The Incubus, Succubus and Son of Perdition Box Set: The Len du Randt Bundle

by Len du Randt

  ‘Okay,’ Trevor said with a dismissive tone in his voice. ‘See you then.’

  Norman got the hint and hung up, leaving Trevor—cell phone in hand—wondering how and why he had just committed himself to going when he really didn’t want to. Trevor sighed and then went available again. The next call in the queue chirped on his phone.

  ‘Tech Support, this is Trevor speaking. How may I help you?’

  - - -* * *- - -

  The first thing that Trevor did when he got back home was to switch on the television for the latest GMN update on the happenings in Jerusalem. The image on the television screen was one of a huge wall of flames in the distance. ‘It’s unbelievable, Connie,’ the news reporter shouted into a microphone as he wiped perspiration from his forehead with a dirty cloth. He was clearly affected by the heat, even at that distance. ‘I have never seen anything like it in my life.’

  ‘Tell us about the damage,’ the news anchor asked from her desk in London.

  ‘It’s impossible for anyone to get much closer than we are now, but from our aerial crew we managed to determine that the whole area around and including the Dome of the Rock is engulfed in these huge flames. The Eastern Wall has also been destroyed by whatever caused this blast, but strangely enough though, the Western Wall is still intact.’

  ‘And the casualties?’

  ‘Thousands...possibly tens of thousands of Muslims may have lost their lives here today. To make matters worse, we just received word that a few minutes ago, a similar explosion destroyed the Kabaa in Mecca where thousands were celebrating Ramadan.’

  The damage was worse than Trevor had originally imagined. Even though the flames were in the distance, he could gauge that they were at least seven storeys high. The once prominent golden dome that stood out defiantly in Jerusalem was now totally swallowed by flames. The news about the Kabaa just compound matters even more and he wondered if Norman might have been right about an imminent war.

  ‘Do we know who are responsible for the blasts?’ the news anchor asked.

  ‘Not yet, Connie,’ the reporter replied. ‘The Jews are claiming that it was an act of God, punishing the Muslims for their relentless suicide bombings over the past few years. A spokesperson for the Jews said that it’s the fulfilment of Obadiah 18 where God destroys the house of Esau which is, according to them, the Muslims.’

  ‘And the Muslims? What are their views?’

  ‘They believe that the Jews have used a ‘secret weapon’ called a ‘Scalar Electro Blaster’ that can, supposedly, wipe out an entire section between two specified points with scalpel precision. The results, according to the experts, are similar to what we have experienced here. Either way, these are the worst terror attacks since the nine eleven World Trade Centre attacks.’

  ‘This is bad,’ Trevor said and whistled softly through his teeth.

  ‘Thank you for the update, Hank,’ the news anchor said and GMN focused on her again as she read the news headlines for the day. ‘The European Union confirmed today that the incidents in Jerusalem and Mecca have not thrown them off their current course to re-divide the United Europe into ten, equal provinces. Three years ago, European Union negotiators successfully managed to persuade Egypt, Iran, and Britain to switch their currency to the Euro. The ten provinces, together known as the European Empire, will officially be a recognized nation from the third of January next year, working under the proposed structure of the Club of Rome and the League of Nations—’

  Trevor switched off the television on his way to the bathroom. He stared into the medicine cabinet’s mirror at his own reflection. He was getting older, and he didn’t find the thought of being old and alone very appealing. The thought of spending most of the evening at Norman’s place was even less appealing.

  Let’s get this over with, he thought as he opened the shower’s hot water tap.

  - - -* * *- - -

  Trevor liked being on time. He rang Norman’s doorbell at 19:02 and was greeted by a face he hadn’t seen in quite some time.

  ‘Trev!’ Norman greeted his brother excitedly, almost losing his glasses as he wrapped his arms around his reluctant brother’s shoulders.

  ‘Hey, Norm.’ Trevor didn’t feel as enthusiastic as his brother. He just wanted to get the evening over and done with. He loved his brother dearly, but hated the direction that he knew the conversation was going to take.

