DREAM GAS

1. JUST A NAP.

SOUTH AFRICA, DURBAN

5:30 p.m.

2nd MARCH, MONDAY. 2020

Kaya hummed a happy tune as she skipped down the tarmac road, her knee length black skirt showing off her lovely brown calves . The day was finally coming to a close.

How she hated Mondays .

Kaya shook her head, remembering earlier that morning she had gotten into trouble with her math teacher, Mr. Lethabo simply because she refused to answer a question in class. It was not that Kaya did not know the answer, she was a bright kid , the school genius infact but she was not in the mood to talk and Mr. Lethabo being the ever strict disciplinarian saw it fit for her to begin her already annoying day by punishment .

Though resentful, Kaya went through her punishment and her mood worsened throughout the day. She only felt better when classes ended and she rushed from that hell hole of a school, not talking to her mates - she was not much of a talker anyway and so it did not matter.

Kaya smiled, as she approached home and she ran up the stairs of the apartment up to the third floor, pushing the door open after unlocking it then strode into the two bedroom space that she lived with only her mother and brother. It was a simple decent place not having much but she was content, determined that in future she would get a good job and relocate them into a better luxurious apartment.

" Umama ! Umama! " Kaya called out natively for her mother .

Kaya opened the cupboard in the kitchen in search of food. Her mother did not reply but Kaya was not shocked, it would be convinient to say she was used to the treatment.

" What is it, Kaya ? " Her mother asked, appearing at the kitchen door obviously displeased.

" I'm back from school, " Kaya politely answered.

" Yes, I can see that, " She said, her eyes flashing with anger at Kaya while she stood with her arms akimbo.

Kaya stared at her angry mother who was wearing a loose bright yellow sundress and her hair piled up on top of her head in a curly bun as she continued to glare with eyes very much like her own. Kaya managed to lightly smile, her mother was ever angry at her for reasons she could never fathom but nevertheless at that moment she decided to notice how cute her mother's nose was when she was angry.

" You have a cute nose, Umama, " Kaya said timidly, staring warily at her older version.

The woman's eyes narrowed further and Kaya swallowed.

" I'm hungry - "

" The feeling's mutual. No lunch was left, your brother finished it all. Prepare another, "

And with that she left, shutting the apartment door so loud that Kaya winced.

Kaya knew her mother's open bias when it come to her brother but she did not complain instead she forced herself to believe that her little brother was an adorable thing no one could deny anything. Shutting out the same haunting questions, questions that would make her cry in the dead of the night when she first realized her mother did not love her , she searched for a small snack in the small fridge.

Dejectedly, she decided to warm a hot dog and munch it up. She would go in such of proper supper later.

She peered at the ever busy street below and Kaya frowned noticing the slowing down vehicles on the road. Strange.

Beep ! Beep !

She turned from the window to the microwave, quickly pulling out the hotdog and devouring it hungrily with fast bites. She glanced at the clock on the wall as she sat on a stool at the kitchen counter in the kitchen.

It was 6:30 p.m.

After a few more bites, Kaya grew drowsy and at that moment she blamed it on the hot dog but she did not have to do so for long because she gently rested her head on the kitchen counter then shut her eyes.

" Just a nap , " She mumbled and allowed the strange sleep to take its course.