(It is six months later. The police say that they have done all they can to find Nhlanhla. But Sethu has returned. He goes to Nhlanhla’s house. He finds the Mzayiya family sitting inside the house discussing the funeral arrangements.)

Mthunzi: We can’t allow this boy in this house! Boy, can’t you see we are having a family meeting? Go away!

Thembi: Sethu, come in. Welcome to my family. These are my elders all the way from Eastern Cape. We’re discussing the funeral arrangements. We have already held the memorial service last week, she will be laid to rest this coming Sunday.

Sethu: Who is going to be buried?

Nzondo: Nhlanhla Mzayiya

Sethu: Where is the body?

Mthunzi: We will bury her spirit, if we cannot bury her body.

Sethu: Well, there’s no need for that.

Mthunzi: (Angry) You see? This is the boy I was talking about, he thinks he runs this family more than I do.

Thembi: What do you mean, Sethu?

Sethu: I was the one who took Nhlanhla from the hospital.

Nzondo: Bloody rubbish!

Sethu: On that day… in fact it was a day before that one… I was reading a newspaper. I saw an advertisement from a herbalist that said he was ‘Mr heal everything’. He was based in Swaziland. So, I took a loan from someone and then I took Nhlanhla to him.

Mthunzi: Call the cops! Call the cops to arrest this boy now. How can he steal someone from the hospital? Call the cops now!

Gugile: Where’s our daughter now, my boy?

Sethu: I left Nhlanhla at my home, I left her eating.

Thembi: (Crying) Oh! Sethu, God is great!

Gugile: No, our ancestors are great.

Thembi: Thank you so much, Sethu, I don’t know what to say, thank you so much.

Mthunzi: I don’t get this, I don’t get this at all, boy! Then why did take her to your home?

Sethu: Because we got back from Swaziland only very late yesterday. I thought that she would need to rest after all she has been through. I knew her mom would be shocked and happy at the same time. She would want to ask too many questions… so I decided to take her to my home instead, so that she could rest.

Mthunzi: Then why didn’t you bring her here now?

Thembi: Mthunzi, can you be positive for once? My daughter is alive, she’s not dead. The only thing that’s worrying me now is that, I have to go and tell the community that my daughter is still alive. Remember the memorial service has already been done, so, I don’t know…

Sethu: Don’t worry about that ma, I’ll handle it. Later on I’ll bring Nhlanhla. Goodbye. (Sethu leaves.)

***

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