Click to read Part II

“Everyone, please step away from the patient! Sir, I’ll need you to step aside.”

“No! That’s my daughter!”

“Yoh yoh yoh! Johnny, DO something! Ngwanaka hleng! Lerato, can you hear me? Ke Mama!”

“Sir! We want to help your daughter but I’ll need you to step aside. What’s her name?

“Lerato! Her name is Lerato. Please save her!”

“Chris, bring the stretcher over here. Stabilize her head. Lerato, can you hear me? Lerato? Everyone! Please give us space to work! Chris, check her airways and breathing.”

“What’s happening? Is she okay? Is she breathing?”

“There’s a pulse but we need to rush her to ER before…”

“Before what?! Oh no, Lerato! Stay with us baby girl.”

“Ngwanaka, Modimo!”

“Sir, follow us with your car. We can only go with one other person and your wife might need some calming down. We can help her too.”

Lerato finally woke up from a coma three days later. Her parents hadn’t left her side ever since they brought her here, only leaving to change clothes. Siya still hadn’t been to see her.

“How is she, doctor?”

“She’s responding well to the medication but we might want to keep her here for a few days. She’s not very strong yet and there were complications here and there so we want to be sure there won’t be more later. To be honest, we’re surprised she even woke up. She got quite the blow.”

“Thank you doctor! Thank you so much! God bless you! Yoh, Johnny. Our little girl is going to be okay! Praise the Lord!”

“Yes, Miriam. Now let’s go back to her.”

Lerato could hardly open her eyes so it took her a while to recognize her parents.

“Ma… Da… “

“Don’t try to talk, nana. Save your strength so you get better.”

“The doctor says you’re doing better than expected. You’re a miracle child, Lerato. I always tell you that.”

“Siya…where… Ma…ma… “

“Ssshh, Rato. Uhm, I’m sure Siya will come see you soon. We haven’t seen or heard from him in a while. Maybe he’s still in shock. Don’t worry, my girl. He’ll be here.”

“Yes, you just focus on getting better. We’ll try to get a hold of him.”

Her parents knew no one has seen Siya since the accident. His parents called them a day after it happened to find out if he’s with them. Siya had just… disappeared.

The next day, Bra Shadrack came to see her a few minutes before her parents were due to come.

“Daddy?”

“Try again, Rato.”

She opened her eyes wider to see the monster standing by the door, with an evil grin on his face. She thought she might be hallucinating until he moved closer to her and she could smell the nicotine and beer on his breath.

“You! How did you get in here? Get out! I don’t want to see you! Help, someone!”

“Now now, Rato. You wouldn’t want them keeping you here any longer ‘cause they think you’ve lost your mind, would you? Uncle Shadrack just wants to see his favourite niece and have a word before Mommy and Daddy get here.”

Lerato spat on his face.

“Sies! I have nothing to say to you. Except to tell the real police and have you locked up! I should’ve listened to Siya when… “

His smoker’s laugh cut Lerato short and reminded her of that night.

“Siya? Haha, how is that boy? You wouldn’t know, would you? You won’t see your little boyfriend for a while. And YOU shouldn’t have woken up in the first place.”

“What did you do to Siya?! I demand to know or I’ll…”

“You’ll what? Lerato, my girl, there is nothing you can do. Just let it go. I know you wanted it. You were practically begging for it!”

“You’re sick! And you’re going to pay for this! Daddy… “

“I suggest you shut up little girl. You think Daddy will get you out of this? He got you into it! It’s his fault! And don’t think the truth is going to help you here. Don’t believe that ‘set you free’ nonsense Siya feeds you. See, sometimes the truth sets us free and “heals” us but sometimes… it kills us. So, watch it!”

“You can’t… “

“Ah, Bra Shadrack! You beat us here! Lerato my girl, how are you? You’re looking so much stronger.”

Lerato didn’t say anything. She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t even breathe!

“Lerato? Are you okay? You look like you’re in shock! Thinking about the accident? The doctor said this is normal. Have you even eaten? Here, I brought your favourite sandwiches baby.”

“Hai, Miriam. Maybe she just needs to rest some more. Shadrack, can we talk outside?”

“Of course. I was leaving anyway. It was nice seeing you, Rato. I wish you a speedy recovery. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself safe, ne?”

Once she was sure her husband and Bra Shadrack were out of the room, Mrs Makgoba sat closer to her daughter and asked her about the rape.

“Mama, I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not… safe.”

“Not safe? What do you mean ‘not safe’, Rato? You know we are here for you. Tell me what happened, please.”

“It’s really nothing. Let it go, please.”

“Let it go? How, Rato? No wonder Siya was so worried. When did this happen? Was it the night of the party? Plus you were wearing that short dress. Eish, but Rato why?!”

“You think I wanted this to happen, Mama?”

“No, but… “

“I want to be alone.”

“Let’s just pray, Lerato. Please?”

Lerato couldn’t close her eyes. Every time she did, she saw that monster’s face. So she just watched her mother crying to the very god that didn’t stop all this from happening. She felt herself crying as her mother prayed and squeezed her hand tighter. Her mother held her for a while and assured her that she’ll be alright. Her father came back, said a few words of encouragement then they left.

The only person she could talk to right now was Siya but he was nowhere to be found. She tried calling him on the phone her parents brought her but his phone was still off. She was worried that something might really have happened to him. She could tell her parents weren’t telling her something. Could Bra Shadrack really have made him go away? Or worse, killed him? The thought of it made her feel sick. This was all her fault. Siya didn’t even want to go to that party. She shouldn’t have told him what happened at all. She shouldn’t have blurted it out, maybe then Bra Shadrack wouldn’t have heard. She started wondering if perhaps her father knew it was Bra Shadrack who raped her but was keeping quiet about it because he “owed” him. She just wanted this whole thing to be over.

On the day that she was supposed to be discharged, Lerato’s parents came a few minutes late because of traffic. Just as they walked in the hospital to check in, the nurses looked at each other nervously. Some were whispering to each other. Mrs Makgoba thought it was nothing but silly gossip but she still checked if she was wearing her skirt the right way when she caught her reflection in the foyer.

“Mr and Mrs Makgoba, I tried calling you earlier. Doctor Davis would like to see you.”

“Why? Is everything okay with Lerato? They told us we can take her home today! I know we’re a few minutes after 11 but with all the traffic… “

“I think it’s best you go see the doctor. He’s waiting in Lerato’s ward.”

They walked as fast they could to get there. They didn’t want to show the panic in their faces but it was hard to hide it.

“Mr and Mrs Makgoba… “

“Where’s Lerato? Is she getting ready?”

“Is she in the bathroom? I’ll go help her.”

“Mr and Mrs Makgoba, Lerato is… “

“Where’s our little girl, doctor? We demand to see her! We want to take her home!”

“Lerato overdosed on some very potent pills and the machines were off so we couldn’t detect it. The nurses…”

“Potent?! How did that happen? This is a bloody hospital for goodness sake!”

“I am so sorry, Mr Makgoba. We tried our best to save her but she…”

“Are you saying she… ? No doctor! Not my Lerato! Noo! It can’t be! I won’t believe! Yohh ngwanaka!”

“We really did all we could, ma’am. I’m genuinely sorry.”

“How did she get a hold of the pills?! How could she switch off the machines? It doesn’t make sense!”

“Ngwanaka! Lerato waka! My little girl! It can’t be!”

“We don’t know what happened exactly. It’s crazy but possible. She could’ve done it herself unless if… someone else might have done it.“

“Please, God! Don’t let it be! Lerato…”

“Herself? Or someone else? But… who?