The Giant and His Heart. [Light at the end of the tunnel]

Chapter 54 - "My Protector"

Sisanda: "What interesting things did she tell you my friend?" She asked curiously.
Mandisa: "Well, apparently someone had a hard time in High School." I got this cold feeling suddenly in my body when she said that. Andy didn't tell her what I think she told her. Right people? Because that would be really cruel of her to do that. That was my personal past which had been tragic for me.
Sisanda: "Really?"
Mandisa: "Yes. Apparently high school girls teased and bullied her. You know how they could be cruel. And she also didn't luck out with the opposite gender too, because boys didn't want her because of her being too plain...and of course her being overweight."
Sisanda: "Oh my word! That is too sad." She said in a fake concerned voice.
Mandisa: "And also her mother's treatment towards her..." She did a dramatic pause... "well, let's just say that's it's not so motherly." Before I could attempt to tell her what was what – because I wasn't going to stand her bringing up my mother, and her making fun of the messed up relationship I had with my own mother like she had a right – a sound that I knew too well stopped me. It was a sound of a gun being cocked. I heard that sound a lot of times when I practiced with the giant at the shooting range. We all turned to the entrance of the dining room. It was George, and he had his gun pointed in Mandisa's direction. Oh my gosh! What the hell people?! What happened next, I will never forget for as long as I lived people. It happened so fast that I and everyone else were not prepared...especially Mandisa. George fired the gun and the bullet hit the empty chair that was next to Mandisa. We all screamed, but Mandisa's scream was the loudest of all of us. She had her ears covered with her hands, and her eyes were closed shut. Even after our screams of shock and horror had died down, Mandisa was still screaming and crying. Her whole body was shaking. Oh my gosh! To say I was shocked was an understatement of the century. Did George just shoot his gun people? I couldn't believe it. The sound of the gun shot was still ringing in my ears, so I could just imagine how it was for Mandisa. The other women were also in shock. Their eyes were wide as saucers and some were even crying and shaking.
George: "If you ever spew nonsense like that again, the next bullet will go through your head." Oh my gosh! ... "there's one thing that I love doing more than anything in the world, and that is killing." He said in this menacing and cold voice... "and mostly killing bitches like you. Bitches who like to bully the weak. So that shot was a warning to you. Please heed my warning because I won't hesitate to blow your head next time." Then he turned and walked away. Oh my gosh! I repeat guys. Oh my gosh! I mean what the living hell?! My bodyguard! If there wasn't a bullet hole through the chair that was next to Mandisa, I wouldn't have believed that what just happened really happened. Also Mandisa's screams and sobbing alone were a testament that my bodyguard had fired his gun. Like, he really shot his gun at Mandisa, well, not at her because she would be dead if he did, but still, he practically shot at her. Being shot at people is not a nice feeling. Trust me, I know. I've been shot at, remember? Yeah so, it's really a traumatic experience. I wouldn't wish it even on my worst enemy. My bodyguard was really a badass people. You see? I had told you guys. Stop bragging, it's not the time. I'm not bragging! I'm just saying to prove what I said earlier on. Geez! How could I be bragging at this moment? The room was silent – well except for Mandisa's screams and sobbing of course – but the rest of us were silent...we couldn't move. I'm sure the other women were in bodily shock the same as me. After a while Mandisa stopped her screams and sobbing and just stared into nothing. Sisanda tried calling her name a numerous times, but it was like she wasn't hearing anything. She wasn't responsive. At all. Oh my gosh! The other women were now passing me wary glances, some even avoided eye contact with me as if they were scared that George will do what he did to Mandisa to them if they looked at me the wrong way. It would've been funny under different circumstances. Philasande indicated that we should leave, so we got up with our plates together with Phozisa and left for the kitchen. When we got to the kitchen, we wordlessly just put our plates in the sink and we just stood there silently. Both of Phozisa and Philasande's faces looked ashen. I'm sure my face was the same too.
Philasande: "Oh My God!" She said breaking the silence after a while.
Phozisa: "Feel my heart guys..." She said taking both of our hands and putting it over her chest. Her heart was beating crazily... "like, my whole body is literally shaking."
Philasande: "Oh My God!" She said again... "like I seriously have no..." She swallowed... "no words for what just happened there. Like what the hell?!"
Phozisa: "I didn't even see or hear him enter."
Philasande: "Me too. Everything happened so fast. I first heard the cocking of the gun and then the gun shot." She said shaking her head with her hands covering her ears... "I can still hear the gun shot even now."
