Nairobi Ndoto by Mahua Cavanagh

Author:Mahua Cavanagh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Women's Fiction, Female friendship, Contemporary Fiction, Expat, Expat life, Expatriate, Nairobi, Kenya, Fiction, Africa
Publisher: Mahua Cavanagh
Published: 2022-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Zara stood in the outdoor, common kitchen shared by neighboring containers. Every four-container group had a shared kitchen. Given the limited choices at the three canteens on the base, people often preferred to cook their own meals in these kitchens. They would bring back suitcases of food—mostly dry or canned goods—from Nairobi every few weeks when they had their leave time.

Having to borrow a container each trip, Zara did not have that option. Feeling hungry, she opened the fridge door and contemplated taking something. That would be mean, she thought. I can’t steal someone else’s food, not on top of what I’ve done already. She shut the door and went into the given week’s borrowed container.

After a hot shower to wash away the day and at least part of the sand, Zara laid on the bed and tried to relax. Her telecom radio buzzed. She didn’t answer. She knew who was calling and she didn’t need to talk to him. She turned off the radio.

This was against safety protocol. The radio was the sole on-base telecom system. Phone lines and cell phones were too easy to tap. The radio was the only way to communicate with others on the base. It was also the emergency contact system. I’ll keep it off for this one night. Nothing’s going to happen to me.

Thirty minutes later, she turned the radio back on. Having it off was a bad idea. Given the two car bombs that went off in downtown Mogadishu about two weeks ago, she shouldn’t be lax on security measures. Being inside the base was safer than in the city, but the attack on the base itself on January 1st was a reminder that she wasn’t in an impenetrable fortress. I’m starting a new chapter and I’m going to be smarter about things, starting right now. No more carelessness.

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