TSAKANI

Pacing up & down in this lounge at 04:00am in the fucking morning ain’t helping! My bubble must be crossing the borders by now, or tied up somewhete by some bloody bastards who are tired of living, it fucks me up that I couldn’t save her, in fact I should’ve refused her going to work the minute that she told me that her mind is not at ease, but what do I know? Fuck! I don’t even want to think about what are her captures doing to her right now! The gents are here still in their pyjamas I found them already waiting for me, I told them what happened, and Talon flipped.

“We are going to turn this city upside down! We are going to rain terror on everyone, and by everyone I mean everyone!” I roar.

“You are including innocent people too?” Lee asks.

Me: “Which part did you not get when I said everyone? In fact, I will start with my neighbors right now!”

Him: “Now you are talking bull shit you can’t involve innocent people in Lux’s abduction, you can’t. I understand that you are pissed, that those men ticked you off the wrong way, but you can’t go around killing innocent people TK man, those people don’t know anything!”

Talon: “Makubhode wonke umuntu maarn! Masicisheni yonke lemisunu one time maarn, makunyiwe macala onke!” He gets on top my coffee table.

Leon: “Vakga kancane Talon ngokubasela umlilo ubona uvutha njengo Volcano. TK ntwana yami umoya phansi, (wait a bit with fueling the fire, TK calm down) we need to be rational about this. We need to think things through before innocent people get hurt.”

Me: “Fuck it maarn fuck it! Bubbles was innocent too but they still took her, don’t tell me to be rational about this. My woman is in danger I’m not functioning I need to kill someone, I need to spill blood!” I take my gun from my waist, and shoot the ceiling twice.

Lee: “Fuck maarn TK keep it together ndoda! What we need to do is to go to Sol’s club, and ask for the footage, and we can also question the girls I’m sure they know something.” I chuckle.

Me: “You must be kidding me, and there is no way that whoever abducted my bubbles made sure that they switch off the cameras, we need to find this Antony man he has answers to give me, and I’m sure that Sol is involved in all of this. That’s why he left because he knew what he was planning, he left knowing exactly what’s going on!”

Batista: “I need to call my contacts from Russia, and alert them. But I will need to send them her picture so that they can be on the look out, and if they see anything they will let us know.”

Me: “So, I must sit around till the sun comes up, and it is only then I will know where my woman is? You must be insane! Leon, start by finding me everything about Sol, find me every fucking thing put your computer skills into work!”

Him: “I’ll get right on it,” he nods getting up from his seat.

Talon: “Bese mina? Mele ngiyenzeni? Phela ngifuna ukucitha igazi kube bovu phansi,” (And what about me? What must I do? I want to spill blood, and make the entire floor red)

Me: “Enlek yazini, asivaye sovakashela leziferbe u Arenele no Zama, bazokhuluma ukuthi ukuphi!” (You know what, let’s go, and pay Arenele & Zama a visit, they will tell me where she is)

Lee: “I’ll also touch my contacts, and we will see what we will do. Sizom’thola u bubbles before the sunset, she will be back in your arms.”

Batista: “Let’s not make promises we can’t keep Lee. First of all, we don’t know who this Antony is, and secondly Sol is the mastermind behind all this, and I don’t think he is that stupid, there is no way that he went to Russia because he knows very well that, that’s the place you are going to look at. And I also can’t say that he’s still here in South Africa, he is somewhere hiding, but what I can assure you though is that we will not rest until bubbles is found, even though I know that she will kick some ass. She’s one bad bitch, she will not go down without a fight she will fight till the end. Be strong ntwana, and keep together.” He clasp my shoulder, I hear what he is saying, but I don’t understand shit. All I need is to find my bubbles that’s it.

Talon: “Asivaye TK. U Dr. Phil uringile,” (let’s go. Dr.Phil have spoken) I nod, and we walk out.

An hour later we are at Marian squatters, these bitches earn a lot of money for them to be staying in this filth. The sun is about to come out, and few people are already awake busy sweeping their yards. We weave through passages, and jump sewerages, Talon knows this place very well, and we finally arrive at this so called mkhukhu. No man, so Talon used to come here just for sex? Sies, that’s so unlike him, but then who am I to judge? Talon kicks down the door, and we make our in as the the girls jump from their beds screaming.

