MATHONGA

Chapter 10

VUKUZAKHE-

It’s impossible that he’s disappeared without a trace, Izingolweni is not that big a place for a person to go missing without anyone taking notice, a grown man for that matter.
Vukuzakhe wanted to keep it in the family but that was not Vumile’s plan. The entire town has been notified of the little prince’s disappearance. Those who wanted to help have gone out of their comfort zones.

“Try his phone again,” Vukuzakhe tells Ntabezikude. They have just left a guest house, it’s the third one they’ve checked, leaving with bad news seated on their shoulders.
“I did that two seconds ago, ndoda.” Ntaba’s protest finds Vukuzakhe in a bad mood.
“I don’t care, try it again.” He’s shouting at the wrong person, Ntabezikude is not affected.
“You need to calm down, I’m sure he found some girl and got lucky.” Ntabezikude.

The chuckle must have left his mouth with bad intentions, Vukuzakhe clicks his tongue and orders his brother to call again. He obliges and meets a mechanical voice of a white woman telling him nonsense.
“Ai ke, I don’t know anymore.” Ntaba emits, his eyes betraying what his voice doesn't. He’s angry, a rare thing to see.
“I don’t like this at all, I swear if Mathonga is doing this on purpose, I’m going to punish him.” The announcement by Vukuzakhe has Ntaba rubbing his hands together like a petulant child.
“Ohh! Can I help? I want to be the one to tie him up.” Ntaba chirps.

Frowning at the suggestion, Vukuzakhe takes his eyes off the road to catch something akin to excitement on his brother’s face.
“Not like that sdididi,” Vukuzakhe chides, “What is wrong with you?”
His question is ignored by this big child who now is looking out the window, arms across his chest and lips curled up, displaying how disappointed he is.
“You’re so boring.” That’s Ntaba’s answer.

NALA-

Ten steps from the sitting room to his bedroom, seven to the front door and five to the kitchen. I count as my mind wages war with my being. I could take a left and run out of this house, maybe go right headed for the knife in the kitchen, or I could go straight. Straight into the lion’s den.

Escaping would be easy, it’s always easy. But it also means death, death for Thabani and Thobani. He’ll kill them if I ever leave this house, he’s said it before and that man never lies.
They are with him right now, I can hear their tiny giggles seeping out of his bedroom. They think he loves them, he tells them all the time. He’s a master manipulator. Their eight year old eyes only see the good in everyone, they believe whatever is laid for them on the table.

But I see through his lies, I see it every time he takes what is not his, I see it every time he forces me into this ugly red dress, and makes me do things I don’t want to do. Things that make me feel dirty inside out.

“Sis Nala, uncle is calling you.” That’s Thobani’s voice, their voices sound the same but I can tell them apart.
My mother’s twin babies, she loved them from the time she nurtured them in her womb. Unfortunately, she didn’t get to raise them.
She gave birth, held them in her arms a second and the next her eyes were staring into space, wide and unblinking. I was eleven years old, a child myself and couldn’t understand what was going on. Why my mother stopped breathing.

Her best friend, Mam’Julia and her husband Petros took us in. He’s the devil waiting for me in the bedroom he shares with his wife. That fifty six-year-old pervert has no shame.

“Sis Nala.” I don’t like that bastard using my brothers.
My feet are numb on concrete as I force them to move, fear and disgust bubble within me. I reach for the solid wall for support, trying to act brave. Something I am not. If I were brave I would have taken my brothers and ran, death be damned.