by T Swanepoel
Chapter 7 – Red-hot poker
A red-hot poker is a flower, also called a flameflower, rocket flower or a soldier flower in Afrikaans. In appearance it resembles a rocket, flame and soldier for its shape and colour.
I was half an hour from home according to the GPS when I noticed two black Mercedes Benz behind me. Their windows were darkened and I couldn’t make out any figures inside.
Initially I didn’t mind them much. I switched on the radio and a Locnville CD suddenly played very loudly. I was impressed with Alex’s taste. I started to sing along but stopped almost immediately because my head was pounding and my tongue was super-glued to my palate. Out of shock I turned the music down a little.
When the second song ended, the Mercs were still behind me, close behind me, in spite of the two turns that I had taken. It was a little odd that they were still there; it made me uncomfortable. The image of a high speed chase danced in front of me for a moment, but it seemed too reckless.
I remembered that there was a small road café just a little further down the road. It would be a safe option to test my growing suspicion that they were following me, as it was a busy café.
My palms were sweaty as I approached the turnoff. I’d have to do it so that they either could not follow me or couldn’t get me alone if they did follow me. At least I didn’t feel as uncertain behind the wheel now as when I had left this morning.
The turn that I took was sharp and sudden, without using my indicators. The wheels left an impressive cloud of dust behind as they hit the gravel. Then I had to step hard on the brakes to slow down as I quickly approached an old Toyota Hilux in the parking lot. While all this was happening I kept one eye on the Mercs. Luckily, they continued at speed without turning off. I breathed a sigh of relief, writing the whole incident off to an overactive imagination.
It was only when I reached the till to pay for an aspirin and a litre of water that I remembered that I had no money on me. I had walked out of my parents’ home without taking my phone or my wallet. But it didn’t really matter as I was close to home, so I apologised and left the stuff on the counter. I walked out, got into Alex’s car again and slowly drove on.
It was midday, according to the clock in the car, when I turned into our familiar driveway. The front door was locked and no one answered the bell. After waiting a bit and peeking through the open windows, I walked round to the back door, and tried that. But it was locked as well. I called for a time or so, but there was no response. It wasn’t like my parents to be away on a Sunday, except for church. But church usually ended around eleven o’clock.
They used to hide the spare key in the soil of the marigold flower bowl when I was still in school. Sure enough, I found it easily and opened the back door. As soon as I was in, I took off my shoes. My feet were blistered and hurting from the long walk the other day. Then I went to my bedroom to get my phone. It was still where I had left it, on my bed pedestal.
My dad’s number was on speed dial and I held the number three button in as I walked to the front door to get my clothes from Alex’s car. I was about to unlock the dead bolt when I stopped cold in my tracks: the two black Mercs had just turned into the driveway.
They couldn’t have seen me, they were still turning in but by this time I was already flat on my stomach below the window sill and doing an award-winning leopard crawl away from the front door. At least my phone was in my hand and my dad’s number was already ringing on the other side. With every ring, I prayed harder and harder for him to answer, but it went onto the answering machine.
I slowly got up on my haunches and peeked out through the window from behind the curtain. I briefly made out four blonde men, dressed in black army-looking clothes, climbing out of the Mercs.
I could never challenge these intimidating army-looking guys! I would have to hide or run. I picked run, as they would eventually find me if I tried to hide. They had parked behind Alex’s car and probably knew that I was in here somewhere.
There was the sound of four car doors being shut. I counted very carefully as I had to make sure what I was up against, but the sound urged me to get away from the open window. At mach speed I ran to the back door, which was still open, and motored out of the house.
By the time I had reached the precast wall, they were already in the backyard. With the suppleness of years of gymnastics, I climbed up against the wall.
“Valerie!” one of them called after me.
Their calling was like a fillip, only causing me to panic more. I glanced back at them quickly then launched myself over into the veldt at the back of our house.
They were catching up fast.
