BLIND 

I wake up early every day so that I get ready for work. I usually do things slowly, so my mom used to call me ‘snail’. On the 28^th of December, I will be 19 years full. My mom wanted to buy me a giant birthday cake, but I told her to stop.

“A cake??? No, Mom, you are joking, right ?”

“Do I look like I’m joking? “

“But Mom, I’m too old for a cake; those are for young ones, and I’m not young anymore. “

“Okay, fine. Tell me what you want, Mtanami.”

I looked at her with a smile, rubbing my two fingers to each other, trying to show her what I wanted. She looked confused; my mom was too old for these slang sign languages.

“what the hell are you doing?”

“I want money, Ma…not the cake.”

“Only if you can convince me why you want money instead of me buying you a cake, Mtanami. “

I didn’t know what to say; I tried to find something nice but couldn’t find it.

“Mom please please, ngyakucela mawami”

“Okay, take this…” She gave me an R100 note.

“Thank you very much; you’re such a vibe.”

She couldn’t resist smiling; I knew how to trigger her feelings. She liked to be complimented, though not all the time. Sometimes, she would stare at me when I tried to soften her. I guess today is my lucky day, or maybe my birthday is around the corner. Who knows?

“Oh shoot! Look at the time; I’m late, Mom. Bye!” I ran to the bus station.

 On the bus, I was thinking about how lucky I am. I have a lovely Mom who takes care of me; even though my father died when I was young, it didn’t affect me that much. My mom is a real hero; she always ensured I got everything I wanted. I also got a part-time job. God is great. In this thinking scenario, I’m sitting next to a man. He has a dark, round-shaped nose and clean hands, too. He was wearing shades; I thought it was for a swagger until I saw a walking stick next to him; it was evident he was blind.

“Hey Lady…”

“Hey, how did you know I am a lady? Aren’t you blind?”

“That’s true. I am blind, but I can smell, and you smell nice.”

I was charmed. I don’t even remember when I last heard someone complimenting me. I smelled nice that day, only if this man knew I stole my Mom’s perfume.

I stretched my hand to reach his hand for a handshake.

“I’m Luthando, nice to see you, Mr…?

“Oh well, call me Sandile; nice to know you since I can’t see…”

There was a perfect coincidence where we laughed simultaneously; I never felt like that. Something was different with this man. I wanted to know more about him; I didn’t care if he was blind. We had a pleasant conversation and exchanged cellphone numbers, but the bus decided to stop. It was my time to go to work…

“Goodbye Sandile”

“Bye, Miss Nice Perfume, please call me later on. “

I felt my heart beat several times because of happiness; that man knew how to charm women. He did exactly like I did to my Mom in the morning when I wanted the money.

I returned from work; I told Mom about this blind man, and she laughed at me.

“Stop dreaming; how can you love a blind person ?”

“Come on, Mom, love is not about your external appearance but what you are inside your heart.”

“How will he see your beauty?”

“You’re not funny, Mom; there is nothing wrong with being blind.”

“Okay, Minami, I’m joking about that. So tell me, when are you planning to call him ?”

“I’m so nervous, but let me call him now..”

I called him; we had a long, pleasant conversation again. I was so happy when I spoke to him. That guy was even a smooth talker, passionate too. He asked about my dreams; he knew how to talk to women. We spoke for about four hours; I would not work the following day.

The next day, I woke up as usual. I checked my phone, and there was an SMS….

‘Good morning, Miss Perfume, I don’t have an airtime. Can we please meet at the park at 4:30. Bye.’

I didn’t respond; I just went to the shower and bathed. I rushed to my room to wear clothes. I wanted to wear something catchy but remembered that he was blind.

“Where are you off to? You seem so unrestful.”

“I’m going to Sandile’s Mom; he wants us to meet.”

“Do you trust him?”

“But Mom, what can a blind man do to me? Kidnap? Lol”.

I took my red side bag and walked to the park; it was pretty close to home. I was fixing my face to the park; I sprayed that Mom’s perfume Sandile loves the most.

I arrived at the park; there was no one except a private black car near the giant tree. I sat down, took out my phone, and called him.

“Hello, where are you, Sandile? I’m at the park now.”

“Do you see the car? Is it black?”

“Of course I see it; where are you?”

“Come to it, that’s my car, and I’m inside.”

“o…kay” 

I went to the car. I knocked on the window since It was dark and I couldn’t see if someone was inside. It opened.

“Get in.”

“Who are you ?”

“I am Zach, Sandpile’s driver; just get in, lady.”

I got in, and I couldn’t help but ask where was Sandile. The driver just ignored me; he kept increasing the car’s speed. I was now starting to get worried.

“What’s going on? Where are we?”

The driver ignored me again.

I called Sandile, but his phone was now off. My heart was now beating faster; I was so scared. I kept asking myself many questions. Is Sandile even his real name? Is he blind?

But at the same time, something told me to chill; I was just being paranoid. The car is parked near the lake. I was in deep confusion.

“Get out !”

The driver opened the boot of a car and took a knife. I tried to run, but someone grabbed me harshly in the blue.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“Sandile…! What’s going on? Leave me alone, ngiyeke!”

“I am sorry, Luthando, but I have to cut your left arm…it’s a sacrifice. “

“But why me?!!…No..no, please don’t do it!”.

He returned to a car. I tried to run again, but the driver was too strong to be overpowered by a little girl.

I was screaming, but no one would hear because we were nowhere. It was now even darker, the car with lights on, not bright but dim light. They both returned to a vehicle; they seemed to have second thoughts. I was busy trying to untie myself from a tree the driver tied me on. At last, I unfastened myself but acted like I was tied. They were still shouting at each other; it was my time to escape. I ran as fast as I could, not looking back. I was left with only one shoe; that even didn’t matter at that moment. My phone was still with me. They chased me …

“Run! But I will find you, yes I will find you “, he shouted.

I was hiding in the bushes, terrified and thinking about how foolish I was, so I didn’t even realise something was wrong with this situation. I was blinded by love, I guess. All of these thoughts are displayed in my head. I took out my phone and called the police; they asked for my location. I didn’t know where I was, so I asked them to track my location.

Within 15 minutes of hiding, the police van arrived. Sandile and his driver tried to escape, but they were too late. Police took them. I’m still in the bushes…I came out.

“Officer, can I please talk to him before you lock them up?”

I looked him in the eyes…

“ Sandile, you are the reason that I won’t believe in love anymore; I just wish they tortured you in jail until you die”.

The van took them to the police station and to the prison. They had enough evidence to lock them up for 45 years.

I still didn’t believe in love from that day, but I will always agree when they say love is blind.

 

THE END.