Senatla woke up confused. It was dark. She was in her room. Why? What was going on? And then she remembered. She remembered that they had killed the new girl. They had killed Kagiso.

There was a knock on her door. The door opened and it was her mother. “Your friends are here to see you. Are you up to seeing them?” she asked.

“OK… yeah. Let them come in.”

Senatla sat up in bed. Connie and Themba came in and closed the door behind them. They sat on the edge of the bed. “I heard you were called to the headmaster’s office,” Connie said.

“Yes. Her mother was there.” Senatla began to cry. “She’s dead and I know it, but I lied to them. I lied to her mother.”

“What choice did you have?” Themba asked.

“What choice? To tell the truth, that’s the choice I had. But I was too scared. I lied because I was too scared.”

“What did you say?” Connie asked.

“I said what we agreed. That I was with you two and I spent the night at your house. Did you tell your mother?”

“Yes, she got back this morning from Durban and I told her you slept over on Saturday. It’s fine.”

“Fine?” Senatla felt like she was losing her mind. How could it be fine? It would never be fine! “I’m not sure I can do this.”

“Senatla you have to, or we’ll all be in trouble,” Themba said.

“What does that matter now? The girl is dead.”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Connie said. “Maybe she escaped the water and we didn’t see her.”

“Then why isn’t she at home with her mother?” Senatla asked. “She’s dead. Quit lying to yourself. She’s dead because of us and we’re too cowardly to step forward and tell the truth.”

“Senatla you heard what Reggie and Marike said. They’ll blame it all on you. You can’t tell,” Themba said.

“But you two know the truth. You would support what I said.”

Connie shook her head. “I can’t. My mother would kill me.”

“Your mother would kill you? Who are you people? What if it was you? What if you were the one lying dead in that dam and no-one told your mother?”

Connie began to cry. “Please…don’t say that Senatla. Don’t say that.”

“But it’s the same thing. For how long are we going to lie?”

Themba stood up to leave. “Forever. We must never tell.” He took Connie by the hand. “Let’s go.”

* * * * *

The next morning Senatla got up and dressed for school, but instead of heading for school, she went to Kagiso’s house. There were a few cars parked in their driveway, and one was a police car. Senatla hesitated, but then walked up to the door.

A tall man answered the door. “Hello, can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m a friend of Kagiso’s. I wondered if I could speak to her mother.”

“I’m her father. You can speak to me.”

“I’d rather speak to her mother if that’s all right,” Senatla said.

The man hesitated. “You should know, Kagiso’s body was found at the dam outside of town today. Her mother is very upset. I’m not sure if she’ll be able to talk with you, but we can ask her.”

Senatla followed him into the house. Kagiso’s mother sat on the sofa with a young girl in her arms. She looked up when Senatla came into the room. Her face was streaked with tears. “What happened to my daughter, Senatla?” she said.

Senatla wanted to turn and run, but she stood her ground. She would do this, no matter the consequences. “It was an accident. They were playing a prank on her, but she never came out of the water. We were scared. We were stupid and scared and we should have told the truth straight away. I’m so, so sorry.”

Senatla stood in the middle of the sitting room, her hands at her sides, and cried. She cried for Kagiso, and for Kagiso’s family. But she also cried for herself and her life that would never be the same again. She stood in that circle of strangers and cried.

Then Kagiso’s mother stepped forward and took Senatla in her arms. Even in that darkness, Kagiso’s mother managed to find forgiveness for Senatla. Senatla didn’t care what happened after that. She was glad she had told the truth.

In the end, the court ruled Kagiso’s death an accident, but Senatla knew the truth. They were to be blamed, and she would carry that truth for the rest of her life.

* * *

Tell us what you think: How will Kagiso’s death affect Senatla and her friends in the future? What were all the factors/things that led to Kagiso drowning?

The End