The

Torch
Story
By
Bastino Mhika

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Bastino Mhika

Chapter 1

There is no crying in
this world, we prefer
the oozing of blood.
2016 had its quirks and fun moments, the very things that summed up a very
busy year. Zimbabwe was trying to mitigate the economic crisis and the lack
of jobs for the newly graduated university students which were constantly
making the masses stressful. People fleeing abroad to study and to acquire
jobs from South Africa to even the plains of Dubai was the trend of the day
amongst the youth. However, not all were in this misfortunate circumstance;
the lucky few either remained lucky or changed the formula once things had
gone sour. Having connections, degrees and being assertive in front of the
right people was the speculated right mind-set of any serious Zimbabwean,
especially those living in the capital of Harare. Materialism and the quest for
wealth had engulfed the population which was not wrong to a certain extent,
but the superficial levels were ripe and vanity amongst the youth and its
clandestine nature amongst the elderly citizens were prevalent. The
environment used to be less tense back in the day, but things have changed
since then. However, as much as this known truth of how things were now
like in Zimbabwe was prevalent, such lofty thinking was usually far away
from form 4 students or at least from the majority. It was mid-June, the time
when winter was at its worst in the country and also when some form 4s
wrote their June national exams. Zimsec, the country's examination board

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which usually had a disturbingly low national pass rate of 20% to 30%, scared
most high school students, though the 2015 stream defied those stats with a
50% plus pass rate. Zimsec was the bane of their time, the horror that both
sexes dreaded. Those who usually passed with flying colours were from
mission schools, the ones considered to be getting a really good education.
All those who dreaded Zimsec had the mother Theresa of all examination
boards, Cambridge, who was the go to girl. Her buxom bosom of hope was a
comfort to any who sought after it. It even came with the benefits of groping
with no deterrent for such an action. Cambridge exams were mostly taken by
kids in private schools and others from different schools who were willing to
fork out an extra buck for examination fees. Such was the life and was going
to remain the culture of these youth for a long time in Zimbabwe.
The suburban neighbourhood of Mt.Pleasant heights in Harare, part of the
group of neighbourhoods known as the north side by many snobby
teenagers, was extremely chilly. It was June the 16th; the weather had fall
winds and a tang of breeziness, one that the compact neighbourhood knew
all too well. The high altitude of the raised plains of Mt.Pleasant Heights
always made its own peculiar weather, one that didn't attract exotic kind of
people. Its serenity bothered Tanaka Manyika who had been used to a more
bustling tumultuous environment before his family had moved to this
suburb. Even though they had settled and established themselves there for 3
years, Tanaka's roots were still engraved into his inner being. The suburbs,
known for their little outside activity and at times intermittent ghost town
vibes were not Tanaka's cup of tea. This was even worse for him due to the
fact that his house was beyond the boom gate; an extension of the
neighbourhood which still had vacant stands. The vacant stands which had
already been purchased but had yet to have a house on top of them were
either a result of insufficient funds or of the buyer who was still comfortable
with his or her renting lifestyle. This vacancy of stands made the spacing of
already existing homes far too lengthy. Houses would get to the extent of
being spaced at a distance of 100m-200m. The growing long tufted grass
impeded visibility, giving that particular side of the neighbourhood an
ominous aura. It became isolated and encroached with thick bushes to the
point many people dreaded walking at night. Serpents, muggers and random
things in the dark could make their way to the people and this made

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travelling at night dangerous. Little did Tanaka know that there was a danger
coming from a foreign land to his doorstep.
The black BMW Z4 parked outside the boundary of the yet to be finished
durawall of the Manyika house had not been noticed by the inhabitants of
the home. Two men, Russian and British, both wearing black clothing were
glancing back and forth at the house, checking if anyone had taken notice of
the parked car. To their fortune, everyone inside was oblivious of their
presence.
"Nicholai are you sure that taking one of them alive will get him to release
Austin?" said Bob, the British man who looked like a by-product of New
Castle at its worst. He was mounting the silencer on his handgun, sitting on
the passenger seat. He was well built man and had a very hoarse voice. The
heavy phlegm due to smoking quality cigars at Ibiza had shown adverse
effects on his voice, something that had become part of demeanour. He
reiterated his question, waiting for Nicholai to respond. Nicholai eventually
replied, but the tone he used was cold and disturbing.
"Bob I told you before that we are going to butcher the family and leave his
little brother alive. Don't make me repeat shit twice, I am a man of action,
not one to waste words."
"I get that Nicholai, but Collin has proven to be a heartless cunt before. He
didn't even blink when his girlfriend was killed during that mission in
Bangkok. He has even more disturbing exploits in the ISIS group flaying
department. Are you sure that his brother being used as a bargaining chip will
work?"
"Over thinking is a sign of old age, thinking enough is how elite men should
conduct themselves," he said mounting the silencer onto his carbine, "Unless
you're married to pussy, its death is like the flow of menstruation, it comes
and goes like the four seasons." Bob was never ever prepared for Nicholai's
misogynist remarks. His words always carried with them the venom of a
cobra, always fatal and offensive to the core.
"Trust me on this one Bob, I know that this will work because Austin told
me. The route to Collin's heart is through his brother." he said taking another
glance at the house. Bob obliged and didn't pester him anymore. Austin's
word was enough to make a doubting Bob believe. The two of them polished

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their weapons and prepared for their fatalistic entry. In a country where gun
stores were not even readily available and gun control was so strong that
everyday civilians only knew the weapons they saw on television, the Manyika
family's fate was sealed.
"Wow he won!"
"Keep it down son, I am trying to read!" was what Thomas Manyika,
Tanaka's father, said to his son who was watching a popular survival zombie
TV series. Its time slot was 21:00-22:00 and was the only show he was
permitted to watch during a school day. The episode had reached its climax
and had the young teen at the brim of euphoria. This was Tanaka Manyika, a
heavy consumer of television, fizzy drinks and food. He was medium in
height, slender, dark in complexion and the youngest in the family. He was
wearing a baggy jacket with white fur at the edges of the shoulder to the
point of the torso. He also had a white silky T-shirt, denim trousers and
black and white tennis shoes. His goggle like eyes, kinky short hair and small
lips synced well with his oval shaped head. In a sense he was almost
handsome but his nose stood out too much like a sore thumb. He was sitting
on the couch which was adjacent to the window behind him and strategically
placed where he could directly view the TV. Dinner had been served at
around 20:00, a nice meal that was a symbol of Mrs. Margaret Manyika's
exceptional cooking. The shouting done by Thomas due to his son's fanatical
rant was one of his rare out of character traits. Thomas usually never
bothered with the youth, but little did Tanaka know that his father's
grumpiness lately was due to severe constipation. The show ended and his
father then said, "The show is over, go to your room and study." This was
said in shona, the local language of the country. Shona usually had more
emphasis and impact when said than the english language. Tanaka left his
seat and obeyed his father without showing any signs of resistance. The
sitting room which was a rectangular prism was the largest ground floor
room. It had the sofas, television set, fine china, wooden sledges on both
sides to hold the books, radio, picture frames and a nice mural of the father
and mother embracing each other. Tanaka left the sitting room and headed
for his room which was upstairs. He went via the corridor which had only
one door to the right from his view, the entrance to the house, and three
paths to the left. One was the stair case, another corridor which was spacious

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that led to the ground floor rooms, inner lounge, and the pantry. The room
at the far end which had no door was the kitchen. Tanaka trotted via the
corridor and bumped into his older sister, Nyasha. She was about the same
height as him, short hair, big eyes, visible eyeliner, studs on her ears, small
nose and small mouth. She was wearing a night gown. She was also dark in
complexion like her brother but was more appealing to the eyes than her
next of kin.
"About to study little bro?" she said, patronising the youth who already knew
it was a rhetorical question.
"Well I gotta get those 5 O'levels, shit will be real if I don't get good grades."
"By the way," she said, closing in on his ear to whisper, "how's my future
sister in law?"
"Ah...um...ahem." he said, embarrassed by the fact that his sister asked about
the girl who he was trying to get at school.
"You epileptic or what, speak boy, tell me the juicy parts." Tanaka decided to
make a run for it, heading upstairs to avoid his confession of shame. Nyasha
somehow mustered the energy to chase him and yanked him. She even
twisted his hand and began to repeatedly say, "Tell me or I won't stop."
"Okay, let go of me, you're hurting me sis," he said, being susceptible to her
burst of power wanting to mitigate the pain.
"Okay um listening."
"The truth is," hesitating at first, "she rejected me." In that moment,
humiliation poured down on Tanaka like a heavy storm. His sister laughed at
him to the point of halting for a bit after a burp and then continued on. The
tears of laughter were on her face.
"Wow, just when I thought you could handle things like a man."
"This is why I didn't want to tell you... um going to my room."
"Sorry about that, okay I won't ever laugh again," patting his back to cheer
him up, "but tell me, why did she break up with you, were you fooling
around with another girl? Did she get jealous or bored? Give me a reason
and I will let you go." Tanaka and Nyasha were oddly enough very good with
each other. As siblings of the opposite sex, quarrels were to be expected all
the time, but they were somehow different. They were pretty much best
friends. The only logical explanation would have to be their age difference.
Nyasha, who was a 3rd year university student at MSU (Midlands State

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University), was on attachment. She was an intern working at the CBZ bank
in the city. Their bonding was a way to compensate for the fact that his
brother, Collin, had left home for university at Wharton business school
when he was 10years old. Boys who usually yearn to bond with the alpha
male for guidance at a young age would lose face, but his sister managed to
feel in the void. Her subtle traits could also explain why they got along so
well.
"Truth is," fumbling his brain to remember his ex's exact words, "she said
that 'um too nice and too accommodating... its fun at first,
but gets old quickly.' I don't even know what the hell that means."
"Well bro, I kinda agree with her." she said, raising her hand upright, thumb
drawn outwards and forefinger raised whilst the rest of the fingers were
folded. She wanted to stop him for a bit of sister to brother advice.
"You do realise that' that doesn't make me feel any better right?" he said,
looking as sullen as an abandoned child.
"I won't take too much of your time but hear me out." she said laying her
whole arm on his shoulder, escorting him to his room.
"Um listening."
"Remember George?"
"Pretty boy George? You mean the nice guy who you called a supermodel...?"
"Yes."
"He liked to spoil me, bought me pizza, bought me that game console and
took me to food joints, he was a cool dude. You're an idiot for dumping
him."
"Well apart from the obvious benefits you gained from him, he was boring,
ever always smothering me even when I would behave like a bitch. He didn't
man handle me..."
"My mental image of you has been tarnished for life, man handled!?"
"What I mean is that he wasn't spontaneous and was too nice, being nice
isnt a bad thing, but its kinda pathetic when the guy always wants to please
you because his afraid to make you angry. Um human, um allowed to be
angry, but don't want to date a pussy."
"Even if it was Trey Songs being nice?" he asked, trying to validate whether
she was being serious or not.
"Even if Mr. Gorgeous smile smothered me, I wouldn't say no... "
"Just cut to the chase."

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"Um saying that you should be more assertive and give it to them rough."
"Another offside of the night, you owe me a dollar for violating my innocent
mind."
"Oh please, as if you don't cry out Asa Akira during your sleep, nympho."
"Bitch."
"Ass."
"Whatever, I will be in my room." he said, entering the room and slamming
the door dramatically. This was nothing serious at all, no one had really
insulted the other, and it was their natural discourse, their definition of
eccentric bonding. Thomas heard the loud thud of the door and shouted out,
"Don't bang your bedroom doors!" Nyasha quickly descended down stairs to
encounter her mother, Margaret Manyika. She had come from the corridor
that was connected to the inner rooms to check on her boiling cattle in the
kitchen. She was quite large and the typical early 50s out of shape aged
Zimbabwean woman. She had her hair net on top of her weave and was in
her night dress. Her figure which had given Thomas a drastic increase in
libido in the past had become flabby and aged.
"Nyanya don't forget to call Simon about finishing the durawall tomorrow,
this habit of people walking into my yard will end."
"Yes mother." she said, heading towards her room which was on the ground
floor to make the call. Her mother went to the kitchen, finishing off the
dishes and making herself tea as the objective. The front door suddenly
began to thud. It was a knock at the door. The knock startled Margaret who
shouted out, "There is a knock at this hour!? You see! This is why Simon
should finish the durawall!"
"Don't stress yourself mother, I will get the door, its probably Tariro who
wants his jerry can returned to him." she said, rushing to the door. Her
mother's complaining was an annoying cacophony of irritating sounds.
Nyasha first checked the front door via the window and noticed two tall
white men standing by the door. She was surprised, for it was rare, actually
highly unlike to have white visitors at all. She marvelled at the sight of them
and then glanced at the kitchen to say, "We got white people at the door!"
"Mavheti!? (A colloquial shona term for white people)."
"Yes white people, I wonder who they are and what they want...," she began
to think to herself, "Maybe they have just moved in and are having some we
have arrived party."

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"Nyasha don't be silly!"

"Well you never know with these white folks, knocking at someone's house
at around 10pm might not be a big deal to them, these foreigners!" she said
at the same time laughing at herself.
"Well we will find out what they want and if its not anything good I will
come there to shout at them," she said frowning and pouting at the same
time, "these white folks should have learned that the president meant
business when he chased them away!" The political rhetoric she had spouted
had been out of pure annoyance and not racism, but you could never know
with Margaret. Unfortunately for her, her daughter had just made the worst
decision in her life. Opening the door ended her life.
Bob took out his handgun as soon as she had opened the door and pulled
the trigger. Nyasha had no time to react to the sudden adverse results of her
decision. The bullet went through her head, exiting with blood that splattered
on the walls behind her. Nyasha's corpse fell backwards hitting a wooden
stool which had a vase on it. The sound of the crash triggered a lot of
attention from the living room and kitchen. The disturbing sound and no
reply whatsoever from Nyasha changed the mood quickly. Bob moved in
first pointing his gun ahead. He walked in and turned left whilst his partner
took the right. Margaret glanced and saw gun men and screamed, but what
made her not flee was seeing her daughter's dead body. Blood was all over
the face of the dead girl as if she was in a masquerade party
themed red flow. As one who had raised this child from scratch, her maternal
instincts kicked in, over shadowing her confusion in the situation. She began
to throw several plates and pots at Nicholai. Nicholai fired a shot which hit
her shoulder and then took cover away from the arsenal of deployed flying
objects. After things had stopped from the other end, Nicholai pursued her.
Margaret who was already running to the door that led to an exit was struck
by two bullets, one going through her nape and one piercing her back. She
collapsed, hitting the ground. Margaret chocked on her blood as her life
dissipated from the world. Nicholai looking at the cadaver smiled and said,
"Its like how Austin had stated it, his clairvoyance has no bounds."
Bob had encountered a sprinting old man who was heading towards his
direction. Thomas soon realised that the perpetrator had a gun, something he

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didn't expect. The final contribution he made with his life was the sudden
shouting of, "Tanaka run for your life..." The effort ended as soon as Bob's
shot hit his temple. It was all over in a flash with no effort at all. Nicholai
already knew where Tanaka was. Bob who was about to check the inner
corridor was told to stop by Nicholai. Bob wondered why and heard the
reply, "Its what Austin predicted." Nicholai then waited out of view from all
the vantage points that anyone upstairs would have. Tanaka who was
listening to music at the same time going through a gruelling geography text
book would soon come down due to thirst. He would come down to get a
glass of water and would fall prey to them. This is what happened, this is
exactly what Austin had predicted. Who he was and why he was Collin's
hostage was a mystery in itself. Tanaka would come down as planned with
the music in his iPod pumping to the noise in his earphones. As soon as he
reached the bottom, he saw the dead bodies and the two men. Tanaka didn't
have the time to fully take in the shock of the events that had just occurred
before his eyes. To avoid the boy running away or any form of struggle that
could go ugly fast, Nicholai used the hilt of his gun and knocked the boy out.
Nicholai took hold of the boy's body and lifted it, placing it on his shoulder.
He glanced at Bob and said, "See we are done now. As long as you trust
Austin all will be right."
The BMW Z4 was cruising down Golden stairs road, quickly closing in on
2nd street extension, a road that would lead them into the city. Nicholai was
embracing the Zimbabwean night scene, not much to see considering it was
winter. The area was called Marlborough, in which they had passed, having
many NGOs on the sides and eucalyptus trees. As Nicholai cruised through
the road ignoring the traffic lights, Tanaka who was in the boot with his tied
up hands and his mouth covered with a cloth, woke up. His head was
throbbing at the same level of that of a person recuperating from a hangover
and his contusion was quite severe. He grasped the situation he was in and
then remembered the disturbing imagery of his dead sister, bloody father and
gun men. Fear engulfed him so quickly that he went into a state of panic,
kicking and shaking in the boot. Bob in this circumstance was the first to
comment.

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"His awake."
"That's actually good," Nicholai said, as if he had anticipated this, "its nice to
get to know the rest of the family." Bob had no comment for that remark.
Nicholai took a look at his rear view mirror, checking if the thud was
extremely noticeable. The boot was vibrating, but not showing anything that
could be considered worry worthy. Tanaka was petrified at his very core,
pondering about his dead father and sister and wondering whether his
mother was alive. She was most probably dead and soon he would follow
suit. Tanaka had only seen shows about serial killers on TV and did not
believe that such encounters in real life were possible. This was Zimbabwe
after all, there were no Ted Bandy archetypes in the country, and how this
happened was purely perplexing to him. He began to sob and then eventually
started kicking and shaking with more motivation. He poured out his heart
into his fearful filled tears, trying to not give up without a fight. He could tell
that he was in a speeding vehicle from the revving he could hear and was
hoping that somehow a passing motorist would notice the thumping of the
boot. It was wishful thinking and he had to be content with just crying and
kicking, however he soon stopped when Nicholai began to speak.
"Tanaka boy, calm down! Calm down! I know you're experiencing a lot of
stress, but there things I have to tell you. As my captive I think I owe you
that much." Bob looked at him wondering what he had to say. At that
moment they had passed the KFC food court that was close to the Belgravia
sports club. Nicholai's speeding seemed to not be slowing down at all.
"First of all, you can feel happy that you're not the only child in the family,
we are going to see your brother tonight."
"Brother!?" was the question Tanaka had in his mind.
"Um pretty sure that you have been told that your brother went to Wharton,
graduated with a masters degree and ended up in one of those fortune 500
companies."
"Where is this going?" was what came to mind in Tanaka's confused head.
"The truth is that your brother used that as a cover to deceive your family.
He never went to Wharton nor does he work in a cubicle..." The sudden
revelation about the truth behind his brother scared Tanaka. He was already
dealing with his present situation and did not want more baggage. He was
simply overwhelmed by grief and confusion to the point where his mind was

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at the edge of collapsing. One more push and the walls of Jericho would
crumble to the ground. Nicholai didn't not spare any moment at all to torture
the poor chap.
Your brother is a secret agent who was once serving under a very prestigious
clandestine society that was controlling the world behind the scenes. They go
by the name Zeal." Tanaka most probably thought that this was more
bullshit to toy with his conscience.
"The psycho in control wants to mind fuck me till my brain is impregnated
with paranoia and even more confusion." is what he was thinking.
"Your family line was a part of them, but your grandfather and father pulled
out of it, except for your uncle who was supposedly taking care of your
brother in America."
"Nicholai is telling the kid all these secrets really necessary?" Bob asked who
was puzzled by the effort Nicholai was making to enlighten the youth.
Tanaka was no longer finding what Nicholai was saying to be normal. The
more he uttered the more he thought he was bat shit crazy.
"Now that you know some family history, I am going to explain your present
situation." The car which was cruising had just passed the South African
embassy along 2nd street and was now entering the Avenues.
"We are going to use you as a ransom to get Austin back, our boss and
member of the Zeal society." he said, changing the gears and pumping more
gas as he passed Josiah Tongogara road. Tanaka's psyche was bouncing on
several thoughts; his dead parents, his brother's outrageous so called secret
and the more present danger of the psycho, who was most probably going to
murder him or worse, strip him of his virginity. After processing all these
ideas he went crazy and began to kick and struggle inside the boot. At that
point his hands which were tied up became loose, but what was more
startling was what he was hearing. The psycho who was intimidating him
with his accent and unsavoury revelations began to panic. Was it a police
officer or just a driver who had noticed the noises and decided to check it
out? Tanaka heard weird voices and disturbing sounds that sounded
mechanical in nature. The men began to scream and the voices grew louder
and more disturbing. The sounds had a very foreign and alien aspect to them.
Tanaka was beginning to think that his mind had caved in. He was now
insane. The sounds made the men go crazy but Tanaka wondered what those

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sounds were. They spoke a language he couldn't understand, disturbing

gibberish that made his spirit weak. The car began to swerve and this added
the final horrific thought in Tanaka's mind, a dreadful car accident.
Tanaka had knocked out after the car had crashed. His electronic watch
which had a timer set for 06:20 began to ring during his sleep. This was what
woke him from his deep sleep. The boot which had been dark had a flash
light which was on. Tanaka could barely see anything at all before, but the
sharpness of contrast between black and white of the colours was unusual.
His body which had sores and was throbbing in pain was lucky to not have
experienced any severe injuries. He survived a car accident which somehow
made him happy, but made him even more depressed. The world had given
him a kick in the balls and he was in all honesty totally fucked. Tanaka took
hold of the torch in view which had surprisingly intense light, light so intense
it looked as if it was powered by a transformer. The peculiarity of the torch
which had both aspects of LED light and differed light was a spectacle to
behold. Tanaka took hold of his torch and then manoeuvred his body so that
he could kick the boot open. Tanaka looked at his watch again to confirm
the time. It was 06:25 at the present moment, but what he was seeing told a
different story. It was black! Extremely black! It was if a dark mist had
engulfed the inside of the boot, devouring all possible visibility. The only
thing that was visible was what was within the rays of light of the torch. This
further added to his speculation that he was going mad. At the same time he
was wondering whether those bastards were dead. If his family's killers were
killed in the crash then he would be safe, but at the same time his family was
dead. Life was not being fair at all. He couldnt feel good about them dying
for he had not grieved just yet. Tanaka then thought that he would escape
first and then grieve later. The sounds he had had heard before were all faint
now, but the creepy ominous sounds that were inadvertently affecting him
still could be heard. When Tanaka adjusted the torch, he pointed at where his
legs were at. The darkness before was effaced as if a laser beam had been
fired into the black void, lighting up the only section which was within its
trajectory. Tanaka noticed that the boot was bust but somehow the openings
from the serrated parts of the boot were just pitch black. No gradation, no
tone, no distinction, just purely black. Tanaka was beginning to think it was
still night time and that his watch malfunctioned during the crash. He

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decided to kick the boot open. The winter temperature of June which would
have given him hypothermia had not done anything at all to him. Upon
kicking the boot with all his mustered strength, he began to feel his
contusions throb, but persisted until it was busted open. The influx of
rushing humid air compacted itself in the space Tanaka was in. He quickly
rose up, acting upon reflex and raised his upper body upright, but the act
itself set him up with more fright. The oblivion! The sky could not be seen,
everything was not visible, and it was just black. It was pitch black, infinite
black. The only thing that pierced through the void was his torch. At that
moment Tanaka admitted that he was in a nightmare. Why the world hated
him was another question for another time. He got out of the boot and
landed face flat. He still was quite weak and dizzy and seriously needed to
embrace what was currently going on in his life. He was all alone in the dark,
the white dot in a giant black painting. Tanaka managed to muster yet again
strength to stand up and wielded his flash light. He noticed that things that
were in the view of the light were visible. He pointed the torch at the ground
which began to show the tarmac which wasn't visible before, but once he
pointed elsewhere, that same tarmac became invisible. Tanaka pointed his
light to the sky, waving it from side to side. What he noticed was that though
the sky still remained purely black with only the corona of the light of his
torch showing, the buildings could be seen. The torch as he had picked up
quickly would go from differed light when pointed at close surfaces to
intense LED when pointed at far objects. The differed light had a radius of
1.2metres when on the ground making the bounced back light shine on his
body, but as he had realised before, the light intensity of the torch was
unrealistic.
When Tanaka pointed at the surrounding architecture he realised that he was
in the Avenues. His light had managed to mark a spot of a building, a
hospital known as Baines Avenue hospital. Tanaka noticed one disturbing
common trait amongst all the buildings he could see when he pointed the
torch upwards. They were all in ruins. The flats all had wreckages and some
had smeared blood on the walls as if 10000 tomatoes were swatted and left to
slither downwards to revolt the onlooker. Tanaka quickly lost interest in the
disturbing scenery and then directed the torch to the ground. He
remembered the accident and averted his attention to the crashed BMW Z4.

