The Incubus

by Len du Randt

  ‘Do you want something to drink?’ she called after him.

  ‘Maybe later, thanks.’ He stopped short of the study door and frowned. ‘Becky,’ he called down the hallway, ‘please remember to keep this door closed.’

  She was too immersed in her conversation with her best friend to worry about something as trivial as a door, so she just waved him off.

  Justin took a deep breath and wondered if he would ever hear from that Simon guy or his employer. ‘All I can do is hope,’ he sighed as he switched on his computer.

   

   

  *    -    -    -    *

   

   

  Simon thoroughly enjoyed the movie. After stopping for a quick snack, he headed to the park where he would spend the next few hours reading. Searching for the best spot which has just enough sun and shade, Simon finally found the ideal location to be underneath a huge oak tree. He positioned himself comfortably on the soft grass and opened the novel at the book-marked spot.

  ‘Mary wondered how many of them also came to the sudden—and unmistakably divine—realization that Victor Yoshe was evil,’ Simon read aloud, ‘and most importantly of all, that Jesus was in fact the Christ.’

  Simon smiled. The story was getting interesting. He was about to continue when a soft chirping behind the tree distracted him. Simon closed the book and placed it down on the grass. He stood up and slowly made his way around the base of the huge oak. On the ground, a bird lay in an awkward position next to the tree.

  ‘Hi there, little fellow,’ Simon said and slowly took a step closer to the bird. ‘Are you all right?’

  The bird just chirped softly. It was obvious to Simon that its wing was broken. When he was close enough, Simon extended his hands slowly toward the bird and carefully scooped it up. It was badly wounded, and bleeding from its neck.

  ‘This is bad,’ Simon said as he gently stroked the bird’s head. He realized that the bird didn’t have much longer to live. Cradling the bird in his arms he dropped to a kneeling position and covered it completely with his body.

  ‘Please, Lord,’ Simon prayed. ‘Please heal this bird. Jesus, don’t let her die.’ Simon covered the bird for a moment longer and then straightened up again.

  He held his breath.

  At first nothing happened. Then the bird twitched and then turned its head. The wound in its neck was gone. The bird then shook itself and spread its wings before flying off.

  ‘Thank you, Lord,’ Simon said and sighed out loud. He was relieved that his prayer was heard, but why the Creator of the heavens and Earth would listen to him still eluded him. He looked at the bird as it flew off in the distance. ‘Thank you...’

  Simon got up and stretched. He then walked back around the tree, sat down, and continued reading his book.

   

   

  *    -    -    -    *

   

   

  Something was wrong. Justin didn’t know what yet, but he could sense it in the darkness. He looked around the apartment, scanning his eyes over the dark shapes in the living room to see if he could spot anything out of place. He saw a man standing in the corner and then realized that it was merely a chair. As his eyes adjusted to the overwhelming darkness, he could see more shapes more clearly.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Rebecca asked next to him and he jumped.

  ‘Don’t scare me like that,’ he said with a mild irritation in his voice.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, then lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘What are we looking for?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Justin whispered back. ‘But something feels...wrong.’

  A tingle ran down Rebecca’s spine. ‘What is it?’

  ‘I just told you, I-don’t-know!’ Justin snapped. ‘What the hell do you think I’m doing?’ He looked away from her and clenched his teeth. He wasn’t intentionally rude to her, but for some reason, he couldn’t help it. It just exploded without his control.

  Both jumped when they heard someone knocking on a neighbour’s door somewhere down the passage outside.

  ‘Who would be out there at two in the morning?’ Rebecca asked softly.

  ‘Keep quiet!’ Justin snapped again.

  Someone knocked again, but this time it was louder and closer, almost as if whomever it was moved from door to door.

  Rebecca clutched Justin’s arm. Through the stained window pane next to their door they could see the silhouette of a man, illuminated by the dim light outside.

  ‘Who’s that?’ Rebecca asked and tightened her grip around Justin’s arm.

