“How many times have I forgiven you when you disappeared for weeks with other women, Sihlangu? How many times have I stuck by you when your friends have turned on you? Who was the one who warned you when there was a plot to have you killed? I have been by your side all this time yet you bring a gun to my place?” says Mbali.

Sanele realises he has bitten off more than he can chew. His lust has gotten him involved with truly dangerous people. He wanted to prove to his friends that he was a playboy by taming Mbali, but that stupid decision has brought him to this dangerous situation. The very friends he wanted to prove himself to are sleeping peacefully in their places while he is in Mbali’s room looking at the barrel of a gun.

Sihlangu looks at Sanele. “Let’s eat. Or are you like a woman? You don’t eat at these hours?”

Sanele takes a reluctant bite of the meat. “My brother, I’m truly sorry about everything. It wasn’t my intention for things to happen like this. Please find it in your heart to forgive me, no matter how this night turns out,” says Sanele, softly.

Both Mbali and Sihlangu cast their stares over Sanele for a moment, before they carry on speaking. Sanele can see they are paying no attention to what he has just said.

“Are you going to answer my questions, Sihlangu?” says Mbali.

“Did your parents not teach you to never disturb a man while he is eating? You are so disrespectful you can’t even wait for me to finish eating,” says Sihlangu.

“What I want is not important, as always, Sihlangu. Were we not talking about what we have put each other through?”

“Shut up, Mbali. We are eating,” says Sihlangu.

The first light of day appears in the sky. Sanele takes a few more bites of the meat. He downs it with beer. The whisky bottle is half now. He keeps looking at the gun on the table. He entertains the idea of going for the gun, but his problem is that he is not a killer. Sihlangu is a killer. He killed an innocent man over Mbali, on top of the many men he has killed in the taxi industry.

Sanele is sure he will be killed today but is afraid of going for the gun, so he drinks as much as he can. What is frustrating to him is that he is not getting drunk, no matter how much he drinks. He had hoped to be drunk out of his mind at the moment when Sihlangu actually pulls the trigger.

“Sihlangu you are always saying we should have a baby. Do you want our baby to grow up in this type of life? A life of guns and drinking all night?” says Mbali.

“This is truly amazing. You are one of a kind, Mbali. I find you in bed with another man but somehow you have twisted this thing to make me out to be the bad guy?”

“No, Sihlangu. I am not making you out to be the bad guy. I am doing what you always do to me when I catch you cheating. I forgave you when you embarrassed me by staying at that brothel in town for two weeks. I never pulled out a gun on you.”

Sihlangu turns and looks at Sanele, who has his eyes on the floor.

“Speak, Mr Engineer! Tell me why I should let you go!” Sihlangu bellows.

Oh my God, this guy knows everything about me, Sanele thinks.

“There you go again, staring into nothingness. I am talking to you. Answer me,” says Sihlangu.

“Sihlangu, you can see he is scared out of his mind. He is afraid of you and this gun you have placed on the table. You can tell he is not used to this life of guns,” says Mbali.

“But he is not afraid to steal people’s girlfriends? He is not afraid of breaking relationships? And why are you speaking on his behalf, Mbali? You have suddenly become his lawyer now?”

A darkness has appeared in Sihlangu’s eyes as he stares at Mbali.

Tell us: Do you think these three will make it out alive? Why or why not?