  ‘It’s been a while, eh!’ Norman said as he escorted Trevor to the living room.

  ‘Yeah,’ was all reply Trevor bothered with. Since Norman converted a little over three years ago, he had become very passionate about his faith. All he could talk about was religion and God and Jesus. Each conversation pushed Trevor further away from his brother. He didn’t like to constantly talk, debate, or even hear about things he didn’t believe in, and sometimes wondered if Norman was still able to talk about the normal things in life: Technology, Business, Fashion, Food, even Women.

  But no matter how hard Trevor tried, Norman always found a way to change any topic to a religious discussion. In time, it drove Trevor further and further away from his brother. Trevor wondered if he was really there to discuss the bombings, or if he only bothered going to see if his brother had managed to grow up.

  They entered the living room and Trevor looked around, scanning for any signs of ‘unexpected’ company that would, during the course of the evening, feel the need to talk to Trevor about ‘God’s love,’ and then develop the urgent need to pray for him. The only person in the living room was Andrew, who stood up as they entered the room.

  ‘Trevor,’ Andrew said and extended his hand. He was slightly taller than Trevor; and somewhat skinnier too. ‘It’s so nice to see you again.’

  ‘You too, Andy.’

  The three of them had been good friends once. When Trevor drifted away from his brother, Andrew stuck with Norman. He was a Christian too, but not in the same sense as Norman. He was a good guy with good moral values, but the main difference between him and Norman was that he didn’t feel the need to shove his beliefs down everyone’s throat. Andrew was still able to lead a relatively normal life. He still went to clubs, still partied until the early morning hours, still preferred Sunday morning Football to Church, and still liked talking about women. Most Christians were like Andrew. Trevor liked those. They stayed out of his way. It was the ones that didn’t respect other people’s feelings—or the fact that they can have other beliefs—that really annoyed him. It was an unfortunate case of ‘Murphy’s Law’ that Norman became one of those. After some small talk, Norman gestured in the direction of the dining room.

  ‘Let’s eat, shall we?’

  - - -* * *- - -

  Dinner was mostly quiet. Trevor was thankful for that blessing. The little talk they did manage between bites was mostly catch up talk. Norman still worked as a graphic designer for a small-brand advertising company. Andrew still had his own clothing business, and had no financial complaints.

  Trevor, of course, still worked as a telephonic support consultant for an Internet Service Provider. He had been for the past five years and didn’t intend on doing anything else for the next five.

  ‘The food was delicious, Norm,’ Andrew said when they had finally finished their meal.

  ‘Yeah,’ Trevor agreed. ‘Thanks.’ If there was one thing that Norman was good at, it was making a roast chicken with baked potatoes and gravy. There were other things that he could whip up as well, but he was famous for his ‘secret’ roast chicken recipe. Norman insisted that Trevor and Andrew make themselves comfortable in the living room while he took the dishes to the kitchen. They reluctantly obliged.

  ‘So, aside from the obvious, Trev,’ Andrew said as they sat down, ‘how has life been treating you? Got a promotion yet? A girlfriend? New car?’

  ‘Life’s been okay,’ Trevor answered his interrogator. ‘No promotion yet, no girlfriend, and still driving the same old jalopy since we first met.’ He tried to avoid further conversation about him by shifting
the spotlight to Andrew. ‘And you? Are you and...what was her name? Kate? Are you two still together?’

  ‘We split up about a month ago,’ Andrew said, trying his best to show no emotion.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Trevor said.

  ‘It’s okay. It was a one-way relationship, anyway. You know, the self-destructive kind destined to be doomed. Things just didn’t work out.’

  Trevor shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t know what to say. No words of wisdom or motivation entered his head, and he was the last person on the planet qualified to hand out ‘love advice.’

  Norman entered the room carrying a tray with mugs and various containers. Trevor smiled at his brother’s ability to get him out of sticky situations, even if unintentionally. He missed the Norman he knew from childhood. God not only took his parents but, in a way, He took his brother too, and he resented Him for it.

