Author: Jackie Chikambure

About the author: Jackie Chikambure is a young-ish Zimbabwean writer with an Honours in Creative Writing degree from Wits University. She enjoys creating dramatic fiction that immerses the reader in the story. Her joy is in plunging readers into something outside their current realities, at least just for a moment. She is working on publishing her first novel “ANAISHE” in 2023.

Story title: Kombi

About the story: “Kombi” is about a taxi driver who takes his passengers hostage, claiming that someone in the taxi is the target of a hit. A woman taking a taxi home from work becomes aware that the driver has taken a different route and is acting strangely, before he shows her a video of his family being held captive and explains that if he doesn’t drive them all to their deaths, they will be killed; the woman struggles with her conscience and tries to persuade the driver to spare their lives.

The first warning sign should have been when the taxi took an unusual turn on a typically familiar road. I didn’t notice though because I was seated in the front seat, doing one of the things I hated most, counting change in a public taxi.“Celi change,” a shrill voice called from the back seat.My heart started racing. I stared at the unclean bills in my hand, trying to do the math, a subject I dismally failed when I was sixteen. If the taxi costs 13.50 and there are 4 people in the back, and they’ve paid R100 their change will be…I drew a blank.And started the math again.Two people pay 13.30 plus 13.50…

As my mind stressed over the numbers, I was oblivious to the new route the driver was taking. In fact, if I had been focusing, I would have noticed the beads of sweat trickling down his wrinkled forehead and the permanent scowl he was wearing. Unlike most taxi drivers I’d become accustomed to, he was an elderly gentleman. There was a grandfather-like feel to him. He was slim and always wore a tattered old black Kangol hat. I knew him well because I took this taxi home every day after work. I was an HR assistant at a Media company. I helped the HR Manager with all the administrative tasks, which I hated but what did I expect from a BA Film and Media degree?

$46! Their change is $46. I gathered two $20 notes and turned to hunt for coins.“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” the old driver was mumbling under his breath. I didn’t hear him.“Could I have $6 in coins?” I asked in English, I was terrible at any language that was not Shona or English.“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… everyone is going to die,” the old driver repeated.Although he said it in a different language, I picked up the words sorry and death.“What did you say?”This time he answered in English.“Everyone in this taxi is going to die and there is nothing I can do about it.”

Suddenly, my surroundings started to dawn on me. I was not in Main Street safely on route home, we had not driven through Jason Moyo or any roads I knew well. “Celi change,” the voice at the back called out again.“Yes, it’s coming!” I screamed, the panic rising in my voice.I gave my attention to the driver.“What are you saying?” The desperation oozed with each syllable.The driver raised the volume on the radio.“They’re going to kill my family. If I don’t…” his voice trailed off and a lone tear rolled down his cheek.

I sat back in my seat, suddenly exhausted. The first thing ringing in my head was that he was lying. Before I could share this thought he handed me a cell phone, and the screen lit up. On it was a video playing. It showed a small dark room, with three people, two young children and a beautiful old lady all tied to metal chairs. They were blindfolded but without seeing their eyes, you could tell they were terrified. The video was a live stream. This must be a joke, it had to be. This kind of stuff only happened in the movies.I started to laugh; this was ridiculous.“How do you even have data to -?”He glared at me.Something in my underbelly told me that this man was not joking.I was about to die.

I turned to look at all the people behind me.Fourteen strangers all blindly trusting that this driver was taking them home. We all did this, daily. Onboard a stranger’s vehicle, trust their driving skills, sit next to random people each and every trip. The second we sit, we disappear into our headphones, stare out the window, and doze off against the glass, completely unaware of the happenings around us, for those 40 minutes we are all in a sort of limbo between destinations. Waiting and believing that we are all, without a doubt going to make it to our next destination, but not today. Today, at this moment, these strangers had something in common, we were all about to be murdered.

“You can’t do this. I’ll tell everyone in this taxi and we will stop you.”“If you tell people, they will panic and I’ll do it sooner.”“How do you plan to kill us?”I could not believe I was actually uttering those words.

“Hawu sisi, celi change!” this lady was persistent. I grabbed a handful of notes and angrily handed them back.“Keep it! Keep the change!” I spoke through gritted teeth in agitation. This little outburst caused a stir. I could feel their disapproving gazes but I didn’t care, nor did the driver about his money. What was money in a moment like this?

I leaned into the driver and with my wide eyes urged him to continue speaking.“There is a bridge coming up in a few kilometres. I’m going to drive the taxi over.”This man was crazy. I had to get out of this. I could open the door and throw myself out but at the fast speed we were moving, I would most likely die on impact. I had to take my chances here.“Mr driver -” I started.“Mr Dube. Moses.”“Mo- Mr. Dube,” I found it improper to call a man of his age by his first name.“I don’t understand how killing us will help.”“This is a targeted hit. They want someone in this taxi dead.”

My eyes lit up.“If they only want one of these passengers dead, shouldn’t we find out who and just… well, not kill the rest?”“You want me to decide who lives or dies?”I nodded.

“I couldn’t do it. These are not strangers to me. It may seem like random different faces but I know you all. I have been driving this route for over 10 years. As much as things change, they stay the same. I know you too. I was happy for you after your successful first day at this new job.”I could not hide my shock.“How?”“You have been working there for a year now. Straight out of college. I heard you on the phone with your mom. She must be proud.”I blushed.“Do you know all the people in this taxi like that?”He sighed wistfully.“Then this must feel like killing more family…”

The air was heavy and I knew my next question was going to be heavy too.“Moses, do you think you could use that knowledge to figure out who the target is on? And just… kill one?”“If we find out who the target is, you would be alright to kill them?” he questioned.My head weighed heavily on my shoulders as I nodded.“We would be saving so many more. Your family…”I knew why I was saying these words, it was not about his family, it was about me, I wanted to live. I desperately wanted to wake up and see tomorrow.The old driver sighed.“Do you remember the car accident you had five years ago?”I quizzically raised one eyebrow.He continued speaking, “your drunken driving killed two people, a father and a mother. One of the survivors, their son, he was never the same again after that incident.”“Why are you telling me this?” my voice trembling. I could not bring myself to look at the man so I stared ahead of me. We were on a lone road now; in the distance, I could see a bridge.“He has been watching you, and knows your routine.”I swallowed.“You are the target Jackie.” I watched the bridge draw closer. Without taking his eyes off the road, the old driver reached across me and unlocked my door. Without words, I knew the question he was asking me. Everything around me became still.I closed my eyes and listened to the rapid pounding of my heart against my chest.I couldn’t move.