A noble blood sacrifice

Damsile my first: Part 1

I didn't mean to kill her. I only meant to scare her. Please forgive me. But I cant confess to the police. My family still needs me. I know her family needed her too. But I'm still not sacrificing mine. Not after everything they've been through. They deserve a guardian like me regardless of my mistakes. I will do right by my family to appease the Gods of the dead and retribute my sins accordingly. 

We had fun together Damsile and I. Went on dates that she paid for. Enjoyed fancy food and exquisite drinks. She would even drive me back to her place to close the deal. We closed many deals on her L-shaped suede sofas. And the queen size memory foam bed that I've never forgotten since. But she never let me sleep over. No matter how drunk we would get. It happened once before. Not with me but with her previous toy-boy. He was slightly younger than me according to some of what she had to say about him. Apparently, they got drunk after some late clubbing. Emotions spurned on by liquid courage. She let him spend the night. 

Have I mentioned the husband yet? He worked at the mines in the North-West province. He had bought her the house as an engagement gift. One of those new development houses on the outskirts of the township. Left her the vintage Benz as well. A convenient get around while he was away. After they tied the knot, the problems began. She recounted all of them just days after her and I met. A dictatorial arrangement rife with emotional and physical abuse. For the most part, her openly exhibited infidelities stemmed from these regrettable developments. 

Unlike his misdeeds, hers were no secret. So much so that he knew at least three of the toy-boys by name. "I will catch you one day and you'll be sorry," he would say. She would laugh at him to his face and say, "If you're still alive old man." This while the neighbours were in earshot of the argument. I knew all of the arguments and what happened in-between because she told me. Where they took place. What they were about. Who was watching if they happened to be outside. 

Anyway, this toy-boy from before, he was out back smoking a cigarette. She heard the padlock unhinging by the gate. But she was still naked in the bed. Being of a quick mind and inventive intellect, she put on her pyjamas and ran to the window in the second bedroom. Whisperingly loud, she called the toy boy over. He was told that he was her cousin from her mothers sisters side dumped on her for some temporary job hunting. That's all the info she could give before the front door latch began to fiddle. She exited the room and ran to the bathroom. Flushing the toilet just in time to hear, "Damsile, I've arrived," Ndololwane announced. "Okay my love," she replied. Fixing her hair before coming out.

Ndololwane was the pet name she had given him. This was in reference to the elbow strikes she would receive when sharing the same bed. This led to Ndololwane being banished to the guest room after intimate activities. That's if they weren't fighting on that occasion. Eventually it became standard. The name and the separate sleeping arrangements. 

"How was your trip," she asked. Ndololwane put his luggage down in the hallway. "Long as usual. But the walk allowed me to stretch my feet. I wish this bag wasn't so heavy though. Makes me wish the taxis passed directly on our street." She gave a throaty laugh and replied, "You wish. Unless you pay extra and piss off the other commuters with that inconvenience, just deal with it like everyone else." In the kitchen she turned the kettle on and pulled out the cheese griller from the bottom cupboard. "Do you want anything to eat?" There was no reply. She wasn’t hungry but was willing to eat with him just to calm his temper down. ”My love, are you hungry?" Silence again. "Did you start smoking recently?" he asked suddenly. “No that’s probably S’phamandla. Nondindwa’s son.” 

Ndololwane's forehead spawned four extra lines over the four existing ones. Damsile’s heart was skipping outside her chest at this point but she had to keep it all together or lose everything. "Who's S'phamandla and why is he not looking for a job where he came from?" He said this while advancing toward the side door. “Nondindwa sent him here because it’s closer to the city. It’s only for a short while.” He met the toy boy just before they both turned the corner of the house. Grabbing him at the cuff of the neck, Ndololwane began swinging his free arm. 

