Alexandria and Lance

CHAPTER 4

  The next morning Lance and Alexandria woke up and they began their journey through the forest, but soon they realised that they had been lost in the forest. It was therefore very difficult for them to find their way back to Galmine. Their grandmother couldn’t sleep and she remained awake till morning. Very early in the morning, she went to Kian’s house and he was still asleep. She woke up Kian and informed him that Alexandria and Lance had not yet returned back home and he should take her to the Relaxation Centre. Kian didn’t waste any time he quickly dressed up and they began their journey to the Relaxation Centre. When they got to the Relaxation Centre they didn’t meet them there and they also went to the river but didn’t see them there. Their grandmother couldn’t no longer bear this, Kian was perplexed with was going on and he thought that it can’t be that Alexandria and Lance lost their way back to Galmine because Lance had assured him that he and Alexandria can easily find their way back to Galmine. Grandmother later thought that they might have gone to Lemna to meet their parents, she and Kian went to Lemna to check out for Alexandria and Lance at their parents’ home. They met Roy and his wife outside the house preparing to go to the farm and Roy was very happy to see his mother and he asked her about the welfare of his children. Grandmother didn’t know what to do again and she said sadly “Alexandria and Lance went to the Relaxation Centre and they didn’t return home” Roy couldn’t understand her statement and he asked her what had happened to Alexandria and Lance. Kian then narrated to him how Alexandria and Lance followed him to the Relaxation Centre and they refused to go home with him when it was time for them to leave and they promised him that they will come and meet him on the way and they never showed up. Roy and his wife became frightened. ‘We checked them in the Relaxation Centre this morning and we didn’t meet them there” Grandmother told Roy. “I guessed that Alexandria and Lance might have lost their way back to Galmine because it was their first time of going to Relaxation Centre” said Kian. This was very devastating for the family.

  Roy, his family and Kian set out on a journey in search of Alexandria and Lance. They searched the whole of Lemna but they were not found and they went to Galmine to search for them. Alexandria and Lance still continued their journey in the forest and they blamed themselves for not following Kian home. Alexandria and Lance did not want to spend another night in the forest and they tried their best to find their way out of the forest. They knew that they would have put their grandmother and Kian in great panic. They finally reached a narrow path and they thought that the path might reached outside, they took this path and they continued to walk and walk, yet they were still in the forest. It was a very long distance through the path and as if it will not end they continued trekking till evening. They finally reached a place like a garden with abundant grass and flowers. They really loved the environment and decided to rest there because it was already getting dark. “Grandmother and Kian would have been in a very sad mood, for a long time we have not been able to find our way back home” Alexandria said sadly. Lance assured her that he will make sure that they find their way home the next day. Roy and his family had suffered great frustration as they have searched the whole of Galmine and they decided to continue their search in other towns surrounding Lemna the next day. This really pained Kian and he wished that he had made sure they followed him home.

  Early, the next morning Roy and his family began their search in Banga one of Lemna’s neighbouring towns. Likewise Alexandria and Lance woke up very early to begin their journey and after walking a while they came across a small house. Something very peculiar about this house is that it is built with food, the roof is made with sugarcane, the house is built with different kinds of food which are made into bricks. The door and the windows is made with rows of roasted meat, it was very strange. Alexandria and Lance wondered at this house and imagined how it could be possible to build a house with food. Both of them had not eaten for almost two days since they had been in the forest. “This house will be a good source of food for us” Alexandria said looking critically at the house. ”Don’t try to eat any part of it, it must be a mysterious house and the food used to build it might not be an ordinary food.” Lance warned his sister. During their discussion a young man came out of the house and he asked them what they were looking for. When they saw the man they quickly ran away from the house as they thought the man might not be an ordinary human being. The man called them back and said “I will not hurt you”. Alexandria was afraid to return but Lance summoned up courage to return to him. When Lance returned, Alexandria followed him. “What are you looking for, can I help you?” he asked them. “Please can you give us food, we need some food” Lance replied him. The man introduced himself to them as Cyril, he told them that he is the owner of the house and he will give them food. Cyril allowed them into his house, his house was so magnificent and the floor was also made up of different kinds of food. The main property found in the house are made up of food, apart from this, there are different kinds of food packed together in a particular place. Cyril gave them part of this food and also water to drink. They ate and drank till they were satisfied. They explained to Cyril how they lost their way while returning to Galmine and begged him to help them find their way back to Galmine, but, unfortunately Cyril did not know any place called Galmine. “I have never been to any other place neither do I know any place apart from Jimbland” Cyril told them. “This is our first time of coming to Jimbland and we have never heard of Jimbland before” They said to Cyril. Cyril explained to them that Jimbland is a very popular place that many people know as the “Blessed town”. Lance and Alexandria had heard about the “Blessed town” when they were kids. They were very surprised that they had walked to such a great distance. “When I was a kid my father told me about Jimbland that it is a town blessed with abundant food, love and everybody live happily” Lance told Cyril. “Jimbland is a land blessed with so much food but it was in the past that everyone lived happily” said Cyril. Lance inquired from him why everyone was no longer living happily in Jimbland. Cyril replied with a lengthy story of the events that led to unhappiness in Jimbland.

