CHAPTER 12

I met Zama on the day she called and we had lunch at a seafood restaurant, we had several others after that and to my discomfort, my feelings for her only grew.

My colleagues weren't exactly content on the fact that we were friends they'd bring Zama up on any conversation I had with them and I'd dismiss it as soon as it came.

That all resulted in me lazily slumping on my bed at 7:00 a.m, night shift is no joke especially if you have Mandla as a colleague who would constantly nag you about love just because he had finally gotten his wife back. The one thing I absolutely hated about Mandla was that he couldn't shut up when needed to.

I slept for exactly two hours so I could wake up at nine, giving myself enough time to dress up and have..... well, breakfast for me and lunch for her on  her lunch break.

I drove to her workplace and approached one of the cashiers

"Ngiyaxolisa ukuguphazamisa nkosazane, ngicela ukubuza, ungakwazi ukungibizela imanager yalelikhaya?" I asked.

"Maternity leave."she instantly replied. I scrunched my nose at the thought of a pregnant Zama and my eyebrows furrowed deeper after noticing how the cashier undressed me with her eyes.

"The other one." I said, unsure of what I was saying.

"Oh, Celezi is not here." She said, "she didn't come to work today." She added after seeing the confusion in my eyes. Celezi, really? Zulu people give out the worst nicknames. I nod at the cashier and thanked her, I walked out immediately after and slid my phone out of my pocket while rushing to my car.

I tried calling her while driving to her house but she wouldn't pick up. I had all sorts of questions diving into my head. Was she okay? Was she sick? Most importantly, why the fuck wasn't she answering my calls. I hate being ignored, I would usually call a person twice but she was always an exception. I'd send texts messages if I had a stop somewhere.

I pulled up at her apartment, I walked to the elevator with hurried steps. I impatiently tapped my feet on the floor while I waited for the elevator doors to open. The wait in the elevator was excruciatingly long, the dying seconds were biting on my insides. The doors cracked opened and I squeezed through them, not waiting for them to fully open. Too much time would be wasted.

I gently knocked six times and after five minutes of being kind I started banging the her door like a maniac and roaring for her to open the damn door. A lady from the opposite of Zama's apartment peaked her head out, she had kind eyes and a fragile body that looked like it might break any moment the kind that keeps you wondering if the person had eaten anything in that given week.

"Hi, Zama is not around, she left at around half past four in the morning." She informed, "I don't know why, but she looked like she was in a hurry" she added after seeing my quizzical expression.

I mumbled a small thank you and gave her R900, it wasn't exactly for her information, I wanted to tell her to eat something but my mind was occupied by more far more important things.

I went back to my house and slumped on my bed again but this time I barely slept but atleast I closed my eyes.

Night shift again, it rough as I barely got enough rest. I kept on calling her even on my breaks, she still didn't pick up. I was being fed up by bring constantly ignored.

After my shift had ended I went to get much needed rest for seven hours after that I freshened up and went straight to Zama's apartment. I stayed there for at least twenty minutes while knocking, roaring, banging the door and begging. I repeated that process for four more days.

I drove to one of my friend's warehouse, he was one of my most trusted tech guys. I walked up to one of his offices and called out his name. Typical Vuks, always opens the door fifteen minutes later. I called out his name a few times while I was digging for a hairpin in my wallet. Do not ask me why I have a hairpin in my wallet. I checked the key hole if there was any key, I stuck the hairpin inside the hole as soon as I had seen none.

I wiggled the  hairpin in the key hole and heard a small click, a small smile crept up my face. I opened the door and saw Vuks sitting in front of a large desk with three computers.

"Always so impatient." He said in an unimpressed tone.

"Always locking the fucking door." I spoke through gritted teeth.

"What do you want Grootman?" He said while typing away on his computer and not even bothering to look at me

"Don't call me that. I need you to find someone." I said calmly

"An assignment I see, back in the business perhaps?" He inquired

"No." I stated with a bit of disgust

"Name and number?" He asked

"Zama Cele-" I was interrupted by the suprise in his eyes. His eyebrows fully raised and eyes sticking out. Did he know her?

" Zama Cele or Zamani Cele?" He asked hoping I had made a mistake somewhere. I gave him a bored look instead.

" Why would you want to kill the poor woman?" He asked with concern.

"I'm not going to kill her, I just need you to find her, let's just say....... she owes me something."

"I'll get someone to do it for you, I'm a bit occupied right now." He said dismissively.

