THE COVEN’S BRIDE
CHAPTER 19 (SPONSORED BY Mpho)
GUMBI HOUSEHOLD
It is a couple of minutes before midnight. The guests have left the house, and the only people who are left in the house are the Gumbi elders. Sibusiso and Naledi didn’t get back to the party; they fell asleep in Sibusiso’s room, and no one looked for them. Everyone just assumed Naledi was tired, and they went to bed. The time is close to midnight. Everyone is asleep except Mzilikazi. Mzilikazi is sitting on a chair with a glass of whiskey, and in front of him is an empty chair.
The door opens, and Zolani walks into the room. “Are you planning on staying up all night?”
“I am waiting for a go-ahead to rest,” Mzilikazi answers with his eyes fixed on the chair in front of him.
“Please just go to bed, it’s cold and you will catch a cold. Go to bed.”
Mzilikazi answers, “Soon someone has to take over after me. They will be the one who will be able to talk to it. Please do not let the family die.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I am going to rest soon. I am waiting for permission to rest. Take care of the family and take care of Naledi,” Mzilikazi says, taking a sip of his whiskey.
“Are you dying?”
“I will always be watching over the family. Take care of everyone and make sure things are done right. Naledi is the miracle we have been waiting for. Make sure things are done right so that everyone is saved,” Mzilikazi answers.
“I am very sleepy, and I have no idea what you are saying. See you in the morning.” Zolani leaves the room, going to the room that he is using. Everyone knows that Mzilikazi sometimes speaks things that don’t make sense.
“Thank you for giving me the chance to rest,” Mzilikazi says, his eyes fixed on the empty chair. “I have been tired for a very long time, and I am glad I can finally rest.”
In Sibusiso’s room, Naledi gets out of bed, puts on Sibusiso’s slippers, and heads out. She is sleepwalking. Rosa also wakes up in her bed and shakes her husband awake.
“Yeah…” Sipho moans, half asleep.
“I forgot to take my water. Please accompany me to the kitchen?”
“Okay,” Sipho answers, but he is still sleeping.
“Love!”
“Does it have to be now?” Sipho asks, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“Yes, I am thirsty.”
Sipho gets out of bed and tells Rosa that he will get her water. He gets out of the room, rubbing his eyes, and bumps into Jasmine, who is also going to get water. It seems the alcohol from the party is making everyone thirsty.
“The party was amazing, thank you for planning it,” Sipho says to his daughter. They are now both having a glass of milk and cookies. They used to do this when Jasmine was younger, and they sometimes do it when they want to catch up.
“It was nice seeing everyone under one roof.”
Sipho says, “It was, there are people we haven’t seen in a while, and it was nice to see them.”
“Is that Naledi?” Jasmine gets off the kitchen counter when she sees Naledi walking past. She follows her.
Sipho pulls her back, “Let her be.”
“She could be sleeping walking.”
Sipho says, “Or maybe she needed something, and now she is going back to bed.”
“After midnight?”
“We are also up, and she looks like she is going to bed, so let her bed,” Sipho convinces Jasmine to go to bed. Jasmine doesn’t put it to mind. She takes her water and goes back to her room.
“What is taking so long?” Rosa asks her husband, who is standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking like someone who has a lot on their mind.
“I was with Jasmine, having a glass of milk.”
Naledi crosses in front of them, heading in the other direction. Rosa looks at his husband and asks, “Is she sleepwalking?”
“I think so.”
“We need to get her back in her room before she hurts herself,” Rosa tries to follow Naledi, but Sipho stops her.
“Let her be.”
“Why? She could hurt herself. Call Sibusiso,” Rosa says. Sipho argues to let Naledi be. “Sipho, do you know something that I don’t?”
“Love, let’s just go to bed.”
Then it clicks in Rosa’s head. She gasps and covers her mouth with her palm. “I was also sleepwalking when I first joined the family. Please don’t tell me it is what I think it is?”
“I am sorry!”
“Did you know something was going to happen to her? Did you know that thing has reached our children?” Rosa asks, pain laced on her face.
“I am sorry, love.”
“I cannot believe you, Sipho. I cannot believe you would keep something like this from me.” Rosa walks in the direction that Naledi went. She looks around for her until she finds her in a room where Mzilikazi is sitting on a chair and Naledi is sitting on the chair in front of him.
“Naledi!” Rosa calls softly, but Naledi is not responsive. She walks closer to them, and that is when she notices that there is a spilled glass of whiskey on the floor. Mzilikazi looks like he is sleeping.
Naledi looks at Rosa and says, “It’s his time to rest now.”
“Come with me, child,” Rosa helps Naledi up and takes her out of the room, but she can tell it’s not Naledi from earlier. They bump into Sibusiso, who is also looking for Naledi. That is when Naledi gains consciousness.
Naledi looks at the set of eyes in front of her. “What happened?”
“You were sleepwalking, are you okay?” Sibusiso pulls her closer and checks if she is hurt anywhere. She is still wearing the dress she was wearing at the dinner.
“I never sleepwalk,” Naledi answers, confused.
Rosa says, “Why don’t you all go to bed, and we will talk in the morning.”
“I am sorry, Mr and Mrs. Gumbi, I hope I didn’t do anything or break anything,” says Naledi.
“No need to apologize, people sleepwalk, and it’s fine. You children go rest,” Sipho answers.
Sibusiso takes Naledi back to their room, and this time, he makes sure to lock the door. Sibusiso gives Naledi one of his pajama tops to wear.
Naledi sits on the bed and says, “I am sorry, love.”
Sibusiso cups her face and plants and kiss on her lips. “No need to apologize. At least you didn’t hurt yourself.”
“I swear I didn’t know I was sleepwalking.”
Sibusiso pulls her close and says, “Let’s sleep, and don’t worry yourself.”
***
Rosa and Sipho are still where Sibusiso and Naledi left them. Rosa looks at her husband and asks, “Is this what you have been keeping from me? Has the curse reached our children?”
“I am sorry, my love. I swear I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how to.”
Rosa shakes her head, tears falling on her face. “What did Mzilikazi say about that child?”
“Love let’s…”
“What did he say?” Rosa yells. She doesn’t care if people are sleeping. She wants to know.
“He said Naledi is the one who will save us all and that as long as she is in the family, no more sacrifices have to be made. She will be the coven’s wife forever.”
Rosa looks at her husband and says, “You are going to tell your son to leave that child alone. Do you hear me? I will not let you people put that child through hell.”
“We have already started the process. She drank the potion and so did Sibusiso.”
Rosa shakes her head, this time backing away from her husband. “I cannot believe you, Sipho. I cannot believe you would do this after I went through.”
“Love, we don’t have a choice. We found this thing like this. I also didn’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice, Sipho. You could have let us all lose our money and die,” says Rosa, wiping the tears off her face. The thought of the same thing that happened to her happening to Naledi kills her.
“I wish there was a way out, but there isn’t. This also k*lls me.”
“Please get away from me, I don’t want you near me right now. Go find somewhere to sleep,” Rosa walks away, heading in the direction of their bedroom.