Man: You must have a rat, a cat and a dog. Then kill the animals, then eat them. But don’t eat the heads. Bury the heads at the back of your house.
Joe: No ways! SPCA, SPCA, SPCA! This is witchcraft. I won’t perform this.
Man: It’s up to you, young man.
(The man leaves Joe amazed and shocked).
Man: (Talks to himself) I see a bright future in that boy. He must never succeed. He will have bad luck.
(The man goes to the recycling site in town to change his suit and wear casual funky clothes. But Joe and Bongane don’t see him).
Bongane: Let’s go home!
Joe: Please.
Bongane: Don’t perform that ritual.
Joe: I won’t!
(Bongane and Joe go back home. They arrive late).
Bongane: I will see you tomorrow, my friend.
Joe: OK, my friend.
(It is 11 pm. Joe can’t sleep because of what the man told him. He gets up and captures a rat, cat and a dog in his neighbourhood).
Joe: I will perform this! I want to be successful.
(Joe does as the man said. It takes him four hours. Then he goes back to sleep).
Neighbours: Why is there blood? They killed our pets! They want to do witchcraft on us!
(Joe wakes up and he’s scared. Bongane decides to visit Joe.)
Bongane: Did you do it?
Joe: Yes, I did it, no, I mean, no, I didn’t.
Bongane: OK. Even though I know you did it, I will talk to the neighbours.
Joe: Thanks, my friend.
(Bongane speaks to the neighbours and they calm down. He goes back to Joe).
Bongane: My friend, I will see you later. Remember, we’re studying for our English test.
Joe: I forgot about that one. Thanks.
(The next day they write the test. The results come but Joe fails the test. He is accused of theft at school and is expelled. He drops out at school and starts using drugs.)
Four years later…
(Joe is still on drugs and is diagnosed with lung cancer. Bongane continued to study, he became a lawyer and bought himself a red sport car. He lives in a double-storey house. Bongane forgets Joe because he changes his appearance. Joe goes to the town to watch sports cars).
(The man appears again).
Man: Why did you listen to me? I wanted to destroy your life. You had a bright future young man. I hope you learnt your lesson.
(The man leaves the scene, Joe crying).
Tell us: What did you think of this play?