IT GETS BETTER WITH TIME. <NOT EDITED>

Chapter Twenty one-reality

I feel as if I'm stuck in a dream, a dream I can't even get myself to wake up from. I've been trying to wake up from this nightmare but I'm trapped in this familiar basement. Glued to this metal cold chair and I can't even get myself to move a single muscle.

I wiggle my body furiously against the touch of the tight robes that burn my skin but not any of my attempts enable to set me free.

I'm stuck, again. I knew there was no escaping.

"You are here, once again," he makes his presence known by growling and laughing hideously. He brushes my cheek and bites his lower lip and I wince in both terror and disgust.

"Don't hurt me," I beg as I always do.

"Hurt you? Who said I'll hurt you?" he laughs,"I'm going to do more than that, baby," he squeezes both my breasts.

Not this again, this can't be happening again, no I refuse.

"Let my daughter go, you monster," I hear my mom yell and she directly aims a vase at my uncle's direction.

She's alive?

Her aim is pretty good because the vase makes good contact with my uncle's forehead. He falls drastically on the cold marble floor and blood pools around the floor. My aunt comes rushing in but stiffens when she realises what just happened.

"You killed him, Nkosazana, you killed my husband," she stumbles on the floor and shakes her husband, begging that he wakes up.

For the first time since I've been stuck in this chair, I finally can move. I run to my mom and hug her tightly, and sob uncontrolably.

"It's okay, Nana, you're safe, he won't harm you," she hushes me.

He's finally gone. I'm finally free.

"I'll protect you with all my might, I'll always be here with you, always," she continues brushing my back and my dreadlocks.

This isn't a dream, is it?
She's here with me. Alive. Breathing. She's alive. And she's here to protect me, her only daughter.

"I'll protect you, sthandwa, always," I feel a gentle hand brushing my scalp smoothly and a kiss on my forehead lingers.

This is strange, I was in my mother's comfortable warm arms not so long ago, when did Nathi get here? How did we both end up here?

You know how strange dreams can be, this is one of the strange dreams and I don't even comprehend it.

I battle with opening my eyes because of the brightness of the unfamiliar white room.

"She's waking up, call the doctor," I hear Nathi whisper.

Doctor? where the hell am I?

Beep, beep, beep.

I keep hearing that annoying sound.

Am I in a flipping hospital?

I finally manage to flutter my eyes open and I gradually adjust to the hilariously bright room.

"You're finally awake," he whispers with a sad smile and I notice his eyes are blood shot red.

Has he been crying?
Nathi never tears up.

"Nathi?" I whisper.

"I'm here baby, I'm here," he brushes my cheek with his thumb and I shut my eyes to the soothing of his touch.

It was just a dream. It was just a dream.

Suddenly everything that has transpired comes in massive waves. I saw my mum, she's alive, but how?