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Since Tanaka could not see where he was walking if the light was not pointed
to the ground he quickly adopted the follow the rays of the torch method, a
method which would show him nasty surprises. Going back to the crash site,
he passed his holding cell and scrutinized the disgorged remains of a once
beautiful ride. The sounds that had disappeared before were now returning,
but more like gradually. Tanaka thinking about the smeared walls and certain
things that looked like human entrails began to scare him. He decided to
block out those thoughts so that he could assess the car. When Tanaka had
gotten to the front he noticed something that made him vomit instantly. The
sight of blood, lots of blood. The window screen was broken, shattered with
many pieces with blood. There was one dead body, a corpse so violated by
horridness that he was at the brink of plucking out his eyes. The body was
Bob's which looked like crushed beans mixed with tomato sauce. The broken
glass and steal had flayed his flesh. This was a spitting image of gore porn. At
that moment he began to hear more ominous sounds and thunder. The
humidity was increasing and soon it was going to start raining. As the sounds
increased, Tanaka took a quick look at the devastated vehicle and realised
that this was not caused by the collision of two or more vehicles. He even
directed his torch to other parts in this infinite black mist to locate the other
vehicle. Whatever stopped the ride was coming soon and Tanaka could hear
the slithering sounds. Tanaka realising that he was in a neighbourhood full of
people decided to call for help or at least ask someone who knew what the
fuck was going on. His shouting made the ominous voices become more
audible. He began to hear footsteps in the dark. It was the sound of
something bizarre approaching him. Tanaka though visually impaired by the
darkness could at least hear where the disturbing voices were coming from.
He decided to run the opposite direction. His somehow quick adjustment to
the present situation could have been triggered by some form of psychosis.
The loss of his loved ones, imprisonment by Nicholai and now the disturbing
nightmare before him had driven him mad. He was now at the edge, coping
with the stress of these trials.
As he went far away from the voices he began to hear voices from the other
end and sounds of flesh being devoured in the darkness. It was like when
meat was devoured by a savage, no manners intact and pure brutality in bite.
The rain began to pour down, but this only made things worse. The rain

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started as drizzle and then became heavy. Tanaka hearing the sounds took a
right turn into Chinamano Avenue using his torch and memory of the old
world as a guide. Soon Tanaka realised that the rain was in fact not rain, but
fountains of blood gracing the plains with its red liquid. Tanaka began to
look like he had hatched from an embryo of sticky blood. The voices grew
louder and more unintelligent, a foreign dialect that sounded like blizzards or
gibberish. Tanaka ran and ran until he came across an unspeakable creature, a
demon. It was pruning people, but then it ended up fleeing as soon as his
light was in full view. He made a quick turn and found more blood and
depravity on the ground. Flesh was hammered onto the ground as if for
salting purposes. There was so much blood and dead bodies that it looked
like a bio hazard gone wrong. Tanaka even encountered crawling foetuses
with umbilical cords attached to their dead mothers. The foetuses apparently
were crawling and had the strength to drag their dead bodies. The mothers
wombs had been eviscerated with maggots and moulds having a picnic on
this gangrene specimen. Tanaka was in hell. This had to be hell. What other
place would have such? This was what engulfed his mind. He must have
died, his in hell and this must hell, but somehow a part of him didn't want to
believe that. The voices he had tried to evade were now within his perimeter
and what he felt when they uttered was melancholy. The despair had
gathered to devour him. His pointing the torch into the sky made things
worse, exacerbating the moment. He saw manifestations of evil in the sky.
No horrid or depraved word in the lexicon could fully articulate what he had
seen. In that moment death was better than living in this torment. Tanaka
cringed onto a corner in the street, took a foetal position and began to repeat
words whilst directing his torch out wards.
"I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!
I don't want to die!

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Bastino Mhika

As he cried, an abomination appeared underneath the drain that was just

below him. Its tongue stretched out touching his face and began to lick off
the tears on his cheeks. It then opened its obscene mouth in the drain and
began to speak,
"Its okay Tanaka you don't have to cry, all we want is
your flesh. Could you please bleed for me, I promise to be a good frien
d..."

18
Bastino Mhika

19
Bastino Mhika

Chapter 2

Lets embrace the

times and accept the
sadness.
Tanaka had gone through a mental break: broken by the forces of evil and
driven to a manic stationary state. The psychosis had triggered a mental
barrier which made him fall asleep, something that was clearly an involuntary
action, succumbing to his helplessness. This was a frightening world he had
wound up in, a nightmare that had inscribed the fear of god in him or rather
the fear of unknown obscenities before him. Tanaka's motor senses had
glitched, a trance like state resembling that of a mentally ill patient. His hand
though had wielded the torch with great relent, a fight of flight instinct of his
body that wanted to ward off the dark creatures as if he believed that a
childish concept of light chasing away monsters would work. Regardless of
the gloom and death before him he somehow survived. Was it chance or
were these despicable savages toying with him? This was a question that had
not surfaced in his now damaged mind, a question his sanity would fight off
till his last breath. 5hours had passed since then and the world was still dark,
pitch black and the only thing that pierced through the darkness was the light
from his torch. His crying eventually stopped; it had been something that had
given him a severe headache of hay fever proportions, an element that would
just worsen his well-being. Tanaka slowly regained consciousness, an act that
was more like a sudden realisation that his body parts were still intact. The
mangled flesh he had seen and the grotesque nature of the demons had given

20
Bastino Mhika

him an impression that he was the defenceless sheep in the world of wolves.
As he slowly came to terms with his safety he remembered that the world
was still dark and without any distinction. He was the only figure in the
unfinished painting or maybe he was the only anomaly left to complete the
black painting of death.
Tanaka had recovered his senses and began to hiss words to himself, "I am
not dead, I am alive." This chant helped him internalise this belief more and
more, making him muster the confidence to not cringe in fear anymore. He
was still trying to accept the current state of the world and the faint voices of
people dying and being chewed by ravenous mouths had reinforced that idea
to him. Tanaka was in hell; a nightmare of devilish proportions and sickening
imagery. He began to point his torch around, twirling it as he lied on his
corner, bound as a convict in the prison of fear. The heavy rains had ended
and all that was left in view was the bloody and gore stained buildings. The
smell of blood was putrid and strong, something that reminded him of how
chickens smelt when he had decapitated them, but human blood was worse.
The smell was strong enough to cause nausea and vomiting of disturbing
volumes. Tanaka upon seeing this and realising that he too, being soaked in
blood, was harbouring a repulsive stench, he inadvertently vomited. Seeing
his vomit mix with the
red below, creating the ultimate human pineapple stew, he became disgusted
and pointed his torch elsewhere. After a while his body's natural limit to
discharge rejected fluids finally came after he had decorated the ground with
last night's dinner. He was repulsed by the smell and discomfort of being
drenched in human blood. In that moment as he glanced forward and
sideways, his curiosity got the better of him. He saw a bizarre depravity that
had a body of questionable aesthetics. It was a slithering centipede headed
human sized dog with humus like skin texture and brittle feet. Tanaka didn't
point the torch directly at it; he twirled his light, shaking as he tried to
observe the fiend that had made its way onto the road. His lack of focus on
the subject at hand easily reflected his uncertainty. He wanted to observe his
fear out of curiosity, but at the same time dreaded it. It was a state of
ambivalence he had to go through in that moment, but soon he would regret
having even gazed upon the foul beast. It was feasting on something! What
that hapless thing was' was what Tanaka wondered in the infinite darkness.

21
Bastino Mhika

He heard the munching and snapping of bones, the very definition of a meal
devoured with a tang of gluttony. Tanaka twirled his torch pointing at the
bottom surface close to the beast, slowly adjusting his view vertically. Upon
suddenly hearing a movement he mistakenly directed the light upwards and
what he saw was not nice. It was an amputated old man with shrivelled
remains. The quick glance reviewed a huge gush of blood as the creature
devoured the body. It even went on to lower its centipede head, grinding its
food like a tomato on a grater. The spilt blood was sucked soon enough by
its atrocious nostrils after it had gobbled up the corpse. Tanaka then quickly
turned away and pointed the torch at the ground before him. The irony
about the relationship between his only light source and the infinite darkness
was that his clarity showed him displeasing things, but what he could not see
could not affect him. However the sounds were still ominous and prevalent
even in his state of impaired vision. Tanaka had opted in his mind to run
elsewhere, but his body did not move. He had survived being eaten and was
starting to believe that he was saved due to sticking to that corner of his. He
was still engulfed in fear, almost becoming one with it, a fatal symbiosis
indeed, but he decided to accept things as the way they were. The sound of
the creature burping sent a chill down his spine and he then immediately wet
himself. The urine stained his denim trousers and warmed up his groin and
thighs, an awkward but pleasant feeling for him. He began to hear the thing
not visible in the dark, breathing, and an instance in his life that drove him to
great fret. He wanted to cry again, but he had already poured out his tears
and the pangs of his headache were not helping the situation at all. The
background sounds of screams and flesh being ravaged went on faintly.
Tanaka remained in that position for 7 hours, not moving and remaining
frigid in his corner. No matter how bad the cramp was, Tanaka would not
move. Trying to move was pointless for him and he believed that it was only
a matter of time before he would become a new cuisine for these obscene
creatures, a thought that was perpetuating depression in his mind.
Tanaka looked at his watch, noticing that it was now 19:00. His body began
to complain, hunger being the main agenda. The June winter was giving him
the chills and his stomach was longing to be filled. In the 8hours that had
passed he had reminisced about a lot of personal things, his family and other
trials he had gone through in his life. All alone in the infinite darkness he

22
Bastino Mhika

began to think about his parents and how they had raised him. Tanaka's
father who had an affluent blue collar job as an electrician, working on large
scale company transformers and generators in Bindura was a hard worker.
He believed in soldiering on with your beliefs and staying focused. He also
believed in having cordial relations with his children, delving into humorous
and thought provoking talks with his son. He was a cool dad who made them
advance out of the rural areas into the suburban setting, a dream come true
for most hard working families. His mother worked as a human resources
management officer at a demining company. She was mostly exposed to
foreigners in her work space and always shared her stories about her British
boss Tom. Nyasha whose lewd behaviour at times, had her talking about
wanting to have a one night stand with her mom's boss who always made
Tanaka give her the look. Her never ending idiosyncrasies always added the
fun aspect to a gloomy day. Collin was mostly at boarding school in the
states, but always made his appearance back home during the holidays. Collin
was an enigmatic focused and level headed person, a man of many talents
whose stay was not long lasting. Tanaka always wanted to be around him, but
his life in America unfortunately denied him of his brotherly bonding. As
Tanaka thought about Collin he began to remember what Nicholai had
uttered about him. The iteration of him being a secret agent and working for
a secret society called Zeal didn't seem at all too farfetched anymore. He was
in a horrific world, the thought of his brother being an agent was no longer
something to behold with awe, but the very idea got him thinking. If Zeal
was a secret society of some sort, did they know the world was going to be as
it is now or this was an unpredictable apocalypse? Tanaka's thoughts lingered
in that area of confusion and scrutiny, trying to picture his brother as the so
called super spy. A black James bond fit the bill, but moments later as he
heard more screams and sounds of flesh being hammered by voracious
ingesters, he began to see the vanity of thinking. As far as he was concerned,
everyone on the planet was fucked. He tried to think that this phenomenon
was an isolated event that was only happening in Zimbabwe, but such
wishful thinking as he had seen in a lot of survival post-apocalyptic TV
shows made him think otherwise. Upon becoming swept away by
hopelessness like a damsel in distress, he began to think about his friends and
the girl who had rejected him recently at school. A certain manic circular
logic made him think that this event was made for him to get back at

23
Bastino Mhika

Samantha Mutasa, the girl who had given him an unexpected horse kick. In
Tanaka's head he believed karma had come back to strike his enemies, but
the collateral damage was also applied on the people he loved. As the way
things were now, Tanaka began to realise a lot of things; he won't get laid, his
anticipated post O'level excursions were no longer possible and he wouldnt
get to watch any of his favourite shows or do the fun things he had set his
eyes on. The question which was left now was whether he was willing to live
in this world or not. The world had gone to shit and though suicide had
never ever surfaced in his mind before, the seeds of self-harm began to
sprout out bleak ideas. Should he go on living in this world? What was the
point if he would just end up like that man who was being eaten by a
despicable being? These ideas did their rounds in his thoughts, congesting his
cranium with more negative thoughts. His impaired vision and dependence
on his torch to light the way were encouraging these self-destructive ideas to
the point of nurturing them into concrete truths. Tanaka could not stand the
stench of blood and the sense of uncertainty of not being able to see things
outside the reach of his torch light. Killing himself as a means to end the
nightmare was an option taking deep root in his reasoning, but as much as he
dreaded the current state of the world, he dreaded death even more. His
cowardice saved him from making a great mistake, but somehow in the back
of his mind he wished he had died in the car crash. The cold steel penetrating
his flesh would have been horrible, but having to deal with this nightmare
and knowledge of mass human extinction was enough to drive any sane man
mad. Tanaka eventually discarded the idea of killing himself and laid in his
corner, hearing the sounds of suffering in the infinite void. Each scream and
heinous voice told a tale of its own. Tanaka began to wonder how everyone
was managing in this massacre, a humanitarian idea that came as a means to
console his loneliness. The questions of whether there were others out there
like him who were still alive and if there were those who were totally safe
were Tanaka's way of clinging onto hope. It was clear that this side of town
was dangerous and that the rampancy of death was as visible as the infinite
darkness, but there had to be someone. Tanaka was too afraid to call out for
help lest he attracted a gang of hungry beasts to murder him. He sat there
quietly, enduring the smell of over excessive gratuitous violence and
shivering in the cold. The June winter of Zimbabwe had given him a cruel
dose of frost bites and potential hypothermia, an additional negative to his

24
Bastino Mhika

already bleak scenario, but the worst possible thing that could happen to him
was death. His anxiety and inability to sleep did not overshadow his
appreciation of being alive in a world where everyone had been added to the
menu; a swallowship of fiends as they celebrated the banquet of human flesh.
Tanaka had hugged his own body, trying to fend himself against the June
winter. The goose bumps had now colonised his body, taking ownership of
his once relaxed fine features, but the cold was the least of his worries. The
hunger began to take precedence in him. Tanaka had manipulated his body
into ignoring his desire for food as he had been distracted by the thoughts of
self-preservation. He had managed to pull through a whole day,
concentrating his mind on one idea, surviving. However all noble things
come to an end and a man eventually has to eat. Tanaka looked at his watch
and had realised that it was 03:23am. He was beginning to feel the adverse
effects of sleep deprivation and cramps. Sleeping had not been an option for
him for he could hear things lurking in the dark. Complacency in a world
where people were eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner was not something
that could facilitate sleep. Tanaka's eyes were heavy, milky and losing their
strength. The light intensity of the torch helped keep him rejuvenated for a
while, but that trick was slowly losing its effect as his body tried to initiate
repose. Tanaka had moved a bit, picking up a piece of a broken sign post.
The piece was quite heavy and looked as if it was dislodged from the very
ground. Tanaka wanted to defend himself, though seeing how these things
were like, he didn't believe that his poll had any feasible combat advantages
at all. He only kept it as something better than using his hands. The noises
and nocturnal movements in the dark had become intermittent. Tanaka
would hear things on occasion, thinking that death had finally come to claim
him, but nothing so far ever happened. He was ignored or not noticed. He
had spotted one of those crawling foetuses that were dragging their dead
mothers via their umbilical cords, munching on the left overs of human
remains that had been conspersed on the tarmac of the Avenues. Tanaka this
time had observed it without any aversion. It had maggots and moulds all
over its body like a dried up sea bed with overlying algae and dead fish. The
creature though, showed certain repulsion towards his torch light, grimacing
as it showed its ugly face which had black eyes, no nose and puss like lips as
it crawled away into the darkness. This had also happened when he had seen

25
Bastino Mhika

a 7inch maggot that looked more like a human spleen basking in menstrual
blood, moving like a snail and leaving a disgusting trail. The creature began
to bleed rapidly, almost as if it were affected by his torch light. It even went
from being sloth like in pace and sped off into the darkness like a black
mamba. These new discoveries were making him consider the possibility that
these creatures were afraid of his light. However he hadn't seen this work yet
on the bigger beasts yet for he hadn't encountered any after midnight. The
quietness of his surroundings around 03:00am had also incited him to change
what he was doing. He was hungry and extremely tired, even seeing things
that weren't even there due to exhaustion. His tummy began to rumble and
his internal discomfort began to overpower his will to remain on his own
self-proclaimed corner of safety. Tanaka remembered on the discovery
channel that there were 2 particular terms and states for the process of
starvation. One was ketosis and the other was autophagy. Ketosis was when
the body would change its metabolic system upon 6 hours of not having
food, converting the stored up glucose and fats into food, the body's way of
eating itself for survival. Autophagy on the other hand was when the body
reached its peak of strife as starvation continued. The body would thus
devour its own muscle tissues to feed the rest of the system, causing the
limbs of the one starved to become flabby. Starvation also led to marasmus
and kwashiorkor, two diseases that had been etched into Tanaka's mind in
the General paper studies during his primary school days. Apart from his
cognitive acceptance that he wanted to eat something badly, the fear of
getting sick and prolonged hunger had materialised in his head. Though he
was afraid to move away from his current position, he could not neglect the
call of nature. He was hungry and the lack of sleep was giving him severe
fatigue. The horrible stench, terrible cold, lack of sleep and stomach
appealing to him had driven him mad. He couldn't take it anymore, he had to
do something to mitigate this hunger or else he would devolve into
something far much uncivilised, a rabid man.
Another hour had passed making it now 04:00am and this time it was now
quiet. Tanaka was still alive and starved, but this time his volition dared him
to look for food. The fear that had once grasped his body firmly was now
being overcome by his natural cravings and in the end Tanaka could not
handle having an empty stomach. The young man thus began to rise up

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Bastino Mhika

slowly, taking a hold of the steel poll with his right hand and torch with his
left hand. He was going to move out with finding food as his main aim. The
Montagu Avenue just after 2nd street was where he was and just before the
street along the same avenue was Spar, the mini supermarket just opposite
the Baines Avenue flats and hospital. It seemed like the best idea to scrounge
for food there. Tanaka also hoped that the food hadn't been compromised or
become bad. The young man who was turning 16 soon in July was about to
display a brazen attempt to have bravado in a dark and bizarre world. His life
was in danger, but he had to capitalise on this silence. If this was going to be
his last meal on earth then so be it. He had to be strong in this bleak world of
pain and despair.
Tanaka trotted, using his light as the guide as he was walking facing
downwards. His movements had knee jerking involved, something that
showed that every step he took required an ounce of bravery to get to where
he was now. The torch had the element of always surprising him as he
walked. He would come across potholes filled with bloody puddles, tendons
lying on the ground, vehicle wreckages and bloody clothes dropped at
random. Tanaka crossed over the 2nd street road and went deeper into the
Baines Avenue lane. He could see that the trees were still intact, with blood
dripping down their leaves whenever the wind would blow. His steps were
the only audible thing in the darkness, each tiny step leading him close to the
mini supermarket. Tanaka passed through a number of things; mangled
human flesh, shattered glass, a demolished durawall to his right and a black
liquid. He wasn't sure if it was blood, fuel or none of the above, but he made
an effort to not stain his shoes in that puddle of unknown fluids. The
crickets could be heard from where he was and the sound of night bugs was
prevalent. The sound at first startled him until he recognised the familiar
noises that he had heard constantly after a heavy fall of rain, the sound of
insect activity. It bothered him though that the insects carried on with their
simple and non-spectacular lives, ignoring the end of the world and the
bloody tragedies that came with it. The very idea made him angry, but at the
same time he began to wonder why he was angry at a couple of bugs. He
realised that hunger, lack of sleep and the cold were driving him crazy. He
then immediately put that thought on hold and went on to focus on more
productive ideas. Tanaka by now was at the pharmacy. His light spotted

27
Bastino Mhika

bloody stained walls and a broken window which showed signs of forced
entry. The inside of the store looked like abstract art of human remains with
a touch of Picasso in his depraved years. The mini supermarket was just after
the ATM which was just after the pharmacy. This meant that he was close
and he was hoping for something edible. In the pharmacy he could see
medication and boxes all thrown everywhere. The ground was full of broken
bottles of cough syrup, MMTs, Prozac, squashed bubble gum wrappers,
disgorged wooden counters and a hole in the ceiling. The unsettling mystery
behind that ceiling made him want to avoid entering the pharmacy at all
costs. Tanaka moved forward, tip toeing past what looked like bricks and
reinforced steel. The bricks were plentiful and Tanaka decided to look
upwards at the right and around, twirling his torch. To his dismay he saw the
roof top section of the Baines Avenue hospital levelled 4meters downwards.
It was as if the key piece to demolishing the Tetris structure had landed on
that building, decreasing its imposing height. Something big had knocked out
the infrastructure and Tanaka was the only one to view this. Tanaka then
hissed to himself, "What the hell did this?" It was a gothic imagery of how
bad things had turned out, but what was ahead of him was going to scare
him even more. Tanaka passed the ATM machine which was still intact and
got to the closed glass doors of the mini supermarket. The store from inside
as his torch light permitted, showed that it was still intact. Everything was in
order, nothing was misplaced, mostly the non-perishables. What Tanaka
quickly realised is how the torch light bounced back from the mirrors he had
targeted. The lighting in the room became more natural, something that had
surprised Tanaka since his light's performance only covered a certain part in
its differed state. Tanaka thus gazed at the goods in the store. His hunger
began to swell in his stomach as he was stimulated by all the food in view.
Bread, biscuits, refrigerated drinks and many more delicacies were in plain
sight. All that was left was to access the store. Tanaka wielding his poll
looked at and then an idea came to mind. His first burglary offense was
about to commence. He lifted his weapon and hammered it at the glass door.
The first strike made it crack, the second made it shatter and finally the third
made it crash and burn. The noise of the glass breaking made him freak-out a
bit. He was scared that the sound would attract things in the dark, but to his
merit nothing came. He was still safe and now he was only left with the food
beyond. As he walked slowly he took a misstep on one of the broken pieces

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Bastino Mhika

of moist glass and fell backwards. He landed on his back, with the torch in
his hand. The pain of landing hurt, but his adrenaline fixed it quickly. As he
glanced at the side, having noticed that the shop was no longer visible
anymore, what was in the view of his torch was a disaster. It was an
international airplane that had crashed. It was charred, drenched in the
bloody rain water and had levelled two flats upon plummeting to the ground.
This level of chaos was scarring Tanaka even more, and thus this was truly
the end of the world.
Tanaka entered the shop, precariously, scrutinizing everything around him.
The shop teller counters computers were all turned off and the ever sharp
pen boxes and usual lollipops and sweets in plastic bowls were all in intact.
As soon as he slipped in he felt the warmth of the room. It was better than
being outside where he had to deal with the winter and other ugly things. On
instinct his mind told him to cover the entrance which he had come from.
Tanaka though he had not fully assessed his environment, felt as if he would
not encounter anything at all in the shop. The fact that the store was still
orderly and uncompromised gave him the impression that all was well in this
supermarket. At first the idea of using a trolley crossed his mind, but
anything with wheels could easily be rolled away. He automatically scratched
that out and thought of something else. He looked for any boxes lying
around and found nothing. The whole process seemed stupid to him and he
ended up regretting why he had tried to be clever in the first place. Tanaka
immediately forgot the effort and headed towards the back sections of the
store. He opened the fridge which had the spring water and took one bottle.
He placed the poll on the floor as he washed his hands and poured the liquid
into his system. It was refreshing, an elixir that relieved him from his thirst.
Tanaka went on to take another bottle, washing away the blood soaked
hands; he even went on to get the 5litres of water and poured it all over his
body. The relief he got from cleansing himself was like taking a good shit
after severe constipation, it gave him solid peace of mind. Tanaka had
tolerated the stench on his body for a bit after the bloody rain, but this was
his chance to get rid of the repulsive body odour. The torch was placed on a
sledge as he bathed himself. The blood on his body flowed downwards as he
poured loads of water on his body, ending its unsolicitated stay. The whole
process wet the ground and spoiled it with red. As soon as Tanaka was done

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Bastino Mhika

he tore through the packets of chips, biscuits and devoured many like a
starved animal. It had only been a day plus, but sitting in that corner made
him feel like it had been several weeks of hell. Tanaka tore through the
expensive chocolate bars that cost $9 and the black forest cakes. A balanced
diet was not on the agenda, all he was doing was just feeding. Tanaka opened
the fridge with all the fizzy drinks and alcohol, drinking up 4 cans of sprite,
fanta and coca cola, reviving the inner fizzy drunkard in himself. He imbibed
a lot and was enjoying the plethora of beverages. He saw a can of Russian
bear and at first hesitated, reminded by the fact that he was under age.
However he remembered that the world had gone to shit and that there
weren't any adults or law abiding people here to stop him. He hissed to
himself, "Well its not like I am going to get another chance like this to drink
booze so I might as well try this." The can was opened by the curious
teenager who took a sip and then squinted his eyes upon tasting it. It was
sour, but had a tang of sweetness. The alcohol mixed with the already settled
soft drink juice in his bowels, making him feel as if he was pregnant with
multiple flavours inside of him, all due for conception. Unlike the other
liquids, the beverage settled in his body and began to warm him up. Tanaka
opted to take more, but somehow he had enough. He was full and happy to
have mitigated the hunger. In retrospect, the end of the world wasn't all that
bad; he had free food, he could raid buildings and could trespass them
anytime. As long as nothing came to eat him, he could embrace this bliss for
a while.
Tanaka having remembered that alcohol could be used as a disinfectant,
something he had learned on TV shows about doctors, he decided to apply
the vodka filled can on his wounds. He took the paper towels on the cutlery
section of the store, poured alcohol on them and applied the papers on his
bruises. The sting of alcohol was new to him and made the whole process
troublesome as he wiped the sores. The last thing Tanaka wanted was him
getting an infection, something that had often scared him ever since he was
at Parinyenatwa hospital. The country had quite a few amazing hospitals, but
in his experience, Parinyenatwa had earned the title of death hospital. Other
hospitals such as Saint Anne's, West End and so forth were to him decent
alternatives. Family members he knew who had gone there had always died,
being unable to be saved by the medical staff there. Also the number of

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Bastino Mhika

gaunt people waiting in line to be treated was always disturbing. The fear of
getting sick made him a hygiene freak, even overshadowing his bum life
persona. After applying the alcohol, Tanaka got a hold of a stack of
magazines. He decided to pass the time by reading the content of the old
world; binge reading through people magazine, men's fitness, Glamour and
FHM. The stories of celebrities, particularly the Kardashans and other teen
star dramas in Hollywood revolted him. He skipped those sections and read
on about movie releases, real life stories, fitness advice and random articles.
Tanaka was a border line close to average Joe guy, had an interest in reading
books, but only books that were given to him. He wasn't the type to search
or look for them passionately, but had no problem digesting the content. In
the end it was all entertainment to him. 2hours had passed as he munched
through a packet of lays, browsing the content in hand. The sounds outside
were still faint, almost as if they were a kilometre away from where he was.
He could not hear any crawling obscenities and was happy that he was not
being taunted by anything yet. The torch was mounted on top of a bread
holder shelf to direct the light directly at the book. Due to its intensity,
Tanaka had to place it on the shelf so that he could read properly without
being blinded by the light. The women's section talked about women's
periods, desires, sex stories and so forth. The hygiene stories were gross, but
fear of boredom since he had read a lot was making him consume the text
before him. The stuff that women liked and their daily biological problems
made them seem more human and less superficial as how some portrayed
themselves in their vanity. Tanaka's comfort and reading began to make him
dose off. His body was now giving in to a state of comfort and security, a
dangerous complacency which was not needed in a world of darkness and
despair. This was showing as he was losing his mobility, suddenly closing his
eyes and dosing off. In that moment a deformed creature which had been
moving in the infinite void passed by the mini supermarket. It noticed the
broken glass door and saw the light. It began to sniff, smelling Tanaka's
blood and natural musk. It sneaked into the store, slithering and making
unusual movements as it approached the boy. The light was on the shelf and
he had knocked out. The creature was planning on getting rid of the shelf
and devouring the young lad. It drew nearer and nearer to its meal, going all
ecstatic over the idea of relishing his flesh like early morning road kill. The
boy's body was in full view and what this creature intended to do to Tanaka

