The day of the gathering

In the morning

“Mom do you think we will be done by the time everyone gets here? I mean the tent in the garden is already up, decorations are in place and the chairs are packed. The sound system will grace us with the music soon soon and we are still busy cutting vegetables. Why don’t you call some of your aunties to arrive early so that they can help us? Or neighbours? Friends?” Lebo asked her mother.

” No baby, we will manage. And besides I don’t want that family near the food, I don’t trust them. And that friend you’re talking about, i don’t know is she’s still breathing or not. She’s also like the rest of the family, I don’t trust her as well. Now let’s quickly start with this so-much-work veges, the rest aren’t such tiring” Tiny said.

Lebo gave her a smile and continued cutting and slicing carrots. They were talking and laughing at each other’s jokes. They hardly had a chance to feel the work was too much. Everything was rolling and the family members were on their way then boom, speaking of a devil. Here comes “Miss know it all”.

“Hellooooo Nana, you’re so grown up. Oh Tiny my friend. How are you? Wooooh look at that carrot.. Is this how Tiny has been doing all along? Teaching you to cut and slice carrots like this? Wooh shame. Bring me an apron. Let me show you how it’s done”, she said, Aggie (Tiny’s long lost friend).

Tiny had to pretend she agree with Aggie on most of the things to avoid drama. Even though deep down she knew she would not follow her orders. Not at her gathering. Not especially when she came uninvited. Aggie was so loud, she kept giving orders of how what will be cooked and who will be serving. Tiny was pissed but she had no choice but to smile now and then and nod, as long as the work was rolling. Lebo was already fed up and she excused herself. She went to her room and seated on a study table. She grabbed her phone and she found herself on Google. She searched for ways to kill a person. She searched kinds of slow poisons and imagined someone dying slowly. She laughed a little and sustained herself. She thought of her dad, how he used to take her to the parks and buying her ice-cream. She missed him so much. She looked at the teddybear she received from her dad on her 7th birthday. She died a little inside. She was sad. She dropped a tear but wiped it off. “I’m a big girl, no crying, no tears. At the end of this day, my dad will be so proud of me. I know he will” she consoled herself.

She layed on her bed and texted her friend. “Kabelo, hi. It’s me. You remember when you told me a joke about you poisoning your family and wiping them all off? Well I need a favour. I Wanna poison mine. Well not the whole family. I want to end them, end their lives. It’s urgent, please call me”.

Within seconds Kabelo replied: “Ekse, ha haaa your joke ain’t that funny. Anyway how’s preparations going so far? I’m so hungry. Can I come?” kabelo said.

Lebo decided to calm him and it was on ringing mode, unanswered. “Kabelo, Kabelo come on man. Answer your damn phone”.

“I was out Lebza, what’s up??” Kabelo texted back. Lebo pressed the call button again and she was on the call with Kabelo. They talked what seemed like 5 minutes and the call went off. Lebo sounded like she was shouting. Maybe Kabelo wasn’t agreeing with this idea at all.

The gathering started

The family members were arriving a minute by minute. Greeting everyone and getting themselves comfortable. Lebo was nowhere to be found.