The Ill-fated One

The stillness of the night was surely alarming. If this was said to be a horror story, I wouldn't be surprised to come into contact with a ghost shivering in terror at how still everything was. Even Natalie was scared. Something about this night did not make sense.

A red, leather clutch bag together with a pair of block heels were tossed in the air and over the high wall. It was not long till they landed on the grassy land not too far from the pavement, exactly where their owner had aimed them to fall over at.

A moment later, we heard a loud thumping sound of someone who just jumped over the lofty wall and landed on top of the heels.

"Ouch," She whispered to herself, rising to her feet after realizing how long it has been since she was just laying there, unmoving, and dusted off the dirt on her yellow miniskirt. She wiggled the grass off her wig, her blonde Peruvian hair which was safely and securely placed on her left hand. She picked up her belongings and looked at the window in front of her. It was the main bedroom's window, and at least to her relief, the lights were still switched off.

"Phew," she let out a sigh of comfort and held her heart, hearing its beat lowering as though she had been running and suddenly came to a halt. She began to tiptoe to the door, trying by all means to move as quiet as a mouse as it appealed to her, careful not to alarm Spiky.

She was just about to turn round the corner when a dog came barking in her direction, its dark black skin showing figures like shadows as it moved hurriedly to her, but stopping midway after seeing a face it so badly recognised and walked slowly towards Natalie, at least at ease that it was no invader.

It was then that the kitchen door swung open, and before she could see anything else, the walking stick made a loud clumping sound on the red stoep before it's owner followed behind its tracks. Spiky rushed to the person standing at the door, curling his body nicely on the ground next to her.

"Natalie, I'm not about to reprimand you about going out at night if not jumping my walls just because l cannot see you. Go back to where you're coming from and never, ever, ever come back to my house ever again!" Natalie's mum shouted, turning and heading back to the house before shutting the door hard behind her.

Natalie walked on the rocky pathway to the gate, but heard a window opening and turned to see where the sound was coming from. Her mother peeped her head out, squeezing her left hand out of the window burglar doors and throwing some keys to her feet. The bull terrier dog that was keeping up with Natalie all along came to sniff at the keys, looking so scary as the night grew darker.

"Hey! Lock my gate on your way out!" her mother screeched before removing her head from the steel patterns and shut the window closed, drawing the curtains back the way they were and walked back to her bedroom.

She chuckled when she could see how serious her mother was about the whole situation, knowing very well that she was never to return back home tonight, and was sure that she had to seek for a plan to at least have a roof over her head for the night.

She crouched to reach out of the keys, her miniskirt rising to her figure as her thighs slightly opened and Spiky moved aback, but the sight in front of him widened his eyes and slunted his face, for he could see Natalie's lacy undergarment in the opening. Natalie laughed to herself while rising to her feet and sauntered lazily to the gate. She brushed the dog's neck before exiting, locking the gate and throwing the keys back to the house and ambled to stand on the pavement. She could see how the curtains in the house opposite to hers began to twitch, and someone's big brown eyes peeped out to see who was standing there in the middle of the night.

She raised her middle finger for her neighbor to see, and it was then that the curtains closed and thick mist began to descend in the atmosphere.

She clicked her tongue as she fiddled her hands in her clutch bag, her long nails ransacking in between the lipsticks in the bag before seeing a car's front lights beaming in the distance in the corner of her eye, coming towards her direction and stopping only a few inches away from her, causing her to move away to avoid being hit by the motor. The owner revved his car, annoying Natalie more than ever as black smoke escaped from its exhaust. Its window came down, full of mist as the owner rested his arm on the frame, puffing on a cigarette bud and releasing its smoke in the air, laughing his ass out. He whistled upon seeing Natalie.

"You look so hot and scared sweetheart," the owner said coming out of his car, still whistling, leaning against his red Cressida and throwing the tiny cigarette on the soil.

"Don't play like that Terrence," Natalie clicked her tongue and dialled a certain number on her phone, batting her lashes at Terrence who could see how frustrated she looked, although the beauty hidden in her face clouded the disgusted expression on her visage.

Terrence was fascinated by the sight in front of him, dismally failing to understand how possible it was for a human being to be so beautiful yet very sassy. Natalie was a light skinned girl with a slender body that blended so nicely with the yellow miniskirt she had put on, together with the bandeau like crop top she had on, matching with its skirt.

