Entwined

by Cheryl S. Ntumy

  I pass the coffee shop, nod once towards my friends, and then keep walking. I turn back briefly; Rose is following me, and Rakwena is following her. Lebz and Wiki wait in the coffee shop. I walk across the parking lot, across the road, towards the bridge. It’s dark as hell, but I keep going. Over the bridge, down to the side of the road, down, right, down again, and into the trees. The trees are high and slender, their bark patched with ashy grey and white streaks. Twigs and leaves crack beneath my shoes. This is no place for a girl at night. There could be muggers or rapists or worse. I stifle a hysterical laugh. Worse, definitely.

  I come to a stop in a spot among the trees and wait, trying to still my pounding heart. Deep breaths, Connie. Everything will be fine. I reach into my pocket to make sure my phone is still there. If it rings, I’ll know Amantle is coming.

  I hear Rose’s footsteps and turn just in time to see her walking through the trees. She stands a short distance away, watching me. She’s still thin, but sinewy and taut, like biltong, and strong – very strong. She’s wearing short shorts and a flimsy top that has slid down to expose one shoulder, but beneath the fabric her body radiates power. Her eyes shine grey in the moonlight.

  “Hi, Rose.”

  “You don’t give up.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  She grunts. “What do you want?”

  I take a deep breath. It’s hard not to be afraid of her when she’s like this. “I want what you want. I want to set you free.” I take a step closer.

  Her top lip curls in a feral snarl. “Stay back.”

  It seems a little crazy that I’m about to get into a fight with a twelve-year-old in hot pants. “Let me help you, Rose.” Another step.

  She lunges at me. It’s Connie! I can’t hurt Connie. She’s my only hope… She stops a few centimetres away from me, her hands poised to scratch. If she were a cat her claws would be out. I catch a glimpse of light, a blue spark from somewhere behind the trees. Thank God!

  I turn my attention back to Rose’s barricaded mind. I chip away at the barrier slowly, patiently. I have to break out of this. I have to get away. I have to trust Connie. It’s the only way. I trusted her before…

  I gasp as a crack forms in the barrier and I see what happened after Amantle caught us on Monday. Amantle’s hand on Rose’s forehead, Rose screaming… excruciating pain. Not physical pain, but something else, something worse. Amantle made her see things, things her mind refuses to remember. My hunch was right – the Puppetmaster does have a special connection with Amantle. She’s his prize pupil.

  “You’ve brought me nothing but trouble,” says Rose, in a tone that implies that she really couldn’t care less. “I’m not going to let you in. They’ll punish me.”

  “The only reason they can punish you is because you’re under his power!” I try to keep my voice calm, but I’m scared. “You have to break his hold over you.”

  Her eyes flicker and she frowns, lowering her hands. “I… Connie…”

  “It’s OK.” The necklace. Give Connie the necklace. It’s the only way.

  Her hands go up to her neck, caressing the chain. “No.”

  It’s the only way I can save myself. It’s my only chance. I have to do it. I have to let it go. Now. There’s no time to waste. I have to do it now!

  Her grip on the necklace tightens. “I…” Her eyes flicker again. “I don’t… I can’t… No!”

  As long as he’s in her head, the necklace stays on. But if I can gain control for just one second… Forget subtlety – this is war. I don’t have the time to stand here trying to reason with her. Out of the corner of my eye I see Rakwena step out of the shadows.

  Rose. Listen to me. You are going to give me that necklace.

  “No.”

  Yes. You are going to give it to me because you have no other choice. If you keep it, it will kill you. You want to die? I don’t think so. Take it off and give it to me, or else I’ll come and get it.

  “No!”

  I’m starting to lose my temper. Rose, the necklace. Now. I move closer to her and she backs away. Give it to me. Now.

  She shakes her head, conflicted. “I… don’t…” She looks up at me. Her eyes flicker again, and then, very, very slowly, the grey film slides away and I’m looking into the wide, innocent eyes I know.

