I stand my ground and say the words I have wanted to say to this Northern woman. For so long now.

“Once, Mma, my village stood here, spread all across this valley, you understand? Motse wa Rona. It spread far and wide, as far as the eye could see. So many huts and neighbours and yards and hedges. And the kgotla in the centre where our chief and our elders discussed. And goats and mealie patches and fields of spinach and butternut. And donkeys wandering down in the dry river bed. And herds of cattle with their cowbells clanking. And anthills and a baobab tree.

“It was a happy, carefree time, Mma. My family surrounded me on all sides. I played with my friends, feeling safe and that I would always be protected and nothing bad would ever happen to me.

“But then the sea came, roaring and thundering – even so far from its ocean bed. And it swallowed up the village and my home. It swallowed up my mother. And my brothers and sisters. It swallowed up everything we had and everything we loved and everything we were, you understand, Mma? That is why we call it Swallow Lake.”

I am glad she asked. It has made me understand too. Clearly now.

I don’t wait for her to answer. What is there that she can possibly say? Instead, I pick up my bag that holds my late mother’s shawl and I turn away from the copter.

Neo and Lindiwe yell above the sudden throb of the copter engine. “Girl, are you crazy? Come back, you crazy person!”

But I wave goodbye to them. I smile to show all is well. They are welcome to their new life in Siberia. I hope they will be happy. I hope it will be everything they expect it to be.

Then I trudge my way back through the thick salt-sand. Back towards the hill with its six brick houses and single reed hut and dead trees. Back towards my grandmother. With the sunrise rays of the Afrikan sun warm and loving on my shoulders.

Around me, the sand whips up, stinging against my legs, as the helicopter blades begin to spin and whirl.

But I keep going, heading up the slope of Lentswe la Rona.

I have lost too much already. I refuse to lose any more.

***

Tell us: Is this far-fetched, improbable sci-fi? Or is this a possible future scenario? What do you think? How does the story make you feel?