Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

Prologue

Please help me, please, please help me! .Mr?  Sir? Make . I  say trying to get out of the hold of this man. My head is covered with a blanket, I heard stories growing up about this happening but I never thought I would be a victim of this. I lost my mother when I was 10 years old and my father brought me here to his family for his sister and mother to look after me. My father hasn’t been home in 5 years, I was hoping that he comes home this month.
Funny how I looked after them, and only got a break during month end weekends when my father came home and December holidays when I was at my maternal side or when my the mine closed and my father was home. The car stops and I am picked up, the soil looks different from the one at home. I was told that if your family looks for you then you will get sent home and the family will send a proper request for your hand in marriage.
I know my aunt won’t look for me, she’s said it a couple of time that she wishes a man could take me because I am trying to steal her daughter Sebenzile’s shine. She got pregnant for the second time for her tutor instead of completing her grade 11. She is supposed to be in matric but pregnancy is her thing and now we are both in the same grade.
I get help from Bab’Chauke and his wife, they own a supermarket and internet café,  I help out in return for toiletries and their internet. Bab’Chauke came home with applications forms for the military on the news paper and he helped me fill them, he promised to take them to town himself. He did, I had an interview and he stood in the queue with me and waited until I was done.
I am pre selected depending on how good my results will be next year. I am counting down the months then I leave. My aunt beat me for coming home late, but it didn’t matter, I hoped I would get a job and leave her and her child. But now all that hope of leaving this place is fading with each bumpy path the car passes.
I hope Bab’Chauke will look for me and that can be my saving grace. The car comes to a stop,  I hear the one man speak northern Sesotho but I could be wrong since my knowledge of the language is limited. I try getting loose but the man holds me tightly. The soil looks different from the one at home. I am locked in a room with a bed, the window is not facing the gate, you can only see the bush behind the house.
I don’t know how long they locked me up but I have cried, demanded to be set free, begged, bargained and negotiated. They did not let me out. I am woken up by a rattle on the door, by the time my brain registers that the door is open, it is quickly shut. I cry some more and refuse to eat their food, my stomach though complains, I last ate the morning when I went to fetch water at the tap, I only had an apple from Bab’Chauke after I went to greet and explain that I would be late for work.
He insisted I take a fruit, I should have stayed and ate. Only if I knew my fate, my stupid tears won’t stop falling. I eat the stupid delicious food, my stomach cramps from the hunger. I laugh at the thought of drinking a 2 litre alone, Sebe and her mother would die if they saw me now.
I lay on my stomach and pray that someone finds me. Or that the man who kidnapped me is kind enough to take me to school. I wake up the following morning and find warm porridge, bread and a tea pot. There’s an urn of hot water and a bathing dish.
At least they are nice enough to think of my hygiene. I eat then take a bath, I hear voices further in the yard. Then there’s a rattle, the person takes the water and tray. “I see you stopped fighting. We are good people, we won’t hurt you.” The woman says.
I scoff as she shuts the door. I don’t know how long I have been here, but every day I get 3 meals, bathing water and magazines to read. “Swazi, Swazi.” I hear a whisper on the window. I ignore it because my grandmother said I should never answer when my name is being called at night. Apparently witches use your voice.
“Nomnom.”I get up because that sounds like Bab’Chauke voice.
“Babe?” I answer, I am almost in hell so witches can’t win.
“Vuka sisi, stand away from the door, we are going to crush into the room, when the door opens get into the van, my brother will drive you to safety. Don’t look back Nom nom, I know you don’t listen but please.” Bab’Chauke whispers.
I giggle because he knows me to well, my grandmother said my husband would beat me up every night because I am stubborn. I stand back and the truck crushes inside the mud house crumbles, Bab’Chauke pulls me into the van and it drives off. I see the house lights going on and, then a car chases behind us. I am not feeling cold anymore. I am freaking out because we left Bab’Chauke alone. We have lost the car, we stop at the petrol station and switch cars.
Bab’Chauke’s older brother takes out a bag from boot, he says I must go and change in the bathroom and come back. I keep looking over my shoulders, even though I know we lost that car hours ago. I change into a maxi dress that belongs to Khens, the Chauke’s only daughter, and a pair of sneakers she promised to give me when I passed. I put on a cardigan and feel warm.
I run to the car and find Bab’Derek drinking coffee, he hands me a cup and tells me to buckle up. We drive on the long road with no lights on the street. An hour and a few minutes later there’s street lights.
“Nomaswazi, when we get to the boarder you are Ntsumi  Chauke, do you understand?”  Bab’Derek asks.
“Yebo, Babe.”
“In the bag there’s your passport. Take it out.” He says switching on the light.
I take out the passport and Id, they have a picture of me but my names are different, Ntsumi is my first name and Nomaswazi my second. I look up at him and he smiles, my eyes tear up. This is why Babe Chauke took so long to look for me. “Ngyabonga Babe, for the risk you took to come and rescue me. I promise I will study hard and work hard, you won’t regret helping me.”
“I want you to work hard and make you proud. That will make me happy. Now wipe your tears we are near the border.”
I nod my head and wipe my tears. I drink water then I start singing along to the gospel music he is playing. We are asked to step  out of the car and open the boot, I am asked questions then we pass. I let out a breath and thank God that we passed. My anxiety now is how I will be treated at Bab’Derek’s house.
I’m backing away from the shadow, that seems to be growing bigger as my fear gets stronger. My heart is beating out of my chest, with sweat trickling down my neck. My palms are all sweaty, I feel sticky and my hair all nappy from the sweating while I was running. I feel cornered this shadow has me, backed up against the wall, I see it going down and I use this moment to run. My instinct tells me that if I don’t run this will be all over for me .I run the opposite direction.
I run as fast as my tired legs can carry me which isn’t very far as the pain in my chest is suffocating me , the weakness in my legs doesn’t help my case. I am breathless, I turn around, panting to see how far I have gotten and it seems to be not far as the shadow is on my tail. I feel joy when I see people around the corner, I run faster now that I see them. I feel a sense of joy and hope that had vacated the building as soon as she saw fear hog the entrance.
I scream for help but my voice doesn’t seem to be reaching them, they go on with their chats as if I am not in front of them with tears and snort running down my face.