"Friendship," the caller answered, the sound of loud music making it impossible for Natalie to make out what she was saying.

"Friend zone please come and fetch me," she spoke so quickly and rolled her eyes, hearing nothing but loud music echoing in her ear drums.

Terrence folded his arms and a thin smile appeared on his face, his dark brown eyes almost invisible in the darkness of this cold April night.

The call cut and Natalie tried it again, this time her face turning almost pink in anger, impatient as she tapped her feet loudly on the pavement, boiling in outrage.

"Hi, this is Lorraine. Please leave your name and number, and I'll get back to you shortly. Bye," was all she could make out as she cursed loudly, forgetting about Terrence's presence.

"Take it easy sweetheart," Terrence said, unfolding his hands and touching hers but she removed them hastily.

"You don't get to tell me what to do," Natalie responded, looking down at her phone and sighing, trying to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry. Please take me to Duke's tavern, " she pleaded.

"I will, only if you agree to be my girl," Terrence convinced her, looking straight at her green eyes.

"Fine!" she dragged her body to the passenger's side and settled on it, unsure about the commitment she set upon herself but knew now more than ever, that a girl's got to do what has to be done to keep the train going.

Duke's tavern was only a ten minute drive away from home, and Natalie was just outside, waving Terrence goodbye, who beeped his bell and drove away. She turned around and saw her dream car parked outside the tavern, certain that the owner was not a resident of Ivory Park.

She walked to the door, and in the corner of the room was an English man. She knew that by the color of his skin, his thick ginger hair pointing in all directions, his head looking down at the table.

Her best friend Lorraine was drunk, dancing on top of a table, singing aloud and her silver phone was on the floor, its components scattered on the ground. She sighed and walked to the man, taking a seat next to him. The minute that man raised his head to look at this beautiful being in front of him, his heart of ice melted and he smiled, calling on the waiter to organize a drink for his guest.

"Hey Mr, " Natalie chuckled, placing her clutch bag on the table.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Happy new year!" Terrence screeched and the fireworks burst into colors of green and red in the sky above his head before turning into spindle fibers of gold threads.

His best friend Tbose handed him a bottle of beer, holding onto his firmly as Terrence grabbed his, and Tbose clasped his hand tightly around Terrence's waist, shouting, "Happy new year!" as Terrence wrapped his hand around Tbose's shoulders.

Terrence's neighbor Didi, shortened from Modiehi came rushing to them, standing before them and dancing.

"Happy crossover!" she hugged Terrence, but it was not long till Tbose interrupted their embrace and his bottle fell on the ground as he dropped his bottle to the floor, spilling his drink.

"Thabo! Can't you see that these shoes are new?" Didi shouted, trying to grab Tbose by his shirt but far too drunk was he as he tumbled and collapsed on top of her, trying to kiss her.

"Sorry sweetheart," he was saying, although it sounded more like, "Throrry thweetart."

Terrence burst into laughter as he tried to lift his friend up, seeing how dirty his trousers looked. Didi stood up too and slapped Tbose across the face, walking back the way she came as the fireworks exploded into the darkness, painting patterns of light in the sky, a beautiful sight to Terrence who gulped down his drink, thanking the Lord silently for being with him throughout his entire life. Alongside him was Tbose, who was gagging and looked so frustrated.

Terrence's mother came rushing outside, ducking as though shielding herself from the fireworks, and held her son's shoulder, turning him to face her.

"Natalie is about to give birth!" she shouted at the top of her voice and Terrence's entire world came to a halt. He rushed to the garage and drove his lorry out of its hiding place, panicking when e thought about the pain Natalie was probably feeling.

He wished to go back to the street now that he could hear and smell the smoke of a burning tire with someone spinning it around, something that he had done all his life except for this year, because his wife's health mattered more than anything else in the world.

He saw his mum helping Natalie walk towards the car and he went to assist them. Seeing his wife so sweaty with a towel wrapped around her enormous stomach was a sight that made him so emotional, yet somehow he knew that he had to be strong for the both of them.

"Terrence," she whispered as though her voice had been hiding for so long and once found, was struggling to fully evolve. "I'm dying."

