After what feels like two minutes after her head hits the pillow, Esihle hears someone screaming her name. She is so annoyed she forgets to put on her gown as she heads out into the kitchen.
ESIHLE: We agreed that you wouldn’t scream my…
She stops when she sees Lerato, Sibu’s girlfriend, running into the kitchen, screaming hysterically. She is in tears and practically hyperventilating.
ESIHLE: Lerato, what’s wrong? What happened?
She grabs onto Esihle’s arms as though trying to stop herself from falling over. The look in her eyes sends a chill down Esihle’s spine.
LERATO: It’s Sibu, they have him…they just came into his room and told him to come with them…they say he stole the pants or the money…I don’t know…they found the plastic bag on his desk and they say he did it… now they have him…Esihle, you need to come help him and…
Esihle doesn’t wait for Lerato to finish her incoherent monologue, she races out of the kitchen and heads straight for the door, then out of the gate. All she can think about is getting to Sibu before something bad happens. She sees the crowd as soon as she turns the corner. She picks up the pace and reaches the crowd right before it reaches the main road.
ESIHLE: Stop, please stop!
She screams and uBab’ Jacob turns around and sees her. He calls out to the crowd, and they all stop, then turn to face Esihle and Lerato. The crowd parts and she sees Sibu in the clutches of two very large men she doesn’t recognise. Determined to look braver than she is, she speaks.
ESIHLE: Where are you taking my brother?
Mam’ Vivian steps out from behind one of the large men who are man-handling Sibu.
VIVIAN: To the taxi rank so the drivers can deal with him.
ESIHLE: Deal with him? Why? What exactly do you think he’s done?
BONGANI: He and that tsotsi Thabiso broke into our house and stole from me.
ESIHLE: How can you say that, Bhut’ Bongani? How do you know for sure that my brother did that?
BONGANI: I know because Thabiso told us so.
ESIHLE: I saw Thabiso at the hospital this morning. He probably only said Sibu helped him to save himself. Now you want to do what you did to Thabiso to my brother.
BAB’ JACOB: Esihle, you need calm down, there is proof.
ESIHLE: What proof could you possibly have? You’re all just trying to pin this on my brother when you know he is innocent! He didn’t do this! He is nothing like Thabiso, so stop trying to turn him into a criminal. You should be ashamed of yourselves!
The crowd bursts into a frenzy, shouting inaudibly, and a few of them look as though they might strike Esihle. Bab’ Jacob yells and they quieten down, then he turns his attention to Esihle.
BAB’ JACOB: Young girl, I am warning you, this won’t end well for your brother if you keep this up.
Just then, she feels Lerato at her side and sees Lerato is wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt and a towel wrapped around her waist. They must look like mad women, running around half dressed, and Esihle’s making it worse by screaming at men twice her size.
ESIHLE: (calmer) My brother is innocent, let him go. Lerato has spent the night with him for the past three nights, that is basically a solid alibi. You can vouch for him, right?
LERATO: Yes, I’ve been with Sibu every night the last three days. He didn’t do this, please let him go.
Esihle is suddenly filled with a rush of confidence, or maybe insanity, because she turns to Bhut’ Bongani, waving a slightly disrespectful finger at him.
ESIHLE: You can’t accuse my brother of something he didn’t do. That’s just wrong and unfair. Have you no shame? You’ve known us all our lives how dare you…
Before she can finish, Mam’ Vivian cuts in.
VIVIAN: Hayi wena, ntombazana, you will not talk to my son like that. My son and I are the victims here. One wouldn’t think Noluthando taught you to respect your elders judging by your behaviour.
ESIHLE: How about you leave my mother out of this and focus on the fact that your son is accusing my brother of something he didn’t do?
BAB’ JACOB: Esihle, you need to calm down. They found the stolen pants in Sibusiso’s room.
ESIHLE: Pants? All this is because of a pair of stolen pants? And if you found the pants, what are you dragging him in the street for?
Bhut’ Bongani grabs her upper arm angrily and stares into her eyes.
BONGANI: Your brother and his friends broke into my house and stole money from me. This isn’t just about a pair of pants. We are tired of these criminals taking advantage of our community, they need to be taught a lesson.
ESIHLE: Taught a lesson? What lesson? We are telling you that he was at home when you got robbed, there is…
BONGANI: It wouldn’t be the first time the Khumalo household protected a criminal.
ESIHLE: How about you get off your high horse? You are no better than Zukisani! Only difference is my father was still alive to talk you off the ledge!
She practically spits her response at him, loaded with all the disrespect she can muster. She pushes past Bhut’ Bongani and walks right up to the men restraining her brother.
ESIHLE: If your self-appointed job is to rid this community of criminals, how about you unhand my brother and go find the real tsotsis?
As the words finish tumbling out of her mouth, both men lunge at her. She is saved by almost all the men standing around her, who jump in between her and the angry men. And just like that, all hell breaks loose. In the chaos, Bab’ Jacob pulls her out of the raging crowd and she watches as they argue amongst one another until someone blows a whistle, making everyone quieten down. Sibu emerges from the group and heads her way. He takes her hand and looks at his sister with pleading eyes.
SIBUSISO: Esihle, you need to stop. If you don’t, they will hurt you too, and I can’t let anything happen to you.
ESIHLE: Sibu, I can’t just let them…
SIBUSISO: Stop, please, before you make things worse.
ESIHLE: OK! I’ll go get the police and everything will be fine.
SIBUSISO: I’ll be back in no time. Promise!
He holds out his fist for their special handshake. And then he is dragged off again and Esihle’s stomach falls.
Tell us: Do you think Esihle will be able to get help in time?