi)."
"What do you mean? (Unamaanisha nini?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Everything you've ever asked yourself about your life, I have the answers. I will help you learn the truth, because now more than ever... we need you Maximilian. You are our only hope (Kila jambo ambalo umewahi kujiuliza kuhusu maisha yako, mimi nina majibu. Nitakusaidia uujue ukweli, kwa kuwa wakati huu zaidi ya wakati mwingine wowote... sisi tunakuhitaji Maximilian. Wewe ndiyo tumaini letu la pekee)," mwanaume huyo akamwambia.
"We? (Sisi?)" Draxton akauliza akiwa hajaelewa anachomaanisha.
Mwanaume huyo mzungu kwa jina la Mark kama alivyojitambulisha, akafumba macho yake kwa kifupi, kisha akayafumbua na kumtazama Draxton tena.
Draxton akashangazwa na alichoweza kugundua kuwa jambo ambalo hakuwahi kudhani angekuja kuliona. Macho ya Mark yalikuwa yamebadilika na kuwa ya rangi ya njano, kitu kilichomwambia mwanaume huyu kwamba hapo mbele yake alikuwa pamoja na mtu mwenye hali kama ya kwake. Hakuwahi kufikiria kabisa kwamba siku kama hii ingewahi kufika baada ya yeye kuja kwenye nchi hii, na sasa akawa ametambua kwamba kumbe kulikuwepo na watu wenye hali kama yake ya kuwa wanyama, na kama mzungu huyo alivyosema, inaonekana hata walikuwa wengi sana.
Lakini huyu Mark alijua vipi kuhusu historia halisi ya maisha ya Draxton ambayo hata yeye Draxton hakuifahamu vyema? Ni kwa nini hakuwa amemtafuta muda wote huo ndiyo aje kumtafuta wakati huu? Wonyesho huu wa heshima mpaka anapigiwa magoti ulimaanisha nini? Na ni nini kilichokuwa kimempata Mark na "wenzake" kilichomfanya afikiri kwamba Draxton anaweza kutoa msaada wowote kwake? Kwamba Draxton alikuwa kama nani mpaka aonwe kuwa msaada pekee kwa watu hao? Sasa ndiyo uliokuwa wakati wa kuyapata majibu ya maswali hayo yote, hivyo Draxton akaamua kumsikiliza mgeni huyu asiyejulikana alitokea wapi.
Macho yake Mark yakarejea hali ya kawaida, kisha akanyanyuka kutoka chini hapo na kuelekea miili ile ya maaskari aliowaua walipokuwa wakimzingua Draxton. Akaanza kufanya utaratibu wa kumvulisha mmoja wao nguo alizokuwa nazo mwilini, naye Draxton akaendelea tu kumtazama kwa umakini. Haingekuwa rahisi kwake kujua ikiwa nia ya mtu huyo ilikuwa nzuri, lakini kuona tu kwamba alikuwa wa aina yake ni jambo lililomfanya atake kujua mengi zaidi. Hii siku haikuwa imekwenda vizuri sana kwake, na ujio wa mwanaume huyo ulielekea kuleta mambo mengi mazito zaidi. Mark akawa amemvulisha shati na suruali askari mmoja, kisha akamrudia Draxton na kumnyooshea nguo hizo kama anampa avae. Draxton hakuzipokea, bali akawa anamwangalia tu usoni.
"Please wear this for now. We have to get out of here. I believe you will need to clean up some things before I tell you everything (Tafadhali vaa hizi kwa sasa. Tunahitaji kuondoka. Naamini kuna mambo utahitaji kuweka sawa kabla sijakwambia kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
"What things? (Mambo gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It was um... a bit of a mess you made in public a few hours ago. If you can think of anything that will need some fix so nobody tracks it back to you, I'll help you with it (Ilikuwa... ni mambo mabaya kiasi umefanya hadharani masaa machache yaliyopita. Ikiwa kuna jambo lolote linalohitaji kurekebishwa ili watakaofatilia wasije kukufikia wewe, nitakusaidia kwa hilo)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akaendelea kumwangalia tu.
"I understand that this is very surprising, and you got every right to doubt my intentions. Look, I know what you've been through. It wasn't easy. I relate deeply on how you feel. But I have no intention of harming you. Besides, there is no such thing as harming you because you are very powerful. Just trust that whatever am going to tell you is very important... you'll decide whether to help us or not (Ninaelewa haya yote yanashangaza, na una kila haki ya kushuku nia yangu. Ona, ninajua mambo uliyopitia. Hayakuwa mepesi. Ninaweza kuelewa kiundani sana namna unavyohisi. Ila sina nia ya kukudhuru. Hata hivyo, kukudhuru wewe ni kitu ambacho hakipo maana una nguvu nyingi. Amini tu kwamba chochote nachotaka kukwambia ni muhimu sana... wewe ndiyo utaamua ikiwa utatusaidia au la)," Mark akamwambia.
Aliongea maneno hayo kwa njia yenye heshima kuu, naye Draxton akayaangalia mavazi yale aliyoshika mwanaume huyo, kisha akayachukua na kuanza kuvaa.