“Voetsek. Msindo dwi sous nou!” (Keep quiet right now) Talon roars pointing them with a gun. Their room is so dirty, clothes are scattered on the floor, pile of dirty dishes in one of the basins, bottle of beers, and cigarettes butts lying carelessly on the dirty torn couch, and oh let me not get started about the horrible smell, I’m not here for that, but I’m here to find out where my bubbles is. They are covering themselves with the blankets shivering. “Kuyanuka la, yasis maarn ngathi akuhlali abo lovey fo sho namagundwane akhona la, yerrr. Manithola is’khathi ni kline hhayi maarn!” (It stinks here, yasis maarn it’s as if like is not women staying here, I’m sure there are rats even, when you get time clean up this place)

“A va u bubbles?” They look at each other. “Yhey nina msoon, ngithi u va u bubbles?” I shot one shot next to their legs, and they scream I don’t even care whether the neighbors heard the gun shot or not, should they come here, and complain I will shoot them.

Zama: “We don’t know where she is.”

Me: “Njani? Weren’t you the ones calling her threatening her?”

Her: “I- I did, but I swear to you at this very moment that I don’t know where she is.” Talon shoots at the zinc missing her shoulder by an inch.

Arenele: “She’s telling the truth we don’t know where she is, we really don’t. The last time we saw was when she came to tell us that she will fire us.”

Me: “More reasons to get her abducted! You couldn’t stand losing your jobs right? So, instead you got her kidnapped just so she won’t fire you right?” I wave my hand in the air with my gun swinging back & forth. They shake their heads. “I will ask you one last time, and you better answer me truthfully or else I will blow your brains out, I’m not joking. Now, tell me; where is bubbles?”

Them: “We don’t know!”I point my gun at them.

Talon: “Yima ntwana ngathi ba ringa I waar. Anisho ke wakuphi lo Antony nyana wakhona?” (Wait boy, I think they are telling the truth. Tell us here; where is that Antony)

Zama: “We don’t know. All we know is that he’s from Russia, and he is Sol’s friend that’s all we know about him.”

Talon: “Manje I wallpaper yakhe?”

Aranele: “We don’t have his picture.” They are not helping, they don’t know anything. Fuck!

Me: “As’vaye Talon ayikho lento esize ngayo la.” (Let’s go, there’s nothing that we came for here)

Him: “Savaya skhokho, nina bo lovey ngiyathemba niwabekile ama cent ngoba Sol’s club is closed until bubbles is found, thanks. Aziye skhokho,” we walk out of the room. “Sizom’thola ungapheli umoya. Ngiyathemba no Leon uzothola something asilali singakam’tholanga u bubbles, enlek masivaye siye kulabo dam’shishi fo sho sizovuka.” (We will find her, don’t lose hope. I’m sure Leon will find something

we are not sleeping until bubbles is found, let’s go to these other gang members I’m sure we will find something) I nod, and throw him the keys. I won’t be able to drive in this state, I spit, and we start walking I must find bubbles, and once I do she ain’t going back to that club, ever. Matter of fact, I will shut that club down. And Sol together with this Antony better pray that I don’t find them, or I find them dead because if I do find them I will not have any peace, I will rain terror upon them. They will wish they never poked me from my hole, I did not disturb them, they disturbed me, and I’m going to strike, hard. 

★»★«

LUXOLO

My head is so heavy it’s like I’ve been drinking the whole night. I slowly open my eyes as I am not familiar with this scent, it smells horrible. The first thing I see opening my eyes its an elderly woman she is looking straight at me, I open my eyes fully, and grab her by her collar she opens her eyes in terror.

“Where the fuck am I and who the hell are you?” Words are failing to come out of her mouth, she keeps on opening & closing her mouth. “I’ve asked you a question dammit answer me!”

“Easy the tiger, let go of her,” a woman maybe same age as my mother tells me as she approaches us, she is wearing all black, and very much muscular. “Erin, you may leave.” What the fuck woman! How can she leave when I’m still grabbing her collar you are one stupid bitch. Erin looks at her, then at me. “Oh, that.” In one forcefull yank my hands let go of Erin’s collar, and she rushes out, I look at this woman standing before me.

Me: “Who the hell are you, and what am I doing here?” I sit upright. I really want to strangle her to death right now.

