1. A Night to REMEMBER

Chapter 11

Present

And so that is how we found ourselves in this current predicament. It all happened so fast, the police came rushing in telling us to get on the floor. There was shouting; raising of guns and a lot of confusion but through all of this somehow Dwayne managed to get away.

They searched the house and found nothing except for the drugs in the duffle bags that came with us and the guns that some of them were carrying which l suspect are not registered.

They also searched us, with Raven complaining loudly shouting at the officer that was patting her down, saying that she would file a case against him for sexual harassment.

It turns out there where more men in the house more than what we saw, about fifteen more.

Emihle, you should really call your dad, Sisipho says who is also lying flat on the ground next to me.

Im not going to, well somehow get out of this, she says.

I never though l would ever reach a low like this in my entire life, l am literally lying face down on the ground with a pair of hand-cups around my hand on my back. Jessica is the lucky one, they didnt have enough and she is so drunk that they did not even tie her with zip tie. Is it even legal to tie up underage children?

After ravaging through everything they could, literally turning the house upside down they help us up leading us outside where there are police cars waiting.

It all feels like a scene in a movie; everything literally happening in slow motion; with their K-9 dogs barking; some of the men swearing at the police officers as they are being dragged into the back of the police cars; Sisipho and Carmen trying to convince Emihle to call her dad; the flashing blue lights from the police cars and the alcohol still in my system which is not helping.

After closing the back of one of the vans, one of the police officers walks up to the one guarding us.

Grayson! Theres not enough space for any of them in any of the cars. They will have to ride with you, him tells him.

No, no, no. There are seven of them! We could just wait and call for back up, he says sounding out raged.

And waste more time. Its the weekend and l have more important things to be doing than babysitting a bunch of children. Besides lm guessing they are under age, if we dont handle this correctly and put them in the vans with the other male criminals it could bite us in the back later, he answers clearly annoyed.

Fine, Grayson agrees seeing that he clearly has a point.

And so he leads us to his car, forcing all seven of us to sit at the back, stacked on top of each other. Closing the door behind him he goes back to who l guess is the leading officer.

Fucking Shit Raven! Why are you so heavy? I ask.

What are you complaining about? I have two heavy; drunk people on top of me while you have one, Sisipho complains next to me also being squashed.

To make it worse the bastard did not even leave a single window open and the car has a prisoner partition which is restricting the space and my legs making me feel like a caged animal.

Youre worried about weight, how about the fact that we were caught with illegal drugs. We are probably going to go to jail and this might be o our permanent record. Did you hear me, and which university will take us let alone where are we going to find jobs, Megan rambles on.

Ow shut up! Youre not helping besides are you forgetting we have Emihle who refuses to call her dad even though he can easily get us out of this situation.

Who says its illegal, maybe it was baby power, Jessica mutters lost in her own world making us even more annoyed but just before any of us can give her a piece of our mind the officer returns entering on the drivers side while another on the passenger. Silence fills the space as if we had not just been arguing before.

They totally ignore us and start driving talking to each other.

I didnt realize that we were so close to the coast because after a few streets he turns into the right into a road which is along the coast, though l cannot see the weaves nor the beach clearly since it is dark.

I hate working night shit on the weekends. I could have been somewhere drunk already, Officer Greyson says.

I know. I am so happy that my shift ends in thirty minutes so when we get there l dont have to do any paper work.

They continue talking, complaining about the fact that they actually have to do their jobs, something they are paid to do. Not surprise at all, those are South African police for you.

Wait, can you pull up at the next garage, l have to pee, the other officer asks.

Why, that would be wasting time. I want to clock off already?

If l could hold it, l would but l cant, besides we are just transporting children not actual criminals. What could they possibly do?

Contemplating it for a moment he finally agrees. Fine, l need to buy some alcohol any way.

Pieces of shit, l mumble. I cant believe they are so chilled right now while our lives are over.

As agreed he pulls up into the next garage, parking on the side and they both leave us the car.

Okay Fuck! This shit just got real. How are going to get out of here? Carmen asks clearly starting panicking like the rest of us.

I dont know but we have to get these handcuff off. Raven says struggling, trying to get her hands out.

Even if we do manage to get the handcuffs off how are we going to get out? The doors are probably locked and there is a prisoner partition so we cant get out using the front doors.

We throw in a few ideas but none of them are good enough.

Does anyone have a hair pin? Emihle ask.

Yes, l do? I answer, What are you going to do?

Uhmm, Jessica can you please concentrate for a few seconds and try getting it from her hair, ignoring my question she asks Jessica.

Im not that drunk.

Yah right. If you could please hurry up and get it. We dont know how long they will take.

Raven presses herself closer to the door while Jessica tries locating the pin on my head.

Can you hurry up?

Im trying but everything is just so blurry and shaky, she say. Finally locating the pin she yanks it painfully from my hair.

Aw, you didnt have to pull it so hard.

Now hand it to me carefully, dont drop it, Emihle instructs her.

Wait, are you going to pick the lock. You can do that, Carmen asks.

Yes, is there anyone who cannot pick a lock in this day and age? she asks as if it is a normal skill to know.

Which great difficulty she manages to unlock her handcuffs and then she does the same for the rest of us.

Fuck, theyll be coming back anytime some how are we going to get out? Raven raises the important question. The only obstacle in our way.

We could try breaking the glass? Sisipho suggests.

And risk being caught. There are petrol attendants around us, they will definitely notice the commotion.

We could just open the door, Jessica suggest but we ignore her. The alcohol has definitely taken away her common sense.

We could jump them when we get to the police station.

Jessica leans over to our side reaching for the door handle, just as l am about to complain about the added weight she pulls the handle and the door opens.

We all just stare in shock. Quickly coming to a realization as if somehow reaching an agreement we all sprint out of the car running in the opposite direction, passing the confused petrol attendants. I never thought l would so be grateful about the lack of care in the police force.