By Any Means

by Kurt Ellis

  There was silence. The three cousins strolled along in the shade of the huge slingerberry trees that lined the street.

  Captain spoke up again. “So, cuz, I’m happy for you, but let’s not put all your eggs in one basket, ek sê. Just be careful, bru. That’s all I am saying. Stekkies break hearts. That’s why men become gay.”

  Jimmy and Kyle burst out laughing.

  “I’m serious,” Captain continued with a straight face. “They get their hearts broken one too many times by women, and then they say fuck it, I rather take a dick in the ass than deal with this shit any more. That’s less painful. Why do you think they’re called gay? Because they’re happy, ek sê.”

  “Anthony, you just take talking shit to a whole other level, huh?” said Kyle.

  “It’s a God-given talent.” Again they laughed. “By the way, say thanks to Charlie for bringing the teams through on the weekend. I appreciate it. Really.”

  Kyle smiled. “Of course. We appreciated the practice and the trophies.”

  As they reached the cross in the road, Kyle asked Captain, “Is it so wrong for me to want to live in this dream world of mine? Any other world but this one? A world of love, poetry, peace? A world of beauty and light?”

  Captain smiled back. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, ek sê. I’m just worried what’ll happen if and when you find out this world of light also has some shadows.”

  20

  “You’re late,” she said in mock rebuke.

  “You’re early,” he smiled back and hugged her.

  “So what is it that you want to show me?”

  “You’ll see.” Kyle put his arm around her shoulders. “Come with me.”

  They walked through the passageway and climbed the stinking stairs. He thought that she’d want to turn back because of the reek, but she didn’t even complain. Finally they reached the top and he pushed the broken door open.

  “This is what I wanted to show you,” Kyle said.

  They stood on top of the highest building in Sydenham.

  “Wow,” she exclaimed. “This is beautiful.”

  ”I like to come up here sometimes. When I need to think, or pray. I talk to God, I talk to my mother. Or I just keep quiet and wait for them to talk to me. They haven’t as yet, but I’ll wait.”

  Amia walked over to the edge and scanned the rooftops. “I can’t believe how beautiful Sydenham looks from up here.”

  Kyle grinned. “I’m happy you like it.” He pulled her closer. “The reason I wanted to show you this is because I wanted to share something very special with you. I don’t have a lot I can give, but I can give you this. It’s not a lot. But …”

  She smiled. “It’s beautiful.” And kissed him. “One of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen.”

  “There’s something else I want to tell you.” Kyle searched for the words to begin with. “After what happened with my mother, I … I can’t explain it … I mean, even before she took her life … My father used to beat her up something awful. He’d hit her with spades and broomsticks. I hated him so much, and I hated her for being so damn weak. Then after she died and he disappeared, I had no other feeling within me except hate and anger. I also hated myself for being so full of hate, if that makes any sense to you. But then you came along. And all that hate and anger I had in my heart disappeared. You made me feel again, and I lo–”

  She didn’t allow him to finish what he was saying. Instead, she grabbed him by the nape of the neck and kissed him deeply.

  21

  It was overcast that Monday. The grey clouds had rolled in like armoured tanks and had beaten the sun into submission. It was not raining as yet, but the wind howled a warning full of foreboding. This was how Captain felt as he and a few of the Godfathers stood about in the school’s second-floor hallway, trying to escape the moaning wind. The laughter of the others echoed down the empty passage as Wahied and German told the tale of how Shivas had almost taken off his finger with a table saw the previous week while trying to build a desk. But Captain wasn’t paying much attention. He looked at the dark sky. He felt uneasy, as if something was trying to communicate with him, but he could not understand what was being said. His eyes moved from the sky to the ground outside, falling on a guy named Mark as he walked into the boys’ toilet. That little shit had bought some ecstasy tablets from them last week Friday. He was supposed to have paid them that very same weekend, but still his account remained overdue.

  Captain wrapped his arm around Bruge, the Godfathers’ debt collector. “Check here, ek sê,” he started. “I just saw that punk Mark going into the toilet.”

