Four hours earlier…

Zweli runs and makes sure he doesn’t meet anyone in the shacks. Luckily the police are at the end of the camp. He sees Sbu waiting in a car with Melusi and jumps in at the back seat.

“Where is the cash?” Melusi asks anxiously.

“Let’s go, the police are after us,” he shouts.

Sbusiso drives the car to their hideout, 50 km away. The hideout is a house of a late couple who had no one to take over the house. It still has its furniture, feathered with dust. They sometimes drink and sleep over. The neighbours aren’t aware because no one suspects them at all. One day an old lady saw Zweli in the yard and asked who he was. He lied and said that he was the son of the couple who died.

Now, Zweli throws himself on the sofa while Sbusiso and Melusi sit opposite him. They are desperate but happy the police lost trail of them. They have stopped running because no one will come after them.

“Now tell us, where is the money?” Melusi asks, tired of waiting.

“I left it in the shack,” he answers.

“What? What if we never find it?” Sbusiso jumps up.

“We will, those laities aren’t that clever,” Zweli covers his eyes with his hands.

“Zweli, this is money,” Melusi shouts.

“Hey… Hey… I know what I am doing. Just trust me!” he says gently sitting up right.

Silence retires in the room. Sbusiso cooks pap and beef so they can eat and they are curious about where the money is. Melusi keeps sighing because he hates working for something only to get nothing. Zweli falls asleep on the sofa while Sbusiso and Melusi sleep in the bedrooms.

The chirping of the birds is quiet today but too much meowing of cats. Zweli wakes up, he hates cats. He makes a cup of coffee and checks the news on television and newspapers. Their faces are not known by the police. He can’t wait to go back to the shacks and take their money. He hopes he finds them there.

Sbusiso yawns, standing at the bedroom door.

“You are awake. What is the plan?” he asks, sitting close to Zweli on the sofa.

“We will go today,” Zweli answers.

“I want my share, I need to provide for my mother, she is sick and no food available,” Sbu says sadly.

Melusi joins them with a fresher smell, they could tell he has bathed and even cleaned the room.

“It looks like you are going for a date,” Sbusiso chuckles.

“Yes, I want to look good,” he smiles.

Zweli goes to the bathroom in the bedroom and gets cleaned up too. Afterwards Melusi drives them to the shacks. There are plenty but Zweli still remembers what it looks like; it’s a small one made of zinc, dyed with green paint in front.

“Where is the shack?” Sbusiso asks annoyed.

“I know where it is, park here,” Zweli orderes.

Melusi stops the car, he is angry and hopes Zweli will find the cash. The shack is not far from where the car is. He smiles when he sees it .

“Sbu, stay in the car,” Zweli says.

Melusi and Zweli walk to the shack, its door is slightly open. Zweli pushes it and finds the place deserted. Old torn blankets, broken glasses and pots that look wrecked are on the floor.

“Where is it?” Melusi asks confused.

Zweli kicks the pot which is on the broken table.

***

Tell us: How do you think Zweli and the gang found the Jabu and Ronnie?