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Tanya’s life was turned upside down when her son, Steve was
attacked by renegades and she had to dig deep facing her worst fear to save
them both.
It is the year 2048, 30 years after a devastating quake had
changed Gauteng’s geographic features. The effects of the acid water, that
covered most of the area, was visible to everyone but the government. The
silent death crawling closer leaving devastation in its path. Nothing is
excluded from the terror.
Tanya and Steve’s path of survival meet up with the rebels
in their search for clean water and she had to face much more than just acid
water to stay alive.
A thrilling story of courage and survival.
Wiping the sweat away from her brow, Tanya peered straight
into the scorching heat. Her face was covered by the wide-brimmed hat, her eyes
protected by dark sunglasses ─ the heavy-duty kind that hardly allows any light
to pass through.
It was early November with no sign of rain in the sky. The
previous day they had a few drops which splattered onto the dust-covered earth,
but it had made no significant difference to the parched earth. They needed a
downpour soaking the earth, and soon.
Death was around her in various forms, and it didn’t
discriminate between the strong and the weak. It was as if the Grim Reaper had
a license to kill and touched everything with robustness. Fires were a constant
enemy due to the scorching heat, and with the dry winds, it ran rampant over
the
veld[1] destroying all
in its path. At times she could swear she heard death laughing at their expense
─ he was a living being who had carte blanche on everything that had breath and
he revelled in every minute of their anguish.
With a last glance over the dry veld, she turned her back on
the vegetable garden and made for indoor cover. She tried to maintain the
feeble veggies, but between the sun and the lack of water, it was impossible.
Every drop of water that she could save was put in the ground, nursing the seedlings
to yield a harvest: even if it was just enough for her and her son. She didn’t
ask for much, but now and then help would be appreciated, she thought with some
aggression.
“
Ma[2],
what will we eat tonight?” Steve asked and drew her back from her morbid
thoughts. Her boy has grown the last year. Again, she looked at him,
fascinated, at her kid’s lanky body. Soon he would tower over her, she thought
with a sad smile. Crouched in front of the fridge, he scanned the meagre contents
of the icebox. She knew there was not much to look at.
Their options became slimmer by the day and
it pained her. She had no idea what would they do once it was done.
In town the people were already fighting about the scarce
food supply and she would rather stay far away from that commotion as possible.
Violence was at the order of the day and no one was safe. Law enforcement was
useless and would rather take part in the looting than protect the innocent.
She tried to visit the town a week ago, but only got so far as the outskirts
when gunshots were fired, and a bullet slammed into her car. The bullet’s trajectory
ended up close to Steve’s head, leaving a burnt hole in the headrest of his
seat. She knew she would not make that mistake again.
She brushed away the wisps of hair from her wet forehead, “I
will have to open a few cans. Get some in the cellar.” she requested with a
tired sigh.
She hung her hat on the doorknob, placing her spectacles on
the shelf next to the now-empty spaghetti bottle. She could still remember a
time when all the canisters on the shelves were filled with a variety of
noodles, pasta and rice. It was her pride and joy, decorating the cheerful
kitchen with all kinds of bric-a-brac. Now they were empty reminders of a past
she could only vaguely recall.
“Okay, Ma.” He ran
outside, his thick blond hair rustling as he moved. He jumped over Brutus, who
lay lazing in the scant shade.
The once-beautiful oak tree gave plenty of shade when it was
younger. She could remember the countless times she played under it: Her,
Etienne and Susan. Now there was barely enough shade left to cover the dog’s
body. How things have changed over the years!
Two roads. One choice.
Anabella Anthony found she was alone in the world at
eighteen. Early on, she made a choice; to live an ordinary life away from the
lifestyle her parents preferred. However, they had plans for her; they wanted
her to become a part of their choices.
All she wanted was a regular household, with normal day to day
issues like her peers, parents she could respect, and who above anything else
would accept her for the person she is. Torn between dreams that filled
her mind with alluring effects and uncomfortable events which tried to sway
her, she had to come to a resolution: find peace and stay true to her
convictions.
Through it all, she excelled in her sport; a dedicated
student who falls in love with a much older man. Will she give in to her
body's desires, or will she remain steadfast in her
own choices? Can she find the courage to stand amidst the turmoil
wanting to drag her down? And most importantly, will she ever forgive those who
meant to harm her?
Aldrich Hagin, a lawyer, is ready to settle
down. After a tragic loss, he experienced right
after university he is now, more than ever, ready to move on and
start a family. And then he meets a young, energetic, lively woman
who turns his life and heart around. Will he be willing to
sacrifice his own desires and wait? Can
he help her and be the anchor she so desperately needs? Confronted with his own
decisions, the choice is his as to whether he’ll stay or leave.
What will he decide?
A love story filled with decisions both have to
make; to stand against all odds and remain true to oneself.
