Apple of mi eye

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Apple of mi eye I have a rainbow of emotions

27/08/2026

*CHAPTER 3 - THE MONEY UNDER THE BED*

The water in the bathtub was too hot. Mom always makes it too hot.

*Mam Manzini:* Wash it off properly. Gadafi doesn't like a dirty offering.

I scrubbed my wrists. The cuts were not deep, but they stung. The black mixture was still in my skin. It smelled like burnt rosemary and copper.

*Me:* Mom, where does the money come from?

She didn't answer. She was downstairs counting. I could hear her. One, two, three — flipping the notes fast. She always counts it three times.

When I came downstairs in my pyjamas, she had already hidden the stacks in the kitchen cupboard, behind the maize meal. Like always.

*Mam Manzini:* Snow baby, come eat. You did well.

She was smiling now. The nice Mom. The one who makes me amagwinya on Sundays.

*Me:* Mom, I don't want to do it again tomorrow. Please.

Her smile disappeared.

*Mam Manzini:* You think this mansion pays for itself? You think your fancy curly hair, your phone, your clothes? Huh? You think I work? Gadafi provides. And you... you are the reason he stays. Because of your father's blood. You are special.

That again. My father's blood.

*Me:* Then tell me who my father is! If his blood is so special, why did he leave us? Why are we hiding in this bush?

She slammed the plate.

*Mam Manzini:* Enough! Go to your room!

I ran upstairs. Not to the ritual room. To MY room. I locked the door. My real room was small, unlike the rest of the mansion. No mirror. Mom said mirrors offend Gadafi.

My phone was buzzing. A message from my best friend, Lethu:

> *Lethu:* Sino, village is saying your mom's mansion has lights on upstairs again even when Eskom is off. What is she doing there? 😭

I wanted to tell her everything. About the cuts. About the hissing. About waking up in that room even when I run away.

But then I felt it.

A cold wind under my bedroom door. And a soft hissing sound, right outside.

*Hiss... Ss

27/08/2026

*CHAPTER 2 - Sinothando's POV 🦄🐬*

*Mam Manzini:* So are you just going to stand there? Get your filthy self here now!

_I walked to Mom with tears all over my face._

*Mam Manzini:* Do I have to tell you what to do every time? Huh?

*Me:* I'm... I'm sorry... sorr...

*Mam Manzini:* Could you just get over it already.

_I took off my outer clothes, leaving my vest on, went to the bed and lay down. I made sure to close my eyes tight._

_Mam Manzini started to stir her mixture. Then she came closer to me with a small razor blade in her hand._

*Me:* Mum plea...

_She gave me that killer look that always makes me go quiet. Then she carried on. She made small cuts on my wrist and under my feet and put the dark mixture on the wounds. It burned._

_Mam Manzini then walked around the room, sprinkling the mixture, whistling, looking around to see if the mighty Gadafi had arrived. Then we heard it — a loud hissing sound. She smiled._

*Mam Manzini:* Now that's my cue. For your sake, Sino baby, I hope you will be a good girl. You know what to do and what not to do.

_I kept my eyes closed even though my tears kept falling. I wish this thing would just get over and done with. I have no control over my body and running away isn't an option. I tried once, twice, maybe three times, but every time I fall asleep, I wake up in this very room with a very angry snake and Mom on the sides of the bed._

_The Gadafi 🐍 appeared from under the bed, circled around me, hissing loudly. The whole room went cold. I was shaking. It stayed for a few minutes that felt like hours, then slowly went back under the bed. Just as Mam Manzini opened the door, Gadafi 🐍 suddenly disappeared._

_Mam Manzini peeked under the bed and saw it — the thing she wanted most. Money 💰 2 thick stacks of it. Not as much as she expected, b

27/08/2026

*CHAPTER 1*

The stairs creaked.

Not the normal creak. This house is too rich to creak. These stairs creaked like they were warning me. Like they were tired of me going up and down.

Thirteen steps. I counted them every time. One... two... three... It made it less scary.

By step number seven, I could smell it.

That smell. That strong, sweet and bitter smell. Like incense and old herbs and something else I couldn't name. Mom burns it every time she goes up there.

*Mam Manzini:* SINOTHANDO! Are you crawling?!

*Me:* I'm coming, Mom!

The upstairs was different. Downstairs is modern - big TV, white kitchen, glass everything. Upstairs is... old. Dark wood. No windows. Just one long hallway with three doors.

But we only ever go to the last one.

The door was already open. Mom was standing inside, her back to me. In front of her, on the floor, was that big black bowl again. And around it, white candles already lit.

My heart started beating so fast.

*Me:* Mom, not today. Please. I did it yesterday. My nose bled yesterday, remember?

She finally turned around. And for a second, I swear, she didn't look like my Mom. Her eyes were too red. Too far away.

*Mam Manzini:* Your nose bled because you are weak, Sinothando. Your father's blood made you weak. This will make you strong. Sit.

For the past 6 months, since I turned 16, this has been my life. Every sunset. Every single day. I have to sit in front of that bowl, drink something that tastes like bitter soil, and listen to her chant words I don't understand.

She says it's to protect me. To hide me from people who are looking for me.

But protect me from who?

I sat down. My curly hair was sticking to my sweaty forehead. The candles flickered even though there was no wind.

Mom took my hand. Her hand was ice cold.

*Mam Manzini:* Close your eyes. And whatever you hear upstairs... don't open them. Do you understand me?

I nodded. But this time, I heard it too.

A soft scratching sound, coming from INSIDE the wall ..

27/08/2026

*INTRO 🌅*

_The sun is setting._
_In a very busy village, there is a very big mansion hidden in the bush. A place most people don't even know exists._

*Me:* But Mum, you know how much I don't like going upstairs! _(I sulked)_

*Mam Manzini:* Well, you don't have a choice! Get up here, NOW!!!

_I slowly, but surely, went up to help Mom and guess what!_

*Me:* _tears start forming_ Mom, please! I am begging you, not again. Mom, I... I... I promise. I promise to behave. I'll stop asking you stupid questions... Mom, please.

_I looked into her eyes, searching for a little bit of sympathy. Maybe I could make her feel just a little guilty for what she has been making me do for the past 6 months._

*Before I get carried away -*

My name is Sinothando Alexis Manzini. A mix of Zulu and Asian. At least, that's what Mom told me. She weirdly never talks about my Dad. All she ever said is that he is Asian, which is why I look a bit white with long, curly, brown hair full of volume. Sometimes it really frustrates me.

_What is really going on upstairs?_
_What is Sino so scared of?_

Buckle up, guys. I promise only the best. Just keep your eyes glued. 🧘

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