Nightmares crept in Buhle’s sleep, waking Ellie with her screams. Ellie raced to her bedroom and found her in sweat and groaning in pain.

“Buhle, Buhle… It’s just a dream,” she whispered to her, patting her and eventually wrapped her in her arms.

Buhle finally woke up and realised it was just a dream. She removed the blanket over her body and Ellie helped her quietly. She sat on the edge of the bed, breathing in slowly, she couldn’t do this alone, she needed her friend’s support.

“I must tell you something but you must promise to keep this secret,” she said anxiously.

She wanted Ellie to keep her secret but in order to forget about the rape, she needed to be open about it, especially to Ellie, her best friend. Ellie nodded in agreement but was not sure what the secret was. She knew some secrets were not meant to be kept in the closet.

“That man, the new Chief Data Capturer raped me when I was young,” she spoke feeling relieved.

Ellie opened her wide mouth in shock. She was confused; how could a stranger she met today have raped her when she was young? How come they didn’t behave as if they knew each other? Questions rose in her mind like a flood flowing.

“Say it again, I didn’t get you,” Ellie said puzzled.

“Tumi kidnapped me and raped me,” she said getting out of bed and stood facing the window.

“How, when and why? He looks like a good man…” she asked confused.

“Please stay away from him,” Buhle warned her.

“Why didn’t he recognise you?” she asked.

“I don’t know or maybe he does because he keeps staring at me,” she buried her face in her hands.

“No he doesn’t, I know why he looks at you. He has a crush on you. He adores you,” Ellie paced up and down. “Why didn’t you let Mr Banda know?” she asked curiously.

“No one knows about this, not even my parents. I never gave the description of Tumi. I was young and scared,” she said with tears in her eyes.

“I am sorry my friend. That’s why you hate men. I am sorry but we have to find a way to expose him,” she said.

“I wonder if he recognises me,” she said hitting the wall with her hand.

“He is a pervert, he might have forgotten ,” Ellie replied hugging her tightly.

Ellie tried to persuade her to tell Mr Banda, that he must be reported so she can have justice but she refused. After a moment of comfort, Ellie went back to sleep. She checked the time, it was after 2 a.m.

She clicked her tongue several times when she thought of how much she liked Tumi. He looked handsome and like a gentleman. He had features she adored and wanted on a man. But those appearances hid his character.

Ellie finally slept after an hour.

***

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