'Where are our leaders?' 'Our children are starving!' 'Batho Pele, People first!' Most were singing and chanting, protesting against what they perceived to be the Government's failure to protect them.
Taken off guard and at a complete loss, I craned my neck while chewing on my bottom lip in indecision. Did I go back? Push forward? Wait it out?
Bodies jostled for position, flowing around the car. A scuffle broke out between two men, fists flying over an imagined insult. Glass shattered. A car alarm went off, the siren wailing into the morning air. I looked from side to side, taking it all in, then spotted a group of men climbing over the wall of a nearby house. They're looting.
The protest had descended into a riot. And we were right in the middle of it. The first signs of panic stirred within me. What do I do?
A loud bang made me jump and Lexi cried out. I twisted around in my seat and my stomach lurched at the sight of the enraged face screaming at us through the back window. The man slammed his hands on the boot and bared his teeth. I froze, unable to move as fear turned my body to stone.
Lexi gripped my arm, “What's happening?” Her cry shook me out of my stupor. We need to get out of here now.
“Hold on tight, Lexi,” I answered, looking around for an escape route. The road ahead was filled with people, so I glanced back again, into the eyes of our attacker. The only way out was through him. I hesitated but Lexi's frightened face made the decision for me.
Gripping the lever, I shifted into reverse. As usual, it stuck, the old gearbox grinding. stuck, the old gearbox grinding. Shit. Not now. I pumped the clutch and tried again. Nothing.
“Fuck!” I screamed, slamming my hands on the steering wheel. Behind us the road had filled up, the mob circling around like hyenas going in for the kill. We were trapped.
My heart pounded with fear. It ran through my veins like acid, burning away all rational thought. I looked around, but our window of opportunity had closed. I fumbled behind the seat with one hand, searching for the ratty, old blanket that lay there. “Lexi, get down. Now. Underneath the dash.”
She obeyed without question, hunching up in the foot well, knees pulled up to her chest. I tossed the blanket over her, hoping if the rioters got into the car they would somehow miss her. Common sense told me they'd spot her straight away but I had to do something.
“Please, Lexi. Keep quiet, okay? No matter what.”
She stared up at me from a face as pale as bleached bone. She nodded and I tucked the blanket in around her.
I pumped the clutch again, praying with all my might as I jammed the gears into reverse. Success! It slid in with just the barest hitch and I rammed my foot down on the accelerator. The car lurched, bumping into a knot of people behind us before stalling.
“No, no, no!” I cried as the engine died. With trembling hands, I turned the key. It wouldn't start. I tried again and again, pumping the gas before realizing I'd flooded the carburetor. My last shred of hope died a miserable death. A chorus of shouts rose around us like hounds baying for blood. Bodies filled my view, jostling with each other for a spot.
“Ava? What's happening?” Lexi's tearful voice rose above the noise and I placed a shaking hand on her head.
“Please, Lexi. Whatever you do, stay down and keep quiet,” I begged.
A stone smashed the window next to my face and I screamed, throwing my hands up. Someone pulled on the back door handle, rocking the car. Thankfully it was locked. Another stone hit the window. It spiderwebbed, lines running across the length. I screamed again, burying my head in my arms. All coherent thought fled as I cowered away, whimpering.
Then a different sound sparked a surge of wild hope. Sirens. My head jerked up and I looked through the throng of people. The crowd shifted, rolling away from the car towards this new attraction. Through a gap, I spotted two police vans, the blue and yellow stripes a welcome sight. They stopped next to the road. An officer got out, his blue uniform flashing through the press of bodies. I sagged in relief. “The police are here!”
Lexi's head popped up, her face as hopeful as mine. “Really?”
“Yes, sweetie. We're going to be okay now.” Lexi crawled up onto the passenger seat and I pulled her into a tight hug, a rush of euphoria flooding my body.
“They're here to save us, right?” To her child's mind, the police were knights in shining armor, come to save the damsels in distress. Right then, I felt pretty much the same.
“Of course.”
