MATHONGA

Chapter 38

MATHONGA-
Thirty-eight

WARNING!
This chapter contains scenes that might be triggering or sensitive to the reader. Reader discretion is advised.
.
.
.
.

MATHONGA-

It’s around 12am and I can’t seem to get any sleep, I have been tossing and turning for hours on end. It’s irritating really, I tried the warm milk thing, it disappointed. I would like to say it’s Nala, thoughts of her refuse to leave my head.
However, Nala is not a spirit.
There’s a second presence in this room, it’s eerie, unexplainable. It brings about fear in my heart, I feel it so close to me that if I were to reach my hand out, I would touch it. Fear is a lie, it’s all in the mind.
I have enough courage to get up, stand tall and with a confident voice yell…
“Whoever you are, you have no right to be here. I command you to go back where you came from.”
I think of praying, but my head is too occupied to access that ‘small mustard seed’ faith. I don’t feel the presence anymore, it’s safe for me to go back to bed.
*
*
“Wake up, we need to pray.” I recognise the voice, the person is shaking me awake. Nandi is in my room, looking like she just woke up from a deep sleep. Her puffy eyes and pouted mouth show and tell. 
“Sisi?” She laughs… strange.
“No, call me Nandi.” I have no response for her, seriously, did she wake me up just to tell me to call her Nandi? I can’t call her by name, it’s un-African
“What’s going on?” I sit up, making sure to keep my legs covered. I don’t know her to be comfortable in her presence. 
“There’s a dark cloud surrounding the house, we have to pray.” Great, this, I didn’t expect. 
“What time is it?” I ask, as I rub my heavy eyes. I don’t fight the yawn that attacks me.
“Few minutes after 3am?”
This is why it feels like I died and came back to life, it’s too early to be awake.
“Ma, what’s going on? Why are you waking me up?” How did she get in here, anyway? I locked the door before I went to bed. Did I lock it? I think I did. She stands back as if to give me privacy, too late, you entered my room unpermitted.
“Will you sleep while your enemies are plotting against you?” She waves a bible as she says this. Christians and not being original, that’s definitely a line from the bible.
My life is a struggle, I’m being bible bashed in the wee hours of the morning. 
“What are you talking about? Don’t you think it’s too late in the night for this?” I’m getting annoyed, sleep is calling my name. I need to go back.
“Your enemies are wide awake, Mathonga. They are celebrating your downfall, you can’t sleep when your enemies are ready to dance on your grave.” Grave? She came here to scare me, that’s it.
“Ma, please don’t say that. There is power in the tongue, I’m not going to die. I refuse to die.” 
“You won’t…”  Her words are swallowed by my ringing phone, I fish for it from under the pillow. I don’t recognize this number, +27—whoever is calling is in Joburg.
“Who is it?”
Haibo! I don’t think that’s any of her business.
“Mathonga, who is calling you?” Nandi insists, stepping closer while flipping the bible open. Honestly, she is acting strange.
“Please leave my room, who let you in anyway? The door was locked.” I’m not strict enough because she is not listening to me. She’s paging through the pages, eyes squinted and focused. 
“If it’s an unknown number do not answer it, it might be a trap.” Her gaze is on me now, I glide out of bed, not caring that I only have boxers on. She’s on the other side of the bed, looking at me like a mother would her child. I’m the one who shies away from her stare, not fair, this is my room.
“Don’t answer the call, Mathonga.”
“It might be Nala.” Why am I even telling her this?
“I’m not here to dictate your life, please listen to me just this once. Do not take this call, we need to pray. You can phahla if you want, and I’ll do the prayer after. Don’t ignore my plea please, I have a bad feeling about that phone call.”
“Fine,” I put the phone back under the pillow and join her as she kneels down.
I hope she’s not one of those who pray until we forget where we are. I know I’m going to fall asleep on Jesus.