CHAPTER 4

Chapter Four

Next Day at School…

During the break between classes, Maya sought Craig out. He was seated alone on a wall, and with great deliberation, Maya sat down beside him.

Before he could get a word out, she raised a hand to stop him. She shook her head and said, “Craig, this is break-time, and I think this is the right time to discuss this issue with you. I need you to listen, because to me, it’s very important!

“I know you were surprised to see me sit beside you, because ordinarily, you know I wouldn’t come anywhere near you. But I really need you to do something for me.”

She paused for a moment, gathering her resolve, and then continued. “The last time you spoke to me at the restaurant, you said something that really caused me to question my destiny. I went to my dad to in inquire. Though he told me the story about when I was born, and about my mother, I wasn’t really satisfied. He told me this was as much as he wanted me to know right now, which isn’t enough. Simply, I have a strong feeling that he’s yet to give me a complete account of who I really am. I know you have some vital information concerning me, although the majority of what you said seems to be questionable.

“I need you to answer this question: Now that I know a little about myself, I’d like get to know you, and see if I could adopt your lifestyle.” To his amazed look, she said, “Yes, it may surprise you to learn that I’ve always admired your easy ways, and everything about you. But I had to follow my dad’s instruction never to come in contact with you right from when I was a kid!”

She put her warm hand over his, and looked intently into his eyes. “Sincerely, I looked forward to expressing this feeling towards you. I think my association with you will make me find out the complete truth about myself! To be candid, I want to know who you really are, Craig!”

 Craig was both surprised and elated. “This is the greatest day of life!” he crowed, grinning from ear to ear. “The girl whom I thought never had a single regard for me had, all this while, privately loved me from the get-go!”

He put an arm around her shoulders. “Well, it’s a great honor knowing that you love me the same way I love you! And I’d be glad to let you know what makes me different from all of my peers. Or perhaps, I should say ‘who’.”

It was Maya’s turn to look surprised. He smiled at her and said, “Without wasting much time, I’ll introduce you to her. She’ll tell you what to do to reach your destiny…to uncover the complete truth about who you really are. But I have to warn you, this information will come at a price. Are you sure you’re ready for all of this?”

Maya confidently answered, “I’ll do what it takes to find my destiny, even if it means putting my life on the line!”

“Got that!” Craig said with a wink. “I’ll take you to her office tomorrow.”

“However,” he told her: “There’s one more thing, Maya; I want you to agree with me this moment. You’ll have to be my girl.”

Maya paused briefly, then looked up into Craig’s eyes. “I will,” she replied.

The next day, Craig led Maya to Ms. Diana’s office. There was a small window set in the door, through which they could see inside.

On the walls were posted cardboards of colored artifacts from all parts of the world, world events, and quotes from world-famous leaders. Three sides of her office table had chairs for visitors, with one length of the table facing directly to her Master seat. The room was spacious enough to contain a mini-sized fridge at the office’s extreme right corner leading to the exit. To the left was a sofa, which could accommodate up to four people.

Gaily dressed, Ms. Diana sat in her office to attend to other pending duties, in anticipation of her period of teaching the final year students’ next class.

“What are we doing here?” Maya asked Craig, who was holding her hand as if he would never let go.

“Ms. Diana is the woman I told you about—the one who will help you reach your destiny.”

“Really?” Maya asked, surprised. “I thought she was just a brand-new teacher here.”

Craig just smiled, and knocked on the door. Ms. Diana called out, “Come in.”

Craig opened the door, smiling, and led Maya inside. Ms. Diana stood up from her Master Seat to welcome them.

“How you doing, Craig?” she asked. She gestured to the chairs. “Please, have a seat.”

Maya could tell that the relationship between Craig and Ms. Diana went deeper than just a teacher/student one, simply from the looks the two of them exchanged. But she said nothing, mentally making a note of it.

“No problem, madam,” Craig politely replied, as the two students sat down. Maya could not help but stare at him strangely, as the conversation between him and Ms. Diana continued. This was not what she had expected at all.

“Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Craig?” Ms. Diana asked, as if Maya wasn’t there. Maya had no choice other than to look on. After all, she was in the office for a reason, and even though what was going on was a mystery to her, she had to stay and find out.