"I'll get rid of the bodies, then we can go wherever you want to first (Nitaiondoa miili hiyo, kisha tutakwenda popote pale unapotaka kwanza)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton hakuwa na neno. Akamtikisia kichwa tu kukubali, na mwanaume huyo akazifata maiti za maaskari wale wawili, kisha akaibebanisha vizuri na kuinyanyua kwa pamoja. Nguvu alizokuwa nazo zilionyesha kweli alikuwa wa aina yake Draxton, naye akaelekea upande wenye miti zaidi na kuitupa huko; akiifukia kwa manyasi mengi yaliyokaukia chini. Akarejea kwa Draxton na kumkuta ameshavaa nguo zote, na kichwani alivalia kofia ya askari mmoja ili kuficha nywele zake nyeupe. Mark akainyanyua pikipiki ya wale jamaa na kumtazama Draxton machoni kama kumwambia anasubiri. Draxton akaenda na kupanda kwenye pikipiki hiyo, akishika usukani, na baada ya kuiwasha Mark akaketi nyuma pia. Ni kweli kabisa kwamba alihitaji kurekebisha mambo mengi kule alikotoka, hivyo bila kukawia akaiweka pikipiki mwendoni kutafuta barabara kuu.
★★
Baada ya kuzunguka kwa dakika chache akawa amepata uelekeo alioufahamu, naye akajitahidi kupita sehemu alizojua kwamba asingevuta umakini wa watu wa usalama. Imeingia mida ya saa kumi na mbili alfajiri akawa amefanikiwa kuwafikisha kule kwenye nyumba yake ya maficho. Draxton alikuta eneo hilo likiwa namna alivyolizoea, isipokuwa wakati huu lilikuwa tofauti na jinsi alivyokumbuka kuliacha mara ya mwisho. Aliweza kuona damu nyingi iliyokauka sehemu ya ardhi mpaka kulifikia gari lake, ambalo lilikuwa na mkunjo mdogo na mikwaruzo ya mbali kwenye usawa wa mlango. Kulikuwa pia na vipande vidogo vya miguu na mifupa hapa na pale, naye Draxton akaelewa kwamba mmiliki wa hivyo alikuwa Suleiman, yaani marehemu Suleiman.
Mark akamwambia kwamba wangehitaji kuisafisha sehemu hiyo upesi na kuondoa mambo yote upesi kabla ya maaskari kufikia hapo katika uchunguzi wao, lakini Draxton akakanusha, akisema tu kwamba angekwenda huko ndani kuchukua vitu vichache kisha wangeondoka kwa kutumia gari lake. Akamwacha Mark nje na kwenda ndani. Alikuwa na huzuni sana moyoni, lakini akajikaza na kwenda chumbani kuchukua vitu vichache. Kati ya vitu hivyo ilikuwa ni picha ya muda mrefu sana ya mama yake mzazi, na baada ya kuitazama kwa ufupi akaiweka mfukoni na kubeba mizigo yake mpaka nje. Mark akamsaidia kuipokea mizigo na kwenda kuiweka kwenye gari, kisha wawili hawa wakaingia ndani. Draxton alikuwa kimya tu, akiushikilia usukani na kuitazama nyumba hiyo kwa umakini, kisha akawasha gari na kuligeuza; akiiacha nyumba yake kwa mara ya mwisho.
★★
Mwendo wa dakika kama 20 ulitosha kuwatoa huko misituni na kuwaingiza jijini zaidi. Bado wanaume wote walikuwa kimya, nao walipokuwa mwendoni bado, wakasimamishwa na askari wa usalama barabarani, aliyeomba utambulisho wa Draxton na leseni. Baada ya kuhakiki, askari huyo akawaachia, na safari ikaendelea. Mark akawa ameshangazwa kiasi na uwepo wa askari huyo mapema namna hiyo barabarani.
"On the road this early? He must really like his job (Yaani yupo barabarani mapema yote hii? Basi atakuwa anaipenda kazi yake sana)," Mark akavunja ukimya hatimaye.
"They like to give a good impression (Wanapenda kutoa mtazamo mzuri)," Draxton akasema hivyo kwa utulivu.
"To their superiors (Kwa wakuu wao)," Mark akasema.
"Yeah. Probably has to do with what I did yesterday (Ndiyo. Inaweza pia kuhusiana na nilichokifanya jana)," Draxton akasema.
"Or maybe it's just an early shift (Au labda ni zamu ya mapema tu)," Mark akamwambia.
Ukimya ukafuata tena, kisha Draxton akauliza, "How many did I kill? (Nimeua wangapi?)"
Mark akamtazama kwa ufupi, kisha akasema, "Sixteen (Kumi na sita)."
Draxton akakaza meno yake akihisi vibaya sana moyoni. "My God... how could I let this happen? (Mungu wangu... nimewezaje kuruhusu hii itokee?)" akajisemea kwa sauti ya chini.
"It wasn't your fault (Hayakuwa makosa yako)."
"Don't say that. You don't know anything (Usiseme hivyo. Haujui lolote lile)."
"I know everything (Najua kila kitu)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akamtazama kwa umakini.
"I mean... at least a huge part of things. But I know you didn't want this. And trust me, we can fix it (Namaanisha... nafahamu sehemu kubwa ya mambo yote angalau. Ila najua haukutaka hili. Na niamini, tunaweza kulirekebisha)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akaendelea tu kuendesha gari lake akiwa na mengi akilini.
Baada ya dakika chache, wakawa wamefikia pale kwenye nyumba ya kupanga alipoishi, naye Draxton akaegesha gari lake na wote kushuka. Wakaitoa mizigo yake na kwenda mpaka getini, na kwa muda huo lilikuwa wazi kwa ndani; yaani halikuwa limefungwa kutokana na mwanaume mmoja aliyekuwa mume wake Rehema kuwahi kuondoka kwa ajili ya kazi. Hivyo Draxton akalisukuma tu, nalo likafunguka. Wapangaji wengine walikuwa wamelala bado, isipokuwa ya yule binti aliyeitwa Kuluthum ambaye alikuwa anamwandaa mvulana mdogo wa familia yao kwa ajili ya kwenda shule. Draxton na Mark wakapita tu mpaka kufikia upande wa vyumba vyake, kisha akafungua tu na kuingia ndani.