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was something nasty. It wanted to violate him before eating him. Sowing its
seed and reaping what it had sowed was its fetish. It stretched out its serrated
claw like tentacles to nudge the shelf that had the torch. The small nudges
which seemed like effortless exuded energy was actually moving the shelf.
The first nudge made Tanaka's body fall sideways. He was still asleep, but the
kind of dosing he was in was a deep lucid state that only came when
someone was deprived of sleep for far too long. Tanaka had knocked out
and he was at the mercy of this thing. The creature began to grin, drooling in
the dark, waiting to ravish its meal. It nudged the shelf again and again,
making the torch light become farther away from him. Its victory was
moments away and the more it pushed the shelf the more Tanaka became
reachable. One push and it would be all over. The monster mustered its final
nudge, preparing to finally end Tanaka's life in a flash, but then suddenly his
watch's morning alarm which had always rang to wake him up for school
began to cry. The sudden noise woke Tanaka up and immediately made him
rise. Upon this happening the creature hammered all its might into the shelf,
knocking it far from Tanaka's reach. Tanaka instantly reacted seeing the
darkness quickly engulf his field of vision. The torch and the furniture
holding it had flown ahead, leaving him stranded in the pitch black. Tanaka
heard a crash and destruction of wood which give him great distress. All that
crossed his mind was whether the torch had been destroyed or not. He then
sprinted forwards, chasing the white dot he could see in his now darkness
engrossed field of vision, but what prompted him to run faster was the sound
of a diabolical depravity pursuing him from behind, gnashing its teeth as it
lusted for the boy. Tanaka was going to die; this was going to be the end of
the young man's life.
Tanaka ran in the dark, blind as a mole, but without any excellent hearing to
compensate for his disadvantage. His feet bumped into a lot of things, things
that grazed his legs, but did not slow down his determination. The creature
behind him was breathing heavily like an asthma attack victim, shrilling its
voice in the formless night. Tanaka dived into the debris, getting stabbed by a
piece of wood which lodged onto his left forearm, causing him to ooze lots
of blood. His right hand's fingers struggled through the debris of what was
left of the shelf and managed to get hold of his torch. Upon getting hold of it
he quickly turned to face the bizarre monstrosity on top of him. He pointed

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the torch directly at it and took in the very thing that accentuated ugliness
with his eyes. The abomination had erected its corrosive, anvil like, frothing
phallus to violate him. Its tip and shaft were like a dam wall, dripping pus and
tiny bloody miniscule foetuses that were speaking an unknown language,
something similar to how candle wax melted upon contact with a flame. Its
abdomen was that of an amphibian with pimple like mumps, the ones you
would find on an ebola victim. Its head was that of an encapsulated ball of
putrid flesh, straight out of the frying pan of hell. It was a despicable entity
that scared the shit out of Tanaka. It even had the audacity to wiggle its
abscess like mouth to utter its intentions.
"CHILD LET ME FUCK YOU!!!!"
Tanaka screamed out loud, devoured by fear which had regurgitated his
body, restoring him back to reality as a crippled mind. The creature which
was on top of him suddenly exploded. It turned into liquid ash that ended up
spoiling his entire body. Tanaka cried and panted at the fact that the creature
had died, but he had no time to celebrate, the death of this being had
attracted a lot of its friends. The horde of demons and unintelligent voices
began to shatter the air waves. Tanaka who was stricken in fear also
remembered the pain of his left forearm. He rose up from his position and
ran towards the cutlery section. Seeing his own blood was scaring him and
the fear of bleeding to death was dawning on him. He took the table cloth,
plucked out the wood lodged in his left forearm and began to scream. The
pain was excruciating indeed, it felt like the pain of a groin being repeatedly
shot at by a nail gun. Tanaka removed the wood and felt the warmth of his
own blood trickle down his fingers and torch. He applied the paper towel
and opened the fridge to grab more vodka. He poured loads of it onto his
wound and then wrapped a dish towel onto his wound. The pain made him
cry, but what made him evoke more tears was the realisation that there was
something inside the ceiling. The very thought of what was coming gave him
hyper tension. It was now time to abandon ship and Tanaka did not waste
time. His exhaustion was overpowered by his will to live, making him jump
out via the glass door he had broken. He sprinted aimlessly, using his torch
to direct him in the darkness. Every area he pointed at reviewed disturbing
imagery of unspeakable proportions. Tanaka ended up turning right, passing

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the travel plaza mini mall which was adjacent to the mini supermarket he
came from. In his sudden burst of speed Tanaka only had one thing in mind,
to survive. He ran and ran until he took a regretful step. Tanaka who was in
the heat of the moment had not directed his torch to the ground soon
enough to save him from impending doom. He simply ran blindly into a pit
which had many horrors lying before him. Tanaka tumbled down an inclined
heap of bloody and mutilated corpses, all stocked up to portray a twisted
version of the human stair case. Regardless of his fall he held his torch
tightly, but fortunately for him, the bruises he got from the tumble didn't
give him much pain. He quickly picked himself up and assessed the situation.
What he realised was that he was in a valley like field of dead bodies, all
mutilated and pruned like crushed hazel nuts. At the centre of this pit were
demons dragging and mounting the dead bodies in a pile, like a coliseum of
corpses all viewing the young Tanaka in distress. The creatures doing their
gathering job soon took notice of Tanaka and began to draw near him. The
fiends all crawled and marched slowly, closing in on the child and destroying
all form of hope in him. Tanaka stood there, baffled in utter stupefication.
This was the end, it was a good ride or rather a nightmare, but he had tried
his best to survive. The acceptance of death had flooded Tanaka's mind, an
inundation of surrender and loss of will power, but somehow his fear
surprisingly turned into rage, a hatred of what was giving him fear. Tanaka
was driven mad and could no longer handle his despair. He picked up a
femur on the ground which still had its tendons. He began to glance at his
surrounding adversaries, all uglier than their next of kin. Tanaka glared like a
mad dog, waving the bone violently as if he was intending to kill one of
them. The world had gone to shit, but he was not going to go down without
swinging.
"Come at me you bastards! Come you bastards! Come on, come!!!"

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Chapter 3

We are a product of our

environment.
"Come on! he said, swinging the femur with ill intent. He had lost his mind
and had converted his fear into his strength in this absurd situation. The
hideous death was all layered down before him like a construction site
designated for a staircase of corpses. He was but alone in the infinite
darkness, deprived of peace, sleep and mental composure. If he was going to
die he was not going down like a helpless animal. He was going to strike his
enemy, leave a mark before being devoured or so he thought. Each thrust of
the femur in hand had clenched his tears together, bounding them in a
ferocity that made his face maimed due to severe frowning and glaring. He
twirled around, observing these obscenities as they came, and what made it
more unbearable was that he could only see one of them at a time. His
torch's LED light form made the encompassing darkness more chilling and
petrifying. He would see one, twirl, not there anymore, twirl, three of them
now in that position. What made the wait to pandemonium even more
unbearable were the sounds they were making. Their unintelligent dialogue
and sickening sounds were like a foil to innocence, it accentuated depravity at
best. The boy kept on swinging incessantly as he heard the demonic

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creatures ghoulish movements in the dark. The macabre had still not
attacked him and he was beginning to wonder why. He turned around to see
the creatures just feeding on the corpses and regurgitating things that looked
like they had lost any traces of their once cherished humanity. They had been
reduced into red phlegm, with black veins and snake sized leeches drinking
the succulent blood of whatever was left of the body. The irritating sound of
blood being sucked was no different from that of weevils munching on corn,
an unsightly reminder to why he hated bugs. Tanaka continued to shout
vehemently, "Come on you bastards! His mustered strength, though
conjured out of unwillingness to die like a dog, was now being atrophied by
the uneventfulness of his situation. He was in a despicable pit, probably a
playground for these creatures of the dark, the unknown beasts that had put
the world into its current state of horror and despair. The demons had
rebuffed him or so he thought, but one consistently clear thing was that they
surely didn't like being in the lime light. They tried by all means to be evasive
to his torch light, something that he soon realised when had decided to
reason instead of cultivating his rage. Tackling his fear head on had not
entirely desensitized him from what he was seeing, for the variances of
unsavoury horridness had an ugliness you could never get used to. Tolerance
would have to be a choice, in his case, a must. His left arm was still hurting,
regardless of his attempts to treat it earlier at the mini supermarket. Though
his effort had been abated, he didn't come out as the disgruntled one. Instead
he took a warm delight in knowing one fact that had kept him alive in this
nightmare. His torch light gave him immunity, they could not touch him. It
all made sense now, how he survived on that corner pissing in his pants,
frightened by the monsters he only thought existed in demented horror films.
He was alive because of his torch. In that moment it dawned to him that the
torch wasn't normal. How could his torch be the only manner of light? His
acceptance of his trump card ended up filling him with many questions.
Where did this torch come from? Whether or not his kidnappers had left it in
the boot for future use or was of use and they didn't know, was beyond him
by now. His realisation of his fortune drove him into manic euphoria. His
bad luck had run out and lady fortune was smiling at him. He began to laugh,
a gradation of laughter that started low and ended up high pitched. He was
embracing this and could not help but hiss to himself, "They can't touch me,
these shits can't touch me. Though still chuckling he was still in an angst

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mood. His interrupted sleep had given his brain a weird sensation, one of
weariness and proneness to insanity. The world had gone mad and he clearly
was going through severe psychological changes. In a short while, he had
been maimed by the infinite darkness.
Tanaka was now fully confident that he wouldn't be eaten by the adversaries
of the night and embarked on getting out of the pit. The coliseum of corpses
was ridiculously huge and greatly inclined. For Tanaka to get out of the pit,
he would have to climb over dead bodies to get out of this gore party.
Noticing the features beyond the ridge he began to see a few flats that were
in ruins, all soiled in blood and lodged human remains. The creatures behind
him had continued on with their banquet, relishing on human flesh as if it
were thanks giving day. The sound of drooling saliva, putrid smell of corpses
and ominous sounds were like an endless motif in his horrific tale. Tanaka
began to move upwards, stepping on dead bodies. Unlike last time when he
had puked, his mind had blocked any form of revulsion to facilitate his
progress, making him trample on bodies that were either tampered with to
the point of irredeemable ugliness or were just naturally unsightly. The
bodies all plastered in the pit ranged from little kindergarten kids to fully
aged senior citizens. Tanaka never thought about how these hapless folks
had been taken by surprise by the circumstances of death by mutilation. All
he did was walk and stomp on these cadavers. As soon as the slope became
greatly inclined, Tanaka began to climb up the wall of corpses, though his left
hand was in pain, he didn't waver at all, grabbing onto a shrivelled head with
brains exposed like he was a rock climbing expert on an organic mountain.
He crawled his way upwards with his fingers, elbows and feet latching onto
gelatinous flesh as he made his way to the top. As he was drawing close to
the end, a hand from nowhere grabbed him. It was a man who was still alive,
buried in the wall of corpses. Tanaka was startled by the hand that had
grabbed onto him and almost struck it with his right elbow, but what made
him hesitate was the man's appeal.
"Help me! Help me! Don't leave me here to die, take me with you! is what
the man had screamed at Tanaka. He sounded like a young adult with a
typical Zimbabwean english accent. His hold on Tanaka was similar to that
of hand cuffs, something that gave the impression that this man's situation

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was dire and he wouldn't give up until he was saved. Tanaka who had given
up on the belief that there were other signs of life in the bleak world of
death, tried to pull the man up, grasping his torch tightly as he offered him
his right forearm to save the only life he had encountered. Tanaka even
emotionally spouted out, "Grab my hand! Grab it! The man did as he said,
crying and moaning as he latched onto Tanaka. What Tanaka had not
realised was that the wall of corpses had been soaked in the bloody rain and
had been greatly imbued with dampness. The moisture which had been
deterred by the compacted dead bodies before was now beginning to slowly
crumble in structure. Tanaka used his strength to try and pull out the man,
motivated by the fact that he had found another life. This life could help him
feel less lonely in this dead world, someone he could definitely share his fears
with to ease the depression that came from the current state of things. The
constant repetition of the words 'I don't want to die and 'save me were what
was hammered into his subconscious mind. He inadvertently internalised this
as an act of heroics that he had to fulfil. This man was counting on him; he
called for his help and wanted to be saved. As the man slowly began to
squeeze out, the bodies far ahead on top began to lose their place on the
walls. The wall of corpses on the man's side began to crumble down like an
avalanche. The differed light from his torch could show how desperate he
was and how he was full of tears due to his dire situation. The man screamed,
"Don't drop me! Please I don't want to die! Help me! Help me! Don't let go!
"I won't! I promise you I won't drop you! he said, crying now for he didn't
want to fail the man. He had been angry before, but tears were now
streaming down his face. Was it because he had clung onto hope again?
Tanaka had gone manic mad to face his peril head on in the pit, a suicide
mission that would have gone sour fast if it weren't for the creatures'
aversion to his torch light, but this time he was emotional. He had another
man's life in his hands, something precious to him having had to survive
close to 2days of mental psychosis and depression. His rage and confidence
before was truly a lie, a facade to keep him from breaking down. In the
moment he saw the man slip before him, falling to the base of the pit below
upon the wall of corpses tumbling down like dominoes, he realised that you
only ever truly value life when you're deprived of it. The man, who was in shock and
had a fretful expression as he fell down, was consumed with bitter sadness.
What lied below him was a reptilian demon with serrated teeth, a huge jaw

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and indefinable grotesque features. It had its mouth open like a baseball
glove, waiting to make the perfect catch, in this case, a gruesome bite. By the
time Tanaka had turned to look at what had happened to his hapless friend,
his whole body was painted red with the blood of the man. The bite had an
unprecedented impact which propelled large quantities of gushed out blood.
The vanity and hopelessness of the world became clear to him at the sight of
the dead man. There was no hope, only unapologetic despair. His eyes which
were now bloodshot, engraved with exhaustion and abominable scenery now
had to deal with his cascading tears. Life was so fragile indeed and humanity
was puny and weak compared to the evil creatures of the dark.
Tanaka had climbed out of the pit, heartbroken and extremely sullen. The
man dying had really done something to him. He had cracked. He began to
walk slowly, using his light as a guide, leaving the now infested Josiah
Tongogara road behind him. His body's movements were heavy, each step
for him feeling like he was carrying sand bags in deep water. He began to
cross over Montagu Avenue street, looking to his right, seeing the same plane
that had crashed looking uglier than before and also having lots of creepy
little creatures. He was dragging his body, this time with no tears, but a
lifeless expression as if he had seen a ghost. He would glance at weird things
that would try by all means to hide since his light was not desired by these
creatures. He looked at his left to see the remnant of the once profound
Baines hospital. The durawall for the ground floor was totally bombarded.
The car park, ground floor where there was the reception, pharmacy,
ambulance garage and emergency rooms were all desolate. They were all
painted red with thick and putrid flesh overlying on the walls. The cracks on
the windows and previously observed levelled top section of the building
were still a sight to behold. Regardless of the carnage all displayed in the now
chaotic environment, his mind had been blocked. Tanaka still walked, aiming
for one of the flats that were within Baines Avenue. He was one quarter
done with part of the journey to get there, shuffling his feet on the ground.
His lack of cognisance towards his surrounding environment soon ended
when he heard the sounds again. The sounds had begun to annoy him,
irritating him to the core. The alien dialect and corrosive tone which had
started off scaring him in the beginning was now just an annoying pest. The
sound irked him, driving him to complete aggravation. It wasn't enough that

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these creatures had murderous intent towards the rest of humanity, but they
also had an insatiable desire to make that dreadful noise. The noise, the
noise! Tanaka was now filled with acrimony, he heard things slithering
around him and making ominous sounds as usual. He began to scan these
sounds to find the source. He saw another one of the crawling foetuses and
then directed his torch at it. The creature quickly showed aversion by moving
away from the light, but unlike the last time, Tanaka wasn't going to just give
it one glance, he was going to probe this thing. He began to follow it and was
constantly directing his light at it. When it had realised that he had caught up,
it tried to run away, but he also began to run, tormenting the creature. He
looked at it with much discontempt as its body boiled and ruptured and bled.
It was dying because of his light. Tanaka began to utter out contemptuously,
"It hurts doesn't it!? It hurts, it hurts. Now you know how I feel you
monster! Tanaka continued to torch this thing until it died, bursting into
sticky blood that soon withered and wilted into something gross. Tanaka had
witnessed this with much pleasure and the irony now was that the annoying
sounds close by began to give him a sense of purpose. He had to kill all of
these sons of bitches. He gave so much attention to his hearing capabilities
and turned to where he could find any that slithered. He found another
foetus and torched it to death, a dog like maggot and levelled it to the ground
with its blood. The chasing was beginning to exhaust him; he was injured and
deprived of sleep. He then got tired and decided to maintain his previous
course, heading towards the flats to catch a nap, hoping to find a room that
had not yet been desecrated by these fiends. As he walked, having completed
half his course, he stumbled upon a horrid scene. He saw 2 demons
devouring a human body, hooking their teeth onto the exposed rib cage and
yanking it with their teeth. The process was disturbing as the things were
forcefully deboning the lump of meat that had a visible kitkat T-shirt
fastened to the meat. The way these things chewed was shameless, giving off
a subtle burp sound which gave the impression that they were enjoying this
violation of human integrity. The fact that they did this feeding without any
reservations, without any concern for the person they had just ravaged,
infuriated Tanaka. Tanaka had glanced at these things for 10seconds and on
the eleventh second his rage coursed to his torch and it began to beam with
more intensity than before. Its rays of light began to glisten so much that it
ended up brightening everything within a radius of 10m. The light rays

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blasted out like a laser, piercing and burning the flesh of the demons. The
slaughter was quick and brutal, blowing the demons into a pile of mincemeat
with vapours of smoke all fuming from what was left of them. Tanaka did
not wait to marvel at what had just happened; he just went on to burn other
nearby demons. The killing spree was surely giving him joy. The once
emaciated by exhaustion boy was now venting out his rage. Everything close
by was decimated, incinerated by this teenager who had gone crazy. After
wiping out everything near the hospital, the adrenaline in him was coursing in
his body, making him hyper, but he had to go to the flats and sleep now. The
annoying sounds were now gone, he had just killed the demons around him.
As he walked onwards he could here subtle sounds back at the pit where he
had come from. At the back of his mind one of his voices was saying he
should forget about it and find some rest. However the voice he listened to
was the one that desired retribution and carnage, the voice that hated the
things that had scared him in the dark. Tanaka eventually looked back and
immersed himself with the view of the edges that led to the pit. He grimaced
and then said, "Its time you monsters learned how to die.
It was a fellowship of human flesh and defiling of corpses as some of these
demons turned to necrophilia, filling the corpses with black brittle semen
that acted as an acid that would incinerate the bodies from the inside. This
was done to both sexes, a sick and unprecedented act from these demons in
the pit. The wickedness soon ended when an angry Tanaka appeared at the
top, directing his light everywhere. All that was in there immediately died,
even the corpses were burnt to a crisp. His ambivalence in that fierce
moment gave him so much discomfort. He was angry at the monsters and at
the same time jovial that the bastards were dying. The banquet soon turned
into a burnt offering: the pit looked like an apparatus for burning incense and
what came out were great amounts of smoke, going to the point of looking
like a mushroom cloud after nuclear detonation. Tanaka had destroyed his
enemy and with much satisfaction. The fact that this power was in the torch
meant that there was something strange going on in the world, something far
more mystifying than the horror before him. Tanaka turned back and walked
away as the smoke behind him consumed the bodies in the pit. The torch
was something special indeed and Tanaka couldn't help but wonder what it

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really was. Tanaka began to stroll to the apartment ahead with his head held
high, knowing that this time, he had beaten the infinite darkness.
Tanaka had gone through several rooms and the Southerland Heights court,
a flat that had several rooms and an old fashioned inner room structure. He
had come across six rooms that were totally in a mess; bloody bath tubs and
a lot of sickening imagery to come with the rest of the apartment. He finally
opened a door which led to an unspoilt room. It was clear of any blood or
severe gratuity. It was simply austere and clean. It was a 5 roomed apartment
with 2 bedrooms, 1 dining room, kitchen and toilet with a bath tub. It had a
balcony just adjacent to the dining room which was locked and concealed by
brown drapery. The room had blue walls and simple furniture. It had pictures
of an old man with his supposedly old spouse and pictures of him wearing a
white coat. There were other picture frames of younger adults who Tanaka
assumed to be his children. He might have been a doctor in the previous
world, saving people or killing them at Parirenyatwa. Old clocks and a
florescent smell in the room was a relief for Tanaka. The putrid smell outside
was now gone and now he had this pleasant apartment to himself. He did a
preliminary check of the place, checking the bathroom and other rooms. One
of the bedrooms was locked and he didn't bother with knocking or finding
out why. He just left it alone and proceeded to the free room. He got in and
noticed that it was effeminate. It was a girl's room full of pink and cuddly
stuffed animals. The paint was pink and orangish and had One Direction
posters and an examination time table with only 3 subjects for studying. He
assumed she was doing her A levels, probably in upper 6. The room was also
full of mirrors. His torch light hit one of the mirrors and bounced back the
light, something that never failed to dazzle Tanaka. The room immediately
lighted up, erasing the encompassing darkness. Tanaka then came up with a
good idea to make sure that nothing would happen to him during his sleep.
He took a number of suit cases, opened them, hoping to fill them up with
anything heavy to place them against the door. He wanted to make sure that
he wouldn't have any of the creatures invading his space during sleep. He
found a number of romance novels, lingerie, maxy pads wrapped in their
plastic casing and a box of women's condoms. Tanaka then commented, "I
guess she was getting smashed a lot, girls of today. The previous owner of
the room had a collection of items which showed that she was the focused

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girl who at the same time loved to have fun. Her certificates for school
academics, enormous text books and trophies for extracurricular activities
were all in plain sight. There was even a picture of her at Victoria Falls with a
guy groping her in the form of a hug. It was most probably her boyfriend.
Tanaka kind of felt jealous, but it didn't matter anymore, they were probably
both dead. After mounting all the suit cases at the door, he dragged all the
mirrors into a strategic position. They were all set up in a way that they
would be able to bounce the light into each other. It was a trick he had learnt
from Collin when he was young, a trick that came in handy in this particular
situation. Everything was now placed where it was supposed to be and he
jumped onto the bed. The blood on his body soiled and stained he clean
sheets, but Tanaka didn't care about neatness in that moment. He just
wanted to sleep. He covered himself with the blankets and became cosy. He
even hugged the stuffed animals that had decorated the bed into an
extremely girly specimen. His torch was left on his bed, facing the mirror
which lit the whole room. In a matter of seconds he fell asleep. Whatever he
would dream about, may it be a nightmare or sweet dreams, Tanaka had
finally found rest ever since the apocalypse had begun.
13hours had passed as Tanaka had been asleep. He woke, up feeling
refreshed and his left arm was feeling much better. He then uttered to
himself, "Girls really do have comfortable beds. He remained limp, gazing
at the ceiling until he heard the sound of something burning or cooking as he
had assumed. He immediately woke up, grabbed his torch and took the lamp
stand in the room as back up. He removed the suitcases and opened the door
and ventured into the rest of the apartment. The sound was coming from the
kitchen. What he saw was something puzzling, a surprise he didn't expect at
all. It was the old man from the picture frame wearing shades and he was
using the gas stove in the kitchen. He was cooking eggs and adding tomatoes
and green pepper to the frying pan. Tanaka was shocked at the very fact that
this was possible, but what was more puzzling was how complacent and calm
the old man was. Was he oblivious of the hell outside? Tanaka then took a
step and heard the old man utter, "You decided to come out of my
granddaughters room. Well don't worry, I am open to different kinds of
people. Dinner will be ready in 15minutes so be patient young lad The old
man was alive in this now horrid world. Tanaka who was surprised could not

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help but oblige. He only replied nervously with a hint of uncertainty in his
voice, "Sure thing...old man, I will wait.

