Karma

She stood there. She scratched her scruffy hair. She was hungry and sweaty. She rummaged through the trash bin hoping to find something to cheat her stomach with. If she still had it she could be scuffing down a hot meal or a milkshake at Java.

Life in the cold Nairobi streets was tough. People never had time for her antics and the County Council askaris were always on her. The beasts had the courage to ask her for sex so that she could not go to jail.

She had many challenges, but her main goal was to find the old woman. She was the one responsible for her misfortune. Why did she have to do this? She had done nothing wrong. So why was she paying for something she had not done.

The sun blazed. Her hunger was intense. She tried going to a restaurant to beg for even bones, but she was chased and blamed for driving away the customers.

She found a cold pavement and sat. She tucked her knees near her chest. She tried to cry but she did not have the strength to shed a tear.

"God please help me. I have learnt from my mistakes. Please lift this burden from me."

It had been 10 years since she last prayed. Unfortunately she was still in the same situation. She got drowsy and slept painfully.

"Jane wake up."

She opened her eyes and saw her husband next to her smiling. He kissed her gently and placed a tray on her knees. Breakfast in bed.

She looked around and rubbed her eyes, just to make sure it was not a mirage or she was envisioning someone else.

She saw her old high school photos. She also saw the well furnished bedroom, her dream come true.

The most important thing was her husband smiling.

"What's wrong sweety?"

She was suddenly awoken by a car that had zoomed fast near the pavement. She gathered herself and walked to an alley and slipped in a pile of trash. She did not want her dream to end so she forced herself to sleep, so that it could continue.

It took awhile, but she finally slept. She was now at her workplace. She was at her desk, typing a report needed that afternoon. She left for lunch at 2pm. She passed Kimathi's statue and entered one of the numerous restaurant for a bite.

As she left an elderly woman stopped her and asked for assistance. Jane looked at her scrawny face and brushed her off.

All of a sudden the elderly lady screamed and everything turned dark.