Heart of torment: Hellena takes the difficult decision

Hellena has run away from her home after discovering that she is pregnant just when she was about to join university. She finds refuge in the city, where a cousin offers to host her. PHOTO | ILLUSTRATION

What you need to know:

  • The story so far: Hellena has run away from her home after discovering that she is pregnant just when she was about to join university.
  • She finds refuge in the city, where a cousin offers to host her.
  • But while there, she meets Ahmed, who subtly introduces her to radicalism and spirits her away to Garissa.

The story so far: Hellena has run away from her home after discovering that she is pregnant just when she was about to join university. She finds refuge in the city, where a cousin offers to host her. But while there, she meets Ahmed, who subtly introduces her to radicalism and spirits her away to Garissa. Will she find salvation and return to her society or will she cross the border and join a terrorist organisation?

Since Hellena left him, Tonny made the difficult decision to get back control of his life and turn his back on the alcohol addiction that had made it difficult for him to take responsibility for Hellena and their unborn child.

And, although before Hellena disappeared he had not seen eye-to-eye with her mother, the two were now united in purpose to find her, dead or alive.

Tonny's support came from a very unlikely quarter — his father's long-serving chauffeur, Othman Odeng. Odeng had watched in sorrow as his employer's son sunk deeper into the mire of addiction. And he watched as Tonny's father's health deteriorated. He took it upon himself to help his master's son as the only way he knew to repay the kindness shown to him. Of course, he also hoped that one day,

Tonny would be sober enough to take over his father’s business empire. In a way, the boy's future were also linked to his own.

Unknown to Tonny, his former lover was getting ready to marry Ahmed, the man who had convinced her to turn her back on her family and embark on a journey whose final destination she did not know. Although alarm bells had gone off wildly in her head when she saw

Ahmed come home in military uniforms, there was little she could do to turn back the clock. She had already committed herself to marry him. Her fate now lay in his hands.

Ahmed’s mother and Rahma assured her that the wedding would be colourful even if private affair and she needed not to worry. Yet, deep in her heart, Hellena felt that she had betrayed not only her mother but Tonny, too.

When she had left the village, she and Tonny had made a solemn promise to reunite and make their future together. She recalled how her mother had sacrificed all that she had to bring her up, teaching her not only the ways of her community but also ensuring that she had a firm grounding in church.

Was all this worth sacrificing just because Ahmed had offered her the excitement of life in a far away land? And what job awaited her in the unknown land any way? And what would her life be like now that she had converted to Islam?

The ideas that came with her religious change still felt very new to her and the clothes were not entirely comfortable. Why had she ditched her past to hitch her wagon on Ahmed's mule? These doubts gnawed at her as the women in her new life painted henna patterns on her soft hands as they prepared for her big ceremony.

When the Ustadh who was to conduct the marriage ceremony arrived at her new home, Hellena locked herself in the room. Doubts tormented her, giving her neither peace nor rest.

Was the impending marriage worth it? Who was she and where did she belong? She could not find a perfect answer. Instead, she continued to started to doubt her love for Ahmed.

Outside her room, Ahmed and his family were getting impatient, wondering what was the matter. Rahma was the first to move, knocking gently on Hellena's door.

“I need some time," Hellena said, her voice heavy with emotion. "I need not to rush into this union.”

Rahma was neither shocked nor surprised by Hellena's words.

"Let me call Ahmed so you can talk to him," she said.

Knowing his temperament, Rahma feared the worst.

Hellena's biggest concern was the nature of business he was involved in. What happened north of the border did not feel like a fight she wanted to take on even with her experiences in Nairobi. Ahmed had been economical with the truth in his conversations with her, especially on what he did for a living, and she feared nothing more than lies.

“Just make me understand the nature of business you are engaged in,” she said from the other side of the door when Ahmed eventually knocked.

He and the women behind him began to wonder what Hellena had come across to make her ask that questions.

“I am a businessman,” he said after a long pause.

"Are you a human trafficker?" she asked, gathering an uncommon courage.

At that point, Hellena was thinking about her future and the commitment she was about to make. She knew she needed to be sure. Something told her she was being tricked and it would only be a matter of time before she was taken to a strange land and abandoned to her own fate. What would become of her then? She had heard rumours about how young people like herself were lured into terrorism. She felt a sudden sense of dread about what so nearly could have happened.

Ahmed did not answer. He just stood with his forehead on the locked door, his family behind him and behind them the Ustadh, who was growing impatient.

“I appreciate all you have done for me," Hellena said at last.

There was pin-drop silence on the other side of the door. Tension was growing. It became clear that Ahmed had lost out.

“I cannot marry you," Hellena said at last. "I am sorry but just know I care about you. But I need to go back to my family.”

Hellena opened the door and stepped out of her room. Silence greeted her.