“I’ve come in to give you what you’ve always requested,” Craig answered, looking between Maya and her.

Now Maya was really confused.

“Mr. Craig, what could that be?” she asked again, pretending to seek for clarification. But the look in her eyes stated otherwise; she knew what Craig was talking about. Maya, though, was lost in the conversation. But she still held her cool because of what she hoped to learn about her past.

“Okay, for the sake of formality, I want you to know that I’ve brought a prospect, willing to join your pursuit. She goes by the name Maya Isaacs, and she is in her second year of her senior secondary school.”

“Yes, I know who she is,” Ms. Diana interrupted him, flashing a warm smile at Maya.

Craig nodded, and then continued. “She has been trying so hard to find her destiny. In fact, she told me she’d do all it takes to accomplish her desire in life! She has wanted to know who her identity is. But her father wouldn’t disclose it completely. I strongly feel, just as she does, that her father is denying her the right to information because he feels she’s too young to know things! She also wanted to know what makes me unique from my peers in this school. These are the reasons we’re here.”

Ms. Diana sat back, satisfied with his explanation. “Now I fully understand what you’ve said, Craig. It’s good to know that there are people in this part of the world who will do all it takes to get what they want.” She shook her head sadly. “I can believe that parents these days are still sticking to the old-fashioned way of training their children!”

She turned to Maya. “I want to confirm all that Craig has said about you, Maya. To begin with, Craig told me you go by the name Maya Isaacs, right?”

“Yes,” Maya replied.

Realizing that, Ms. Diana softened her voice and continued, “He mentioned that you are in search of your true identity.”

“He’s right,” Maya replied. Her confidence was beginning to return.

“Who are you living with, your dad or your mom?” asked Ms. Diana.

“I live with my dad. They are divorced.” Maya replied, looking downcast.

Observing her sudden change in attitude, Ms. Diana knew something was wrong. She asked, “Why the look on your face? Don’t tell me this question got to you! If yes, I’ll stop questioning you.”

“It’s nothing, really. Don’t mind me. You can go ahead,” Maya responded with a chuckle.

As Craig looked on, Ms. Diana asked her the final question: “Do you think you have what it takes to be a part of my pursuit?”

“Like Craig said,” answered Maya, “I’m ready to give it all it takes, provided this pursuit will provide for me what I desire!”

“That’s the spirit!” Ms. Diana asserted, standing up and looking confidently at both Craig and Maya. “This is the very quality I’ve been looking for in juveniles like you. I’m happy my ambition has been achieved.”

She came around the table and put a hand on Maya’s shoulder. “I’ve been looking for just one more initiate these past seven years, to finish getting the 39 members needed for my all-juvenile organization. We are aimed at giving people the lifestyle they never had by living with their parents.”

Lowering her voice, she whispered confidentially, “I’m not really a teacher per se. I just used this as a front to look for that initiate who will complete the compulsory 39-member arrangement. From the way I see it, Maya, you are already the lucky one, although you have to complete the initiation rites and observe other activities that will follow. Your membership will come at a price. I know you have what it takes to be a full-fledged member of my organization.” Seeing the shocked look on Maya’s face, she laughed and said, “Don’t be afraid! Craig and thirteen other students of this school have been initiated. You’ll get to meet them all. Indeed, they are happy that they are now a part of my pursuit. The moment I have you as the 39th member, I’ll tender my resignation as a teacher!

“With that being said, I want to give Craig what I promised him.” She turned her gaze to the young man. “Craig, come see me personally in the office tomorrow for your money. Well done!

Then to Maya, she said, “Before you leave my office, I’d like you to fill out your name, phone number, and home address for me. Plus, I need to take a picture of you. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the initiation ground at the prestigious La Pierre Hotel at the heart of Durban.

“Nothing will happen to you,” Ms. Diana reassured Maya, as she escorted the students to the door. “Again, don’t be afraid! All I need from you is your availability. Come to school in your uniform, as you usually do, and after the assembly, come see me at my office.”

After taking down Maya’s details and getting her picture, Ms. Diana shook hands with Craig, who looked forward to getting his third pay-out. Ms. Diana left her office the happiest woman on earth.  This would be at Maya’s expense.

Maya went home, thinking about what Ms. Diana and Craig had told her. The excitement about this new adventure made the rest of her day with Samuel pleasant and relaxing.

