They are still with the noisy crowd of people who just came from work as they cross at the traffic light. As they enter Valhalla Park the crowd starts to thin out as people turn off to their houses. When she and her mommy arrive at the edge of the field which they must cross to reach her daddy’s house, they are alone.
The shadows deepen and seems to come alive as a wind starts to cry like a lost soul all around them. She holds the Barbie doll closer to her chest.
The treacherous township lies all around them with its lighted houses and drunk people and screaming children and blaring music. The field is like a totally different world. A world of gloomy silence. It is supposed to be a sports field, but nobody takes care of it. The grass is long and thick bushes have sprung up all over. Here and there are still open patches where the children play in the afternoons. Little footpaths criss-cross in the green of the grass, because it is a general thoroughfare for the public.
People have been murdered and raped on this field. Many believe that those spirits and anger and hate are still inhabiting this field and makes itself known in the darkness of the night.
There is no alternative, though. They will have to cross the field to get to her daddy’s house. They have always crossed it during the day and this will be the first time they cross it at night.
Page hold tightly onto her mother’s hand as they step out of the pool of light into the shadows of the field. For a while it is only the dull sounds of their footsteps as they walk over the soft grass.
Then she starts hearing it. At first it is very faint and then it becomes louder. She gives a quick look backwards but sees nothing.
“Mommy, somebody is following us.” She says when she sees her mommy doesn’t react.
“No, baby, nobody is following us. We are quite alone.”
But she still hears the footsteps as it comes behind them through the long grass like a demon stalking its prey. There is the clear sounds of her and her mommy’s footsteps and then the booming sounds of the unseen person behind them. She hears it clearly. And the footsteps are getting closer.
“Mommy, I hear footsteps. Someone is behind us.” She is too scared to look behind her now and she pulls on her mommy’s hand.
“No, baby. You are imagining things. There is no-one here.” Her mommy stops. “Look for yourself, baby. There is no one behind us.”
Page clutches the Barbie doll desperately now.
She cautiously turns around drawing courage from the closeness of her mother. There is only the blackness of the field and the far off street lights in the distance. The dark field is all around them and even if they run she don’t think they will reach safety before those footsteps catch up with them. The welcoming street lights look so far away with her and her mommy standing in a sea of dull darkness. A darkness that she don’t like at all. A darkness that folds over her like a cold and cruel hand.
The footsteps are gone now, but she is still unsure as they start walking again. The wind makes the leaves rustle.
As they start walking through soft sand she can’t hear her own footsteps anymore. The field becomes even darker with thick bushes next to the footpath like evil trolls ready to jump on them. She is so scared now that if it wasn’t for the strength of her mommy next to her she would have run into the night screaming at the top of her voice. There is nothing except for the soft voice of the wind as it moves through the branches of the thick bushes.
Then she hears it again. Much closer now. The strange thing is that the footsteps seems to be gaining on them, then it disappears for a while and then it follows them again.
“Mommy, I hear it again. There IS someone following us. He is coming from behind. He is hiding in the bushes.” She talks in a scared whisper as she pulls on her mommy’s dress to emphasise the urgency of the matter. “We must run, mommy...we must run.” She looks carefully behind them to see if she can’t see who is behind them. There is nothing but darkness. She can’t even see the streetlights anymore. It is only pitch blackness and the spooky wind. She can’t even see her mommy anymore. The only connection between them is her mommy’s reassuring hand over her own.
She holds tightly onto the Barbie doll.
“No, baby. You are imagining things. I would have known if there was someone behind us.”
“I’m scared, Mommy. How far until we reach daddy’s house?”
“You know what I do when I’m scared, baby?” Her mommy says as she stops and squats down to look at her.
Why are they stopping? They must run. They must try to reach the house as quickly as possible. The footsteps are coming...
“When I’m scared I sing a hymn. A song will chase all scariness away.” Her mommy gets up and as they start walking again, they sing: Nearer My God to Thee.
She feels how her mommy increases the pace as they sing louder and the bushes get thicker and the darkness folds around them like an evil hand. With her own voice making music in her ears the footsteps that follows them are washed out. The scariness eases off and her heartbeat returns to normal.
But then she feels the hair on the back of her neck rising. It is behind her. Something or someone is right behind her. She hears her mother singing louder.
There is a movement in the bushes in front of them. Why is it so dark? Why can’t she see the lights of the township? The field is not that big.
