The last scream

Ahem!!! time had come for me to undergo the circumcision as per what my dad said earlier that day. So I packed my small belongings and took off to our village in high spirits. Now now now..! In the village where I come from, circumcision is a very significant stage in a young boys life coz its the metamorphosis they must traverse through in order to become men. Good for me!

What I heard about circumsicion
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My uncle told me that during the ritual, the process of cutting my poor foreskin would be;

1. To dip it in a pot of boiling water for two minutes where;

2. An old man would then come holding a broken piece of glass and slowly, use it to cut my foreskin. Since if it happens in a rush I may die in the process... it has not ended yet!

3. Another old man will come with a mixture of salt and pepper then apply it on the tail end of the cut edge where the foreskin used to be. Mark you, no single sound is supposed to come from your mouth! You are not even supposed to cough. Crying is a sign of weakness in our village. Men do not cry

O.M.G!  The d-day came.
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I was woken up at 4:00 am by my uncle. We went to a forest where the ritual was to take place. I saw others like me who were waiting to get cut as well. Even Paulo my cousin, was there. In normal circumstances, if a razor-blade misses and cut my finger or any other part of my velvet skin, I usually cry out so loud and my mom takes me to the family surgeon for some check up . Should anyone add salt to the small scar... then my mouth turns into a siren. So I was there in the forest wondering what to do next....

Amid my wild wonders, an elder came and gathered us... we were all told to remove our attires and remain naked. Halloooo! I doesn't happen that way in the city where we live. But when my uncle told me that if I delay with my attire on they would start with me... no sooner did he complete his statement than.... ok. I was naked already. Woe unto my cousin whom they started with. He was so huge. He endured the cut silently. In fact he smiled. But when the mixture of pepper and salt was added, the guy wailed in groans like a dieing giant. What followed was a special slap that silenced him there and there .

Then came my turn. Wah! I panicked! My heart was pumping from my plum. A cold chill ran down my spine. My legs were shaking. My arm pits were sweating. My throat was dry. My breathing was heavy- I was heaving. The elder called my name the first time "Owen!" My eyes popped out of their sockets. He shouted a second time "Owen!"  Gai fafa Oh God. My tongue was trembling between my teeth. He broke the bottle that was to be used to circumcise me "pangalangalangala!" Then called me by my fathers' name "Lwanda!" I screamed calling my mother to come and rescue me. As I was creaming, someone tapped my back and said softly "my son. Shh.... breakfast is ready. Wake up! You will be late for school. Your nightmare must have been really horrific. Lol!" alas! It was my mom.