Chapter 12: The Poisoned Car

 

Graduation day had finally arrived. Lulu, Zinhle, Amogelang, Kea, and Bonolo had made it through everything the drama, the tears, the late nights, and the fights. Despite all the chaos they had faced over the years, they had pushed through and earned their degrees. It felt like a massive achievement, one they had worked so hard for. That morning, they dressed up in their graduation gowns, smiling from ear to ear. Their faces were glowing with pride and excitement. They took lots of pictures together in front of the hall, under the trees, throwing their caps into the air. It was a day filled with joy. Everyone was laughing, hugging, and celebrating like there was no tomorrow. Later that evening, they decided to continue the celebrations. They planned to go to an after-party to keep the good vibes going. Just the five of them, cruising through the city in Bonolo’s white luxury car. The energy inside the car was electric. They had the music turned up loud, singing along to their favourite songs. Jokes were flying around. Laughter filled the car. They felt untouchable, like nothing could go wrong.

But in the background, hiding in the shadows, Themba was watching. He had been waiting for this day. Not to celebrate with them but to finish what he started. In his mind, they deserved everything that was coming. Earlier in the day, while the girls were busy posing for graduation selfies and soaking in their victory, Themba had found the car. He recognised Bonolo’s car from all the times he had seen her driving around campus. With no one watching, he quietly walked up to it. He opened the bonnet carefully, making sure no one saw him. Then, he tampered with the brakes. He didn’t do anything obvious. Just enough to weaken them. Just enough to make them fail at the worst possible moment. It was his silent attack.

As the girls left the after-party later that night, the city was quiet. It was one of those still nights with no wind, no noise, just the flicker of streetlights and the distant sound of traffic. The roads were empty, and it felt peaceful. Bonolo was behind the wheel, driving. Lulu was seated in the front passenger seat, her head resting against the window. Zinhle, Amogelang, and Kea were in the backseat, still full of laughter. They were singing loudly, their voices clashing with the music playing on the radio. Then, without warning, a homeless man stepped into the road. “Yoh! Watch out!” someone screamed from the backseat. Bonolo’s reflexes kicked in. She slammed her foot on the brake pedal with full force. But nothing happened. The brakes didn’t respond. The car kept moving  straight towards the man. There was a loud, sickening thud as the vehicle crashed into him. The force of the impact was brutal. The car jerked forward before it finally slowed to a stop a few meters down the road. Inside the car, everything went silent. The music had stopped. The laughter was gone. The only thing left was the sound of heavy breathing and the pounding of terrified hearts. They sat frozen, too shocked to move. “Oh my gosh… did we just hit someone?” Kea asked in a whisper, her voice trembling. Panic exploded inside the car. They all jumped out and ran towards the front. There, lying motionless on the tar, was the man. His body was still. Blood had started pooling around him, dark against the road surface. The girls stood there, shaking. The reality of what had just happened was sinking in. Their night of celebration had turned into a nightmare. “What do we do?” Lulu asked, her voice breaking. “We can’t just leave him. We need to call someone. We need to call for help.”

“We can’t stay here!” Amogelang said, panicked. “We’re going to go to jail if we don’t move now!” “But it was an accident!” Lulu shouted, tears filling her eyes. “We didn’t mean to” “There’s no time!” Zinhle interrupted firmly. “If the cops come now, they won’t care if it was an accident or not. They’ll just blame us. We have to leave. Get back in the car!” Their minds were racing. They weren’t thinking straight. Fear had taken control. Without another word, they ran back to the car. They got inside quickly, hands trembling, hearts beating out of their chests. Bonolo started the engine, and they sped off into the night, leaving the man behind. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been watching the entire thing unfold. Themba. From a dark corner nearby, he had seen everything. He had recorded the crash on his phone. His plan had worked perfectly. He didn’t want to just ruin their reputations or mess with their emotions  he wanted to destroy their lives. And now, the girls weren’t just victims of gossip or drama anymore. They were criminals. And the worst part? They didn’t even know it yet. In their minds, they were just scared girls running from a mistake. But to the rest of the world especially once Themba use the video they would look like monsters. Graduation was supposed to be their happy ending.