LANGELIHLE #14
SONDELA
We are driving in the middle of the night, going to the place that Langa saw in her dream. I couldn’t let her go alone, she wouldn’t even sit down to think.
“We’re here, this is the place”, she says and bangs the door as soon as I park. I follow after her as she speeds off.
Langelihle:I don’t understand. This is the place I saw.
She says in a low voice, disappointed.
She looks around and touches the leaves.
This place, I don’t know what to call it. But it had no flowers, it was just an old, abandoned site. There was nothing here.
Langelihle:I don’t get it. This is the place I saw. There were flowers here. What happened to the flowers!?
She kneels down and releases a few tears.
I kneel next to her and hold her hands.
Sondela:Let’s go home, we will figure it out in the morning.
Langelihle:I swear this is the place Sondela. This is the place I saw. I don’t understand.
Sondela:It’s okay baby. We will figure something else out.
Langelihle:No, it’s not okay. It’s not okay. This is not… okay…
She cries and her cry pierce my heart terribly.
I lift her up and lead her back to the car.
I drive back home.
I get her some water.
Dad comes to us, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
Mthembu:I thought I heard voices. Why aren’t you sleeping?
Sondela:Langa just had a bad dream, we are okay.
Mthembu:Mhh okay. Switch off the lights when you go back to bed.
Sondela:We will.
He walked away.
I looked at Langa and she looked completely disoriented, and hopeless. Her eyes were tired and baggy. This was taking a toll on her, it was on me too. I just wish we can find something promising soon.
Sondela:Let’s go back to bed.
We go back to bed.
I pull her closer to me and kiss her neck..
“God give us a sign”, I said silently.
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VIRGIN
Phil:All my old contacts don’t want anything to do with me. They won’t hire me anywhere.
Virgin:I’m sorry.
He seemed really sad, it must hurt that be isn’t able to provide for his family. Maybe I am being selfish by not wanting to do something to put food in the table.
Phil:It will be years until I can find a job..
I kept quiet.
Phil:I feel useless that we are staying with your parents
Virgin:Please stop stressing Phil, we will figure something out.
Phil: “We”? Last I checked, you didn’t want to do anything.
Virgin:That was then, but I can’t just sit around. Yes our wealth is gone, but we can try to find other ways to generate income.
He smiled and looked at me.
Phil:Does that mean you will also look for a job?
Virgin:Yes, I will.
I nodded and smiled.
Phil:Thank you my love, I promise you. We will find a way out of this. A man must always make a plan to take care of his family, no matter what it takes.
I guess I’ll be working as a maid now.
He tells me that he will accompany me tomorrow to his friend’s house.
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LANGELIHLE
I took Sondela on a wild goose chase on the early hours of the day. I could have sworn, I really thought that was the place.
I don’t know what I am missing, but I am missing something.
Could it be that it was just a dream?
But that girl in the dream, she looked like me. But a younger version of me. Was it my mother or what?
Arrg, I hate being confused like this.
Sondela went to work and I’m going back to Ein house later on. I know it’s a long shot but I’m desperate, maybe Margaret is feeling better today.
My phone rings, and I hurry to answer it.
It was my doctor. I hope everything is okay.
Langelihle:Hello?
“Mrs Mthembu, I’m going to need you to come to my office.”
Langelihle:Is everything okay?
“Yes, you are due to give birth soon. Have you forgotten?”
I’m left with two months or one month?
“The baby can come anytime, remember y_
Langelihle:Yes I remember. I will be there.
I hung up and wore appropriate clothes, I had already bathed.
I told ma that I’m going out for a few hours. I started at the doctors office. We cleared out everything and I left for Ein House.
This place always gives me the heebie-jeebies, many people have been put in mental asylums whereas there’s nothing wrong with them. It was the bitterness of others to lie against them.
I can’t imagine being put in this place.
I passed by the receptionist and left my phones and jewellery.
They escorted me to her room.
“She is doing better today than the last time you were here. Try not to get close too much to her. We don’t know what she might do.”
Langelihle:I’m sure she won’t do anything.
I say trying to sound positive.
She slightly laughs.
“Sweetheart everyone is a crazy here. If you can know the things they do daily, you will take back your words.”
I swallowed and followed after them.
We reached Margaret’s room and she was sitting on a chair, folding some clothes.
“Remember, don’t get too close.”
They warn me again.
Langelihle:Margaret.
She looks up to me and smiles.
Margaret:Sun.
I have gotten used to people shortening my name to “Sun”. It makes sense.
Langelihle:You know me?
Margaret:Of course, daughter of Langa.
Langelihle:That’s my mother’s name? What can you tell me about her?
Margaret:She is always crying for you. She visits me every night and talks about you.
I found myself smiling a bit.
Langelihle:The other day, you said I must run, that he is close. Who were you referring to?
She stopped folding the clothes.
Margaret:He can’t get to you, he knows you are the only one who has the power to destroy him.
Langelihle:The Power? What are you talking about?
Margaret:The power of the sun.
Langelihle:The power of the sun? Do you know where I come from?
Margaret:I know. I come from there too. A once quiet and beautiful place, but was destroyed by a greedy man who only wants to take control over everyone. He destroyed everything and anyone who stood in his way. We were afraid of him. He stripped off the power from everyone in your family. He couldn’t get satisfied, he wanted more and more. When he found out that you were also gifted, he wanted to kill you in your mother’s womb. He couldn’t accept the fact that a more powerful person could exist, no one was supposed to surpass him in anything. It didn’t matter to him how many people he killed, as long as he remained the only powerful man alive, all was well. He comes from a long line of a powerful family, so forcing dominance over everyone was in his genes.
Your mother, Langa, was soon to be crowned Queen when she met him. She disobeyed and went against her family, just to be with him.
It was not normal for a man like him to be in a relationship with someone, let alone someone as innocent and sweet as Langa, who only wanted the best for everyone. But he had to live a somehow normal life, so he approached your mother.
She was head over heels with him, she listened to no one who warned her about him. Her mother warned her countless times that there was a war coming and that it would take away everything from her. But she didn’t listen, she just wanted to be with him. She cursed the crown and said she would never be a Queen if her family cannot accept him.
She ran off with him. He found out that she was special, and that didn’t sit well with him. He was the only one who was supposed to be special. He manipulated her, and convinced her to give up her powers to him. And she did, after that he went to your mother’s home and killed everyone. Your grandparents, the villagers, the goats, cows, everything. It was reduced to dust and ashes. The Kingdom of the Sun, which was once a beautiful place, turned into ashes quicker than you can blink your right eye.
She fell pregnant, with you, she started to see him for what he really was. All his true colours were revealed to her, and there was nothing she could do. She gave up her powers to him. She had to watch and endure his bad treatment. She wanted to run away from him. She once tried, but he caught up with her and punished her so badly.
She wanted to protect you from him, that was the only thing that mattered to her.
But, he found out that you were also special and wanted to kill you in your womb. He wanted to get rid of you, he feared you would be stronger than him. And he couldn’t let that happen.
The time came for your mother to give birth to you, sadly she didn’t make it. She died. And her sisters, they stole you and wanted to run away with you. But of course, he caught on and organized a mob to attack them. Luckily, the other sister had run away with you. The other one was left at the hands of your mercy.
Langelihle:The mystery man is my f_
Margaret:Yes he is your father. And I..I am your mother… it’s me Langalami.
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To be continued…
