Sifiso was sitting on Khanyi’s bed while she took a bath. They were planning to go out to eat somewhere nice together. It would be a proper date. He was excited and happy that Simphiwe had a date too. He had been feeling guilty that he was spending too much time with Khanyi and neglecting his sister. But now he needn’t worry about that. And soon they could go on double dates – he and Khanyi and Simphiwe and Vusi.

Khanyi’s photo album was buried under a pile of other books. Sifiso knew he shouldn’t, but he was curious, and couldn’t resist. There had been so much talk of Mandla. He lifted the pile of books and pulled out the album. It had Khanyi’s name on the front, in glitter. She must have taken a long time making it. He began to flip through the pages.

There he was, standing in a group photo: Vusi, Simphiwe’s new boyfriend. So he was telling the truth. He was Mandla’s friend. He scanned the other faces in the photo for Mandla. There were two other guys, but neither was how he imagined Mandla to look. One was skinny, nerdy looking. The other looked like someone’s dad.

He turned the page. There was another photo of Vusi. This time alone. And another, with his arm around Khanyi.

Was this her secret? Was she two-timing, or secretly in love with Vusi all the time? Did this have something to do with what happened in the ‘Killing House’ that night with Mandla?

He shivered. Something wasn’t right. Why were there no photos of Mandla? Maybe she had ripped them out because it was too painful to be reminded. Or perhaps her heart had always belonged to someone else?

“What are you doing?” He looked up quickly. Khanyi was standing behind him staring at the photograph. She had come in so quietly. Her voice was harsh.

“I was…wondering what you were doing…posing with Vusi,” he said hesitantly.

“Vusi?” Khanyi looked at him blankly.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You see Vusi is my sister’s new boyfriend. And here he is all over your album. Don’t tell me you were dating two dudes at the same time? What went on Khanyi? You better tell me the truth before my sister gets hurt.”

Khanyi’s voice was trembling. “That’s not Vusi. I don’t know a Vusi,” she whispered, staring at the photo. “That’s Mandla. He’s alive!”

Sifiso’s body felt ice cold suddenly. They looked at each other as they realised the terrible truth of what was happening.

“Simphiwe is with him right now,” Sifiso said.

“We have to find her,” said Khanyi. Then she looked at Sifiso with anger in her eyes. “You met Mandla and you didn’t tell me he was still alive?”

“I didn’t know. He introduced himself as Vusi. How was I to know?”

“When? When did all this happen? You sneaked out without me,” she said angrily.

“You were shopping with your mom. It was going to be a surprise. He was going to buy the ‘Killing House’ and fix it up and…”

“The ‘Killing House’?”

“He was supposedly doing it for Mandla. In memory of him,” explained Sifiso.

“I know exactly where they are,” said Khanyi. “He has your sister in the ‘Killing House’. He’s clever, Mandla. He set you guys up and you fell straight into his trap. But it’s not you he wants. It’s me.”

“We need to call the police.”

“No. He’ll know, Sifiso. Before they get to him he’ll do something terrible to Simphiwe. No, I have to go. It’s me he wants revenge on. But if he can’t get me, he will get his revenge by hurting someone close to me…”

“Revenge for what?” Sifiso stared at her. “What did you do? It’s time to tell me the truth Khanyi.”

Khanyi told Sifiso as she pulled on her jeans and top, and laced up her running shoes. She dressed quickly and with purpose.

“The night before the fire, I went to the ‘Killing House’. I found Mandla there with a prostitute. They were selling drugs to a whole line of kids. I screamed at him but he grabbed me and hurt me…badly…tied me to a chair and cut me with a knife and told me not to interfere in his ‘business’. I bled all over the floor. I managed to escape and ran straight to a friend’s house in the street. I told them what had happened. They bandaged my arm. It was late. The next morning I was going to go to the police, to tell them that the house was being used as a drug den.”

Khanyi was in the kitchen now. She took a knife from the drawer. “I was stupid. I wanted that place closed down. I wanted the police to patrol. But I still believed I loved Mandla and wanted him to have a chance to change. Hah! Like that was going to happen…”

She put her cellphone in her pocket.

“But the people in this street had had it up to here with crime. Later that night, a crowd marched on the house and threw paraffin all around it. They burnt it, Sifiso. They wanted to flush Mandla out, but the fire got out of control. It killed everyone inside – the kids who had gone to score, as well as the dealers – or so I thought. I wanted them to be arrested, not incinerated. And now Mandla wants his revenge for what I did.”

“Oh my God. You and Simphiwe really are in real dan…”

“Stay here,” Khanyi interrupted Sifiso. “I have to go alone. It’s the only way.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“Stay!” Khanyi screamed at him now. She was waving the knife in his face. “This is between him and me.”

And then she ran off into the dark.

***

Tell us what you think: How risky is it for Khanyi to go alone to the ‘Killing House’?