My whole body trembled. I had never had my blood drawn before, seeing that thick red liquid made me feel nauseated. I walked back to Mambo Insurance feeling like I was going to throw up. I stood by the bin and puked. I didn’t even know where I was. I checked, I was still on the ground floor. I decided to force myself to walk to the elevator. I closed my eyes, still feeling like I was going to faint. I pressed number three and the feeling of the elevator going up make me want to puke. When it opened I rushed to the bathroom, I didn’t even see Lauren. If I were a woman they would think I was pregnant.

“Christopher,” she said, “are you OK?”

I was already in the bathroom. I puked again until I felt my tummy had nothing. I washed my mouth, gurgling so I could remove the vomit. I feel dehydrated and hungry, I needed food and water.

I walked into my office and found Simba eating his pap and sausage. He looked at me as if he had seen a ghost.

“Are you OK? Dude…you look horrible,” he said.

“I feel like I am going to faint,” I answered.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Damn it Simba. I am hungry,” I shouted.

“I brought you lunch. It’s in the kitchen,” he said and ran out.

I took the jar of water and poured some in a glass. I drank all of it and poured another. I hated seeing blood. Simba came in holding a takeaway and put it on my desk. He opened it and I glanced at the soft porridge and chicken with beetroot.

“Thanks, my friend,” I smiled.

“Hope you can tell me what happened?” he said.

I ate, grumbling the meat and pap in my mouth. In a few minutes I had already finished. When I looked at Simba, his eyes were staring at me.

“If you enter the hot dog eating competition you will win,” he chuckled.

“You don’t know what I am going through,” I said.

“What is it? Tell me,” he said.

I had to tell him. I started from the beginning of when I arrived at the station and how I puked after seeing my blood.

“You are funny. You’ve never seen blood?” He laughed.

“Don’t start,” I said putting the empty takeaway in the bin. I drank more water and my body felt fine now. Puking was bad, especially just puking at the sight of blood. I wiped my hands with a tissue and grabbed some files in the IN counter tray. I switched my computer on and started doing data entry.

I checked the time, I couldn’t believe it was already late. I already did half and had to go with some files to the storage. I took the files in my hand and walked down the corridor. I entered the elevator, it was open when I reached the corner. Mark was standing inside with his hands in the pocket.

“Heita,” he said.

“Hi,”

“You look bad dude,” he said laughing.

“Don’t you dare. I know you are involved with Miss Mokoena’s death,” I said looking at him scornfully.

“What?”

“I know you know her,” I said.

The elevator opened on the sixth floor. I smiled and walked away. He looked furious. I wanted to see what he would do. I was accused of a murder of someone I didn’t even know. I reached the storage room to put the files according to the alphabets.

As I was going out the door, Mark was standing by the corner. I tried to walk away and he blocked me.

“What do you want?” I hissed.

“Stop playing detective or else…” he shouted.

No one could hear him. The sixth floor was a storage floor with five rooms, no one stayed or worked there. I could see he could try to kill me.

“What are you going to do?” I asked angrily. “You are going to kill me too?”

I pushed him and walked down to the elevator. I pressed the button and looked back, he was still standing the way I left him. Instead of going back to my office I went to the security room. I checked again the footage of Mark talking to Miss Mokoena. It didn’t look cosy, they were in an argument. This evidence can wipe my name, I thought, I have to call Detective Ronald.

I walked down back to my office. Simba was sitting with a client and Lauren. I greeted in a low voice and carried on capturing data. Simba kept looking at me while talking. I didn’t look after his eyes met mine.

After work I grabbed my usual lift. I was quiet until Simba dropped me in front of my gate.

“Dude, I hope you’re OK,” he said concerned. I nodded.

“See you tomorrow, ” I said loudly, getting out of the car.

“Chris?” he called. “Come on… Hey.”

I rushed into my room, I didn’t want to talk. I prepared my noodles with some streamed vegetables for supper. I grovelled it quickly and slept by the corner of my bed.

***

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