Chapter 2

IMBIZO..

The Vicious Curse

~~TWO~~

The dull demeanour engraves the Nzuza homestead. Everything is in tears, the deep cry of strong winds whistles in all directions.

MaNgema, a wife of the deceased can't seem to move nor scream loudly

Six days gone with her voice, she's been painfully weeping while praying for a miracle to happen.

Hoping that he wakes up and tells her it was all a nightmare...

Nyanda stands tall, jaws clenching while holding a spade full of soil, the brothers throw the tiny portion of soil inside the open grave as an indication of honouring Bhekumuzi's return to nature.

Bongeka, Kayise's best friend, holds her still as she follows her brothers.

He was a great man, fearless and bold.

No one can ever fill in his shoes

In the midst of tears, darkness of sorrow Nyanda sees something.

He harshly drops the spade and screams

"Everybody down!!"

Intense silence suddenly engulfs the graveyard, but nothing happens.

He was sure that he saw something.. Or rather someone..

Slowly he gets up, embarrassed and feeling stupid and angry for degrading his father's funeral

..........

Biyela Homestead

Bumba river serves as a boundary between the Nzuza and Biyela homestead.

Situated up the hill, outlooking almost an entire village.

As daylight fades, the Biyela celebrate their victory..

Their sworn enemy is gone..

That deserves celebration .

Nkatha is seated alone inside an old, shabby van that takes a village to get the engine roaring.

No one understands the love he has for the car, it is his solace whenever that feeling hits.

A feeling he can never describe in one word..

It's different today

He feels heaviness from deep within his darkest soul.

It brings sadness, deep hatred that drives him into what he is.. A hitman

He is despondent, depressed while everyone around him is engulfed in high spirit and jovial, after years of deep hatred Bhekumuzi Nzuza is gone..

Mzobanzi Biyela, the head of the family couldn't be more proud.

The Nzuza's took a lot from him.

From when they killed his father, to his brothers and today calls for celebration

Which is why he took it upon himself to buy two sheep and had them slaughtered in honour of today's victory.

There's a tiny knock at the door

He only pushes with one finger and it makes a sound as it opens revealing a six year old smiling Thobela, holding a plate of food.

Its his niece, giving him food

"Malume, gogo said you will die in this van and we will bury you with it because If we don't,you will haunt us and be an angry ghost. I'm afraid of ghost, do you think you will hurt me if you become a ghost?"

A permanent frown deepens as he stares at her. He always wonder why she talks too much at such a young age.

"Tell your gogo I'm not hungry"

He replies, getting back to the cigarette he was smoking

"At leats have some meat, I don't want you to sleep hungry. I love you malume Nkankane"

He huffs inwardly, Nkatha seemed too short and straight for her tiny tongue , hence she opted for Nkankane, a hadeda

"One of these days I will die and be an angry ghost. Do you want to know who I will haunt first? " His deeper voice rumbles as he lowers himself to her level, scaring the poor kid. She blinks, her mouth wide open revealing a gap of missing teeths

She nods slightly

"I will haunt you and take all your teeths out so you can stop annoying me Tibiza"

And yes he calls her Tibiza because he can. And she loathes the name with passion.

Her tiny lips tremble, her face wears a pitiful look

One blink and tears fall off, she screams, dropping the plate in the process, running back to her mother.

It doesn't take long as Thandekile screams loudly, inside the kitchen swearing at Nkatha who is not even close.

She can only scream, when he is near she will be as quiet as they come.

He was there, at the funeral. He wanted to see him in pain but wanted more..

Blood.

He was ready to rain bullets in the graveyard..

But he never did.

A mystery he is trying to solve in his head

Growing up he was unfortunate enough to be in the same class as Nyanda, they never clicked from day one.

Whenever he wants something, Nyanda is there to snatch it.

Their hatred goes deeper than anyone can understand.

Zoleka was his, he wanted her and somehow Nyanda was there again..

Killing him is his daily thought..

"Menziwa" Mzobanzi says, knocking on the door and opening it

"Baba" he says getting off using the other door

"The feast is ready son, come and join your brothers. Let's celebrate before those brats decide to attack us. I know we didn't kill thier bustard father but we are the first suspects"

They know Nzuza's sons won't let this go

"Let them try, we will be burying them next week" Nkatha adds

"I know, but for now. We celebrate and live in the moment"

Adds Mzobanzi

"I've dreamt of this day for the longest time. Today is the day I get to have a good sleep. The man that caused me the utmost pain is six feet under.. I'm happy"

"Let's go have that meat" Nkatha says, leaving his father behind. Such talks are not for him