  Justin didn’t answer. He was nervous himself and didn’t want to make it obvious to her. He was supposed to be her protector, and if he displayed fear, how could he ever make her feel safe again? Justin swallowed hard; his heart pounded heavily in his chest.

  The knock on their door was unexpectedly loud; more of a threatening bang that echoed out loud through their apartment.

  Justin had a bad feeling in his gut and held his breath. Each heartbeat exploded loudly in his own ears and he was afraid that the unwanted visitor outside would be able to hear it and thus know that they weren’t asleep. The silhouette at the glass pane moved again, and then moved closer. Justin suddenly realized that the person was inside their apartment, advancing toward them with a long knife raised in the air, ready to slash down.

  ‘No!’ Justin screamed as he woke up.

  ‘Justin?’ Rebecca asked through the darkness. ‘Are you all right?’

  Justin sat up and waited for his eyes to adjust. His body was drenched in sweat and his heart beat furiously in his chest.

  Light flooded the room as Rebecca switched on the bed lamp. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Bad dream,’ Justin said and took a few deep breaths to regulate his breathing.

  ‘What was it about?’

  ‘What’s the time?’ Justin asked.

  Rebecca took her cell phone from the bed stand and pressed a button. ‘It’s ten past two,’ she said.

  Justin swallowed hard. ‘I was rude to you,’ he said. His throat was dry and his voice coarse. ‘Someone came into our apartment...attacked us with a knife...’

  ‘And then?’

  Justin swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rubbed his face. He took another deep breath. ‘And then I woke up.’

  Rebecca just looked at him as he walked from the room to drink some water. She heard him mumble something about keeping the study door closed before she slumbered off again.

   

   

  *    -    -    -    *

   

   

  The phone rang for quite some time before Justin woke up. Rebecca had left for work already, so it would have to be after eight. He stumbled from bed and cursed as he banged his toe against something hard on his way to the phone.

  ‘Hello?’ Justin said, trying to make his voice sound like he had been awake for quite some time.

  ‘Good morning,’ someone said from the other end of the line. ‘Is this Justin Greene?’

  ‘Yes,’ Justin said. ‘Who’s this?’

  ‘My name is Ian Robertson from Cybernetics Computers.’ He paused for a moment, and Justin thought it best to let the man continue without interruption. ‘An employee recommended you for a technician position with our firm.’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Justin said. He allowed the man to continue speaking.

  ‘When would you be able to come in for an interview?’

  Justin was completely caught off guard. ‘I...erm...I can make it tomorrow if that’s okay with you.’

  ‘That would be fine,’ the man confirmed as he flipped through the pages of his diary. ‘How would eight thirty suit you?’

  ‘That would be perfect,’ Justin said.

  The caller gave Justin some basic directions to the premises of Cybernetics Computers and Justin wrote them down without interrupting. He would rather consult the Internet or a map book later than appear to
be incompetent before he even met the man. After confirming the time, the man hung up, leaving a stunned Justin looking at the phone as if he had just won the lottery. He finally put the phone down and went back into the bedroom.

  ‘Perfect,’ he said and went to the kitchen and flipped the kettle’s switch. He had the best news in the world and not a soul to tell, so he merely chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. ‘Just perfect.’

   

   

  *    -    -    -    *

   

   

  ‘How do I look?’ Justin asked.

  ‘Like some big, fancy exec,’ Rebecca said and straightened his tie. She took a step back and admired her well-groomed husband. It had been a while since he dressed up for anything, and it was a visual treat to her. ‘Nervous?’

  ‘A little,’ he said. ‘But I have a good feeling about this one.’

  She smiled. ‘So do I.’

  ‘Are you sure Tanya’s okay with picking you up for work?’

  ‘She’s fine about it. Just remember to fetch me after work, okay?’

  ‘Deal,’ he said and hugged her tightly. He then kissed her passionately and Rebecca wished that the moment would last forever. ‘See you soon, hun,’ he said. ‘Wish me luck.’

  She waited at the kitchen window as he got into the car. He waved to her as he drove off. ‘Lord, please be with him during the interview,’ she prayed as she boiled water to make herself some tea. ‘He really needs this. Please let him get the job.’

