The Sacrifice
Cathy Conradie
Copyright © 2011 by Cathy Conradie
This story is dedicated to my Heavenly Father who helped me in writing this book in only two days. It is also dedicated to all the cancer patients and survivors in South Africa and in particular to those who are in the battle against leukaemia. This book is in loving memory of my grandmother’s sister, tannie Gienie Marais who also had leukaemia. Lastly, but not least this book is dedicated to each and every police official who has paid the highest price as a sacrifice to our beautiful country, South Africa.
Cathy Conradie
2011-07-15
Important legal notice
This is a fictional novel with fictional characters. Some events were real events based on stories shared with the author, but no conclusion must be made to the characters and the events in this novel. Any reference to any actual person, place, or event is coincidental and the author is not responsible and will not be held responsible for any conclusion made by any reader by any means or terms.
Table of Contents
• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Chapter Three
• Chapter Four
• Chapter Five
• Chapter Six
• Chapter Seven
Chapter One
The lonely picture of Antonie Marais staring out of the window plays itself off. It is very clear that the 13-year-old teenager is grumpy, irritated and filled with overwhelming sadness. He plays with the pen, trying very bravely to fight away the tears but when they slip over his cheeks he hastily and angrily dries them with one move. He is a big boy now and as his dad would say: “Cowboys don’t cry.”
But far off in the distance the silence of the quiet suburb gets disturbed by the rumble of the coming Casspir that will take away his father for the umpteenth time. He hates the fact that his father is a policeman. His father is never at home. As the only child this leaves Antonie with the inhumane responsibility to fill a grown man’s shoes to act as the man and the protector of the house. He is just not afforded the opportunity to enjoy his childhood. One thing is for certain – he will never become a policeman….
But a soft knock on the door of his room jerks him back to reality.
“Antonie?”
Antonie ignores his father and pretends he is not listening.
“Hello my son, what are you doing?”
“I’m doing my homework, Dad.”
Otto smiles ruefully.
“My child, I know your homework is always up to date because you always finish it at school. I wish so much we can chat a bit before I leave.”
“I think it is too late for that, Dad.”
“Please don’t be like this. You know how much I’m going to miss you.”
“Yeah well, that is if you will ever come back home safely.”
“You know that is the risk we always have to take. One day when you are all grown up, it will be your life too.”
“I never want to be a policeman.”
“But that has always been your dream? Don’t you remember the photo where you were wearing my cap?”
“I was three years old back then, Dad. I didn’t know any better. I know now you’re never at home. I’m not interested in the police. Policemen don’t have a life.”
“We have so much to talk about.”
“Tell me about it. But you’re never home, Dad.”
The Casspir stops noisily in front of the house and Otto sighs.
“I need to go now. The Colonel is waiting.”
“When are you coming back, Dad?”
“I don’t know. It all depends on the duration of the unrests. Please take care of yourself and your mother. Please help her with the gardening over the weekends and don’t mow the lawn again when it is raining. I don’t want to get another telephone call with news that you got shocked because you mowed the lawn in the rain.”
Otto lovingly rubs Antonie’s hair.
“I’ll call everyday, okay?”
“Yes, Dad.”
And with that Otto disappears out of the house where he embraces his wife tightly, greeting her passionately before getting into the Casspir. And like every time, this leaves Antonie utterly lonely. He wishes so much that his father will hold him close and tell him how much he loves him, even if it was only once.
The irritating sound of the small rubber ball that Paul is playing with makes Lourens to sigh heavily as he looks up. He forces himself to smile when he looks at Paul. His bubbly busy-body child that constantly fails to sit still for even a second.
“My dear child, that constant hopping of the ball is so annoying. I told you it’s not a good idea to bring you to the office with me.”
But Paul looks at his father and Lourens can feel the resistance inside him crumbling as he stares into those big blue eyes. Paul is the perfect picture of his mother and he has her good looks and gentle personality. Sometimes he feels Paul is too gentle. A teenager of his age who is on the point of becoming a man can’t afford to be so soft.
“Dad, may I please go to the architect-section? I want to draw and there is not enough paper here.”
Lourens laughs as he gets hold of his son. He gently kisses him on the head as he picks him up onto his lap.
“I have a better idea. Why don’t you make me a nice cup of tea?”
Paul pulls a face.
“Come now, big guy. On your way ask oom Thys and tannie Tia if they would also like some.”
Paul embraces his father before leaving and Lourens smiles to himself. He had to lure Paul out of the office because he is planning a surprise for Paul. He picks up the telephone where he is making a call to the General Johan Coetzee heliport at the Police College in Pretoria. Paul is fascinated with helicopters lately and always draws one. Lourens suspects it has everything to do with the fact that Paul’s friends has the DVD-series of Airwolf as Paul can talk on end about what the helicopter can do and of all the criminals that are brought to justice as a result of this helicopter.
