Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 30

Its been a few days since Mgidi and I need to go into town to buy some essential groceries for the house, there’s clouds rolling in, the air is quiet humid today, it’s gonna be a good day, but I chose the wrong day to wear a pink floral sundress skirt and T-Shirt. I drive up to Mthatha Mall and walk to Woolworths and grab a trolley, I push it and head to grab the essentials. I walk towards the fruit aisle, I pick some apples and Pears. I walk to the freezer, and grab some steak and Lamb. My day feels a bit too peaceful, I wonder why, oh yeah that’s because, I don’t have to deal with sick patients. Hehe.
I walk to the cash register and pay what I need to pay, I’m sure he’s gonna be angry because I haven’t replied to his Good Morning text. Its just that, I was busy, had to clean my parents’ graves and I know if I answered his text, I would be sitting in bed kicking my feet and giggling. That’s what men do and their cute smiles and big ears.
I walk closer to the car and place everything, my phone starts ringing, speak of the devil, “Molo standwa sam” I say smiling putting on my seatbelt.
“So wena kga botse wena ao sang rata”(So you really don’t love me anymore) he says.
“Sorry?” I ask.
“Uyunthandi” he repeats.
“Xolo myeni wam, eish, I have just been busy, as we speak, I’m driving back home” I say. “Uphuma phi?”(Where you coming from) he asks.
“I’m still in town need to buy Phiwe some hotwings and then I’m headed back home” I say, “So what you doing?”
“Today is my day off, so I’m just, with the fam unless someone wants me to head somewhere then, that’s that, but other than that, I’m just chilling my boy” he says yawning at the end. “What are you tired?” I ask.
“Ah, you know how life is emakhaya is, its just tiring” he says, rubbing his head, “Mh” his eyes peer up, looks like someone is talking to him.
“Who’s that?” I ask.
“Thapelo” he replies, “Go check in the Old man’s Rondeval, if its not there, only he knows” he says.
“What?” I ask.
“I’m talking to Thapelo” he says and I nod, he looks up again, “Babe let me call you neh” he says.
“OK, I love you” I say. “I love you too” he says and I blow him a kiss.

I drive to Chicken licken and order 24 Hotwings, shiii I’m taking at least half of those. I head back to the car and grab a hot wing. And start driving. Its half past 2 and I’m already tired. Dammit, I guess my body is still recovering from Mgidi.
I stop at a red light. “Bang!” That’s what I hear before my car door swings open. Who are these men? One has his hand over my mouth before I can scream. I feel a cold thing pressed on my forehead and someone grabbing me.
“Put her in the boot,” another voice shouts! Things start going crazy again! there are more hands dragging me at once. I’m trying my hardest to get their hands off me. He pulls off his mask and smiles at me while I lay in this boot. I hear a door slamming and I’m in complete darkness. There are things on top of me, I don’t know what they are but they’re taking up space and I can’t move. I want to throw up! I’m sweating! I can’t breathe properly! The car is moving. My phone? What happened to my phone? I remember it dropping on the ground when they pulled me out of the car. And then it hits me! I’m being hijacked, or kidnapped, but whatever it is, chances are I won’t make it alive. If these people don’t kill me, I’ll die of suffocation in this boot. I’m shaking, I’m crying. My heart must be working overtime and I get a stabbing pain in my abdomen I don’t think I have been shot. But that means nothing if I can’t catch my breath and nothing is working I’m even kicking the boot but nothing. I think of my dad, him lying there is the coffin peacefully. I still don’t know if it was a good or bad thing that he died without warning us. I mean he was still young, I mean a heart attack while jogging was not one of the ways, I would’ve expected him to go out. I was only 21 and Mxolisi was 26 and he took care of all the preparations and my mom was left to grieve and not lift a finger. Now my older brother will have to bury me too, would he even be able to find my body? Why is my life so fucked up?

We’ve been driving for a while now, 30 minutes maybe, and it keeps getting hotter and hotter here, I’m literally dripping in sweat. But I’m going to remain calm, if I’m going to die I’m going to die peacefully. We are now on a bumpy road, I can’t believe he found me. Wasn’t it enough he made my life a living hell, for a whole year. What does he want with me, does he think he’ll accomplish with this. It’s a crime to kidnap anyone. The car stops and the engine is turned off, my chest is pounding, and the air in the boot is suffocatingly thick. I hear muffled voices outside. The doors slam shut, followed by footsteps crunching on gravel. Then there’s silence, I start to panic again. What now? Are they going to open the boot? Drag me out? Or worse? Then, with a metallic clunk, the boot springs open. Blinding light floods my vision, and I squint against it.
“Sawubona standwa sam” he says.
I swing and it connects with his face and he takes a few steps back and comes back harder, I hit the ground hard.
“Pick her up” he orders.