Her: “Who the hell I am mustn’t matter to you. Now that you are awake you better get your ass down at this instant!” I look around me, and there are more than 50 beds here.

Me: “I will not do such thing until you tell me who the hell are you, and what am I doing here!” She slaps me, I taste blood on my mouth. “Di…,” another slap lands on my finger, yasis she slaps like a man. I look her, and return the slap back the least she expected it.

Her: “You bitch!” She attempts to get on top of the bed her aim is to strangle me, but I roll over, and fall on the floor twisting my leg in the process shit. She gets hold of my dreadlocks yanking me up, and I kick her vagina with the back of my heel, she whimpers as I continue kicking her, she’s not let go of my locks, she’s now pulling them roughly. I stop kicking her, and that gives her the opportunity to push me to the nearest wall, my hands are the first thing to land on the wall as my face crashes on them. I duck as she is about to pull my dreads again, her hands lands on nothing. She groans, and I run toward the door, and step out before she could even reach me. When I get outside I find lot of girls eating they really look worm out, some are falling asleep while eating. Those who are awake look at me as I limp away. Haike, the sgora steps out looking angry all the girls stand up when they see her even those who were sleeping, she must be important around here, and the girls look scared of her.

Her: “Come here you black bitch!” As I took a look at all the girls, I’m the only black girl here. I’m the fucken odd one out! In fact, what the hell is this place? Or is it some kind of a boarding school? How did I end up here? Anyway, the woman run straight to me, and I take one of the plates that was on top of the table, and throw it her way she ducks. Fuck me! She finally finds me, and tackles me down giving me slaps, and speaking in a language I don’t understand. I bite her arm, and she cries out in pain, and stops slapping me. Now its my turn to slap her, but I don’t think she’s feeling anything.

“Enough!” A voice I’ve never heard before reprimands us. I remain sitting, and don’t bother standing up, I turn my head slowly only to find some man in his early 30s standing behind me with a few men. They are all wearing expensive suits, and have cains with them.

Me: “What the fuck? What the fuck is actually going on here?” I get off this woman, and leave her on the ground smiling, I guess this man is her boyfriend.

Him: “Go, and freshen up then come, and join me diamond then I will tell you everything.”

Me: “No! I want to know, where the hell is this place, and what the fuck am I doing here? Lastly, who the fucking hell are you? You are even brave calling me by my stage name.” My nose flares.

Him: “Go, and freshen up diamond you have only an hour, and I will send someone to come, and take a look at your leg.”

Me: “And you think I will take orders from a stranger? You must be out of your damn mind!”

Him: “Don’t force to get physical with you diamond,” those words come out from his gritted teeth.

Me: “Do whatever you want mfana. Tsek maarn!” He grabs my arm, and pulls me to him, and he squeezes my cheeks looking at me straight in the eyes.

Him: “Do you know who I am?”

Me: “I don’t want to know!”

Him: “Then you will know me!”

“She’s one hot-headed girl I’ve ever dealt with that one.” Argh maarn, Antony! This fuckershit let go of my face, I rub my cheeks.

Me: “What the fuck? How could you Antony?”

Him: “We are doing all of this for you, you will need all the training you will get, and I was just following orders given to me.”

Me: “Training for what now? And who gave you those orders?”

Him: “You are left with 55 minutes,” I groan. “Jaguar, get her prepared, and send her to the dining area once done.” This Jaguar woman gets up from the floor.

Me: “My boyfriend will find me, and he will kill you, not unless I kill you first.” They all laugh, and this Jaguar woman pulls me by arm taking me to this so-called bathroom. I don’t even want to know what they are going to do to me, or what torture awaits me. Those men out there are dangerous, very dangerous even my TK won’t stand them. And I wonder who gave Antony an order to get me abducted, Lord please be with me. I don’t know what awaits me in this new journey. I wonder what do those girls that I saw outside do, or maybe they were also abducted just like me? They were forced to be here? And what is it exactly that we are training for? I have lot of questions, but who will give me answers to them?

This Jaguar woman pushes me inside the shower roughly. “I’ll be right outside, and by the way I’ll enjoy torturing you. I will torture you until you die. Welcome to my hell baby girl,” she winks at me, and closes the shower door. Her words makes me shiver, but I will die fighting if it needs too. TK better find me, and fast!