  ‘How do you like it?’ Norman asked, looking at Trevor.

  ‘Still two sugars, with milk, thanks.’

  ‘Me too,’ Andrew said.

  Once they were all comfortably settled, Trevor decided to break the ice. ‘So,’ he said with a smile. ‘What’s cooking in Jerusalem?’

  Andrew chuckled, and Norman pretended not to be offended by Trevor’s joke. He breathed deeply and collected his thoughts before just blurting out any answer. He had learned the hard way that proselytising only caused Trevor to bring up his defences and block out whatever seeds could be planted. It was the main reason that Trevor alienated himself from them to begin with.

  Since his conversion, Norman had learned a lot about reaching out to people. In the beginning he was a naïve, newborn Christian, ready to blast the unsaved with as many clever scriptures as possible. As he matured, he realized that action does indeed speak louder than words, and had come to realize that people didn’t care about how much you knew until they knew how much you cared. He cared for Trevor. A lot. Norman just had a problem of relaying his feelings properly. He would think to himself, Right, just act normal and whatever you do, don’t talk about religion, but every time he would open his mouth, religious lingo would just pour out.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Norman said, readjusting his glasses. ‘I have heard that there might be some truth behind the fact that the Jews have a device called the ‘Scalar Electro Blaster’ that can wipe out anything between any two preselected points.’

  ‘And you think they used this on the Muslims?’

  ‘It is a possibility, although no one could really know for sure. The main question would be why they would do such a thing.’

  ‘Wouldn’t you also take drastic action if you had people blowing themselves up in your back yard almost daily for years on end?’

  ‘This is slightly more than just drastic. It’s genocide. I cannot imagine how one human being could do that to another, never mind thousands of others.’

  ‘Do what? Kill someone in the name of God?’ Trevor said, not hiding the anger in his voice. His words cut deep into Norman. They were both just children when rebel Muslim fighters slaughtered their missionary parents in Istanbul. The Muslims only received a small fine, as they were ‘doing the work of God.’

  Trevor initially blamed God for their deaths, and as he grew up, started blaming everything on Him.

  ‘People do bad things,’ Norman said softly. ‘Some people do terrible things in the name of God. Those minority zealots then tarnish the reputation of an entire religion.’

  ‘Innocent people were killed for God. Our parents were killed doing His work, and what for? For a ‘God’ that wouldn’t even lift a finger to help them?’

  ‘You have to look at the bigger picture,’ Norman said, trying to calm his brother. Andrew sat perfectly still, wide-eyed and not daring to say a single word lest he be caught in the crossfire.

  ‘The bigger picture?’ Trevor asked. ‘What bigger picture?’

  Norman controlled his breathing. He couldn’t afford to become emotional with his brother. Even the slightest chance of losing him again would be unbearable. ‘We see a group of people die and wonder, Why God? And yet, it is what we do not see that matters most.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Like people finding God because of it.’

  ‘Or hatred for God,’ Trevor sneered.

  Norman didn’t say anything. He felt that remaining quiet would be the best way to defuse the tension.

  ‘You know,’ Trevor said, ‘it’s actually quite sick how God would have innocent people killed just so that others would follow Him. Do you view mom and dad’s deaths like that? Do you know of anyone that converted because of their deaths?’

  ‘I have.’

  ‘You converted three years ago. They died almost eighteen years ago. I fail to see the connection.’

  ‘They planted seeds in us that needed time to grow,’ Norman explained as best as he could, trying to plant some seeds of his own.

  ‘Justify it as you wish,’ Trevor said and stood up. ‘I’m out of here.’ His memories were waging war against his emotions. He didn’t want to cut Norman from his life again, but if he stayed any longer, it would come to that.

  ‘Trev...’ Norman protested.

  ‘It’s getting late. I have to go.’ He glanced at Andrew, who looked as if he had just seen a person get hit by a truck. ‘Goodbye, Andrew.’

  ‘Bye, Trev,’ Andrew managed, his throat dry and his voice coarse.

