Revelation

Back at the School

Anati pulled me to the back of the school building, where we were surrounded by trees. She glanced around nervously, checking for eavesdroppers. Her unease made my heart pound with worry.

"Anati, what’s going on? Do you know anything about this?" I asked, showing her the photo on my phone.

"No, not exactly. I mean...yes. It’s complicated, okay? But you need to listen to me." Anati placed her hands on my shoulders, her eyes wide and intense.

"That message," I whispered, "Do you know where it’s coming from?"

"Y...yes. Yes I do." She said, hesitantly.

"You know who sent it?!" I exclaimed.

"Shhh!" She hushed me, glancing around again. "Before I tell you, I need to know if I can trust you, Thando. You’re the only one who takes situations like these seriously. Can I trust you?"

A wave of anxiety washed over me. Whatever she had to say, it was big. "Yes, Anati. You can trust me. We're friends. Tell me what’s going on."

Anati took a deep breath, her hands trembling on my shoulders. "Listen, I... I..."

"What are you two doing back here?" Seraphine suddenly appeared from behind one of the trees, her presence like nails on a chalkboard.

"None of your business, Seraphine," I said, trying to keep my composure.

"Yeah, we weren't talking about anything important," Anati stuttered, sweat forming at her temples. Strange.

"I find it suspicious that two girls are having a secret conversation right after a crime scene," Seraphine said, crossing her arms. Her eyes gleamed with a predatory sharpness, and her lips twisted into a smirk.

"So what? You think we're the murderers?" I shot back.

"I didn’t say that. But I will be keeping an eye on both of you. My mother is a police officer, remember? She’s cuffed you once, she can cuff you again."

"Just shut up and leave us alone!" I yelled, my patience snapping.

"Ugh! Get a breath mint, you goat. What’s wrong with you?" Seraphine sneered, stepping closer. Her presence was overpowering, her confidence unsettling.

"Why you..." I grabbed her by the collar, but Anati quickly got between us. I couldn't help but notice how much weight she'd gained—she was almost twice my size now.

"Guys, we don’t have to fight. Seraphine, just leave us alone. We’re not looking for trouble," Anati pleaded.

"Whatever," Seraphine scoffed, walking away with an air of superiority. She turned her head and added, "Watch your back, Thando. I’ll be watching."

I hated Seraphine. The trouble she’d caused, the drama, her police officer mom—it all made me despise her. Her words echoed in my mind, stoking my unease.

"She’s cuffed you once, she can cuff you again."

The wound between my breasts began to ache. I clutched my chest, wincing from the pain. I wanted it to stop, all of it. I realized I’d forgotten to take my pills this morning. Did I even bring them to school? My thoughts were a jumbled mess.

"Thando? Thando, look at me," Anati said, clicking her fingers. The sound made the ringing in my ears worse.

"No, stop! Don’t do that. The ringing! Make it stop!" I hit my head with my hands, but it didn’t help.

"Thando, you’re having a panic attack. Breathe in and breathe out," Anati instructed, trying to calm me.

"No, breathing makes it worse. I need space!" I pushed Anati away and ran into the school. The police officers tried to stop me, but I slipped right past them. The world around me blurred as I darted through the halls, my vision narrowing. I ran into the bathrooms and locked myself in a stall. Alone, but without my pills, I was still trapped. My life felt like a never-ending loop of pain and fear.

"Aaaaaah!" I screamed, holding my head. I wished Seraphine hadn't reminded me of that day. I sat down on the closed toilet seat, tears streaming down my face. Each breath I took felt like fire in my lungs, and the tightness in my chest was suffocating. My mind was a storm of chaos, each thought a bolt of lightning striking with relentless fury. What was wrong with me? I never fit in this female-ruled society. I was an outsider. Why didn’t they just mistake me for a man and kill me? I felt worthless.

"Thando?" I heard a voice call from outside the door.

I bent down and saw someone's shoes under the door—untied laces, socks not pulled up. It was Anati.

"Thando, please talk to me. I’m sorry for putting pressure on you. I just needed someone to talk to. You're the only one I trust." Anati's voice was soft and sincere. "I found your antidepressants in your bag and brought them. Here."

She slid the container under the door. I grabbed it, opened it, and took a few pills. Relief washed over me as I swallowed them.

"Thank you," I said, almost whispering.

"No problem," she said. "Forget what I said earlier. I don’t want you to worry like that again."

"It’s not your fault. It’s that dog of a girl’s fault. I still want you to tell me what’s going on. Does it have to do with Didi’s death?"

"Yes, it does. And there’s a lot more. I know who the killer is."

My eyes widened in shock,"What?"

"I don't have any relation to them, but I know what their motives are. They're trying to take down your mother, the Queen. This is their way of getting her attention. They won't stop until they get what they want."

"Why do they want to take the Queen down?" I asked, frightened.

If they wanted to take the Queen down, what were the chances that they didn't want to take her daughters down too?

"Because she's the reason why men don't exist, of course. These group of people are trying to do the same thing you did two years ago, the time you...you know..."

"Got stabbed. I know." I sighed, closing my eyes in remorse, "But how do you know these people? Did they threaten you?"

"No, they're good people, trust me."

"They killed Didi. How could they possibly be good?"

"It's for the greater good, Thando. This group of people are trying to save us from the Queen. The world is dying right in front of our eyes. This is the only way."

"Anati, I seriously don't see how killing women is the solution. You're not very convincing."

"That's where you're wrong." She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper, "It's not women who are doing the killing."

"What do you mean?"

"Thando, the killers...are men."