Shake

By Michael Kush

Shake Down is a collection of heartwarming and comical short fiction stories from different genres. They are inspired by diverse South Africans I encounter on a daily basis. I wrote these short stories in 2017 for the purpose of selling them to local and international magazines. Unfortunately none of them were accepted for publication.  I thought they were too good to go to waste. I compiled them and came with a 40 000 word book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mkululi Nqabeni
• Release date: Nov 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386483748

Michael Kush

I am a foreign Trade Specialist at Tradepoint South Africa, A United Nations initiative. I love writing and reading Science fiction books.

Book preview

About The Author

MKULULI NQABENI PUBLISHED 80 000 word sci-fi novel The Girl from Space under the pen name; Michael Kush. He has written finance and political Op-Eds for South African weekend newspapers. He has a TV writing credit for an episode called ‘Missing Dockets’ on ETV’s popular 1 hour series, Ekasi Stories.

Introduction

SHAKE DOWN IS A COLLECTION of heartwarming and comical short fiction stories from different genres. They are inspired by diverse South Africans I encounter on a daily basis. I wrote these short stories in 2017 for the purpose of selling them to local and international magazines. Unfortunately none of them were accepted for publication.  I thought they were too good to go to waste. I compiled them and came with a 40 000 word book.

Table of Contents

The Heist

Retirement home

Successes

Did she just say that?

Futility

Unauthorized debit charges

Mrs. De Kock

Haze

It’s either me or the chocolate

Keep an eye on her

Knock Knock

Mr. Oblivious

Spiteful Jill

The Dimmer

Escape Route

The Ghost town Sting

The Ghostwriter

The Rookie

The Safe

Waterslide

The Author

Two girlfriends in one day

A Zulu love story

The Makeover

Betty: My next date

English Major

Happy Birthday

Family Affair

The Heist

OLIVIA YANKED THE GEARSHIFT into park, the old car rumbled as it idled. Beside her, Samantha leaned forward to look out of Olivia’s window.

This is gonna be the biggest heist we’ve ever pulled off, Samantha said, bouncing in her seat.

Samantha talked through her teeth when she got excited. It made everything she said sound funny. Olivia rolled her eyes but allowed herself a chuckle.

Remember the plan? Olivia asked.

Oh yes. We are historically disadvantaged Afrikaner women trying to make their lives better.

Huh?

We Arrive, affirmative repossess, leave and profit. Simple. Samantha said.

That’s better, Olivia said, shutting off the car engine, This has to be done right.

Now let’s get moving, we don’t have much time."

We don’t have much time? Samantha muttered as she stepped out of the car. Who else in the world would be doing this? It’s three in the morning.

Olivia led the way to the entrance and got to work on picking the lock to the door. She’d formulated the plan for this heist almost a year ago. The payday for completing the job would net them enough money to get out of the crime business. Olivia had dragged Samantha through a life of near misses and sticky escapes for long enough and getting them out of that crazy life was her top priority.

Once inside, Olivia slipped a piece of paper from her pocket and called Samantha over. A set of rough floor plans was on the crumpled piece of paper and she pointed to a spot highlighted with a star.

That’s where we’re trying to get. It should be somewhere in the center room. We’re looking for a gold necklace with a huge emerald in the middle and a bunch more around the sides. Security is pretty light, they think they’re just guarding a bunch of dusty junk, but we’ve still gotta move quickly. Are you ready?

Samantha nodded. Let’s get moving.

The sisters picked their way through the first room of the dusty complex. All of the tiny knick-knacks and clusters of useless collectibles made the place look more like junk rather than a treasure trove of valuable trinkets.

A loud clatter and a loud swear brought Olivia’s attention around. Samantha was tangled in an ancient looking dress form and what looked like a my-sized Barbie. Olivia rushed to her sister’s aid, helping her untangle her foot from the holey lace monstrosity on the dress form and pulled the big Barbie out from under her.

I swear that thing attacked me, Samantha muttered. It came out of nowhere.

Olivia chuckled, Easy sis, don’t anger the Barbie spirits. Let’s keep moving.

Samantha kept close as they moved through the crowded showcase room. The lights were dimmed and the girls squinted as they made their way through the mazes of displays.

Who would store something so valuable here? This place is full of crap.

Would you expect anyone to try and steal it from a place like this? Olivia asked.

Samantha shrugged as they reached a set of double doors. Peering through the small window, Olivia frowned as she spied movement on the other side of the door. She glanced at her watch. security shouldn’t be there to do their rounds for another half an hour. She’d planned this heist down to the nanosecond; this was not what they needed. Olivia eased the door open, motioning for Samantha to get low as they crept through. They pushed into the shadows of the doorway and Olivia squinted into the main area of the room.

Oh you have got to be kidding, Samantha whispered, getting to her feet.

Sam, what are you doing? Olivia hissed.

Why do you jerks always feel the need to follow us around? Samantha said.

Olivia groaned as Samantha stomped out of their hiding place into the dim light of the center room. Following her sister, she spotted the reason for her outburst.

Alex and Andre Harrison were in the center room, digging through a mountain of odds and ends. The brothers were a constant thorn in their sides when it came to the business of thievery. Andre and Samantha had been an item years ago and their breakup led to even more issues between the competitive sets of siblings.

