‘I have never been to this place before. It’s a graveyard. There are so many tombstones. When I get closer to reading them, they are all written Biyela. This is some fucked up shit. I swallow hard and continue walking. Maybe there is an exit from this fucked up nightmare. As I walk further, something tells me to look beside me. My eyes pop out when I see a tombstone with my name on it.

-HERE LIES PRINCESS NOMALANGA BIYELA
BORN IN 26 SEPTEMBER 1989
DIED IN 28 SEPTEMBER 1989
TO THE DAUGHTER WE NEVER MET
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE KAMENZIWA-

How the hell could I have died 2 days after my birth? That doesn’t make sense. None of this makes sense. This is a fuckin dream. I need Futhy to shed some light on this because this can’t be happening.

“You’re here. Finally.” that voice causes the hair at the back of my neck to rise. I am at a cemetery for godsake. Who could be here with me? Unless they are dead. “Child I am not that ugly. Turn and look at me.” I do some breathing exercises. I am literally shaking. I make peace with the fact that I am about to meet a real dead person, who resides in a cemetery. Like that dude who had demons in the bible. I turn with my eyes closed. I don’t think I am ready to see this person. The voice is one of a woman but you can never trust these things. “Open your eyes child. We don’t have the whole night.” I am shaking like a leaf. I open one eye to peek at her. She is human. That is a bit of a relief. I open my other eye and openly look at her.

“Who are you?”
“Your great-grandmother. I am here to take you home. It has been so long since you have left. They even lost hope that you would be found. Heck they even buried the wrong child in the family graveyard. Now come. Let’s go.”

“Why is my grave written ‘Princess Nomalanga’? Am I royalty?”
“You ask too many things child. Come. We have to go.” She grabs my hand and leads me to a clearer path. I can now see the gate. “Don’t let go.”
“I won’t.” I say tightening my hand around hers.’

“NOMA WAKE UP! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!” Someone is shaking me really hard. I feel myself landing hard on the floor and my eyes automatically open. I look around and I am shocked to see Lee and Futhy staring at me with teary eyes. There is also my neighbour, Mrs. Shozi.

“Is she okay now?” she asks.
“I think so. Thank you for informing us Mrs. Shozi. We will take it from here.” Lee says politely at Mrs. Shozi.
“Please inform me if you need any help. Get better soon neighbour.” She says looking at me with pity eyes and then walks to her gate.

“Let me help you up.” Futhy says as she helps me sit up straight. “What happened? Are you okay?” I look around and I am in the street. I frown looking at her.
“What am I doing in the street Ntombifuthi?”
“Mrs. Shozi was taking a night walk and then saw you walking with your eyes closed and mumbling some things. She figured you were sleepwalking. So she called us and we came as soon as we could.”

“Last time I checked you were overseas.”
“Tase let’s get you inside and get you warm.” Lee helps me up and we all walk inside my house. She opens the heater the moment we enter my bedroom and tucks me into bed. Futhy comes in with a glass of water and helps me drink it.

“I was sleepwalking?” I still can’t wrap my head around that. How and why was I sleepwalking? Am I being bewitched? By who?
“Tase is there something that happened before sleeping? Like maybe a weird sign or voices calling you?” Futhy asks as she sits on the edge of the bed. I shake my head.

“Apart from my weird dream, nothing out of the ordinary happened.” She looks at Lee. There is concern in their eyes.
“What did you dream about?” Lee asks.

“A cemetery full of Biyela tombstones. Some of them didn’t have names but only the Biyela surname. I also saw my tombstone or grave and it stated that I died 2 days after my birthdate. It was really weird. And I also saw this very old woman who claimed to be my great grandmother. I was spooked the whole time. She told me to follow her and I did. But then that’s when you guys woke me up.” Futhy sighs standing up and starts pacing up and down.

“I don’t even know if we should leave you here alone or maybe take you to my house. Tase this has never happened before. Something triggered it. What happened to you a few days ago?” she stops moving and looks at me. I shrug.

“I don’t know. I mean I met this little girl named Moyomuhle Biyela who looked exactly like me. She was around Mahle’s age. I don’t know tase. Maybe she had something to do with what happened tonight.”

“We need an adult opinion but until we are sure nothing is going to happen to you, I am assigning guards for you.” Lee says standing up with her phone and heading out. I huff and lean back on the headboard. Yeah I have always wanted guards but not because of something like this.

“I think I should also get you a stay-in helper. I don’t want you alone after what happened tonight.” Futhy says.
“Are you going to tell the rents?” she shrugs.

“I don’t know. I feel like I should. This is a really big deal Noma.” She sits on the ottoman. “MaMnguni was right. I should start taking my gift seriously. I mean I could’ve seen this coming and prevented it.”

“Futhy come on. I am alive, unharmed. Let’s not made this thing a big deal.” She looks at me and then looks up.
“Your guards are going to be here tomorrow morning. They will take you anywhere you want to go.” Lee says walking in. “Wait. Aren’t you supposed to be in Jozi?”

“I was supposed to leave this morning but something came up. I guess I am leaving tomorrow during the day. You guys can go back to your husbands. I am okay now.” Futhy’s phone rings and she answers it.
“Baby. She was sleep walking but she seems fine now. Okay I will see you in the morning. I love you so much. Good night.” She hangs up and looks at me. “All done.”

“I also told Butho that I will be spending the night here. So I guess we will be sharing the bed.” Lee says as she climbs in the bed. Futhy also climbs in.
“Guys you don’t have to baby me. I am an adult. I can handle this on my own.”

“Sleep Noma. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.” Futhy says dismissing me as she switches off the side lamp. I huff and close my eyes. 
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#MissThick
#MissChubbySeries