Something happened when my bare feet hit the earth. At first, it looked as if the wind was blowing, but only around me, stirring the grass, trees and leaves. It was a subtle sound, almost a ‘pssst-here-I-am’ rustle. Then I noticed a pattern to the movement. The leaves would blow a step or two ahead of me, as if the wind was giving me direction and the grass was telling me where to put my feet.
Duncan’s voice came to me. I remembered a little more of what he had told me the very first day that I saw him.
“Listen carefully. She will speak to you when you need her... always trust her, she is on your side more than anyone else in the universe.”
There wasn’t time to dwell on Duncan’s words; both the urge and instinct to obey was very strong. It welled up inside me and took control of my legs and feet, but I wasn’t scared. It was rather a feeling of salvation, an answer to my cry of distress. I followed the indicated path and the further I went, the more I gained an advantage on the thugs behind me. And it certainly was not because I was faster than them, but because the way simply opened up for me.
It was a true connection with nature; the earth was talking to me, responding to my needs.
I continued running until they were completely out of sight. I thought that I had lost them, but the grass kept on shaking. It only stopped after I had reached a small opening in the roots of a massive Baobab tree. I crawled in as deep and as fast as I possibly could and then waited.
I tried to get out once. A red-hot poker right next to the entrance of the opening caught my attention – it was shaking so violently that its long slender leaves were flying about. I immediately recognised it as the earth’s way of telling me to wait a little longer. Moments later, I heard footsteps getting closer. I pulled my legs in tightly and held my breath.
The footsteps were now very close.
The last thing that I thought about at that moment was my phone. I had completely forgotten about it, otherwise I would have switched to silent mode.
There was simply no escape when it started to ring in my pocket, not even if the earth swallowed me whole on that instant. It was my dad’s ringtone. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and crawled out of hiding. I slowly got up.
They awaited me in a half-moon shape, so close to the opening that running wasn’t a possibility. My heart was in my throat, my phone in my hand and my hands in the air. They stared at me.
“Aren’t you going to answer your phone?” one of them asked.
I figured it was rather unusual for attackers to allow someone to answer their phone. What if I cried for help? But I clutched the opportunity with both hands and answered as fast as I could before the phone stopped ringing.
“Valerie, hallo!” I managed with a shaky voice, watching their reactions very carefully. I didn’t want to reveal it was my dad.
“Hello dear. How are you? We were worried sick about you!”
They didn’t move and I grabbed the chance.
“Dad, I’m in the veldt behind your house. I am being held by four men. Come and get me, please,” I said as fast as I could, watching them with a hawk’s eye.
Not one of them moved a muscle; they just frowned a little harder.
My dad’s voice suddenly sounded very serious. “What do they look like? Oh, let me describe them and then you confirm. They look a lot like... uh... like Alex, strongly bui
lt, blonde and tanned. Maybe a few years older than Alex.”
“Yeah, they do look like Alex!” I was surprised that my dad could describe them. And surprised that he admitted that he knew Alex.
“They are on your... on our side, dear. We sent the Reds to protect you, especially with... I can’t really talk over the phone and I don’t have much time either. Ask the Reds. I need to hurry, dear.”
I felt a blush growing from my ankles up to cover my cheeks. It was so typical of me, running away from the good guys!
“Why do I need protection all of a sudden?”
“Just being careful. And... and Alex phoned me last night after he found you. He mentioned the attack on you while you were in hospital. But I really need to go now, dear.”
Then I remembered something. “Dad? Dad, wait. I’m sorry, Dad. For walking out the other day, I mean. It ...was all just too much for me.”
“Valerie, it’s understandable. As long as you are all right?”
“I guess I am, I’m fine, for the moment,” I said, looking up at four pairs of eyes. “Where are you and Mom? I went home this morning and you weren’t there?”
“Ask the Reds. Bye, Valerie. You take care of yourself.”
“Bye, Dad.”
I placed the phone in my pocket and cleared my throat. The four men in front of me didn’t look so intimidating anymore. They looked like regular guys, although their looks weren’t simply regular. To me, they would definitely pass as gorgeous.