  Bruge looked over the edge of the balcony at the toilet door. “Aight, the fucker owes me two clips.” Ecstasy tablets were R10 each, and Mark had bought twenty.

  Bruge tapped Big Earl on his shoulder and they made their way downstairs to the toilet. The others continued talking.

  Lester turned to Captain. “Ek sê, my lightie broer said he checked Tyson with some of the old NBKs sipping at the shebubs together.”

  Captain shrugged nonchalantly. “Okay. Why would I be bothered about who Tyson drinks with at the shebeen?”

  Lester shook his head slowly. “You should be bothered, bru. After they came bumping at the soccer tournament, and with that ou Craig being at Carmen’s party. They look like they want to start some shit. Maybe it’s time we wake up a little here, ek sê. I mean, what if they’re plotting something big? They could be plotting us, and we’re just sitting here with our hands in our pockets.”

  “Lees is right,” agreed Wahied. “Maybe we should hit them first. While they’re not expecting it.”

  Captain shook his head. “We aren’t gonna do anything like that. I chooned you ous already. Lazarus made it clear that he doesn’t want any shit. And Tyson won’t want to cause any flops by making a move. Let him bump. That is all he’s doing. He’s trying to provoke us. He is an idiot, but he ain’t that dumb. He won’t want to piss Lazarus off by making a move on us. As long as we don’t start shit, he can’t do shit. He can’t and he won’t touch us.”

  Captain spoke with a confidence he did not really feel. Sure, theoretically Tyson wouldn’t dare cross Lazarus. But then again, he just might be that dumb. Captain knew that there were still NBKs out there who weren’t happy with him and the Godfathers about splitting from them. There had always been tension between the members of the two crews, but the Lazarus factor and the fact that their leader was behind bars had made sure that that tension did not escalate. Still, the tension had remained there, like a barrel of gunpowder waiting for a match. Tyson’s release could very well be the spark that would set it off. But dangerous as this was, a part of Captain did hope that Tyson would make a move first. That would be all the excuse he needed to destroy the NBKs once and for all. He would also have the backing of Lazarus, and together they would eliminate any threat to the Godfathers. They could wipe them off the planet. He just had to make sure he was not the cause of the conflict, to ensure that he had Lazarus in his corner. And why wouldn’t Lazarus be on his side? He just had to be cautious with his actions. And not only his own actions, but those of the rest of the Godfathers as well.

  A few minutes passed before Bruge and Earl came back up the stairs, in the company of Spider and Shivas. Bruge tapped his shirt pocket twice, to signal that he’d got the money. The looks on the faces of Shivas and Spider, though, were a little more concerning.

  “Ek sê,” Spider said to Captain, “we need to choon with you quickly.”

  Captain, Bruge, Shivas and Spider went into one of the empty classrooms.

  Spider turned to Shivas. “Choon him what you chooned me.”

  Shivas took a while before he spoke, as if he was hesitant to give Captain disturbing news. “Well, I was at the jol this weekend. And I was chilling with some ous, you know, just sipping and shit. And Wesley was there. And that skybird Wesley starts talking shit about you, and about Nazneen.”

  Captain’s eyes narrowed. �
��What was he saying?”

  Spider placed his hand on Captain’s shoulder. “Whoa, Cap. Let’s take it easy.”

  Captain shrugged Spider’s hand off his shoulder and stepped up to Shivas threateningly. “What did he say?”

  “Hey, I don’t want to cause any shit here, bru.”

  “Shivas, I’m not going to ask you again. What the fuck did he say?” Captain growled, his voice only slightly louder than a whisper.

  Shivas sighed. “Aight. He said that he … he used to … put for Nazneen. That he took her virginity, and even when the two of you started jolling in the beginning, he was still … with her behind your back. He also said that he doesn’t baaiser for you. That you’re not as tough as people think you are.”