  Once the tea had been made, she put it aside on the coffee table in the lounge and switched on the television. It would be another twenty minutes before Tanya would be there to pick her up. Justin’s interview wasn’t for another while still, but he didn’t know the neighbourhood that the company was based in too well. He had a rule where he would rather be an hour early than two minutes late.

  ‘So let me get this straight. Your mother is married to a convicted killer, and now you’re pregnant with his baby?’

  The crowd cheered.

  Another stupid talk show, Rebecca thought and pressed the button on the remote. The television flipped to another channel. It was the weather report. Dull, she thought, but at least better than the claptrap on the previous channel.

  She scanned her eyes across the screen as the names and temperatures of various South African cities and suburbs scrolled from bottom to top. Finally Kelwick scrolled up.

  ‘Oh dear,’ Rebecca said aloud. ‘That’s warm for this time of the year.’ It was, in fact, unusually warm even for summer in the tiny Gauteng suburb. Where rain was expected, the weatherman predicted an unexpected heat wave.

  There was a fumbling at the front door.

  Rebecca got up and as she neared the door, it opened. Justin walked in and smiled.

  ‘Forgot something,’ he said and walked briskly past her into the bedroom. He rummaged through a few drawers, pulled out a file, flipped through it, and then walked past her to the door again. ‘See you later, love,’ he said and stole a quick kiss.

  Rebecca walked to the kitchen to wave him off through the window again, but he was already backing off into the road. When the car pulled away, her heart skipped a beat.

  There’s someone with him! She thought. It wasn’t as much the fact that there was someone with him that bothered her, but the fact that he had neglected to mention anything to her about picking anyone up before the interview. She shrugged and made a mental note to ask him about it when she saw him again. Less than a minute later she was back at her tea and, for some unexplained reason, watching the talk show.

   

   

  *    -    -    -    *

   

   

  ‘So how did the interview go?’ Rebecca asked Justin when he picked her up from work.

  ‘All right, I guess,’ he said. ‘A lot better than any of the other interviews I’ve been on the past few months.’

  ‘Just all right?’

  ‘Well...I know I did well on the technical side of the interview,’ he said and paused. ‘It’s the personal side that bothers me a bit.’

  ‘Like...?’

  ‘Like the fact that I don’t have a job at the moment; that I didn’t have one for the past five months. What also bothers me is that I’ve jumped between a few companies the past three years.’

  ‘Some of that jumping had to do with mergers,’ she said. ‘You had no control over any of that.’

  ‘I know,’ Justin said and sighed. ‘It just doesn’t sound too great in an interview, that’s all.’

  ‘But if they take you now, you’ll be able to build a solid foundation with them, right?’

  He nodded. ‘I hope so.’

  ‘And the company itself?’ she asked. ‘What do you think about it?’

  ‘The company is great. It’s a stunning building with a little waterfall and a pond at the back where you can sit during lunch hour. There’s a canteen right next to it, for those days when I might need a snack.’

  ‘That’s great,’ Rebecca said and patted Justin’s leg.

  ‘The work sounds like fun. I’ll basically be doing workshop, in-house, and onsite support.’

  ‘Huh?’ she asked. ‘What’s that?’

  Justin laughed. ‘The workshop is where clients send their computers to when the field engineer can’t fix it at the premises. In-house technicians would assist the Cybernetics staff, like the receptionist for example, who might have problems with their computers.

  ‘Oh,’ she said humouring him. She didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but loved the fact that he was excited about something again. ‘What kind of problems?’

  ‘Well...imagine the payroll department not being able to connect to the Internet and pay staff salaries at month end.’

  ‘Aaah,’ Rebecca said and nodded. ‘And the other one?’

  ‘Onsite is where they send a technician to a customer’s site for a week or so where they help out with general support calls or audits.’

  ‘A week?’

