Dark

Episode 2

At Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital...

I was busy attending a patient when my phone rang. I ignored it and tried inserting the cannula on the patient's wrist for the second time, this time around I managed to find the perfect vein and finally closed it. I walked towards the water sachets to get one for the patient. The phone rang and I picked, pressing it between my ear and shoulder as I scribbled something on the form near the water.

Me: Sela speaking, how can I help you?

Ex-Boss: O makgakga lekwerekwere ke wena. Keore le tswa hela ko le tswa tee ebe le to go re tseela ditiro mono? (You are full of pride, you foreigner. You come from afar to take our jobs here?)

Me: Uhu! Yaanong gatweng ne MmaSasa? (What are you saying MmaSasa?) Isn't you who was keen on me losing my job last month? Now that the tables have turned upside down you want to blame me for your incompetence?

Ex-Boss: I am not incompetent, you are! (I could tell that she was now crying) You were the one who misdiagnosed a patient, you were supposed to lose your job. I don't know why they are now putting all the blame on me, after all the evidence led to you.

Me: You were my superior, of course they are going to be strict on you. I'm so lucky I didn't lose my nursing license when that woman threatened to sue us. I was given a second chance Moghele, swallow the bitter pill and accept that I will always be favoured over you.

Ex-Boss: (Crying) I can't lose my job Sela, my daughter just gave birth and she is unemployed. The baby daddy ran away as well, so I need money. Please talk to Dr Leru for me so that he can put in a good word for me. Plus that lady is suing me, she is going to take all of my life savings.

Me: You were busy insulting me, now you are begging? Haha! Life... nx nx nx

Ex-Boss: Tlhe mma wena nnaka ke a go kopa (whispering) Please take me to the witch doctor that you used to kill the court case.

Me: Now you are insulting me. I don't know anything about witchcraft, gape golo ha ke theogetse ko emergencies, wa ntia toga ke bolaa balwetsi (You are delaying me, I'm working at the Emergency ward, you'll get me in trouble).

I hung up fuming, 2 months ago, this old woman was busy pressing the patient to sue me, I was about to lose my job. She had even suspended me from work and threatened to fire me if the authorities failed to do so. I made one mistake, just one, because I was stressed that week. I had lost my father and boyfriend due to car accident on the same night. Turns out my father's debt of his house from SSHA was overdue and they were threatening to take the home. I was officially becoming unemployed and homeless in one week. It was enough that I was an orphan and boyfriendless, so I resorted to join witchcraft. My newfound mother had long invited me but I was refusing. I was initiated by her, Abamama, and after that, she turned out to be just a spirit, not a human being, as she had appeared to me. My life was falling apart, I had no choice. I am 30 years, fucken 30, and kids younger than me are so filthy rich. So Witchcraft was my last hope.

I put my phone back into my dress pocket and grabbed the water then I walked to the patient's bed. I found him removing the cannula that I had inserted earlier on.

Me: Yaanong wena o ntsheditseng cannula? Kana ke batla go go tsenya drip, uugh, balwetsi le a tena waitse. (Why did you remove the cannula? I have to give you an IV drip, you are frustrating me.)

Patient: This thing of yours is painful, besides you were on the phone for 2 hours.

Me: I have the right to leave you. Keep talking s**t and I'll leave you to attend the others. Look now we have to start all over again.

I took a new cannula and inserted it, then I connected his IV, I adjusted the water pressure. I took the first cannula to dispose it, it had little blood in it, my hunger level rose and I excused myself to the storeroom. "Nnese yoo o tsamaya thata jang batho ba ga Jehova!" I heard some women in the queue saying, I ignored them and closed myself inside the storeroom, I locked and walked towards the files, I chanted a certain spell under my breath and the cameras in the whole room freezed. I turned around and started calling my spiritual mother.

Me: Abamama! Abamama! Abamama! (I bowed down a little as she appeared in front of me, wearing a long black robe. She is white, a red head.) High priestess, the great one, Queen of the...

Abamama: (She raised her hand, jiggling heavy bracelets) Enough child. Abamama is a title on it's own. From now on just call me that, soon you will be graduating into a higher rank. How are you holding up?

Me: The Devil has been generous Abamama. I can't complain, in fact I should be rejoicing now, my enemy called me, begging to me to show her my witch doctor. Hahahaha!

Abamama: You shouldn't, I do the recruiting, no one else. I remember one old lady tried to recruit her friend to join the sisterhood. Imagine, an old lady of 90+ years. It turned out bad, I tell you.

