KHUMBULANI

#17

KHUMBULANI
# 17

Unedited

NAKIA

I take the glass away from him, he was still shaking.
Nakia:So you don't remember what happened in the dream?
Khumbulani:No, I... I.....
Nakia:It's okay, take it easy.
I check the time and it was almost 3am.
Nakia:Let's go back to sleep..
I switch off the lights and spoon him like a baby. Whatever he dreamt about must have been scary, I've never seen him so shaken up like this.

We woke up in the morning and I prepared breakfast for him.
Nakia:How are you feeling now?
Khumbulani:I'm okay, maybe it was just a dream.
Nakia:Okay are you going to work?
Khumbulani:No, I'm going to see Mandla and come back to spend my day with you.
Nakia:Uhh I have to go somewhere today.
Khumbulani:Where are you going??
Nakia:You remember I was looking for a building last month? I think I've found one.
Khumbulani:Oh that, do you want me to come with you?
Nakia:No it's okay, you can see Mandla. I'll be fine.
He nods and eats his food. When he was done, I washed his plates.
Khumbulani:Babe did you wash my clothes yesterday?
Nakia:Yeah, they are in the closet.
He was holding his jacket.
Khumbulani:I had a picture here and now it's gone.
Nakia:A picture?
Khumbulani:Yeah, did you see it?
Nakia:No I didn't see it.
Khumbulani:Eish okay maybe I dropped it somewhere.
Nakia:What is the picture about?
Khumbulani:It's just someone Mandla is looking for, so I took it with the hopes of finishing the search.
Nakia:I will help you look for it.
We searched everywhere on the house but we didn't find it.
Nakia:Are you sure you brought it here? We have looked everywhere.
Khumbulani:Let me call him.
He called him and put the phone on loudspeaker.
Mandla:Hello.
Khumbulani:Mandla hi, did I leave with the picture there yesterday?
Mandla:Yeah, you left with it. What's up?
Khumbulani:I think I lost it, I can't find it.
Mandla:No worries, I made copies of it.
I saw him sighing relieved.
Khumbulani:Thank God, will see you soon.
Mandla:Okay bye.
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QINISELA
Khumbulani told me that Gloria told me to come see her today, that she will tell me who my father is. That's the only reason I'm here.
She opens for me after knocking, she smiles at me but I keep a straight face.
Gloria:Come in.
I follow her to the living room.
Gloria:Do you want anything to drink? Juice or water?
Qinisela:No I'm fine. I'm only here because Khumbulani told me that you will tell me who my father is.
Gloria:Son, I am so sorry for everything...
Qinisela:Just be honest, for once...
She sighed and sat next to me. She tried to touch my hands but I moved away.
Gloria:Your father... Shongwe was a good man. He loved you, even though you were not his. He found out when you were 10 years old but that did not stop him from being your father...
Qinisela:Just get to the point..
Gloria:I'm getting there.... I was pregnant with my second child, Mphathi was already Seven years old then. Shongwe was very excited about welcoming another son. But, during labor, something happened. I had given birth to my son and your father had seen him too. We hadn't given him a name yet. They took my son to place him with other babies, but when I asked for him later they said he was missing and they turned the whole hospital down. Looking for him. But they never found him. I was shattered and torn apart, I didn't understand what was happening. Then later at night, a woman came to me, she was carrying two babies in her arms and she was crying. She had also just given birth, but sadly her son died. She gave one twin to me and said, "We both lost our sons, take him and I will take this one". Confused, I took the baby from him and asked her, "Who are you?"
She looked like a mess, she looked like she hadn't slept all night.
"Take the baby and raise him as your own, and I will take this one and raise him as my own too."
She said that and ran out of the room. I looked at the baby's eyes and fell in love instantly, I got reminded of the son I lost. One nurse came to my ward room and asked me where I got the baby from. I decided to be honest and told her what just happened. We both made a promise that night that I would take the baby as my own. When my husband came back the following day, he came to the news that we had found our son. He didn't suspect anything, we named the baby Qinisela and raised him as our own. Shongwe found out when you were 10 that you were not his, and not mine either. We came across your twin in town, he was walking with that woman who gave you to me. Shongwe was angry that I did not tell him. We tried finding our son that we had lost but we never found him. So I'm trying to say to you, I don't know who your father is, and I don't know who your mother is. That woman who gave me to you, died years ago before I could get answers and I didn't know anything about her. I'm really sorry Qinisela.
I rubbed my face, my tears were so close to coming out. My whole life has been a lie, why do people lie like this? How can you mess up my life like this??
Qinisela:You lied to me...
Gloria:I'm sorry...
Qinisela:So I'm just an adopted son. Maybe I'm an orphan. I don't belong anywhere, I've always felt that I don't belong here but now it has been confirmed. Does my twin look like me? Maybe I can find him. Maybe we can find our real family and find where we belong.
Gloria:It was years ago Qinisela, I didn't get a good look at him.
Qinisela:I hate you so much..
I said with tears in my eyes. Finding out that your life has been one big fat lie is not something you can accept with a smile!
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MANDLENKOSI
Khumbulani:So, I think I have the solution to opening your door.
Mandla:I'm listening.
Khumbulani:We just need someone with power to open it.
Mandla:And where will we get someone with POWERS?
I asked rolling my eyes. Khumbulani said he also remembers faintly when he was young that there was a closed room in his house, but when he asked his mother to open the doors days back they opened..
Khumbulani:There is a kingdom of the Sun called Elangeni, there is someone there who is said to possess great powers of the Sun. Maybe she can open this door for us.
Mandla:Elangeni Kingdom? I have never heard of the place. Who is that person?
Khumbulani:Her name is Langelihle, but she is a Queen. We are going to have to go there and ask her to come with us.
Mandla:How long will it take to get there?
Khumbulani:Maybe 3 or 4 hours. If we wake up early tomorrow, we can get there in time.
Mandla:Let's hope she will be able to help us.
Khumbulani:I hope so, those who know her say she is kind hearted.
Mandla:Okay, I guess we are going to Elangeni tomorrow.
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KAYISE
Mphathi is now better, I am never trusting anything from Google ever again.
Kayise:I'm thinking of chicken wings, spicy.
Mphathi:Should you eat spicy food while pregnant?
Kayise:I don't know, but okay. I'll just get BBQ ones. What do you want?
Kayise:Full chicken, not wings.
Kayise:Okay, I will be back.
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# NARRATED
The following day, Khumbulani and Mandlenkosi have been driving for hours and they have finally arrived Elangeni.
Khumbulani:This is the place.
Mandla:I feel like I have entered some million dollar mansion!!
Khumbulani:Can you believe she built this place as you see it standing like this!!?
Mandla:She sounds like a remarkable woman.
Two royal guards come to them and they introduce themselves, and ask to see the Queen.
"Come with us", one of the guards say. They follow behind them, their eyes were everywhere. Admiring the beautiful Kingdom.
They entered the throne room and their Jaws dropped.
"The Queen will be here in a minute. Sit!", they command.
They sit down, and wait.
A while later they hear footsteps, finally the Queen of Elangeni shows up, with her husband by her side. Mandla couldn't help himself, he stands up in awe watching the goddess enter the room.
Mandla:I think I just fell in love..
He whispers and nudges Khumbulani to stand up.
Khumbulani:Should we bow?
Mandla:I don't know, she's a Queen.
They whisper within themselves.
"No need to bow gentlemen", she tells them with a warm smile.
Langelihle:I was told we have unknown visitors at the soil of Elangeni. So how can we be of assist?
Mandla:Your Highness, we need your help..
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