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Chapter 4
A customary mist was hanging over Cape Town’s inner city the morning Captain Smalls and Detective Khumalo decided to pay Dixie Bannerman a visit. It settled amongst the buildings like a blanket and the morning sun could not fully penetrate. If you looked out your window, you would not even be able to see the world famous table mountain. It was not yet summer and not quite winter anymore, but as expected with South African weather it was a pleasant day. Perfect for an afternoon nap after reading a good book.
Brenda had no such luxuries as this was two days before her wedding. She and her sister Bernice were laughing and drinking bucketfuls of coffee as they were preparing for the big occasion. According to Bernice, getting married was out of the question. She’s always been a free spirit and would not settle for any man, except if he had at least two sports cars and a mansion with a sea-view in Camp’s Bay. She decided early in life that money was as good a reason as any to get married.
Brenda, as is sometimes normal of twins, was the complete opposite. She was marrying for love. She met him of all places at a bowling alley. She did not want to go, but Bernice forced her. He didn’t want to be there, but his friends dragged him. It was almost cosmic in its serendipity. His friends snickered when she slipped and fell in the lane beside theirs, but he was the perfect gentleman. He rushed to her side and helped her up. After the embarrassment faded and Bernice stopped teasing her she actually noticed him for the first time. A normal looking guy. Not the sort of face you would find in a fashion magazine or on-screen at the latest big budget action movie, but there was a genuine kindness behind his big brown eyes and Brenda fell again – metaphorically that is – head over heels.
Now, after eleven whirlwind months of romance the big day was finally here. She was in the process of squeezing into her wedding dress, as Bernice was constantly giggling and making “wedding night” jokes. Brenda smiled, her sister could be so delightfully naughty at times and she was sometimes secretly jealous of her carefree and easygoing ways.
The doorbell rang and Bernice quickly got up to answer it. As she opened the door a huge man with a trucker’s cap punched her in the face, breaking her jaw instantly. She stumbled backwards and spilled her hot coffee all over herself. She was dazed and too weak to get up. The man quickly crossed the living room and grabbed her sister Brenda by her arms. Bernice could hear yelling but she was too lightheaded and her legs felt like rubber.
Blood was now pouring out of her nose and her eyes stung. Unfocused she could barely see the man as he first punched Brenda in the stomach and then in the face. He then crouched over her sister’s prone body for what seemed like an hour. Bernice felt as helpless as someone who was trying to escape the death grip of quicksand.
Finally the monster got up and started walking towards the front door. He abruptly stopped and decided to crouch down beside Bernice. Her whole vision was blocked out by his terrifying visage: “You are lucky little one. Up until today you were weak, but tomorrow you will be stronger. I have made you stronger. Every day when you wake up and feel the wind on your face and the renewed strength in your limbs, fall on your knees and give thanks to Romulus, for I have given you the power back that your parasitic sister has stolen.”
With that, the monster stood up and gave her a final kick which delivered her into blissful darkness, never to see her sister alive again.
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