Anabella emerged from the
swimming pool―the rippling water a clear aqua right to the tiled floor―wiping
water from her eyes with a brush of her hands, and making sure her hair was
neat. She had just swum twenty laps as part of her training program for her
upcoming championship and felt good, energized, excited, and ready to compete.
She had put in long hours, focused every effort to accomplish this one gold
medal; her dream for many years. It would open doors for her future plans and
was in reach―she could feel it. Anabella knew she was ready.
“How
do you feel, Anabella?” asked Mr. Rhodes, her coach.
“Excellent!
I’m not even tired. This was a good workout,” she answered.
“Are
your parents bringing you to the venue, or should I pick you up?”
“They
are out of town, so I would really appreciate it if you could pick me up.”
Although she could easily drive herself to the championship, she preferred to
go with someone. The tension and stiffness of sore muscles after a hard race
brought numbness to her limbs, which made driving almost impossible.
“Then
it is settled. I will pick you up at 7am, sharp. Don’t be late,” her coach said
sternly.
“I won’t be, Mr. Rhodes.”
“Go
and rest, relax this afternoon, and make sure you are in bed early. Don’t worry
about anything; all will be fine. You have worked hard these past few months.”
“Yes,
sir.” She knew she had worked hard. The sore muscles were evidence, as well as
the fact that she had not spent much time with family or friends. She had
enough confidence in her abilities not to be worried at all and loved the
competitive side of the sport; racing against a good competitor, and the
excitement of winning after giving it her all.
There
was solitude once you dove into the water, only you and it, and the lane
stretching ahead. Sounds of the crowd did not bother her. At moments like
these, she could allow the water to enclose her and swim through the currents
created by other swimmers. An unsurpassed sense of freedom and accomplishment
ran through her veins, and the adrenaline rushed through her core, making her
feel alive. Here, she felt whole, forgetting everything else. Here, she was in
control of her surroundings and her own life. Here, she set the pace,
overcoming all fears.
It
was her home, the place she felt safe. Over the years, the swimming pool had
been the only place she’d considered a safe haven in her otherwise
dysfunctional life. How she had longed for a healthy family life, to wrap her
arms around a loving father and a caring mother, to tell them about her day, to
include them in her life. She sighed as she turned away from the pool, burying
the negative thoughts wanting to rob her from her jovial mood.
Confidence
radiated from her whole posture and she felt good, really good. She never let
on what was taking place within her mind. She never allowed outsiders into her
life. She was always the outsider, never part of the family concept. Her only
confidence came from who she was, as well as her accomplishments in either
sports or academics. However, it neither made her arrogant or self-absorbed.
While
Mr. Rhodes was talking, she managed to dry herself and put her sweatpants and
top on, ready to go to her house.
“Bye,
sir. See you tomorrow at 7am, and thanks.” She respected her coach for his time
and devotion where she was concerned. He had put in just as much time as she
had the last couple of months during training. She had learned to trust him for
all the advice and his continued motivation, and would miss him when she went
off to varsity the following year. He had influenced her to study to be a
physiotherapist as her passion was to work with people.
“Bye,
Anabella. See you in the morning.”
“Goodbye,
Mr. Rhodes.”
Once
home, she went straight to the shower. The warm water was soothing to her sore
muscles and she fully relaxed under the spray. She was all alone―for a change
there weren’t a lot of people in the house. Her parents had gone to a business
seminar for the weekend, and would only be back on Sunday evening.
Her
two older brothers, Roy and Derek, were not back from work yet, not that she
expected them because they would usually go straight to the pub, or a friend’s
house. It was Friday night after all, and their parents weren’t there to
arrange their weekend. How she wished they could be a real family. She loved
her brothers, but living at home kept them apart and they did not spend time
together.
It
was not unfamiliar to Anabella to be on her own on a weekend. If her parents
were there, they didn’t speak to her anyway, because they would be busy
entertaining their friends. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
A
long time ago, Anabella had decided not to be part of their lifestyle and
because of this, there was no relationship between them. She had learned to
distance herself, choosing to rather throw her time and energy into her sport.
At first, it was a way out of the house. Now it had become her life; a life she
appreciated and cherished.
She
had the shower all to herself for as long as she wanted.
Once
in her room, she got dressed, brushing her hair until it shone. Music played
softly from the radio and she sang along with the well-known song.
Suddenly
her cell phone rang, disturbing the stillness, but she smiled. The Caller ID
showed it was her best friend, Monica. Of all her friends, she was closest to
her, and was the heart of the group with her sparkling personality; always busy
arranging parties or schemes, especially where boys were concerned.
Anabella
trusted her as she was the only one who knew what was really going on at her
house. Not that she ever allowed her to come over. For that, she was too
ashamed, but she knew enough and was always close. When things got really bad,
she could always turn to her. Although Monica was a cheerful person and looked
like a ‘dumb blond’, she had shown maturity in a lot of things over the years,
something that was not well known in their group.
