Yoe and I, a collection of short stories. Chapter 7. (written and edited by Richard Jr Ocaya)

Content warning

Yoe and I, a collection of short stories is a charismatic sci-fi novel between Melissa Selepe, a South African jeweller and Yoe, a spirtual entity who waited for her in eternity to show her a number of lives to help her move on to the great beyond. Although the book is fun, the story includes elements that might not be suitable for some readers. In the book is mentioned orphanhood, domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual harrasment, hate speech, loneliness, graphic deaths, violence toward infants and eating disorders. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, PLEASE DO TAKE NOTE.

7

I pinched the green crystal and we found ourselves in a basement. Three teenage boys were in this basement. The tallest of the three who rocked the afro, he was named Ross. Thomas was the second tallest and Snotty the third tallest (shortest) who both rocked no afro. They were peers to each other all at the age of nineteen. And they all lived in a small suburb near farms called WilgePark. The afternoon sun was at peak.

“Guys, let’s go camping,” Thomas said, with pimples as numerous as the stars. “It’s been a while since we got out this town.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Ross agreed, “I don’t want to be cooped up in this house all December. I even saw Besty posting a picture on Instagram. She’s having fun and we aren’t; doesn’t that suck?”

“Ross, did you have to mention her name?” asked Thomas.

“Chill out bro,” Snotty intervened, “He was only joking.”

“Yeah bro. I’m just trying to say that we also need some fun, especially now that it’s December,” Ross said, “We could camp at Governor Park just around town for cheap. We’ll lie and act like we are camping somewhere foreign.”

“Yeah, I hear you dude,” Thomas said, “Just keep… Besty’s name out your mouth bro.”

“Alright man,” Ross smirked.

Snotty chuckled.  

The boys agreed so camping it was. They set out to go on the seventeenth of December twenty-twenty three.

On the seventeenth Ross’s mother took them to Governor Park, but before she did that, she wanted to buy some stuff for Ross and his friends at the supermarket. Ross’s mother got them a gas stove so they could cook for themselves, a tent, a fishing rope and flashlights. After that they stopped at McDonald’s.

“Ross, take my card and get yourselves a big mac. I’ll wait here in the car,” she said.

She was nearing her fifties, fit and always shaming other moms with how far she could jog.

“Uh. Alright… boys let’s go,” Ross said.

“Thank you ma-Moloi,” Thomas and Snotty said shyly. Hypocrites.

The day was sunny, cloudless and hot. Ross soaked his shirt in sweat, his sandals were wet and slippery with sweat too, so he thought it was a good idea to get a cold milkshake along with his Big-Mac.

They entered the McDonald’s restaurant and waited in queue. It wasn’t too long, but still long enough to put you in between frustration and peace. Do you also want me to tell you how many people were in line? Exactly…

The boys realised they were taking extra space in the line so Thomas and Snotty, after a rock, paper and scissors game went to sit down and Ross remained in line.

“Ross, just relax. You just want a burger… ugh three burgers, no, three big macs and… ugh, I didn’t ask the boys what they wanted to drink,” Ross thought to himself too late, it was time for him to order.

Ross still had not learned how to curb his awkward teenage anxiety; he stared at the menu-screen above trying to figure out what to say because he had forgotten because of it.

The receptionist couldn’t wait any longer for his order.

“Good day, sir!” the receptionist called, “May I please take your order?”

“Yes, uhm,” Ross stuttered.

“Please take your time,” she said.

Ross felt even more anxious.

“I-I will have the big mac and Coke. Only,” he said.

“Okay, that will be fifty Rands.”

He took out the card and paid.

When he received the receipt, he remembered his friends, “Ha-ha, sorry I for-forgot my friends. Could I please add three more burgers?” Ross’s head pounded.

“Three more big macs? In total four?” she asked.

“No sorry, I mean three in total.”

“You want me to add two big macs?”

“Ye-yes please.”

“Okay… that will be a hundred Rands sir.”

He handed her the card and got the receipt.

“We saw how you were chickening out bro,” Snotty said, “We saw how tight your ass cheeks were bro, you’re such a bitch.”

They laughed it off, got their burgers and left for camp.

