Lindispho is out of breath by the time he gets to the opposite side of the dam. He finds Sicelokuhle dragging Masande’s limp body towards the water.

LINDISPHO: (panting) Please Sicelo. Please, you’ve got to stop.

SICELOKUHLE: It’s too late Lidz. It’s already done.

Lindispho looks at the gash on Masande’s forehead and is shocked into silence.

 SICELOKUHLE: Get out of here Lidz, pretend like you didn’t see anything.

LINDISPHO: Where’s Amahle?

SICELOKUHLE: She ran off screaming as soon as I bludgeoned this one on the head. I thought about running after her. The original plan was that I was going to follow them afterwards. I was going to leave my bag here and take the hammer with. I’m sure he was going to accompany her to the girl’s hostel. I was going to sneak up on him after, bash his head in as he was walking to the hostel alone and drag him here. You want to know why my bag is so heavy? I got the weights from school; you know the really heavy steel ones they use to hold down the big hall doors. I was going to tie a rope around his body then and the weights then throw him in the water. But when I saw him from across the dam, I just has to do it. I couldn’t wait for him to go back to school.

LINDISPHO: But Amahle saw you. There is no need to put him in the water. She is probably calling for help as we speak. Why are you still dragging him into the water?

SICELOKUHLE: (looking coldly at Masande’s body)  Poetic justice, Lidz. That day in the showers he said something about baptising us and washing away our sins. I wanted to return the favour.

LINDISPHO: You’ve thrown your whole life away, Sicelo. Do you understand that? And for what? For the likes of him?

SICELOKUHLE: I thought there would be something satisfying about this. That somehow, I would enjoy it. Do you know the number of times I’ve read or heard stories about queer people being murdered for their sexual orientation? There’s a war against people like me out there. I thought I was fighting back but now all I feel is regret and fear.

Suddenly Masande moans and stirs. Sicelokuhle and Lindisipho freeze in shock, watching him. Masande weeps softly.

MASANDE: My head, my head, it hurts.

LINDISPHO: He’s still alive. What do we do?

SICELOKUHLE: (Bending over Masande) Shh! Don’t move, Masande, you’re going to be okay. (he turns to Lindispho) Do you have your phone with you? Call an adult, an ambulance, something!

It is a few months later. Lindispho is in his dorm room, reading a text he is about to send to Sicelokuhle.

 LINDISPHO: (reading out loud) I often go down to the dam to look at the water and think. Mostly I talk to myself and think about the past. I still remember the first time you moved into this little town of ours. Even then I thought you were different, alien almost. The way you stood confidently, defiantly, refusing to show us the nervousness of being new in school. Refusing to give in to the urge of wanting to be liked, the fear of being rejected. Holding on desperately to who you were. You lied when you said you weren’t afraid of being alone. It’s human nature to want to connect, to want acceptance. That’s why you fought so desperately. I wish I’d been as brave as you that day at the hostel, I wish that I hadn’t run. I didn’t think I could change much; I didn’t realise it would have at least mattered to you. It would have shown you that you were not alone. I’m not sure if those other guys understand just how much unnecessary damage they did to you and Fezekile that day. It’s a good thing they got expelled even though it meant you also got expelled. It could have been worse if Masande hadn’t made a full recovery. You’ll be glad to know Fezekile is a lot happier in school now, he asks about you. You need to call him because he cares for you very much. I hope that on the first day at your new school you stand tall in front of your new classmates, smile smugly and that you’ll see a lot more people ready to accept you just as you are.

Lindisipho sends the text. A minute later his cellphone rings. It is Sicelokuhle. They talk for a long time. Lindisipho can hear the joy in Sicelokuhle’s voice. He knows Sicelokuhle has found a place where he is accepted for who he is.