LIFE IMAGINED

05

LIFE IMAGINED

05

ZETHEMBISO

She is on her way to the supermarket to buy nice things(junk food) from the money she got from Mbongeni Yesterday. She doesn't feel bad that she left him with R200, to her it's payback for all the time she has tolerated him being broke. She hopes he will get more jobs and give her more money, Mbongeni needs to sustain her. He can't date her as beautiful as she is and expect to not give her any money. She buys what she needs and walks home. On the way a nice car passes her. She smiles thinking how nice it would be if she were to have her own car, she can already imagine sitting in the driver's side, holding on to the wheel.
"Sisi, are you okay?", He asks her and she jumps a little. She was caught up in her imagination that she didn't hear him calling her.
She clears her throat
Zethembiso:Yes I'm okay.
"Do you need me to give you a lift?", the man in the car asks her.
She wastes no time and hops in, this will be her first time riding on such a fancy car. Surely her neighbours will be so jealous when they see her getting out of such a car.
"Where are you going?"
Zethembiso: I'm going back home I was just  at the shops.
"Oh  okay  what did you buy?"
He peeped through her plastic and saw a bag of chips, chocolates and a  small can of drink.
"How much did this cost you?"
She cleared her throat before she answered,not knowing how it is any of his business.
Zethembiso: Less than R100.
He looked out the window and snickered,  "Why are you buying such cheap things? Do you not have a boyfriend that spoils you?"
Zethembiso: I have a  boyfriend he just doesn't take care of my needs ,his financial situation is not stable yet.
"Well why are you still with him then if he  won't take care of you? I mean as beautiful as you are, you deserve all the nice things in the world. You should stick with me I promise you baby girl I'll show you the world"
She smiled and opened her eyes widely hearing that they'll show her the world.  All her life she's always wanted someone who will take care of her, someone who will treat her like a Princess and now it seems like she has finally found him. She knows she just met him and she shouldn't trust him but she doesn't care at the moment, she just heard that she will be given all the nice things and she wants them she is all about the nice life. Living in the village is not good for her, she sees herself as one of those gorgeous women she usually sees in the magazines. She's just poor but she wants to get there. How she gets there does not concern her, she will do whatever it takes to live a nice life. And an opportunity just presented itself.
Zethembiso: Why should I trust you? I just met you and I don't know anything about you.
"Come on don't act like you don't want this. I saw how you stepped into my car. "
She swallowed  the embarrassment and nodded.
"I'm a nice person. I saw you walking down the streets that you,  you don't deserve to be living here.  I'll take you to the city and show you the nice things about Durban  I'm telling you. Within a month  you will  be so gorgeous. This town or village or whatever that you're living in is not good for you at all."
Zethe:Why do you care?
"I don't but once once every six months I I recruit young girls that I get from struggling villages or townships to try and help them better their lives but if you want to stay here and be poor then it's your choice."
Zethembiso:No no I will do it. When will we leave?
"Do you have a phone?"
Zethe:Yes.
He gave him his card and told her to call him when she's ready to leave.
Zethe:Well this is my home thank you for the lift.
He took a roll of money from his pockets and shoved it in her breasts. "There's more where that came from".
Zethe stepped out of the car feeling like blessings just poured onto her, surely this man was sent by the Gods to her. Finally she will leave this stupid village and it's stupid, poor people.
Meanwhile in the car the man takes his phone and sends a message. He smiles and drives off.
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ZESULWA
"I'm sorry my boy but there is nothing that needs to be done in the yard", he nods and walks away. This is the fifth house he's been to, and they all tell him they do not have anything for him to do. He sighs and takes a different direction heading to Zungu's house. No use avoiding him, otherwise he'll send his thugs to assault him again. He has no idea how he's even going to pay him back. R10 000 is a lot of money, he doesn't even have R2.
..............
Zungu:Are you here to pay back my money?
Zesulwa takes a piece of paper and a pen from his pockets and write something. He gives it to Zungu and he reads it out loud.
Zungu: "I do not have money, but I can work for you and pay it kancane kancane( in instalments)."
Zungu: Do you know the work we do here?
Zesulwa shook his head.
Zungu: I don't know how you plan on working this out because I need strong men. Njengoba untekenteke kanjena nje le eyakho ngeke isebenze( As weak as you are I don't think you will work).
He put his hands together and pleads.
Zungu: Uphinde ube uyismungulu futhi,  ngizoyithini indaba yakho?( With you being a mute, what will I do with her?)
Zesulwa looks at him with pleading eyes, he will do anything to pay him back. He doesn't  think his tiny bony body can take any more of the beatings again.
Zungu:Okay, I'm only allowing this because I knew your parents.
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YABATHA

He takes the tools he was working with inside and put them in the storage room. He passes through the kitchen and notices that it's empty. He sighs relieved, he takes a glass and drinks water. As he is drinking water he feels a hand touching him, more like caressing his butt. He already knows who this is.
Mr Green:Are you avoiding me?
Yabatha:No, I had a lot of work today. The garden needed a lot of things to be done.
Mr Green:Mmhhm, I will sneak to your room tonight.
Yabatha:But Sir, your wife will be home.
Mr Green:I am the one who has to worry about my wife. Not you. And stop calling me Sir, I told you to call me by my name, John.
Yabatha:S.. John. Please not tonight. My ass is still burning from last night.
Mr Green frowns and turns him so that he can look at him.
Mr Green:Have you forgotten that I can just snap my fingers and it will be bye bye for your family?
Yabatha:No sir, please not my family. You can come.
The only reason Yabatha is still working here is because Mr Green showed him pictures of his mother when he was at town for her pension, his brothers playing, pictures of his whole family. Meaning he was keeping an eye on them. That's when he threatened him to not tell anyone about what he does to him or his family is gone. Yabatha tried going to the police but John is a powerful man, with connections in high places. Ever since then he has been scared of him, not to forget that he once had his brother almost kidnapped when Yabatha went to the police. But he let him go because Yabatha agreed to continue with their "arrangement". Luckily Yabatha's brother did not notice that he was almost held hostage.
Mr Green:Good now kiss me.
Yabatha placed the glass on the table and closed his eyes. He does not want this, he brought his face close to him and kissed him.
"What the hell is going on here!!!!!!?"
They quickly move from each other and turn to look at the angry Mrs Green.
Mrs Green:I asked what the hell is going on!??!!! John!!!!
Mr Green: It's Ya baby. He kissed me forcefully.
To be continued....