They arrived at Governor Park safely.

“Alright boys, behave yourselves. If there is anything that you can’t do or say in my presence do not do it in my absence. Clear?” ma-Moloi said.

“Clear mom… clear ma-Moloi… clear ma-Moloi.”

They all got out of the car.

“Do you need help taking the equipment out the boot?” she asked.

The boys shook their heads.

They took their gas stove, camping bags, tent, food, bottles of water, clothing, fishing rods, phones, torches and big macs.

“Have you taken everything out?” she asked.

“Yes,” the boys said in unison.

“You don’t need anything else?” she asked.

“No,” again in unison.

“Okay. I’ll be back in two days, three p.m. sharp, right here. Do not… be late,” she said.

“Okay,” worded in unison.

“Alright, I’m headin out.”

“Yes. Bye,” unison.

“Bye.”

Ma-Moloi entered her car and drove off.

“We… Are… Free!” Snotty shouted.

“Shut... The… Fuck… Up!” Thomas said with attitude.

Thomas ran away and snotty chased him.

Shortly after Ross was approached by two boer-boys. They did not look open and approachable.

“Hey,” one of the boer-boys greeted.

The other was quiet and looking at the running Thomas and Snotty with a distant expression.

Ross greeted back.

“Are you guys going to be camping here tonight?” the boer-boy asked.

“Yah, we are,” Ross confidently said.

Where had that confidence been at McDonalds?

“Cool, we too are,” the boer-boy said, “My name is Richter and this is my brother Johan. Our campsite is further up,” he said. “Do you need help setting up camp?”

“No, it’s cool, we got this,” Ross grinned.

“How long will you be camping here?” Johan, the quieter brother asked.

“Two days.”

“Okay,” Johan said. They left.

They left Ross creeped out.

Ross rushed to his friends who were now on the ground wrestling each other.

“Stop it guys,” Ross said, “Did you see that?”

They stopped wrestling.

“What?” they both said in unison.

“Those boer’s I was talking to,” Ross said.

Thomas and Snotty looked around; the boer-boys were nowhere to be seen.

“They are gone. They were creepy and asked me weird questions.”

It was obvious that Ross failed at emphasizing the eerie interaction that took place when Thomas said, “Just chill out bro. It was probably nothing.”

Snotty too when he supported Thomas with a, “Yeah bro.”

Ross felt like driving a hot slap right through Thomas’s face and a punch to Snotty’s for their ignorance.

“Dude what the hell?” Ross said. “If only you’d seen them.”

“Whatever man, it’s getting dark, let’s set up tent,” Thomas said.

They did not struggle much to set up the tent. After the tent was set up, the boys placed all their items and equipment in the tent. By the time they were done with putting in all the items and equipment it was dark outside with the wind blowing cold. Their hunger kicked in at the perfect time. The river ahead danced, the pine trees overhead swung menacingly and a shower of rain fell.

“We’ll eat inside the tent,” Snotty said.

Their Big Macs were eaten with joy.

“Guys, let’s tell stories,” Thomas smiled.

Snotty made sounds of excitement.

“About what, I’m not good at making stories,” Ross said.

“Come on Ross, it’ll be fun,” Thomas said.

“Yeah, alright.”

“Okay, I’ll begin,” said Thomas, “This is literally a real-life story.”

“Okay… get on it with it,” Ross said.

“It’s about my uncle, my late uncle Themba who died 5 years ago,” said Thomas, “My uncle Themba was a teacher at a small town in the Eastern Cape. I’m not sure what the name of the town is. It’s pretty god damn rural honestly speaking. I’ll call it the rural place. The only thing close to town there is the only tuck shop they have. The rural place has no services like grocery stores or healthcare facilities and etcetera; those services you will find at an actual town thirty minutes away by vehicle.” He continued, “It was Themba’s first year after graduation. He studied education at the university of the Free State. My uncle wanted to help the less fortunate kids who didn’t have proper education even worse a proper school, long story short, he found himself in the eastern cape to use his education to help those rural kids. No wait… was that it… yes, sorry— Okay. Uh…”

“Did you just forget your own fucking story dude?” Snotty asked.

