THE CEO'S SUBSTITUTE WIFE- Chapter 11: The Locket
505 Words
"open up, brother. I heard you have my niece."
Themba's voice hit the door.
Kago's back went to the wood.
Amahle's hand was at her throat.
The silver chain.
"The locket," Kago said. "Take it off. Now."
Amahle's fingers shook.
"I can't. The clasp's stuck. It's been stuck for 7 years."
The door shuddered.
Thud.
Zanele was gone. Footsteps fading down the hall.
"Give it to me," Kago said. "I'll break it."
"No." Amahle pulled back. "If Themba gets the papers, we're dead. Both of us."
Thud.
The frame cracked.
"Turn around," Kago said.
She did.
His hands went to her neck.
The locket was warm from her skin.
He worked the clasp.
Thud.
Themba's voice, right outside.
"Last chance, Kago. Open it."
The clasp wouldn't move.
7 years of sweat. Wat
"open up, brother. I heard you have my niece."
Themba's voice hit the door.
Kago's back went to the wood.
Amahle's hand was at her throat.
The silver chain.
"The locket," Kago said. "Take it off. Now."
Amahle's fingers shook.
"I can't. The clasp's stuck. It's been stuck for 7 years."
The door shuddered.
Thud.
Zanele was gone. Footsteps fading down the hall.
"Give it to me," Kago said. "I'll break it."
"No." Amahle pulled back. "If Themba gets the papers, we're dead. Both of us."
Thud.
The frame cracked.
"Turn around," Kago said.
She did.
His hands went to her neck.
The locket was warm from her skin.
He worked the clasp.
Thud.
Themba's voice, right outside.
"Last chance, Kago. Open it."
The clasp wouldn't move.
7 years of sweat. Water. Blood.
It held.
Amahle gasped.
"Kago."
He pulled harder.
The chain bit her skin.
A thin line of blood.
Click.
The locket opened.
Inside.
Paper.
Folded. Tiny. Yellowed.
Emergency Guardian Lindiwe Mokoena. Witness: Nurse J. Nkosi.
Amahle's eyes widened.
Kago took it.
The door burst open.
Themba. Two men behind him.
His eyes locked on Amahle's neck.
On the broken chain.
On Kago's fist.
"What do you have," Themba said.
Kago didn't speak.
He put the paper in his mouth.
Amahle's breath stopped.
"Kago."
Themba moved.
Kago took him to the floor.
Jaw locked.
Chewing.
Themba's hands went to his throat.
"Spit it out."
Amahle grabbed the vase.
Crash.
Themba dropped.
Kago rolled.
Gasping.
The paper was gone.
Swallowed.
Amahle dropped to her knees.
"You idiot." Her voice broke. "You could've choked."
Kago coughed. Once.
He looked up at her. Blood on his teeth.
Themba sat up. Holding his head.
He wasn't looking at Kago.
He was looking at Amahle.
At her empty neck.
"You think 30% makes you Lindiwe's daughter," Themba said.
He stood.
"The nurse is dead. The records burned. All you have is the paper in your husband's stomach."
He smiled.
"So tell me, niece."
"How are you going to prove it in court."
Sirens.
Outside.
Security.
Themba's men stepped back.
Themba looked at Kago one last time.
He laughed.
Then he was dragged.
The door hung broken.
Amahle clutched Kago.
The locket.
Empty.
Dangling from her hand.
- Writer
