On the Sixth Day

It is Friday afternoon at gate Number One. The entire one hundred gates are in the process of preparation for complete shut down. Gate number one is the first gate in the procession of gates and as all the other gates it is busy shutting down the stores, closing the gate, to keep out transportation, cleaning the streets and the houses, so they can smell and look spotless for the event. Laundry is washed to assure clean clothes for the special day and food is prepared for two days. As soon as the sun sets, all work will cease and the day of contemplation and rest will begin.
As the sun sets slowly on the horizon, everybody has accomplished all their work and is ready to sing, , dance, pray, eat and walk the empty seren streets of gate number one. The loud siren is heard marking the begining of the the shut down. The city is filled with sounds of songs and prayer is heard throughout the city and soon they will sit down for the first meal of the 24 hour cycle of love.
LeyaBina loves Friday evenings. After a tough day of work, she gets to enjoy playing with the kids and being the carefree child she longs to be. Father will soon be home from his prayers and the entire family will be sitting down for the only full meal of the week. Friday night is the only night that Leyabina gets to eat enough to fill her stomach. Jumping rope she smiles full heartedly at the anticipation of the next 24 hours of joy.

Until the British arrived.

For hundreds of years the corner of the city called One Hundred Gates has been quietly growing and prospering in their own traditions and believe systems. Regardless of who was runing the government nothing was compromised, when it came to the BOOK.

When the British took control, they obeyed the rules and still continued celebrating their own, dedicating life to a very specific order and discipline. Rules and Regulations were implemented in every single tiny aspect of life. Dress, food, sex, love, marriage, friendship, speech, drinking, dancing, in other words EVERYTHING. When the British abused and represt them, still there was no changing the rules. Every second of every day was dedicated to behavior that was dictated by THE BOOK, or The spiritual Leader.

The spiritual leader was basicaly translating the THE BOOK.

THE HOLY BOOK.

Unveiled Rebelion

He came straigh towards her, and his sweet smile was gone, a fierce look in his face. LeyaBina was concerned, she had never seen him like that. Without saying a word he smacked her on the face. The blows were raining at her from all directions, and the storm only increased in severity. First she cried, than she screamed than she stopped screaming and bend over expecting it never to stop. She thought she was going to die, than she wished she would die, it was not stopping. Just when she thought it was beyond endurance it stopped.

Without another he walked away. Leyabina stayed on the floor for a long time. First crying softly, than falling asleep

Father had never picked up his hands on her. She can only assume he saw her pick up her skirt way way above the acceptable length.

And she slept!

The First Rebelion

It is well known in town that rebilion is not taken very lightly In the city of the Hundred Gates the buzz goes round and round and really never ends. There are all kinds of rebelions, some are completly unforgivable and the offender than is considered dead. A dead rebel is mourned as if he were dead. Thats because to this community he IS dead.

LeyaBina is well adjustd, she has adopted amazingly to poverty, and no longer has any requests from her parents. She has just past her ninth birthday and already a somber child she was with a great work ethic. It was time for Mama to put her to work. LeyaBina never said no, especially to chores. She does not remember a time in her life where chores were not her main responsibility. Now however she is going to reach the double digit, the number ten birthday is at hand and chores were not enough.

It was time for her to go to work. Not for herself, for her family.

She seemed to excell in sewing. Whem Seamstress Shobana came to her school her teacher did not forget to mention to Mother that LeyaBina was brighter and quicker than all the rest. LeyaBina was proud, and Mother went home happily humming to herself . She was not a professional seamstress, but she sewed very well, to become an apprentice. She sewed skirts for her little sisters, house dresses for Mama, and anything Mama asked for LeyaBina tried to sew.

Mama dressed in her special dress. She had one special dress, one weekend dress, one house dress and one street dress. That was her wardrobe. She went into town to find the seamstress that could hire her LeyaBina. The seastress was delighted. She needed the help, good help was tough to find.

When the kids she played with, were headed to school, LeyaBina was headed to seamstress Shobana. When the other kids were hopping home with the books strapped on their shoulders. LeyaBina was hurrying home with a new dress for Hanuna. Mama was happy Hanuna was ecstatic, but LeyaBina wanted more, much more.