I drove back home home and got rest for the exhausting night ahead of me. Vuks called me a few hours later and told that her phone was switched off and so he would try and track her through cameras. That was too much of a process, I needed to know if she was safe.

I still never gave up on going to her apartment and endlessly knocking. I'm sure her neighbours were convinced that I was a psychopath.

I went to Mseki's apartment and to my dismay, he wasn't there. I went to his room which had two beds. I gave him that apartment as a birthday gift on his 20th birthday, although he had to stay with the twins. It had two bedrooms so each room had two beds to fit all four of us.

I spread my body across the bed and stood in the same position without moving a muscle. My mind was too busy asking itself questions it did not have the answers to. These questions continuously rolled around my mind. Was she safe? She left on her own but where? Was it a set up to get her out of the house? My eyelids eventually became heavier and heavier.

I felt something cold settling on my back or rather my back settling on it I wasn't really sure. I was surrounded by complete darkness I felt the familiar shuddering of my spine. I felt my feet being pulled, I felt scared, I felt angry, angry because even after so many years fear still crawls on my skin.

It's all just a feeling, it's just a nightmare. They were all nightmares, none of this is real.

Wake up

Wake up!

After all these years I still couldn't master the art of opening my eyes, of escaping everything and everyone.

Kicks and punches were delivered to my body. I did nothing, I stayed still. It was the only way to survive.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered.

My words fell upon deaf ears, the darkness never listened. Pressure was applied onto my neck and with each growing second, the pressure increased. My lungs stung, my heart ached.

Wake up

"Please don't kill me." I pleaded

My small feet kicked everywhere. My lungs fought for the smallest bits of oxygen.

My eye flew open. I was in Mseki's room again. Relief washed over me, I was still breathing heavily. It was just a nightmare. I sat up straight and rested my head on the headboard. I scanned my surroundings and noticed Mseki leaning against the doorframe.

"Nightmare?" He asked, I simply nodded. He then gave me a bottle of water.

"You were aimlessly kicking, breathing heavily and you were mumbling apologies." He informed.

I got off the bed and went for a shower. I needed a reason to get away from Mseki, I hate it when he gives me that look full of pity. It was just a stupid nightmare. I am not a child anymore, I can take of myself.

I finished showering and got dressed. I found Mseki at the lounge watching  a movie with a plate full of pizza slices.

I plopped down on the couch and grabbed  a slice as well. We ate in silence.

"I need you to find someone for me." I broke the silence.

"Name and number, please?" He asked

"Zamagcina Cele." I responded, I nodded and stood up to wash the plate.

I slept again and went to work. Mseki called to to tell me that he couldn't hack her phone because it was switched off but he did promise to tell me the reason behind her disappearance.

I was as silent as a mouse at work, I spoke to no one. I am not much of a talker anyways. My colleagues knew something was wrong, they would come to me one by one to ask me if anything had troubled me. I would just tell them that everything was okay and I would do what I was assigned to do.

I left work as soon as my watch hit six, I got into my car and drove to Zama's apartment. I went up the stairs, slowly taking in how stupid I was. I knew she wouldn't be there but hey, it's always worth a try. My phone rung, it was Mseki.

"Bafo." I greeted

"Bhuti." He greeted back ,"I found something." He added

"Khuluma." I said impatiently while walking up the stairs. I was then approaching her apartment.

" Zamagcina Nosipho Cele, born on the 25th of May 1999. Siblings are Zwide, Zamani..." He informed, he was not giving me what I needed so I stopped listening. I knocked on her door twice.

"I think the reason behind her disappearance is-" he carried on.

The door flew open revealing the woman had driven me insane these past few days. Where was she?Where had she hidden?

"Zama." I whisper to myself, I almost dropped my phone from the shock.

"What?" Mseki asked. I forgot about this one.

"I'll call you later Mseki, something just came up." I said apologetically and he lets out a small groan.

By the time my eyes flicker to the door, Zama was already gone. I open the door wider and bang it behind me.

"Zama, where the fuck were you." I asked calmly.

Authors note

Hi guys I gave you a few extra chapters as a sorry and again thank you for reading for everyone who is reading and guys I think I've been way too nice to you so I'll let out a bit of the big guns. You're not going to like Nkosana after this and I'm sorry. For anyone who is very sensitive to violence. Don't read the next chapter.

Please carry on reading, vote and comment. If you have any confusion please tell me on the comment or if you see a typo.

Thank you