  Justin knew that it was going to be an issue with Rebecca. They haven’t ever been separated since they got married and a week apart would almost be unbearable for her. ‘That shouldn’t happen too often, love,’ he said. ‘But at this moment I can’t really be picky, right?’ He smiled and added. ‘Besides, I see it as short-term pain for long-term gain.’

  ‘I guess you’re right,’ Rebecca said and playfully pretended to sulk. ‘But that doesn’t mean that I have to like it.’ She then looked up as she suddenly remembered something. ‘Oh yes, who was that in the car with you this morning?’

  Justin pulled his face. ‘In the car with me?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘When you came back for your file, you drove off with someone sitting next to you.’

  Justin laughed. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said. ‘But there was no one with me. I promise.’

  Rebecca just shrugged. Whatever. I know what I saw.

  Justin sighed and took her hand in his. ‘I don’t like the idea of going away every now and again either, Becky, but at least we will now be able to get our lives back on track; especially with the baby on its way.’ His plan to change the topic worked like a charm. As soon as he mentioned the baby, her face lit up.

  ‘I saw the nicest little baby clothes today...’

  Justin smiled as she talked about the baby clothes and accessories non-stop until they finally reached home.

   

   

  *    -    -    -    *

   

   

  Sunday afternoon lunches at Justin’s parents were always a bonus for the young couple. It saved them on food supply, preparing a meal, and also the hassle of washing dishes. After lunch, they caught up on the week’s events. Justin made a big fuss about the pregnancy, handing out the printed sonar scan for all to see.

  ‘Isn’t it just the most precious thing you have ever seen?’ Justin’s mother as
ked as she looked at the scan. Justin wondered if those were tears welling in her eyes. She would never admit it, but the prospect of becoming a grandmother was a milestone. She had finished the race. She had reached full circle. She was complete.

  ‘So whaddaya think, grandpa?’ Justin asked and his mouth stretched into a large grin.

  ‘I am proud of you, son,’ Justin’s father said.

  Justin soaked in those six words. His father rarely used them together in a sentence, so when he did, Justin knew it best to savour the moment.

  After what felt like an hour’s worth of superstitious advice, Justin saw it best that they leave. It was getting dark, and they still had a long evening ahead of them. Once outside at the car, Justin searched for his cell phone and realized that he left it on the living room table.

  ‘I’ll be right back,’ he said and then made his way to the house. Halfway to the front door he felt that something was wrong. He turned around just in time to see a huge black dog charge at him.

  ‘Help!’ was all that Justin managed before the dog was upon him. It jumped up and knocked him off his feet. It then bit him on the shoulder and a stabbing pain shot through his arm as razor sharp canines sunk into soft flesh. He tried to scream, but nothing came out. The dog then bit into his upper arm and he felt the strength in his arms and legs seep away. Then it put its face right up to his and bared its fangs in a grotesque snarl before going for the throat.

  Justin woke up screaming.

  The phone rang somewhere in the distant background and an early noon sun flooded the room as he ripped open the curtains. He groaned and rubbed his aching arm as he made his way to the phone. The vivid dream still haunted him when he picked up the phone. It felt very real; almost too real.

  ‘Hello?’ Justin’s voice croaked.

  ‘Good afternoon, may I please speak to Justin Greene?’

  ‘Umm...you’re speaking to him.’

  ‘Mister Greene, my name is Louise Johnston from Cybernetics Computers.’

  Justin’s stomach constricted. ‘Yes...?’

  ‘I’m calling on behalf of Ian Robertson to inform you that your application for the Junior Technician position at Cybernetics Computers has been successful.’

  ‘Oh wow...’

  ‘We would like to know if you would be able to start on Monday morning?’

  Justin sat down. His head was spinning and he felt as light as a feather. ‘I...uh...sure,’ he said. ‘What time should I be there?’

  ‘Eight o’ clock should be fine,’ she said.

  ‘Thank you, Louise,’ Justin said. He wondered if he should say anything else, but decided that it would be best not to. After they both hung up, Justin just stood there, wondering if he should call Rebecca at work, or leave it as a surprise for when she got back home. He decided to opt for the surprise route and ran some hot water for a warm shower instead.