My...

“Over my Dead Body”

Morning light seeps through the window of his room, filtered by gauzy curtains and his eyes still at half mast. Somewhere off in the distance the chime of his alarm clock  told him it is six a.m. Time to rise, you sleepyhead! Time to get up, get out of bed! It’s time to start your four day morning shift of patrolling the local dump site.  Quash knew that everything will be alright until the night shift starts.  It was really difficult for him lately as his wife, Sofia, had left him.  So all his energy and time was devoted to this job  as a security.  

There was no bathroom in the room he was renting, so boiling water on his two plate stove had to be done very early, daily. The double bed stood at the far end of the room, cupboard for his clothing, Panasonic Hi-Fi, small bar fridge and TV. The brown dish to wash,  was placed neatly on the bench as he lathered up his arms and face.  Standing in his grey underpants, Quash was quite cheerful that morning, a huge smile on his face.  It was his pay day, a few groceries, a few drinks and Mama Rosa had to be paid.

The cupboard draw was ajar as Quash got the razor from there, using it to neaten his head.  He liked to be clean shaven, sporting a bald head.  The newspaper used for the hair clippings was taken outside to the drum in the back yard.

Quash was dressed very casually, checked Bermudas, red Levi T-shirt and a pair of white and red adidas sneakers.  Being casual was part of the job he enjoyed as he hated those heavy black uniforms and steal boots a security had to wear.  Mama Rosa was cleaning the veranda when Quash passed, his  Maroon Mazda 323 was standing in the driveway ready to go, “Morning Ma, I will see you later tonight to give your envelope.  Will knock on the window..”  Mama Rosa turned slowly to face Quash, still with grass broom in hand, “Sure son, will be waiting..”

His usual journey started at the petrol station, BP garage on the corner of Ziets and Jackerrander Streets.  Wanda was the guy that tended to Quash, “Please Wanda, R150-00 of unleaded Petrol”.  “Yebo Yes, You alright my man, do you need any cigs with that, those Peter’s Mild you Like?”  Wanda returned with the cash sale slip and change with the cigarettes’ in a packet.  Quash thanked him and made his way to his work place.  Everything was 100% in order as he had left it the day before.  Marnce had to check the containers on the lot and the delivery trucks that left the afternoon.  

Walking to his car in the parking lot that afternoon, Quash had to make a quick  stop at the ATM not far from the building site he had to guard.  At six thirty in winter it was getting dark, the route he had to drive was past the dump site.  For the last two nights he saw a smartly dressed girl that was always standing at the sign at the entrance of the dump site.  He knew that he could not let her stay there another night.  He stopped next to her, hooting for her to jump into the car.  The girl looked as if she about seventeen, fair, brunette pony tail that stopped in the small of her back and light coloured eyes.  She was wearing a white maxi skirt with black sandals, and a pink sleaveless top,  What was she doing in that area at that time of day?, thought Quash.  “Where are you going too?, why are you standing here at this time of day? It is very dangerous you know.” Quash lit one of his cigarettes and waited for the girl to answer.  

Slowly she spoke, stuttering “My name is Claudette, I live at 1254 Marais Street in Sandfontein Location.”  That was odd,  the township she was found in was Franklin, about 135km apart.  Quash turned the radio on in the car as he was driving towards the BP Garage, “I will let you get a taxi here. Who is at 1254 Marais Street in Sandfontein?”  “It is my mother and baby sister. I need you to get me there before something happens to my sister”  “I wont be able to do that as it is way out, You will be able to get a taxi at the petrol station, I will give you the taxi fare.”  Quash pulled into the driveway at the Kwik - E stop so that Claudette could exit the car.  He saw Wanda and Mncedi in his rearview mirror, Claudette was standing next to one of the petrol pumps, somehow Quash knew he could not leave her standing there, so he asked her to accompany him to his room for her to sleep there until the morning.  

Mama Rosa’s light was still on in the bedroom as he got home about ten pm, as promised he tapped on her window to give her the white envelope filled with the months rent.

When he came into the room he was not surprised to see everything all messed up, so he explained that since he was alone at home, he normally cleaned up in the evening. He thought that Claudette would do some very needed cleaning. He asked her to sit down on the bed and he would be with her in a minute, He wanted to clean himself up a little first. He sat down next to her and looked deep into her eyes, wondering what actually happened to her to end up at the dump site all confused.  Quash put the heater on and got a jacket for her to wear so that she could feel more relaxed and free to tell him what happened.  “Please I’m sorry, I won’t tell anybody, I’m sorry.” Claudette’s  tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably, Quash held her and reassured her he will get her home.

He took a few blankets from his trunk and made a floor bed, offering the double bed to the girl.  

Strangely Quash felt hot and was wet with perspiration, as if he was in a sauna.  He heard a baby crying outside or was it a meow of a cat?  Only dressed in his sleeping shorts he walked towards Mama Rosa’s bedroom window, the curtain was moved slightly as Mama peeped through, before she opened the window, asking, “Quash my boy, what are you doing outside in your underwear? Is there something wrong? You will catch a cold,” “ Mama did you hear the baby crying here at the back of the yard? “ “ My sweet Quash do you see that broom by the drum, I believe you want to be a witch so you can fly around on it. Go back to bed.  There is no babies crying here”

Quash returned to his floor bed and fell into a deep sleep having the worst nightmare ever imagined.  