Chapter 4

Old man Richard

Hambira

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"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the
battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of
understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth
to them all."
Eclesiastes 9 verse 11.
Tanaka had looked at the old man with a sceptical gaze, bewildered by the
fact that he wore shades when visibility had already been an issue in the
infinite darkness. The senior citizen had just finished the eggs which were
scrambled and immersed in a very palatable soup, with savoury smells that
Tanaka embraced, having not smelt anything enticing in a while. The old
man began to fondle the gas stove, searching for the stove's knobs, as if it
was a peculiar body search demonstration. The old man then got a hold of
the knob and turned off the flames of the stove. The greasy bubbling of the
soup continued long after the gas was turned off, maintaining the right heat
suitable for a delectable meal. The old man went on to tilt his body a bit,
fondling the back of the gas stove to turn the knob of the gas tank. The
process was quite twitchy and strained, which gave away the old man's
physical disposition. He was the same height as Tanaka, wearing a denim
golden buttoned thick shirt which had breast pockets and aged material. His
body was worn down, veiny, wrinkled, but still had some visible fat that
emasculated the old man's pot belly. He had a box shaped face which
complemented his semi bald hair and squint eyes. His grey trousers which
were accompanied with a pair of loafers really gave this old timer a lax
appeal. Tanaka began to wonder if he was just blind or just extremely senile.
He couldn't understand why he had shades on when clearly everything was
pitch black. This was the first ridiculous thing Tanaka had encountered in the
infinite darkness. The old man went on to move slowly to where the
cupboards where, fondling the knobs and then opening to take out two black
and white ceramic plates. The process was very uneasy as if he was balancing
weights with his hands. Tanaka also wondered whether he was going to drop
the plates with the way the old man's fragile aged hands shaked. This very
scene accentuated what old age did to youth, making what seemed like a
simple task into a gruelling drudgery for the elderly. The old man placed the
plates on the under counter's ledge and began to prepare the supper. The boy
watched the twitchy movements as the old man put the rice in his plate. The

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old man then uttered with an aged 1970s British accent, "I usually prefer
sadza and mazondo over this typical white meals, but my granddaughter
always shunned me for that." He broke into a brief laughter which ended
with a violent cough similar to that of smokers with a phlegm problem.
Tanaka couldn't help but cringe over the old man's mortality which also
drove him to wonder how he had survived the carnage outside. The old man
finished the preparation of the supper, opened a drawer and rummaged
through it to get a hold of two forks and one knife. Tanaka then assumed
that the old man was the fork and knife kind of guy, something that he never
got to master due to preferring the use of his hands when devouring meals.
The old man after placing one of the forks inside the rice in the plate which
was greased in a savoury concoction of delectable eggs and other spices,
paused for a bit. Tanaka had noticed this and wondered what was going on.
The old man then uttered, "You don't talk that much son?" Tanaka was
dumbfounded by this and then quickly articulated his thoughts to respond to
the old man. "Um... I do talk sir." he said, not sure whether he had answered
appropriately.
"Feel free to speak, you don't have to be quiet and stiff." he said, slowly
sliding his hand underneath one of the plates and raising it up. Tanaka saw
the man's hand shaking due to the weight and realised that soon enough the
plate would drop to the ground. The old man held out the plate and said,
"Here, take it, its yours." Tanaka moved swiftly and took hold of the plate
with his right hand, having put the torch in his left. The closer he was to the
old man the more the strong shadows were cast onto his body. The close up
and intense concentration of the torch light made the dark shadows
interspersed with bounced back light reflect on the old man. Tanaka took
hold of the plate and was soon asked, "You are most probably wondering
why I am wearing sun glasses at this time right?" Tanaka's curiosity had been
met by this question and he simply replied, "Yes."
"Um a blind retired medical practitioner who had a nasty falling out with a
disgruntled patient. The misunderstanding cost me my eyes, but revealed to
me things I could have never seen in my able days." he said, taking hold of
his plate and now moving towards the dining room. Tanaka gave way to this
old man who shuffled his feet as he walked, having just spoken words that
were truly mystifying. The falling out with a disgruntled patient!? This had given
him a bit of unease, but what was really giving him a headache was how the

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old man was still alive and at the same time ignorant of the carnage beyond
the walls of his apartment. As he watched the old man sit on his sofa, placing
his food on his lap, he began to consider a number of possibilities: either he
was senile and blind to the point where he was clueless or he was just lucky.
Tanaka who wanted to immediately jump right into hysteria over the horrific
nature of the current world was now baffled by the fact that this old man
might not be aware of it. He couldn't hear any demons outside so far, but if
this blind old man was still oblivious to what was going on then things were
going to get complicated. Tanaka followed suit, actually flashing his torch at
him. As how it was outside, the light from his torch still acted as a piercing
ray of light in the ample darkness, encompassed by an indistinguishable void
which still startled him. Tanaka sat on the couch opposite to that of the old
man's and began to dig in, but the way he ate his food was that of an agitated
boy with no time to waste. Tanaka's sense of alertness had taken over his
body, making him do things with a belief that any time things could go to
shit. The old man soon enough interrupted his feasting by asking, "Do you
not pray before you eat?" Tanaka looked puzzled by this insistence on
formality and replied, "Um sorry." Tanaka then quickly made a concise
prayer and dag in again as soon as the old man said 'Amen' to acknowledge
the prayer. Tanaka was eating and eating, trying to alleviate his hunger, but
somehow the grotesque imagery of past horrific events began to flood his
mind. He felt off, feeling as if his demeanour was too lax for someone who
had just survived the death trap of the pit. The world had gone to shit and he
was just munching as if it was just an ordinary day. Overcome by conflicting
emotions he suddenly stopped eating and darted at the old man who was
eating slowly like a graceful gentle man. Tanaka was still in guerrilla mode
and was feeling mild pain from his previous tumble in the pit which added to
his discomfort. He took a long pause and then asked the old man, "Sekuru,
are you okay? Did you hear anything or experience anything bad?"
"What do you mean young child?" he asked after also pausing for a bit.
Tanaka then remembered the locked door from before and began think that
the old man had been confined in his room for a long time. However a lot of
things didn't add up. Tanaka had been out in the infinite darkness for 2 or 3
days which seemed probably longer to him due to the horrors he had to
endure. Did these monsters somehow miss the old man? This was surely a
miracle, but Tanaka was still curious, wanting to understand how this old

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man had survived a very pernicious event.

"I mean..." he said, uncertain of what to say next, "Nothing has happened to
you right? You're safe and haven't been hurt right?"
"You're a strange child aren't you, already asking for my care when you
entered uninvited," he said breaking into laughter that made the situation
even more awkward for Tanaka, "hope you're not one of the boys my
granddaughter talks about."
"Granddaughter?" he asked, not expecting such a response, "one of the
boys?"
"Yes. The room you slept in was my granddaughter's. She would have gone
into hysterics if she had found you in it." the old man broke into a chuckle
which made Tanaka look at him with grave astonishment. Was this old man
serious? He was oblivious of the hell outside and at the same time cooked for
a stranger who had broken into his pleasant but austere apartment. His
complacency with what was going on in Tanaka's world left much to be
desired. No Zimbabwean would allow a total stranger in their house let alone
cook them a meal! When he used to live in heavily populated areas, he heard
of trespassers being beaten to a pulp as a form of common neighbourhood
folklore, however the same would not necessarily apply to this old man who
from what he had seen on the mounted picture frames was a plump doctor.
His ancient British accent similar to that of old James Bond films, specifically
acted by Sean Connery, registered to him a possibility that this man was of a
unique upbringing. This drove Tanaka to believe that he was in a serious
dilemma. The old man was senile to the point that he couldnt tell what grief
lied beyond the walls of his apartment and at the same time would probably
laugh off Tanaka for talking about monsters in the dark. This kind of senility
was something he had seen a lot when he would travel to the village to see
his grandparents, always having to accommodate their sometimes absent
minded glances and elderly handicaps, which made socialising with them
unbearable. The old man was going to be a burden or at least he thought it
was going to be difficult to convince him that there were man eating demons
outside and a world covered in infinite darkness. Tanaka realised his current
predicament and began to probe the old man with a few questions to
alleviate his own mental tension.

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"Old man..." he said before being interjected.

"Call me Richard. Richard Hambira is my name son." said the old man.
"Sekuru Hambira how is it you can cook since you said you're blind?" asked
Tanaka.
"Hmm, that question never ceases to get old. Well I think I would have
asked the same thing during my sightseeing days." he said, putting his fork
and knife down and wiping his mouth with a table cloth that he had taken
from his right pocket. Tanaka could tell that he was about to be lectured, a
typical habit that old timers had of divulging their life experience on the
youth of today.
"Well I was inflicted with blindness at the age of 40, after a falling out with a
patient," he said, slowly as if trying to get a hold of his lungs, "I spent 10years
as a blind man which affected my medical career to the point I was just
limited to mundane work such as medical consultancy of young interns and
psychiatry."
"Why did your patient attack you?" he asked, a bit annoyed by the fact that
Mr. Hambira hadn't immediately illustrated how he was able to cook as a
blind person. What even annoyed him more was the long pause that came
from the old man who seemed to be contemplating a plausible answer.
Tanaka began to think that his question had put the old man in some form of
mental strain, a trend in the aged that required the young to tolerate. The old
man soon enough answered slowly with a monotone voice, "I had insisted on
treatment that would aid them, but they were more concerned with their
upcoming music concert than their health. Such is the vanity of gallivanting
with your life."
"Sorry about that." he said with a commiserate tone.
"Well don't worry about that, she soon got deported after assaulting me." he
said after a heavy cough filled with phlegm. The old man then snorted and
then took his table cloth and spat in it. The whole process was gross and
made Tanaka quiver in discomfort. The old man then excused himself and
then went on to answer Tanaka's previously asked question.
"Well about my blindness, well, it was a gruelling long process for me to get
to be able to move freely. I now see how dreadful it is when your patient
ends up with retinitis pigmentosa."
"Retini what?" asked Tanaka who was overwhelmed by the tongue twister.
"Oh my, I did it again," chuckled the old man, "retinitis pigmentosa is a form

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of gradual blindness."
"Oh." he said, not really satisfied by his answer.
"Well I have been in this house for years and I have managed well,
memorizing everything and also insisting that my granddaughter doesn't
move things from their original place." he said, coughing again but this time
with a less strained effort.
"Must be a handful being blind." said Tanaka who was beginning to think
that the old man had a miserable existence.
"Not even son, the days of not having my sight have been the best years of
my life." said the old man with much zest. Tanaka gave the old man the look,
thinking that he was overcome with senility to the point of uttering
nonsense. All this was just flippant to him. The horrors outside were still
engulfing his mind and yet this blind old man had the audacity to utter
rubbish. Tanaka began to worry about the old man and became even more
self-conscious as he entertained this senior citizen who had given him food
and shown him uncommon hospitality. His thoughts were soon interrupted
when the old man said, "Well my condition shouldn't be up for discussion.
Let's talk about something more interesting."
"Interesting." he sighed, wondering what the old man had to say. Tanaka's
nerves were slowly coming back to him, growing circumspect as he got
annoyed by the old man's complacency, but somehow he didn't give in to his
need to scream. The desire to cry out his anguish, fears and concern for
another survivor like him did not burst out like he so desired. Something
made him heedful towards the old man, something he couldn't quite explain.
That very unclear reason kept him at bay as he listened to what the old time
had to say.
"Yes, interesting," he said, putting his plate on the arm base of his couch,
"but first of all, how was the food son?"
"The food? Oh its amazing, you're a better cook than me, I always cook a
disastrous sadza at home." he said, shocked to have rejected the food earlier
on and now feasting on it as if he was being scrutinized by the old man.
Tanaka knew that his behaviour was all too awkward but the old man was
blind and he was being silly, a peculiar situation indeed.
"Why thank you, its one of the few dishes I can make in my condition," he
said, coughing a bit and then spitting into his table cloth again, "so what's
your name young man?"

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"My name is Tanaka Manyika." he said, glancing at the old man with a tense
look.
"Tanaka hmm," he said, relaxing his back onto his couch, "I knew a Manyika
in Domboshava and Gokwe, involved in farming. He was quite an odd
fellow."
"Oh." he said, not so sure of what to say about the random anecdote.
"So how are your parents?" asked the old man with a passive air to his
discourse. Tanaka didn't answer. The question really cemented his belief that
the old man was oblivious of what was going on in the world but at the same
time began to churn his mind's memories into a dreadful whirlpool of terror.
The dead body of his sister and short glimpse of his father lying inanimate on
the ground sent a very sickening feeling to his inner being. It was like a very
nerve wrecking past event that any retrospective person cringed upon taking
a slight pensive stance on. The memories went on to merge with his prior
psychotic break and emotional molestation that had been caused by the
creatures of the darkness. His itchy and sore wound on his left arm also
reminded him of what he had gone through. Caught in-between his own
internal standoff of his desire to scream out how screwed the world was
versus how he wanted to accommodate the clueless senile old man, Tanaka
fell silent. He had acknowledged that telling the old man what was really
happening would just be pointless. What he still couldn't put his finger on
was how he had survived. The old man, from what he could see, had
resumed life with his usual routine as a blind man, gifted in doing things
normally thought impossible to do by blind people. Even in his arrogance, he
realised that a total stranger like Tanaka had committed an unsolicitated entry
into his apartment, but instead he got a cooked meal like he was regular
guest. Something was really off with this old man. Tanaka began to wonder
whether it was senility or maybe his background which made the old man
peculiar. The old fashioned afro-centric British accent of Mr. Hambira made
Tanaka insinuate that he was from the diaspora, a term commonly used by
Zimbabweans to describe natives who were living overseas. The obvious
choice would have been the UK since most Zimbabweans engulfed that
region when it came to travelling abroad. Mr. Hambira's socialisation in
England could have made him assimilate nonconventional and bizarre things
like taking in strangers into his home. However Tanaka was at least pleased
that he didn't have to get into a scuffle with the old man, the alternative

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scenario would have just been a disaster. As he wired his mind in pensive
thought, the old man soon realised that the long silence from Tanaka was a
reticence of an ominous reason. The old man then asked the same question
again but this time he got a response in the form of, "I don't know." Tanaka's
inability to share had changed the atmosphere of the apartment into a very
tense one. With only the differed light showing on the old man's body as
Tanaka twirled his torch, the rest of the encompassing darkness made them
look like they were in a debate cubicle, surrounded by the panorama of
infinite oblivion.
"Hmm, you aren't the sharing type then, well I guess I will tell you my life
story." he said, coughing a bit.
"You cough a lot, are you really okay old man?" he asked trying to shrug off
a potential life history anecdote and at the same time concerned about the
intermittent coughs that seemed to be causing more harm than the old man
was letting on.
"Its just nothing. Just a shell of what used to be tuberculosis son, no need to
worry, this old man isn't dying today."
"Sorry about that," he said, mustering the strength to say, "there is something
you need to know."
"Something...? Don't be so disrespectful boy, I am the one whos supposed
to tell-tale first," he said chuckling, "and my granddaughter insists that she is
the future of this country. The young are so pretentious."
"No old man its nothing like that at all, um trying to tell you that you're not
safe," he said, with a tang of fury in the tone of his voice, "you might not
have been attacked yet and um pretty sure you think everything is just
normal, but its not! The world has gone to shit old man!"
"Child where are your manners!? This is no way for a young person to speak
when I have given them my food and hospitality. I could have just beaten
you with my cane you ungrateful brat." replied the old man who also raised
his voice to match Tanaka's own pitch.
"You might think you're safe, but there are monsters out there," he said,
getting emotional as he continued on with his dialogue, "there are people out
there dying and I just want you to know the ugly reality of the world Sekuru.
Its scary!"
"Oh shut up!" he said, picking up his plate with his twitchy right hand and
throwing it at Tanaka who somehow managed to dodge the flying saucer of

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wrath. The food in the plate crashed and burned alongside the ceramic form
of the plate. Tanaka was astonished that the blind man could accurately
target him even without any field of vision. In his mind he thought it was the
so called heightened hearing that blind people had, a commiseration of the
creator for having allowed them to be born with impaired vision. The effort
to throw the plate from what Tanaka could observe was really something that
had taken a lot of energy out of the old man. His passive smile had turned
into a rather ugly grimace, the kind associated with severe constipation and a
kick to the balls. Tanaka glared at the man, confused with what to do and just
simply cooled down as he assessed the situation. Mr. Hambira slowly rose
from his seat and then barked at Tanaka, telling him to leave if he wasn't
happy with his treatment. Tanaka in this peculiar moment didn't know what
to do. The peaceful meal that Tanaka had been experiencing unfortunately
morphed into a violent venting out of senior citizen. Tanaka could have left
to oblige the old man, but as far as he was concerned, everything in the
infinite darkness had no chance of survival. Leaving with the only light
source in the house was a preposterous proposition that his mind could not
conform to. Despite the violent yelling of this old timer, Tanaka didn't bloat
out his concerns for him, something that was really vibrant in this distraught
youth. It had been luck that Mr. Hambira was alive, but luck was something
that eventually runs out, turning those who aren't prone to adapting to the
situation into hapless victims who cling on to a belief that has no feasible
application in a horrific world. This old man was senile, blind and oblivious
to the hell outside, but Tanaka couldn't leave him behind. No matter what,
he wouldn't let this old man go through the same horror he had experienced
in the past two days.
"I can't go." said Tanaka, calmly saying it as if trying to mitigate the
argumentative tone of Mr. Hambira.
"You won't go!? You are fed by me and treated well, and you think you can
blabber nonsense like that at me?" shouted the old man as he tried to
understand the defiance of the young child.
"Nothing has happened to you Sekuru Hambira and um glad, but I can't
leave you. You won't survive those things. You might think um crazy, but
you will die if I leave you here." said Tanaka with a stern voice.
"Boy just shut up. You're ill and uttering nonsense..." he said before being

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interjected by Tanaka who seemed to be the only voice of reason between

the two.
"Old man you don't get it. Everyone is dead! The world is over! There are
only ugly things in the dark, no everyday life, just death, lots of dying and
death! If we are the only survivors in this nightmare then so be it. I gotta
keep you alive!" he said almost as if he was having a nervous breakdown.
Tanaka wasn't good at convincing people; his con man skills were as meagre
as that of a master of inefficiency, a never ending struggle he had failed to
manage as he was unable to get people on his side. However, no matter what
would happen in this apartment, he would save this old man from his
blindness to the present despicable world.
"How do you suppose you can help me?" he asked with fervent mockery,
emphasised with a demeaning smug on his face, "if there is this death you
speak of, then you surely are no better than me when it comes to safety."
"I know this is going to sound crazy, but the reason I know you will be safe
with me is because these things are afraid of my flash light." he said doubtful
that his explanation would have any impact.
"That is whore shit child! You actually think um a fool? I am a retired
medical practitioner not a bloody monkey. You best take your leave before I
get my cane. I will clobber you if you stay." he said, enraged and on the verge
of harming the youth. Tanaka was not abated at all by these threats and
remained stern, but something unexpected suddenly changed the hostile
atmosphere in the apartment. The unintelligent voices and disturbing sounds
had returned, resonating extreme heinous and iniquitous intent. Their vile
nature came like a wind, rattling the windows of the apartment with every
intention of drawing out fright. Tanaka instantly ignored the old man who
was still urging him to leave, behaving as if he had not heard the ominous
sounds. The fact that he still spoke regardless of hearing the terrors of the
dark made Tanaka wonder how senile the old man was. Tanaka in the heat of
the moment quickly shushed the old man who had been uttering like a
proverbial rattle snake. The old man didn't cease his venomous threats,
acting like a total idiot in the dire situation. Tanaka who was a child brought
up in the belief that the elderly were sacred was now going to disregard that
belief. He ran and grabbed the old man, covering his mouth with his right
hand. In the view of an onlooker, it would have seemed as if Tanaka had the
old man on a choke hold, but the very action was of a benevolent nature.

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The ominous sounds were causing a very unusual and revolting ruckus, the
kind expected from a poltergeist. Tanaka struggled to keep the old man quiet,
wrestling with him as he got elbowed in the gut by the unwilling participant.
The sounds from outside were gloomy; reverberating the blood lust of the
fiends and sending a chill down Tanaka's spine as they rattled the entire
building. The moment felt as if a swarm of insects had just passed through,
but the real trouble was getting the old man tamed. Tanaka told the old man
to stop, feeling the pain of each elbow jab as he tried to keep this old man
quiet. In between a submission move and one trying to break free from it,
Tanaka slowly lost his hold on the man's mouth.
"You little twat, let go of me this instant!" said Mr. Hambira whose mouth
had gotten free from the boy's hand hold.
"Keep quiet old man, um trying to help you. Your shouting will only attract
them here." said Tanaka who shushed the old man sternly.
"I said get off me." he said struggling again as Tanaka's hand masked the old
man's jaw.
"Why are you fighting me, can't your hear them. The sick sounds on the
walls?" questioned Tanaka who was astonished that the old man was still
being difficult even when the voices' audibility was as clear as day. Something
was wrong indeed. The old man surely was not deaf, but his attention to
Tanaka over the depraved noises was defying logic. Tanaka eventually went
on to ask, "You can hear them right? You can hear the scary sounds like me
old man, I know that these sounds are making you sick just like me so why
are you still fighting?"
"Cause I won't die you idiot."
"If you continue making noise you will attract their attention." replied
Tanaka who shushed the old man once again.
"You are not listening you stubborn boy, I said I won't die." said the old man
who was struggling with the hand that Tanaka was using to silence him.
"What makes you so sure?" he said as he hissed into the ear of the old man.
"Because he told me!" screamed out the old man. This happened just as
broke free from Tanakas hold. Tanaka fell to the ground, dropping his torch
due to the sheer force of the back prodding. He was momentarily dishevelled
and fumbling like an electric eel as he crawled to reach his torch. The area
that was out of reach to the light rays of his torch became pitch black.

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Tanaka couldn't see the old man anymore, all he could only see was his torch
which he crawled towards with manic pursuit. The elbow jabs to his gut were
painful, but weren't strong enough to completely disorientate him. He was
lucky that the old man was aged, if he had been in his prime years, Tanaka
would have most probably have coughed up blood from the very first strike.
Tanaka got a hold of his torch and pointed upwards, massaging his abdomen
as he rose from the ground. The old man was still standing erect, but looked
strained as if he had gotten a back rub from a boulder. He was now hyper
ventilating, possibly stressed by what Tanaka had done. Tanaka glanced at
him and asked, "You said because he told me, what does that mean?" The
old man ignored Tanaka and ended up retiring on his couch, breathing
heavily as if he had just finished a marathon. This didn't help the situation at
all due to Tanaka probing the old man with the question he asked before
again and again. The old man was just seated there, breathing in and out and
coughing. Tanaka was beginning to think that he was having a heart attack.
In that moment he felt really stupid for having jumped on the old man. The
ominous sounds had moved on, leaving an echo of their depraved rhythm
behind, the background music to a child experiencing a possible nervous
breakdown. Tanaka felt as if the main danger was over, but he began to have
down casted feelings of regret as he watched the old man twitching like a
headless chicken. The blind old man was hyper ventilating and now grabbing
his chest tightly. Tanaka stopped probing him and just stared at him with
utter confusion. He began to scratch his head as he squinted his eyes, trying
to look contrite as he watched this horrific spectacle. He began to knee jerk,
getting the same sensation that people who held back their pee for several
hours felt. He was completely useless in this situation and the thought of any
first aid techniques seemed irrelevant and far from his mind. The old man
was going to have a heart attack and die! The old man realised his
predicament and mustered the strength to call out for Tanaka. Tanaka went
hurriedly to the old man and murmured stuff like, 'I don't know how I can
help you' and 'how can I help you?' in a very tearful stricken voice. Tanaka
who had wanted to help the old man felt like an idiot for having made him
get this sick, crying now like a heart broken child. The old man began to hiss,
"Boy, boy, get a big cylinder plastic container in the kitchen from the first left
cabinet. The bottom shelf should have my anti-anxiety tablets. Also bring me
a glass of water. Please hurry with the medication." Tanaka heard the man

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loud and clear, immediately heading towards the kitchen. Tanaka opened the
cabinet and rummaged through its contents and found the cylinder container
which had the anti anxiety tablets. Tanaka then took a random cup from the
cupboard and tried pouring water in it from the tap. The pipes began to
crank and make weird noises when he opened the faucet, but what came out
was reddish black thick blood, flowing from the faucets nozzle. This
grotesque scenery just made things worse as Tanaka tried to race against
time. Tanaka turned the faucet shut, and dropped the cup which seemed to
have been filled with red pathogens as a result of having held it out. Tanaka
had the pills but he didn't have the water. He was scratching his head and
twirling his torch at various directions, trying to think of a solution to his
current predicament. Tanaka then noticed the refrigerator and then opened
it. The stench of stale meat was strong in this storage unit, but fortunately for
him, he found a 2litre bottle of Mazoe orange crush containing water. It
wasn't frozen but was good enough to drink. Tanaka quickly shut the
refrigerator and ran towards Mr. Hambira. The boy gave the old blind man
his tablets, and watched him ingest 4 capsules. Tanaka then gave him the
bottle of water and watched the old man drink half of the bottle's contents in
one go. All he could do was just watch, leaning on the hope that this drastic
effort would actually amount to something. Tanaka could see the old man's
throat undulate as he imbibed the liquid, adding more suspense to his already
pervading drama. The old man dropped the bottle which ended up wetting
the carpet below. Tanaka was somehow disturbed by this, thinking that Mr.
Hambira had lost his strength hence why he dropped the bottle, but his
pessimism didn't reflect the truth. Mr. Hambira who had been hyper
ventilating before was now gradually retaining his normal breathing rate, a
spectacle that had the young boy in tears. After 7minutes, the old man was
back to normal, but sounded as if he was connected to a respirator. His
breathing became slow and relaxed, reassuring him that all was well. With the
shades having fallen to the ground during the struggle between these two,
Tanaka finally noticed the deep scars on the old man's eyes. They looked like
healed lacerations that cut across both eyes and grazed the lower temple.
This so called patient of Mr. Hambira had really done nasty work on the
retired physician. Tanaka just stood there and watched the old man breath
into stability. After a while the fatigue of standing kicked in and he ended up
sitting on the couch opposite the old man. An hour passed as Tanaka waited

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for the old timer, wondering whether he was actually asleep or just faking it.
It was hard to tell whether a blind man was conscious or not, a poker face
that Tanaka was surely not adept to. As he thought about what occurred he
began to wonder what the old man meant by, 'Because he told me.' The old
man wasn't telling the whole truth and even his arrogance towards the
ominous sounds was extremely questionable. He was hiding something,
something grave, but the reasons behind such an omission of important
information did not make sense to the young Tanaka. The world was already
screwed, there were no benefits in being clandestine at all. All these
speculations which had been consuming his mind and the fact that his torch
light had supernatural powers were soon interrupted when the old man
began to twitch. His worries soon departed when the old man woke up,
breathing slowly to the rhythm of the insidious night. The old man's voice
was now low and hoarse when he woke up, hissing words which had half the
power which his normal voice had. Tanaka took heed of this old man's
mechanical and atrophied sounds and asked him a question, assuming that he
was wide awake.
"You okay Sekuru?" he asked, stricken with contrition.
"You damned boy, you still here." said the old man who seemed to have
been overcome with great exhaustion.
"Um a stubborn kid."
"Hmm, if I had my sight, I would be really happy to see the face of this
stubborn boy." he said with light laughter that broke into a cough. The
coughs were now just a frightening thing for Tanaka who thought that things
were going completely wrong within the old man. However the intermittent
glitches were nowhere near life threatening and his cause for concern was
just tied to his guilt for having caused the old man to have an anxiety attack.
"Old man, don't overdo it, its okay you can get some rest." he said, worried
about the old man.
"Well its too late for that now. I actually have something to say." he said,
hissing and slowly evoking his words into conceivable speech.
"You have something?"
"Yes, I do," he said, coughing a bit, "I have been a licensed physician since I
was 27, brought up in a Rhodesia which I was soon liberated from by our
great liberation fighters and political leaders."

