Free The Death of Rex Nhongo by C.B. George Page A

reasons I put this business in front of you. Do you know that? Do you know why I put this business in front of you?”
    Mandiveyi felt helpless. He said, “No, sir.”
    Iganyana strained his whisky through his teeth and effected the same curious noise he’d made when looking out of the window. It was not a laugh, more like a snarl. “I chose you, because you are a weak man with many vices and much to lose.”
    Mandiveyi said nothing. There was nothing to be said.
    “Of course, you know my nickname, isn’t it?” Mandiveyi didn’t know how to acknowledge as much, but it seemed his acknowledgment was not required. “ Iganyana, the painted dog, on account of this—” he splayed his fingers and gestured down across his face. “—discoloration. But I like to think I have grown into the description. Do you know how the painted dog kills his prey?”
    Mandiveyi was at a loss. “He is a pack hunter, sir,” he mumbled.
    “Of course he is a pack hunter!” Iganyana exclaimed. “But that is not my point. The painted dog will pursue his prey over several kilometers. He is not particularly fast, but he is dogged—excuse the pun. A wildebeest, even an impala, has only so much energy. Eventually he will tire and then the dog is vicious, he will tear the animal apart.” Iganyana smiled. Mandiveyi saw a pair of gaping chasms in the ink blot. “Nothing can outrun the painted dog.”

15
    I knew I done sumthin wrong only Sasa tell me not to worry about it. He say he tell me nuthin gonna happen to the baby an, for sure, nuthin happen to the baby so he don know what all the fuss about. That what he say only he don say it that way. Sasa don speak English an he don speak Shona. He speak his own language what only me unnerstan. He say this when we on our way home from the party an Mom an Dad fightin in the front seat (Dad say, “We not fighting, little bird. It’s just a frank exchange of views.” Momma say, “Why are you lying, Shawn? Why are you always lying?”).
    I tell Sasa to keep quiet cos I wanna hear, but he jus keep on like he does—when Sasa got sumthin to say he jus keep sayin it until you gots no choice but to listen, even if you don wanna. Mostly he jus say, “Look at me! Look at me!” An he spread his wings wide and show off his belly, which so black you feel like it not really there an you could put your whole hand right inside.
    After what happen, after Dad get out the pool and change into a T-shirt and short he borrow from Theo’s dad, he go, “OK, it’s time for us to leave right now!” An he take me by the arm an he hold it so tight I starts to cry.
    Theo’s dad walk behind us, goin, “Don’t worry. It was an accident. He’s OK.”
    But my dad know otherwise an when we gets to the car he put me face down on the seat an he smack my backside an he shoutin at me only quiet an I can feel his spit on my ear. He go, “I saw you, Rosie. I saw what you did. You could’ve killed that boy, you know that? You could have killed him.”
    An I know he seen what I done an the tears sting my eyes cos I real shamed, but he dint see Sasa standin next to me on the edge jus sayin, “Do it,” an “Do it,” an “Do it,” until I gots no choice but to listen.
    Altho it’s me what dun the sumthin bad an Dad smack me cross my behind, he still real angry wid Momma, tho she angry first. Momma get in the car an she jab a finger at him an she go, “I ever see you raise a hand to our daughter again, Shawn, I’ll…”
    An Dad jab a finger right back. “You’ll what, Kuda? You’ll fucking what?”
    “I’ll kill you,” Mom say, an that make Dad stay quiet for a bit an then shake his head an stare at the road in front.
    Sasa sayin to me, “Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!”
    Dad sayin to Mom, “You’re sick, you know that? You’re sick in the head. You’re mentally ill.”
    Sasa sayin, “Sick in the head! Sick in the head!”
    Dad sayin, “You think I didn’t see you watching her? What were you doing?