Chapter 73

Craig drove up the road and knew he could not allow his wife or children to see him in this state. He had to find a place to clean his hands and face at least, but first, he had to park somewhere. He had to clear his mind.

Craig cruised through the neighbourhood until he reached Saldanha heights overlooking the ocean, the place he had taken his family for a spectacular view of Saldanha and the harbour sitting in the middle of the ocean. Lights reflected in the calm smooth water. It seemed like a waterfall of lights. Craig switched on the light inside the kombi and assessed the damage to his face in the rear-view mirror. He was shocked by the state of it. He hardly recognised himself. His face seemed deformed with all the swelling. He knew it would get worse over time when the colours started to show as purple and blue. His eyes and both cheekbones had already been swollen up severely. His lip had been busted open with a gaping tear. Fortunately, the bleeding had stopped, but his lip felt thick and strange. His nose was already showing blueness on the sides and he knew it had been broken. Craig's head was throbbing from the blow he received from behind. He felt a large aching hump at the back of his head. He tried to recall exactly what had happened after he got up from the bar floor. He supposes he had received quite a few blows to the head when they kicked him, but the main reason for his memory lapse was the major blow to the head from the bar stool. He could not remember much, but he was certain he heard them saying a few weird things. He wanted to shake his head to wear off the dullness of his brain but his head was aching too much. Despite the terrible state of his face and bloody shirt, his body felt fine. He was sure his body would show blue or purple bruises the next day, but that was the least of his problems. His family was his greatest concern. How was he going to explain to Sarah and the kids what happened? How was he going to protect his kids from those bastards he knew were ruthless and criminal?

Their voices started to come back to Craig now. They seem so far away, but at least they started to surface.

We will rape your wife and daughter. Craig remembered, but he was not sure if they actually said that. They had mentioned Emily's name even before the fight broke out. He supposed they might have said such things. Craig felt terrible for getting involved with them in such a way, but what else could he have done? He had just aggravated the situation, and he feared he would not be able to stop it. Maybe it was not too late to pack up their things overnight and leave in the morning, but where would they go? They had sold everything in Johannesburg.

We are going to have some fun with your two boys while your flesh slowly rots away. Soon there will be nothing left of you. Another revelation surfaced in Craig's throbbing brain. He remembers being touched by the convict-type guy with the tattoos. He had touched Craig's right shoulder and spoken some words that Craig could not understand. It was a language he had never heard before, something ancient.

It all came to Craig and his heart sank. He had been cursed in the same way Ferris had been cursed, the flesh decay they had called it, but what did the guys mean by putting it on steroids? Craig knew his family was in grave danger. He had to make a plan and real quick. The police would not be able to help, not in Saldanha, not anywhere. They would not understand what was happening.

Craig did not want to run away. It would be risky to stay, but he would get those guys back one by one, even if he had to kill and bury them...no, throw them into the ocean with rocks and ropes attached to their feet. There the crabs and crayfish could feed on them until all traces and evidence had been digested.

Craig realised his family's time, as well as his own, was growing shorter by the minute. Those bastards knew where they were staying and they would come back until there was no more courage left to fight back. He had the feeling it would be sooner than expected.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. He would have to spill the beans and tell Sarah everything. Maybe he did not have to tell her everything, but he had no choice, really. He could maybe hide the true reason why he went to the pub in the first place. Craig knew he had been punished for being dishonest with his wife and for having evil motives with a young woman he barely knew. The one who turned out to have been possessed. He knew he would never do anything like that again despite his weakness for beautiful women. If he had been at home with his wife and kids where he should have been, none of this would have happened, but then again, he would not have come across the low lives that caused all the havoc in town including Ferris's condition. He would not have known that they were after his kids. Maybe Brian was right, and maybe God had a plan after all.

Craig started the kombi and stared out at the dark ocean one last time. Tomorrow would be the rise of a new sun and new things would be coming, but he would be ready, more than ready. To attack is the best weapon and he would not sit around and wait for them to come back again. He needed to find out where they lived. Tommy had said that they were from Vredenburg. Although Vredenburg was big, it was at least a start. For now, he had to face his family and share the terrible news. He did not even know where to start. Craig drove off with a million thoughts going through his broken mind.