The throne's keeper.

Chapter 22 - Not healthy.

Khwezikazi.

My hands run over the baby bassinet and it feels cold and empty, the blanket is not the way its supposed to be. It's not the way I left it.

No no no.

My eyes shoot open as I too get up from the bed and look into the bassinet only to find nothing.

The blanket is just sitting in the bassinet empty and so is the bassinet itself.

"Nikiwe !!"

I yell when I start to jump out of bed when my heart start to race.

"Nikiwe !!"
I yell again when I frantically press the button for the nurses help. I look between my own blankets, under the bed and inside of the bathroom but there's nothing.

Mabye I made a mistake, mabye the nurses took her for a bath, but they said they wouldn't tonight.

"Mam ?"
The nurse asks when she walks into my room and she's met by my shocked expression and my hysteria.

"Did one of you take Nikiwe ?"
I ask and she looks at the bassinet and at me before she shakes her head.

"No."
She answers and my heart drops.

"This is your night with her."
She says and I shake my head at her.

"Someone took my baby."
I tell her and she stares at me for a few moments almost as if in disbelief.

She looks at the bassinet and then at me.

"Somebody took my baby."

My eyes shoot open again when I feel somebody hold me down and I scream even further.

It's dark and I can't see anything, my mouth is muffled and my body is held tightly and I can't even begin to move.

"Shhhh shhh."
He says as he tries to calm me down, it's Sanele.

"It was just a dream, it was just a dream."
He says as he brushes my hair back gently and he makes me stare up at him as he stares deeply into my eyes and I feel my shivering start to stop and I stop trying to fight.

I can't speak because I am going to cry, I know i will and I dont want to cry, I don't want to relive this all over again.

"It's just a dream."
He repeats as he now soothes me and I only stare at him. His furrowed eye brows and his soft voice in attempt to calm me down.

I know he hasn't slept yet because most times I'm always the first to go to bed when doesn't have himself locked away in his office, avoiding me.

The only time I've ever gotten to see him is during moments like this.

"It's just a dream."
He says again when he gently carasses my face again and I close my eyes for a few moments as my mind slowly comes back to me again.

It's just a dream.

I lie to myself.

This isn't just a dream.

"I'm sorry if I woke you."
I tell him and he starts to detach his arms from me and he rubs his face.

"I was just about to sleep actually."

He says as he now gets up from my bed and he stands beside it.

"We can't keep living like this Khwezi."
He starts and I look away from him as I lean back on the head board.