“I see you brought me some albino for intimate fun but why this ugly thing?”

“This is adult world,” said Zaka, circling us and pinching my ears every now and then. I was surprised that Thandie laughed at this, after mama clearly emphasised to us not to discuss sex with boys.

“No! We are here for S’gubhu,” replied Zoe feeling ashamed.

“Oh that sissy, he’s not going anywhere until he tells us what he saw us doing to Pheli, the night she died,” at this point I was wondering who told on S’gubhu but relieved he hadn’t said anything yet and I was sure I wasn’t the only one relieved.

All this talk was getting into my head.

“Show us S’gubhu,” I blurted those words finally. Zaka burst into a long deep forced laugh.

“So, you think you scare us, we are the mighty Matjitas, we rule zone six, we are not scared of girls especially nambly, pamby, mini mouse,” he then called out the rest of his gang Tsharo, Thapelo and Freedom.

He ordered them to take us upstairs and deal with us while he dealt with Thandie in the bedroom. I knew what kind of dealing he was on about because of the way he grabbed Thandie’s blue tights. I knew Thandie wasn’t the best person in the world but letting that goblin molest her was going to mean that I didn’t care about our sisterhood. Or all the things we’ve been through.
For all we knew Zaka could have an STI and infect my dear sister. To my shock, Thandie didn’t try to rebel or at least beg for her virginity to be spared, instead she took the lead and walked towards the kitchen exit.

“Thandie no, don’t do it! Don’t give into this monster’s needs,” I said as I struggled to escape from the two arms holding me, dragging me upstairs.

“Hey you …who do you think you are denying me some sex? Oh I see. It’s that poor government school you go to…well I’m going to teach you a lesson,” said Zake pounding his chest like a gorilla.

I couldn’t care less about what he was going to do to me as long as it spared my sister’s virginity. Tears built up in my eyes rushing down my cheeks quickly. I let myself cry because I was the person who suggested we come here.

We couldn’t even use our knives because we were not wild animals like the Matjitas. I was seriously sobbing, all my troubles rested on my weak chest. Another asthma episode hit me again. It was not really a good time, not in the midst of a life and death situation.

It was no help getting an asthma attack during a war situation, it just revealed how weak I was and the more reason why I should have kept myself from this.

“Oh little missy is getting an attack again, huh Cindy…Ci-nder-ella-aaaaaaa,” said Thandie mocking the situation and walking towards me as Thapelo and Bhumba let me drop on my knees.

Tell us: Do you think Thandie is finally going to save Cindy? Why or why not?