K. Sello Duiker

Kabelo Sello Duiker (13 April 1974 – 19 January 2005) was a South African novelist. His debut novel, Thirteen Cents, won the 2001 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book, Africa Region. His second novel, The Quiet Violence of Dreams, won the 2002 Herman Charles Bosman Prize. He also worked in advertising and as a screenwriter. Quotes Best Quotes from Thirteen Cents By K. Sello Duiker My name is Azure. Ah-zoo-ray. That’s how you say it. My mother gave me that name. It’s the only thing I have left from her. Page 90-99 I lost my parents three years ago. Papa was bad with money and got Mama in trouble. The day they killed him I was away at school. I can take care of myself. 'Julle fokken mannetjies moet skool toe gaan,' the fruit-sellers yell. It’s not that bad washing with cold water. It’s like anything – you get used to it. Those two words are like magic, my secret. They’ve made me nice money every time I used them with a smile. I don’t like that stuff. It just does terrible things to your body. I must always act like a grown-up. You must speak like them. That means when you speak to a grown-up in town you must look at them in the eyes and use a loud voice because if you speak softly they will swear at you. I know what fear is. I breathe in deep and hold it for a while. When I let go, I open my eyes. I have seen the centre of darkness. The sky is angry with darkness and purple fire. My heart nearly stops beating when I begin to see water at the edge of the mountain. I find it difficult to sleep in the cold. I must stay awake, I tell myself and feed the fire the whole night. When the fire burns steadily I climb back up to the top to get my clothes and bring them down. I drape my clothes on a log and put it near the fire. Build a triangle with little branches. I do it carefully as there isn’t dried grass to light up. You can’t fuck up, I say to myself and keep checking the lighter’s fluid. Grown-ups are devils. They have children so that they can feel good about themselves. I fear nothing, I tell myself, not even the dark. External links