Sbu didn’t reply.

“One thousand rand,” said the man. “Come on down to the Daily Eye offices and I’ll give you a thousand rand for that phone.”

“It’s not mine,” said Sbu.

“I just need five minutes with it. Give me five minutes with the phone, and I’ll give you a thousand rand.”

Sbu was tempted, but not for the money, although he could use it. It was because this was the closest he’d got to finding out more about Adelle. But something about the man’s voice made Sbu wary.

“Sorry,” he said. “Not interested.”

The reporter on the other end of the line took a deep breath.

“Give me a call if you change your mind,” he said, and hung up.

The next day was Sunday. Sbu went to church with his mother, so he didn’t see any of his friends until Monday. Mfundo was hanging out by the school gate at lunch time.

“Howzit Mfundo!” called Sbu.

“It’s Airtime now,” said Mfundo.

“Serious?”

“For sho!” he said. “K8’s got her cool tagging name and Songezwa calls herself Song. I need one too. I even made a stencil. Look.”

He showed Sbu the wall. Stencilled there were the words:

-AIR-
TIME

“Are you crazy?” said Sbu.

“What? It’s cool.”

“Don’t tag at school! Everyone knows we do graffiti. If they see that, they’ll know it’s us. Look!”

Across the courtyard, one of the teachers was walking towards them – Mr Erasmus, the science teacher. He was quite young, but he dressed as if he was a lot older, in an old grey jacket. Sbu and Airtime leaned against the wall to hide the tag with their bodies.

“Hi you two,” said Mr Erasmus. “Have you seen Songezwa recently?”

They looked at each other.

“No sir,” said Sbu.
“Well, if you see her, let me know,” he said, and walked away. Sbu and Airtime stood away from the wall, and then Sbu had to help Airtime wash the paint off his blazer because he’d leaned against the tag.

Just before lunch ended, Sbu got a phonecall.

“Sbu, quick, I don’t have much time. Come around after school and bring that package you’ve got for me.”

“Song? Is that you? I don’t have the package.”

“But I saw you with it! At the soccer club!”

“You were at the soccer club? Why didn’t you say hi?”

“It doesn’t matter! Where is it? The package?”

“It’s in my jacket. I lost it. I was at a party, and-“

“You lost it at a party? Sbu, do you have any idea how important that package was? Do you have any idea-” Song’s phone cut out.

“Hello?” said Sbu, but she was gone.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? What do you think was in that package to Songezwa?