NONKULULEKO

10

NONKULULEKO
#10

I started doing strange things, things that scared even me. Back then I didn't think it was strange, what I was doing. But the people around me thought I was creepy. Killing animals became a little hobby of mine. It started with the rat, then the chicken, cat, bird, every animal I could land my eyes on. Taking out my anger on them seemed to feed my soul, I got better.

My dad was worried about me but he didn't say it, he had become awfully quiet ever since he broke up with Nandi. Gogo was the one shouting orders and ordering me around. He was invisible in the house. What was eating him? I could never ask him, he wouldn't have answered me anyway. I just got back from school and I rushed to the bathroom to wash my hands. Gogo beat me to it because she was standing outside when I finished.
"Was it a bird this time?" I shook my head.
"I just had dirt on my hands. We were playing with Nhle". I lied to her face. She starred at me for a few seconds before walking back inside.

I followed her and my first stop was the kitchen. I was hungry. I opened the fridge but there wasn't anything interesting. I guess I had to cook. I was about to start with the pots when I heard my name, I thought it was someone calling kanti its gogo talking about me to my dad.
"I'm telling you, something is wrong with that brat", she said.
"I haven't seen anything strange"
"Because you are always locking yourself here. Nonkululeko will kill us one day. What girl kills a rat or a cat? One day I found her playing with a knife"
"I'm sure she was just cleaning. Nothing is wrong with her. Now please excuse me"

My dad started coughing uncontrollably.
Gogo said, "we seriously need to take you to the clinic or hospital. You are getting worse"
My heart started to beat at an irregular rate. What was wrong with him?
"I am fine I don't need the hospital", his voice was weak. I heard a fluid splattering on the floor and I peeped through the door. He was vomiting. I opened the door and got inside.
"Dad what's wrong?", I was worried. He looked at me weakly and tried to smile hit you could tell he was having difficulty. I went to kneel in front of him and touched his hand.

"I am fine Nonkululeko.", he wasn't fine. He looked pale and his hands were cold. I touched his forehead and it was the same thing. "We need to take you to the clinic" I begged him, but he wasn't having it. He didn't want to get medical help. It's almost like he had given up.

I got back from school the next day and I was welcomed by neighbors coming in large numbers to the house. I ran inside to find out what was happening. They were all circling my dad and praying for him, singing.
"Baba", I touched his hand. He was worse than he was yesterday. He needed the hospital but Mahlase was a stubborn man, he refused to get inspected by the doctors. He proffered a traditional healer. Typical of a Zulu person.

So after the neighbors left, a Sangoma was called to check on him and figure out what was making him sick. He was called Myeza. A lot of people complimented his work, and recommended him to us. He arrived in his work clothes, carrying ishoba in his hands. He got inside and found us in dad's room. His eyes moved to mine and he looked at me for the longest time, it made me uncomfortable. Why was he looking at me like that?

He finally stopped looking at me and tended to my father. I got out of the room because his presence was making me uneasy. I waited for them to finish. An hour later they walked out of the room.
"Is he fine now?", I was already standing on my feet.
Myeza looked at me, looked at gogo and looked at me again.
"Udlisiwe u Sibisi" whoa poisoned!? By whom? And why? Love portion?

"Kanjani?", gogo asked horrified by the revelation.
"Akuveli konke, kodwa umuntu owenze lesehlakalo ukhona la emndenini. Ngicela indlela" what he literally said was that it wasn't shown to him, but whoever poisoned my dad was here in the family. He said he left some herbs and we should take him to the hospital, because it wasn't his kind of work. It wasn't a love portion. He said the poison had reached his entire body and we needed to get him to the hospital. Meaning, someone wanted to kill my father. But who?
"Ngingakhuluma nawe ndodakazi?" He asked to talk to me.
I nodded and followed him outside.

"There's a dark cloud hovering all over you. What did you do?", of course, it's always a dark a cloud. Why can't it be a pink cloud? Or a green cloud? Why a dark one? I was bored by the question that I yawned.
"We need to get my father to the hospital baba", I tried to get out of the confrontation.
"Uqaphele ndodakazi, inhliziyo yakho imunyama.(Be careful, your heart is dark)" first he told me there was a dark cloud hovering over me, now I have a dark heart!? Okay!

"I understand you are spiritually gifted but I don't believe in all that, there's no dark cloud hovering over me. You are just saying that because nina zangoma nihlezi nifuna ukumosha impilo yomuntu. Akukho kwa fu olibonile la, uzifunela imali nje. Ngicela uhambe baba(you traditiona lhealers always want to ruin our lives. Theres no dark cloud here, you just want money. Please leave)"

I left him there and went back inside.
"The ambulance is on its way. He seems to be better now that he has drank those herbs Myeza gave him. Stay with him, I will get him some water" She left us alone. Mhhhm!
I closed the door and sat next to the bed. Oh Daddy! You know how much I love you, I want you to show me the way. Daddy! Oh daddy!

I sang him the song while brushing his arm up and down.
"How do you feel dad?", I asked starring at him, my eyes not leaving his.
"Nonkululeko…..my da..ugther…"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry"
"I'm sorry too dad"
I looked at the mug where he was drinking the "herbs" and pushed it away.
"I'm sorry", he was crying……
"Please forgive me", crying again. I was sorry too.

"The ambulance is here", I heard loud sirens outside and sighed.
"Good luck dad. I hope you make it" I waved rhythmically by the door and laughed a little. I walked out to help the ambulance people.
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To be continued…
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