Maya thought about what had happened throughout the night. She couldn’t wait to start this new phase in her life, made possible through Ms. Diana’s assistance.

Finally the night was over and it was time for school. She surprised her father by waking up 5:00a.m, ready to go to school.  Usually it was he who woke early, and had to practically pull his daughter out of bed.

As instructed, she headed straight to Ms. Diana’s office after assembly. To her surprise, Ms. Diana and Craig were already at her office when she opened the door.

“It’s good to see to see you!” Ms Diana said, hugging Maya. Craig was busy with arranging some of the teacher’s personal effects for her. “How was your night?”

“Very great, Ms. Diana,” Maya enthusiastically replied.

The teacher shot a glance at the clock. “Guys,” Ms. Diana said, talking to both of them, “it’s about time we left this place.” As she watched Craig’s actions, Ms. Diana said to Maya, “If you observed carefully on your way to the school, you will have seen that there was a bus next to the school, with ‘The Alternative Lifestyle Club’ written on its side. There are other members already on it. That bus will take us straight to the Club. Craig and I have been in the office since before 6:00a.m., waiting for you.”

She looked up, listening. “We have to avoid being seen by any staff or student of the school. 6:00a.m. is the right time for this, and no later! Now that you’re here, I think we should leave for the La Pierre Hotel.  Shouldn’t we, Craig?”

“From the look of things, I think you’re right. We have to leave now!” Craig agreed. “Time is of the essence. We have to leave this place before the school’s 7:00a.m working hour.”

“Let’s go then!” she instructed, using her right hand to usher Craig and Maya out of the office. She placed the key in the lock and left with them.

The bus left on time, and soon they were at the La Pierre Hotel. The 38 members and Maya all alighted from the bus and headed to the hotel’s underground facility, with Ms. Diana leading the pack.

As they were led further into the facility, Maya found things becoming a little strange. Her nervousness became more pronounced as she realized how scary the designs on the walls had become.

There were pictures of human skulls, with young men and women carrying them, and others of young people engaging in sexual orgies with each other. Then there was the red background of the spacious room in which they ended up. It sent a chill down her back, and Maya wanted to run back the way she had come.

Suddenly, Ms. Diana transformed into a ‘goddess figure’, such as the one Maya had seen once in the movie The Samurai Goddess.  Maya’s sweaty and shaking body were indications of how scared she was. So were the rest of the members. Her goddess figure had been an intimidation they had to endure, ever since their initiation as ALC members!

What stunned her was arrangement of the initiates, each facing one another, while she was forced to stay at the room’s entrance. At the right, there were 18 initiates, with a space reserved for Maya after her initiation.

Ms. Diana was at the very center of the group. In her ‘goddess figure’, and with a reddish liquid in a bucket standing next to her, she raised her voice and cried out, “The Great Alternative Lifestyle Club!”

The rest responded in unison, “We live our lives for the Club!”

Maya was frightened, seeing her peers do these things. She knew in her mind that it was too late to go back, but that something was really wrong with the activities around her. Still, no matter what, she was still head-bent in going ahead with the plan.

The goddess-looking Ms. Diana spoke with authority, “We are here to give LIFE to all juveniles around the world, a life that they would ordinarily not have with their parents or guardians. This is the vision of the Alternative Lifestyle Club. It started in 1978 as a book, written by the late Dr. Steven Micah, who later became the country’s Minister of Finance. However, the book was not published until 1991, under the auspices of the late Miriam Song, wife of the country’s former minister of Power and Steel, Mr. Henry Song.

“She followed the dictates of the club, powerfully written in the book, whereby she had to get ONLY 39 members for this assembly to begin and flourish. To the ALC, “39” is a very sacred number, because it takes the juvenile energy three tries to attain the highest feats we desire, which is placed at “13.” In theory, I mean it would take the product of the number “3” of the earth’s energy field reflected in a juvenile, and the highest secular number, “13”, to achieve our vision and mission. Before I conclude, and begin with the initiation proper, I would like to make the goal of the ALC clear: The mission of the ALC is to recruit juveniles, especially at college and secondary school levels, to spread its ‘gospel’ to all parts of Africa and other parts of the world, starting with the Republic of South Africa.”