Mark akamfata taratibu mpaka sehemu ya sebule, naye Draxton akamwambia anaweza kupumzika kwenye sofa hapo ili yeye aende kujisafisha vizuri kisha waje kuzungumza. Lakini Mark akasema hapana. Akamwambia kwamba aende kujisafisha kisha apumzike, yaani alale kabisa, na kwa sababu yeye Mark alikuwa ameshapajua hapo basi angemfata baadaye ili waweze kuongea vizuri. Akasema alikuwa na chumba kwenye hoteli fulani jijini hapo hivyo angeenda huko kwanza kisha angerudi muda ambao Draxton angekuwa ametulia vya kutosha. Draxton akatilia maanani pendekezo hilo, akiona ni kweli kwamba alihitaji muda wa kuwa mwenyewe kwanza kabla ya mambo mengine mazito ambayo mwanaume huyo alitaka kumweleza. Akamkubalia na kumwambia achukue gari lake ili iwe rahisi kwenda alikotaka, lakini Mark akasema haingekuwa na shida kwa sababu alitambua kwamba eneo la hapo halikuwa mbali na hoteli alipokaa, hivyo akasema angechukua tu usafiri wa pikipiki. Akaondoka hapo hatimaye, naye Draxton akakaa kwenye sofa kwanza.
Kwa wakati huu alikuwa anawaza zaidi kuhusu hali ya Namouih. Ikiwa Efraim Donald alitambua kwamba mke wake anatoka ndani ya ndoa yao na kufikia hatua ya kumwagiza Suleiman amuue, basi huenda ingekuwa hatari sana kwa mwanamke yule kuendelea kuwa kwake. Ingawa Namouih alikuwa mchango mkubwa katika kumsaidia na shida aliyokuwa nayo ya kubadilika, bado alikuwa ni mke wa mtu, na yeye Draxton alikuwa ni mpenzi wa rafiki ya huyo mke wa mtu. Mambo yalikuwa yamezidi kuchacha hasa kwa kuwa suala hilo lilipelekea vifo vingi vya watu wasiokuwa na hatia, na jambo hilo lilimchoma kupita maelezo. Yale yale aliyokuwa ameyakimbia Marekani na Venezuela yakawa yamejirudia tena. Hakuwa hata na hamu ya kushika simu kuangalia kama alitafutwa, hivyo akanyanyuka tu na kwenda chumbani, naye akavua nguo zile za maaskari na kuvaa taulo, kisha akaelekea bafuni kule nje na kuoga. Alipomaliza akaingia tu ndani na kuvaa pensi ya kijani pekee, na haikuchukua dakika nyingi baada tu ya yeye kujitupia kitandani usingizi ukamchukua kutokana na uchovu uliokuwa mwilini mwake.
★★
Muda fulani kupita, mwanaume huyu akaanza kusikia sauti za mbali za mlango uliogongwa kwa nguvu, naye akashtuka na kuweza kuzisikia vizuri zaidi kumfanya atambue kwamba ulikuwa ni mlango wake. Akajinyanyua taratibu, naye akaivuta simu yake kuangalia muda. Ilikuwa inakimbilia saa saba mchana, na kwenye kioo cha simu yake aliweza kuona taarifa ya simu ambazo hazikupokelewa kutoka kwa Namouih na Blandina. Za Blandina ndiyo zilikuwa nyingi zaidi, na baada ya mlango kusikika unagongwa tena, akaiweka simu pembeni na kutoka chumbani. Alidhani ingekuwa ni Mark ndiye aliyerudi, lakini alipofika usawa wa mlango na kukaribia kuufungua, akahisi harufu aliyoifahamu vyema; harufu ya Blandina.
Akafumba macho yake na kuinamisha uso wake kwa kuingiwa na simamzi, lakini akajiweka sawa na kumfungulia. Hangeweza kujizuia kumtazama mwanamke huyo kwa huzuni kutokana na yote yaliyokuwa yameendelea tangu amekutana naye, na Blandina alikuwa ameonyesha kiwango cha hali ya juu sana cha upendo kwake kwa muda mrefu kiasi kwamba hisia za hatia kutokana na mambo aliyofanya Draxton yasiyokuwa halali kwenye uhusiano wao zilikuwa nzito kupitiliza. Lakini licha ya yote, Blandina akaingia ndani hapo na kumkumbatia. Akambusu kwa upendo na kumwomba amweleze sababu zake za kumficha matatizo aliyokuwa nayo, na alisumbuliwa na nini hasa. Draxton akamwongoza kwenda mpaka kwenye sofa, na hapo akajaribu kuomba samahani kwa yote, huku Blandina akimsihi amwambie ukweli. Draxton alikuwa karibu kabisa kumwambia mpenzi wake kila kitu lakini Blandina akaitwa ghafla ofisini kutokana na dharura iliyomhitaji.
Mwanaume akamwambia aende tu, nao wangetafuta muda mwingine wa kuzungumza kwa kina, na ndiyo Blandina akatumia nafasi hiyo kumwambia asiache kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya siku ya kuzaliwa kwake Namouih ambayo ilipangwa kufanyiwa nyumbani kwa Efraim Donald. Baada ya Draxton kukubali, mpenzi wake akaondoka, akimwacha mwanaume anawaza ikiwa kwenda lingekuwa jambo la busara hasa ikiwa Efraim Donald alijua kumhusu. Lakini kabla ya yote angetakiwa kumsubiri Mark kwanza ili aje kuzungumza naye, na ndiyo angejua ni sehemu ipi angetakiwa kusimama baada ya hapo.
