This Thing Called the Future Read Online Free

hero in the movies, rescuing me.
    â€œI’m okay,” I whisper, ignoring the throbbing in my knee and trying not to limp.
    He smiles at me and I can’t help smiling back, suddenly noticing that his lips are the same blue-black color as his skin. In fact, I’m seeing all sorts of things about Little Man that I never noticed before. Like the way he leans toward me as he talks, close, his arm almost touching mine.
We have such different color skin—he’s so dark in comparison. Like my babamkhulu . Like my baba.
    My skin prickles. How is it you can know somebody all your life and only start seeing them some few minutes ago?
    â€œYou’re all covered in dirt,” he says, reaching out and brushing my arm.
    His fingers are so gentle as they graze against my skin. I quiver, my heart beating fast. I’m not sure if it’s racing because of the drunk man or because of Little Man touching me. Maybe it’s both.
    â€œWhat about the milk, Khosi?” Zi worries.
    â€œForget about it.” I feel bruised where each of the drunk man’s fingers wrapped around my thigh.
    â€œBut we need it for Gogo’s tea,” she protests.
    â€œI’ll get it,” Little Man says.
    As he trots over to retrieve the box of milk, the drunk man begins to shout at me. “I’ll be here when you change your mind, little girl,” he yells. “I’ll be your sugar daddy! I’ll buy you whatever you want! See? I have so much money!”
    He reaches into his pocket and silver coins slip from his fingers into the dirt. He begins to comb the dust, searching for them.
    Zi laughs. “Oh, you have too much money!” she calls.
    â€œDon’t be rude, Zi. Just ignore him.” Even as I chide her, I wish I had her courage. And she’s only five!
    The next time an older man attacks me like that, I promise myself, I won’t be so helpless. They’ll know just who they’re dealing with.
    But even as I make that promise, I wonder if I’ll have the courage to keep it.
    â€œCatch it if you can, Zi,” Little Man calls, throwing the box of milk into her outstretched hands. “Good catch.” He grins at her and she grins back.
    â€œI’ll walk you home, Khosi,” he says.
    â€œThank you.” I’m glad Gogo is at the funeral. I can hear her voice grumbling in my head if she saw me with Little Man: You can’t even walk home for some few minutes without meeting some boy ? What am I going to do
with you ? Don’t you become one of those bad girls, always chasing after men.
    â€œHey, it is not a problem,” he says, his arm stroking against mine for some few seconds. It makes me shiver. “Cold?”
    I nod, even though it’s not true, and keep my arm near his, hoping we’ll accidentally touch again.
    He glances at Zi, who’s watching us, curious. “You feel warm to me,” he whispers, so low she can’t hear.
    It suddenly feels like a dozen monkeys are dancing in my stomach.
    That’s when it hits me. I have a mad mad crush on Little Man.
    All this warmth is leaking out like tears from my eyes as I smile at him. Maybe I’ll regret it later, letting him see how much I like him, but I can’t hide it just now.

CHAPTER FOUR
    DREAMS
    I try to forget about what happened with the old woman and the drunk man, focusing instead on Little Man, my rescuer. But that night, nightmares flood my mind.
    The worst is the one that finally wakes me, sweating and shivering and hot-cold all at the same time.
    I’m flying high above Imbali, looking down through the smog at dozens of zigzag streets, twisting here and there, house after house after house crowded together, stair-stepping their way up and down hills and all the way to the city of Pietermaritzburg. An ambulance flashes its lights as it speeds around bends in the roads, goes down a wrong street and hits a dead end, backs up and turns around to try again to get