Phozisa: "That sound keeps on ringing and ringing over and over again in my ears."
Philasande: "I always knew that George was dangerous and scary but I never thought he was on this level." She said clapping her hands.
Phozisa: "Busi why you quiet girl?"
Philasande: "She's still in shock. Look at her face." And I was. I just couldn't believe it.
Phozisa: "Girl. Your bodyguard is..." She trailed off looking speechless... "he's just something else. He has my respect. He takes the word 'protector' to another level. He's not to be messed with." She said shaking her head... "I'll try not to do anything that will offend you in the future my friend." She joked.
Philasande: "Me too."
Phozisa: "Busi snap out of it." She said snapping her fingers in front of my face. I blinked.
Me: "What the fuck just happened back there?" I blurted out. They both broke out with laughter. Like, they were laughing crazily. Tears were even coming out of their eyes.
Philasande: "Laughter is needed in the situation." She said laughing.
Phozisa: "Oh God I needed that laugh to release the shock and horror a little bit."
Me: "Oh my God. What the fuck? Like..." I trailed off speechless and shook my head... "just wow."
Phozisa: "I know it's bad to say this, but I'm glad George did what he did shame."
Me: "Phozisa!"
Phozisa: "No Busi, she was going too far. Like, what was forcing her to be that hateful and bring up your traumatic past like that in front of everyone."
Philasande: "I see that, but when she started to talk about Busi's mother, that was just extreme. I was about to intervene but George happened." Phozisa chuckled.
Phozisa: "Yeah, that's one way to put it. George happened."
Me: "But guys, he didn't need to go as far as he did. I mean he fired his gun at her." They nodded in agreement.
Phozisa: "But on the bright side, no one will mess with you again."
Philasande: "Yep. Only a stupid person who doesn't value their life would do that."
Me: "Wow." I said releasing a shaky breath. My body was still shaking and I had this cold feeling on my back.
Philasande: "Did you guys see how she looked like when she stopped screaming and sobbing?" We both nodded with Phozisa.
Phozisa: "She looked empty."
Philasande: "That's what a person in trauma looks like."
Phozisa: "Hopefully she will be fine. Her friends must help revive her. She made her bed, she must lay in it now." She said shrugging.
Me: "Phozisa!" I exclaimed.
Phozisa: "No Busi, I'm speaking the truth here. Zanoxolo had warned everyone yesterday to behave themselves or there would be consequences. And what did Mandisa decide to do? Not listen. So...she must deal."
Philasanade: "And he did say that he will bring pain like no other to anyone who didn't heed his warning." Phozisa nodded... "do you think he gave George orders to do what he did?" Phozisa nodded.
Phozisa: "I think so. I mean ask yourselves this. Why didn't any of our bodyguards run in the room to check what was going on when that gunshot fired? Because I know they heard it." Oh my gosh! The giant couldn't have. Right people?
Philasande: "I was also wondering the same thing hey. So what you're saying makes sense." Oh my gosh!
Phozisa: "Your man doesn't play when it comes to you." Philasande laughed.
Philasande: "Look at her face." She said pointing to me. Phozisa chuckled.
Me: "Like, I'm still processing everything. It's a lot to take in. And I just feel so bad for Mandisa." Phozisa snorted.
Phozisa: "Girl, you're too nice. Mandisa's intent was too hurt you earlier on so if I were you I wouldn't feel bad. One thing you must know is that, if you're a hateful person, karma will deal with you. It's as simple as a, b and c."
Philasande: "And she's been too cruel towards you. This was not the first time, and you had to endure all of her bullying with the help of her friends alone. And I'm pretty certain you never told your man about all of it, because they would've been dead by now."
Phozisa: "And Zanoxolo is not stupid, I'm sure he noticed everything, that's why he warned everyone yesterday about behaving and all of that." Wow! Just wow!
Philasande: "Let me go and shower ladies so that I can feel fresh. The other women can deal with the dishes because we made the breakfast for them."
Phozisa: "Yes, and I had told them when I served them food." We all went out of the kitchen to our individual bedrooms to shower.

