Borrowed Time [Fiction]

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children ~ Chief Seattle

Living on borrowed time means I must tie up loose ends and make sure my son, Asher, does not repeat the mistakes I made. This surely would entail a series of adventures that would wear out my body. I did not care.

I barely escaped with my life and my newborn when it became apparent that I did not recognise my husband, Obedi of the Outcast clan, again. I shunned all the warnings of my family, blinded by love and bound myself to him. They were called the 'Outcast' clan for a reason but it was until they stabbed me with the ceremonial shraki dagger in preparation for the ritual that I knew they were not my people.

From that day on, I died slowly. Still, I fought death to stay alive for my son. Now it seemed history was going to repeat itself but I would give up the few breaths I had left to ensure my son followed the right path.

I hurriedly crossed the road that was usually busy but now strangely quiet in the middle of the day to Asher's bachelor pad. I knocked on the door hard, impressing my urgency into the knocks.

I heard the shuffling of feet from inside and the sound of the iron lock turning backwards, and then the door opened. A young lady with smooth olive skin and the prettiest, enigmatic dark eyes I had ever seen opened the door.

I saw her through her eyes…
Through the eyes, you glimpse the soul of a man.

Her almond eyes widened in surprise before squinting together in doubt. I looked her over, from head to toe. Her jet black, sleeky hair spread out covering her shoulders. Her button nose complimented her full lips and her hour-glass shape made her the ideal lady for an eligible bachelor like Asher.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered harshly to prevent anyone else from hearing us. I pointed my crooked index fingers at her, no thanks to my arthritic condition.

"Where is my son?" I asked. Before she could reply and taking her by surprise, I brushed her out of the way with as much strength as I could muster and stepped into the house. That effort alone left me breathless for a moment, my heart racing.

I could feel the breaths I had left.

"Asher! Come out here," I shouted, standing in the living room. Asher rushed out of another room just as the lady joined me.

"Mama?" He couldn't believe his eyes. He looked between us both. I did not give him time to process the situation.

"You cannot be with her. She's not who you think she is," I spurted. "You know she's from the forbidden clan. They are outcasts for a reason…"

Asher shook his head. "Mama, please stop. My father was an outcast…you were joined to him, remember?"

"My greatest regret in life, son. Listen to me. Don't let their wish come to pass. I ran away with you from them for a reason…"

I stopped as the lady walked up to Asher and held his hand. Without another thought, I sprinted forward and threw my weight at her, scratching at her face with all my strength.

Call me crazy, I was ready to die for my son and not let him pass through the same horror I faced after I married his father.

My mother warned me not to have anything to do with the Outcast clan. Once an outsider marries into their clan, they force the spouse through a ritual that claims her life after the birth of her first male child. Simply because they were labelled outcasts by other clans due to their ritualistic ways, they never wholeheartedly accept outsiders into their clan.

I only knew about the ritual after I'd married Obedi. By the time I knew this, the ritual was already taking place but I ran far away with my son from them to another country. And now, Asher was in love with an Outcast lady!

I felt Asher pulling me off the lady. Her face was bleeding and a mess. She screamed in horror and drew out a shraki dagger from underneath her dress. The same dagger used in the ritual.

Asher, shocked, dragged me away as she came after me with the dagger, like a mad woman, shrieking. Everything happened in an instant.

Asher couldn't protect me, though he was torn between us women.

Before I could struggle back to my feet, she drove the dagger into my chest, close to my heart, just as Asher reached out in an attempt to stop her. He was not fast enough.

She cackled at my son and me, her face bloody and ran out of the house.

"Mama? Mama? Please stay with me…help!"

I think I was numb. I gripped his shirt, "Asher, call for the ambulance. It's going to be alright."

Asher would not leave my side at the hospital. He spent the night and slept beside me like he did when he was a little boy.

I brushed his curly hair backwards. He mumbled in his sleep. Now he knows the truth.

My heart gave its last beat as I smiled in satisfaction. I have saved my son again.