“I won – again!” Gladys entered Ntombi’s house, high with excitement. “Look, see how well I played. It’s all thanks to your daughter, of course.”

Ntombi took the paper and studied it. Yep, Gladys had actually gotten the numbers correct. She was happy for her.

“Congratulations – again!” Ntombi laughed.

“I know, hey. I have been winning for two weeks straight now, even the women there are trying to be friends with me so they can know my secret.” Gladys giggled.

“And we wouldn’t want that, now would we?” Ntombi smiled at Gladys.

“Oh, of course, we wouldn’t.” Gladys sat down on the couch. “She hasn’t returned from school?”

Ntombi knew that she meant her daughter.

“No, but it is half-past two, she’s probably on her way. Listen, Gladys, I need to tell you something.”

Gladys looked at her with a questioning look. “What is it?”

“My daughter didn’t dream or have a nightmare last night. I think they are gone,” she said slowly, hoping Gladys understood what she was trying to say.

“Oh,” Gladys’s voice was filled with disappointment. “Well, I understand. I knew that the winnings will come to an end someday.”

Ntombi sensed the hurt in her friend’s voice, but she appreciated that she took it well.

***

Kganya was walking home with her best friend, Lethabo, after school.

“I heard from your classmates that you had a nosebleed today, chomi. I must say, I’m starting to get worried. Yesterday you had them, even today? I think you should tell your mother,” Lethabo advised her.

“No, chomi. I don’t want to worry her.” Kganya knew how her mother worried about her. She didn’t want to add to that, especially with a small things such as these nosebleeds. They will pass, just as the nightmares did, she convinced herself.

“I just don’t like it when we keep such stuff from your mother. You know what she can be like when she finds out.”

“I know, chomi, but trust me, she won’t find out, because there is nothing to find.”

“Okay, if you say so. Let me carry your bag,” Lethabo offered.

They stopped walking and Kganya took off her schoolbag and gave it to Lethabo. It wasn’t that heavy – today she didn’t have a lot of classes.

When they started walking again, a woman came up to them. She had a lot of bracelets on, made of red and white beads. On her neck she wore about three necklaces, also made of red and white beads. Although she had a doek on, Kganya could tell that she had big and thick dreadlocks. She looked to be in her late twenties.

“Dumelang,” the woman greeted them. Her voice was soft.

“Dumela, Mama, le kae?” they both greeted her back in unison.

“Ke teng, thank you. Oh, it’s Gogo Lesedi not Mama, okay?” the woman corrected them with a smile.

They laughed and nodded their heads that they understood.

“I’m looking for Thuthukani Centre; do you perhaps know where it is?”

Kganya decided to direct her. “Oh, you are actually not far from it. You just walk straight using this road –” she turned and pointed back where they came from. “And you will see our school on your right. Pass it, and take a turn on your first left. You will see a big sign for Thuthukani Centre on your right. You won’t miss it.”

“Oh, ke a leboha for your help.” Gogo Lesedi clapped her hands softly while bending her knees a little.

“It’s our pleasure.”

Kganya prepared to walk away with Lethabo when suddenly Gogo Lesedi started groaning loudly, shocking them. Gogo Lesedi’s body shook a little, and she closed her eyes as if she was feeling something painful deep inside her.

Kganya and Lethabo looked at each other with the look that said, “and then?”

Gogo Lesedi composed herself and stared at Kganya. For no reason, Kganya’s heart beat faster. It was as if Gogo Lesedi was seeing something inside of her. Kganya didn’t wait to find out, she instantly pushed Lethabo to start walking. Without having to be told twice, Lethabo walked faster, as if she wasn’t carrying two schoolbags. They practically ran away from Gogo Lesedi, leaving her there staring at them.

When they were far away, they slowed down and Kganya took her schoolbag from Lethabo.

“What was that about?” Lethabo asked her.

“I don’t know!” Kganya snapped.

She bit her lip. She didn’t mean to snap like that. “I think she was seeing things.”

“Yeah, plus you know people like her are actually gifted. They can see things we can’t see.” Lethabo looked back, as if she could still see Gogo Lesedi. “I wonder what she was seeing.”

Kganya also wondered, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was about to find out more about this, and it scared her.

She hugged Lethabo goodbye and they parted ways, each walking home.

Tell us: What do you think is going to happen now?