At Sami's penthouse
She zipped her suitcases and looked around the living room. She was down and out and it hurt. Once upon a time she had everything and everyone was in her corner and now she was all alone and she had nothing.
The beeping sound of the lift startled her, she pulled her suitcases towards it and stopped waiting for the person on the lift to step out. A man wearing a black suit emerged holding a box and a notepad.
Man: "Goodmorning mam I'm Mxolisi Mdamba from Aramex couriers...."
Sami: "Oh! I see, you brought my book?"
Man: "I believe so.(handing a notepad to her) please sign here for me."
She signed and took the box.
Man: "Thank you, enjoy the rest of your day."
Sami: "Oh thanks."
He turned to the lift and pressed the 1st floor and it opened then he stepped in.
She walked to the coffee table and placed the box opening it. The book she ordered was here, she smiled and teared the plastic paging through it then closed it.
She sighed sadly looking at the book title, My Hope Is Dead by Sandisiwe Gxaba just like hers. Yah neh life!
She placed it in her handbag and went out.
After a few hours she was standing infront of his brother's house. Dating back to their last conversation she could only imagine how their encounter would turn out but she was willing to try. She tried to open the padlock but the key got stuck.
She sighed defeated and started screaming MaNtuli's name.
Meanwhile inside the house Neliswa stopped folding the clothes and listened to the unusual sounds. She ignored them and continued packing but they persisted. She sighed and went out, she frowned looking at Sami with her big suitcases and went to her.
Neliswa: "Unjani sisi ngingakusiza?"**How are you, can I help you?"
Sami: "I'm Siphosami, Sbani's sister please open the gate for me."
Neliswa swallowed and took a few steps back with her eyes popped out.
Her heart pounded and she joined her hands praying...
Neliswa: "Dear God please chase this evil spirit away I know my intentions were not good when I met Sbani but God this is not my time. Fire in the name of Father God, the son and the holy spirit."
She opened her eyes and Sami was still there. She ran to the house and got coarse salt and looked outside. Sami was still standing there, she rushed to the gate and started throwing coarse salt at her.
Neliswa: "Fire satan! I didn't kill you stay away from me."
Sami looked at her in awe, she didn't understand why was she treating her like a ghost.
Sami:(snapped) "Neliswa!!! Stop acting crazy I'm not dead now can you open the gate for me."
Neliswa: "Oh God! It speaking, the ghost can speak."
She ran to the house and locked all the doors.
Sami blinked her eyes shaking her head and looked at her suitcases. It a walkable distance to the cattle post and the fields but taking the suitcases with her was not an option.
She placed them next to the gate and walked to the cattle posts.
At the cattle post
We cleaned the milk tanks and the milk parlour then Khehla walked in.
Khehla: "Sbani a cow has been bitten by a snake."
Me: "When?"
Khehla: "We don't know ."
Me:(sigh) "Which one?"
Khehla: "The charolais cow."
Me: "Where?"
Khehla: "The lower part of the leg."
Me: "I'm coming."
I removed the gloves and washed my hands then walked to the grazing field.
We arrived at the grazing field and four charolais cattle were laying down.
I looked at their legs and only one cow had a lump on the lower leg, I pressed on it and the cow kicked. I stood up and looked at the herdboys...
Me: "It is anything but a snakebite, it could be an abscess or seroma but why are they laying down like this?"
I bit my lower lip thoughtfully and the cow just did the worst, it dropped it head and straightened it leg and died just like that. I sighed and went to check on the others, they couldn't breath properly.
Me: "What time did you return them to their posts?"
Khehla: "The charolais cattle was the last one to be returned Ntokozo suggested that we leave them behind since they still needed to graze."
I lifted my brows and chuckled...
Me: "They were bitten by a snake but not on the legs, on the nose. We can't do anything now, their airways are already squeezed shut and a veterinarian will take forever to get here."
Khehla: "So we'll let them die?"
Me: "Yah it too late. I don't have my gun with me, I would've taken them out of their misery. Go and bury them when they're dead."
I swallowed a lump in my throat and walked back leaving them behind.
Ntokozo is doing the most right now, he knows how much I love those cattle, I don't even sell them. I got them from France and crossbred them with the Angus cattle.
The love I had for those cattle surpasses everything and Ntokozo is going to pay for killing them.
I went to the workers and told them I'll be off during the weekend if they face any problems they must call me then bid farewell to them and went to my car. I saw Ntokozo standing by the water pump and flashed a smiled to him.
Me: "You started this game and I'm going to end it. See you next week."
Ntokozo: "Yeah and while at it make your own baby and stop fathering our kids. You fool."
Me: "What did you say?"
Ntokozo: "Me? Nothing, see you next week."
He turned to the water pump and started pumping the water to the bucket.
I opened the car door then I heard someone calling me and turned to look, it was Sami.
I chuckled bitterly and closed the door leaning against the car.
Sami: "Unjani bhuti Sbani?"
Me: "I'm sorry miss but we're not hiring."
Sami: "I'm sorry for everything I said."
Me: "Siphosami, I don't have a sister. You're dead to me dead and buried, I don't care what happens to you from now on so please give me a breather."
She dropped on her knees and held my legs crying...
Sami: "I'm...I'm sorry Sbani I really am. Please forgive me, I don't have anywhere else to go."
Me: "Stand up!"
She looked at me and stood up rubbing her eyes.
Me: "Siphosami you know I don't forgive and you went along and took me for a ride wasting my hard earned money whilst taking me for a fool. You treat me as this uneducated stupid farmer angithi? You know I loved you once, you were my world. If I chose to finish school we were going to starve and live our lives as beggars. You're an ungrateful piece of trash, after everything I did for you, you just had to choose a dick over me? Well I'm done being a fool, you're nothing to me get that through your thick skull. If I had no women in my life I would've fucked you to show you that you're not my sister anymore just a person nje I used to know before."
Sami: "Can you atleast tell me my father's address?"
Me: "Mfulongashi, Khambule the council member of the village. If you would excuse me."
I turned to open the door and stepped inside driving out.
At Nomonde's house
Nomonde's mother looked at her sitting on the couch watching movies and sighed.
Nomonde's mom: "Nomonde this is tiring, I won't stay in a dirty house because of you. I understand you're pregnant but this laziness is annoying me. Get up and clean this house marn."
Nomonde: "But mom..."
Nomonde's mom: "I'm not going to repeat myself."
She yawned and stretched her arms going back to sleep. She was doing a night shift the day before and she was tired.
Nomonde looked at the floor and curved her lips crying, the house was too dirty and the sink was full with dirty dishes. Looking at it brought tears in her eyes, her phone rang on the armrest and she answered...
Nomonde:(sniffs) "Hello."
Sbani: "I'm outside."
Nomonde: "I'm coming."
He hang up and she rose up excitedly and paused the movie walking out.
She opened the door and stepped inside...
Nomonde: "Hey babe."
He looked at her and scoffed then turned up the volume reversing as he hummed to the song and drove off without saying a word to Nomonde.
TO BE CONTINUED