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"Wow 27years that must have been a great accomplishment."

"Hardly boy, graduation is only part of the journey, living off your acquired
knowledge is where the excitement actually starts." he said, rubbing his chest
slowly as if searching for where his chest hurt the most.
"I guess."
"Well let me tell you something interesting about my life." he said, taking a
deep breath. Tanaka just watched, as the old man gave an account of his
adverse life experiences.
"As a fully sighted man, I lived to see everything, all the ugliness of work,
death and miscalculations in the hospitals. As the years passed by,
Parinyenatwa hospital improved and interns from UZ and plenty of foreign
schools changed the way things were done, health and stability being
common. People didn't have this rubbish of having to go abroad to acquire
treatment like nowadays, but I can't entirely discredit the ministry of health in
this country. Things have changed since then, but where credit is due I give
it."
"My cousin sister had to get her kidney stone removed in South Africa when
hospitals here could not do a specific operation for her. I always thought it
was ridiculous, it kinda makes getting the glorious 15points seem like
nonsense."
"You're wrong again, that 15points and 7 years of med school are worth it.
You seem like one who would venture into the commercial and artistic side
as a career path judging from your disdain for the sciences."
"You got all that from just that?" he asked, entertaining the old man even he
didn't really care about what he had to say.
"Well from the way you talk, I figured out just as much that you're not an
idiot, though you behave like one."
"Um sorry for that, I was just trying..." he said, now feeling guilty for having
dishevelled the old man.
"Its okay, I should have been honest from the beginning. I know what's
happening Tanaka. I know very well that my granddaughter and all my loved
ones are not alive as we speak." he said, interjecting Tanaka who was now
overcome with shock by what Mr. Hambira had said. The defining moment
had come, changing very tone of the conversation. Tanaka who had thought
the old man was just senile ended up asking, "So you know what's going on?
Why did you pretend like you didn't?"

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"Because I wanted to end my final days on this planet on a peaceful note. My

life has been a turbulent pile of shit, getting divorced, my children hating me
and being accused for being too engrossed in my work. To add the icing to
the cake my ignorant patient thought it was best to vent out her disapproval
for her treatment plan by making me blind. Yes, I said nothing because I
wanted a peaceful end."
"Peaceful...? First of all, how are you still alive? Nothing has attacked you.
Do you have some secret to how you're survived so far?" asked Tanaka who
completely ignored the old man's sob story.
"No secret, I was just given a free pass."
"A free pass?" asked Tanaka who was completely perplexed by what the old
man was talking about.
"Yes. A free pass from a stranger who came into my home 2 days ago."
"Huh?" said Tanaka who was now lost. Tanaka already had a hard time
telling the time in the infinite darkness, but this blind old man could tell
whether 2 days had passed or not. Everything sounded stupendous in that
moment, but what he would later come to hear would end up inclining him
to more fear than he had already taken in, the fear of the true nature of the
infinite darkness.
"Yes a stranger came into my house, a peculiar one indeed. He said he was
from the other world or something like that. At first I thought it was just a
bunch of nonsense, but he began to tell me things about my life that I hadn't
told anyone else. Very private things that I had never told my colleagues, wife
and children. It was really all bizarre and I entertained him like what I did
with you."
"He said he was from the other world?" asked Tanaka who was stricken with
fear by the unravelling of things.
"Yes. The other world, a world that was more close to the heart of man as he
had said. The man asked me a lot of questions about how it felt to be human,
living through life and enduring the hardships. I told him that I wasn't the
best at this life coach business, but he insisted that I had input worthy of a
good listen, so in the end I told him about my life's journey and the funny
thing is that he marvelled at how I lived with my blindness."
"What is this stranger?" asked Tanaka who was quivering over Mr. Hambira's
story.

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"He calls himself Mweya Mutema, the chosen one of his race. He admired
that I had lived through my divorce and loss of eyesight and was inspired by
what drove me to not give up on my life. Being blind wasn't a joke. I had to
go through therapy, guidance in the art of knowing my environment and
reading those dreadful Brailles, but what excited him was that regardless of
my effort to become bigger than my problems, I was still depressed. My
blindness impaired my ability to see my wife Martha's frowns and the scorn
my children gave me but at the same time it stole my ability to see their rare
smiles. The stranger said that I was fuelled by the darkness of my life into not
giving up, something that didn't make sense to me initially, but which later
made sense after much after thought."
"What are you talking about Sekuru? I don't understand." asked Tanaka who
was getting even more confused by the old man's monologue.
"What do you think drives people into doing things? Is it money, fame, love
or fear? Most would go for the positive and more charismatic responses, but
the ugliness of the world has been summed up by the dreadful fear that
conditions us to behaviour in a certain way. Insecurities, acceptance from
peers, desire for status and so forth, but when one accepts this fear and
becomes one with it, he realises that there is nothing much to live for and
that the world is a bleak form of shit. Apathy is the only reasonable belief in
our world today. Everything is just a lump of vanity conditioned into making
people run away from reality, the reality of us being the source of our own
fears. Noble ideals and happiness are just a euphemism to a very cruel joke.
The stranger agreed with me and commended my apathetic nature towards
the world, because I hate the world Tanaka. I live in it knowing its what
conditions us to be horrible and sad people. So in the end when one
becomes one with his fear, he accepts that he has no control and is but a pig
in an abattoir, awaiting a glorious slaughter."
"Old man why are you saying such ugly things?" asked Tanaka who was
beyond confused by the sudden depressing tone that the old man was using.
It was as if something had snapped in between retelling his encounter with
the stranger known as Mweya Mutema.
"It is not ugliness, it is but the insanity that harbours the world and recycles
itself, adding more and more suffering. This stranger I met was a product of
humanity's suffering. He said his kind were the product of man's sin, all the
sin of the world turned into the evil we know today. One in the end cannot

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run away from their fears or insecurities. It is what we are and until we can
accept that we will just live life based on false hope."
As Mr. Hambira spoke freely, the two of them suddenly heard a strong
thump that resembled that of a shock wave. The shock made everything in
the apartment vibrate, shaking more vehemently as the sound drew nearer.
From what Tanaka could hear, it was most probably coming from the Harare
gardens, drawing near the Julius Nyerere way. Each thump got stronger than
the other, knocking down furniture from its ledges and various mounted
points. Tanaka could not understand what the hell was happening, but what
Mr. Hambira had to say quickly made the horror of what was happening in
the infinite darkness clear. The unsavoury encounter with one known as Mweya
Mutema was upon them.
"His here, his here, why is he here. He gave me one more day. Why did he
come so soon?" complained the blind man who was now hyper ventilating
again. Tanaka was just in manic confusion, wondering what hardships were
lying ahead and worrying about Mr. Hambira who was panicking. The old
man was obviously afraid and so was Tanaka, but he had the torch, the light
that had eradicated the darkness before him in his earlier tribulations.
Though he was also entranced in fear, Tanaka couldn't afford to show
weakness.
"Old man I can protect you, my torch can kill these things. I don't know
what the stranger is like, but I can help!" shouted Tanaka who was now
heading towards the old man who had fallen to the ground due to the shock
waves.
"You don't get it boy, nothing can save me. He ate my granddaughter and
violated my daughter. He now rules this world, that evil bastard. He couldn't
even keep a promise to an old timer like me. His an evil a heinous monster,
leave me here to die!"
"No!" he shouted, seeing the ground separate in two, as it burst for unknown
reasons. The tilting of the floor made Tanaka fall back, slamming into the
wall behind him. The vibrations were now more audible and had the kind of
impact to deafen ears. The next thump caused great turbulence, making
Tanaka's body behave like a ball after a cataclysmic hit during a snooker play.
He was now separated from the old man and the upper floors of the building
began to crumble downwards. The entire building had been struck by

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something big, causing many of the upper floors to cave in as he glanced

upwards, seeing the inevitable death dropping before him, the torch he
wielded began to glimmer again like a vortex of large amounts of photons,
compressed into a cylindrical object. Tanaka's darted torch incinerated the 7
story upper floors, destroying the debris of the crumbling apartment, leaving
only dust clouds of ashes and smoke. Tanaka was lucky to be alive, having
survived yet again a potential dreadful death. The boy put himself back
together and began to crawl upwards over the inclined floor of Mr.
Hambira's apartment. Only the parts of the ground floor remained, the rest
of the building was now just forgotten collateral. Tanaka began to call out the
old man's name, at the same time hearing the violent tumultuous thumping
in the infinite darkness. Each thump nullified his shouting, making the whole
process of calling out Mr. Hambira's name pointless. He finally got to the tip
of the cracked floor plain and pointed his torch at what lied beyond. There
was a pit lying in between his cracked floor and the old man's side of the
plain. The old man was lying on the ground, crying as creatures from the pit
below crawled and growled with every intention of devouring him. Tanaka
glared at the creatures and pointed his torch at them, releasing his rage on
these despicable fiends. The light made the creatures return to the abyss they
had crawled out from, saving the old man from peril, but regardless of
Tanaka's heroics, something jaw dropping came into his view, maiming him
with great fear to the point that he wanted to pluck out his own eyes. It was
the abominable fiend Mweya Mutema! He was riding on an 18metres tall vile
centipede that had human legs for its feet. The legs had boils and various
lacerations, inscribed with blasphemous signs and revolting things that were
beyond the boy's scope of descriptive ability. The rest of the centipedes
body had giant serpents that looked more amphibious than reptilian. The
creature was long and it seemed to have destroyed the ILSA college and was
now passing through Baines medical centre number 52, one of the hospitals
in the Avenues. The fiend who was as tall as the reserve bank was a demonic
malevolence devoid any known aesthetics. Its imagery alone violated
anything tangible and desecrated it with its own existence. Its gargantuan
deformed hands reached out to grab the body of Mr. Hambira. Tanaka who
was now looking at the old man in despair had to watch an unsightly scene of
grotesque murder, one that completely defiled whatever innocence was left in
him. The old man's body was instantly skinned alive by the supernatural pull
of the demonic hand, having his skin leave his flesh like a robe that had been
yanked off an object it was covering. The skin landed on the hand like

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bubble gum and merged with repugnant brittle humus like palm of the
demon. Its eyes were empty and it only emanated despondency and infinite
apathy when Tanaka had taken a look at it. Upon taking the life of the old
man, it continued on its course and rode on its gigantic demonic centipede,
leaving the view of Tanaka's torch light. Tanaka soon enough cried when the
shock waves had deceased, taking in the horror he had just seen and also
grieving over the now dead old man. Mweya Mutema was no joke at all. He
was the apotheosis of everything ugly and beyond, the bane of Tanaka's
existence. He was now all alone again, bound by fear and terrible thoughts
and traumatised by yet another foul scenery. The demons in the pit took
advantage of the boy's distracted state and dragged the remaining flesh that
made up Mr. Hambira into the pit. They simply devoured the leftovers of
Mr. Hambira without a care for Tanaka's feelings. The infinite darkness was
now much more despicable than what he had initially thought; a panorama of
sadness tainted in indistinguishable darkness, the very definition of a living
hell. All this young boy could do now was just grieve, the cruel karma for
those who survived the madness, the endless cycle in a world of infinite
darkness.

Chapter 5

The voice in the

wilderness of darkness.

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Darkness had engulfed his world again, leaving him with tears as he walked
away from the remnants of the now demolished Sutherland heights flats.
Tanaka couldn't handle the loss of Mr. Hambira and felt totally responsible
for having failed, but what struck him the most was the fact that the fear he
had gotten from the first time he had sighted the creatures of the infinite
darkness had returned to him. The haunting image of Mweya Mutema had
crippled him, making him scared once again. He was in a nightmare, with no
means of return. All he had left was the will to live, in a world where choice
was replaced by inevitable suffering.
The bruises he had gotten from tumbling as the upper levels of the flat
collapsed were now beginning to sting on his body. He was in Baines avenue,
pointing his torch at the building opposite to where Sutherland heights was.
The Rosshire heights flats had its own mural of flesh and depravity on its
walls. The sight of more ugliness made Tanaka sick inside and he
immediately twirled his torch elsewhere. The pungent smell of decaying flesh
and sounds of crawling creatures in the infinite darkness had become a
ubiquitous annoyance to him. Tanaka even began to think of diseases
associated with ominous air and thought that soon enough he would get
tuberculosis because of the air. At some instances he felt like he was going to
suffocate, dying from asphyxiation as a result of the pungent air. He twirled
his torch backwards to glance at the road that divided the Baines avenue flats
and the private property that was on the opposite end. Tanaka heard the
cracking and shaking of the ground from afar and witnessed something
diabolical from where he was looking. The entity of horridness sprouted
forth from the road Tanaka had directed his torch at. It was a giant mole
with the body of that of an exomuscular serpent with gelatinous reeds on its
chest. It smashed through the surface of the road, leaving gusts of steam as it
slithered away. Tanaka watched in horror as the creature disappeared into the
darkness, evading his light like the rest of the monsters in the night. The
inclination that Tanaka had of actually looking for a place to rest at the
Baines Avenue flats soon vanished from his mind. He was still grieving over
the old man and wanted to avoid anything that registered the possibility of
him dealing with creatures that would disturb his peace. Like a nomad, he
now had to relocate to somewhere else with the will to live keeping him from
committing suicide.

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Tanaka passed the new Mazoe road and crossed the rocky remains of the
tarmac that was in between Leopold Takawira road and Mazoe road in the
Baines Avenue. The giant foot prints left by Mweya Mutema's demonic
centipede were of great depth. Tanaka felt like he was in a Godzilla movie,
passing through the landmarks left by its grotesque gargantuan feet. Tanaka
took time to gaze upon the completely levelled down Baines Medical centre
number 52 hospital. His torch pierced through the infinite darkness,
highlighting the rubble and debris left due to the wreckage. Whatever life had
existed within the walls of the facility had most probably been flattened into
compacted flesh by my Mweya Mutema. This was what went on in the mind
of the young boy who could not help but feel pessimistic towards the
dreaded scenery. The sadness pressured his mind into deep thought as he
thought about what old man Hambira had said. The creatures from what the
old man had said were a product of mankind's sin, a vice that came back to
devour the root of its origin. Tanaka who had tried to be realistic and
doubtful towards anything farfetched before was now open to the idea that
maybe everything peculiar was not nonsense. The organisation known as
Zeal as stated by the Russian began to resurface in his mind. Could the
events concerning his brother and his so called captive 'Austin be connected
at all to what was happening in Harare? As he pondered over his thoughts,
just as he was about to cross Leopold Takawira road, he suddenly roared in
anger. Tanaka was irked by the fact that he couldn't at all connect the dots of
the information that was in his head. What Mweya Mutema was and the
events that involved his family being murdered did not have any relativity to
each other. In the end it all seemed like randomly placed misfortunes that
were left there to just ensnare him. He was the world's tragic tale and as far
as he was concerned, he was living by the manuscript of suffering, word by
word, without any comic relief in sight.
Tanaka crossed the Leopold Takawira road in Baines avenue, finding a flat
that had part of its durawall still intact. The level of degradation that he had
seen on other buildings wasn't present at all on this flat. The balconies still
had clothes, vases and lots of curtains to cover furniture. This was going to
be home for Tanaka for the night. The sounds of the creatures in the
darkness were still prevalent, but were very far. Even the precarious
movements that were part of the menu of this nightmare were scarce from

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Tanaka's current position. Tanaka glanced to the right to see the rest of the
road that was known as Leopold Takawira. He glanced at the various
buildings: the Salvation Army church which was demolished, flats and a small
mosque that was utterly dishevelled. At the far recesses of his light's range, he
could see the divided Leopold Takawira road and the glimpses of
Parinyenatwa hospital. The intensity and luminosity of his torch had
improved immensely, showing him things that were more than a kilometre
away. Tanaka could see the different breed of demons from afar, noticing
one of them that looked like a lizard with an abdomen of that of an octopus.
Though everything from afar lost its resolution as Tanaka observed, it was
quite clear to him that there was a banquet happening at that side of town.
Tanaka eventually twirled to the opposite direction, gazing upon the
emptiness that led to the heart of the city. Past Fife Avenue and Herbert
Chitepo Avenue, Tanaka could see a lot of abandoned vehicles that were all
covered in red and black substances. There were also shrivelled remains of
limbs and organs that Tanaka could see even from afar. Each disturbing
image had its place next to the birth certificate office and the outer regions of
the Harare gardens. It looked like a fashion runway that was adulterated by
chunky meat with visible bite marks. The revolting scenery never lost its
edge, getting more grotesque the more he looked at it. Fortunately for him,
the street he was in was clearly free from the prowling demons, engraved
with a haunting silence that was foreign to him ever since the nightmare had
started. After he was satisfied by the situation at hand, he decided to enter
the flats. He passed through the hole of the demolished durawall, pointing
his torch downwards as he trotted. Pieces of broken glass were scattered
everywhere and the damp soil stained by the bloody rain was sticky. He felt
like he was walking on bubble gum, having to scrape off the web like thick
blood on the tiles of the flat's ground floor pavement. Tanaka scoped out the
4 story flat, looking for possible signs of life and any nasty surprises.
Climbing up the stairs that led to the 1st floor he found doors numbered 1 to
4, all opened with the wind howling in a ghostly manner. Tanaka peaked
through each door, seeing the various insides that had signs of struggle and
tonnes of blood. The hapless victims were most probably caught in their
sleep, tasting death without any knowledge of its depraved form. The
apartments registered different walks of life: from the sophisticated to the
mediocre, they all had a tale to tell. Tanaka scrutinised the homes briefly with

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intent of finding a place to rest, checking for any irregular creatures in the
homes. He was fortunate enough to find nothing at all, seeing only blood and
signs of struggle as the anecdotes of a past life. Tanaka went through all
floors, finding only a few decent apartments that weren't tarnished by
gratuitous violence on the 2nd floor. The third and fourth floors were a
blood bath. These particular floors were where the most heinous acts of
sadism were performed, covering the aspects of eviscerations, scattered
organs, cartilage that was hammered onto the walls of the hallway and
regurgitated sternums. The smell was enough to get him to consider the 2nd
floor as his final choice, defeating any possibility of him thinking otherwise.
Tanaka having learned of the efficiency of mirrors before as a means to ward
off the beasts of the night had decided to dismantle several mirrors from the
top floors. He felt driven by his desire to survive, taking even packaged foods
with him. The chips, biscuits and fruits were all part of his loot. Most of the
Baker's inn loaves and other bread brands of the country were more or less
in the household basins. Most of the non perishable foods that were stored
in each house had either gone stale or completely bad. Room 20 on the 4th
floor had stored away goat meat, pork, beef and chickens. Tanaka's tummy
could not help but rumble to spite him in that situation. The meat in the
refrigerator he had opened was now mouldy and smelling bad. Such a waste
of food had occurred and now Tanaka was left with only a gruelling truth
that he would later run out of food if he wasn't careful. The tension and
graveness of the world had driven the boy into a manic alertness, filling his
mind with paranoia. His knowledge of survival from what he had seen on
television also played a pivotal role in distressing him with a lot of thought.
This was what went through his mind as he gathered his resources, thinking
of what would happen to him now that he was alone. The only consolation
he had in the world at the present moment was the fact that he had his torch.
It was a weapon against the monsters and kept him safe from the evil, but its
lasting functionality was his main concern. In the event that it turned off or
got damaged, it would be the death of him. Apart from that, he was also
concerned by the possible vanity of his choices. With very little information
to go by and no signs of life, Tanaka began to wonder what the next day
would amount to, thinking about whether there would even be another day
to survive. Checking his watch he noticed that it was now a few minutes past
midnight, 3hours after the death of Mr. Richard Hambira. With the way the

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encompassing darkness looked, Tanaka felt as if checking his watch was now
just a futile thing. There was no sun and no moon, just an infinite oblivion
that reminded him that things were never going to be the same. After a
while, his thinking weighed down on him, maiming him with fatigue. He had
gathered all that he needed in room 9 of the 2nd floor and was now prepared
to call it a night. His choice for this particular room was more pertaining to
his personal preferences rather than something tactical. It was an apartment
filled with books and foreign antique items. It had several burglar bars, some
which were devastated by the forced entry of the demons. The master
bedroom was where the gross slaughter of the inhabitants of the home had
happened. It was a nasty scene, but the only room that was untarnished was
the bedroom of the supposedly son of the inhabitants. It was filled with
movie posters, magazines, video game consoles, comic books and lots of
sporting accessories. Tanaka had reasoned with himself on his way to room 9
that if he was going to go through the madness of the world he would need
something to distract from depressing ideas. This at first seemed contrary to
what he had seen in survival TV shows where everyone turned angst and
were mostly concerned about surviving. However, with the torch in hand,
immune to the demonic attacks, all he had to worry about was not losing
sight on a reason to live. With that said, he was slowly adapting to the
situation he was in, accepting that this was life and this was now how he was
supposed to live it.
Tanaka opened a bottle full of water and washed his hands in the sink of the
home. Having noticed that the faucets only released bloody water as soon as
he had opened them, made him say to himself, "I guess ZINWA (Zimbabwe
National Water Authority) does it again He surprisingly chuckled
sardonically, peeved by the sight of the contaminated water, but at the same
time he was thinking about where else he would get clean water for his
sustenance. The mere fact that he had to think about planning ahead had
begun to worry him. He had gotten close to 50 litres worth of drinking water
into the bedroom he had reserved for sleep, but wondered if it was going to
be enough. As far as he was concerned the nightmare wasn't going to end
soon and this added to his subtle hypertension. After he had cleansed his
dirty hands, he dined on a packet of maputi, Zimbabwe's own version of pop
corn which resulted from the use of maize. Tanaka took in 2 packets and

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then stopped. His gluttony wanted him to go on further into a binge eating
feast, but he realised that it would only be logical if he only devoured food
when he felt hungry. However the oranges and bananas that were available
were not spared. After his light meal, he sat on the bed of his room, placing
his torch on the candle stand so that it wouldn't change position as it lighted
up the surrounding mirrors. The room was filled with so much light that it
felt as if the infinite darkness didn't exist. The light could also be seen from
outside, even lighting up part of the Leopold Takawira road as it came out of
the window. The colour of the bedroom walls which was brown and lime
like was now visible. As Tanaka embraced the light, he dropped his back on
the bed, relaxing as he stared at the ceiling. The light bulb which had a lavish
casing distracted him for a bit as he looked at its intricate design. It looked
very pricey, especially the stand of the bulb which looked more fitting for a
chandelier. As Tanaka rested his back into the therapeutic bed he began to
feel something that was small but solid. After a while he realised that it was
two items and then uncovered the blankets to unveil what was underneath.
Tanaka found a PSP 2 vita and an iPod. He took a hold of the two devices
and analysed them with great scrutiny. He turned on the PSP gaming device
and immediately saw the dashboard. The device was half way charged which
he could clearly see on the battery icon on the screen. As Tanaka looked at
the screen he noticed the date and time. It was a shocking reminder that the
world had gone to shit in the past 3 days ever since he was abducted by the
two strange men. Tanaka could not help but shed a tear as he realised that he
had lived through 3 days of hell. As soon as he began to trickle tears of
despair, he quickly wiped them away as if he felt weakened by his emotions.
He immediately tensed his face to shrug off his sadness and continued
browsing through the PSP applications. Tanaka temporarily forgot about the
iPod and began to play the games that were available on the device. Tanaka
found Metal Gear Solid 3 in the PSP and played it from the last saved
mission. He was quite familiar with the other instalments but hadn't really
played the 3rd one in the franchise. The game consumed most of his time,
devouring it and making him forget temporarily that he was living in a
hopeless world. After a solid 5hours, his watch began to sound off his early
morning alarm. The ringing startled him for a bit and made him realise that
he had been too engrossed in the game. He soon pressed the button on his
watch to end the noise, returning to the game for an extra fix. The battery of

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the PSP began to complain soon enough, annoying him with the reality that
his fun was soon going to end. The mission on the game was almost
complete and the battery was almost flat. The PSP eventually turned off,
making the boy snivel in silence. Tanaka immediately grabbed the iPod lying
next to him to avoid feeling the withdrawal effect. The ear phones were
fortunately connected to the iPod, making the listening experience even
better. Tanaka scrolled through the music gallery of the device only to find
an armada of rock in it. The genres were wide in variety, ranging from
alternative rock to death metal core. Tanaka wasn't a massive consumer of
rock neither was he not receptive towards it, but he skipped the noisy bands
that mostly focused on hardcore sounds that really irked him to the point of
having a migraine. At least with an iPod he was guaranteed that its battery
would last for a long time. He was even fortunate to find out that it was fully
charged. Tanaka began by listening to some of the soft core rock as he
rummaged through the magazine and comic book contents of the room. The
magazines were primarily Mojo, Empire, Popular science and video game
magazines. Tanaka had surprisingly hoped that he would find adult
magazines, hoping that the infamous pent house magazine would be there.
Explicit magazines were his guilty pleasure, one shared commonly by young
boys with raging hormones, but in the end he would have to make do with
what was immediately available to him. The comic books that were available
were mostly western, with a few Japanese and Chinese manga and manhua
respectively. Tanaka devoured volumes and volumes of the available titles,
feeling immersed in the worlds that were depicted by each story. With the
inactivity of the infinite darkness and long lasting battery of the iPod, Tanaka
was in luck. He would pour a glass of Mazoe blackberry into his cup from
time to time, imbibing it as he read. He at times would laugh to himself,
sighting humorous things in the comics. Then suddenly, as if he was driven
by pure instinct, he called out his sister's name after seeing something epic in
one of the panels. The actual act reminded him of his loss and made him feel
sullen again. The involuntary action was something he was used to exhibiting
whenever he noticed something cool and called forth his sister to mutually
enjoy the moment. The mellowness became very apparent to him and he
ended up closing the book he was reading. Tanaka eventually felt the fatigue
of being up for several hours and then ended up sinking into the cosy
blankets on the bed. He began to scroll through the music and then tapped

