ABSTRACT
Boom! The unimaginable happened. I jumped out of my hiding place. I looked in the direction from which the sound came and saw clouds of dark smoke erupting from Samakhab’s shop. I ran towards the shop with the hope that I would be able to save it. As I got closer, I saw some young men fleeing from the scene while a handful of people were gathering outside the burning shop. Inside the dark smoke, two faint voices could be heard crying for help. They had been caught unawares and had not found the time to escape the fire that was now raging in the shop. I saw Mr. Khumalo trying to save them but the fire was spreading so fast. I became outraged and frightened. I shouted at the top of my voice calling on them to try and escape the fire. Bit by bit, the cries in the burning shop became fainter and fainter. I could not believe this was the end. The flames died down leaving only smoke smouldering into the sky. Everything had been destroyed. I threw myself onto the ground, sat there, with my head clasped in my hands. Streams of tears rolled down my cheeks as my thoughts took me back to my place of origin. I relived the violence that had led me to be where I was at that moment. Was this really happening or I was dreaming? Was this a case of history repeating itself?
