“No!” Lelethu screams. She rushes forward and pulls her mother out of the way as Ntando squeezes the trigger. Lelethu trips over her own feet and falls over, pulling her mother down with her. Solomon launches himself from the bench to his wife’s side.

The gunshot rings loudly through the hall and people scream. Panic ensues as everyone tries to scramble out of the hall. The bullet shatters the stained glass behind Pastor Nkosi, missing him by inches. The pastor takes it as his cue to leave and bolts through the door behind the podium.

Lelethu finds her feet as Ntando cocks the gun once again. She steps in front of her parents and spreads her arms to shield them.

“Get out of the way Lelethu!” Ntando roars as he takes aim again.

“No, I won’t!” she shakes her head defiantly.

“Do you want to die for their sins?” he asks.

“Honestly, I don’t,” she closes her eyes, “but I can’t let you do this.”

Ntando stands motionless for a few minutes, then his shoulders sag. He releases a defeated sigh before he lowers the gun.

Lelethu sneaks a peek at him. “Aren’t you going to shoot me?”

“My battle is not with you!” he growls.

“Is this it?” Lelethu whispers.

“What?” Ntando tilts his head.

“Has your entire life revolved around revenge?”

“No,” he takes a deep breath, “At first, I was just trying to survive. When I ran away, I slept on the streets for a few days before an old man let me work on his farm and gave me a place to stay. I did everything to make my mother proud, you know. I pushed myself through school and worked through a few odd jobs, then I joined the military.” He smiles proudly. “I just couldn’t move past that night, though. I kept having nightmares and flashbacks. I thought coming back here would bring me closure.”

“Would killing them bring you peace?” Lelethu casts a glance back to her parents.

“It would feel like I did something for my mother.” He lowers his head. “You should have seen her grave. It took me forever to find it, it was so neglected and full of weeds.”

“I heard you’d been visiting it in the middle of the night,” Lelethu says.

“It’s the least I could do.”

They hear the distant sound of sirens. Someone must have called the police.

“She wouldn’t have wanted this for you,” Lelethu extends her hand to him, “leave the gun and go on with your life.”

“I can’t just give you an illegal weapon, little sister,” Ntando laughs.

“Oh yah.” She shrugs. “Well get out of here before the police arrive.”

Ntando tucks the weapon in the waistband of his pants and pulls his t-shirt over it. Then he takes one last look at them before he bolts out of the church.

Lelethu hurries to the door to watch him disappear down the road. When she turns back into the church, she sees her parents help one another to their feet. Disappointment hangs heavily in the atmosphere and she cannot bring herself to speak to them. Instead, she finds a broom and begins to sweep.

Tell us: What would you have done in Ntando’s position?