★★
Yalipita kama masaa mawili baada ya Blandina kuondoka kwake Draxton, na kufikia mida hii mwanaume huyu tayari alikuwa ametulia vya kutosha kuweza kuzungumza na Mark, ambaye bado hakuwa amerudi. Alipika na kula chakula kiasi kilichokuwepo kwenye friji, na sasa alikuwa akitazama tu taarifa zilizohusiana na msiba uliosababishwa na mnyama aliyekuwa yeye mwenyewe. Sehemu nyingi za mitandao ya kijamii suala hilo lilizungumziwa, huku watu wengi wakiipondea serikali kwa kutoweza kushughulika vyema na majanga ya namna hiyo sikuzote yakitokea. Akafatilia taarifa za watu waliouawa na kugundua kwamba 15 walikuwa ni vijana wadogo waliokuwa wakicheza tu mpira eneo lile, na mmoja alikuwa mzee aliyefanya kazi ndani ya mashine ya nafaka.
Alihisi majuto mengi mno, na hasira kali ikamwingia iliyomfanya anyannyuke kutoka sofani na kupiga ngumi mezani. Ilivunjika kabisa na kusambaa, naye akawa anapumua kwa nguvu sana na kukaa chini. Kwa nini maisha yake yalikuwa hivi? Na hata kama angetaka kufa ili kukomesha matatizo yote aliyotokeza, ni jambo ambalo halikuwezekana. Kwa nini ilikuwa hivyo? Maswali na machungu yakiwa yanaendelea kumtawala mlango wa kuingilia ndani hapo ukafunguka. Draxton hakunyanyua uso wake kumtazama aliyeingia kwa kuwa tayari alijua ni nani. Mark ndiyo alikuwa amefika. Mwanaume huyu akakaribia sehemu ambayo Draxton alikuwa amekaa, akiona jinsi vipande vidogo vya meza ilivyozagaa, naye akamwangalia kwa uelewa.
"You want to talk about it? (Ungependa kulizungumzia?)" Mark akauliza.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "No. I just wanna listen to you (Hapana. Nataka tu kukusikiliza wewe)."
Mark akarudi nyuma kidogo, naye Draxton akajinyanyua na kuketi kwenye sofa tena. Alipomwangalia Mark, Draxton akagundua kuwa mwanaume huyo alikuwa anaweka umakini wake upande mwingine wa sebule, kama vile anatafuta jambo fulani.
"What is it? (Kuna nini?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akamwangalia na kusema, "I'm picking up an unfamiliar scent in here. It's... feminine (Ninaweza kuvuta harufu fulani isiyotambulika ndani humu. Ni... ya kike)."
Draxton akaelewa, naye akamwambia, "I had a visitor earlier. She's my friend (Nilikuwa na mgeni mapema leo. Ni rafiki yangu)."
"I see (Naona)," Mark akasema hivyo, kisha akaketi pia.
Draxton alikuwa na uso ulioonyesha mawazo sana, na mgeni wake alilielewa hilo vizuri.
"You gonna be okay? (Utakuwa sawa?)" Mark akauliza.
"Yeah, just... tell me. I want to know everything (Ndiyo, wewe... niambie tu. Nataka kujua kila kitu)," Draxton akasema na kumtazama machoni.
"What do you know about the way you are? (Unafahamu nini kuhusiana na jinsi ulivyo?)" Mark akamuuliza.
Draxton akatulia kidogo, kisha akasema, "Other than being an impossible to control murderous monster, nothing (Tofauti na kuwa mnyama muuaji asiyeweza kuongozwa, sijui lolote)."
"I've been where you have, and I know with you it has been a huge burden for a long time because you never fully understood yourself. Maximilian... you are a very complex being none of our kind can fathom to be, and even though I can walk you through many answers about what we are, understanding how YOU are is still a mystery (Nimeshakuwa kwenye sehemu uliyopitia, na ninajua kwako wewe imekuwa ni mzigo mzito sana kwa sababu hukuwahi kuelewa namna ulivyo kikamili. Maximilian.. wewe ni kiumbe mwenye utata sana hakuna hata mmoja wa aina yetu anaweza kuufikia, na ingawa ninaweza kukuelezea kuhusiana na aina yetu, kuelewa jinsi WEWE ulivyo bado ni fumbo)," Mark akamwambia.
"You're saying... that we are of the same kind, but I'm different? (Unasema... kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja, lakini mimi niko tofauti?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"What do you mean? How... how is it possible that we are what we are? (Unamaanisha nini? Kivipi... inawezekana vipi kwamba tuko namna tulivyo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"It's because of your father, Obadiah Draxton (Ni kwa sababu ya baba yako, Obadiah Draxton)," Mark akasema.
Draxton akabaki kumtazama kwa umakini.
"He was a special animal scientist in the 19's, during the GED, leading up to the second world war. You may be familiar with your father's history that he, among other scientists, tried to do an experimentation where a human and an animal could interbreed, but their expectations never gave favourable fruits. Your father, unbeknownst to many, continued to search for ways to make his theories work, and at last succeeded in combining human cells with those of a wolf to produce an hybrid child, and an immortal one... you (Alikuwa ni mwanasayansi mtaalamu wa wanyama miaka ya 19 huko, wakati ule wa mshuko mkubwa wa kiuchumi, mpaka kufikia vita vya pili vya dunia. Unaweza kuwa unajua historia ya baba yako kwamba yeye, pamoja na wanasayansi wengine wa wanyama, walijaribu kufanya majaribio ya kuwezesha mwanadamu na mnyama kuzalisha kwa pamoja, lakini matarajio yao hayakuwapa matunda yaliyotazamiwa. Bila mtu mwingine kujua, baba yako aliendelea kutafuta njia za kufanya mawazo yake yafanikiwe, na mwishowe akaweza kuunganisha seli za mwanadamu na zile za mbwa-mwitu kutokeza mtoto wa aina mbili, na asiyeweza kufa... wewe)," Mark akaeleza.
