FAITH YOUR ONLY HOPE

Another late night she thought as she parked her car in the garage. She rushed to feed the dogs, knowing that it will be dark soon. The children still so small does not understand the urgency the haste. She locked the doors knowing that it will never prevent them nor keep them out.

The house build in the shape of an H, with two courtyards, one at the back and one at the front. The front courtyard had a big glass sliding door and at the front of the courtyard a steel trellis. The trellis only gave half protection, it was easy to climb over. The back courtyard had the same trellis. Same with the fence, even easier to jump over.

Whilst putting the children in the bath she started supper. Her mind fixed on the markings she found outside and around the house. Once she even caught a suspect marking her house. After confronting him nothing really happened to him. He apparently knew her neighbor and she was warned that if the police take him for fingerprints that she will indeed have trouble. The police however took him. It did not really matter to her they were already tormenting her. Other people thought that she was crazy, overactive imagination as they called it. 

Marking her house almost daily with coke bottles and blue pieces of plastic, branches and white papers. She can foresee their plans the exact path. The two way radio broke the silence, "It is time for roll call". They started calling the numbers one by one. Rushing again to get the kids dressed and fed. She replied when she was called, knowing that time is working against her. 

After putting the children to bed she started cleaning the kitchen keeping the two way radio close by. She prayed that her husband would return from work but knew that he was busy with a late delivery. It was not long before the dogs started running up and down making crying noises. She just knew the time has come, automatically switching off lights as fast as she can. Her two way she kept in her hand and put her cellphone in her pocket. She remained in the hallway. From there she could see both the back and the front courtyard as well as the children's rooms and main bedroom.

She stood very still for a while. Fear creeping up her spine like a spider to its web. She stopped breathing afraid that they might know where she was. She checked the windows, listening to every little sound. She heard a whistle and the whistle was answered by another. She knew that , that could not be a bird. It was already pitch black dark outside.

Only a week ago she saw a silhouette of a foot hanging from the roof. A month before she saw a figure standing on top of her roof. They only came when she and the children was alone. From windows facing the courtyard she can see a fraction of the roof. But they avoid that part and has now found a different part to climb onto. Her legs is stiff and numb from the standing. Her mouth drying out and thirst gripping at her throat. She will not dare drink anything for she will give her position away. 

Then the steel frame resting against a steel pole on the outside of the children's rooms made a noise. It was steel against steel. She started praying that God will delay them, she prayed for the safety of her children. There was so many newspaper reports of what happened to victims. So many times that the mothers and daughters are raped and the boys badly assaulted. Her daughter was only six. How will she ever be able to protect and keep her safe. Her son only two. She prayed for guidance. "Oh God please delay them".

The previous time she set the alarm off, another time she called the police. She weighed up her options. If she calls the police they might take their time. She was too afraid to radio for help for they already thought she was imagining things. She reached for the phone and called her husband. In the softest whisper she could manage she tried to establish where he was. He was not far away but still had to go to the yard to park the truck. "They are on our roof, please come as fast as you can".

She could hear their footsteps on the roof. They were moving very slowly. She tried to see whether she could see them, but she couldn't. Her heart was beating so fast and so hard that it was audible to her. She now tried to establish where the sound came from. Standing in the bathroom she listened to every movement above her. She was thinking of locking the bathroom door. That might deter them but it will not keep them out. They might come through the roof just too the right and then they are in her sons room. If they go to the left they will be in the main bedroom's bathroom. Her prayers becoming more eager now, her heart pounding in her throat, her mouth so dry she can't swallow.

All of a sudden the noise of a truck engine and the slamming of brakes set her to motion again. She counted four warning shots. She thanked God, she could not stop thanking Him. Her husband came bashing in. Without a word he climbed up the front trellis to the roof. He walked the roof, came down and shoved the gun in her hand. "Shoot to kill" he said as he walked out, got back into the truck and left. She stood there in the dark, motionless with the gun. She knew how to handle a gun and is a very good shot but hated guns.

She was still thirsty and her legs cramping but she stood firm. It felt like hours before she heard the bakkie coming around the corner. She heard the gate open and the bakkie pulling in. She saw the tiredness on her husband's face as he walked through the door. He worked long hours and was pushed to a point where sanity leaves only traces in your life. Whilst making coffee and warming his food she asked why he gave her the gun if he knew how much she hated guns. His reply shocked her foundations to a level 8 on the Righter scale "They already lifted the roof tiles, and they were about to jump through the ceiling".

She fell to her knees. "Oh Lord how can I thank Thee for protecting me!"

Falling Stars

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away...........................................

It was a long night. One of those South African summer nights where it is to hot too sleep, let alone breathe. She got up and went to the back door to light her sigaret. Her thinking place as she called it. Whilst pulling the smoke deep into her lungs she gazed at the clear sky. She saw her star and for a short moment was bedazeled by it's beauty. It started moving slowly at first and then all of a sudden it plumeted at lightning speed downwards to earth. She wanted to scream but uttered only silence and ran to where she deemed it would fall. Before she could reach her star crashed into earth with a loud bang, shaking her whole exsistence and knocking her from her feet. She crawled closer her tears becoming a river. She did not look around but could feel the stare of thousands whitnesing, gossiping, judging the event. She just kept on crawling.

She reached the zone of impact. Her knees and elbows now bleeding. Her face a total disgrace. As she came closer she saw that her star is one tenth of the size it was before. Large chunks broke off but the core was still intact. She lifted it up slowly trying not to break what was left. She lay there in silence keeping the remains as close to her heart as possible.

It might have been hours, days she does not know. Just lying motionless in regret for her decisions. At first it did not seem such a sin, but as time passed she realised the reason. She got up and slowly walked home still clinging to the remains of her star. Once again she felt the stare of thousands, but this time she heard every word they uttered, their every judgement.

Years it took to polish the star. At first there was only a small glimpse of a light reflecting. Later the star gave a stronger shine but was never as bright as it had been before. Then it started lifting upwards and was now hovering only a meter from the ground. She found comfort in that, being grateful that her star did not break.

In the evenings she sat outside just watching her star as it moved upwards at a very slow pace. She felt a soft breeze an fixed her gaze upon one of the biggest brightest stars. To her amazement the star started to move and it came down faster than she could imagine. There was no time to seek cover. The impact was so hard that the ground shook for half an hour. She slowly moved towards the impact zone. The crowd gathered once again but this time she looked at them. In front of her she saw a man crawling towards his star. She ran towards him and helped him up. He leaned upon her as they made their way to his star. She took her hanky and gently wiped his tears as they rolled down his face. She showed him that the core was still intact and guided him as he lifted the core from the debris. She sat with him for hours, maybe days.

When he was ready they left. He could not face nor endure but she guided him through it all. She understood the mistakes that caused the star to fall. His star was never going to be as bright nor as tall, but today its light still shines bright enough even though not high enough. He had the comfort in knowing that she was there and she found relief through his dispair.

If your star might fall fetch the core and mend the pieces until your star shines brighter than before...............