Sbu ran down the spiral staircase and out onto the patio by the pool. Mfundo was on the ground, protecting his head with his arms. An older man with hollow eyes was kicking and punching him. Bulana and his friends reached the fight before Sbu, and pulled the tall man off Mfundo. The man writhed around in their arms, yelling furiously.

“Is that all you got?” Sbu heard Mfundo saying from his ball on the ground, which meant his mouth was still in one piece.

“Where is she?” yelled the man. “I know she’s here! Where is she? Where are you keeping her?”

Bulana and the other young men got the man’s arms behind his back, and started pushing him out towards the front gate.

“Get off me!” said the guy, writhing and kicking. “Get off me right now!”

Sbu helped Mfundo to his feet.

“Are you all right?” he asked. “What happened?”

“I don’t know!” said Mfundo. “I was on the dance floor, and that guy came in off the street and started shouting, so I asked him to leave, and he hit me!”

Airtime looked like he was in shock. He was used to his mouth getting him into fights, but usually for obvious reasons. The side of his face was bruised.

“Let’s get K8,” said Sbu. “She knows first aid, ne?”

“She’s giving someone a lift home,” said Airtime, feeling his lip.

Sbu went back through the glass doors just as Adelle was coming down the stairs.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Some crazy guy,” said Sbu. “Can I use your phone? I left mine at home to recharge.”

As Sbu was dialling, Adelle went outside. K8 answered from her phone. She was dropping off a friend of hers. “I’ll be back in five minutes,” she said.

There was more of a racket from the gate.

“They’re coming!” the crazy guy called out. “I called them, and they’re coming! They’re going to shut you down! You won’t take her! Here they come!”

There was a splintering sound. A girl screamed. Sbu looked outside to see policemen with dogs and bullet-proof vests pouring in through the front gate. They fanned out into the party, throwing people to the ground. One of them came into the house, aiming a handgun at Sbu.

“Get down on the floor!” said the policeman. “Get down right now!”

WHAT DO YOU THINK? When should you fight? When shouldn’t you?