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the playlist icon on the iPod. He was surprised to find a playlist titled 'Suicide
vibes. The title was peculiar, but somehow grabbed his attention. Tanaka
opened it and played the music in it. The music was dark and atmospheric
rock which at first depressed him, but the message somehow connected to
him. The lyrics addressed his pain and worries, talking about the pain inside
him. There were songs from bands like Opeth and a lot of Katatonia's album
titled Discouraged Ones. It was surprisingly therapeutic and made him
appreciate the genre even more. He even sang along, singing, "Find me
another heart. Tanaka then dropped his head on the pillow and looked to
the side. He saw an action figure which he hadn't initially noticed before
when he first entered the room. Tanaka fumbled out of his bed, grabbed
hold of the toy and began to play with it. It was a Zulu warrior with a spear.
He moved the limbs and made childish expressions on his face as he raised
its hands. After a while he placed it beside his pillow and said, "You're safe
with me Zulu warrior Hambira. Tanaka looked at his watch before covering
himself with the blankets and noticed that it was nearly noon. In normal
circumstances he would have considered that as unusual behaviour, but in
this case, the normal cycle of life had lost its face. With exhaustion engulfing
his body, he decided sleep. He had survived and he was alive, enjoying his
long awaited rest, but in the back of his mind, something still bothered him.
The thought of how he would carry on in the world of infinite darkness.
Whether he was prepared to meet the anguish of the days ahead of him was
the pressing issue at the moment, but what scared him the most was that
deep down inside he preferred death over living in the endless nightmare.
The very fear he could not repress as he slept in the world of infinite
darkness.
"Tanaka, Tanaka, wake up! Wake up! said the voice. Tanaka's 4hours of
sleep were interrupted by the ominous gritty voice that called him, sowing
the seeds of fear in the boy who had just found serenity in his sleep. Tanaka
opened his bloodshot eyes and darted at his surrounding whereabouts. There
was no one around him; the room had only him and his belongings. This
made him sigh in relief until he heard the voice again. It called out to him
saying, "Tanaka, you're now awake. Tanaka you're now awake you
ghastly piece of flesh. Tanaka immediately got out of his bed, dropping
the iPod on the ground as he rushed to grab his torch. As soon as he got a

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hold of it, he quickly examined his environment with great hostility. His
adrenaline rose up high, fuming him with inner tension as he tried to find out
the source of the evil voice.
"Tanaka, I will feast upon your flesh boy, give it to me, give it all to
me! said the voice as it laughed, unbashfully exhibiting its wretchedness.
"Who are you, who are you, show yourself!? he shouted as he darted his
torch at where he thought the voice was emanating from. He found nothing
and was enraged by his failure in locating the target. The voice began to hiss
like a snake and said, "Join us Tanaka, you wont make it on your own,
lend us your flesh. The pain will go away, offer your body to us. We
want everything and more!
"What are you? What the hell are you monsters!? he shouted as he looked
distressed.
"We are the very thing that only finds satisfaction through human
suffering. Make us happy young man and give us your flesh! screamed
out the demented voice. The shrill was high pitched, causing Tanaka to cover
his ears in great despair. Tanaka couldn't bare the noise and grimaced in pain
as he tried to bloat out the deafening shrill. The scream broke the mirrors
one by one, propelling some of the pieces of glass at Tanaka. The fragments
which were about to hit the boy were evaded through a momentum of
unexpected agility. Tanaka was now on the ground with his torch in hand,
trying to get himself up to face his adversary. The lighting which had been
there before due to the mirrors had now dissipated. The bedroom was now
full of encompassing darkness which had rendered his torch to being the
only light source that pierced through the terrifying oblivion. The voice
began to laugh at him and began to say, "You got cocky when you
thought we couldn't touch you didn't you boy. You think because you
have the light that you're safe? I am going to enjoy feasting on your
flesh you fool! Tanaka was intimidated by the threat, being reminded of the
fear that had left him. Was he not immune due to having the torch? The
possibility of his one trump card being rendered useless was now terrifying
him. Death had come to him in his domain and now it wanted to slaughter
him. A sudden burst of adrenaline drove the boy into screaming out loud and
caused the torch to surge with energy. Tanaka then immediately pointed his
torch towards where he thought he had heard the voice. A ray of burning
light gushed out of his touch and blasted through the ceiling. The light went

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through all the upper floors and pierced the encompassing world of
darkness. Upon this happening, Tanaka heard the screaming of souls which
he couldn't quite pin point. The noises made him breathe intensely, an
anxiety he had not yet felt since the day he had been born. Tanaka twirled his
torch around, looking for anything with form, trying to spot the creature
behind the voice. His exasperated disposition was sadly rewarded with
nothing. The voice had gone quiet. Tanaka looked around and found
nothing, feeling the fret build up in him as he became manic over the
situation. He began to scream out loud, "What are you bastards? What the
hell are you things? Leave me alone you monsters, leave me alone!
"The food isn't allowed to talk; its only allowed to offer itself to be
eaten. Give us your flesh boy! said the voice.
"I will kill you' you sick bastard, um gonna murder you' you monster!
"Come puny human and offer yourself, I will greatly relish your feeble
body. said the voice as it made a sound that was similar to that of an animal
wagging its tongue. As Tanaka twirled his torch, trying to spot the creature
behind the voice, he noticed something peculiar. The paint on the walls of
the room began to peel off, but the peeling was similar to that of skin being
flayed by the use of a blunt knife. The walls began to bleed, drenching the
floor with greasy blood as Tanaka trembled in fear. The peeling continued
until the bricks inside the plaster casing of the walls were vomited, ejected
from where they we lodged and coming in the form of horrid creatures. The
creatures were larvae like human infants with rusty chains as their strands of
hair. The obscenities which were flung from the walls came at him with great
velocity, but something saved the boy from the jaws of death. His light
flickered like a camera and then flashed bright light which instantly
incinerated the spawns of hell. Tanaka breathed heavily as he was gripped
with the fear of almost having tasted death. The voice began to laugh in a
disturbing and malformed voice which sent shivers down his spine. The
ceiling suddenly began to expand like a womb and gave birth to a huge blood
plasma being that splattered on his bed upon hitting the surface. The
bubbling creature that reeked of so many unbearable smells began to shout
out, "We love you Tanaka, that's why we want your flesh. Can't you
see that it breaks my heart to see you all alone? Make your mother
happy and just die! Tanaka began to scream out loud as he glared at the
obscene entity. He instantly directed his torch at it and turned it into ash. The

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creature along with his bed were incinerated into nothingness. Tanaka began
to hear sounds of muscle spasms and the throbbing of torn muscles mixed
with the collision of bones. He turned to see a crawling stomach with its
intestines dangling as it came from the door. It growled like a retarded being
and shouted, "Can't you see that it pains me to be this incomplete, I
know that deep down inside of you there is love for me, pour out your
flesh for me!
"NO! screamed out Tanaka as he blew away the creature with the intense
heat of his torch. The madness had returned and his rest had been ended.
The voice began to laugh diabolically, as Tanaka ran out of the room. The
compiled food supplies were all left behind as the walls and the ceiling that
made up the room caved in, gushing out blood as if an organ had been
busted open. As Tanaka headed to the exit of the apartment, the walls of the
lounge began to rupture, turning into heinous orifices that egested foul things
at him. The room began to wobble like jelly as he approached the door and it
soon lost its form. The whole flat began to lose its solid structure and turned
into volumes of blood. Tanaka was swept away by the landslide of putrid
flesh which had surprisingly come from the once solid building. Tanaka was
drowned in the volumes of blood, following its current as it led him to Josiah
Tongogara road. He could feel creatures in the blood, they meleed him and
he also kicked and punched back at the things he couldn't see. This was a
terrible misfortune for him and all he could hear as this happened was the
dreadful voice. The voice laughed and shrilled malevolently as his body
flowed with the bloody current. The voice then uttered with great acrimony,
You see Tanaka, you were always meant to be ravaged child. How
selfish of you to keep you flesh to yourself! In that moment the will to
live coursed through his torch and what came out was a great furnace of
light, blazing the blood and lighting up a large portion of his current position.
The velocity of the wave stopped and left Tanaka who was tumbling like a
barrel down the road. Tanaka's back hit a stop sign pole, breaking his rolling
with great pain. Tanaka cried out in agony as he twitched, fumbling like a
helpless child who had been hit by a boulder. Despite the pain, he twirled his
torch and darted it at the voluminous body of blood which had receded
backwards like the ebbing of ocean waves. Tanaka saw the dilution from hell
and clenched his teeth as he rose slowly from the ground. His bruised back
was hurting, but the anger that came with the pain made him glare at his

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adversary with an intent to kill. The voice began to shout out, "There is no
hope for you Tanaka, we demons of the product of man's sin have
come to claim our meal. Mankind is dead! Dead! The voice burst into
depraved laughter, but Tanaka did not entertain it. Instead he vented out his
rage and shouted out loud, "NEVER YOU BASTARD! Tanaka deployed
the most violent ray of light at the bloody creature, burning it as if he had a
flame thrower. The act which was at first an involuntary portrayal of survival
became an intriguing fetish for violence. He boiled the blood and after he
passed the boiling point, he evaporated every molecule of blood until what
were left were vapours of red smoke. The road beneath the layer of blood
was burnt to a crisp, removing 6feet of earth from part of the Leopold
Takawira road. Tanaka began to laugh sardonically at the fact that he had
killed it. He threw himself to the ground and began to murmur to himself,
"Why can't I just have a happy moment. I hate being here. I hate this world.
Mommy, mommy, mommy! The boy snivelled at the thought of his
miserable life and was filled with feelings of despair and anger as her
breathed on the ground. His rest was soon interrupted when he heard the
sound of water rush from afar. The sound was similar to that of coming rain,
but it seemed to be colliding against something. The direction in which it
came from was opposite from where he was. The sound of voluminous
waves of liquid was coming from the heart of the city and this made Tanaka
stricken with fear. He darted his torch at the long trail of the Leopold
Takawira road which extended to the heart of the city, making his light reach
past Park Lane street until it connected with Samora Machel road. What
Tanaka saw was indeed horrific; it was something he only ever dreamed of
ever seeing in the apotheosis of all nightmares. It was a 12m tall volume of
bloody flood water coming his way! As it traversed towards him, it
devastated the buildings and the surrounding vehicles past Herbert Chitepo
Avenue. The end was surely drawing near and in that moment Tanaka began
to reflect on his child hood, the good parts and the bad, thinking of things he
wanted to do and taking regret in it fullness. This was the end to a long
struggle and he honestly believed that he had done his best to survive, but
just as he was about to throw in the towel, something bizarre happened.
Tanaka's right hand which had been wielding the torch began to throb,
bulging with veiny lean muscles. In conjunction with what happened to his
hand, his nose began to bleed and he coughed out a bit of blood. Though all

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this happened in a peculiar way that made him think that he was going
through some form of tissue necrosis, Tanaka somehow new that something
unprecedented and positive was about to happen. His arm charged the torch
energy and filled it with some extraordinary power. As the waves quickly
passed Baines avenue, slowly getting to where he was at Montagu Avenue,
his torch released the greatest beam of light which bewildered Tanaka as he
watched. Like what Moses had done in the bible, separating the red sea with
his staff, the boy divided the waters with a burning hot beam of light. The
water inadvertently went around him with geysers of steaming blood
engulfing the air. The whole process lasted for 10minutes as Tanaka
evaporated all the blood before him. The wave of bloody flood water soon
ended, leaving Tanaka in a gaunt condition. The torch had saved him again,
but this time it had crippled him. Tanaka was coughing out blood and feeling
pain in his bowels. He huffed and puffed, doubting that he was alive yet
again to fight in the infinite darkness. As he respired, breathing in and out
and chuckling in appreciation of being alive, he then thought about what had
happened to the remaining water. As he lied on the ground, he averted his
head to face the direction where the water had gone. To his dismay, his
victory was soon abated by a startling scene. The land marks, architecture
and everything towards King George road which connect to Avondale had
sunken deep into the bloody sea. At first it seemed as if it was just the flood
water level being stationary, but what actually happened was something far
much worse. The flood water had devoured the land whole! Tanaka could
also see swimming demonic reptiles in the vast sea of blood, basking in their
inglorious wickedness. In the end he was just living in a never ending
nightmare, one that defecated on his efforts with great spite. Then from
nowhere he heard the cry of a grown man. The encompassing darkness
which had impaired his vision, forced him to twirl his torch to sight the
source of the cry. Tanaka found a land rover which was flipped on its back
side and lodged to the ground. The vehicle was most probably flung by the
waves, but the fact that someone had survived was a miracle in itself. Tanaka
began to crawl slowly, heading towards the vehicle with little strength. He
mustered his strength to crawl towards the man made his insides feel pain,
but instead of giving into his carnal needs, he continued crawling until he
reached the vehicle. He pointed his torch at the cracked window and found a

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mid forties man who looked extremely distraught. The man saw Tanaka a
screamed out, "HELP ME PLEASE! GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Chapter 6

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There is no we in
survival, only the one
who gets to live gets
the last laugh.
"Can you hear me? Kid can you hear me? was what Tanaka could hear.
Everything had gone blurry and misty as he tried to figure out the
environment he was in. The last thing Tanaka remembered was the gruelling
effort he had made to crawl towards the crashed vehicle, seeking the voice of
the crying man. From there on everything went blank for him. All he could
hear was the monotone voice of a man in his late 20s. The voice continued
to say, "Kid wake up, can you hear me? After a while, Tanaka eventually
broke free from the binding grip of sleep and awoke to see the man behind
the voice, surprised to see another survivor like himself. The man was 6feet
tall with a craggy oblong face that had down turned eyes, large lips, a
chiselled nose, noticeable cheek bones and small ears. He had short hair that
had a fade, the result of a hair cut that most probably happened a day prior
to the apocalyptic world known as the infinite darkness. The man had a fit
disposition: not being too muscular or athletic but having just enough flesh
on his body to portray a grown man. His clothes were in tatters and heavily
spoiled the result of the new vile environment of death that stained the
Avenues. The man was wearing a white shirt and a grey plaid blazer which
was both stained with red and greasy substances. His right hand had a

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wedding ring on the index finger and also held the torch with its long hairy
fingers, darting it at Tanaka who was lying on a hospital bed. Tanaka had a
tube that was connected to his right forearm which was pumping in
morphine. The drip was on a stand which was connected to the bed Tanaka
was on, reflecting the light that came from the torch to all the surrounding
walls. Both Tanaka and the man had bandages on their bodies and had their
wounds patched up. Tanaka had been bandaged on his left arm, temple and
lower lip. The man had a few bandages on his face and some underneath the
veil of his clothes. Tanaka gazed at the man who at first appeared blurry in
his field of vision, but later began to recognise the tangible imagery of the
man. The man called out at him again saying, "Kid if you can hear me, just
respond. We're safe for now, um Daniel. As if he had woken up from a
coma, Tanaka uttered slowly, "Daniel.
"That's right, my name is Daniel. You saved me back there and I returned
the favour. he said with a cheerful smug.
"Saved? asked Tanaka who couldn't quite recall having saved the man.
"Yah you did. I guess you can't remember because you later passed out. he
said, getting off from the stool that was just opposite Tanaka's bed. He
walked towards him and said, "I don't know what your mama feeds you but I
gotta say that you're one strong kid. Tanaka wondered what that meant and
asked, "Strong?
"You hardly remember do you? Well you won't believe it, well even I
wouldn't believe it, but you ripped off the door like it was nothing.
"The door? he asked, puzzled by what he was saying. Daniel noticing that
what he was saying wasn't getting through to the child, decided to abandon
the discussion. He simply replied, "Anyways we're safe now from those
things. You passed out after pulling me out of my car. I carried you and then
took you to this clinic.
"Wait um in a clinic!? asked Tanaka who seemed a bit bothered, by what he
had just said. Tanaka began to scrutinise his surroundings with a sceptical
eye. He noticed the blue curtains and the peach coloured walls that his torch
light permitted visibility. Tanaka soon realised that he was in a cubicle sized
examination room which seemed untouched. Tanaka who now fully realised
his situation began to ponder over what had transpired prior to him passing
out. The violent and fretful memory of the flood demon coming towards
him startled him and reminded him of what he had just survived. It gave him

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relief but at the same time a sense of uncertainty. Though he felt as if he was
supposed to be alarmed, the morphine that was flowing into his body
managed to nullify his temperament. After reflecting over past events he
asked, "Are you a doctor? Daniel was surprised by the question and quickly
responded, "You mean the drip? Hmm, well at some point in life I did
medicine and then left it for business management.
"Oh. said Tanaka who didn't know what else to say to Daniel's remark,
"how long was I out?
"Um not sure, its hard to tell without any light, but all I can say is that you
kept me worried for a long time kid, he said, with a less jovial grin, "How
did you manage to survive all this time? Tanaka looked at the man whose
naturally charismatic face suddenly became sullen and engraved with despair.
The world of the infinite darkness had dawned on him and Tanaka could see
that it had already sunk its crude teeth of fear in Daniel. Tanaka didn't know
what he was supposed to say and paused for a whole minute, checking to see
whether he still had his watch on. Unfortunately for him, his watch was no
longer there, which probed him to think about the appropriate answer he
was supposed to give the man. Daniel just stood there, stricken with vexation
and with a desperate need for the boy's answer. His question had somehow
triggered Tanaka into a moment of self reflection, remembering the
numerous occurrences he had almost died. Tanaka noticing that Daniel had
his eyes drawn towards him quickly ended the silence by saying, "Its all
because of that torch in your hand, that's why um alive."
The torch? he asked as he glanced at the torch, twirling it to confirm
whether it had any special attributes. Though Daniel was doubtful, Tanaka's
fixed expressions made his own doubt seem questionable. Tanaka slowly rose
from his bed and sat up right with his back against the wall and said, "That
torch in your hand has kept me safe from those monsters.
"I thought I was going mad when I was hearing things until I saw
something, he said, grimacing as he reflected on what he had seen, "but I
guess there is nothing much we can do about it. I will be honest with you,
um scared kid. A grown man like me is afraid. Tanaka noticed the man's
despair and wondered how he could help console him, but such a discipline
wasn't his forte. After Daniel's display of emotional distress, Tanaka decided
to delve into another matter at hand.
"I think I remember something. I remember a few things before passing out.

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Your car was thrown by the wave. he said as if he was attempting a

monologue as he fumbled his right thigh with his fingers. Daniel looked at
him in a puzzled manner which made Tanaka realise that Daniel didn't know
much about what had happened.
"The wave? asked Daniel.
"There was a flood. Well. A flood full of blood. he said in a nonchalant
manner.
"Flood, you mean that sound of water was a flood in Harare? Kid what the
hell is going on? Um clearly confused and all this is hard to believe. What the
hell is going! said the man who seemed to have been overcome with anxiety.
Daniel gnashed his teeth and clenched his left hand as the vexation coiled his
frustration.
"I don't know what I would really call it, but the closest thing that comes to
mind is hell. The world as we know it is over. said Tanaka in an apathetic
tone. Tanaka knew that what he said had stricken Daniel with fear, but at the
same didn't really understand why he was so blunt with his words. The
morphine had surely worked its way into his system.
"So you're saying that we're dead and this is what hell looks like?
"No. I don't think were dead, we are alive aren't we? We are just the only
survivors in this nightmare. You're lucky to be alive. Before everything went
dark, where were you at? he asked with a tang of apathy in his tone.
"Where I was? Um... he said, pensively reminiscing over what had happened
prior to the night mare, "I was on my way to a funeral with my wife. She was
initially against it, the whole travelling at night business, but I really felt
driven to get there, but then, suddenly something happened.
"You couldn't see anymore? asked Tanaka who seemed curious to know
how things had played out for the Daniel.
"No, not at first but I was coming from the Bulawayo road direction and as I
was driving into town, I began to hear voices and screams.
"That's what I also heard before things went dark, but I never got a chance
really to see what happened. said Tanaka who sounded poignant.
"You must have been asleep when... he said before being interjected.
"I wasn't actually, my whole family was killed and I was kidnapped by 2 white
people. I pretty much went through what happens on television. he said
with his eyes drawn towards Daniel. Daniel by instinct felt like doubting what
the boy had just said but with the way things had gone chaotic, the

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unthinkable now seemed feasible. He then went on to probe him with

questions, "So have you noticed that no other light source works apart from
the light that comes from this torch? Do you know where we can more than
just one torch of the same brand? And do you have an idea what's going
on?
"There is only one. So I guess I wasn't going crazy after alp when no other
light was working. What did you notice? No. Actually I had asked you about
what had happened to you before things went dark. Please tell me first what
happened.
"Yah umm... he said, pensively searching for vivid memories of the events
prior to the darkness, "as I was saying, after passing the Harare show
grounds, heading into town, I began to witness a lot of things that me and
my wife couldn't believe.
"What did you see? asked Tanaka who looked deeply into Daniel.
"I saw the moonlight disappear as if it was going to rain, but things slowly
got dark to the point where the lack of visibility didn't make sense. When
things got dark and we couldn't see a thing at all, I couldn't see the glow of
my phone and even the tower lights. he said frantically as if he was trying to
withhold tears from pouring down his face. Tanaka's empathy had now
returned when he saw the man struggle with his words as he tried to divulge
his tale. Tanaka recognised the gestures of the man and realised that the
man's sanity was hanging by a thread. Tanaka ended up commiserating the
man by saying, "Its alright Dan, just tell me everything.
"I heard screams after a couple of minutes and also heard explosions. But
what I remember the most was my wife... he said, pausing briefly to mourn
as tears flowed down his cheeks, "my wife screamed, calling out for my help.
I couldn't see anything at all. Everything was just dark and I couldn't help
her. Something thing broke through the window and took her. It was all just
fast and then her screaming stopped. All I heard was chewing and sick
things. Before I could get out of my car to help her, I think an oncoming car
hit my car and flipped it over. It all happened all too fast.
"So thats what happened. hissed Tanaka as he thought to himself.
"I was wrong to have driven so late and now I don't even know what
happened to her. It was hell in the dark kid. All I could here were things and
screams. As I lay in my car with a severe cramp which lasted for a long time,
I almost starved to death until I heard the rain water for the second time.

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"For the second time? Hmm, it explains the flood.

"The flood? What do you mean by that? How can there even be a flood in
Harare. Its not possible kid so what are you saying? he asked with great
curiosity.
" Did you look at the rest of Leopold Takawira or anyone close to
Parinyenatwa hospital?
"No, I immediately picked you up and ran straight to this clinic, I didn't
bother checking.
"Daniel, there things you haven't seen that I have during the past couple of
days, things I need to tell you about. Um not too sure myself what's going on
but I think what I have to share to you is important and you need to hear
this. he said with a serious expression.
"You're right, by the way I managed to salvage some food whilst you were
asleep here, at the Montagu spar. If you're hungry I can go and get some
food, its in the next room. he said with a feigned cheerful expression.
"Wait you left me here alone whilst you looked for food? he asked with a
hint of rage in his tone.
"Yah, I first came here to Westend clinic and used the drugs from the
pharmacy to treat you. I was starving but I had to take care of you first. After
I realised that there isn't any food here in the clinic I decided to go the shops.
I left you here in a safe place. Don't worry, I blocked the room with a board
and a number of heavy boxes so that nothing would get in.
"You idiot! Do you know that you almost killed me! he said as he left his
bed as if he intended to pounce on Daniel, "do you realise that those
monsters are only scared off by the torch you bastard! You could have killed
me!
"Calm down kid, I said I blocked the entrance didn't I, you were safe... he
said before a bloodshot eyed Tanaka grabbed his collar and pushed him back
until he was against the wall, tipping over a stool as he struggled.
"Those things can't stand the light. They can easily kill and slaughter people
in the dark, you might have been cooped up in your car for a long time, but
you gotta understand that these things will kill you. Nothing lives in the
darkness. Everyone dies everyone! shouted out Tanaka who seemed to have
been spraying saliva as he uttered. Daniel looked deeply into the eyes of the
boy and saw a terror unknown to him. The eyes of a dishevelled child were
what came to mind when Daniel looked at Tanaka and he couldn't help but

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wonder what had really happened to him. Daniel ended up pushing back the
boy who landed backwards with his back, hitting the steel stretcher base of
the mattress. Tanaka felt the sting of having struck the steel behind him but
didnt waver in his complaint. Daniel felt instant guilt upon having pushed
the boy back and said, "Um sorry, I didn't mean to...
"That doesnt matter dammit! interjected Tanaka, "listen to me, never ever
leave me in the dark and never leave that torch. It's not just a light, that thing
is the reason why I am alive and why you're not dead! Daniel was overcome
by fright at what the boy was saying, conflicted by the mental dilemma of
whether or not he was supposed to believe what Tanaka had just said.
Having survived in the gruelling agony of being confined in his car and
having also starved in there had already done its worst to him. The revelation
of the creatures in the infinite darkness and what Tanaka was saying pierced
through his layer of sanity.
"Your torch kept you safe because of its light and you could see in the
darkness because of it, I get that. he replied.
"Its not that simple, the torch has powers. It can kill those things! shouted
Tanaka who seemed irked by Daniel's inability to take in what he was saying.
"I know you're still woozy from the medication and your recovery, but let me
tell you for a fact that this torch doesn't have any special powers, its just a
torch that seems to have the only working light in this damn darkness!
shouted Daniel who wanted to make the boy hush. At one point Daniel
wanted to believe him, but the torch having some marvellous power seemed
quite absurd to him. Looking at Tanaka he could only perceive a dishevelled
boy who was dealing with his delusions. Daniel then took the initiative to say,
"Kid stop, you're not feeling too well, that's why you're saying the torch has
power...
"Listen to me, the world as we know it has been invaded by monsters from
some dark place I don't even know. All I know is that I have seen these
things up close and I know why they are here. They want to kill us all, every
single one of us! That torch kept me alive and scares those things. he said,
emphatically as he rose up from the ground. The cord that was pumping in
the morphine into his system had been yanked off by his advance before and
was lying placid on the bed. Tanaka came towards Daniel and then asked,
"You saw those things outside didn't you, those sick things in the dark? The
reason why nothing happened to you was because of the light! They hate the

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light, they are the darkness and we are in the light that protects us from
them. As long as you don't confuse the reasons then you will be safe!
"Kid there is nothing super powerful about the torch, just listen to
yourself... he said before being interjected by an ominous sound, the kind
that would give a person shivers down their spine. The sound was emanating
from beyond the walls of the examination room cubicle. It sounded like
there was a slithering creature which made guttural growls that echoed its
malice on the walls. Daniel halted for a bit and told Tanaka to shush, darting
the torch at the entrance of the room. There was definitely something on the
move near the receptionist area close to the corridor of the Westend clinic.
Tanaka could hear the depraved thing in the darkness and instantly became
alert. It was as if he had reverted back into a guerrilla warfare soldier. Tanaka
quickly grabbed hold of the torch, snatching it from Daniel's hands and
rushed to where he could hear the depraved abomination. Daniel pursued
behind him and cried out, "Kid, what the hell are you doing? Get back here
before you get yourself killed! Tanaka could hear the footsteps of Daniel
who followed behind him, frantically catching up to him. The cramp that
Daniel had mentioned in his anecdote had really affected his footing and
made him get easily outpaced by the gaunt Tanaka who had just woken up
from a mild sickness. The thumping of their shoes on the surface of the
ground also echoed in a haunting manner, adding a sense of unnerving fright
to the already terrifying atmosphere. Tanaka made it to the receptionist room
just after the corridor and found a very disturbing imagery of walls painted
red and organs having been lodged onto cracked walls, broken glass and on
the visitor seats. The diabolical entity he was looking for had disappeared,
evading the burning light of his torch just in time and frustrating the boy in
the process. Daniel who followed behind, running in a limp like manner,
hissed at the boy, "You crazy kid, you're gonna get yourself killed. Get back
here. As Daniel uttered this, something demolished the right side of the
corridor wall in front of him. It blasted the bricks and the plaster away,
making its unsightly appearance. It was a crude looking sea lion sized maggot
with protruding limbs of that of a centipede. The limbs were the upper
bodies of deceased people. The necks of each body were bent in a manner
that made the heads that were still attached to the bodies as a base for the
lower part of an alternative foot. The orifices of each head had claws that
sprouted forth, resembling that of toe nails on an elephantiasis infected leg.