How did you find out about this place? Andre whispered.

Liv’s been researching this for a year and there is no way we’re letting you guys ruin this one for us, Samantha said.

What could you two possibly be looking for in this junkyard? Alex asked.

Seriously? Did you think we’d actually fall for that, Olivia said.

Forget it. Why don’t you two get out of here and let us do our job.

This isn’t a happy hour ladies, Andre said. Run along, I think I saw a Barbie out there you girls can play with.

Don’t you talk to me about that damn Barbie, Samantha shouted.

Andre laughed, I know you’re a collector, Sammy. Wouldn’t she look nice in your slum of an apartment?

Samantha sauntered a little closer and Olivia followed, keeping her eyes on Alex who was digging through a pile of tangled jewellery while his brother and Samantha argued. Olivia moved toward Alex, keeping quiet until a crystal star on the ground crunched under her boot. Alex’s attention swung to her and Olivia held back a gasp. Their target was clutched in his hand and he noticed her reaction.

So this is what you’re here for, Alex grinned. Andre, let’s go. If these two are slinking around here for this tarnished piece of crap, it must be worth a pretty penny.

No way, that belongs to us, Samantha shouted. You don’t even know what it is. If you guys are going to keep stalking our hits, you could at least educate yourselves.

Sorry sweetheart. Looks like you girls are out of luck. Andre said.

Samantha scowled and picked up the nearest item — a stuffed doll with a heavy plastic head—and chucked it at Andre. I am not your sweetheart.

The doll struck Andre in the shoulder, and fell onto a table of glass dolls that shattered with a loud thump. From the back half of the room, the rattle of keys drew their attention. A sweep of yellow light sent the four of them ducking for cover as security walked into the room. Walkie-talkie static filled the large space and Olivia yanked Samantha closer to her.

I have a plan, she whispered, Follow my lead.

Samantha nodded as Olivia groped next to her on the ground. With a glass trinket in hand, she whipped it in the direction that the brothers were taking cover in. It smashed against a display case near them. The sisters jumped up and took off running towards the back door.

Behind them, she heard the guards shouting.

Olivia pulled Samantha into the shadow of another doorway. Behind them they could hear the pounding footsteps of the others, and Olivia chanced a glance down the hall. Alex and Andre were the last through the doors gasping as they were also chased by the guards. Alex still had the necklace clutched tightly in his hand.

Grab that necklace when they go down, got it? Olivia said.

Wait, what? Samantha said.

Just be ready.

Olivia threw herself out of their hiding place as the brothers passed, knocking into them with all her weight. She heard the clatter of the necklace hitting the ground just as the thundering of the security guard’s steps started to catch up. Andre and Alex passed out for a moment.

I got it, Samantha yelled.

Go Sammy. Run.

Samantha took off and Olivia tucked herself into a shadowy corner. The brothers’ struggled to free themselves from the guards as the shouted at each other and the guards, Olivia eased her way down the hall before taking off sprinting when she got closer to the door. Samantha was on the other side, dancing on her toes, the necklace gripped tight in her hand.

Let’s go. Follow me. Olivia said.

She led Samantha through the cluttered space, which looped back around to the entrance room. The sisters crashed through the doors they came in and didn’t stop running until they reached the car. Olivia cranked the engine and peeled out of the parking lot.

Holy shit, we did it, Samantha giggled, We really did it.

Do you know what this means? We’re out, Sam. Once we get this money, we’re out for good. Olivia said.

It’ll be enough for that? Samantha asked.

It’s worth at least a four-hundred thousand rands, that’s what I was told, Olivia said, I got you into this and now I’m getting us both out. We’re done and it’s the legit life from now on.

I never thought I’d see the day.

Yeah me either. Olivia said.

Samantha grinned and reclined her seat, putting her feet up on the dashboard, Well then, let’s go get paid.

Retirement Home

BEV STOPPED THE CAR in the retirement home parking space directly in front of the doors and popped the boot before turning to stare at her mother.

You should just come live with me and Bill. We could make you a whole suite with a kitchen and everything. 

The last thing Miriam wanted to be, besides old, was a burden. Time had taken the first out of her hands a number of years ago and now a recent fall landed her in a wheelchair forcing her to make some hard decisions to avoid becoming the latter.

Honey, my mind is made up. I want to look at all my options.

She squeezed Bev’s hand across the console, hoping to erase the look of concern on her face.

Now, go get my wheels and let’s check this place out. Mmm it looks fancy.

She wiggled her eyebrows hoping to lighten the mood. Bev sighed as she opened the door and went to unload the chair from the boot.

No child likes the thought of their parents aging and she was no exception. Two minutes later, she was opening the door and helping Miriam maneuvers into the seat.

Let’s get this over with then.

A nice looking man in pale white uniform came out to meet them.

Good morning. He smiled, showing off straight white teeth.

May I help you, while your daughter closes the car doors?

She smiled back and nodded. If all the nurses were this handsome and polite, she might be happy to call this place home, she said.

He pushed her through the sliding doors and into the lobby she’d been admiring not even five minutes