admin NURSE THEMBENI CHAPTER 3 My name has vanished, my identity has been packed away. I am now her. There must be another woman hiding somewhere in this house, because the one Golide is pointing at cannot be me. He just changed my life status without consulting me. I blink once, then again. Nothing changes. I … Read more
NURSE THEMBENI CHAPTER 2 My stomach drops so hard it feels like it might hit the floor of Golide’s car. Chief Hlongwane does not bluff. When he says he’s coming, he’s already halfway there, probably in full authority mode, ready to remind everyone who he is and who I supposedly belong to. I stare at … Read more
NURSE THEMBENI CHAPTER 1 People who are not from the Mnweni area think we are God’s favourite people. I don’t blame them, the place is deep in the Khahlamba mountains, and the thing about those mountains, they look like heaven from a distance. But those people don’t know about the Manzana village, where I’m from. … Read more
ZAMAHLOBO THE BLOOD WIFE CHAPTER 24 The car hums along the highway, the city lights beginning to blur into streaks of gold. Mkhontowesizwe’s hands are steady on the wheel, but his attention is divided. He keeps stealing glances at Zamahlobo . She sits beside him, a silent statue. Physically present, but her gaze is fixed … Read more
CHAPTER 23 Morning arrives, bright and clear. They are prepared for the day ahead . “My handbag,” Zamahlobo says, scanning the room. Mkhontowesizwe grabs it from the chair and passes it to her. “Anything else?” “No, wait—” She holds up a hand, tilting her head. “Do you hear that?” A distant, raised voice—a woman’s voice, … Read more
The clearing is a hidden pocket of peace, sunlight filtering through a high canopy of leaves to dapple the soft earth. The air smells of damp soil and wild herbs, undercut by the clean, mineral scent of the fast-moving river. “What is this place?” Sibonelo asks, turning a full circle, taking in the secluded beauty. … Read more
ZAMAHLOBO ,THE BLOOD WIFE CHAPTER 21 The room is dark . Mkhontowesizwe closes the door softly behind him. Zamahlobo lies perfectly still, her back a silent, unyielding wall facing him. He glances at his wristwatch. 9:45 PM. A heavy sigh escapes him as he shrugs off his jacket. The quiet ritual of undressing feels loud … Read more
CHAPTER 20 ZENZILE She stands before the full-length mirror, her hands resting on the gentle, firm curve of her belly. Six months. The proof of time and consequence is now undeniable beneath her palms, a soft hill rising from her once-flat silhouette. A small, private smile touches her lips—not one of triumph, but of awe. … Read more
CHAPTER 19 The doctor’s departure leaves a silence thicker than before, charged with the echo of his words. Zenzile lies still on the couch, a pale, troubling centerpiece in the grand room . Mandla is the first to move. He walks slowly to the fireplace, his back to them, shoulders bearing an invisible weight. When … Read more
ZAMAHLOBO , THE BLOOD WIFE CHAPTER 18 The silence in the rondavel is no longer charged with agony, but with the heavy, sacred quiet of an emptying wound. Sibonelo’s sobs subside into shaky, ragged breaths. He sits back on his heels, wiping his face with trembling hands, looking around the hut as if seeing it—seeing … Read more