"How did he manage that? (Aliwezaje kufanikisha hilo?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
"That IS the mystery. But what he did was a miracle, that we only see in movies and books. Whatever he did with producing you is what makes you immortal Maximilian, and it is still impossible to know what unless maybe... (Hilo NDIYO fumbo. Lakini alichokifanya kilikuwa muujiza, kama tu ile tuionayo kwenye filamu na vitabu. Chochote alichokifanya kukuzalisha wewe ndiyo kilichowezesha usiweze kufa kabisa Maximilian, na bado haitawezekana kujua ni nini isipokuwa labda...)"
"I get cell-checked (Nitazamwe kwenye seli zangu)," Draxton akamalizia maneno ya Mark.
"Yeah. But no one is going to force you to do something like that especially since it may cause a wreck to our well kept secrecy of our kind (Ndiyo. Lakini hakuna atakayekulazimisha ufanye jambo kama hilo hasa kwa sababu inaweza kuleta shida kwa upande wetu wa kutunza siri kuhusu aina zetu)," Mark akasema.
"How is it possible that we are of the same kind if my father only ever created me? (Inawezekanaje kwamba sisi ni wa aina moja ikiwa baba yangu alinitengeneza mimi tu?)" Draxton akauliza.
"Well, some people wanted to know how he did it after finding out about you, and I can say he saw they had ulterior motives. He hid you, but they caught him, forced and tortured him to give you up... only he didn't and that's why... they killed him, and faked his death as suicide (Kuna watu waliotaka kujua alifanyaje mpaka kufanikiwa walipogundua kukuhusu, na naweza kusema aliona kwamba walikuwa na makusudio mabaya. Alikuficha, lakini waliweza kumkamata, wakamlazimisha na kumtesa ili awapatie wewe.. lakini hakufanya hivyo na ndiyo sababu... wakamuua, kuweka kifo chake kiwe bandia kwa kufanya ionekane kwamba alijiua)," Mark akasimulia.
Draxton akatazama chini.
"His research was sought after for years, but they didn't succeed in finding it. It might have appeared your father got rid of everything he worked on, but it wasn't like that. One of the many scientists he worked with was his closest friend named Charles Delmas. He somehow knew how your father managed to make you come to reality, so he was working secretly, by himself, to carry on with your father's work. He very much succeded in creating a human-wolf eventually, especially after technology improved. But just like your father, he was strictly careful not involving any untrusted person in that. It turns out that, the experiment included the combination of his own blood, semen, wolf cells, and other stuff, into the productive organs of a woman. There was a special process here on making this actually work that only he and your father knew of, like interbreeding surrogacy, and as such, another human-wolf baby was born (Utafiti wake ulisakwa kwa miaka mingi, lakini hawakufanikiwa kuupata. Ingeonekana labda baba yako aliharibu kila kitu ambacho alifanyia kazi, lakini haikuwa hivyo. Mmoja kati ya wanasayansi wengi aliofanya nao kazi alikuwa rafiki yake wa karibu aliyeitwa Charles Delmas. Alifahamu kwa njia fulani namna baba yako alivyofanikiwa kukuleta duniani, kwa hiyo kwa usiri mkubwa, akaendeleza kazi ya baba yako yeye mwenyewe. Alifanikiwa kutengeneza mtu-mwitu baada ya muda, hasa kwa kuwa teknolojia iliboreka zaidi. Ikagundulika kwamba jaribio hilo lilitia ndani kuunganishwa kwa damu yake, mbegu za uzazi, seli za mbwa-mwitu, na mambo mengine, ndani ya ogani za uzazi za mwanamke. Kulikuwa na utaratibu wa kipekee hapa uliofanywa ambao ni yeye na baba yako tu ndiyo walioufahamu, kama upandikiziwaji wa mayai ya viumbe wa aina tofauti, na kama ilivyo, mtoto aliye mwanadamu-mwitu akazaliwa)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton hakusema chochote zaidi ya kuendelea kumsikiliza mwanaume huyo.
Mark akaendelea kusimulia, "The outcome of doctor Charles' work was a bit different from that of your father. Surely, the hybrid born had similar traits like those you got, but it wasn't immune to death like how you are. At first that didn't matter because none of anyone knew about your features, and even doctor Charles himself tried for two decades to find you but did not succeed (Matokeo ya kazi ya daktari Charles yalikuwa na utofauti na yale ya baba yako. Kiuhakika kabisa, mtu-mwitu aliyezaliwa alikuwa na tabia kama ulizonazo, lakini hakuwa na uwezo wa kujikinga dhidi ya kifo kama wewe. Mwanzoni hilo halikujalisha kwa kuwa hakuna aliyejua kuhusu sifa zako, na hata daktari Charles alijaribu kukutafuta kwa miongo miwili bila kufanikiwa)."