  There’s no time to think. I reach out and close my fist around the necklace, but a fraction of a second later the window has closed and the grey film is back on. With an insane burst of laughter, Rose shoves me to the ground and I land on my back with a painful thud, the impact sending jarring sparks of pain through my limbs. She’s on top of me, her lips parted in a sneer. I cry out, but keep my hand locked around the necklace.

  She screams, pummelling her fists against my shoulders. It’s like being hit with concrete blocks, but I don’t let go. Instead I pull, trying to break the clasp. She sinks her teeth into my shoulder and I scream, trying to push her away with one hand and pull off the necklace with the other.

  A moment later her weight disappears, forcing my grip on the necklace to slacken. Rose moves through the air and falls into Rakwena’s arms.

  “I can’t hold her for long,” he warns me. “Come and get it off!”

  I scramble to my feet and pain shoots through my legs, but I can’t think about that now. I push through the pain and approach Rose. She’s flailing like a wild animal. Stop fighting, I instruct her, but she’s not listening. I crouch down, dodging her flying legs, and make a grab for the necklace, but her foot connects with my elbow and I let out a loud cry as pain shoots all the way down my arm, tingling through my fingers.

  With the kind of flexibility you only see in bad action movies, Rose twists her arm backwards and lands a punch right on Rakwena’s temple. He blinks, dazed, and releases her. In a second she has me on the ground again, scratching, clawing, ripping the fabric of my T-shirt. I reach for the necklace and she punches me in the nose. Warm blood gushes down my face. Crap. Dad is going to kill me, I think, and then I remember that Rose might kill me first.

  Focus, Connie, focus! I grab her face in both my hands. Rose. Stop it. Stop it…

  She hesitates for a moment, but it’s enough. Rakwena grabs her legs from behind and drags her off me. She responds with a kick so impossible that for a while I’m actually convinced it didn’t happen. She draws her right leg in, tucking it under her body, then shoots it out from the hip in true martial arts style. Her foot lands right in the middle of Rakwena’s chest and – really, I swear – he goes flying backwards through the air and lands spread-eagled on the ground.

  I’m so shocked by the perfection of that kick that she’s upon me before I have a chance to act, and my head sings as another punch lands against my temple. My vision is getting blurry, but I can see the necklace dangling above me, and that’s all I need. I snatch it and pull with all my strength. Drops of blood fall onto my shirt and Rose jumps up, jerking the necklace out of my reach. Her neck is bleeding from where the chain cut into her flesh, but I’m not in the mood to be sympathetic.

  She crouches over me, fresh as ever. No sweat, no panting. She doesn’t even notice her injuries, but I’m hurting all over. The ache in my shoulder is spreading and my head is throbbing. Spots dance before my eyes. Rose, please. Just give me the necklace!

  She’s about to hit me again when Rakwena comes back, grabbing her waist from behind. Before he can use his gift to hold her she strains against him, sending a bony elbow into his ribs. He grunts but doesn’t let go. “Connie…”

  “OK, OK!” I grab the front of Rose’s top and do the only thing I can think of – I smack her across the face as hard as I can.

  Her body goes still with shock, and I grab the necklace and pull with all my might. She screams so loud they must be able to hear it back at Riverwalk. I use both my hands and pull hard, knowing that the chain is cutting into her, but also knowing that I’d rather have her scarred and rational. Sorry, sweetie. It’s for your own good, I tell her, and then I pull even harder, l
eaning backwards and digging my heels into the ground. Her hands break Rakwena’s hold and go up to clutch at the necklace. I hear her foot crack against Rakwena’s kneecap. He stumbles but doesn’t let go.

  My palms start to bleed as the chain cuts into the skin. The clasp breaks, and the necklace comes free so suddenly that I fall over backwards. It pulses against my palm like a faint heartbeat, and for the first time I can feel the full force of the energy it contains. It’s so powerful it makes me want to vomit, but I swallow hard and look up at Rose. Her body has gone limp in Rakwena’s arms and he’s doubled over, finally giving in to his wounds.

  “Connie!”

  “I’m fine.” I get up groggily, my head still pounding. “Are you OK?”