The officer spoke to the crowd over a loudspeaker, ordering them to disperse. Instead, they drew up in a half circle around the vans and heckled him. He repeated his warnings, voice rising in pitch when they ignored him. I watched in morbid fascination as the mob refused to back down despite his repeated entreaties, undeterred by his uniform or badge. The mood turned ugly and a prickle of foreboding ran down my spine.
A brick hurtled through the air, smashing into the officer's forehead with brutal force. He dropped like a stone and lay on the ground, twitching. The loudspeaker fell from his powerless hands.
“Oh, my God,” I gasped.
The crowd surged forward, swarming the vans. They ripped the hapless men out like the innards from a chicken. I caught sight of one cop, his eyes rolling with terror. He was young. Hardly more than a boy. A fist connected with his temple and he fell, curling into a protective ball. Kicks and blows descended on him from above. The mob focused on him with manic intensity, pouring all their pent-up rage into the attack.
“Ava!” Lexi cried. “What are they doing?”
There was nothing I could say. No reassuring words I could offer. Instead, I pulled her face close to my chest, placing both hands over her ears to shut out the sights and sounds.
The beating continued until I felt sure the officer was dead. I could not imagine anyone surviving such an attack. When it was over, the mob pulled back, allowing me a glimpse. The boy didn't move, limbs splayed in a grotesque display. Blood spattered his uniform, his face an unrecognizable mess.
One of the men laughed and prodded him with his foot. Another dragged over the unconscious officer from earlier, his left eye swollen to the size of a tennis ball where the brick had connected. A group of children, barely in their teens, laughed and pointed. One picked up a stone.
No.
I couldn't believe my eyes. My mind shied away from the senseless violence. It was something so far out of my scope of experience, I couldn't even begin to process it.
The child hurled the stone down onto the defenseless officers with merciless intent. More joined in, flocking to the spot like a murder of crows. Their taunting laughter rang in my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, unwilling to look on. When I opened them again, the two men had become mangled corpses. Splinters of bone shone through ruby red blood, mingling with the dust on the tar.
Tears ran down my face as I watched, still trying to shield Lexi from the worst. “Shh, sweetie. It's going to be okay,” I whispered, not believing a word.
A struggle broke out as the two remaining officers fought back, desperation fueling their actions. One pulled his gun and fired a few shots. Most went wild but one bullet hit a woman in the chest. She collapsed, a red flower blooming on her chest.
The mass of people reacted viciously, their cries blanketing the air like the buzz of a hornet's nest. I cringed as the hapless victims were stripped, pushed, punched, and jeered at. Unable to watch anymore, I shoved Lexi back down into the foot well and looked around for an escape route. We needed to get out of there fast before the mob turned their attention back to us.
Twisting around in my seat, I looked through the back window. The crowd behind me had thinned, most of the people being drawn to the spectacle playing out in front of me. I spotted a gap and gritted my teeth. “It's now or never.”
I gripped the keys and turned. The engine chugged sluggishly before turning over and catching with a roar. I let out a cry of relief. Thank God!
Letting go of the clutch, I reversed as fast as I dared, not car
ing anymore about the possibility of running someone over. People scattered, jumping out of the way with surprised yells. I clipped one woman on the hip. She disappeared from view but I honestly didn't give a shit.
Faces and bodies swept past my window until we were in the open. I swerved to the right, prepared to drive off but a final glance at the murderous mob and doomed officers proved my undoing. I froze, foot hovering above the accelerator. Guilt churned in my stomach, alongside the fear and panic. I couldn't save them. I knew that. Yet the knowledge hurt.
The two had been doused in liquid. Their eyes were wide, faces haunted. Their ebony skin glistened with the sheen of oil, slick and wet. A man in a red shirt walked up, a grin on his face. He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up. The crowd cheered. A woman lifted her young child to her shoulder, enabling him to watch. Their faces, uniform in purpose, were barbaric. My eyes were glued to the scene, unable to look away. Redshirt threw the object he held onto the men. Flames races up their bodies, igniting along the path forged by the liquid.
