The Other Brother

Lazing around playing old school music just to keep my mind busy and trying not to think of Khanyi. I decided to clean my bedroom. The curtains are being taken down, windows being washed, and my wardrobe is neatly packed. One thing that is left is me pulling the bed to stand in another direction. I don’t know when the last time was, I actually did some cleaning.  A pink sock under the bed. Khanyi has been looking for her lucky sock for some time and I denied ever seeing it. I should let her know that I have found it. I grabbed my phone – ready to give her a call. I remind myself of what I have promised my soul. I need to get Khanyi off my system. I throw the sock on top of the bed and continue to clean...

KHANYISILE

“Can we call dad?” I may sound annoying right now, but our lives are at stake here. I’ve been pacing up and down trying to make sense of all this. Who was behind the wheel and why was he following us?
“Your father is not some superhero. I doubt he will even come to our funeral. The police are on their way.” Thabi says. She has been so relaxed about this whole thing. On the other hand, I am swimming in trepidation. 
“The police are outside.” says one of the workers. Thabo scurries out and I follow shortly. I want to make my statement powerful. I am very good with numbers – I still remember the number plate at the back of my head. Waiting for Thabi to finish providing her statement. I chirp in. 
“The number plate was...” 
“No need for that. It was just my people I hired to make sure that my children are okay. I assume they must have panicked.” I don’t know where our father came from. Somehow, I am relieved that he is here but on the other hand I am mad at him.
“Baba.” I see Thabi rolling her eyes. She grabs my hand and drags me towards her car. 
“Something is off her and I will find out.” 
I look at my father and I see nothing wrong. I frown. “What are you talking about?” The only thing I see here is the danger we almost got to encounter earlier on. We almost died. 
“Khanyisile, wake up and smell the coffee. You are too slow at times. Me being forced to be married to some guy and all a sudden, we are being followed by some dogy cars.” Thabi. She is not making sese right now. I smile shaking my head, The hallucinations bugging her head. 
“But you did here dad saying he hired...” 
“It’s just a cover up and I can sense it. You know what – let's drop this. I didn’t know you are this slow yes, yes maan!” She walks away. I don’t know why all of a sudden, she has become irritated. I don’t see anything wrong with what my father did there. He hired people to look over us and I think I am loving the protection that comes with it. The police that were invading the place decided to leave. One would swear that it was a crime scene. I wait for my father as he is making his way towards me with a sour face. 
“Bab...” 
“You couldn’t wait to call the cops. There was no need for all this drama!” He hisses and walks past me. I am left in confusion. So, if our lives are in danger, we must never seek help. Didn’t I try contacting him and his phone was completely ignoring my calls. What were we supposed to do? I am left stunned by his outburst. My father didn’t think well of his response. I believe he didn’t mean what he said. I follow him behind. He is taking giant steps heading straight to his office. He shuts the door on my face. Firstly, it hurts. Secondly, it makes me feel stupid. I turn my heels and just stand there running out of options. I don’t recall the man I saw. That man is defiantly not my father. Tears blind my vision. I am hurt into the deepest pit of them all. The hurt I am feeling cannot be compared to anything. I sigh, I slowly walk out of the resort. I need to be alone and have some time to myself. I just need to think!

Feels so strange walking at the side of the road with a lot of cars passing by. I am beating myself up with a lot of questions. And I am starting to believe that there is something wrong with me. 
The more alone I feel, the more I start to have thoughts of not belonging or of feeling rejected. I need Amanda – but I cannot always call her whenever I have an issue with my life. But hearing her crazy joke and gossip will do. I just want to find a park and sit there. I seem to have forgotten – we don’t have parks but dams and rivers. I continue to scroll until I find myself in some dodgy building in town. It smells in here, like there is a dead body lying around. I feel my skin crawl as I shiver at the sight of the building. I can hear movements – but no sound of a human being. I think I should get out of here. I take steps back, but someone talks. 
“We should eliminate him.” The man says. My heart drums against my chest. 
“It’s not easy. He is protected in jail.” The other responds. 
“This is revenge. He killed my brother Sqeda brutally.” Silence. 
“Fine! I will see what I will do. But I am not making any promises.” The other man responds. Looks like there are two of them. Footsteps approaching. I need to hide before they see me. Whoever they are planning on killing – I hope it does not succeed. I am hiding behind a tree with my ass flat down. Instead of leaving these men decide to smoke. My arm is hurting, and my neck is stiff. I do some excise breathings. I say a little prayer within me. What was I doing here in the first place? Lord, my trust is in you. God, and I give thanks to you for your love and protection. In Jesus' name, Amen. I open my eyes and they are still here – looks like they will not be leaving anytime soon. My knees are weakening to the sight of them sitting down. These people are surely camping here. My phone vibrates from my pocket and I just know that it will burst in no time. Indeed, loud music springs out causing a lot of attention. Too late to switch it off now. I just let it ring. I close my eyes and wait for the worst that could happen. Footsteps keeping me on the edge.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” ask one of the men with his faced covered in tattoos. I swear I am seeing the devil himself in this man right here. I swallow my dry saliva. I see two men looking down on me. If today is the day for me to die – then lord, please let me make a wish before I departure. I stand up with my back leaning against the tree. I look at my surroundings and it's dark. Didn’t even notice that the sun has died down. With this darkness – it's hard for me to spot anything. My aim is a way out safe and sound. Alive on top of that. 
“Please. I won’t tell anyone.” My big mouth pleads. 
“What did you hear?” Asks the one with a lot of tattoos on his face. 
“Nothing.” I respond softly. The guys take steps towards me. The fear of intensity. The ‘what if’s’ rambling my mind to the edge. I wish I could scream my lungs out. My blood pressure and heart rate increase. I start breathing faster. I can feel my blood flow changing — blood flows away from my heart and into my limbs. The next thing I know is I have become the marathon queen. Here I am running for my dear life. I don't know how my arm slipped right off my cast. But I swear I felt the bone cracking on the way. 
“Bitch!” I hear the man cursing behind me. The footsteps are right behind me. The next thing I hear is a gunshot from a close rage.