TurfWars-Criminal Underworld

Blood

Aftermath...

The panic of what just happened was still lingering in the now warm air of the car. A baby’s cry nagging through like an unwanted song. Tension, thick as butter cemented itself among them as James and Mazibuko heavy breathing, kept looking at their mirrors to see if they were being followed. The left shoulder of James gave way like a leaking pipe.

He cursed what just happened, looking at Mazibuko thanking God that at least this time he had backup. “Everyone okay?” James asked as he caught his breath and slowed down his heart rate. “Detective, what was that?” Asked Mazibuko as he turned a corner, his eyes never leaving his mirrors. “Next time you go into something like that, leave me home bro.” James just looked ahead, his thoughts murky as he tried to understand what was that. The baby’s cries turned up a decibel and became screams, James turned to find a bleeding Amahle on the seat with a baby on her lap. James panicked asking Mazibuko to stop the car. “No detective, not while we are in danger, we will drive her to the hospital” said Mazibuko as he kept on looking at his mirrors. “Mazibuko, listen this woman will die if we don’t stop the bleeding.”  The pleading seem to fall on deaf ears. James pushed himself to the back seat, his shoulder taking more damage. His adrenaline was still high and so did not feel much of it. In the back seat James went to work and went straight in search of a pulse, finding it he got on with the next part and the reason why he was there, to keep her alive.

First aid was part of the training for officers, stopping a wound from bleeding was going to be hard in this dark and cramped up back seat, specially with the car moving. He managed to put something on the wound to aid with pressure. “Since you not stopping, increase the speed.”Mazibuko did not need a second invitation he put his foot on the accelerator and let the car go. The hospital their destination.

Meanwhile...

The candle lit room that we met earlier was now dark as Mandisa slept away. The cars that filled the narrow street had all raced away. Ashes had now built up where a fire once stood warming the old men that Spanner greeted that evening. The house sounded empty as all who lived inside now walked in dream land oblivious to what was happening. The men standing guard all sat in their cars hiding from the unforgiving winter nights.

Sleep took them as it did Jesus’s disciples, they could not keep guard as a lone figure walked through the streets of Imbali reaching the street where the cars parked, he stopped and watched. Snoring they did. He slowly and confidently walked into the street, avoiding getting close to the car as to make any noise. Crouched in to fight the cold he moved slowly yet in a swift man that displayed confidence, passing under street lamps that illuminated his dark stature. He stopped at the front gate of Smile’s house and took out a phone. Dialing a number he put his phone to his ear.

Angry and annoyed Mandisa awoke to her phone ringing. She looked at the time and cursed the caller. “doesn’t this person see the time.” She did not recognize the caller ID. Who could it be she thought. Answering it “Hello.” There was silence as the caller said no word. “Who is this?” Still nothing. “listen here you piece of shit, I don’t have time for games. You either speak now coward or I’ll find you and make you sing” Said a now angry  Mandisa as she sat up from her Mattress, “You still strike fast I see” the caller said. Mandisa recognized the voice. The electronic disturbance of the line could not distort this voice. Those five words hit her, inflicting fear and shock into her. She stayed staring at the dark wall ahead of her, lost for words and air. “You not having heart attack now?” asked the caller. “what do you want?” asked Mandisa. “I am outside, let’s talk.” The call cut as Mandisa slowly stood up and looked outside her window which looked into the front yard, a figure stood at her front gate. She looked at the cars that were supposed to be on guard, none moved.