When he  awoke the next morning, Claudette was the first thing he saw.  She was fast asleep.  He brushed a lock of hair from her face and gently stole a kiss.  The morning sun lit up the room and a cool winter breeze stole through the window.  Outside, swallows sang their benign song.  He pulled the blanket over her shoulder and watched her sleep.  Never in his wildest dreams has he been more content with life as at that moment.  His eyes caught the reflection of light that bounced off the two crystals on her earrings.  Quash was very pleased he made Claudette sleep over, renewed for the day he was going to take her home.  He was on one of his rest days.  He left the room to use the outside toilette, when he returned to the room, the girl was gone. Poof!  Gone in a cloud of smoke.  On the bed was two photos.  One of hers and the other of another girl with the words written on the back, “Help her Please”.

A note was left under the peanut butter bottle “I’m sorry, I wont tell, and a cell phone number 078*******”   Quash got hold of his cell phone, dialled *141# to check his airtime balance, luckily he had a R10-00 available, he dialled the number.  “ Hello, this is Mr Jacobs” came an inaudible answer.  “Who are you and where do you stay? This is Quash Simons from Franklin.” “ I  am the Deputy Principal here in Sandfontein at the local school.” He ended the phone call. Quash was more determined to solve this mystery of Claudette and her photo’s.

He got dressed and was more eager to look for Claudette that vanished.  Mama Rosa was polishing the window sills of her bedroom when he asked her if she perhaps saw the girl he brought home the night before.  Mama Rosa was quite upset that Quash was behaving in such a bizarre way. “My dear Boy, seems to me you are quite in a state.  I never saw anybody this morning.  I was up at five preparing some porridge for uncle Pikes from next door.  I saw you leaving your room for the toilette and then you went back again.  Nobody left your room besides you.  Quash you should take some leave to rest so you could overcome your break up with Sophia.”

The determined security went to the BP Garage to fill up for his trip to Sandfontein.  He asked his friends Wanda and Mncedi if they saw the girl he was with the night before.  Wanda wanted to know from Mncedi if Quash was alright, maybe the  break up of his marriage was affecting him now.  “ Are you sick in the head?” was Mncedi’s question to Quash.  R300-00 was given to the petrol attendant and R50-00 for cigarettes and coke.  Wanda was ordered to check the oil and to wash the windscreen.  The air pressure of the tyres also had to be checked.  The two guy just looked at each other and laughed. “ It must be sexual frustration that’s making him sick like that.”  Wanda’s gold tooth glitter in the morning sun as he smiled at Mncedi.
The journey to Sandfontein was most tiresome as the only company was his CD playing in the CD player.  A Mix of some old school music.  The song of Karin White was playing, “I rather be alone, than be unhappy,” True to the words.  He remembered the argument he had with his wife, how she packed her bags and left, never to return.  He knew he never will win her back as she decided to continue her relationship with her lover.  

WELCOME TO SANDFONTEIN, was very eye catching.  He knew he had to get some direction to the address that Claudette said she was living at.  He found a gentleman walking his dog.  He stopped and politely asked for him to direct him to 1254 Marais Street.  He found the little face brick house very easily.  There was a iron gate and brick wall around the yard.  He entered the premises and rang the door bell.  An elderly lady, in her early fifties, opened the door.  He greeted her, announced himself and she let him in.  A little girl of about seven years was sitting on the couch watching cartoons on TV.  He recognised her from the photo that was left by Claudette in his room.  She even carried the doll that he dreamt about.  Quash started his bizarre story of how he saw Claudette at the dump site and how she wanted to come home.

Lucy shrieked as she heard the news.  Quash calmed her, she slowly got up of the sofa and went toward the room divider where she took out an old grasshopper shoe box, filled with photos of Claudette and Raylene.  Lucy explained to Quash that her daughter was dead for about six months and that he was not the first guy she brought home.. More shocked to say anything, he listened as Lucy explained to him how she was raped and stabbed several times.  Her body was left at the dump site rolled up in an orange carpet.  Left for the dogs to devour.  Her body was found by a vagrant looking for food at the site.

He apologised for been so inconsiderate and he was on his way out when an elderly gentleman about fifty entered the yard.  Lucy spoke to the man and told him what had happened, how Claudette appeared to him.  “ Good day sir, I am Mr Jacobs.  How do you do?”  “You the man I phoned this morning, Claudette left your number in my room.”  “ Please Mr, I do not want trouble here in this yard. I am Claudette’s uncle.”  “Not to worry, I am on my way out.” 

Quash passed the man’s white Honda, something seemed to tug at him to look at the tyres.  He bent down to look under the car. There was a piece of white material from Claudette’s skirt stuck there.  He pulled at it and it was released, he gave it to Lucy.  Lucy couldn’t believe her eyes.  She was surprised at what she saw.  Quash told her that Claudette was afraid for her sister’s safety and that she should decide what the right thing is to do.  With this, he turned on his heels and left.  

A few days later after the supernatural meeting, Mr Jacob’s was arrested for Claudette’s murder.  Apparently he was molesting her over a period of five years.  She threatened to tell the authorities at school about why she was his pet student.  Passing her, all her subjects with A’s and getting sponsorships for her sports events.  The last journey they had was to KFC for some ice cream.  The orange carpet was bought by a travelling Pakistani.  He raped her and stabbed her at the dump site.  

A few weeks later after hearing of the arrest, Quash took some yellow roses to her grave and left them at her tombstone.  He saw there were white stones on her grave.  He bowed his head and said a silent prayer.  “It is your time to finally Rest Claudette. … Good!” 




OooOOOOooo