Diana addressed the group of initiates: “Let’s remind ourselves of the Seven-point Creed, or what we call the ALC’s ‘gospel’.”

The initiates spoke the words in unison with Ms. Diana:

1)      All juveniles have the right to do as they wish, because they are growing into adults.

2)      All young people are to experiment with what gives them fulfillment, provided they are approved by the ALC.

3)      All young people deserve the right to adhere to what the system has to tell them.

4)      The ALC is the best assembly for all juveniles in the world.

5)      We give opportunities to our members that some grown men and women would never have.

6)      What we do is targeted at two Ps- pressure and pain. The pressures associated with carrying out ALC’s responsibilities--the underworld activities of stealing, robbery and prostitution--mount as the pains surface to give birth to the rights or gains that its members enjoy.

 

Ms. Diana smiled at Maya, and then addressed the gathering, “ALC now has a member in the making. Craig told me that her name is Maya Isaacs. According to him, she is in search of her destiny, and wants to know her true identity. It’s good that she came to the right place! Craig, bring her here so that the initiate rites can commence.”

Craig brought Maya to the center where Ms. Diana was waiting, ready to get the initiation underway. She addressed Maya, “Before moving further, young girl, I would like to confirm a few bits of information. I need nothing but your sincere answers.”

Ms. Diana suddenly looked fiercer than Maya had ever seen anyone, and it filled her with terror.  The former teacher asked, “You gave your name as Maya Isaacs, right?”

Maya stuttered, “Yes…”

This time, Ms. Diana wasn’t moved by Maya’s fear. In fact, she seemed to relish it. “I was informed that you are fifteen years old. Is this right?”

Maya still stuttered, “Ye…s.”

Ms. Diana spoke to her in a very serious tone. “You want to identify who you are. You really want to know who and what you are…the search for your destiny. Am I correct?”

Remembering why she was there, Maya regained her confidence and replied, “Yes.”

Ms.Diana reminded Maya, “You told me you have the heart to join us.”

“Yes.”

 “Maya, do you know what the initiation will entail? Do you know the price you will have to pay?”

Maya looked confused, and replied, “No, No.”

“You told me you were living with your father. He is divorced, right?”

“Yes. Yes, he and my mother are divorced.”

Ms. Diana asked, “Are you a virgin?”

“Yes, I am,” Maya answered, looking down as Ms. Diana stared at her face sternly.

Not surprised, Ms. Diana gave her a satisfied smile and said, “I knew you were the right person to make this organization complete.” She stood in front of Maya. “Well, you will have to undergo a rite known as Sexual Unveiling. This will involve Craig, the person who introduced you to me. He will sexually defile you and make you realize the other side of feminine energy. After doing this to you for hours in the presence of all the initiates, I will pour the liquid in this bucket on your body.” 

Maya could only stand open-mouthed, growing more and more frightened. What had she gotten herself into? She tried to turn and run, but Craig had held her tightly.

Ms. Diana nodded approvingly at Craig, and continued, “You will then be bathed by all the initiates in my presence with this ancient Chinese soap. After the process, you’ll put round your neck the ALC chain, just like you are seeing all of us wearing. Then, you’ll receive the manual of information that gives you the right to do as you wish, experiment with what gives you pleasure like sex, and have a thorough knowledge of good and evil, among other things.   

“But you would have to ensure that you separate completely from your father. We will be sending you on various operations through Craig, who has been, is, and will always be answerable to us.”

Craig smiled and nodded.

“He’s proven himself trustworthy, and over the course of time has stepped into the shoes of being my close confidant. Anything that concerns him concerns me, and anything that concerns me concerns him. You will be accountable to him for every activity involving your accomplishments for this organization. Anything he says about this organization is true. He’s not to be questioned.” Her eyes flashed as she glanced meaningfully at Maya. “He will assist you with anything you need, and will help you understand those areas of our activities you do not seem to understand. Whatever he wants from you at any time, give it to him. Otherwise, we will use our influence to invoke the long arm of the law against you.”

She stopped her pacing, and gazed levelly at the young girl. “With that being said, let’s observe the initiation.”

Ms. Diana looked over at her henchman with a humorless smile. “Craig, you know your job. I will be sitti