  “Not for long,” he says softly. “We’re not alone.”

  It’s only then that I notice the vibrating bulge in my pocket. My phone. Lebz! She must have been calling for a while, but I was a little distracted. I turn around. I can’t see them, but I can hear them crashing through the trees. They’re moving fast.

  “We have to go.” Rakwena hoists Rose over his shoulder. “Can you run?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  He sprints through the trees and I follow, each step sending pain shooting through my body. I keep my fist closed around the necklace and run, focusing on Rakwena’s back and trying not to listen to the footsteps behind us. At one point I have to stop to catch my breath. I lean my hand against the trunk of a tree for a second, then gather what’s left of my strength and keep running. We head back to Riverwalk, moving along the road and then jumping over the railings and running into the parking lot. We’re almost safe now. There are security guards and lots of cars, but I can’t forget that we’re being chased by maniacs. A few witnesses might not bother them.

  We make our way towards Rakwena’s truck. When we reach it, he lays Rose on the backseat, and then we wait and watch.

  They emerge from the darkness, stop in the parking lot and look at us for a while.

  “What are they waiting for?” I whisper.

  “They won’t come after us,” says Rakwena in a weary voice. “There’s no point – Rose is out. She’s not their problem any more.”

  The four girls turn away and walk back into the mall. I’m strangely unsettled. It feels too easy. I reach for my phone and call Lebz to tell her where we are. I hang up, slide the phone into my pocket, and look up at Rakwena. “You look terrible, by the way.”

  “You look worse. Your father will have a heart attack.”

  I shrug and look at the spot where the girls were standing just minutes ago. “So that’s the end of it?”

  “The end?” Rakwena laughs. “Connie, this is only the beginning.”

  I hear a shout – Lebz and Wiki have seen us. I could use a shower and a holiday, but Rakwena is right. This is just the beginning.

  “Connie!” Lebz is upon me like a small tornado. “Oh my God! What did you do?”

  I wince and push her away. “I wasn’t very successful at defending myself.” I climb gingerly into the backseat beside Rose, who is slumped against the seat with her head lolling to one side.

  “Rose did this?” Lebz shoots a wary glance at the limp body next to me. “Move over. I’m not sitting next to her.”

  “She’s unconscious, and the necklace is off. She’s just Rose now.”

  The engine starts and Rakwena pulls the car out of the parking lot. Wiki sits beside him, peering back at me with a dismayed expression.

  “I’ll survive,” I promise him. “I’m not the one who got kicked into the air.”

  “That was nothing,” Rakwena scoffs, but his voice holds an undercurrent of anxiety.

  “What are we going to do with her?” asks Lebz, stealing another wary glance at Rose. “I know where she lives, but we can’t take her home like this.”

  “We’re taking her to Ntatemogolo.” I feel a sharp jolt through my shoulder. “He’ll know what to do.”

  “He’s not going to be happy that you disobeyed him,” says Wiki. He’s still staring at me as if I’ve sprouted another limb and he’s deciding how to amputate it before someone else notices.

  I lean back and close my eyes. Right now I don’t care how angry my grandfather will be, or how upset my dad will be when he sees all my wounds. Rose is safe, I have the necklace, and we all got out of it alive. That’s what matters.

  “So where is it?” Lebz’s voice is almost a whisper. “The necklace.”

  I open one eye and grin at her. “You want it as a souvenir of your first supernatural mission?”

  “Sies.” She shudders. “Probably has ground up human bones in the locket or something. I just want to make sure you keep it far away from me.”

  I chuckle. “Don’t worry. It’s right here.” I slide my hand into my pocket and rummage around, but all I can feel is my phone and my house key. I sit up straight and check the other pocket. “It’s in one of these pockets, I’m sure.” No, I’m not sure. Not at all. “Crap,” I whisper, glancing through the back window. Riverwalk is far behind us now. “Rakwena?”

  “I don’t have it,” he says, with unfathomable calm. “It must be somewhere on you, Connie.”