"What happened then? (Nini kikafuata?)" Draxton akamuuliza
"Well, he monitored the child closely as he grew up. He raised him as he was his own son, and after fully understanding his growth development, Charles figured out that his son's offsprings would inherit his wolf genes, so he had to make sure when that time came his son would be ready to deal with everything that he was going to have to be... not just part human, part wolf, but a good father to all of his children (Basi, alimwangalia mtoto huyo kwa ukaribu kadiri alivyoendelea kukua. Alimlea hasa kutokana na yeye kuwa mwanaye, na baada ya kuelewa maendeleo ya ukuaji wake kikamili, Charles aligundua kwamba wazao wa mwana wake wangerithi chembe za uhai za mwitu wake, kwa hiyo alihakikisha kwamba muda huo ukifika basi mwanaye angekuwa tayari kushughulika na mambo yote aliyohitaji kuwa.. siyo nusu-mwanadamu na nusu-mnyama tu, bali kama baba mzuri kwa wazao wake)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So Charles continued doing other experiments like the ones that produced his son, and that brought four other hybrids. He had a secret base somewhere on the mountains and that's where all of them grew together (Kwa hiyo Charles aliendelea kufanya majaribio mengine kama lile lililozalisha mwana wake, na hiyo ikaleta watu-mwitu wengine wanne. Alikuwa na jengo la kisiri eneo fulani la milimani na huko ndiko hao wote walipokua kwa pamoja)," Mark akamwambia.
"Meaning they were also his children (Ikimaanisha na wenyewe walikuwa ni watoto wake)," Draxton akasema.
"Yes. Their animalistic change kicked in when they reached adolescence. Charles had mentally prepared them for the change, and the way his first son embraced it in a controllable manner, it happened the same way with the other hybrids. Through time, many aspects of their lives changed, while continuously learning how to control their abilities and hide them from the rest of the world, they found a deep bond between themselves that was very different and strong, thus lived in a special way to maintain stability and order for all of their kind in the future. It was always about keeping one another safe, so they established a set of rules and regulations that would help protect our kind in it's small world. As time went on, they reproduced themselves, creating families on a safe ground, and the first five hybrids were the leaders of the packs created (Ndiyo. Badiliko lao la unyama liliwapata walipopevuka. Charles aliwaandaa vizuri kiakili kwa ajili ya badiliko hilo, na jinsi ambavyo mwana wake wa kwanza alilipokea kwa utaratibu mzuri ilitokea kwa njia hiyo hiyo na kwa wale wengine. Kadiri muda ulivyopita, nyanja mbalimbali za maisha yao zilibadilika, huku wakiwa wanaendelea kujifunza namna ya kuziongoza nguvu zao na kuzificha kutoka kwa wengi duniani, walipata muungano wa ndani sana uliokuwa tofauti na wenye nguvu, hivyo walianza kuishi kwa njia ya pekee ili kuweka uwiano na utaratibu mzuri kwa ajili ya watu wa aina yao kwa wakati ujao. Sikuzote ilikuwa kuhusu kulindana, kwa hiyo waliwekeza sheria na taratibu ambazo zingelinda watu wa aina yetu ndani ya dunia yao ndogo. Muda ulipoendelea kusonga, walizaliana, wakiunda familia kwenye eneo salama, na wale watu-mwitu watano wa kwanza kabisa ndiyo walikuwa viongozi wa makundi waliyotengeneza)," Mark akaelezea.
"Packs? (Makundi?)"
"Yes, just like how wolves live in packs Maximilian. Their growth, our growth, is very rapid. In just 7 years one would already be what a normal human being is 18 years old, and that was due to our bestial nature forcing the growing of the human body and mind to escalate. So when I said adolescence I meant 7 years Maximilian, but I know that wasnt the case with you (Ndiyo, kama tu ambavyo mbwa-mwitu huishi kimakundi Maximilian. Ukuaji wao, yaani ukuaji wetu, ni wa kasi sana. Ni ndani ya miaka 7 tu mmoja wetu angeweza kuwa namna ambavyo kwa mwanadamu wa kawaida ni miaka 18, na hiyo ilikuwa kwa sababu hali yetu ya unyama ililazimu ukuaji wa mwili wa kibinadamu na akili visonge kwa kasi. Kwa hiyo niliposema kupevuka nilimaanisha miaka 7 Maximilian, ila najua haikuwa namna hiyo kwako)," Mark akasema.
"No. I grew up like a normal person. So how old are you? (Hapana. Nimekua kama mtu kikawaida. Kwa hiyo una miaka mingapi?)"
"I'd say over 200 years bestially. In a normal calendar I would be 38 (Ningesema zaidi ya miaka 200 kiunyama. Kwa kalenda ya kawaida nina miaka 38)," Mark akajibu.
Draxton akatikisa kichwa kuonyesha uelewa.
"So, their family as whole was well protected, in such a huge world full of bad. It wasn't easy to always keep order, you know there's just gonna be that one person who wants to be above it all. Well, that time came when two wolf children killed another accidentally. They were both like adolescents, still new to their change, overwhelmed by it, and while playing in their wolf forms the kids hurt the other intensely. The one that died was the daughter of one of the leaders. He was hurt, saddened, angered by her death and wanted to kill the children who caused it as punishment. They weren't from his own pack, so there was a resistance from the other children's families and even disapprovement by the other leaders, who cited the incident as an unintentional accident and his want to punish them was nothing but an unfair vengeance (Familia zao kiujumla zililindwa vyema, hata ingawa walikuwa ndani ya dinia iliyojaa mabaya. Haikuwa rahisi sikuzote kuuendeleza utaratibu, unaelewa kwamba sikuzote ni lazima tu kutakuwa na yule mtu anayetaka kuwa juu ya mambo yote. Huo muda ulifika wakati ambapo
watoto-mwitu wawili walipomuua mwingine kwa tukio baya. Wote kwa pamoja walikuwa kama vijana tu waliopevuka, wageni kwenye mabadiliko yao, ikiwa kama imewazidia, na ndiyo walipokuwa wanacheza ndani ya maumbo ya unyama wakawa wamemuumiza vibaya sana mwenzao. Aliyekufa alikuwa binti wa mmoja wa wale viongozi. Aliumizwa, alisikitishwa, alikasirishwa na kifo cha binti yake naye akataka wale watoto wengine wawili wapewe adhabu ya kifo. Hawakuwa wa kundi lake mwenyewe, hivyo mgomo ukawepo kutoka kwa familia za watoto hao na hata kukataliwa kwa suala hilo na wale viongozi wengine, walioonelea tukio zima kuwa ajali tu ambayo haikutazamiwa na hivyo yeye kutaka watoto wapewe hiyo adhabu ilikuwa ni kutaka tu kisasi kisicho na haki)," Mark akaeleza.
