We slowly drove back. That or the journey back somehow seemed longer.

Revd Siphiwo returned to...well wherever priests go when they aren't at the church, not feeling his best. We all weren't but I was starting to suspect that it wasn't the situation that was affecting him.

Nhiri mini, Kete? Ahsi America fhano. (Kete, what are you saying? This isn't America.)

I know I say that a lot but let's clear the air. There are some things that only happen in one country, say America for example. Things like cliché wattpad books, sneaking out, running away or even those hauntings. Here in South Africa there is no cliché books, you'll mom will beat you first before you even manage to sneak out or run away. Hauntings? Pssh, get out of here.

However, something was wrong here. Even the priest knew that much.

Silence remained. There was a unsaid rule in the air. We'd disperse and the next day we'd convene as if nothing was wrong, as if a boy wasn't missing.

We slowly pulled away from the robot.

🇿🇦

We all got out in the schools parking outside the school, not a word uttered the entire trip.

I walked to my mom who was waiting for me, which was rare. Usually I took my transport home but since my mom was here, it might as well be Christmas.

"Hey ma." I greeted. I sanitized my hands before removing my mask. I felt like I needed a shower from being inside a packed car after social distancing for so long. It felt strange.

"So?" She asked, expectantly.

"Sooo?" I attempted but as usual I didn't have a clue what she wanted.

"The trip!" She grumbled. I am on thin ice.

I told her about everything disappearing, the reverend's visit and the strange feeling that encompassed the entire 'outing'.

"It's a shame. It really is." Was all my mom could say. Those words pretty much summed up this entire situation.

🇿🇦

I spent my afternoon procrastinating. If you are a student or you work then you know what I am talking about. If you get home early and you have something due tomorrow, you spend the afternoon watching series or catching up with reading. When the evening comes you eat or in my case you cook. Probably 20:00 is when I actually reach for my books, 20:30 is the actual time when I open it.

Is that just me? Nope!

I spent my evening trying to figure out my painting or more specifically, trying to figure out what this teacher wanted. I held the brush in my hand, completely void of my next step.

It was supposed to be a fictional landscape. I, naturally, went with a weird, distorted future. Unfortunately, I had only gotten as far the literal landscape and was having trouble figuring out what would populate it.

"Kete!" Ma yelled from downstairs.

"Yes!" I answered and waited. And waited. "Ma?"

I sighed in frustration. Ndi ga dhuwha (I might as well just go) , I thought. I wasn't doing anything productive here so why not, right?

I turned to walk downstairs when I remembered that I still had the paintbrush in my hand. As I turned to put it down, I noticed something in the landscape.

I leaned in closer.

Closer.

There, I realized. In the grass in the right corner, there seemed to be a familiar smiling face laid in the grass.