"Stay strong for me baby," his tears were on the verge of drawing in, knowing fully well that he had vowed all his life that he would protect Natalie, but now, it appeared that he couldn't, although there was nothing he could do to protect Natalie from the pain she was feeling.

They walked to the lorry, hearing the sounds of fireworks once again as Terrence opened the door for him mum and wife to enter, and rushed back to the driver's seat. He drove out of the yard, heading towards Natalie's home, a house at the corner of the street where he and Natalie first agreed to have a romantic relationship. That moment was the start of a beautiful chapter in his life. Focused on the road, it amused him to hear the sound of a baby's first cry, and when he turned his head to around, he saw his mother holding a little bloodied baby in her arms.

"Stop... l want ma to see her," Natalie said with her eyes closed and Terrence, still shocked, parked the car just outside Natalie's home and helped her out. Spiky barked as they entered, pulling Terrence's mum's dress with his teeth as she rushed inside with the baby on her chest, shouting: Piss off! all the way to the door and Terrence couldn't help but laugh.

The house, once full of life, looked so dull. It had been 9 full months since Natalie last set foot in this place. She was carried to the main bedroom, whose lights, just like those number of months earlier, were still switched off. She lit them, but the sight in front of her haunted her for the rest of her life. Her mother's lifeless head was resting on the bloody pillow, and Natalie sobbed loudly, wailing and calling out her mother's name as she collapsed to her feet.

"Paballo! That's my baby's name. I'll name her after ma, for my mother probably died so she could live," was all she said before she passed out.

12 years later...

Natalie walked to the door, which was slightly opened and peeped her head in like her mother used to do all her life. It was Paballo, her first born opened and peeped her head in like her mother used to do all her life. It was Paballo, her first born daughter's first day at high school, and she could see how nervous she looked.

"Baby," she entered, standing behind her and helping her fasten her long hair. It looked so much like that mysterious guy's he saw 12 years ago at Duke's tavern, although hers was much longer and thicker.

"I don't understand why it's so long when everybody else's is much shorter and darker," Paballo said after a deep sigh, looking at her blonde hair in the mirror.

"Being unique is extraordinary love," Natalie smiled, looking at herself in the mirror just above Paballo's face, seeing how wrinkled her skin had become, the eye bags on her face and the black spots on her cheeks.

"That word is huge. I once read about it in that book dad gave me for my birthday," Paballo replied, seeing how worried her mother looked and noticing that she wasn't tying the hair anymore, instead, she was looking at herself in the mirror.

"Mama."

"Huh? I'm sorry love what were you saying?" Natalie smiled weakly, putting a blue ribbon on both ponytails and tapping them lightly.

Paballo looked beautiful in her blue and yellow uniform. A sky blue skirt, a yellow short-sleeved shirt, a blue with two stripes of yellow half jersey, blue socks and black shoes.

"Are you fine?" Paballo asked and Natalie just nodded.

Paballo looked at herself in the mirror one more time and smiled, satisfied at how neat the buns on her hair were, especially after how messy her hair was before her mother came and saved the day.

"Thank you ma," she pecked her on her left cheek and ran out of the room, but stood at the door and said, "I'm here for you ma, always." She then blew her a few kisses and left without waiting for Natalie to say anything else.

Paballo took Natalie to a trip down memory lane, something that she rarely did as her two daughters always kept her preoccupied about something. She sat on the edge of her bed and looked in the mirror, and saw Paballo's portrait looking deep into her eyes, a huge smile plastered on her face.

It amazed her now that she noticed how chubby Paballo was, something that wasn't just there in her family and also in Terrence's clan, and how much she looked like that mysterious man she met in Duke's tavern that night when her mother chased her away from home. She remembered how that guy drove her to his apartment that very same night in her dream car, and when he parked his car outside his home, she felt so comfortable, like she was back home, in her bed, something she so badly dreaded to do yet somehow her actions spoke a totally different story altogether.

"Should l pour you a glass of water?" he had asked her when they entered and he saw how tired she looked, standing in front of his fridge and glancing at Natalie, who rested her body on the couch.

The house was an open floorplan. You could see all the way through from the main door to the dining room, to the living room, to the kitchen and vice versa. The furniture in the house though, priceless.

