Theo dragged his feet like a drunkard with blood on his white shirt. He tried to call for help but he was weak. He collapsed in front on the door of the supermarket and two security guards rushed out to help. Theo could hear the stamping of their feet and he opened one eye to the left and saw Lazarus and the crew rush through the back without being seen. As the sound of feet grew closer, he held his breath.

“Hey…hey … What happened to you?” one guard knelt down to check if he was breathing. He looked at his colleague with a long face.

“Is he alive?” the other guard panted and was out of breath. He nodded his head. Theo kept pretending to be unconscious.

“Let’s help him or call an ambulance,” the guard on his feet said and took a walkie talkie.

“Brave, we need ambulance!”

Theo remained still wishing his crew could be fast and take as much as they could. What will happen when the ambulance comes? He thought to himself. He started trembling with sweat racing down his face. If I get up and run my friends will get caught, he pondered. His crew had already entered and rushed to the safe. They took as many things as they could before a siren went off.

“We have to go,” Lazarus shouted. They ran fast to the exit. Chido and Danny took the cash and went out the shop and ran faster. Lazarus stood by the corridor and thought what to do to save Theo and he didn’t notice a security guard at his back.

“Hey you!” he grabbed him by his collar. Lazarus struggled to set himself free then their eyes met each other.

“I know you from somewhere,” the guard took a closer look pointing at Lazarus and set him free. Lazarus dragged his feet fast as he could. Danny came and hit the two guards who were waiting for ambulance and he pulled Theo.

“Let’s go,” he said and they both rushed fast.

They all ran to the bush and waited there to see if the ambulance came but none did. The two guards waking up from the fall rubbing dust off and holding their heads. Lazarus couldn’t stop thinking of the guard who suspected to know him.

“What were you still doing in there? Theo needed to run without making the guards suspect a thing,” Chido shouted.

Lazarus’s mind wasn’t with them and Theo slapped his back.

“What?” Lazarus wasn’t happy even though they got the money.

“We have the cash, what more do we want?” Danny chuckled and they all joined him.

“Thanks for saving me, I thought I was going to die, tough job,” Theo sighed.

“Why are you so quiet?” Chido asked worriedly. Lazarus had been in his room for days without eating. What if this is the end of the world for me? He wondered while sitting on his bed.

“Mfethu go and bath, it looks like you have been in here …” Chido got interrupted by a grab. Lazarus pulled him out of the room. He closed the door behind him. Chido banged the door but he wouldn’t open and he left. Lazarus hadn’t even realised he was beginning to have a stench. Where does he know me from? I wish I had an answer so I can be brave next time I go out, he thought. Only sleep could make him feel better.

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