That night Ayanda dreamt of being attacked by a gang and beaten to death. He woke up with a start and forced his eyes open. Slowly, he remembered what happened. Someone had hit him over the head and he had become unconscious. He saw a man in his 70s on the opposite side of the room, facing him. The room was dark with only a candle on the corner. It didn’t have any windows. Papers and pieces of plastic were on the floor, with a cup and plate where rats were feasting on crumbs.

“Finally, who are you?” hissed an old man who was sitting on a sofa a few metres away.

Ayanda was confused. He couldn’t answer. He thought he was dreaming but the pain in his hands, which were tied with a rope, and in his head, still sore from being beaten, was very real.

“I am Ayanda. Where am I? What do you want from me? Please let me go!” he pleaded. He assumed he was being kidnapped because he didn’t recognise the room. The old man laughed loudly. He lighted a cigarette, inhaled deeply, and relaxed on the sofa. His legs were both on a small table filled with white papers.

“What were you doing in my yard? Actually what did you want in my yard?” he asked politely exhaling the smoke slowly. He stood up and looked at Ayanda with hatred. Fear ran through Ayanda’s blood. The old man wanted to kill him because he thought he was a thief who wanted to steal from him.

What if I die young? My dreams will be shattered and my parents will be hurt, Ayanda thought. He wanted the old man to hear him but he feared for his life. He remained quiet hoping he would let him go.

“I am Godfrey. I am an ex-military soldier. I can kill you so better…,” he said, raising his that held a gun.

“Sir I just got suspicious of your house. We never saw anyone and it seems like you were invisible. We have never seen anyone here but your paint changes. I remember it was orange and yellow now its pink,” Ayanda said with courage.

The man put the gun down and sadness fell on his face. Ayanda had sympathy for the man; he sensed there was more to this man. The man sat down and took a deep sigh. He had tears in eyes and sadness in his soul.

”I don’t like the day. I hate humans but I love colours,” he said, smiling and looking up. Ayanda tried to relax and chose instead to learn more about the man. Maybe he could help him.

“Why do you hate the day?” he asked politely. The man frowned and he hit the table so hard that it broke. Ayanda became more frightened.

What if this man kills me? But I can’t keep quiet. Ayanda you can do this, he thought. He took a deep breath and looked at him, concerned. He said, “I love the day because I have to accomplish a lot of things; I hate night because it’s dark and no one see my talent. Night is for my sleeping and resting.”

“What talent do you have?” Godfrey said, his eyes widening with interest.

“I want to be an inventor. I made a robot that pins rubbish and puts it in the bin,” he smiled. Ayanda proceeded to tell him about his robot and found that Godfrey was interested. He had a smile on his face. He had many questions about how he made the robot. Ayanda felt privileged to tell him things his father was never interested in.

Godfrey stood up and untied Ayanda as the two bonded. They laughed the whole night. Godfrey realised there was life outside during the day. Ayanda learnt that war damaged his brain. The way they shoot their rivals and bombs have made Godfrey change his mind-set about life. It also eroded the good things in life and made him see all humans as enemies.

“Do you have a family?” Ayanda asked, but the question made Godfrey sob with his hands on his face. Ayanda rubbed his shoulders and they embraced. Godfrey restrained himself from opening up about his personal life.

“You should go home, your parents will be worried,” he ordered, but Ayanda didn’t want to leave him. After a while he made his farewells and left. Godfrey was sad to see him go but he knew that he would open wounds by talking about the word ‘family’. He thought about it, locked his gate and went back in the closet where he was by himself. His closet was under his house. He was happy Ayanda didn’t see inside the house. They entered through the kitchen with lights off and he used candle for light.

Tell us: What do you about Ayanda hanging out with the mysterious man?