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The head of this maggot was dripping saliva which was mixed with a purplish
green acid that foamed on its mouth. Its gums which had serrated teeth were
visible due to the lips of its mouth having been retracted backwards like the
foreskin of a male genitalia upon getting hard. Its abdomen had outer teeth
and inner teeth that seemed to have been chewing on something with the
way they were lodged with flesh. Like a washing machine, Daniel could see
the meat of the dead being twisted and turned in its open belly, being
churned into mince meat. The inner bowel teeth were grinding the flesh at
random and prettifying the man who could only see the cast shadow of the
demon as a corona gleamed on the outlines of its depraved body. Tanaka
quickly turned his head, saw the demon and immediately screamed out,
"Run! However, the fear that the creature gave Daniel was hypnotic to the
point that he remained stationary, cringing in fear and not moving a muscle
as it came towards him. When Daniel quickly glanced behind him, he could
only see the darkness ahead, the depths that were beyond the reach of the
torch light. Upon witnessing his subsequent defeat, the creature began to
speak, "At last, a fresh meal to fill me whole! The demon said this as it
regurgitated the dead bodies in its abdominal mouth. The flesh was vomited
like a concise tidal wave of smog, desecrating the ground as it stained the
pants of Daniel. The bodies that had been ejected had stomach acid all over
them, but as much as the imagery was hazy due to the cast shadow of the
demon, Daniel could see the corpses moving. As they crawled, they all
uttered, "Help us, the pain won't go away, he keeps on chewing us and
burning us with his stomach. The teeth and the lack of comfort, end
our misery please! Daniel in that moment was driven out of his trance and
made a run for it in the opposite direction. The demon pursued him,
crushing the semi liquid state of the cadavers as it launched itself on Daniel.
The pile of shrivelled corpses were flattened into gelatinous greasy blood, but
as that happened the souls of the deceased left their respective bodies,
disappearing into the infinite darkness as they wept in anguish. In
conjunction to that, Tanaka's torch had fully charged and immediately
discharged a ray of burning hot light which instantly destroyed the demon.
Tanaka blew it away, spoiling the walls and found Daniel who had already
reached the end of the corridor. Tanaka went on to fry the flesh with his
torch, burning the remnants of the demon to the point of it smelling like
burnt meat. After incinerating it completely, he ran towards Daniel and

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grabbed hold of the startled man. Daniel's eyes were wide open, starring at
Tanaka in great petrifaction. He was breathing heavily and looking intensely
with every glance. Tanaka then said, "Its over Dan, I killed it. You're safe
man, its gone, the monster is gone. Daniel looked at Tanaka, huffed and
puffed intermittently as he swallowed his saliva. He eventually calmed down
and relaxed on patient's waiting bench. Tanaka sat next to him and said, "Its
okay man, its dead, I killed it. I killed it with my torch. We're safe. Daniel
just stared at him in bewilderment and kept quiet. Tanaka noticed that Daniel
had been traumatised by what he had just witnessed and needed time to take
it all in. Tanaka realising the situation at hand decided to sit on the bench
opposite his. He sat there looking at the man who had a fixed expression of
utter stupefaction, waiting for him to say something. After a while Tanaka's
stomach began to churn and his knee began to jerk as he withheld his urge to
follow through with the call of nature. It had been a while since Tanaka had
relieved himself since the beginning of the nightmare and his desire had just
come at a wrong time. Daniel noticed the young man's discreet struggle and
said, "Its okay, I will accompany you to the toilet, you don't have to punish
yourself waiting for me. Its not safe when you're not in the light of the torch.
I get that now. Tanaka found the remark awkward but at the same time
found relief in both the fact that he was going to ease his bowels and that
Daniel had recovered or at least was mobile. As if driven by instinct, he
began to think about whether the toilets had a mounted mirror and where he
would place the torch to bounce back the light. Tanaka had not admitted it
initially from his return to consciousness, but he was happy to have found
another human being in this dreadful time. Old man Hambira had perished
and he felt gravely disgruntled because of his death, but a new chapter in his
life had presented itself to him in the form of Daniel. As they left, heading
towards the restroom, Daniel asked, "What's your name kid?
"My name is Tanaka, Tanaka Manyika. he said as he led the way to the
toilet. The encompassing darkness still had not changed, but at least the
journey was no longer of that of a one man army. It was now the survival of
this man and boy, in the world of infinite darkness.
Tanaka and Daniel dined in on the biscuits, apples, and chips and imbibed
the water. This fellowship between two men was a blissful privilege in the
dark era of death and decay. Tanaka ate a lot, exhibiting a startling gluttony.

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Daniel took notice of this and said, "You don't have to finish it all, we gotta
keep some for tomorrow. Tanaka immediately glanced at Daniel and said,
"You never know when its gonna be your last meal, don't hold back. Daniel
did not challenge Tanaka, and left him to his binge feasting. After munching
for a while, they began to hear the ominous sounds from outside, pervading
with great malignancy. Daniel at first was startled until Tanaka told him to
calm down. Daniel couldn't quite understand why Tanaka was so calm, but
he was soon told, "We're safe because we have the torch, don't worry. Just
eat and forget about them. Daniel who was still trying adjust to the world as
it was, tried to figure out why Tanaka wasn't remotely disturbed or at least
frightened. What he didn't realise was that Tanaka was afraid, but his fear
rested on other thoughts not pertaining to the creatures in the dark, thoughts
that he alone delved into as he finished feasting. Tanaka finished off the
bottle of bonaqua still water whilst Daniel sipped intermittently one can of
Lion lager. The muffled sounds of their chewing and swallowing went had in
hand with the cacophony of the creatures outside. The mirrors that were
yanked off from the toilet walls were placed in the cubicle, bouncing off a lot
of light onto the walls, making the room feel more natural and lively. Beyond
the entrance of the examination room, the darkness from the shadows that
were cast was great, leaving a scintillating mystery of the unknown. When
Tanaka finished his meal he took the antibiotics and pain killers that Daniel
had insisted on to alleviate the pain that Tanaka had hinted as he fumbled his
back from time to time with a grimace on his face. After taking his meds, he
flung himself on the bed and looked at Daniel who was sipping his can
slowly. Tanaka then asked, "How does alcohol taste like? Daniel glanced at
the curious youth and replied, "Its brittle and sour, good for calming the
nerves and for Dutch courage.
"What's Dutch courage? he asked, oblivious of the term and its meaning.
"Well you don't know what that means? he said as he chuckled, "Its when
you drink to gain confidence or at least when you want to feel charged up.
he said as he finished the contents of the can.
"Can I try it? he asked, with the hope of being obliged.
"I don't think I would be a responsible adult if I let a minor drink before they
were of age. he said in a coy manner.
"Well um 16 years old. he lied.
"The legal age is 18 kid, he said getting another bottle from the 6 pack

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casing, '"but then again, not all of us started drinking at a legal age. You
might as well give it a try Daniel threw the can at Tanaka who barely caught
it in mid air. Tanaka received it in a manner similar to that of an American
football player catching a ball, immediately fumbling it and then finally
opening the can. Tanaka saw the foam build up and instantly took a sip. His
face at first grimaced, folding his fine features into a severe squint but he
then opened his eyes wide open and said, "Its not bad, but tastes like
nyevhe. Daniel chuckled a bit then responded, "Well at least you now know
how it tastes. Now give me the can. Tanaka at first thought he was joking,
but Daniel's facial expression reflected a passive seriousness that he didn't
want to contest. Tanaka thus got out of the bed with the can and placed it on
the ground next to Daniel with a snivelling gesticulation. As he trotted back,
Daniel then asked, "So what do you think is going on in Harare? Tanaka sat
on the bed, his back fastened to the wall and said, "I don't think its Harare
alone, maybe the whole of Zimbabwe or even the whole world, but I learned
a few things before we met.
"And what did you learn? asked Daniel whose curiosity had reached its
apex.
"I met this old man in a flat who told me things things about those monsters
being here because of our sins or something. It didn't really make sense, but I
think maybe we might be in hell. He said that these things are here because
of our sins, that they have come as a result of us or something. said Tanaka
who looked dismayed as he narrated his tale.
"Our sins are the result of these things? Wait what happened to the old... he
asked before being interjected by Tanaka.
"He got killed. There was nothing I could do, he just died like the rest of the
people in the Avenues. he said in a sullen tone. Daniel couldn't help but
pause after hearing that, but eventually said, "Sorry kid. The brief silence
was subsided by the guttural ominous voices that were all emanating from
outside as if the demons were marching on Old Mazoe road in the darkness.
Tanaka went on to say, "I saw the thing they call their master just before he
died. It was the scariest thing I ever saw in my life. I felt like I was possessed
by an evil spirit, as if I wasn't myself when I saw it. That stuff that pastors
like Makandiwa and Uebert Angel talk about. It was really scary. That thing is
supposed to be the leader of those monsters. That's all I know.
"A leader? he asked, engulfed with fear due to the revelation. Daniel put his

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beer bottle down and flicked his eyes as he tried to accept what was being
said. This was all new to him and he felt as if he was close to reaching
hypertension the more the terror of the world was unravelled.
"Yes. And the old man called him Mweya Mutema. That's what his called.
Everything that's killing people and the reason why there is no sun or moon
and just darkness is supposed to be related to him. Well that's what I think, I
can't really make sense of this shit. he said as he starred at the ceiling with
an almost empty gesture. After a brief mental meltdown, Daniel retained his
claim to sanity and then asked, "So how is it that this torch is the only thing
that works? When I was at the shop, I tried lighting a match stick, but it
couldn't light. But when the torch's light was lighting it, it seemed to work.
How is that even possible?
"I don't know. I was in the back of a moving vehicle with two white guys
who were telling me things that didn't make sense. I just woke up with the
torch when their car crashed. he said with a tang of frustration.
"Wait you came out of a car accident? asked Daniel with his eyes wide open.
"Yah, its been a bad day from the beginning. he said as he sighed, mortified
by his own struggles. Daniel just looked at the boy with unbelievable
stupefaction, wondering what else he had gone through before they had met.
Tanaka had gone through a lot and this realisation was drawing the man into
being more sensitive and selective with his words.
"Did the white guys die in the crash? he asked in an almost hesitant manner.
"Yes. They did. They deserved it replied Tanaka. Daniel was disturbed by
the fact that Tanaka had rejoiced in the death of his two kidnappers. They
had committed a grave crime indeed, but seeing such a young man behave in
an angst manner was not something he was used to. In fact the very display
of such was extremely foreign, but something even more unfamiliar pressed
his mind.
"I know that this is totally unrelated but how did you do that with the torch.
I mean you burned that thing alive. How do you make it do that? asked
Daniel who seemed intrigued by the torch's special attributes.
"I honestly don't know. When um angry it just listens to me or something,
even at that time when I killed that thing, I was really just angry at it. How it
works is beyond me.
"I guess it all adds up now. Have you noticed something about the torch?
he asked as he got up from where he was sitting and grabbed the torch, "it

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has no batteries inside.

"Huh? asked Tanaka who was surprised by what Daniel had just stated.
"I guess you never checked it. When I was at that shop, the Montagu spar, I
found the batteries on the counter and wondered whether I would need
spares. When I opened the back to see what battery size suited the torch, I
noticed that it had no batteries at all. he said with a hint of bewilderment.
Tanaka just starred as he was utterly dumb founded by the information.
Daniel even twisted open the latch of the batteries compartment to show
Tanaka the novelty of the torch. Tanaka was left speechless when he found
no batteries inside and then kept quiet for a while. Daniel went on to ask, "So
what's the plan?
"Plan? iterated Tanaka.
"Yah, what do we do now that we know all this. You have a plan right?
asked Daniel who looked at the boy earnestly.
"I don't know. I don't even think a plan is even possible with the way things
are. said Tanaka who seemed irked by the question.
"What do you mean even possible? There is always a way, you just have to be
optimistic. said Daniel who seemed disappointed by what Tanaka had just
said.
"I don't know. You're the adult, think of something. said Tanaka who was
surprisingly shocked by his own rudeness.
"You don't have to be an ass about it. The world is in a terrible state, but we
gotta look ahead. If you got nothing then tell you what, I have an idea.
"An idea? he asked, vexed by the sudden stance Daniel had taken.
"Yah, there is garage just opposite the Montagu shop, the Montagu garage. I
found an abandoned car there with one missing tyre. There aren't any cars
around so um guessing it would be better to fix it with a spare tyre from the
garage spares and then drive to some place that's safe. said Daniel as he
explained using his hands.
"A car? said Tanaka who at first marvelled at the thought until he said, "but
I think its pointless. Where would we go? I don't think there is even any safe
place.
"We can try Tanaka, everything is messed up here but there might be a
chance of there being a safe spot. We can go anywhere as long as its not
here. said Daniel with fervent energy.
"To where? Masvingo, Marondera, Chitungwiza, Gweru, across the border?

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shouted Tanaka who seemed to be infuriated by Daniel's enthusiasm.

"I don't know yet, but staying here is not a good idea. You might have the
torch to protect you, but who knows, it might switch off or things could
change. We gotta make a move for it. he said with a stern disposition.
"I want to believe you, but I don't think it will work. There is no point. said
Tanaka who seemed to be shivering as if close to tears.
"Don't be like that. Don't just throw in the towel. We have to try. There
might be help elsewhere. he said, trying to console the young man into a
positive light.
"If there was a safe place then the Zimbabwean defence force would have
done something. Nothing happened, no military, no police, no help, just
dead people and false hope. You haven't seen Mweya Mutema haven't you?
Of course you haven't because you were in your car hearing everyone die the
whole time. We are just lucky for now because of the torch but going out is
pointless.
"Why are you being like this? Don't you want to survive? Don't you want to
be somewhere other than here? asked Daniel who seemed astonished by
Tanaka's defeatist behaviour.
"I wanna survive, man I don't want to die, I don't want to end up like
everyone else. I wanna live, but live for what? Tell me, what is worth the
effort of going somewhere? shouted Tanaka.
"So you want to stay here, is that what you're saying? asked Daniel who
looked at Tanaka who seemed to have been getting emotional over the issue.
"I don't know. I honestly don't know, um not sure. I just don't know, but all
I know that its pointless! cried out Tanaka.
"Kid you're no longer alone, we can face this together. You're afraid, but we
can't just stay here and do nothing. We need to make a move, there is always
hope. You just got to fight the fear and share it with me. We can do this
together. said Daniel who looked at Tanaka with a fixed gaze.
"I have nothing to look forward to, mama is dead, daddy is dead my sister is
dead. The world is screwed. The whole of Parinyenatwa hospital and
Avondale are gone. You're trying to be nice, but we are just gonna end up
like everyone. Just food for those things. poured out Tanaka who felt the
pangs of his emotions hurling poignant blows at him.
"You can't honestly believe that. Um sorry for you, but we can't give in. I
know that you're a kid, but you have to be strong. You have to. You can't

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just give up. said Daniel as he approached Tanaka.

"You don't know what you're saying. I looked into that thing's eyes, Mweya
Mutema, and I know that we are doomed. he shouted as Daniel came close.
"Um trying to help you Tanaka, um scared too but we got to man up and see
this through. You obviously want to live and I do too. You never know what
going far away from here will entail. Trust me on this. said Daniel as he
tried to condition the boy into positive thinking. Tanaka went silent, irked by
the man's nagging and said, "Leave me alone, you wouldn't understand.
Daniel was completely abated by that remark and watched Tanaka lie on his
bed in a foetal position. Daniel's words weren't getting to the boy and he
clearly was defeated. Daniel halted his advance and let the boy have his
tantrum. Tanaka covered his head with the pillow and sunk his fingers into it
to spite Daniel. Daniel was frustrated by the boy's actions, but reserved his
anger and just sat on the floor, thinking about what to do next. Tanaka had
been selfish, not considering that the information concerning the demons
had also affected Daniel who most probably lost more than his wife. Daniel
just sat there and starred at the boy as he pondered over possible
contingency plans for the future.
After a while Tanaka slept, succumbing to the effects of his medication. He
began to dream, seeing himself in Mt. Pleasant heights with his family. He
was in his front yard, playing with his soccer ball whilst the family were
having a braai. The girl of his dreams was also there and everything was
going well as planned in his reverie like fantasy. He was smiling and dribbling
the ball until the sound of thunder broke the fellowship. Tanaka glanced at
the sky and saw the cumulonimbus clouds which began to pour rain, but the
colour of the rain was black. The rain began to paint the world completely
black, erasing Tanaka's field of vision. His family were bloated out of the
image and all that was left was complete darkness. In the vastness of the void
he then heard the ominous sounds and slithering of vile fiends. Tanaka began
to feel weak in the knees and cried as he heard a voice explode into
disturbing laughter. In that defining moment the voice screamed, "You
know that you belong to us, how nice of you to stay! Tanaka's flesh was
instantly destroyed upon it uttering and it immediately woke him up from his
dreadful nightmare, causing him to sweat and pant. Daniel was lying against
the wall, drooling a bit of saliva as he snored. The ominous sounds were still

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audible but seemed more precarious than their usual ruckus. Tanaka glanced
at Daniel as he breathed in and out, wiping away the sweat on his forehead.
Tanaka began to relax when he realised that all was well, but suddenly all that
peace of mind disappeared the moment the voice from the infinite darkness
had returned.
"Boy why haven't you given us your flesh? You know that there is no
point in living, give up and feed us. We have waited and waited for you
to die. Don't make us sad, we just want you with us. Please understand
that you're our friend. Friends feed the hungry. Please make us
happy!
The voice broke into depraved laughter which reverted into a ghastly cough.
Tanaka was prompted by the voice to wake Daniel up, shaking him until he
gained consciousness. Tanaka recalled the grave occurrence that had
happened before he met Daniel and began feel great fear. As soon as Daniel
woke up, Tanaka shouted, "WE GOT TO GO NOW. YOU WANTED US
TO LEAVE, THEN LETS GO! Daniel was taken by surprise and broke
the chains of sleep immediately. Daniel went on to ask, "What's going on?
Did those things get inside!?
"Something worse, we have to leave!
"No! You're going to feed us you fool! said the voice. Daniel was
frightened out of his wits and wondered what that was, but Tanaka dragged
him out of his corner, grabbed the torch and ran away with him, heading
towards the exit. The walls and ceiling of the examination room that they
were in began to peel off and self imploded into geysers of blood and flesh.
The corridor walls began to resemble the inside of a mouth as Tanaka and
Daniel dashed forth towards the exit. Unfortunately for them, the exit
deformed and sprouted teeth that resembled that of a crocodile with
excessive serrated features. As they passed via the exit, the teeth launched
themselves onto Tanaka and Daniel. Tanaka and Daniel managed to escape,
dodging the ill fate of death. From there they sprinted towards the garage
that Daniel spoke of. The encompassing darkness and surrounding demons
were screeching and making their sounds as they saw the two running,
drooling at the thought of quenching their thirst for blood with the meat of
these two survivors. As they passed Montagu Avenue, they noticed that the

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road ahead had begun to rapture. Tanaka began to flicker his eyes as he
snivelled over his dilemma, shouting, "No, no, no! Daniel who had just
caught his breath began to ask, "What the hell is going on? Why are we out
here? I thought you didn't want to come here and what the hell was that
voice? Tanaka's ears couldnt resonate with what Daniel was asking; all he
could here was the sound of the voice as it grated his mind with its violent
pitch, laughing as it mocked his very existence. The Montagu garage and the
surrounding architecture began to disintegrate into a primordial soup of
blood. Even the Josiah Chinamano heights flats self imploded into geysers of
blood. The very brick walls that had been worked hard on to sculpt the walls
of these buildings had been rendered into piles of flesh. Tanaka felt
prompted to run the opposite direction but when his torch light revealed the
disintegration of other buildings from afar, he fell into a suffocating panic.
Daniel shared the same anxiety with the boy who couldn't help but feel
hopeless, wondering how they would deal with the impending doom. Tanaka
averted his attention to the right, but was devastated by the sight of most of
the buildings past Blackstone road having disintegrated into volumes of
blood. The overflow of the blood began to reach their knee level and was
gradually increasing with every intention of going past that point. Tanaka was
out of options, glancing from side to side as despair immersed his body.
Daniel's horrified expression mangled his handsome face and left him downcasted. Daniel even struggled with his words as if he were choking and asked,
"What can we do Tanaka? Before Tanaka could respond the voice shrilled
out, "Become one with us and feed us your flesh! The moment that was
uttered the wind pressure changed drastically, pulling the blood at the
direction that lied from their south. The blood was no different from a flood,
but before Tanaka could make use of his torch in time to repel the blood
stained elements, he and Daniel were swept away by its wave. They were like
dead fish in the current as they were dragged by the volumes of blood which
circled them with the power of a violent rapid. All of the flats and various
facilities from 2nd street towards Prince Edward road had disintegrated into
greasy blood, devouring a colossal portion of the Avenues. The ripples and
flow of the water resembled that of a gargantuan spiral. Tanaka and Daniel
barely had time to finally realise that they were being dragged into a
whirlpool from hell. At the centre of the abominable orifice emanated the
voice and it shrilled, "Finally! I will drown you into my bowels! Tanaka

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held Daniel's jacket by the lapel and held the torch with his right hand as the
demon made its inglorious announcement. Fate had landed yet another crude
blow at Tanaka and his new accomplice in survival. This was another
tribulation he would have to overcome as he drew closer towards the centre
of the whirlpool from hell.