The kitchen was the heart of the home, with L shaped white counters with grey lines on them that looked like cells and in their center was a yellow island with a marble counter top that overlapped on either side of the cabinet, forming a waterfall like design on each end of the cupboard.

From the kitchen was a living room, with a huge glass table in the middle of the room and white chairs surrounding the table. A yellow rectangular tablecloth about four meters long and just one meter wide, was placed in the middle of the glass table with a beautiful decoration of an African lady holding a vase on it. It was neatly set with plates, bowls, knives, forks, spoons, serviettes and wine glasses.

From the living room was a dining room with a U shaped couch, a small round table in the middle and a white fluffy carpet underneath it, a fireplace and a TV screen on top of it.

Everything was so white with a touch of yellow, from the white counter tops to the paint and all the way to the carpet.

"No, I'm fine," she had said before smiling at him and he sighed.

"Then I'm pouring you a glass of juice," he insisted.

She stood up from the couch and threw her bag on the floor, swaying her ass left and right before parading to him, her beasts hard and pointy.

"I don't want any of that, except_" here she licked her pink lips and pulled her skirt up, coming closer to him. "Riding you would be far much _" she moved her underwear to the side and brushed her private part. The stranger's eyes widened upon seeing what Natalie had on offer for him, and he stood fixed to his position, unsure of what to do as this was the very first time he had encountered such feelings. He could feel his manhood straightening and rising, pushing through his zip and Natalie came to hold it firmly, unzipping his trousers.

It was only the next morning that Natalie woke up in a huge bed, and next to him was that handsome stranger sleeping very peacefully, snoring lightly.

She quickly got out of bed and put on her clothes, picking up the stranger's jeans from the floor and searching its pockets. She found five two hundred rand notes in it, and smiled to herself widely when she knew she had hit the jackpot with this man. She took the notes and exited, tiptoeing slowly to the door, and once outside, ran to the gate.

"Sister, where are you from?" the security guard asked when she saw how messy her hair appeared to be, although even this early in the morning, she looked very beautiful. He sipped onto his coffee and placed his other hand in his front pocket.

"Room number seven," she lied. "That man's wife caught him and l in bed. You see..." she flashed her thighs at him and his eyes widened, losing his concentration span at that very same moment.

She cleared her throat, bringing him back to reality and it wasn't long till he opened the gate for her to exit. She winked at him and caught a taxi back home, spending all of the remaining money in Duke's tavern with Lorraine, her best friend.

"Mum," her four year old daughter brought her back to reality. "I'm hungry."

"Morning Elsie," Natalie said as Elsie pouted her lips and scratched her eyes.

"Morning mama," she managed to say, even though she didn't even want to.

They held hands and walked to the dining room, where they found Terrence tying Paballo's hair, AGAIN.

"I thought l had tied it well love," she said settling on the crate.

"Not until l tied it well enough babe," Terrence said and chuckled as Natalie rolled her eyes, dishing up for Elsie.

There was a knock at the door.

"That should be Buhle. Finish up daddy please... or else she'll leave me behind," Paballo said impatiently.

"Done," Terrence speculated and Paballo grabbed her school bag from her seat.

"Bye ma," she kissed her cheek and Natalie fixed her collar before saying, "Bye baby."

"Bye eel," she tousled Elsie's hair and she laughed. "Bye Pabi."

"I'm leaving Pabi!" Buhle shouted at the door.

"Bye dad," she kissed his cheek and rushed out of the house, looking so cute in her ponytail.

"Isn't she all grown up?" Terrence asked settling on the crate next to Natalie's.

"She is," Natalie agreed and dished up for him and herself as well. They ate breakfast over a light conversation, and Natalie bathed Elsie shortly after they finished eating.

She took a bath too, packing her lunch boxes and preparing Elsie for preschool.

"Are you guys ready?" Terrence asked pulling his car keys from his pocket.

"Yes sir!" Natalie said pulling Elsie by her hand and locking the doors as they exited, heading outside to their car.

"Sister Modiehi," Natalie waved her hand to greet her neighbor, who just stared at her for a little while and drove her car out of the garage.

"She's rude," Natalie pronounced as she buckled Elsie up in the back seat and settled on the passenger's side.

