He walked inside the house after parking his car, his black hoodie pulled over his head so no one would see his face or talk to him. He could feel the sores painfully stuck to his pants. He fetched water from the river, the one between the village and the town of Polokwane and then left for town to buy food and electricity.

He even bought sweets, chips and biscuits for the girl; he wanted her to feel comfortable. When he got back he found a fat woman and a tall man in front of his gate. He put his hood on and got out of the car.

“Le kae, how are you?” the woman asked while the man stood in silence. Tumi stared at them furiously, he hated people who couldn’t mind their own business. “I am Zinhle and this my husband Karabo,”she continued.

He looked at them without a word. Karabo grabbed his hand wanting to unlock the gate but Tumi pushed his hand away and clicked his tongue.

“Hey, leave me alone!” he hissed.

“Who are you?” Karabo asked.

“We’re only asking to know you. The owners passed away…” Zinhle started to explain.

“I am their grandchild,” he answered while getting back into his car.

He drove off and parked a few metres from the house. He went and closed the gate and locked it again, Zinhle and Karabo still stood there. He took out his groceries and bottle of water then went inside.

He cleaned the house a bit finally bathed in the powder as Mma Sengede had instructed him.

When he looked out of his window towards the gate, he saw that Zinhle and her husband had left. He smiled and thought about the girl, hoping she doesn’t suffocate in the boot. He ate alone, waiting until it got dark; he wanted to sneak the girl in, away from prying eyes. If anyone saw him he would be in big trouble.

He fell asleep on the sofa and suddenly woke up as if he had forgotten something. It was dark and after 8 p.m. He switched the outside light off and silently snuck to the trunk. He carried the girl who had been crying, closing the boot with his leg, making a loud thud. Now panicking, he hurriedly walked towards the house. In his hurry he caused the girl’s leg to hit a plastic tank that has been standing in the yard, making a big cluttering sound.

His heart stopped and he turned to watch if someone was watching. To his relief there was no one. He rushed inside the house before giving her the food he had bought for her. As soon as he removed the cloth from her mouth, she started crying.

“Hey! Make noise and I will kill you,” he threatened her. “Eat in silence. You want to go back home right?” he whispered calmly.

She nodded and ate silently. He rubbed the mixtures on her body and forced himself on her. She didn’t make a sound. After he was done he relaxed next to her and noticed that tears were falling from her eyes. He got up and tied her up again.

He started to doubt if this will work after seeing all the blood on the bed. His sores still pained but he remembered Mma Sengede had said it will take time. He had to be patient and do what he was told.

Early the next morning he bathed and asked the girl to bath too, after removing the rope from her hands. He waited at the door, thinking she will try something funny. She just did what she was told but she cried silently.

“Eat your food quickly,” he said.

She ate the food as fast as she could, probably out of fear of being beaten. Tumi tied her hands and locked her in the bedroom so that he could do his paperwork. Then he heard a squeaking sound coming from the gate, his heart stood still.

He peeped out the window, it was those neighbours again, this time they were with an old man.

He locked the bedroom door and went with the keys to the gate. The neighbours looked mad. He was going to open the gate but would hear what they wanted first. He stood behind the gate looking at them.

“Hello,”

“Hello boeti, we are here to know who you are?” the old man spoke with assertiveness.

“I told these two… I am the grandchild of the owners of this house,” he replied annoyed.

“What are the names?”

Karabo and his wife Zinhle looked anything but happy. They thought he was a thief or maybe a gangster, hiding from the police.

“My grandmother is Mma Msobi and my grandfather is Nkuli. My father is Robert,” he didn’t really want to divulge details but he felt he had no choice.

“Oh I know them, how is your father?” the old man said.

“My father is fine, I am busy I have to go,” he said.

The old man looked at Karabo and Zinhle and started laughing.

“He has the right to stay here. I understand you are being alert and careful but he is the grandchild of Mma Msobi and Nkuli,” he said patting Zinhle’s shoulder and walking away.

Zinhle and her husband went to their home embarrassed, and Tumi walked back to the house.

***

Tell us: What should Zinhle and Karabo do now?