Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Fifty-Eight

While we were playing outside, the Sotho lady came to join us, she actually came to sit next to me. Siya was busy playing ball with other boys, they looked like they were younger than him and the younger two had found friends so I was just sitting there keeping an eye on them.

"Hi, my name is Flora" she said as she sat down.

Me: Simbongile.
Flora: I uhm, I am sorry about your experience in this place, as new as you guys are.
Me: It's nothing we didn't expect, don't worry about it.
Flora: You look young, how old are you?
Me: Sixteen.
Flora: Yho, I pray that God gives you strength. Simangele is the devils incarnate, she'll make your stay here a living hell and no one will testify for you because they are afraid of her.
Me: Why do you say that? What have we done to her?

She smiled, shaking her head.

Me: Why are you even talking about her? Aren't you part of her squad?
Flora: No, I'm one of you guys, I've just been here longer.

I looked at her, a bit confused.

Flora: My mother died of HIV eight years ago, I was ten then, this is my last year in this place, I've been living here since my dad dropped me off and said he was coming back and he never did. I know the ins and outs of this place like I know the back of my hand.
Me: I'm sorry about your mom.
Flora: I've outgrown the pain, don't worry about me.

I nodded...

Flora: Sima says that you are up-stuck, that you think this is the suburbs. She vowed to bring you guys a reality check.
Me: Argh, I'm not worried about her, I can single handedly handle her, I'm just worried about the rest of the children that will be implicated should I decide to fight her back.

flora laughed, she laughed her lungs out and I just watched her, she didn't think I was capable of fighting Simangele?

Flora: You? Fight Sima? Hay chomi stop dreaming.
Me: Let's just say, dynamites come in small packages Flora, and let's leave it at that.

She laughed again, caba what I was saying was amusing to her.
She chilled with me until we were all called for lunch, after lunch we played games inside and then before dinner time, I went to our room and found Sisanda in bed, in her bed. I went straight to mine, took Undi and Mumu's jackets and walked back towards the door.

Sisanda: If your brother killed my brother just know that I will kill you.

I turned around and looked at her, she had been crying, her brother must be serious kwesasibhedlele.

Me: Excuse me?
Sisanda: I know your brother stabbed Ayanda, and if he dies, trust me, I will kill you with my bare hands.
Me: And I will kill that bastard you're carrying.

Her eyes almost popped out as her hands automatically went to cover her flat stomach. She looked down at her belly, then back at me. I smiled and walked out, closing the door behind me. If they wanted us to play dirty with them, then I was game. While waiting for direction regarding mom's situation, we were going to adjust and try our utmost best to have fun kulendawo sibekwe kuyo. If it meant fighting for fun, then so be it. If it meant getting kicked out, then so be it. One thing I knew was that we had a home, yes we were under eighteen so legally we couldn't live on our own, but, what I was sure of was that we were not going to die.

Undi and Musa wore their jackets and joined other kids their age befundiswa by one of Sima's friends. I watched her for a few minutes before going to Flora in the kitchen and asked to help her, she was peeling Veg for dinner. I helped her, once we were done, we went to watch TV in the lounge. I could see the other teens wanted to join in, but because they were influenced, they couldn't.

Simangele walked in carrying iimpahla zika Ayanda and asked where Sisanda was, bamxelela ba use roomini, she went up the stairs, it wasn't long when we heard her cry. I nodded my head, realizing that if we could hear her cry from the lounge, surely someone heard last night's cries too qha wazixelela ba akangeni ndawo.

Flora: He didn't make it.
Me: Mh.

I was at peace with Ayanda's death even though he didn't make us feel welcome, because I knew that Siya didn't kill him, but drugs did. He was a junkie, an undercover one, and when you're taking blood, your blood cells become thin. So imagine having thin blood cells, losing blood in the middle of the night and then craving for a fix esibhedlele? Drugs killed him.
Sima walked down the stairs and called everyone to the lounge, he informed everyone of Ayanda's passing and then looked at Siya, then at me before saying,

"Someone is going to pay for this, we have never had this incident before. I will not have my name dragged to the mud, someone is going to take accountability,"

Sisanda: Someone? Sisi why don't you just tell everyone that Siyambonga Ntabeni killed my brother?

She was at the top of the stairs, luckily, bonke oo Musa and their mates were not called in, they didn't hear that part. Sisanda walked down the stairs, I stood next to my brother with my arms folded across my chest while his one arm was over my shoulder and the other in his pocket.

Sisanda: You killed my brother, fucken admit that you killed my brother.
Siya: Are you going to admit that you and you brother broke into my sister's suitcase on our first night here? And then you broke mine last night?
Sisanda: You really killed my brother over a fucken suitcase? Are you kidding me? We should have stolen everything from yall then, in actual fact, we should have cut all your clothes to pieces then.
Siya: From what I'm hearing, you're confessing Sisanda.
Sisanda: I am confessing nangoku, we broke your padlocks zobubhanxa, it was me, Ayand and those two over there. We sold your clothes at the pawnshop down the road, are you happy now?
Siya: I am.

He took out his phone and showed her that he had been recording, her jaw dropped. Sima jumped in and almost caught Siya's phone but he quickly removed his hand and placed it back into his pocket. Sema pha just looking at them. Sisanda sniffed, wiping her eyes.

Sima: Siyambonga, can I have your phone please?
Siya: That's private property.
Sima: You're in my property right now.
Siya: Then kick me out.

Someone murmured something, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I looked at Sima, she was maroon in color, eyes bloodshot red.

Sima: Well, maybe I should call Fred because we all know you killed Ayanda.
Me: If you think Sisanda will manage with that pregnancy in jail then go ahead, call Fred.

Everyone looked at Sisanda in shock, she tried to look brave because she knew isisu asikaveli, but the Xhosa ladies exchanged knowing looks. Inoba bekukudala bemhleba umntana.

Sima: Sisanda? Are you pregnant?
Sisanda: Ndaw'ni sisi? Ndijonge, ndijonge.

She turned around so u sisi wakhe could inspect her.
Sima turned to me and raised her smudged kiwi brow at me,

Sima: Where did you get that Sisanda is pregnant?
Me: You shouldn't worry about that, it's none of your concern, she knows who impregnated her and that's what matters.

The whole house rumbled, Sima dramatically clapped her hands once and threw them in the air.
She stepped up very close, and pointed her finger at my forehead.

Sima: You two think you're untouchable I see, but let me remind you, you are here because I want you to be here. You didn't choose to be here, if I didn't take you in, you would be on the streets living like street kids while precious mommy rots in jail.
Siya: That's your very first mistake, thinking you know us. Don't do that.
Me: Your second mistake is thinking we ARE touchable. Don't do that to yourself.

She laughed, looked around at her friends, they were not even laughing at her. No one was, it felt like people were amazed that we were talking back at her, caba ngumntu lo uqhele uthetha kugqibele yena.