Unhinged

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I groan as a pang surges through my head. I try opening my eyes, but I struggle. I can hear a few voices murmuring faintly though I can't make out what they are saying. What's going on? I try to turn my body so that I can lie on my side but even that is a struggle. Now I'm frustrated. I take a deep breath and will all my power to force my eyes open. I'm welcomed by four pairs of eyes staring at me, worriedly. Siya rushes to me, leaving everyone standing at the edge of my bed and envelopes me in his arms. "Thank goodness you're awake. You gave us such a fright," he says, soothing my back. I snuggle against his chest tightly with no regard for the elders in the room. He continues to caress my back as though he can sense how much I need this. "What happened?" he asks against my ear before trying to peel himself away from me. Scared that he's going to leave, I tighten my fists around his t-shirt and draw him nearer to me. "I'm not going anywhere, love," he tries to assure me, but fear has me clutching on his chest despite his assuring words. He removes his shoes while still holding me and climbs on the bed and rests my head on his chest. I can feel his heart raging against his chest. I can't imagine what's going through his mind right now and I do want to ease him out of his thoughts but I'm struggling to say the words. Flashbacks of what that witch had said to me ravage my mind and my body begins to tremble. Tears flow down my cheeks as I lay on Siya's chest. "Thetha nathi sisi. Kwenzeke ntoni?" Siya's grandmother asks me. (Speak to us. What happened) I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out, just air. Siya caresses my arms in an effort to try and relax me and to some extent it's working. Lu decides to say something seeing that I'm keeping everyone in suspense and panic. "uBhuti had asked me to prepare bathing water for sis'Za. I arrived just as she was collapsing." (Brother) Oh Lu. I can tell from her cracking and shaking voice that I scared her. "Do you have any idea as to what could have caused her to collapse?" makhulu asks her granddaughter. Lu shakes her head 'no' but says, "I did bump into Qaqamba though when I was -" Oh, here comes trouble. "Uthi kutheni?" Siya asks, shifting abruptly from our current laying position. (What are you saying) Siya's raging eyes burn holes into Lu's skin, and she squirms under his intense gaze. I summon all my courage and finally speak. "Baby," I whisper, placing my hand on Siya's pulsating chest. He needs to calm down. As soon as his eyes land on mine, his intense gaze turns soft. "There's no need to yell at Lu. She did nothing," I try to reason with him. He sighs remorsefully, "Ndiyaxolisa nomdade," he says to his sister. (I'm sorry, my sister) Lu nods in acknowledgement before all eyes go back to me to explain what happened. "Well..." I start and narrate everything that Qaqamba said.

Without saying a word, Siya climbs off the bed and marches out of the bedroom in fury, without wearing any shoes. That's how infuriated he is. I try to call out to him, but it seems like his rage has clouded his listening. God, I hope he doesn't do anything stupid. I know how he loses all sense of reasoning when he's angry. "Oh, kodwa nkos'yam, sisilingo santoni esi uJongikhaya asiphathele sona?" their grandmother cries. (But my Lord, what kind of trial has Jongikhaya brought us) Lu walks to her grandmother's side and comforts her while I sit wiping my tears away. Qaqamba is really a thorn in our lives. I hate her. We hear screaming coming from the outside and we rush to where the noise is coming from. I know I'm not allowed to be anywhere outside but I'm not about to be left alone in this room. I walk behind the duo to hide my presence. As soon as we walk outside the house, we're met by a very disturbing scene. Siya is on top of his brother throwing punches on his bloody face while Jongi lays there, almost dead with a bloodied face. Seeing Siya like this has me paralysed to the spot. Lu and her grandmother join the women of the family who are screaming for Siya to stop hurling blows at his brother while I stand, mute with my eyes fixed on the gruesome scene before me. Siya's father and uncle come running out of the main house and aggressively pull Siya away from his brother. "Ndiyekeni! Ndiyekeni!" he bellows while kicking and screaming. (Leave me alone! Leave me alone) I watch as my husband fights to free himself from his father and uncle's iron glad hold while remains unmoved from the ground. This is NOT how I imagined this weekend to be; not at all. All this because of some whore who refuses to accept that Siya isn't interested in her. Just imagine! The aunts rush towards Jongi crying. Did he kill him? I hold my breath as I watch them check for his pulse. The aunt who's checking his pulse removes her fingers from his wrist and places it on the side of his neck. I shut my eyes tightly when she doesn't say anything. God, please don't tell me he's dead. "There's a pulse," she announces in relief. I exhale sharply. "Mbulelo! Mbulelo!" one aunt screams. Moments later, a boy who around the age of sixteen/seventeen there emerges from the main house. "Ma," the boy respectfully responds. "Yiz'osincedisa siphakamise ubhut'wakho simfake endlini. Biza noAthi," the aunt says. (Come and help us lift your brother up, and get him inside the house. Call Athi) The boy runs inside the house and returns with a boy of similar age. I would have thought they were going to take him to the hospital, but it doesn't look like they are going to do so. "Ngen'endlini mntana'm. Sizoyilungisa lento, ungabinaxhala," Lu's father says. I wish I could. (Go inside the house, my child. We'll fix this, don't worry) To avoid coming across as being disrespectful and adding more to the impending chaos, I walk back into the house and lock the door behind me. Whoever wants to get in will just have to knock. I don't feel safe, and I doubt I will anytime soon. I wonder where Siwe is. Sigh.