Lexi's terrified cries penetrated the fog surrounding me. I jammed my foot down on the gas and sped away. Behind me, screams rang into the morning air. A pillar of black smoke rose up into the sky, filling my rear-view mirror. My mind was a blur, filled with voiceless cries of horror.
A minute later, an entire squad of vehicles raced past, sirens blaring. They swept by in a blur of white, blue, and yellow. The Nyala anti-riot vehicles lumbered along behind their faster counterparts, a water cannon bringing up the rear.
All I could think was—You're too late. Far, far too late.
4
Chapter 3
I raced away from the riot with no real idea of where to go. I just wanted to get away. Away from those sights and sounds—those awful people. Lexi bawled, and I squinted at the road through a veil of tears.
A few streets further along, I pulled over. Lexi needed to calm down and so did I. For several seconds, I stared at my hands gripping the steering wheel and took several deep breaths. A stone connecting with flesh flashed through my mind and I flinched.
Wiping my face, I turned to Lexi and gathered her into my arms. She clung to me, hands fisted in my jacket while she bawled. Rocking back and forth, I soothed her. “It's okay, baby. It's okay now. Shh, you're going to be all right,” I whispered. She didn't respond.
What will this do to her?
An old lullaby Mom used to sing to us when we were young and scared came to mind. I still remembered a few snatches and crooned it to Lexi, hoping to evoke a feeling of warmth and security in her.
“Hush my baby, robber of your mother's heart...” My voice cracked and I choked back a sob before trying again. “Robber of your mother's heart, dearest little thief. Listen to the wind whispering through the trees...” I continued, smoothing my hand over her hair as I sang. “Go to sleep, all the leaves, time for sleep is coming...”
After a while, she quieted, reduced instead to little hiccups and sniffles. “I miss Mom,” she whispered. “I miss us being together.”
“So do I, sweet pea. So do I.” Her words caused a memory to surface. One of the few happy ones I clung to.
***
“Ava, make sure you beat those egg whites properly,” Mom admonished. “I don't want a flopped tart.” She bustled around the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the platters of snacks we would serve before dinner.
Beating harder, my arms churned as I twisted the handle on the old-fashioned utensil. It sucked, but I had a vested interest in the endeavor. My mom's granadilla fridge tart was the best thing in the world. Ever.
“So, is Brian joining us for Christmas dinner?” she asked.
“I don't know, maybe,” I replied, ducking my head.
“Well, I hope he does. He's quite a cutie,” she teased, eyes twinkling.
“Mom,” I groaned, a blush creeping up my neck. Brian was my first boyfriend. I was still very shy about the whole affair, and she wasn't helping.
She laughed, tucking her hair behind her ears. The same ruby red as mine, it cascaded down her back in a shiny carmine waterfall. It smelled of vanilla and cinnamon and I loved brushing it.
Lexi wandered into the kitchen, her face as sweet and innocent as a baby's. She waited until Mom's back was turned then snatched a mini-koeksister off one of the platters. She crammed it into her mouth and chewed furiously.
Alas, she wasn't fast enough. “Lexi! What have you got there?” Mom turned around and caught her in the act, cheeks bulging like a monkey's.
“Nothing,” she mumbled through a mouthful of fried dough soaked in syrupy goodness.
“Mm, I can see that. But, seeing as you've got nothing to do, why don't you set the table?”
Lexi swallowed her booty and groaned. “Do I have to?”
“Yes, you do. Here are the napkins and plates, for a start.”
“Fine.” Lexi stomped off, muttered objections trailing in her wake.
I shook my head. “Little diva.”
Dad wandered in through the kitchen door from outside, sweat glistening on his forehead, his brown curls plastered to his temples. He grabbed Mom around the waist and kissed her on the cheek while she giggled.
***
The happy memory faded away, replaced instead by our current reality of rubbish-strewn pavements and barred houses. The curtains twitched as occupants fearfully watched us, no doubt wondering who we were and what we were doing there. Fear and paranoia were the flavors of the day. Nothing was or ever would be the same again.