Today LeyaBina felt brave. As much as she couldnt stand the black stockings she was forced to wear, she didnt dare take them off. As much as she couldnt stand her braids, and long hair she couldnt be happier if she could cut them off, but she couldnt.

Her little rebelion opportunity came on her way home from Shobana. She was in great spirit, she had just completed a present for Hanuna, she knew Hunana would be very excited. LeyaBina was not with her skirt. It was way too long and uncomfortable. She slowed down and looked around, and around. When she was sure that father was not anywhere around, she picked up her skirt a bit higher and looked in the store window. She felt an amazing power surging in her veins and she knew that she wanted this to be for the rest of her life. She also was well aware of the reality that it was going to last for five minutes if she had the guts.

She kept it up for ten minutes and quickly put it down again, she was sure nobody was watching.

but she was wrong!

LeyaBina 1940

LeyaBina loves her father, he is stern harsh and unbending, but his smile is real, his words are carefully measured to assure accuracy, and every word is the truth to the best of his knowledge.

He has never promised and not delivered. He is an amazing biblical student, and has a deep knowledge of the secrets of the universe revealed in the studies. He has dedicated his life to be as unselfish as possible, and lives his life in a self imposed rituals that he has followed since he turned twelve. His daily ritual of rising before sunrise and purifying himself for another day of worshipping his creator is never to be changed. He has limited his life to the confines of the holy city and he will never travel past those boarders. Every day he walks to the local temple and prays, walks back home to prepare for work and walks back to work to support his family and workship his creator at the same time. LeyaBina thinks he is an amazing man. Most children look to their father as a heroe and LeyaBina is no exception.

LeyaBina's father is a very strict followers of all the rules, and he expects his family to abide by them all. She knows the consequences of any deviance are harsh and unforgiving. She does not dare to plan and break any of those rules, but some of them she secretly wishes were different. She can tell Mother about them, but still that does not give her the courage to entertain any changes.

LeyaBina Goes to School

LeyaBina has received permission to go to school today. She can barely contain her excitment, for it's not every day that Mother allows her the luxury of school. Most days mother needs her help and she is forced to stay home. School days are her favorite days. She never understands how other kids complain and would love to avoid school. The other kids think she is peculiar, for she would not miss the opportunity for an education. She worked unusually fast to complete her chores. It seems that little brothers and sisters were more difficult than usual today. The baby wouldnt let her change his diaper, and the floor took way too much time to dry. Finally she washed her hands and was on her way to the room in the gates

They called it school, and she was thankful for that, but she knew. Surrounded by kids in uniform lauging, playing, crying and rushing with their books to a real school, she silently walked the familiar path to her school room. Nobody paid attention to LeyaBina as she hopped and walked and day dreamed her way to school. Her long black braids neatly gathered on both sides of her head. Her black socks tighly pulled up to the top, so that it stayed in place. Her brown shoes cleaned and polished. She washed her dress last night and ironed it in the morning. Today they were going to read all day. She loved to read. She read everything she could find on the way to school. She read the signs and the posters, the headlines and the advertisments. Everything was worth reading for her.

She arrived to the room school early, nobody was there. She sat and began reading by herself as she waited for the others to arrive. One by one the other girls walked in and playfully sat on their seats as they waited for their teacher to arrive. LeyaBina loved her school mates and was happily chatting and lauging. They did not notice that an hour passed by until a little girl came rushing by and announced that the teacher would not be here today. Everyone was to return to their home and school would resume tomorrow. A dark cloud surrounded LeyaBina with the disappointment and anxiety that tomorrow Mother would need her at her side at home. She was very disapointed. She had counted the days that she could no longer remember until mother finally gave her permission to go.

Her eyes cast on the floor she did not notice the bus rushing towards her until he was too near for comfort. She snuggled up against the wall to avoid being hit as she held her breath until he was gone. Coughing from the smoke the bus left behind she continued sadly home.

Growing Up in One Hundred Gates

LeyaBina lives in One Hundred Gates, she was born within the confines of the gates, but now her family resides on the outer side of the gates. although her life still centers in the gates, she has now been exposed to "Others" those who are not part of the One Hundred Gates Community.

LeyaBina will take you throught the journey of childhood thruogh adulthood life in that community where not one outsider can enter. Through her eyes you will enter into the homes and personal life of the community and become enriched by their traditions, pains and celebrations.