  Nobody spoke. Captain absorbed what he’d heard, his jaw clenching with anger. He knew Wesley was lying. He knew it for a fact. Nazneen had been a virgin when they started dating. He was sure of that, and he did not believe for a second that she would cheat on him. Not Nazneen. But that was not the problem. The problem was being disrespected in front of others. He had worked too hard and too long for what he had to have some pretty-boy prick talk shit behind his back and about the woman he loved.

  Lester popped his head in through the door. “What kind here, ouens? Apartheid is over. Why the segregation?”

  Bruge filled him in. Lester shrugged and looked at Captain. “Bru to bru, ek sê, I heard the same shit.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me, outie?”

  Lester smiled. “Cause I knew it was bullshit. Wesley is just talking out of his ass. I don’t know what’s up with that punk. And I didn’t tell you cause I know you, Cap. You’ll get naar and then stomp the clown, but it seriously isn’t worth it. Bruge and I can go sort him out if you want. Just one or two slaps will shut him up. Guaranteed. He and his crew of skybirds calling themselves the Sydenham Mafia – they’re a joke, ek sê. Nothing to bother yourself with.”

  There was a moment of silence before Captain spoke. “Ouens, los me and Spider here alone for a second. We need to talk.”

  The rest of the Godfathers left, leaving Captain alone in the classroom with his second-in-command.

  “Lester did the right thing not telling you,” Spider said softly. “Wesley is a punk. A fucking fly, not worth the effort.”

  Captain turned and walked to the window. He looked out at the other school kids, standing around below in small cliques of friends. The boys were doing whatever they could to be the “dat ou”. Not running around, to prevent themselves from sweating and from messing up their hair. The girls were all trying to be popular. Trying to be the object of desire for these boys. All trying to find a place in a social structure based on clothes, choons and brus. They were not that different from him. Captain had once searched for a way up from the bottom of this pyramid and he’d found it when he joined the NBKs. The first time he held a gun, it was to rob a white boy in town. Captain had never felt so guilty in his life. All he could think of was: if only his grandfather knew. It was then that he’d decided he would not be a thief. But because of this robbery, slowly his social status began to climb. Then there was the incident in Wentworth. The NBKs were there at a community show, and a rival gang turned up. The fight was brutal. It was all fists and knives, until one of the rival gangsters pulled out a gun and shot at them. The NBKs scattered and ducked for cover. All except for Captain. He snatched Tyson’s gun from his belt and fired back. That was how he got shot in his lower abdomen, but he still managed to return fire, hitting the other guy twice. The opposition gangster survived the gunshots, but from that day on, Captain was more than just a regular member of the NBKs. He had street cred. He became something of a celebrity. Are you Captain? Hi, I’m Tracy. Or: Ek sê, bru, come park with the ouens here. Have a dop.

  That was how he’d become who he was. He was feared because he never hesitated to do what others wouldn’t. He believed that in order to be successful, that’s what you had to do. He fought hard, got stabbed and shot at some more, but he never backed down. He made a reputation for himself, and it was a reputation he was willing to protect. By any means necessary.

  Captain turned to Spider. “He’s a punk, isn’t he?”

  Spider smiled. “The biggest fucking punk there is.”

  “That’s why I can’t let this go.”

  Spider was silent for a moment. “Okay, then let Bruge and Lees take care of him.”

  Captain shook his head. “It has to be me. He didn’t talk shit about the Godfathers. He spoke shit about me and Nazneen personally. I won’t be seen as someone who won’t fight his own battles.”

  Spider seemed to ponder this for a second or two, then he shook his head. “I think that’s a bad idea. You’ll take it too far.”

  Captain smiled and patted Spider on the shoulder. “That’s why I’ve got you around. To make sure I don’t. And don’t worry. One back-hand and Wesley will be done.”

  22

  The four Godfathers were standing at the Boggies. They were not drinking, but were passing a cigarette between them.

  Captain counted down the seconds. They had just driven around the neighbourhood looking for Wesley, but the snake and his crew of idiots were nowhere to be seen. They were not in their usual places. So the Godfathers had decided to regroup at the Boggies. Captain took a cigarette from Spider and passed it on to Wahied. Bruge was talking about something or another when the leader of the Godfathers glanced at his cellphone to see the time. It was almost 18:00 and his patience was wearing thin. He wanted to get the business of putting Wesley in his place out of the way as soon as possible.