"Ndololwane!" Damsile received a direct hit to the forehead in a botched effort to rescue the situation. Stumbling to the floor, she fell between the legs of the two men. Getting a knee to her shoulder blade and a stomp on the hand she was balancing with. "What is your problem old man?" the toy boy remarked. "Why are you fighting? Lets talk." "You think i'm stupid. You and your little whore," Ndololwane shirked. "You think I don't know." He swung a second time. His attack swiftly blocked by the slick and quicker youth. "I don't want to hurt you. You better stop," the toy boy warned. 

The old man tried for a kick but was blocked by Damsile’s chest. She was working her way back up but lost momentum once again. The toy boy pushed Ndololwane. Causing the old timer to stumble backwards. Catching himself with one arm on the concrete pavement. Spraining it in the process. Lifting himself up with one arm holding the other, he had had enough. "Get off my property this instant!" Spittle flew off his mouth as he spoke. "If you are not gone this very instant i'm calling the police." "Calm down Ndololwane. He wasn't trying to..." "SHUT UP!" Ndololwane retorted. "Shut up you bloody whore. This is all your doing you dirty dirty woman!" 

Neighbours had stopped their gardening, car washing. Some had downright come out of their houses just to watch. "Fetch my things so I can leave," the toy boy said to Damsile. She hurried into the house. For what felt like forever, but was really just a little under a minute, she returned with his wallet, phone and jacket. "This is the final straw Damsile. You're bringing these dirt bags to my house. You have no respect whatsoever." "Watch who you're calling a dirt bag old man,” the toy boy said as he walked past. "Don't threaten me in my own house you little rat. Get off my property now." Ndololwane's eyes were blood shot. "Or what?" the toy boy retorted. Smirking with villainous intent. "Just go please. Stop making things worse," Damsile pleaded. Pushing the toy boy towards the gate. "Don't ever put your hands on me again dinosaur. Next time I won’t be so forgiving,” the toy boy said. Pointing menacingly at the older man. "Just shut up please," Damsile pleaded again. "This is the rubbish you bring into my house. This is all you, you Babylonian whore. These are all your doings." 

After locking the gate, Damsile took a deep breath and prepared herself for the next stage. Ndololwane waited for her to enter the house first. He followed her inside. She sat down on the sofa as he disappeared into the spare bedroom. He came out holding a sjambok with his working arm. This prompted Damsile to leap for the kitchen. He flew down the hallway but was not fast enough. She had the longest, thickest cleaving knife in her hands. Stopping him in his tracks. 

Normally she would have made for the door or just screamed helplessly. Not this time. Fed up with being treated like a naughty child with an overzealous father ever ready to raise his hands at her, she was ready to end it all in that moment. They stared each other down. Deep breaths being heard on both sides. "You really think you're going to kill me don't you?" he said. "I will," she replied. Snot creeping out of her nostrils. "Is that what it's come to? My own wife ready to take my life." He dropped the arm holding the sjambok. "I think this relationship is done. Were no longer lovers. We are enemies sharing residence and that will never work." 

Damsile had not moved and her arms were beginning to tire. She kept the knife in position just incase he changed his mind. "So what are you saying?" She asked. Ndololwane dragged his feet to the sofa. Flopping down in defeat, he placed the sjambok on the table. “This is not love anymore. All these boys you bring to the house. I know about all of them. Now you have the audacity to let them sleep over.” “But I told you he was my cousin.” “Don’t lie to me! Stop lying. I know the truth. I have eyes you don’t see.” She knew he was talking about those nosy neighbours. “Now you’re ready to take my life. Who’s to say you won’t do it while I sleep.” He rubbed his injured arm the whole time he spoke. Flinching his face every so often. “I’m going back to the mines in four days. For another three weeks or so. I need you out of this house before my return.” At that moment she felt nothing. No hate, resentment. No hurt feelings at all. It would only sting much later when he slept in the main bedroom. Forcing her to sleep in the spare. That’s when the gravity of the situation took hold. She cried herself to sleep. Four days later she met me.