Me: Shuu! I can imagine, it is so fucken embarrassing to learn witchcraft at old age. I am 30 years and still learning Witchcraft 101. Everyone in the Sisterhood is undermining me, even the mere 10 year olds, natural born witches, have more experience and knowledge than me. They are so far with the lessons. What happened?

Abamama: (She laughed) Haha! Don't worry, you are a fast learner my darling. Besides, you are special more than them, you are being taught by the Devil's first born daughter. Abamama herself! (I don't wanna lie, I felt proud). So, the old woman on the story I was telling you about, was teaching her the Transportation course 101, and they were flying with brooms, the old way. Guess what?

Me: What?

Abamama: Turns out the friend had night blindness, she hit the electrical pole and lost all her teeth.

Me: Aww, that's bad.

Abamama: No, she threatened the old witch to expose the Sisterhood, that is bad. I had to interven quickly, I wiped over half of the friend's memory, now she is living like a baby in the mental instution and the old lady who tried to initiate her was demoted. Anyway, why did you call me?

Me: I want blessed blood.

Abamama: Bring it here (she stretched her hand) I'm hungry too.

I opened the fridge keeping the blood donated by people for accident patients. I took out two sachets of 1 l****s and handed them to Abamama. This is why I am the head of the blood donation campaign group, blood is life to usus, the underworld family. She raised her hands up and chanted the blessings then handed me one. I teared one corner and hungrily gulped down the whole blood. By the time I was done, Abamama was long done and had vanished. I finished my snack and threw the empty plastics into a red refuse plastic bag, then went to the files. I unfroze the cameras then browsed through the files, I left them all there, feeling refreshed. I exited the storeroom and walked to the bathroom to check my teeth and lips.

Minutes later...

I exited the bathroom and walked towards my work station, taking my time. There was a long queue and people standing on the corridors. I quickened my pace to see what was the commotion all about. This day was getting so tiresome and I was grateful that my shift would be over very soon. I found an old woman, forced to seat on the bed with two security men holding her. She was talking nonsense and her grand daughter was crying besides her. Marina, a nurse I was working with, was trying to talk to her. She was giving Marina a hard time since she was shouting. I looked at the old woman and noticed a dark black mark on her forehead. It was spiritual, and instantly I knew that she was cursed by someone. I remembered instantly, Witchcraft Curses Course 104, never touch a cursed person with your bare hands. You never know the power of the witch who cursed her, she might be stronger than you. I am still a learner in this underworld life but so far so good. Abamama was a really good mentor. I approached with my best smile and stood at a safe distance.

Old lady: Ehe! Ebile nnese yo mongwe ke yoo o eta (Another nurse is coming) Maybe this one will listen to me.

Me: Marina move a bit, thank you. Hello Granny.

Old lady: Dumela ngwanaka. (Hello child)

Me: What's the problem?

Her: Dingoro! Ke lwala dingo-ro hela eseng sepe gape. Mosadimogolo wa moloi yoole o nkhokheleditse! (Curses! I have been cursed by that old witch!)

Me: Mmama, there is no such thing as witchcraft.

Patient 1: Hee! Our children nowadays have locked their heads. This science of them has completely blinded them.

Patient: Yes, and they always have scientific jaargons and medical names for diseases caused by witchcraft.

Me: Please people, stop scaring her. There is no such thing as being cursed. She is just suffering from hysteria due to early dimentia or something. Let's wait for the doctor, in fact, everyone go to their seat. Marina, please attend to her, I have to rush somewhere.

Marina: Okay.

Me: (Whispering) And please, don't touch her without wearing gloves, they might be telling the truth about curses. (Her eyes bulged) But I'm sure it's nothing. Nothing though, we just have to be careful, we are Africans after all, right?

Marina: Yeah right. (She relaxed a bit)

The crowd went back to their seats mumbling words like 'poor girl, she doesn't know witchcraft'. I ignored them and signed out on the register. I picked my handbag and hurried out, fishing for my car keys inside, I have work to do at home. I bumped into Dr Leru, also known as "the good doctor" or "every lady's crush". I flinched and moved back a little but he grabbed my hand and inspected my rings. His hand was burning, it was so hot that the heat was being transferred into my body. I had to get out fast, so I faked a smile and pulled my hand back.

Dr Leru: Hi Sela.

Me: Doctor..

Dr Leru: Will you please see me in my office?

Me: Why?

Dr Leru: I have been praying Sela, So...

My throat dried and my stomach churned double, making my intestines twist. I didn't even hear the rest of the sentence, Is Dr Leru going to expose me? All I could hear in my head was " Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"

*

*

*