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27
27THE HOSPITAL
An army of nurses try to stop Reitu and calm her down as she follows after the patients being wheeled in. She wails louder as her eyes land on both Seipati and Kwanele who look way too bloodied to even be alive.
Reitu: that’s i-is my cousin!! I am family!! I am her family... please let me in... please let me in!!
Nurse: Miss, I’m sorry and we understand but you have to wait outside. Someone please come and get her!
Reitu fights through and through following Seipati to the emergency room while she screams grabbing attention from all civilians in this place.
THE MOHLALA HOUSEHOLD
Tshepang holds his breath and pinches his nose as he rummages through the room passing all the scattered clothes on the floor trying to reach for where the safe is. Out of all the safes there is in this house, there’s only one he’s sure he cane reach and knows the code to—and that is the one in his bedroom... the room he has been hesitating to enter for a few minutes now but because he hasn’t a choice finally did.
He retrieves the heavy metal box and drags it across the floor scrapping the floor in the process. The house has been quiet ever since he came in and he doesn’t seem to care. After getting the box outside, his only mission is to safely transport it down the stairs but because it is too heavy, he pushes it and it rolls down the stairwell and lands on the bottom of the staircase. He follows right down in a hurry and goes to check the basement first. It’s quiet, dark and cold and there’s nothing at all. He rejoices to himself and cracks the code to the safe to properly check the contents before stepping out of the house he’s abandoning forever.
Bishop: I guess this is it then... finally free.
He says his last words while his yes wonder around the house, not feeling even a hint of sadness nor sympathy or remorse for all his bad deeds. He drags the heavy safe to his car, packs it in the backseat and drives out of the mansion not looking back, leaving it open for the outside in the dark night.
THE HOSPITAL
Reitu gawks at the monitor on the wall as it’s been a little too long since her cousin was wheeled into the surgery room. No doctor or nurse has been in or out in almost and hour. She holds her hands together and for the first time she abandons her atheist acts and prays.
Reitu: our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. For years on I have been sceptical, uneducated and not acknowledging that there is a higher power out there. Losing my sister just shortly after that made me close my heart off and distance myself from anything that has to do with the word of God. I was angry, hurt and felt deserted. I was angry at everyone and everything. I was hurt and spiteful and needed answers. I couldn’t bring myself to understand why my sister had to go through such misery when she devoted her early youth days worshiping You. Why did all the things that happen to her have to happen? Why did she dies so young when she had a whole lot ahead of her, why did You let that happen? My heart shatters and bleeds as I stand right before You this moment. But after finding a few scriptures in Your word, I found myself slowly letting in people and starting to believe that You exist out there and You are fighting for me. I am still very new to this and not even sure that I am doing it right but please—please save my cousin, I pray for my mother too... and Kwanele. I am desperate, I have no one to turn to, please show your mercy even on a heathen like me. Amen.
After a couple of words she’s not even sure reached who they were meant for Reitu opens her eyes. She looks at the clock on the wall reading the time off of it and realizes it is a new dawn. She looks at the doors leading to the surgery room and it is still quiet. She exhales and goes back to Boipelo’s ward feeling heavy. Minutes after she settled down holding her mother’s hand for dear life, a nurse comes in and asks for her to follow her. She stands up and follows the nurse who leads her to the doctor’s office.
THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE
She’s offered a seat as she looks around the room looking a little lost.
Doc: its okay Ms. You can sit. I’m Doctor Reanetse Mokoena, and I’ve been attending to your mother, Mrs Boipelo Maleka ever since she started visiting our hospital.
Reitu: I’m Reitumetse, the daughter and also guardian.
Doc: uhm... OK. So, I called you in because I have a few things to discuss with you. I would like—
Reitu: but first, I have a question Doc... why was my mother admitted?
Doc: uhm... you don’t know?
Reitu: what is there to know... wait—is my mother dying?
Doc: Ms. Maleka, please... its not that.
Reitu: then what?!
Doc: your mother fell into a hypovolemic shock this afternoon after suffering severe pain on her stomach which is a symptom of late stage 4 stomach cancer, she was diagnosed with it a few months ago. I did the diagnosis. Now the reason I brought you here is---
Reitu: not my mother!!! No! Not my mother?!?! Not her too--- she’s okay, you must be mistaken... mom has never once complained about any pain or said anything about being diagnosed with such so... I’m gonna leave now because surely this has nothing to do with my mother. My mother is Boipelo Maleka, are you sure that file in front of you reads her name?? Did you even do your diagnosis correctly!? How many years have you been working as a doctor? How many patients have you diagnosed correctly? This is just not right?!! This is not it!!
Doc: Miss... Miss!!!
Reitu ups and leaves slamming door behind her. Out in the cold hallways of the hospital she sings the same thing over and over in her head that ‘it’s not hers, my mother is okay’. Finding it too much and too hard to wrap her head around everything, she runs as fast as she can with tears blinding her view. She runs as fast as she can away from the hospital and away from everyone until she feels her chest burn up with power leaving her lower body.
THE MOHLALA HOUSEHOLD
Sirens wail louder waking up neighbours as authority cars go one after the other into the bishops house. Nosy neighbours taking videos while some leave their homes to get a closer look at what is happening and probably get a hint of what is going on.
Police 1: we found the gates open... he must’ve already fled. The house is empty too.
Police 2: what a damn nice house.
Gina: we’re here to work guys, not simp over the flashy thing in here.
While others search downstairs others head up. One officer calls from upstairs while his search partner reaches and gags leaving a certain which they found uncomfortable to go through any longer because of the stench.
Officer: there’s a dead body here... bodies, I mean. Someone call forensics!!
Gina: what the hell!??!
Officer 2: these are not just any bodies, these people have been gone for days if not weeks.... lord!!! I can’t handle the smell!!!
Officer 1: ok... we get it!!! Now please remove yourself from here. You’re not being helpful, let alone professional.
He gags further while the other one removes him from the scene to prevent him from contaminating the crime scene any further.
THE AIRPORT
Tshepang walks clutching to one bag that he has with him. He pulls his cap down to cover his face and walks towards the check in point.
Lady: Greeting Sir, where to?
Bishop: one way ticket to Manila.
Lady: oh, one way ticket to Manila, the Philippines. Oh God, such an exotic destination. Are you perhaps going on work related issues or you’re going on vacation?
Bishop: err—work. Work!
Lady: oh, can I have your passport please?
He wipes his sweaty hands before handing the passport to the Stewardess with his heart beating out of his chest.
Lady: Mr. Tshepang Joseph Mohlala...
The lady reads the name out loud as she scans the passport, the bishop smiles awkwardly nervous as hell. The scanner beeps a couple of times raising his anxiety in the process.
Lady: I’m sorry, these old machines. This happens from time to time. Don’t worry. I’ll try again.
She puts the passport back to the scanner and runs it through a couple of time with no avail, she looks at the bishop and chuckles awkwardly as if forced.
Lady: please wait here I’ll be back...
He looks at her as she disappear out of sight while his mind goes awry from thoughts. He takes off his cap and rubs his head with anxiety taking all over his body. He looks around and scans the place looking for a safer direction to escape as his mind tells him to run away as he feels he’s done for and its only a matter of time before the police come busting in.
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