The Punisher

Chapter five

05

KIRS BOSCH (GUSTAVO)

MG grabbed my arm and pulled me away from my wife and the People we were interacting with as we waited for the exhibition to start, I even spilled the champagne from my glass a little..

MG: What the hell are you doing here?

I looked at him..

Me: Don't you ever drag me off like that, ever again! Not in front of my wife, not in front of anyone!

MG: What are you doing here?

Me: I am attending an Art exhibition

MG: Don't give me that! Everything that you do is calculated, what are you doing?

Me: Your insecurities and trust issues are appalling, don't do that or else it will work to my advantage

Zitha: Everyone may I please have your attention

Me: Excuse me, I don't like to leave my wife unattended

I walked away from him

PEGGY KUNENE

I was done with the performances, Lu and I left the bar. We walked home, it was 5min away. I had my hand under his arm, and he was holding my guitar..

Lu: "Peggy's gone to Memphis... Nananana but Peggy's outta luck"

I laughed..

Lu: You killed it baby!

Me: Thank you

Lu: I'm so proud of you! The crowd loves you

Me: Thank you for your support

As we were walking, some guy was walking in our opposite direction. Approaching us, he was approaching us from my side..

Me: It's cold

Lu: Here

We stopped and he took off his jacket, then he placed it around my shoulders..

Me: Thank you

I kissed him, just as the guy was passing next to me. He touched my butt..

Guy: Excuse me

I quickly turned to my side and looked at him..

Me: Watch it pervert!

He stopped..

Guy: What?

Me: You touched my butt

Guy: No I did not

Me: Yes you did!

Lu: Wtf?

Lu put my guitar on the ground..

Lu: What did you do?

Guy: Hey Man, it was just a reflex

Lu approached him..

Lu: Can't you put your reflex in your pocket?

Guy: It was not intentional! No big deal

Lu started pushing him by putting his hands on the guy's chest..

Lu: If it's something you used too, then you will stop it tonight!

Guy: I said it was a reflex!

That's when Lu threw a punch across the guy's face..

The guy didn't back up, he returned a punch and they started fighting. I hate fights, they scare me..

Me: Lu leave him, let's go!

They continued fighting and Lu was defeating him..

Me: Lu!!

Lu let him go..

Lu: Should be ashamed of yourself! Real men don't act like that

The guy spat out blood, Lu came back to me and picked up my guitar. He held my hand and we started walking away..

Lu: That was messed up, are you okay?

Me: I'm fine

As we were walking, I saw a force pushing on Lu from the back. Then he moaned loudly.

I stopped and turned back, this guy has stabbed Lu at the back..

Lu turned and looked at him, the guy started stepping back. Then he eventually made a run for it..

Me: Lu!

Lu sank to the ground with the knife deeply lodged to his back, from his waist area..

Me: Ohh my God!

I unzipped my bag and took out my phone, then knelt down next to me..

Me: Hold on! I'm calling for help

ZITHA MAGASELA

I looked at everyone..

Me: I have 10 portraits to display for the exhibition tonight, hoping all of them will be sold out..

Sihle brought the first potrait..

Me: This is actually a photograph of a woman who is a street vendor. It was taken in Soweto, as you can see she's sitting next to her stall and breastfeeding her baby. To many this looks typical, but the photograph has a story to tell. A story of a woman, who endures and became the odd one out. Hustling everyday to put food on the table for her Son, trying her very hardest to build a secure home for her Son. I spoke to her before taking the picture, raining, cold, or sunny she's here everyday rendering service at an affordable price

The room went quiet..

Me: Her name is Duduzile Ngema, she's 32 years old. Her portrait goes for R8 000 and R 5 000 of the money, will go to her.

I looked at the room..

Me: Who wants to help this woman, make a profit higher than what she usually makes

I looked at them as they were deep in their thoughts, then saw Vhutshilo whispering something to her Husband.

Client: I'll take it!

Kirs: I'll take it, for double the original price

Me: Well looks like we have been made an offer that we cannot refuse.. Portrait sold to Mr Kirs Bosch!

The room started clapping, his wife smiled. She still had her hand under his arm, he pat her hand a little and kissed her on her cheek.

Their love spoke throughout the whole room, he seems very loving and not afraid to show his affection for his wife. How many Men can do that?

THE MENDOZA

He was standing at the balcony of a 7 storey building. I had my gun pointed at him, slowly approaching him..

Me: Davis where are the girls? Where did you hide the girls?

He had both his hands up..

Yvonne: Tell us where the girls are!

He didn't say anything..

Yvonne: You don't have to do this Davis! They are just little innocent girls!

Me: I'm putting my gun away, I just wanna talk

I placed my gun slowly on the floor and raised both my hands up..

Me: I know what you went through, I know what happened to your little sister. I have a sister too, and if something like that could happen to her I'd be shattered but I wouldn't hurt little girls who had nothing to do with my Sister being slaughtered!

I slowly made my way to him..

Me: Your sister's name was Maggie right?

He nodded..

Me: My Sister's name is Peggy, it rhymes doesn't it?

Davis: Agent.. Can I ask you something?

Me: Yes, you can ask me anything

Davis: Is your Sister still alive?

Me: Yes

Davis: Then consider yourself fortunate

Me: Davis

He turned and leaped off the balcony..

Me: No!!!

I ran to the balcony and stared down as his body that fell on the ground..

Me: No!!! Now we will never find the girls!

This is The hardest part about my job, not getting the monster and saving the victims.

PEGGY KUNENE

The Ambulance arrived and they took Lu in, I sat next to him.. Holding his hand, with tears streaming down..

Me: Please hold on Baby, it is going to be okay

The Ambulance was driving at an alarming speed, the knife was still lodged on his back and he was laying on his side with an oxygen mask around his mouth. He seemed to be losing the battle of staying conscious, his grip on my hand was getting weaker and weaker..

Me: Ohh God please..

ZITHA MAGASELA

Sihle brought the last portrait..

Me: Last but not least, we have a photograph of miners sitting and eating their lunch after a hard morning labour. Now I don't need to tell you what miners go through, they live their homes very early in the morning to work for their families, not knowing if they will come back home alive or dead. With mines collapsing, many have lost their lives and many their bodies weren't recovered. This photograph was taken at North West, and this masterpiece goes for R12 000 because it's embedded in pain and lost lives

Dad: I'll take it! For double the price

I smiled, we sold out all our portraits tonight.

THE MENDOZA

We were back at the FBI building, I was leading the walk to our division. I am an FBI Agent under the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).

We mostly deal with the sick minded, serial killers. We study their behaviour a great deal, get in their minds to find out what leads them to do what they do.. Put them away and get justice for the victims and their families. The goal is to get to them and save as many victims as possible..

I took off my bullet proof vest..

Yvonne: Agent it's going to be fine

I turned and looked at her..

Me: You go tell their families that it's going to be fine! You go tell those little scared girls that it's going to be fine!!

Yvonne: We will get the girls!

Me: How? Our only lead suspect is dead, he leaped off the balcony, of a 7 storey building!

Yvonne: We know he wasn't working alone!

Captain: Mendoza

I looked at him..

Captain: In my office

Me: This is just great!

.

To be continued