Their grins didn’t help my blush at all: nor did the fact that I was still ridiculously dressed in Alex’s oversized shorts and shirt.
“Hi, I’m Valerie, nice to meet you all,” I took control. I stuck out my hand to introduce myself.
The shortest one answered. “Sorry Valerie, we didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Peter. We are the closest red dwarfs.”
I had no idea what he meant, but felt too embarrassed to ask. “Oh,” I replied simply.
The others introduced themselves as well, “Benjamin,” “Wilfred,” “Leo,” they said, but they completely ignored my out-stretched hand.
“Let’s go home and get something to drink! All this running has made me thirsty!” Leo complained, the tallest of the four.
No one argued as the thick clouds were opening up again and the temperature was rising.
We walked only a few paces before my curiosity won the upper hand.
“Where are my parents? My Dad said to ask you guys.”
“Your parents were summoned to an emergency meeting, with Alex being in a coma and all,” Benjamin answered. He was right next to me at that moment.
“Alex... in a coma?” I was astonished. He hadn’t looked very well last night, but I never would have dreamt that his condition was that bad.
“But why? And why would my parents go to a meeting because Alex is in a coma? I don’t understand.” I was really puzzled.
“Well, isn’t it obvious? We’re all trying to figure out where the attack...”
From the corner of my eye I noticed Wilfred giving Benjamin a nudge.
“Uh...sorry, I don’t think we’re supposed to tell you any of this. All I can tell you is that we will be close behind you for the next few days.”
“And why on earth can’t you tell me more?” I exclaimed, a little too harshly.
“Well, for one, the weather is finally clearing up,” he answered.
I wrongfully interpreted his answer as a way of telling me that he was not going to discuss the subject any further.
“Arrgh!! Fine!” I gave up. “I need to get back to varsity, it’s getting late. And I need to go to Lisa, to see if she is all right. What hospital is Alex in? Or are you not allowed to say?”
“We’ll take you there. It’s close to campus. Leo will take Alex’s car and you can take your own,” Benjamin offered.
“Thanks.” I had wondered how was going to drive two cars at once.
It was strange, and I had to admit, kind-of awesome having an army of hunks looking out for me. Jennifer would be so jealous if she was to find out about it.
“Any of you related to Alex? You all look alike, I have to say.”
“Not in the sense that you mean. But we are close confidants,” Benjamin said.
We walked a few paces before I thought of another problem.
“So, are you guys also studying?” If they were to follow me around on campus, it would be less conspicuous if they blended in instead of sticking together. At least if they were enrolled there, no one would make a fuss about them. Except for Jennifer, of course.
“No, not studying anymore. But we all know the campus very well,” Leo answered.
I realised that I was bombarding them with questions. Maybe that was the reason for the staccato answers I got.
We walked around the block this time so I didn’t have to jump any walls. I was still tired from the escapades of the weekend, and I guess it showed, because Benjamin again made me an offer, suggesting that I drive with him and one of the others drive my car.
It was late already and I hurried to get my things. We all agreed to get something to eat from the drive-through. This time, I remembered my wallet and phone and grabbed a pillow for the trip.
The combination of the marathon earlier, wheels turning and a full tummy was potent and I felt sleepy the moment Benjamin switched on the car. He turned on the radio after we had finished our take-away. Out of politeness I tried my best to stay awake at least until we had left town.
“You go right ahead, I don’t mind. I’ll wake you in time,” he said with his green eyes smiling at me.
“Thanks, Benjamin,” I said with my head already resting against my pillow. “And thanks for looking out for me.” I trusted him completely; after all, my Dad had sent them.
He replied with a smile. “No problem. Anything for Alex.”
My resistance crumbled completely. I didn’t even react to his mistake. He had said ‘Alex’ instead of ‘your Dad’.
It was only when I was almost asleep in the fancy black Mercedes that the wonder of what happened in the veldt earlier hit me.
***