"Don't mind her babe. You know how she gets at times," Terrence advised as he fastened his seat belt, bringing the engine to life.

"Terrence, why didn't you pay for the TV license this month?" Natalie asked as the car began to move. Terrence sighed.

"Love, thing is... l used the money to buy diesel."

"But l thought we had put away enough money to last us for the whole month."

"I had three deliveries last week. That means l had six trips, two more than what we had planned initially."

"Didn't Mr Smith fill up the diesel for the week?"

"He did but..."

"And so?"

"I'm sorry love, honestly."

Terrence parked the car outside Elsie's preschool and Natalie went to help her out.

"Be a good girl okay? And stop twerking for that Bongani Elsie," Natalie reprimanded, standing in front of Elsie and helping her carry her backpack.

"I told you he's my boyfriend mama," Elsie blushed, putting her hand over her mouth as though she had just said too much. Natalie laughed when she saw her daughter's cheeks turning pink.

"Why did you..." Natalie was about to say when Elsie's teacher interrupted them, drawing in between them and looking at Elsie before holding both her shoulders with so much care in the world.

"Hello Elsie," she said to the little girl, who gazed up at her like she was some giant, the sun hitting her beautiful brown eyes.

"Hello teacher," Elsie greeted and the teacher let go of her, pointing in the direction of the creche and it wasn't long till Elsie ran off, entering the gates of preschool and disappeared into the light grey house with its colorful cartoons painted on the walls.

"Natalie," the teacher turned to face Elsie's mother as soon as the little girl left, worry and pity clouding her husky voice, making it even more deep and hoarse. "She was supposed to come with 12 tissue rolls, baby wipes and colored pencils. What happened to them?"

"Oh my!" Natalie acted so surprised, wrapping her hands on her head and dropping her lower jaw. "I completely forgot."

"What about her fees for the month?" the teacher asked with her brows furrowed, her deadly stare penetrating deep into Natalie as though she could see through her.

"I'll make a plan," Natalie brought her hands down and spoke so calmly. The teacher's facebrightened up and a thin smile appeared on her face, looking over Natalie's shoulders as though suddenly noticing Terrence's presence in the car.

"Is that Elsie's father?" she asked, mesmerized by the sight her eyes were revealing to her.

Her eyes narrowed at Terrence, who looked very uneasy on his seat.

"He looks... wo-w," the teacher added, strolling on to the car.

"See you later teacher," Natalie shook her head and went to enter on the passenger's side, and as though Terrence could see how the teacher was looking at him, he tilted Natalie's head so she could face him and kissed her lips slowly. The teacher clicked her tongue and walked away, swaying her fat ass left and right.

Natalie shut the door and laughed when Terrence pulled away from the kiss.

"You are so naughty Mr Makhubo," she chortled and looked at him deep in the eyes.

"Your lips..." he conjoined both their lips and they indulged in a French kiss. It had been long since he had such moments with his wife, and he had not realized how much he missed her, how much he missed talking to her, how much it moved things in his stomach when Natalie addressed him by his surname.

"I love you babe," Terrence admitted when Natalie pulled away, feeling out of breath.

"That was nice baby... I love you too," Natalie agreed and sat back on her chair, breathing heavily.

A few minutes later, Terrence dropped Natalie off at the taxi rank and left for work.

"How much is your change sister?" a woman sitting next to Natalie in the taxi asked as the taxi began to move.

"5 rands ma," Natalie responded. The woman handed her her change and Natalie saw the white beaded bracelet on her wrists.

"You too, were supposed to be wearing this but instead you were too stubborn and cowered behind being born again," she panted like a traditional healer and Natalie shifted uncomfortably on her chair as though she was sitting on a pair of spikes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said reluctantly.

"You were called to be a healer, uMdau, and you've been told about it several times but you chose to turn a blind eye to it, isn't it?" the woman laughed lightly.

"Your daughter will inherit your calling since you ran away from it, because it has been passed down to her. The ancestors want to help heal the world, and since you don't want to be a healer, your daughter will become one. Short left driver!" the woman shouted and the taxi came to a halt.

"Goodbye sister," with that said the woman got off the taxi and left, disappearing into the streets, leaving Natalie as shocked as ever.