“It’s simple, life can be complicated. Keeping peace between family members is always an on-going mission. I love my family, I always have. Our sad times, happy times and all those fights we fought together made us who we are now. And I wish that we could live like that forever. Not all wishes come true. Our lives are in danger.”

This is a summary of the letter that he wrote before his disappearance.

Before we noticed his disappearance, he found out that his life was at risk. It was during varsity recess, when he came home only to find out that he was no longer wanted. He couldn’t risk it; he was a peaceful and forgiving guy. He knew that if he made a mistake it could be the end of his life. It wasn’t easy because the enemy was within us.

Everyone thought he was back at varsity. But his clothes were all at home. That’s how everyone became suspicious. None of his friends knew of his whereabouts. The matter was reported to the local police and a case was opened. The entire community was then on the lookout. Everyone searched for him with the hope that they would find him. Some people thought maybe his girlfriend knew where he was, not knowing that they were just friends and not girlfriend and boyfriend. Bill was not into relationships. The police took the girl in for questioning and blamed her for Bill’s disappearance.

Bill’s mother found a confidential file in his bedroom. In it was the letter that could have saved Bill. She saw it in time, but she had high morals; she couldn’t open it because it would have been invading Bill’s privacy. Eventually she opened the file.

“Everything that I did was for my cousin and my mother. They mean the world to me. Maybe my death would help to resolve this entire shameful act. Or maybe I might not die. Mom I love you so much that I can’t even see myself without you. When I’m gone, continue where I stopped. Be peace makers.”

While Bill’s mom was reading the letter, she thought she then knew what had happened to her first-born son. The girl, Bill’s friend, was found guilty of killing Bill. She was sentenced and was bailed out. Bill’s mother believed the girl was innocent. She just wasn’t sure how to use the letter to prove the little girl’s innocence. And she was doing it for her family. She was willing to let it go in order to make peace.

Third summary: “Aunty brought food just for you, cousin and me. I suspect it was poisoned. I have eaten it all. If I die, you will know what it was that which killed me. If I don’t die, it will mean the rumours against her are not true. Take care of everyone.”

Bill was found in the forest by a sangoma who carried his ailing body to his home. The sangoma treated Bill, who was in a critical condition, for the poison. A month later, Bill had fully recovered from the poison he had ingested. Bill told the sangoma who he was, the sangoma then told him that his family had buried him three weeks prior. Bill saved his family and God saved him. It was hard for him to decide on how to show up back at home. There was also the girl who needed his resurrection. The innocent girl who had been convicted of a crime she did not commit.

To save the girl, meant that Bill’s aunty had to go to jail. Bill decided to go back home; he had some explain to do. He had to confess the truth and restore his family’s name. The sangoma went with him to explain that he had been the one who saved Bill. Some people thought him to be ghost when he first arrived back home. He saved his friend and sent his aunt to prison. The two of them started dating afterwards. For Bill, the real life started when he had his first girlfriend; there were a lot of complications in store for him, but such is life.

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Tell us what you think: What makes family members jealous of one another?