“Sorry. Ok, it starts here. He-he,” Thomas starts here, “Themba always sent us pictures of the school and the classes. He managed to land a teaching job at a small high school in the rural place. The school was built with mud and sticks. Skilfully built though, but still not suitable for kids who have dreams. Themba was teaching grade eight mathematics. He said those kids respected him and whatnot. He felt welcomed and his dream of assisting such kids to a brighter future was coming alive. He told us those kids struggled with mathematics horribly. He said they didn’t struggle like us, urban kids. We just don’t study yet we understand basic concepts on how to multiply, divide, add and subtract. Those kids were the exact opposite; they studied grade eight mathematics yet did not have basic understanding of any concept. Because of this, my uncle planned on hosting extra classes for the kids.  He spoke with their parents and they agreed, well… a few of them did… only one did.

“The reason the parents disagreed was because those kids had responsibilities at home such as herding or cooking for the family. The one kid that had no such responsibility was a girl called Luthando. Her family was, you could say, prestigious in the rural place. They had abundant livestock and a big house, because of their wealth they were held with high esteem there. Luthando’s father, Mkhonto, was the only man who drove a car whilst her mother was the only woman with a house maid. The house wasn’t as big as you think. It’s exactly an average three-bedroom house you can find all over here in WilgePark. Such a house is big there, at the rural place, because the average family there lives in mud huts and rides donkeys to their tuck shop. Back to the story: Luthando was allowed to attend the extra classes with the condition that my uncle, Themba, walks her back home safely before dark. Themba and Mkhonto agreed and so it was settled. Luthando showed the state of education of the rural place. She barely knew English. That bitch can’t even get close to the ‘my name its’ hoes. Because of that he taught everything in IsiXhosa. It all went well. After months she progressed more than her classmates, but still, even twenty percenters at our school shame her. As promised, Themba always walked Luthando back home after class, leaving her by the gate, but he'd always hear gossip that she comes back home late because he sleeps with her. The other teachers from the school spread this gossip.

“The December holidays came and school was closed for the year. My uncle was preparing to come back home when he heard loud knocking on his door.

‘Who is it?’ my uncle asked.

‘Ey fuseg wena. Open this door,’ a manly voice shouted from outside.

Themba phone called my father out of panic.

‘There is an angry mob outside holding weapons and whips,” my uncle cried, ‘Bab’ Thomas, please come and help me. They want to kill me.’

‘What is going on, what happened?’ my dad asked.

‘I do not know! I was planning on c-coming back home today. Please I beg you, come help me.’

I was sitting beside my father during the call and I kid you not I could hear the banging through loudspeaker.

‘They are burning the house now,’ Themba screamed.

‘Call the police station,’ my father shouted.

‘There aren’t any!’

‘Do not drop this call.’

My uncle screamed, ‘They kicked the door down! Help me!’

We could hear the angry mob and the curse words they used on him. We are Xhosa, so what they were saying was: umdlwenguli meaning rapist and isidenge meaning fool. My dad heard a voice asking Luthando if my uncle was the rapist. We could not hear the response. I believe she nodded. After a few seconds of silence, the mob screamed and we could hear lashes and thumps. My uncle made no noise. The beating continued for a good ten minutes until my father heard a woman say, ‘Burn him.’ Many more people chanted. We heard liquid pouring, from there every sound went muffled.”

 “Traumatic,” Ross said.

“What happened to him?” Snotty asked.

“After they burned him to death, they dismembered him and threw him at the foot of a distant mountain to be eaten by the animals,” Thomas said. “We found him before all of him had disappeared. What was left of his body made him hardly recognizable.”

“Fuck,” Ross said, “Did you get justice for him?”

“No,” Thomas began to sob, “The worst part is this. They did a DNA test on Luthando, because my father wanted to know whether my uncle actually raped her, and found out that it was not the DNA of my uncle.”

Thomas cried.

As soon as silence after tears fell, outside the tent came atrocious laughter. The boys knew it was directed at Thomas’s story. They all got out the tent and saw no one around.

“It’s those white kids!” Ross said, “LEAVE US ALONE!” Ross shouted but timidity was apparent in it.

They got back in the tent. Stones were now being thrown at the tent, from all sides. The boys got out. Nobody was there.