Draxton akaendelea kusikiliza kwa utulivu.
"That leader got so upset that he threatened to kill the children by himself. The other leaders tried to calm things down but he insisted on avenging his daughter. Things went... very wrong... the other four leaders disbanded him from their unity, and it fueled his anger even more. Very much later, using his own pack, he plotted the deaths of the other four leaders, and killed all of them on the day he faked a truce after inviting them and their families to a small reunion celebration. He also knew that the leaders' firstborns would inherit their parents' powers to become the next leaders of their respective packs, so he killed all of them too. He wanted to be the only original hybrid left to lead all of the born human-wolves, and he killed anyone of them who dified him. A lot died Maximilian. He killed my parents, and my brother too (Huyo kiongozi alikasirika sana kiasi kwamba akatishia kuwaua wale watoto yeye mwenyewe. Viongozi wengine walijaribu kutuliza hali lakini yeye akasisitiza kutaka kulipa kisasi kwa ajili ya binti yake. Mambo yalikwenda... vibaya sana... wale viongozi wengine wakamwondoa kutoka kwenye umoja wao, na hiyo ikamwongezea hasira hata zaidi. Baadaye kabisa, akilitumia kundi lake mwenyewe, alipanga vifo vya wale viongozi wengine wanne, naye akawaua wote kwenye siku aliyowaalika kufanya sherehe ndogo ya upatano uliokuwa bandia. Alijua pia kwamba wazaliwa wa kwanza wa viongozi hao wangerithi nguvu za wazazi wao ili kuwa wakuu wa makundi waliofuata baada yao, kwa hiyo akawaua pia. Alitaka kuwa mtu-mwitu wa kwanza pekee aliyebaki ili kuwaongoza watu-mwitu wote waliokuwepo, na aliua yeyote kati yao ambaye angepingana naye. Wengi waliuawa Maximilian. Aliwaua wazazi wangu, pamoja na kaka yangu)," Mark akasema hayo.
Draxton akamtazama kwa hisia za huruma.
"For those of us who remained, we had to abide by his new rule. He's very ruthless. You know... before his rampage we were about half a thousand in population, but up to now there is only a few numbers left of us to even reach a hundred (Kwa sisi ambao tulibaki, ilitubidi tujiweke chini ya utawala wake mpya. Ni mtu mkatili sana. Unajua... kabla ya ghadhabu yake tulikuwa na idadi inayokaribia nusu elfu, lakini kwa sasa hivi hatuko wengi hata kufika mia)."
"He killed hundreds of people and nobody knew about it? (Aliua mamia ya watu na hakuna mtu aliyejua kuhusu hilo?)"
"You mean normal to government people? No. Aside from being a murderous scum but that guy is also very rich. The entirety of his territory has many places where he can do evil things and no one gets to hear of them. He controls us because we've sworn to be his people, so even when some of us try to play rebel we can't really outrun the influence he has on us (Unamaanisha watu wa kawaida mpaka kufikia serikalini? Hapana. Mbali na kuwa muuaji sugu lakini huyo jamaa ni tajiri pia. Sehemu kubwa ya himaya yake ina sehemu ambazo anaweza kufanyia mambo maovu na hakuna mtu yeyote anayeweza kujua. Anatuendesha kwa kuwa tumeapa kuwa watu wake, kwa hiyo hata nyakati ambazo baadhi yetu tunajaribu kujifanya waasi hatuwezi kuukimbia uchochezi alionao juu yetu)."
"What influence? You are telling me that this guy controls your free will? Is he God? (Uchochezi gani? Unataka kuniambia kwamba huyu jamaa anaendesha uhuru wenu wa kuchagua? Yeye ni Mungu?)"
"No, it's not like that. You see, that bond I mentioned is like a connection in our animalistic side. We live with it, and only the original hybrids and their first offsprings have the power to be pledged loyalty to so that they may protect everyone in their pack. That bond is very powerful. It's the same as how wolves are, except with us having a human side it helps not being fully controlled like mad animal puppets. I... I know there is a lot you don't understand Maximilian but please... trust me when I tell you that you are our only hope in defeating our evil leader (Hapana, haiko namna hiyo. Ni kwamba, ule muungano niliousema ni kama uvutano katika upande wetu wa unyama. Tunaishi nao, na ni watu-mwitu wa kwanza kabisa na wazao wao wa kwanza ndiyo wenye nguvu ya kuweza kutiishiwa ushikamanifu ili waweze kuwalinda wote wa kwenue makundi yao. Huo muungano una nguvu. Ni kama tu mbwa-mwitu kabisa walivyo, isipokuwa kwetu sisi kuwa na upande wa kibinadamu inasaidia kutoendeshwa kama wanaseserere vichaa. Nina... ninajua ni mambo mengi usiyoelewa Maximilian lakini tafadhali... niamini nikikwambia kwamba wewe ndiyo tumaini letu pekee katika kumshinda kiongozi wetu mbaya)," Mark akamwambia kwa kusihi sana.
Ni kweli kabisa kwamba mambo mengi ambayo mwanaume huyo alikuwa ametoka kusema yalimchanganya sana Draxton, na alitaka ufafanuzi zaidi lakini aliona woga mkuu ndani ya Mark ingawa alionekana imara. Ni lazima tu alikuwa anahofia mambo mengi mabaya kutoka kwa huyo kiongozi, na kama yeye Draxton ndiye aliyekuwa tumaini lao kutoa msaada, alihitaji kujua alihitajikaje hasa.
