Johannesburg - Love, the sweetest of emotions, is a delicate thing, like a fragile rose that blooms in the garden of the heart.
But there is another side to this coin, a darker, more dangerous side that can turn passion into rage, and love into hate. The two emotions can never be far apart. There is a thin line, a treacherous edge, that can lead to deadly consequences when love dives from the highest peaks of happiness and plunges us into the darkest depths of despair, leaving behind only tears and shattered dreams.
In Brits, North West, a police officer faces charges of premeditated murder for allegedly killing his pregnant ex-wife. The woman had obtained a protection order against him, but it didn't protect her from the multiple shots he fired. What could have led a man who once loved his wife to take such drastic measures? Was it jealousy, anger, or something deeper? Love can be a beautiful thing, but it can also turn into an all-consuming fire that burns everything in its path.
In the Eastern Cape, a retired policewoman hired hitmen to kill her boyfriend's wife. She conspired with a traditional healer to organise the murder, and three hitmen were sent to do the dirty work. They subdued the newly wedded wife and her elderly mother-in-law in their homestead, tied them up, and stabbed them repeatedly, leaving behind only blood and death.
What could have led a woman who once served and protected her community to commit such a heinous crime? Was it revenge, jealousy, or something darker? Love can be a beacon of hope, but it can also be a black hole that sucks in all the LIGHT.
A couple, deeply in love, like two birds flying in the sky, their wings beating in perfect harmony. They had shared laughter and tears, joy and sorrow, and their love seemed unbreakable. They promised each other that they would be together forever, but fate had other plans.
One day, a small crack appeared in their perfect world, like a tiny fissure in a diamond. It started with a petty argument, a small disagreement that should have been easily resolved. But their egos got in the way, their pride and stubbornness refusing to back down. The crack widened, like a crevice in the earth, and soon their love was consumed by bitterness and resentment.
(S)He became possessive and controlling like a jealous demon that whispered dark thoughts in h(er)is ear. (S)He felt suffocated and trapped, like a bird in a cage that longed to fly free. They fought like two wild animals, claws and teeth bared, until the air around them was thick with hate.
And then, one day, it happened. (S)He lost control, like a volcano that erupted in fury.
Love is a powerful emotion, it can be a healing potion when partaken with honour, respect, trust, and communication, or a poison seeping into our hearts, clouding our judgement and turning us into monsters.