The Wall

39

“They’re still standing there,” Thembinkosi said.

“More keep coming,” Nozipho added. “They’re going to a lot of trouble. How many do you think there are?”

“By this point? I’ve seen about fifteen of them. Maybe more.”

“And then there’s the ones you probably haven’t seen. Shit.”

“But why are they standing around here of all places?”

“I was wondering that, too,” Nozipho agreed. Outside, the older white man had gathered several uniformed guards around him. He was giving orders. “I think this has to be the central street through the gated community.”

“I’d stay up at the exit.”

“Another group is probably already set up there.”

“And you think the rest of them are staying around here because this is the main street.”

“Can you think of any other reason?”

“Shit,” Thembinkosi said. “Then it’s a good thing we did that with the clothes.”

“What should we do? Head straight for the exit?”

“Straight for the exit.”

“Now?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And if something goes wrong?”

“What could go wrong?”

Nozipho had to think about this for a second. “Well… If the security people know this area, they might know that we don’t live here.”

“So? We could be visiting.”

“But what if they know that these people…” Nozipho hesitated. “Look around. They don’t have any black friends!”

“Fine. Then we’re business partners.”

“And what kind of business are these people in?”

Thembinkosi considered this for a moment. “We might be buying a car from them.”

“Okay,” Nozipho concurred. “We could be doing that. It might work.”

“Regardless, we won’t have to justify anything. We’re simply two people who have walked out of this house and want to go somewhere else. For example, to the exit.”

“But if we just bought a car from them… Why are we walking?”