It takes a while before the personnel answers the telephone at the heliport.
“Good afternoon, Captain Du Preez.”
“Captain? You are speaking to Captain Visser here at Logistics at the Quartermaster. How are you today?”
“We’re doing fine, thank you. With what can I help you today?”
“Captain, I would like to know if you have any flights scheduled for today and if I can come and pay you a visit?”
“Yes, Captain, we have a flight scheduled at two ‘o clock for a crime prevention operation that will last an hour. It will be taking place in Silverton.”
“Do you perhaps have any space for two passengers?”
“Yes, we do. For whom will it be?”
“It will make it complicated because I know what our regulations are, but it is for me and my son. Paul is obsessed with helicopters and I want to surprise him. He knows nothing of this arrangement.”
“Um…. Yes…. I can arrange it, but you do realise anything can happen?”
“I know.” Lourens eyes catches Paul’s figure in the doorframe.
“Captain, thank you so much. I’ll see you at quarter past one.”
“Very well then, Captain Visser. I’ll make the necessary arrangements and we’ll be waiting for you.”
“Thank you so much again. I really appreciate it.”
“No trouble at all.”
With a new year that has begun and a whole new phase in his life, Antonie walks through the open gates of the Montana High School, feeling very uncertain. He is not in the mood for this new challenge and he can feel the rebellion rising up in him again. Everything was a mess! As usual his mother dropped him off at school because his father was away again. So
me police course he had to attend, an advanced detective course or something like that. He knew this will mean that his father will be promoted to Major and as the detective commander of SAPS Sinoville, but he didn’t care. He longs for a father figure to look up to and to talk to. Things are happening to his young body he doesn’t understand. Just how is he going to convince his mother to buy him a razor to start shaving? She will probably laugh at him and tell him he is too young. He had so many friends at Stephanus Roos Primary School, but his friends’ parents were very rich and some of them started their high school careers at the Overkruin High School or Afrikaans High for boys. That is the rugby mecca of Pretoria. He wishes so much he could join them. He doesn’t know if his new school will give him the opportunities he needed in either his athletics or his rugby. The best he can do for himself now is to force him to adapt because he knew that if he refuses to adapt he will make things very difficult for himself. Five years can become very long.
Paul was so eager for his first rugby match on high school level that he didn’t manage to bat an eyelid the previous night. He just loves the idea that his brother came all the way from Johannesburg for the weekend to watch him play. He wishes that his mother can be there cheering him on but she needed to be at his twin sister’s hockey match and it is impossible for her to be at two places at the same time.
“Hi there, pea brain.”
Johan gets hold of Paul and playfully rubs Paul’s hair.
“Stop that!” Paul says annoyed.
“Everyone will laugh at me now with my hair looking like this and you calling me all kinds of nicknames.”
“Don’t you say hello?”
“You’re embarrassing me in front of my friends!”
But Johan ignores Paul and hugs him briefly.
“I miss you. Do you want to go to the movies tonight?”
Paul smiles.
“That’s sounds cool. And you can make up for embarrassing me in front of my friends by buying me pizza after the movies too.”
“I just love you so much, bro. But don’t worry. I understand. I was fourteen too. I know at that age one doesn’t want any close family contact. Are you ready for your rugby game?”
“Of course! When are you going to play against Pretoria Bobbies? I want to watch you play.”
Paul starts laughing.
“Where did you get that shiner?”
“Last week’s rugby match. The police guys in Johannesburg are really rough. Fortunately you are playing in the back line.”
“As if that means anything. Good gracious, I need to go. See you guys after the match.”
With the match almost completed and only ten minutes left, Montana’s rugby team is having a real hard time against Overkruin. Normally Monties are a force to be reckoned with on the rugby field, but their under 14A team is facing a real tough game against Overkruin. With a bit of luck Montana takes possession of the ball as a result of Overkruin being very sloppy and this gives Antonie the opportunity to chase down to the try line. But Paul, his opponent on the left wing is very fast on Antonie’s heels and to Paul’s father and brother’s delight and to Montana’s disappointment, Paul brings Antonie down real hard five metres short of the try line. Paul lets go immediately and wants to get back to the game but Antonie gets hold of Paul and hits him right on the eye.
“Take that, you idiot!”
Paul breaks lose and glares at Antonie.
“Have you lost your mind?!”
“I’ll sort you out, big time. Don’t dare me!”
“You’re crazy, man!”
With this Antonie gets hold of Paul again but the referee intervenes.
“Hey you two! That’s enough!”
“But sir, he - ”
“Antonie! I said that’s enough!”
“Sir - ”
“Five minutes off the field for you, Antonie. One more word from you and you’ll report at my office on Monday.”
Antonie turns around, enraged as he leaves the field, making a silent vow to himself that should his paths ever cross with Paul again, he’ll take revenge for this humiliation.