Beckoned Through The Dark

18 // Lesego // Blackout

I was woken up by the sound of people talking in hushed voices. I couldn't figure out what they were saying, but I was quite sure that one of the speakers was my mother. Maybe she was finally back from her drinking adventure, and she would now give Jack a peace of mind; he deserved some break.

"Lesego? Les? Oh doctor, is she going to be alright?" I heard Betty's voice laced with concern; was she concerned about me? And why was that? I tried to open my eyes, but it came at a price as the brightness of the light hit my eyes; and I felt my headache. "The light." I said, my hands on my eyes, but no one responded. That's when I realized that the voices probably came from outside my room. I groaned and tried to adjust to the light as the cost of my head.

I sat up straight on the bed and tried to remember what had happened the previous night, but nothing came of it. My head was painful; it felt like I had been hit by a truck. I wondered what the source of this pain was when another throbbing pain shot from one end to another, causing me to yelp. I held my head with both my hands as the pain intensified. "Lesego!" My mother called, and pushed the door open, running into the room with the doctor.

The doctor took out his medical kit, and came called in another nurse, whose name I found out to be Barbara Sands. She was a white nurse, probably in her mid-thirties; she had a small body for her age and had shoulder length blonde hair. He voice was quite annoying, and she had this sinister smile on her pretty face. I didn't like her, but there was no time for that; because in the next few minutes, they gave me a shot, and started working on my head; or rather the doctor stood aside and let the nurse do the job. It felt like she was hammering nails into my head.

"I'm so sorry we took so long, but I couldn't get hold of Lwandle, so I had to find Abigail. They are all unavailable, the two of them - Lwandle and Abigail. I know I could have picked anyone, but they are my best nurses now, my most trusted nurses." The doctor explained, and I saw Barbara's face change, and she kept on hammering nails into my head.

"And I can understand why." I muttered under my breath, only for the nurse to hear as it was meant. She gave me a nasty look before she turned to my mother and the doctor with a smile, and announced that she was done, and I could now rest in peace.

"Oh, miss! While you are at it, please call Detective Daniels and tell him she's awake." My mother asked the nurse, who obliged without a haste. But then Doctor Benjamin didn't seem to agree as he tried to argue with Betty, but to no avail.

A detective? Why was there a detective? As if that was not enough, I was sent into a shock by my mother's change of behaviour and attitude, especially towards me. "Oh, my baby! I'm so sorry I was not here for you when you needed me." She apologized. "I promise you that the police will find whoever did this to you." She cried, pulling me into a hug. Who were we trying to fool? But the question was answered immediately when her words finally knocked some sense into my head.

"Police?" I asked in shock. Why were we trying to fool the police? What could have gone wrong during the time I waited for my mother and now?

"Ahem...yes! Jack called the police after hearing some breaking. He found you lying on the floor in the kitchen, unconscious actually." She explained with a worried look on her face. "When I saw the blood, I thought- oh!" She covered her face and shook her head. "What blood?" I panicked, and sat up; pain shooting through my skull, causing me to yelp.

"Are you okay, Miss Medupe?" A strange voice asked. I looked up to see a young man, probably in his mid-twenties. "I'm detective Daniels. I am here to take your statement." He stated, taking out a notebook and a pen. I just stared at him, wondering what statement he was talking about, and how he could be the detective at this age; didn't that require several promotions? "Lesego!" My mother snapped at me, influencing my headache. I turned to look at her, and then at the detective, who was giving me an expectant look. I cleared my throat and looked away; what was I supposed to say when I didn't even know what happened, or why he was here?

"Miss?" The detective asked when I remained quiet. I sighed and asked, "what statement?" He gave me a confused look, and asked; "about the break in and assault?"

"What break in?" I asked, confused. The detective looked at my mother, and back at me. "We received a call about a break in a few hours ago, and one person was reported to be injured." He explained, pointing at me with his eyes. "My head..." I said, suddenly realizing the reason why the nurse plastered my head, and why my mother was talking about blood, and the headache.

"Miss Medupe, I need you to tell me everything that happened; can you do that?" The detective asked, but I was too shocked by what he had just said; what break in was he talking about?

"What break in are you talking about?" I asked him, again. He took in a deep breath, obviously trying his best to keep his temper under control. "Is this some kind of a joke?" He asked me, and I just shrugged.

"I don't know; you tell me."

"Mrs Martins here," he gestured at my mother. Her entire demeanour changed, some people called her Mrs Martins at times, and she didn't like it one bit. "It is Mrs Ngoma." She said through her teeth. The detective nodded awkwardly and turned his attention back to me.

"As I was saying, Mrs Ngoma here," he cleared his throat, "reported a break in. From the look of things, the people who broke into the house, attacked you. You were knocked out." He explained.

"I don't know what you are talking about."