  The sudden vibration of his phone startled him. He didn’t recognise the phone number, but pressed the green answer button. “Hello?”

  “Captain? Is that you?”

  The accent was strangely familiar, but Captain could not place it. “Yeah. Who’s this?”

  “Good. This is José. José Cuna.”

  The drug supplier from Mozambique. Captain wondered how José had got his phone number, but he didn’t ask. Instead he said, “Okay, hey. Howzit, bru? How you keeping?”

  “Good. Good,” came the reply. “Can you talk now? Busy?”

  “Talk about what?”

  “Business. You must know me now, Captain. I only talk business.”

  I should know you by now? Captain thought. I only met you a handful of times and we hardly spoke. But he said, “Sure. What can I do for you?”

  “You remember we talk a few weeks back?”

  “At the beach?”

  “Yes, when I deliver the present.”

  Captain furrowed his forehead. “Yeah, I remember.”

  “You interested?”

  “Interested in what?”

  José laughed on the other end of the line. “You know what I talk about. Don’t play silly. Don’t act like you not know.”

  Captain had an idea of what José was talking about, but he did not want to drive the conversation, so he played ignorant. “I have no clue, bru. What are you on about?”

  “Joburg, Captain. Getting our gifts to Joburg. You seemed very interested.”

  “I was.”

  “So, let’s do it.”

  Silence descended on Captain for a few seconds. He thought hard about what he should say next. “Have you spoken to Lazarus about it again?”

  “I not talk to Lazarus. I talk to you.”

  Captain had had an inkling of the nature of the call, but this confirmed it. “You want me to go over Lazarus’s head?”

  José laughed his now familiar laugh. “I no say that. All I say, is if business is not right for Lazarus, but right for you, then why you no take it. You make lots of money, amigo. Muito rands.”

  Captain did not doubt that for a second, and he felt his stomach gripe with hunger pains for wealth. He had a few friends in Johannesburg who had the networks in place and the connections to distribute the products. He knew a route into Gauteng away from the main freeways and devoid of police presence. He wa
s confident he could do it.

  He licked his lips. “I’m sorry, bru, but my loyalty lies with Lazarus. I suggest you talk to him.”

  Again, the Mozambican cackled on the end of the line. “You serious? You give away rand, just like that?”

  “Again, bru. Talk to Lazarus.”

  “Okay. Okay. I will.”

  José did not say goodbye. Instead, he just cut the call and Captain listened to the drone of a dead line. Temptation and regret battled within him. And uncertainty. Had he done the right thing?

  Captain told the Godfathers about the nature of the conversation. Both Bruge and Wahied were adamant that Captain had made a mistake. But Spider was not.

  “Gents,” he said, “we have a relationship with ou Lazarus. We can’t try and vat him like this. It isn’t right.”

  “But the crown, ek sê,” objected Bruge. “We talking about big bucks, bru.”

  Captain finally spoke. “It’s the principle, ek sê. We aren’t a common street gang, ouens. We have things like principles here. He has a deal with Lazarus. We need to honour that. It’s the right thing to do.”

  Captain could tell that Bruge and Wahied needed further convincing, but he was confident that they would eventually come round to his way of thinking.

  “Let’s go look for the skybird,” he said. “I’m getting skraal.”

  23

  The streets were beginning to get busier as people started to return home from work. Captain directed the Toyota Conquest through Walmer Avenue and up Kenilworth Street. He crossed over Randles Road and into Barnes Road. They drove slowly, all eyes looking for the cocky, arrogant swagger of Wesley. They had just turned into Cornelius Road and Captain was about to put the search on hold for another day, when he spotted him. The blue Diesel jeans. The tucked-in yellow Pringle T-shirt and the gangster bounce. As if his arrogance was making his one leg heavier than the other.