"How am I going to do that? (Nitafanya hivyo jinsi gani?)" Draxton akamuuliza, akiweka mawazo mengi pembeni kwanza.
Mark akasogeza kichwa mbele na kusema, "You have to come with me Maximilian. You can defeat him by taking over the entire pack, and if need be, take him out as well (Unatakiwa kuja nami Maximilian. Unaweza kumshinda kwa kulichukua kundi lote, na ikihitajika, kumwondoa yeye kabisa)," Mark akasema.
"What? Go with you? (Nini? Niende pamoja nawe?)"
"Yes (Ndiyo)."
"That... that is way too much (Hiyo... hiyo imezidi kipimo sana)."
"Maximilian please try to understand... (Maximilian tafadhali jaribu kuelewa...)"
"I do understand, but son, that is way off my mark. As much as I could believe everything you have told me, it is still so... new... to me. I don't even know where you're from, where you want us to go, how you found me, what I'll be doing and how that will affect the life that I have now... (Ninaelewa, ila mwanangu, hii kitu iko nje ya mstari wangu. Kwa kadiri ambayo ningeweza kuamini yote uliyosema, bado kila jambo ni... geni... kwangu mimi. Sijui hata unatokea wapi, unataka twende wapi, umenipata vipi, nitafanya mambo yapi na ni jinsi gani yataathiri maisha niliyonayo sasa...)"
"And I will fill you in with everything you need to know, but just really... (Na nitakueleza kila kitu unachotaka kujua, lakini kiukweli tu...)"
"Please, please, stop. This... this is a very confusing time for me. I don't know if I'm ready for whatever it is you think I can do to help, but right now, I'm really tired (Tafadhali, tafadhali, acha. Huu... huu ni wakati wenye kuchanganya sana kwangu. Sijui ikiwa niko tayari kwa lolote lile ambalo unadhani naweza kufanya ili kusaidia, lakini kwa sasa, nimechoka sana)," Draxton akamwambia ukweli.
Mark akatazama chini kwa huzuni kiasi, kisha akasema, "I understand. I'm sorry for tyring to force so much on you. I'm just really desperate (Ninaelewa. Samahani kwa kujaribu kulazimisha mambo mengi juu yako. Ni uhitaji mkubwa tu nilionao)."
Draxton akafikicha uso wake kwa kiganja taratibu, kisha akauliza, "How long are you going to be around? (Utakuwa huku kwa muda gani?)"
"A few days. I only had a stay for two weeks here (Siku chache. Nilikuwa na wiki mbili tu za kukaa huku)," Mark akamwambia.
Draxton akamtazama na kusema, "Alright. Give me a day or two, I need to sort some things first, then we'll meet again. Maybe talk some more and see where all of this will lead. Is that okay? (Sawa. Nipe siku moja au mbili, kuna mambo nahitaji kupangilia kwanza, kisha ndiyo tutakutana tena. Labda tutazungumza zaidi kuona haya yote yataelekea wapi. Hiyo ni sawa?)"
Mark akatikisa kichwa kukubali.
"Okay. You got a phone? (Sawa. Una simu?)" Draxton akamuuliza.
Mark akatoa simu yake na kumpatia. Draxton akaifungua na kuandika namba zake hapo, kisha akamrudishia.
"You can call me then I'll let you know when we can talk (Utaweza kunipigia nami nitakujulisha ni muda gani tunaweza kuzungumza)," Draxton akasema.
Mark akaitunza namba ya Draxton ya Tanzania kwa simu yake, naye akamshukuru kwa kumsikiliza na kisha akamuaga na kuanza kuondoka. Draxton alikuwa anataka kumsindikiza lakini mwanaume huyo akasisitiza kumwacha tu ili apumzike, hivyo akaondoka peke yake. Draxton akabaki ndani kwake kwa wakati huu akifikiria kuhusu mambo machache aliyotoka kusikia kwa mwanaume huyo. Haijalishi kama ilikuwa kweli au la, kilichohitajika ili kutoa msaada uliotakiwa kilikuwa kikubwa, lakini alipofikiria mambo vyema zaidi akatambua kwamba huenda hii kwa njia moja ama nyingine ingekuwa ndiyo nafasi yake ya kwenda mbali kuepukana na matatizo ambayo yalikuwa yamejitokeza huku.
Kila mara alipotaka kujihakikishia ndani ya akili yake kwamba kuondoka ndiyo ingekuwa jambo sahihi la kufanya, moyo wake ulilikataa wazo hilo hasa ulipopitisha midundo ya hisia alizokuwa nazo kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa huku. Moyo wake haukutaka kabisa kuwaacha Namouih na Blandina. Lakini tena jambo hilo ndiyo moja kati ya mambo yaliyomchanganya hata zaidi; yaani ni jinsi gani angejigawa kwa wanawake wawili waliokuwa na sehemu muhimu sana ndani ya moyo wake. Hakujua mambo yangekwendaje, lakini alijua angetakiwa kuweka hali yake kimahusiano iwe sawa kabisa kwa wanawake wale kabla ya kuchukua maamuzi ambayo yangehitajika kuchukuliwa. Akaamua tu kuanza kupiga hatua hiyo kwa kwenda kwenye sherehe ndogo ya Namouih nyumbani kwake siku hiyo, naye akanyanyuka na kuanza kusafisha ndani hapo kisha aende kujiandaa kwa ajili ya sikukuu hiyo ya kuzaliwa Namouih.
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ITAENDELEA
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