The time was 6pm now and the men were still not back yet. To say that the safe house was tense was an understatement people. Everyone was walking around on eggshells, well, the other women were tiptoeing around me. I haven't seen Mandisa ever since this morning. When I inquired about her whereabouts, Phozisa told me that Caroline had told her that Mandisa had locked herself in her bedroom. They tried getting her to open the door, but she wasn't responding...it was silent on the other side. When I told Phozisa that this was worrying she said, "She's fine. Just give her space, she'll be fine." When I responded with, "what if she didn't get better?" Then she said, "and then we'll let her man deal with her." It was comical how Sisanda was avoiding any eye contact with me, and also how she avoided being in the same room as me. It was comical because in the past she and Mandisa would want to be in close proximity as me since they wanted me to suffer through their hateful comments and they would enjoy seeing me suffer. Another thing, I haven't seen my bodyguard since this morning. Yes, I had gone looking for him. I mean, how couldn't I? What he did this morning didn't make me become scared of him, which was weird in itself because a normal reaction would be to fear him, but no. I just wanted to ask if the giant ordered him to do what he did, because if he did, then the giant was going to hear an earful from me. But George was nowhere to be found. I had inkling that he was hiding from me, which is crazy in itself because why would an alpha like him hide from me? I had gotten over the shock and horror of what happened this morning. Now I was just freaken pissed off at Andy. I couldn't believe that she would offload my past and personal life to Mandisa like that. I mean, that was an assholish thing of her to do people. It didn't mean that now that we were no longer friends, that she should go spilling my personal shit to other people. What the heck? I didn't care if Fiona was part of or not part of whatever hateful schemes that Andisiwe was planning for me behind my back, I had decided to also block her when I'm able to switch on my phone. I didn't want anything to do with her also. To me, they were both cut from the same cloth. I was done. Another thing, I gave myself a pep talk when I was in the shower earlier on. I was like, "Busi you have to stop being a coward", "you must learn how to stand up for yourself", "stop depending on the giant to fight your battles for you." I had promised myself that next time if somebody bullied me, I would show that person what was what. I don't think you can do it. Shut up brain! I can okay? I don't think so. I can and I will prove it to you. If the time comes and you can't, what should I do to you then? Can you just stop with your negatives? I'm just asking. Just leave me alone! Geez! Anyway, don't listen to my brain guys. I really believed that I could do it. You guys believe in me right? Right. Thank you. You hear that meddlesome brain? Whatever!

The men arrived at 8pm. We were eating dinner with the other women. Well, we were more playing around with the food on our plates than eating. I think nobody had an appetite. Nobody was saying anything to anyone...it was just silent. And the worst thing, Mandisa was still in her bedroom. She still had herself locked in, and she still wasn't responding to her friends who wanted to check if she was fine. We knew for a fact that she was still alive, thank God, because Caroline had told us that she heard her crying just 30 minutes ago. So that was the good part.
Lwazi: "Why are you guys looking so grim? Did someone die?" He asked jokingly. He was the first one to enter the dining room. Nobody shared on his joke. He frowned... "baby what's wrong?" He asked his girlfriend. Caroline just shook her head. When I saw the giant enter, I got up and pulled him out of the dining room all the way to the kitchen.
Zanoxolo: "Woman why the fuck are you pulling me in here for?
Me: "Did you order him to do it?" He frowned.
Zanoxolo: "Order who and what woman?"
Me: "Don't act dumb Zano." I shouted poking his chest... "this is not the time." He grunted.
Zanoxolo: "Woman, I really don't know what you're talking about." He looked serious.
Me: "Did you order George to shoot at Mandisa?"
Zanoxolo: "Is she dead?" This man! What kind of question is that?
Me: "Zano!" I exclaimed. He shrugged.
Zanoxolo: "It's a question woman. Is she dead or not?" Oh my gosh!
Me: "No she's not dead!" I shouted.
Zanoxolo: "Then what's the problem? Did she bleed?" Oh my gosh! Can you guys please deal with him because I just couldn't?
Me: "Zano this is not a joke okay. Be serious."
Zanoxolo: "But I am being serious baby. Okay tell me what happened." I huffed and gritted my teeth. I told him everything that had happened. When I had finished, his jaw was ticking.
Zanoxolo: "He should've fucking killed her." He growled.
Me: "Zano don't say that." He grunted... "so you really didn't tell George to do all of that?" I asked him skeptically.
Zanoxolo: "No woman. Now I wish I did." This guy!
Me: "So that means George did it out of his free will."
Zanoxolo: "Well yeah, he was doing his job which is to protect you at all cost." I rolled my eyes huffing... "and also he might've done it for another reason."
Me: "What's the other reason?"
Zanoxolo: "His sister had committed suicide because she had being bullied in High School."..............................