  This is the story: Some years ago some group of people known as Pamsi invaded Jimbland but they were defeated by the army of Jimbland. When they were defeated, they ran away from Jimbland and no one knew where they had gone to. After that, something strange befell the land of Jimbland, a great storm fell upon Jimbland which lasted for almost two days and was followed by drought and this had never happened before in the history of Jimbland. The drought really affected Jimbland in terms of food production as Jimbland has always been a town blessed with food to the extent that some used food to build their house. No one knew what was responsible for the drought and after four months of drought the Pamsi returned to Jimbland. They went to see the king and informed him that they were responsible for the drought in Jimbland, claiming they had placed a spell on Jimbland and it will experience drought forever and the only thing that can break the spell is that the king of Jimbland should give them part of their riches and lands. The king was not surprised as he had suspected that the Pamsi were responsible for the drought because it was when the Pamsi were defeated that Jimbland experienced drought. The Pamsi told the king that they invaded Jimbland not with the intension of taking over the whole of Jimbland but to have the chance to share part of their riches. They explained to the king that they came from a faraway land which lack riches and food and on their journey to find a better place for them to live in, they got to Jimbland. They knew that it is not possible for the people of Jimbland to give them some of their land and riches because they are strangers and they therefore resorted to waging war against Jimbland in order to have the chance to own some of their riches and when they failed they became furious and placed on Jimbland, a magical spell that it will suffer from drought forever. They later realised that the sufferings of Jimbland from drought will by no means give them what they desired and therefore decided to make peace with the people of Jimbland a
nd they informed the king that the only thing that can break the spell from Jimbland is, if he can give them some of their riches and they promised him that they will never fight with Jimbland. The king of Jimbland was confused of what to do with the Pamsi and he held a meeting with his elders and the people of Jimbland on the Pamsi and they concluded that that they will give them what they asked for and if the drought still continued, the Pamsi will be put in prison. As soon as the Pamsi were granted their wish, the drought disappeared from Jimbland. The king and everyone in Jimbland marvelled, they decided to keep a close watch on the Pamsi. The Pamsi did not develop any funny character for about ten years and the king and everyone in Jimbland had accepted them fully to Jimbland without any fear of being dangerous to Jimbland. Even the Pamsi had been able to achieve a close relationship with the king to the extent that Glen “the head of Pamsi” had been a close friend of the king. Because of their close relationship with the king they were able to get the chance to kill the king and take over Jimbland. This incident resulted in great trouble in Jimbland but the people of Jimbland had to calm down when the Pamsi threatened them that if they try to overthrow them, Jimbland will be cursed and they will suffer from drought forever. The Pamsi made Glen the king of Jimbland and his ruling made life difficult for everyone. The philosophy of Glen is that a king should be the richest in his land and he took most of their belongings from them.

  Lance and Alexandria were shocked by this story and Lance said “I always thought that Jimband is a land without any difficulty”. “I cannot help you to find your way back to Galmine, but I can allow you to live with me” said Cyril. “Please help us find our way back home, we have been unable to find our way home since about two days” they pleaded. “The only way I can help you is to take you to some of my friends who might know the way to Galmine but I can’t” Cyril told them. ”Why?” Lance asked Cyril. “It is dangerous for any stranger to be moving around in Jimbland because Glen does not allow strangers in Jimbland and any stranger that comes to Jimbland will be turned into slaves” Cyril replied him. Lance and Alexandria became frightened, realizing that they must leave Jimbland quickly because they were at the risk of becoming slaves. “Please quickly take us to anybody that can help us to find our way back to Galmine” They begged Cyril. Cyril agreed to take them out to some of his friends who he thought, might know the way back to Galmine, but none of his friends knew the way back to Galmine. Jimbland was the most beautiful place they had ever seen in their life. It was stunningly beautiful with most houses built with food and the whole surrounding covered with flowers. Cyril promised them that he will allow them to live in secret with him until they were able to find their way back to Galmine. Alexandria and Lance were very sad that they couldn’t get anybody to help them to find their way back home. As they were returning they saw a very beautiful place, “which place is this that is so beautiful?” Alexandria asked Cyril. Cyril replied her and said “It is part of Glen’s kingdom, the Pamsi extended the palace to half of Jimbland and everybody in Jimbalnd had to manage the remaining half land”. They returned back to Cyril’s house and they slept there. Here in Banga, Roy and his family had been so frustrated, they searched everywhere but they could not find their children and they also travelled to other towns close to them but couldn’t find them. Kian blamed himself for taking them to the Relaxation centre.