“Hi, Moni.”
“Hi,
Bell! You in the mood for a party at my house tonight?”
She
could hear Monica was excited―almost out of breath because of it―and she could
see her, as if she was standing right in front of her. However, Anabella did
need to rest. Her muscles were still stiff after the practice.
“Not
tonight, Moni, I really need to rest. Tomorrow is a big day and I must be in
top form,” she said with a sigh, smiling because of her friend’s anxiousness.
“Please,
Bell, do come,
please, even if it is only for an hour or so.” Monica sounded very eager,
almost desperate.
What was she up to again? “Moni, I can’t come, please understand.”
“Bell, pretty please, a
hunk of a guy is here, a friend of my brother’s, and I want you to meet him.
Please come.”
In
the background, Anabella could hear a shout, as if someone was screaming at
her.
“Please,
Bell!” It was Monica’s brother, Tim. He was twelve years older than they were
and a lawyer, working for a well-known law firm in the city. Again he shouted
in a deep voice, laughing, “Please, Bell, come!”
Anabella
smiled at this and then said, “All right, Moni, but only for an hour. I do need
to have a good night’s rest.” Reluctantly, she gave in. She knew her friend
would not stop until she said yes. Her friend’s family was like a real family
to her. Over the years, she had learned what it was like to have parents, and
many times she would find herself crying afterward, longing for parents like
theirs.
“Great.
I expect you at seven, and you can leave at nine. Will that be early enough?”
There was relief in her voice.
“Yes, that’ll be
fine. Thanks for the invite. See you later.”
With an hour to
spare, she stood in front of her closet. She took out a light, cream-colored
winter dress with three-quarter-length sleeves. It fell to just above her
knees. There was still a chill in the air this late in September and she didn’t
want to be cold. Long, dark-brown boots completed her outfit. Her long,
straight, dark-brown hair hung loose over her shoulders. Even after the winter,
she’d kept her tan, which was noticeable on her face, knees and forearms.
She left the
house at ten to seven as Monica only lived fifteen blocks from her. It was
already dark outside, and stars dotted the sky. A light breeze ruffled through
her hair but it wasn’t freezing, which she was glad about. It had been a long
time since she had seen her friends, and maybe it would be good to see them all
again. She got into her silver Renault Clio, a gift from her parents on her
eighteenth birthday. To say she had been stunned to find the car parked in the
driveway the morning of her birthday would have been putting it mildly. She had
not seen either of them for almost a week, so Roy and Derek handed her the
keys.
She’d spent a
great morning with them, driving them to the nearest Mugg and Bean, enjoying
breakfast together. Like ordinary young people, they laughed about silly stuff.
No one mentioned the always absent parents. They had spent the previous night
with friends and didn’t return home until two days later. It was good to hear
her brothers laugh and be the young handsome men they were. Normality was not a
word which described them, but on that day they had come very close to it. They
even took a few photos together, which had been framed and now hung in her
room. They reminded her that if they tried hard enough, they could be a
regular, happy family, the one thing she craved the most.
She had an air of
confidence about her, but at the same time she was very humble and shy. Through
life’s trials, she had learned not to boast in her own abilities but to stay in
the background and do her own thing. She had been forced to learn to stand on
her own two feet, and not depend on her parents. They never cared, or were
interested in her life. Although they took great care of her material needs,
they emotionally distanced themselves, which bordered on abuse. Their own life
and lifestyle was all that mattered to them. Her brothers would protect her at
times but only to some degree, before they would leave her alone to fight or
fend for herself. She loved her brothers, and she knew there were a lot of
sacrifices they had to make to adjust to their parents’ way of life, but she
could never pay that price.
Her innocence was
precious to her. It was a significant issue, or rather an embarrassment to
them, especially her mother. They thought she was uptight. She was always proud
of the fact that she could still be a lady, watching Mrs. Richter, who played a
huge role in her life. Her example of grace and humbleness was the measure of a
woman, which made Anabella determined to be similar. She wanted to be graceful,
elegant and have respect for herself, with a husband who would adore her. From
teachers and classmates she only received respect and admiration.
In less than two
months, she would complete her schooling. She looked forward to the following
year as she would be attending the University
of Cape Town where she
would study physiotherapy, with her main focus in sports. She had always loved
sports; there wasn’t one she had not tried at one time or another. She liked
the commitment, the discipline it brought into her life, and the joy of
competing. When competing in a team sport or as an individual, she felt that she
was accepted for who she was as a person. In the beginning, it was a way to
escape her home life, but now it had become her lifestyle.
Copyright @LynelleClark
Book is available on Amazon, Smashwords,
Barnes and Noble in Kindle.