The footsteps are filling her head now overwhelming even the words of her hymn. She feels the hand coming out of the darkness to grab her and just as she prepares to scream the loudest scream that she ever screamed in her life...
...she sees the streetlights in front of her. The darkness of the field curls away like a bad dream. People are walking about and children play noisily under the streetlights. She sees that all the outside lights are on at her daddy’s house.
As she and her mommy walks in by the gate, Rex, her daddy’s Rottweiler, is very glad to see them and he jumps up and down. Her father hears him and comes out. He hugs her and her mommy.
“And how is my big girl?” He asks as he twirls her around. “Come see what I bought you.”
She is very excited when she sees the big electric dollhouse he bought her. It look just like a real house with all lights and appliance working and a roof that can be removed. Perfect for all her dolls.
As she starts to play with her new toy, her mommy and daddy talk in the kitchen:
“From now on you must come fetch us with the car.”
“Why? I thought you said the monthly train ride is an adventure for you and Page.”
“Someone suddenly started following us when we were half way across the field. I saw him for a fleeting moment when I looked around. Page also heard him and was very scared. I had to stay calm to keep her calm.”
“Why didn’t you run?”
“What I saw made it clear to me that running was not going to help. And in any case how could I run while I had Page with me?”
“What did you see?”
“A huge man...with his head in his one hand and a big axe in the other…”
About the Author
Andre Beerwinkel was born and bred on the Cape Flats in South Africa. With the Cape Flats being one of the most exciting places on the planet he has written thousands of short stories as well as two complete novels about the area. When he is not behind his computer typing out a new story, he is probably out on his bike or busy building wooden furniture in the garage… Check him out at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AndreBW
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Other books by this author
Jintoe Uncensored: The Lacee Abrahams Story
&nbs
p; "You must understand that your life as you knew it up to tonight is over now. You now belong to me. Carve those words out in your brain. You belong to ME AND THE CIRCLE NOW. There is no escape. Nobody can help you. There is nobody that you can run to. Even if you run to the Police, they will just bring you back to me. The only life you will lead henceforth is the life that I decide for you. Every day you will comply with my instructions to the letter. No questions, no hesitation. Your own will doesn't exist anymore, only what The Circle expect of you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND, SLUT?"
The girl will look at him with an uncomprehending look on her face, while her body is shuddering with sobs. Her mind racing, trying to find a way of escape out of this nightmare that has only just begun.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/590973
Shadow Chase
There are some parts of the Cape Flats that is hidden in shadow. The shadow of violence and corruption.
A dark shadow where only the strongest and fastest survive.
This is where we meet Corita Jones. A criminal who operates in the under-world of the Flats.
After she mugged the Chinaman that Friday morning, she realizes that she might have bitten off more than she can chew.
What she unknowingly took from the Chinaman is highly explosive and suddenly every gangster on the Cape Flats is after her. The dreaded Technicians and Chinese assassins now take part in the chase and Corita's world becomes hot with peril. She can expect no help from the corrupt police services or anyone in government. She is completely on her own.
Her pursuers soon learn, though, that she is not a kitten that can be handled without gloves.
And who is the mysterious agent who now suddenly contacts her? Will she at last find out the truth behind her father's murder those many years ago?
The Cape Flats explodes into violence and all out action as Corita flees before her pursuers to the only place of safety left in a corrupt country...
Check out this exciting story at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/545246
They Can Resurrect Father And Other Tales That Will Haunt Your Dreams
Science have made it possible to bring the dead back to life again. The Wellness Corporation promises to have your loved one alive within one week after the fees are paid. The real person - alive - just like you remember him. You can bring back a loved one to ask him that one question you never asked. Or to do the things you never did with him. Or to show him that which you couldn't show him when he was alive. Or to just simply tell him you love him. The possibilities are endless...
They Can Resurrect Father and four other tales of horror will make you question your sanity and haunt you after the lights go out at night...
Do not read if you have a nervous disposition...you have been warned.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/587571
The Black Book of the East
They say that the Black Book of the East is a joint effort by the greatest wizard who ever lived and other wizards through the ages.
They say whoever has the Black Book of the East and understands it, has power over life and death...
They also say that the Black Book of the East has an unstoppable power over its readers.
Want to take that chance...then read on and...
Be brave.
Get it at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/587363
Be My Victim and other Strange Tales from the Cape Page 6
