Yibanathi

🧡Part 35🧡

Avuyile

"It has been a full day without Yibanathi at home."

I explain to the chief.

"Simlinde kusukela izolo ebsuku ngiphephethe esweni."
[We waited for her since last night and still nothing happened.]

MaNgubo reports to the chief. Today MaNgubo and I decided to go and report Yibanathi's disappearance to the chief.

"Oh so you claim you did not do anything which could've lead her to running away."

The chief says.

"We will look into the matter madam."

The chief's advisor suggests while looking at me.

"Please help me find my granddaughter please."

I plead with them and the chief nods and just like that we are dismissed.

I swear living in Umbumbulu at this stage is annoying me. Can you imagine a person is missing and one must first start and report to this lazy good for nothing chief and wait for him to act on the matter then you must report to the police. After all the police first question if you have tried other means to solve the case on your own before coming there.

Lazy police men.

"Excuse me mam don't go that side."

The guard who is escourting us said to MaNgubo who was going the other side.

She quickly comes back towards our direction.

I am thinking about the elders. Nxa stupid elders. As if they can assist and actually come up with a sensible conclusion and bring Yibanathi back to me. I will definetly clap for them but as for now they deserve nothing but insults.

"Vuyi do you think the chief bought our act?"

MaNgubo asks the minute we are outside and the guard that escourted us out has not even gone that far, he is still within listening distance.

"MaNgubo are you out of your mind?"

I ask her because I cannot believe that she is the one asking me this nonsense right now.

Come to think of it is she not the one that is supposed to tell me that? Who is the seer between the two of us? I remember very well that I was not blessed with such a gift of seeing the things that one does not see with the naked eye.

"Avuyile that is no way to speak to me especially after risking it all to help you!"

MaNgubo responds as we are crossing the road and taking a pathway that is a shortcut to the main road.

We cross the road while I am thinking deeply about the whole matter.

Yibanathi is still in the area that is for sure because I mean where can she possibly go and who can help her.

"MaNgubo walk fast please."

I tell her in a normal and calm tone.

"Mam'Chiliza how are you doing?"

A woman asks me and I know her but I don't know her name.

The woman asks me and I know her through Tsolo of course. I swear having her as a neighbour has gotten people to know me and sadly I don't know them.

"I'm fine dear, and you?"

I ask her.

"I am good too. How are the grand kids?"

Grandkids more like a grandchild. Either way I will not inform her because she is one of the gossip mongers so she will spread the news if I tell her Yibanathi has not been seen since but I guess it is worth a try maybe she will have information.

"Sandile is fine but Yibanathi is not fine."

I respond.

"What is happening?"

She asks me with a questioning look on her face.

"She ran away from home since yesterday and I don't know where she is we were sleeping during the day because of the heat and we woke up she was gone."

I tell her.

"Just like that?"

She questions me and I nod and she inhales sharply while looking at me and I guess taking in the news that I am telling her.

"Well I have not seen her and when I hear anything I will tell you."

She tells me and I nod while MaNgubo is standing across the street underneath a tree.

"Thank you"

I tell her.

"Don't worry though children will be children you will find that she is just misbehaving like children do."

She tells me and she pats my shoulder while carrying on with her walk and I do the same.

MaNgubo crosses and catches on with me.

We continue to walk silently all the way to the house.

I unlock the door and just as I am about to open the door I hear Tsolo shouting while coming towards our direction.

"Sis Vuyi wait wait!"

Tsolo shouts.

The thing I hate is that I do not have a gate let alone a fence so people come as they please into my yard.

MaNgubo enters the house and to tell you the truth I still do not know what she wants from me at this point and what is she still doing here because the plan failed.

I wait and Tsolo reaches me and we both enter the house and I go to the kitchen and get her some water so she can start talking.

She is panting as she is sitting on the couch.

"Thanks."

She mutters while she drinks the water I just gave her.

MaNgubo is sitting on the opposite couch with her feet on top of the couch.

"Khuluma,kwenze njani?"
[Talk, what is going on?]

I question her.

"Sisi I just heard from MamZulu who heard from Zulu her husband who heard from Mzingisi that the chief advisor said the chief has given out a statement that Yibanathi from this household has gone missing and that should anyone see her she must be sent to the royal household."

Tsolo says and she is looking around the house.

"Worse I just recieved a whatsapp message from Refilwe saying that Yibanathi is missing."

Tsolo adds on while staring at MaNgubo who looks unbothered when all of this is her fault she is the one responsible had she done her job properly we wouldn't be here.

"Who is Refilwe?"

I question her.

"Refilwe is one of the ladies from church she said she heard from the horses mouth."

Tsolo answers me while sipping water like it's wine. Refilwe must be the woman I bumped into on my way back here. She says she heard from the horses mouth I guess I am the horse and this gossip collector of a neighbour is here to make sure the rumours are true.

"It's true dear. Yibanathi is indeed missing."

I appreciate Tsolo as a neighbour but right now she is annoying.

"Heeeeeeey!"

Tsolo screams when she hears the news of Yibanathi missing.

"Tsolo I don't know where she is or if she has eaten."

I say sadly.

"We will find her though."

Tsolo says as some way of assuring me I guess.

News travels fast here it hasn't even been a couple of hours and it  has spread this far I hope they will find Yibanathi and bring her back. 

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