  I shake my head. I remember. I was running and I stopped to catch my breath. I doubled over and put my hands on my knees. Then I raised my right hand – the one holding the necklace – and pressed my palm against the bark of a tree. The necklace must have slipped to the ground and I was too tired and hurt to notice.

  “I dropped it. In the bush behind Riverwalk. Oh, crap…”

  No one says a word. No comforting clichés, no unconvincing lines about how it doesn’t matter and it will all be OK. Everyone in the car knows the truth – I put us through this ordeal for a necklace I then dropped in the bush, where anyone could find it.

  “We can go back and look,” suggests Wiki.

  “No.” I lick my dry lips. “We have to take care of Rose.”

  “We can go back afterwards,” says Rakwena.

  “Maybe.” But I know we won’t find it. It could be in the hands of some innocent person, or it could be back in the hands of the Puppetmaster. The latter is the most likely. No wonder Amantle and friends were so quick to give up the chase. They’re probably already selecting their newest recruit.

  Ntatemogolo is quiet. Rakwena has gone to drop Lebz and Wiki at home and I sit alone in the living room as my grandfather tends to Rose in the consultation room. He hasn’t said one word to me – he knows better than to lose his temper when he has a sick child to deal with. He uses his head, unlike his idiot of a granddaughter.

  I hear soft sounds coming from the consultation room – the scraping of a metal spoon against a wooden bowl, the crackle of fire and a wheezing cough. Rose must be awake. I went to the bathroom and cleaned myself up a little, but my nose is swollen, I’m covered in bruises and Rose’s teeth left a deep mark in my shoulder. It’s stopped bleeding but the stains on my torn shirt will be difficult to explain to Dad. I could say it was a dog. He might believe that.

  The door to the consultation room opens and Ntatemogolo steps out. He closes the door behind him and comes to sit in a chair opposite me, waiting in silence for me to plead my case.

  “I’m sorry.” It comes out as a fractured croak. I clear my throat and try again. “Ntatemogolo, I should have listened to you. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “You were not thinking,” he replies in a steady voice. “You were just acting, impulsive and reckless and ignorant of the consequences. Look at your face. Look what you got yourself into. And your friends?”

  “They wanted –”

  “They wanted what?” he cuts in brusquely. “To risk their lives to keep you out of trouble? Did they ask to be part of your insanity, or did their sense of loyalty give them no choice?”

  There are no words to redeem me. I hang my head. “I’m sorry.”

  “I know you’re sorry, but it changes nothing. You went against all the advice I gave you. And after all
that, you still lost the necklace.”

  I feel a pang of guilt and frustration.

  Ntatemogolo heaves a weary sigh. “The girl will be fine. She’s conscious. She can be taken home as soon as Rakwena comes back with the car. She’s weak,” he goes on, “and she has a lot of injuries. He pushed them hard, and without the necklace to give her strength her body is finally dealing with the abuse. It will take time for her to heal completely, but she will. The others might not be so lucky.”

  I nod. “Should we tell her parents…?”

  “Certainly not.” He looks at me as if I’ve suggested breaking into a bank armed with a water pistol. “Tell them you found her passed out in the parking lot.”

  I nod again. “Thank you for helping her, Ntatemogolo.”

  He grunts. “I did what I could. But helping her was easier than helping you, I’m afraid.” He fixes his steady gaze on me. “He knows who you are, Conyza. He can find you now, and I won’t always be here to protect you.”

  I swallow hard and try not to dwell on that. “Are the traditional doctors any closer to finding out who he is?”

  “Maybe.”

  Maybe? It’s not like him to be so vague. “They have some clues?”

  He doesn’t answer. “Conyza, you must make me a promise.”

  I squirm. I don’t like making promises because I’m lousy at keeping them. “What is it, Ntatemogolo?”

  “Please leave those necklaces alone. You have saved Rose, now leave the others. Do you hear me? No more heroics. Leave it to those who are older and wiser.”

  Well. There’s no way in hell I’m promising that. I squirm some more. I glance out through the window, hoping Rakwena will turn up and interrupt. I become fascinated by the cuts on my hands.

  “Conyza.”