  Norman leaned against the door after Trevor had left. This didn’t go as he had hoped it would.

  - - -* * *- - -

  South Africa: One Month Later

  The Muslims had declared a Jihad on the Jews in Jerusalem. Norman rubbed his hand thoughtfully across the cover of a book as GMN blared in the background, informing the viewers that the United States had doubled its efforts to bring peace between the two groups. It would be days before the first bombs would explode. Norman contemplated what would happen then. America would side with Israel. Russia would probably join sides with the Muslims, as would North Korea and China. It would only be a matter of time before the whole world would be divided into two equally destructive forces, and then the Third World War would break out.

  Please forgive Trevor, Lord, Norman prayed. Please show him the truth and take him back. I beg You.

  A single tear dropped onto the first page of the book: The Third Great War and the Rise of the Antichrist.

  - - -* * *- - -

  South Africa: The Following Day

  It was a beautiful morning. The skies were painted a glorious mixture of pink, purple, blue, and just a splash of orange. The clouds were alive, and it was during times like these that Trevor almost felt like he could believe in God. He quickly dismissed the idea. He believed that there were perfectly rational explanations for any special effects that nature could provide. It’s because nature itself was created by a perfectly rational God, he could hear Norman’s voice say inside his head. He checked the time on his watch. It was 6:30 AM, and if the traffic held up, he was going to be late. He had half an hour to get to work before his shift would start, and he still had to get past the building security before he could log into his console and begin to work. He leaned over to switch on the radio, but a sudden movement in the corner of his eye made him slam on the brakes. A white Golf swerved in front of his car and left the road at high speed.

  ‘What the—?’ was all he could manage before another car smashed into the rear of his, sending him clear off the shoulder of the road and to a crashing halt in a ditch.

  Trevor’s head spun. Blood oozed from a cut above his right eye and he struggled to remain conscious. With shaking hands he unlocked the car and fumbled with the handle, using his shoulder to force the door open. Trevor noticed thick smoke everywhere as he painfully made his way out of the car. His chest burned as if it was on fire, and his lungs would only support short gasps of air. In the distance, he could hear more tires screeching, cars colliding, and people screaming in anguish. This is no ordinary accident, he thought to himself as he looke
d around, trying to focus his eyes. He stepped forward, but an instant pain surged through his leg and he yelled out as his leg buckled underneath him, sending him crashing to the ground. For a moment he thought he had broken his leg, but after rubbing it for a while he noticed that it was only his ankle that had been badly sprained. His eyes stung as the blood from the cut ran into them and he had to wipe them violently before he could open them again. He ripped off the right sleeve of his shirt, rolled it up, and pressed the bundled cloth against the cut as he slowly tried to stand up again. Oh no, he thought as he looked at his car. It was totally wrecked. More screeches. More cars colliding with a sickening crunch. Trevor could hear people screaming, but it was impossible to see very far. The smoke had gotten progressively worse, and it felt as if his lungs had been filled with acid. Tears streamed from his burning eyes as he limped up the shoulder of the road.

  ‘Oh Hell,’ Trevor said as he viewed the mangled scene in front of him. Burning cars and trucks were piled onto one another as far as the smoke allowed him to see.

  ‘Help me!’ he heard a woman scream desperately from one of the cars. ‘Help me, please,’ she pleaded, this time her voice trailing off into a sob. ‘I’m stuck!’

  ‘Where are you?’ Trevor yelled in the general direction that the voice was coming from. There was no reply. He tried to move in the direction that the woman had originally shouted from, but the smoke and the screaming people all around him disorientated him, and soon he couldn’t hear her anymore.

  ‘The end is here,’ a man hissed as he ran past Trevor. His eyes darted about as he tried to open a car door to see what he could take inside. ‘Ezekiel spoke of this,’ he said as he took a cell phone from the car. ‘We’re all going to die.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Trevor asked, but the man ignored him, and instead moved to the next car as he quoted various scriptures and raided more wreckages. Trevor ignored him and moved his aching body down the road to see if there might be someone who might know what had happened.