“Stop messing with us or we will call our parents!”

Laughter surrounded the boys from all sides. They fearfully ran back into the tent.

“I’m calling my dad,” Thomas said.

“No! Chill out, maybe they are just pulling a prank on us,” Snotty smiled.

“A prank. You call this a prank?” Ross asked.

Heavy breathing was heard all around the tent.

“Stop messing with us or we will call our parents!” the voices mocked.

“Where are our phones?” Ross asked.

“They were right here!” Thomas said.

“They were right here, they were riiighht heeeyeeer, ha ha ha!”

“Hey!” Thomas shouted, “give us back our phones.”

“No,” a voice said. Giggles followed.

“What!” Thomas shouted and ran out of the tent. As soon as he stood out the tent a huge shirtless white boy creeped up behind Thomas. The huge shirtless white boy hit Thomas on his head and carried him away. The laughter grew around the tent.

The boys were terrified.

“Oi!” Snotty’s voice shaking, “Leave us alone,” his voice ended on a whisper.

Snotty crawled out the tent.

“No Snotty don’t exit!” Ross shouted.

He was left ignored. As soon as Snotty peeped his head out, he was pulled out the tent by the head by a large half-naked white girl. This girl singlehandedly carried him away.

Ross was terrified.

He could not hold it in anymore, Ross cried.

His voice uncontrollable, “Please.”

“Pweaase, please, pwease, pwease-please, ha ha ha,” the voices mocked.  

It suddenly went quiet and many feet pounded away. He got out the tent, nothing happened, no one was there to take him and still no one was there to be seen. Cold, snot bubbles, tears and confusion, he ran for safety. He had to make it to the park rangers office which was a five minute sprint away. The cold night wind beat against his body, fear gave him a speed like none other. He could join the athletics team with this hidden talent and stay winning if he could learn to tap into that fear at will.  If he were asked what’s the source of his great success as a runner, he’d be damned if he brought up this scenario. “Ugh, you know, hard work. It’s all about that mentality too,” he could say. On arriving at the park ranger’s office no one was there. He could not go out of the park because the park was gated, locked and was too high to be climbed over. The wisest thing Ross thought of doing was to hide until morning and get help, from anyone who came. He went behind a pine tree not too far from the park ranger’s office to hide.

“Mr pwease-pwease,” a harsh whisper said from beside Ross.

Ross’s heart sank. His legs kicked the air, connected to the ground and bolted off into oblivion. He ran and ran, constantly looking behind him. He tripped and fell face first, when his mouth connected to the Earth, he heard laughter all around him, a few familiar laughter’s blended in. He was too in shock to take notice. The camp lights lit up and the hidden people came out of hiding. Many half naked white people. They came out clapping their hands and amongst them was Snotty and Thomas laughing. Still in shock Ross held his head in between his knees. They neared him.

Thomas touched Ross’s shoulder, “Ross my boy, keep Betty’s name out your mouth.”

“Yes Ross. Keep her name out your mouth,” everyone said in unison.

A green portal opened; the green puff formed and back to the land in between we went.

“Hmph,” I said.

“Pretty pointless huh?”

“Yeah Yoe, but I wouldn't say it like that.”

“What would you say?”

“Pointless, just pointless.”

“Does it need to have a point?”

“Hmph.”

The green puff placed us on a huge dark grey rock which sat on a beach. Ahead the beach was an endless sea with nothing on its surface.

The rock was grainy yet pleasing to the touch, glittered and sparkled under the sunlight. The wind breezed with sprinkles of sea water streaming my face.

Yoe pulled out the last crystal.

It was yellow.

I held it in my left hand, looked at the Sun, soaked in the breeze, gazed at the eternal sky, and finally, squeezed. We made it to the location in an instant. I recognised immediately that we were going to watch my life.

The End 

  About Richard Jr Ocaya:

I am a passionate dreamer and writer who creates vivid worlds with words for people who will find value in my words. I am currently 19 years old. 

Connect with me: 

YouTube: @Rosaya.

Copyright©, Richard Junior Ocaya, 2023.

All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be copied, distributed, or published in any form without permission from the author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.