“Ready to go, sweet pea?” I asked.
“Are we going home now?”
“I'd love to take you home, but I can't. I'm really late for work, and I can't afford to lose my job. We need the money, okay?”
She nodded, eyes swollen and puffy. “Okay.”
I started the car and drove to the pharmacy, using up some of my precious fuel to give the riot a wide berth. Twenty minutes later, I was parked in front of the shop. After checking that our gloves and masks were in place, we got out. “Come on, Lexi. Let's go.”
Locking the doors, my eyes lit on the broken window and my heart skipped a beat as I remembered the impact, the flash of movement before the stone hit the glass next to my face. I shook it off and walked away, clutching Lexi's hand. This would not beat us.
The doors were unlocked so we stepped into the shop, the air hot and humid due to the overworked heating. I hurried past the counters and noted that both of them were empty. Where is everybody?
“Mr. Smith?” I called. “Mr. Smith!”
“Over here,” my boss answered from the back. I hurried towards the sound of his voice to find him in the dispensary, helping a customer.
“I'm sorry I'm late, but we got caught in a riot.” I chewed my lip, waiting for his response. Mr. Smith was a good man, honest and fair, but also strict.
“A riot?” he peered at me over the rim of his glasses which perched on the edge of his nose. “What riot?” He handed a parcel and change to the customer, and she scurried off.
I hesitated, not wanting to upset Lexi all over again. “Lexi, honey, why don't you sit at that table over there and do some homework? I'll be right here.”
“But I don't—”
“Please, sweetie.”
She nodded, her face blank, but her shoulders sagged in a way that made my heart ache. I waited until she was out of earshot then turned back to my boss. “A group of people was protesting, and we got caught in the middle. Two police vans arrived and it got ugly. They...they—” I swallowed hard, tears brimming ”—they murdered them.”
My heart beat fast, my head swimming as the world tilted on its axis. Overwhelmed, I gasped and reached a trembling hand for the counter, the horrors of that morning returning to my mind in vivid detail.
Mr. Smith laid a steadying hand on my shoulder and steered me to the nearest chair. “Calm down, Ava. You're in shock. Breathe.” He disappeared for a moment then returned with a cool drink in hand. “Drink t
his. You need the sugar.”
I gulped it down, the gas tickling my throat. It tasted wonderful. I hadn't had a coke in ages. Too expensive. It amazed me that Mr. Smith would part with one from his precious stock just for me.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“It's all right. Now, why don't you tell me what happened?”
After taking a moment to collect myself, I told him the whole story—the schools being closed, the riot, everything.
He rose and paced, chewing on the tip of his pen. “I don't think I need to tell you how bad the situation is, Ava. You've seen it for yourself. There's precious little food and what there is, costs a fortune. The sick and dying are inundating our main cities, and it's spreading.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Did you also know the first cases of the Black Tide have been reported at Bongani Hospital?”
My head shot up. “Already? I thought it would take longer, with all the precautions everybody's been taking.”
“Not with a disease of this scope. It's aggressive and the fact that symptoms take days to show means you don't even know you have it until you've infected everybody around you.” He slammed his hand on the counter, causing me to jump. “We're not prepared for this.”
Aghast, I took in the weight of his words. Of course, I already knew most of this. I watched the news, read the papers, looked at the Internet and YouTube videos. But it had never seemed real before. Until today.
“Where's Diane? And Lena?” I asked. “Am I the only one here?”
“Yes. Diane is leaving town with her parents. They're going to their farm, hoping the isolation will save them. Lena phoned earlier to say she's staying at home,” he answered. “People are scared, Ava.”
“Yes, I know.” I shivered and rubbed my arms. I was scared too. “Wait. You say Lena phoned. But our cell phones are off.”
“She called on the land line. That's still working.”
“Really? Can I phone my dad, please?” I asked. “We've got a land line too.”
The Black Tide I: Remnants (Tides of Blood) Page 2
