Andisiwe checked her phone for a message. Nothing from Jacob. She knew he was a busy man and that his work was stressful, but hadn’t he asked her if she wanted him to stay there while her aunt was away? But that was before the call from Thabo, the call that made him so mad. She remembered how his face had changed, how he had rushed off. Now that she thought about it, his tone had changed too. She felt a little hurt when she remembered his parting words: ‘I’ll be in touch’. Wasn’t that what men said when they had changed their mind about you? Did this have something to do with Thabo?

She picked up the TV remote and flipped through the DSTV menu one more time. She sighed heavily. Suddenly she really missed Siya. If her friend were here right now, she would be having fun, not feeling lonely and confused. They would pour themselves some of her aunt’s expensive wine. Eat chocolates and watch a chick flick. Right now, it was what she needed more than anything else in the world – more than her aunt, who didn’t seem to have much time for her, or Jacob, who was so busy making business deals.

Andisiwe had never been alone in her aunt’s house at night before. Maria, the housekeeper, had gone home for the weekend. She had left ready-cooked meals and shown Andisiwe how to work the alarm, plus given her a panic button and the numbers to call in an emergency. But Andisiwe still felt uneasy. The house was large. You couldn’t hear what was going on in the other rooms. Would an intruder trigger the alarm? What if the electricity went out? What if her cellphone ran out of charge? What if…?

Andisiwe switched off the TV. She was suddenly surrounded by total silence.

She had just started to scroll through the music selection on her phone when she was startled by a sound. Andisiwe sat quite still, and did not move from where she was sitting on the couch. Her eyes flickered towards the windows. Earlier she had drawn the curtains. Normally her aunt never bothered. The house was surrounded by high walls, but Andisiwe had felt afraid of the big, blank, dark sheets of glass, and so had pulled the velvety curtains tightly closed.

There it was again!

Andisiwe felt her hands turning clammy and cold as she clutched her cellphone. Oh Jacob, she thought to herself. Why didn’t I take you up on your offer to sleep on the couch tonight?

Just then her cellphone beeped. Her heart leapt with relief. At last! A message from Jacob, she thought.

But it wasn’t a message from Jacob.

Instead, as she read the caller’s name on her screen, Andisiwe’s heart stood still. It was from Thabo.

U don’t kno who u r dealing wit. U r a

good girl & I don’t blame u. Jacob

hs poisoned u against me wit his lying words.

he messed wit my life. Watch out.

he might mess wiv urs. He is dangerous.

Pls giv me a chance 2 xplain

Shocked, Andisiwe dropped the phone, and then she caught her breath. There was that sound again.

Getting up slowly, Andisiwe walked to the light switch, and flicked off the light. She felt sure that the sound was coming from outside, near the window.

With her heart pounding in her chest, she tiptoed across the deep pile carpet towards the window. She tweaked the curtain a tiny bit and peered into the dark garden. Everything was still.

Andisiwe was aware that she was breathing very heavily.

There, in the dark shadows against the wall, she could have sworn that something moved slightly! She was sure she saw a man crouching down, looking towards her. She blinked and peered again. The dark shadow remained quite still.

Andisiwe dropped the edge of the curtain and backed away from the window. She scrambled onto the couch, fumbling for the phone she had left there. She found it, and with trembling fingers, clumsily scrolled for the number that she wanted. Her voice was trembling when at last the phone was answered and she heard his voice.

“Jacob,” she whispered. “There’s someone in the garden outside.”

Andisiwe clutched the phone tightly to her ear as she listened to Jacob’s calm, reassuring voice. She did notice that he seemed to be somewhere very noisy, and she vaguely thought that it was very late, but those thoughts just evaporated in the security of the words he spoke soothingly into her ear.

“I’m afraid it might be Thabo,” whispered Andisiwe into the phone. “He really has it in for you. And maybe for me too. I think he wants to harm you Jacob. He is really out to get you. I think he thinks that you are here. I’m so frightened.”

“I’m coming Andy,” Jacob was saying. “Everything is going to be all right. You just sit tight. I am on my way.”

* * *

Tell us what you think: Who is outside? Do you think Jacob should come over, or should they call the police?