Love is tragedy

THE SLIP

Day 22.

5 days into the 3 months.

The 760k was now 410k.

Rent, food, charcoal, soap, bribes to market askaris. Kampala eats money and doesn’t say thank you.

*11:47pm. Wandegeya Boda Stage.*

Rain. The kind that turns potholes into swimming pools. Only 3 bodas left. Jimmy, Alex, and Craig.

Jimmy was counting his day: 38k. Not enough.

"Last ride," he told himself. "Then home to Jessica."

Craig pulled up, drenched. Jacket soaked, teeth chattering.

"Bro I’m finished," he said. "No fuel. No food. Brian came to me today."

Jimmy stopped counting. "What did he say?"

"That if I don’t bring him 50k by Friday, he’ll tell *Mr. Kato* I stole from the stage," Craig said. "And that he knows about your mom’s 200k."

Alex, who was cleaning his headlight, looked up. "You told him?"

"No!" Craig said too fast. "I swear. Maybe Musa overheard me talking."

Jimmy didn’t believe him. But he was too tired to fight.

Then headlights cut through the rain. A boxer stopped.

*Brian.* Mr. Kato’s collector. Broad shoulders. Cap low.

He didn’t get off. Water dripped off his jacket.

"Jimmy," he said. "Boss wants to talk."

"My paper says 100 meters," Jimmy said. His voice came out smaller than he wanted.

"Paper got wet," Brian said. And smiled. "Come."

Alex stood. "He’s not going anywhere alone."

"Then you come too," Brian said. "Family meeting."

Craig looked at the ground. "I... I’ll wait here."

Jimmy looked at him. "You’re coming."

*The Blue Container*

*Wandegeya Market. Container 14.*

One bulb hanging from a wire. One table. One metal bar.

*Mr. Kato* sat behind the table counting cash. He didn’t look up when they entered.

Rain on the roof sounded like stones.

"Sit," Mr. Kato said. Voice flat.

Jimmy sat. Alex stood behind him. Craig hovered near the door.

"Your mother," Mr. Kato said finally. "Fort Portal. 200k. New notes."

He looked up. Gold tooth glinting. "Where is it?"

"In the house," Jimmy said. "For rent. For food. For survival."

Mr. Kato laughed. Once. "Survival. Cute word."

He stood up. Picked up the metal bar. Tapped it against his palm. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"I told you don’t come back," he said. "I didn’t say the debt died.

Interest is 20k per week. You’ve been gone 3 weeks.

That’s 60k. Plus the 200k you’re hiding.

Pay me 260k tonight and we’re square."

Jimmy’s chest caved in. 260k? They only had 410k total.

"Please," Jimmy said. "Give us the 3 months. We’ll pay 20k every week."

"Weekly payments," Mr. Kato said. "For people with jobs.

You? You’re a boda man. She’s a fired hairdresser."

He looked at Craig. "And you. You talk too much."

Craig flinched.

Mr. Kato walked around the table. Stopped in front of Jimmy. Close enough that Jimmy could smell cheap perfume and sweat.

"Last chance. 200k. Now. Or I take the boda. And the girl."

Alex stepped forward. "Touch him and I call the LC1."

Mr. Kato swung. The bar missed Alex’s head by an inch and hit the table.

CRACK. Wood splintered.

"Don’t you ever," Mr. Kato said, breathing hard, "threaten me in my house."

*The Betrayal*

Silence. Only rain on the roof.

Craig suddenly spoke. "Boss... I can help."

Everyone turned.

"I know where they keep it," Craig said. Voice shaking. "Under the mattress.

In a polythene bag. 410k."

Jimmy stood up so fast his chair fell. "CJ!"

"What?" Craig said, eyes wet. "He said he’ll kill me Friday!

I have kids, man. I have to eat! I can’t die for you!"

Alex grabbed Craig by the collar. "You stupid—"

Brian pulled Alex off. "Don’t touch him."

Mr. Kato smiled. Slow. Like he’d been waiting for this.

"Good boy, Craig. Loyal."

He pointed at Brian. "Go with him. Get the money. Tonight."

Brian nodded. Grabbed Craig’s arm.

"No," Jimmy said. "You’re not going to our house."

Mr. Kato pointed the bar at Jimmy’s face. "You don’t tell me where I’m not going.

You’re lucky I’m not breaking your legs.

Because I like you. You work hard."

He leaned in. "But push me again, and I’ll make sure you never ride again."

*The Walk*

They walked home in the rain. 4 of them.

Brian in front. Craig crying behind him. Alex silent. Jimmy shaking.

At the compound in Bukoto, Mama Ruth the landlady was outside with an umbrella.

"What’s this?" she asked. Suspicious.

"Nothing," Alex said. "Police matter."

Mama Ruth looked at Brian, then at Jimmy.

"I don’t want trouble here," she said. "You have until month end. Then you go."

Inside the room, Jessica was awake. Dressed. Bag packed.

She saw Brian and screamed.

"Where’s the money?" Brian asked.

Jessica looked at Jimmy. Jimmy nodded once. Defeated.

She pulled the polythene from under the mattress. 410k. All the new notes from Fort Portal.

Brian took it. Counted it. Slow. Licking his thumb.

"Boss said 200k," Brian said. "But he’ll take it all.

For interest. For wasting his time."

He put 210k back on the table. "Keep this. For food.

Don’t make us come back."

He left. Craig followed, head down, not looking at anyone.

*After*

The door closed.

Jessica collapsed to her knees. "It’s gone. All of it."

"No," Jimmy said. Voice hollow. "We still have 210k."

"That’s 2 weeks!" Jessica said. "Then what?

Mom was right. We should have run. We should have never—"

Alex sat on the floor. Put his head in his hands.

"I’m sorry," he said. "I should have hit Craig when I had the chance."

From outside, they heard Craig’s voice.

"Bro, I’m sorry. Please. I didn’t have—"

Jimmy opened the door.

Craig was kneeling in the rain. Soaked.

"Get up," Jimmy said.

Craig stood. "I’ll pay it back. I swear. Every coin."

Jimmy looked at him for a long time. Then closed the door.

*3am. The New Plan*

No one slept.

210k on the table. A wet kaveera next to it.

Brian’s footsteps still echoing in their heads.

"We have 2 weeks," Alex said. "Before rent and food finish it."

"And Brian will be back," Jessica said. "Every week for 20k."

Jimmy picked up the money. Put 100k in one pocket. 110k in another. Split it.

"New rules," he said.

"1. No one knows where the money is. Not even us to each other.

2. No stage. We do deliveries. Private clients. No Craig.

3. Tomorrow we go see a lawyer. Or the police. Or God. Someone."

Jessica laughed. Bitter. "A lawyer with 210k?"

"Then we run," Jimmy said. "To Fort Portal. To Gulu. Anywhere."

Alex nodded. "I’ll ask my cousin. He knows a guy who fights loan sharks."

Craig knocked again. Soft.

"Can I sleep here?"

Jimmy opened the door. "Floor. No talking. No eating our food."

Craig curled up in the corner. Shivering.

*That Night*

Jimmy lay next to Jessica. She wasn’t crying anymore.

She was too tired. Too empty.

"Do you regret me?" she whispered.

"No," Jimmy said. "I regret that I didn’t punch Craig earlier."

She almost smiled. Almost.

Outside, a boda passed. Slow.

Probably Brian. Doing rounds for *Mr. Kato*.

210k left.

14 days until rent.

1 traitor in the corner.

1 collector watching the door.

The 3 months had just become a countdown to war.

And Mr. Kato was winning.