Chapter 7

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The truth behind the

infinite darkness.
The great gulf of blood spiralled with violent velocity as it dragged down the
two survivors of the infinite darkness, leading them to the centre of the
whirlpool. Tanaka and Daniel could only scream as they endured the cold
translucent bloody whirlpool that took them along for a dreadful ride. Their
immersed bodies were hopeless against the current and all they could hear in
the darkness was the laughing and grunting of the voice. Its guttural sadistic
laughs pervaded the air and engraved it with atmospheric hopelessness. The
torch behaved as it usually did, piercing the darkness and only revealing what
was within its rays, but this made the two feel uncomfortable. They could
hardly see the encompassing rapids of bloody water and at times wondered
what the centre of the whirlpool looked like. The haunting sounds of the
wind interchanged with the sound of water clashing against each other
caused mental instability in the minds of the confused two. Tanaka held the
torch with a clenched fist, grasping it tight as they completed several
revolutions in the downward spiral of the bloody whirlpool. With his whole
body soaked in the red of the sea, Tanaka was unfortunate enough to have
the bloods that splattered and splashed around him enter his mouth. The
taste of scarlet blood was like lavishing on rotten eggs mixed with acidic bile.
Tanaka shared this same burden with Daniel who kept on spitting blood out
of his mouth, coughing and grimacing at the very thought of the hideous
taste. Being submerged in the rapid was the worst thing that could happen to
them and not knowing what lied below in the deep red sea strengthened their
fear of sinking in the whirlpool. As they drew closer to the centre, Tanaka
decided to muster the chance to make use of his torch. Having remembered
what he had done before to counter the great flood that came from the heart

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of Harare's CBD, he began to concentrate on one thought at hand,

evaporating all the blood before him. Daniel was not prepared to see the
show case of power that was about to be exhibited by the youth and neither
was his mind at all thinking about what Tanaka could do. In the end Tanaka
felt the surge of power course through his forearm and thus watched as his
torch fired a great beam of light into the sea of blood. The spiral of blood
was immediately disrupted, greatly changing the structure of the whirlpool
and changing the velocity in which their bodies traversed in the blood. The
glimpse of shinning light gave both Tanaka and Daniel a sight of
insurmountable horridness. The depth of the whirlpool was great and had a
hollowness that resembled that of a grating abyss. This reinforced their fear
of reaching the centre of the whirlpool as they were unfortunately still
dragged downwards by the spiral of blood. Despite the beam of light having
disrupted the current for a bit, the blood soon enough returned to its spiral
shape as it pulled the two in like a vortex. As the blasted bloody water
recoiled back to the whirlpool, Tanaka felt a concise flow of warm to hot
blood striking his body. The recoiled blood which had been heated by the
blast from his torch had returned to spite the two, burning them with its
boiling state. The degree of the burn was nullified by their clothes and
concoction of cold blood, but both men surely screamed in pain that night.
As all hope came to a close as they completed several more revolutions,
Tanaka couldn't help but wonder whether or not the end was near. The voice
kept on laughing in the darkness, depleting Tanaka's optimism with its
disturbing spiteful laughter. The torch finally revealed in detail the imagery of
the centre of the whirlpool as Tanaka twirled it randomly, at the mercy of the
bloody current. What Tanaka saw was a grotesque gargantuan oesophagus
that was draining all the blood and the reason behind the whirlpool. It
sucked all the air like a black hole and had slightly visible serrated teeth that
seemed to be filtering the contents of the blood by grating whatever came its
way. Tanaka even witnessed rubble and chunks of dismembered apartments
from two flats: Kellar's court and Earl's court which he recognised, having
seen them at Fife Avenue, corner Prince Edward road. The torch made every
detail of the buildings including their sign posts visible as Tanaka observed
the vortex down below. The serrated teeth of the oesophagus destroyed the
debris of concrete and bricks and made it nonexistent from Tanaka's field of
vision. The velocity of the current didn't waver and whatever hope Tanaka

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had in mind was slowly losing its significance in his dreadful predicament. All
Tanaka could only hear was Daniel's muffled screams as he cried for his life.
Tanaka thought about firing a beam of light at the centre, but the current
never gave him a chance to fire properly. His aim was greatly disadvantaged
with no feasible vantage point. His desperation lead to a tantrum that only he
knew about as he sulked over his pitiful situation. Tanaka's hand coursed
with energy yet again and relayed that power to his torch. It fired a beam of
light which made everything glisten, showing the massiveness of the coiled
bloody water. The upper levels of the spiral that they had passed became
quite visible and Tanaka could tell that he was at least 30feet below ground
level. The fired beam did not do much to thwart the structure of the
whirlpool nor its velocity. The blasted water emanated great vapours of red
smoke and ended up recoiling to join the main spiral of the whirlpool.
Tanaka's loins became weak as he pondered over his bleak situation, cringing
internally in fear of his damnation. The revolutions that remained to reach
the centre of the whirlpool had become too few for comfort. The voice in
the darkness didn't even spare any moment to relish in their anguish,
increasing the intensity of its spiteful laughter as the two reached the centre.
Daniel had already conceded defeat and was just hoping for a painless end,
however no matter how much fear or sense of uselessness had afflicted
Tanaka, the will to live somehow persisted in his inner being. The fear of
continuing on with his existence at the clinic had now subsided in the face of
great peril. Tanaka wasn't sure whether or not if his fear of dying was greater
than the fear of living in a world of suffering, but soon enough the resolution
to his problem came, but at a price. Tanaka began to realise that his right
hand had procured a mind of its own, raising itself upright as if to fire a flare.
This strange phenomenon was observed by Tanaka who looked ambiguously
at his hand which began to bulge out with veiny muscles. Tanaka began to
feel a stinging pain in his cranium, one that quickly became gruelling in a
flash. His nose began to bleed, but with the surrounding bloody water he
wouldn't be able to distinguish his own blood from that which smeared his
face. In the end he grimaced as he watched his hand act on its own. As his
veins began to glisten with vine like glowing patterns, Tanaka began to see
the forming of compacted light on the muzzle of the torch. It started off as a
ball of light, the size of a soccer ball, but it gradually formed into something
more grand and luminous. As Tanaka reached his final revolution before

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encountering the end, the light which had accumulated into a sphere of
bubbling energy was violently ejected from the torch as if he had just fired a
cannon ball. The force of the ejection pushed back Tanaka to the point of
him being submerged in the bloody current alongside with the hapless Daniel
who he had clung onto with a clenched grip on his blazer lapels. The two
immediately drifted into the violent rush of the blood, at the mercy of the
suction power of the demonic oesophagus. The sphere of light traversed
with great speed towards the centre and was immediately sucked whole by
the vortex. The collective group of photons reached the very depths of the
oesophagus, passing through its serrated teeth and then immediately
exploded. The blast sent a rush of light which travelled vertically as it
destroyed everything around it. The ominous whirlpool was ended abruptly
with a great burst of blood gushing out upwards and releasing a violent wave
similar to that of tidal wave. Daniel and Tanaka's bodies were consequently
swept away by the blanket of bloody waves as they endured the gruelling sea
of blood. Tanaka wasn't a very good swimmer and all he knew at best was
how to float. After overcoming the vortex of death, he was now faced with
the possibility of drowning. Unlike the former predicament, Tanaka had to
now rely on his own wits. Tanaka didn't dare open his mouth to take in cups
of the putrid blood which tasted like gangrene, all he did was swim
hurriedly towards the light of the torch, which he had let go off due to the
incapacitating force of the ejection. The blood was translucent and was
looking more like diluted red juice as Tanaka swam towards his sinking torch.
The encompassing darkness in the water gave him quite a fright, but
somehow he ignored the sight of such. His right hand had gone numb as if
maimed by a terrible muscle spasm cramp which ended up making him do
strokes with one hand. These were the kind of strokes that any decent
swimmer would jeer at, but his resolve made him swim with such effective
thrust to the point that any doubters would be put to shame. As he got closer
to the torch he began to feel a great pain in his lungs as if they were going to
burst due to lack of oxygen. His field of vision also began to malfunction,
becoming milky due to the blood. It got to the point where Tanaka could
only see hazy figments of light which did not help to ease the young man's
distress as he swam towards the light. As he got nearly close to the torch,
something to his disadvantage happened. His body gave in! His lungs
couldn't take not having any air anymore and he thus began to involuntarily

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convulse. Tanaka wanted to reach for the sinking torch, but his body was
having the shakes and he was immediately immobilised. His body even
involuntarily forced him to open his mouth as if to seek out air, but he ended
up imbibing cups of putrid blood into his system. This was death and it had
finally won over him. Tanaka's final moments were now marked with
agonising pain in his lungs and a very horrendous taste of things that almost
destroyed his taste buds on the spot. He had fought the good fight, but in the
end the world of infinite darkness was too strong for him. The fleeting
dream of survival had now lost its significance to the now passing out
Tanaka. A significance he sadly wished would come true. However,
everything had not gone completely to waste. Daniel who had been close by
in the sea of blood had gotten hold of the torch and was now heading
towards the now drowning Tanaka. Unlike Tanaka, Daniel showed signs of
actual notable swimming capabilities and soon got a hold of Tanaka. The
distance between them and the surface level was great and Daniel was also
running out of air. As if by some wild guess, Daniel fastened the torch into
Tanaka's right hand which triggered a shock in the body of the boy. The
shock instantly woke him up and made the torch fire a beam of blazing hot
light. The very force of the blast thrusted them backwards and sent them
flying out of the bloody water. Both Tanaka and Daniel were flung out of the
putrid blood and experienced 5seconds of airtime before plummeting to the
bottom. However Tanaka quickly resurfaced after being submerged again,
coughing out the cups of putrid blood which made him feel sick. His right
hand had clenched onto the torch as if it were nailed to it, ceasing it with no
intention of letting it loose. Tanaka hadn't the time or the luxury to find out
how such had happened and instead coughed up more blood and vomited
twice. His vomit was washed away in the ripples of blood as he hyper
ventilated over the exposure to air. The air wasn't satisfactory due to having
the stench of putrid flesh and the pungent smell of the sea of blood, but it
was better than possible asphyxiation. Tanaka later began to float in a dumb
founded manner, glancing everywhere. His torch only revealed to him the
vastness of the sea of blood and he could see the silhouette of Harare's
skyscrapers from behind. The Herbert Chitepo Avenue road had
inadvertently turned into the sea shore of the dreadful bloody sea. The
distance between him and any feasible land was possibly close to 4km. The
encompassing bloody water was as haunting as any nightmare could be and

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gave Tanaka a grave experience he would never forget. To be all alone and
immersed in the sea of blood was Tanaka's own personalised tragedy. The
blowing of the wind and chill of the blood added to his resentment of his
current circumstance. After all his senses had become clear, respiring now
with a normal heart beat rate, he began to think about Daniel. The voice in
the darkness' guttural and hoarse voice soon became muffled, but had a
sonata laughter which still irked and dreaded Tanaka. After glancing now and
again to see whether or not Daniel had resurfaced, Tanaka began to feel
uneasy. He was feeling weak in the knees again and a tang of anxiety, one he
associated with depression and mood swings. As he searched anxiously for
Daniel, his eyes began to flicker as if he were about to sob as he said,
"Daniel, Daniel, don't leave me all alone. Daniel!
Tanaka began to swim with a down casted expression, heading towards the
city. His right hand still felt numb and stiff as a mounted sign post, but he
managed to think of a way to swim cohesively. He would stroke with his free
hand and then pause to see where he was or where Daniel would probably
be. He didn't want to believe that he was dead, but the life expectancy of one
in the infinite darkness was something which almost assured him that
Daniel's survival was impossible. However, he had not seen any swimming
obscenities yet and that was something worthy of relieving his mind from
anxiety. The swimming process after a while got tiring and gruelling to the
point that Tanaka began to reflect on all those swimming shows he watched
on TV during the Olympics. He had been told before by his dad that
swimming was used to work on the flexibility of an athlete and that it was
also quite a feat that required raw strength. Tanaka back then would have just
shrugged his father's worlds and said, 'Swimming is a white man's sport. They
swim fast because its in their blood, but this time he realised that it was a
possible feat, but one that required strength and practice. His body had now
become extremely soggy and his eyes were slightly growing tired. Though all
of this was happening to him, he did not waver and kept on swimming
without giving into his body's desire to rest. Further ahead he could see the
plane that had crashed which seemed to have disgorged pieces of itself lying
everywhere, floating aimlessly to the motion of the ripples of blood. In the
back of Tanaka's head it looked like a possible good resting point, one he
would surely need after enduring such tiring hurdle as swimming in blood.

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As Tanaka got closer to the wreckage of the plane he began to see a peculiar
disturbance in the water, as if there was something moving in the blood.
Tanaka didn't waste any time over thinking what that was and aimed his
torch instantly at where the disturbance had occurred. Though this was an
ambitious act, Tanaka only noticed the boiling of blood and the emanation of
red vapours due to his torch light, but couldn't quite see past the translucent
blood. This irked him and gave him great anxiety as he had to anticipate what
was coming, but that effort of predicting was soon made obsolete when
Tanaka saw the source of the ripple. It was a serpent and demonic shark
which had revealed its dorsal fin as it swam, but as it flipped its lower body
to reveal its caudal fin, Tanaka noticed a growth or abnormal connection to
its body. At first he thought he had misinterpreted what he had seen, but alas
it was a scorpion tail on the shark. Tanaka's heart raced to epic proportions
and left him with a stern face of alertness. At that moment his right hand
retained some form of fluid movement which was quite convenient for the
boy, but moving his limb was now no different from flexing swollen muscles.
The effort was excruciating, but Tanaka wasn't going to die from a shark
attack. The fact that it was hard to see past the surface layer of the blood
reinforced his fret and sense of urgency, sending more energy again to his
torch. Tanaka randomly beamed the bloody water around him like he was
playing acupuncture; dipping red lasers into blood. The blood around him
began to vapour the more he burned it. After a while the ripples stopped as if
to signify that things inside the blood were scared off by his tactics. Tanaka
didn't feel reassured at all and glanced at the wreckage ahead. One thing he
did know was that being unable to tell what was beneath him was a bad idea
and he needed land. Tanaka began to swim, heading towards the wreckage of
the plane to salvage a means to protect himself against the fluvial creatures.
Tanaka swam and swam but suddenly paused upon hearing the voice of an
unexpected survivor. Daniel! Tanaka immediately averted his attention and
glanced at the direction where he heard the voice of Daniel. Tanaka shouted
out, "Daniel where are you man. Where the hell did you disappear to!? I was
worried damn it! Where are you!? Tanaka waited until the muffled voice of
Daniel responded, shouting out, "I can't see a thing, its too dark where I am.
Tanaka okay, okay. Just listen to my voice and find me! Tanaka upon
impulse began to twirl his torch, looking for any signs of life in the sea. He
eventually noticed Daniel whose whole body was completely covered in red.

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Tanaka immediately began to swim towards him and then remembered the
creatures that were in the blood. He immediately took this opportunity to
shout out, "Dan um coming there, hold on tight. Be careful, there are things
in the water, but I will be there, just waiting for me! Tanaka had not realised
to what degree his revelation had frightened Daniel who had been hoping
that there wouldn't be any swimming depravities in the blood. Tanaka's
forewarning ended up just making Daniel more uncomfortable and uncertain
of his own environment. Tanaka began to swim towards Daniel with little
much pace and his incompetence was relayed with each splash he made.
Daniel in conjecture to this, suddenly shouted out, "Tanaka let me come to
you. Its much safer for me that way. Point your torch at me and don't point
it elsewhere. As long as I am in the rays of the light I will be safe.
"Okay, alright um pointing it at you! shouted Tanaka with a driven and
angst expression. Tanaka refocused his torch on Daniel and then watched
him swim towards him. Daniel was indeed a fast swimmer and Tanaka began
to think that Daniel was actually gifted in the art. As Daniel swam, Tanaka
was worried about the shark he had seen before in the blood and really
hoped that Daniel would make it to him alive without a scratch. Tanaka was
now left with just the task of watching over him, but the ripples he saw way
ahead of him burdened him with great vexation over what he had to do next.
The creatures in sea of blood were now racing towards Daniel with a
diabolical intent. Tanaka wondered what he was supposed to do and averted
his focus from Daniel and fired multiple beams of light at the locations that
relayed the most peculiar surface movement. This only made Daniel panic,
but sadly it did not break the pursuit of these monsters. They were going for
the jugular and Daniel was their full course meal. Tanaka began to panic as
well, trying to think about a solution that could help safe guard Daniel from
peril. The monsters were clearly protected by the layer of thick blood in the
sea and these creatures used this to their advantage. Tanaka fell into deep
pensive thought and wondered what he was going to do and at the same time
felt useless. Daniel kept on swimming regardless of the violent ripples he had
seen before him. He had put his faith in the young man which was pretty
much all he could do. Time was running out and Daniel was about to be
devoured. Tanaka then hissed to himself, "If only there was light in the
water. Tanaka had uttered those words with an absent mind that was
anxious, however upon saying such, an idea came to his mind. Tanaka then

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immediately shouted out, "I have a plan, just stay where you are Daniel. Um
gonna save you! Daniel didn't know what to do with those words but surely
felt less trepid than before. He halted his swimming and anticipated the great
plan Tanaka had come up with. Tanaka began to recall the emotions and
actions that had taken place before the whirlpool was destroyed and charged
his torch. He began to feel the same pain he had gotten before in his head
and saw the build up of light which turned into a soccer ball sized sphere of
light. Tanaka then immediately ejected it into the blood and in an instant, the
blood began to glisten and all the shapes and morbid things were cast with
shadows. The shapes of the serpent and the shark with a scorpion tail were
all revealed to Daniel and the shadows immediately disintegrated into
fragments of flesh. An encompassing spacious bracket of light illuminated
the distance between Daniel and Tanaka. It was as if there were underground
giant flood lights directing their rays upwards to make the blood gleam.
Unlike the light that blew up in the demonic oesophagus, this one remained
in a spherical shape which didnt lose its form. Daniel now had a reason to
keep calm and began to swim towards Tanaka who seemed as relieved he
was. The unexpected turn of events of the whirlpool and the demonic marine
life in the blood had really changed the scope of how messed up the world
had become. Daniel eventually reached Tanaka and upon getting to him he
embraced the young man and said, "You did it kid. You did it. As Daniel
embraced the young man, it began to rain again, with sounds of thunder and
violent winds as the motif of the darkness. The raining of blood became all
too monochromatic to the point that both of them could no longer recognise
the colour of their skin. Everything had become scarlet red in the infinite
darkness.
Daniel and Tanaka were just about to reach the wreckage of the crashed
plane as they swam through the dampness of the vast blood. None of them
said a word and all their thoughts rested on one goal; getting out of the
bloody water. The rain poured down and also came with a repugnant stench,
the kind that made the word noxious seem like an understatement. The two
finally reached debris of the plane and found a floating rudder, propulsion
system and interior walls of the crashed plane. Tanaka spoke slowly into
Daniel's ear and said, "We are almost there. Daniel increased his swimming
pace and tugged Tanaka along. As they got closer to the remnant of the

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plane's rudder, the voice began to laugh again but in a more jovial tone than
its usual malignant self. Tanaka ignored it as he flung himself on top of the
rudder, feeling the cold rusted metal as laid himself on its surface. Just as
Daniel was about to embark the rudder, a scorpion tail from underneath the
rudder threw itself at him and stabbed his left arm. Tanaka was quickly
shaken up by this unexpected circumstance and darted his torch at Daniel.
The tail immediately felt the burn of the light and deteriorated into a gunk of
flesh. The shark which had been lying in wait underneath the rudder quickly
swam away to avoid the wrath of the young man. As if driven by instinct,
Tanaka's torch instantly surged with vibrant luminosity and deployed a small
sphere of light at the creature. The sphere splashed into the blood and
illuminated a huge portion of its volume. The shark instantly deteriorated like
a vampire exposed to sunlight. Tanaka then quickly averted his attention
towards the now incapacitated Daniel who was as much taken by surprise by
this manic ordeal as Tanaka was. Tanaka laid Daniel on the ground, ripped
off his blazer with surprising strength and looked at his sting. Daniel grunted
in pain as Tanaka checked for his wound, feeling the venom circulate into his
system. Daniel went on to shout, "It hurts, ahhh! Damn it, darn it hurts.
Tanaka had never seen manly tears before, but in the moment of Daniel's
gruelling struggle he finally saw how they looked like. The sight of the arm
which had been stung, stirred a plethora of emotions. Daniel's hand
subsequently withered into crinkled flesh, the kind you would find on a
starved human being. The severe form of tissue necrosis had infected his
arm. Daniel's eyes were now slowly becoming heavy and Tanaka was left
speechless at the sight of his deterioration. Daniel looked at the boy with
tears of anguish and said, "Um sorry Tanaka. I thought I could make it.
Damn this hurts, ah!
"No, no, no, no! No, why did this happen. No, you can't die. Listen to me
Daniel, I don't want to be alone anymore. You cant die! cried Tanaka who
held onto to the man. The effort that these two had made, the tribulations
they had experienced, had all come to this, a dreadful tragic end. Tanaka
glanced ahead and noticed that the city was now closer than he expected. He
quickly rummaged through the wreckage scrap and got two cylindrical parts
of something that consisted of the plane's propulsion system. He began to
row the rudder saying, "Its not too late, there should be a pharmacy or two
in town, we can reach the end. You're not gonna end up like everyone.

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You're gonna survive this Daniel! Daniel watched the boy row and to his
surprise, the rudder moved with plausible speed. Tanaka was pouring tears as
he thrusted back and forth the poles into the blood, to get to the Herbert
Chitepo road sea shore. Daniel laid there on the rudder and glanced at
Tanaka with an empathetic eye. Though the pain had maimed him with
insurmountable agony, he felt obligated to tell the boy something important
before he met his end. To his fortune, his pain sensory system was
dishevelled by the venom to the point that he couldn't feel what was killing
him. He then took this moment to tell Tanaka a few words of
encouragement.
"Tanaka, he hissed, "stop, stop.
"Daniel I can't stop now, you once did medicine in school right. I can find a
place with the drugs and medicines and stuff that can help you. This isn't
over! he said pouring tears.
"Tanaka stop, stop. Its okay. You don't have to go to a pharmacy. Um not
gonna make it in time.
"Don't say that man. We made it out of the water together. We can make it
to the end. said Tanaka who was now venting with great sadness.
"Tanaka, its okay, but please stop, I don't have much time to argue with you.
Just come here. said Daniel who looked as gaunt as an ebola patient. Tanaka
felt like resisting the command, but went on to oblige Daniel. He placed the
cylinders that he was using to row on the surface of the rudder and lied next
to Daniel. Daniel was now breathing slowly and coughing at the same time.
The toxin of the sting had spread to his neck and his veins were now looking
green and black. Tanaka felt reinforced with more reasons to burst out in
tears at the sight of the terminally ill Daniel. Daniel then spoke slowly and
said, "Its okay to cry Tanaka, its okay. You know ever since I started
working at bank FBC after graduating I always wanted to be the top dog. I
wanted John Mushayavanhu, Webster Rusere and Felix to notice my worth
but the pressure to impress got to me. The work environment was tough and
there seemed like no hope for it to improve. I went through a lot of ass
kissing to get to my post but forgot the very reason I did in the first place.
"What-what was your reason? he asked as he shivered and lisped his words
with heavy breathing.
"Family and love Tanaka. That was my reason. I have only told my wife this

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and she gagged at the chivalry, but I used this example to give you a reason
to continue on. You have been quite an interesting kid in the short time we
have been together. No matter what this dark world tries to do to you,
survive. I think there are more people who have the torch just like you.
Where this is a spark of hope, the night is flooded with many stars. he said
as he coughed out blood.
"But what if can't go on, you're leaving me alone. Um just a kid with a
freaken magical torch. I can't continue on' on my own. I need help. he said
with his head now lying on his chest.
"Yes you can Tanaka, yes you can. You gotta be strong, you're strong. You
took out those monsters all on your own before we even met. You destroyed
that thing in the water. I couldn't even do anything. It was all you. I know
that this world is scary, but you can survive. he said with saliva now
dripping from his nose and mouth.
"But um all alone on this, whats the point of living? asked Tanaka who
seemed sullen beyond measure.
"Tanaka remember this as you carry on living. THERE IS NO SUCH
THING AS ISOLATED HOPE! IF YOU HAVE THE LIGHT THAT
PROTECTS YOU FROM THE DARKNESS THEN THERE ARE
SURELY OTHERS THERE LIKE YOU. AS LONG AS YOU'RE
BORN INTO THIS WORLD YOU'RE NEVER ALONE.
The words spoken by Daniel struck a chord in Tanaka's mind and made him
realise something. He had encountered the torch by chance but it was indeed
in the possession of the two strange men or at least he found it in their boot.
Tanaka had been against the idea of there being some form of cavalry, but
Daniel had sowed the seeds of hope into the young man. Tanaka was
motivated by Daniel's words but was sadly scarred for life by his final
moments. Daniel began to foam in the mouth and he convulsed until what
constituted life in him had subsided. He had died and Tanaka wept for the
loss of his friend.
The distance between him and the shore had been minimised to less than
200m. Tanaka had been rowing and he had made it past the discouraging
distance. He intended on burying Daniel's corpse and following through with
the plan of leaving Harare. How he would do that was a question he would

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ask himself once he had reached dry land. As he rowed, the rain intensified,
spraying blood everywhere. Hypothermia had been discarded as a possible
concern and Tanaka was now grinding through the dampness and soldiering
on. He was now driven and did not feel like entertaining any negative
thoughts. He had his eyes on the ball and he was going to catch it, however
something peculiar happened. Daniel's decayed body moved. It turned its
head and glanced at Tanaka and said, "Well hello there Tanaka. I have
one question for you. Did you really believe all the shit he was
saying? Tanaka instantly glared at the corpse and pointed his torch at it
saying, "Get out of his body damn it! The corpse began to shiver and cry
with Daniel's voice saying, "No Tanaka don't point it at me, its burning my
skin. Tanaka heard the cry of Daniel and halted. The corpse began to laugh
and then echoed the laughter of the voice in the darkness. Tanaka pointed
the torch at the surface of the rudder which bounced off its differed light at
the corpse. The corpse plucked off its cheek, took a bite, chewed it and
said, "Those sharks do come with dreadful venom don't they, my body
surely tastes god awful. Tanaka felt enraged by its presence and asked it,
"What are you things, what do you want!? The corpse replied, "Well well,
you denied us your flesh and now you're asking us questions. Your
selfishness knows no bounds boy! You want to know the how, why and
what, you gotta pay with your blood! The corpse began to explode in
guttural laughter after uttering what it had said. Its lower jaw immediately slid
off like a disc falling out of its compartment. The corpse eventually fell apart
like a house of cards. Tanaka watched in horror as Daniel's body was
desecrated to a pitiful state. The body fell into pieces that slipped into the sea
of blood never to be seen again. Tanaka could hear the laughter of the voice
which then became audible as if emanating from the clouds. The voice had
now become like thunder, roaring in the heavens with its ominous terror.
Tanaka was not ready to hear what was coming, but he would surely
remember it all in the world of the infinite darkness.
"You want to know what we are puny filth? Well very well, we are the
bane of your existence carved out of the cup of wrath. As man
continuously sinned, the world's gauge of sin was eventually broken,
filling the cup of wrath to its brim and when deadly wine overflows, it
intoxicates the masses. We are the wine of wrath that all of mankind is

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being subjected to. We are here to completely feed on you weak

morsels to our own satisfaction! roared the voice in the darkness. Tanaka
was shocked to hear this and began to recall biblical scriptures that
referenced the end times and the end of the world, but soon enough his
thoughts were interrupted.
"I am the father of all darkness and Mweya Mutema is my son. My son
lived because you cast all your sins upon him to ensure his existence
and he exists to cause mass terror! You're lucky that you have that
little flash light boy. My children would have ripped you to shreds. The
creatures of the darkness are my creation, they are my offspring and
their sole purpose is to feed. My children will be filled up with fat
bellies as they ravage all of humanity. There is no hope for you. There
only lies death and destruction. My son Mweya Mutema will devour
the vessel of innocence and will transcend from his form. You will live
in suffering Tanaka, give up your flesh and die. There is no hope, no
chance, nothing! You will try to fight it, you will live in my world, but
reality well set itself in you. We conquered the north, east, west and
your pathetic south region of your world. There is nothing for you
here, only continued suffering if you remain alive The voice had spoken
and left a dreadful truth. Tanaka had nothing to say as he heard it laugh. It
was truly their world and he knew it, but Daniel's words carried weight and
Tanaka for once didn't cave in to the pressures of the nightmare. Suddenly as
the voice laughed with its thunder like pitch, the state of the weather
changed. The sound of clouds was rendered into the crude sound of people
weeping. The voice went on to say its final remarks, "This is the world of
the weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hell on earth Tanaka. Embrace it
to the fullest! The state of the rain changed from blood to human tears,
pouring heavily as if it were a product of the Amazon forest climate. The
tears didn't cease and neither did the weeping. Harare was drenched in the
tears of the fallen and their sorrow could be felt across as the clouds
thundered.
Tanaka finally reached Herbert Chitepo Avenue and was now walking in
Harare street after get disembarking off the rudder. The passport office to
the left was beyond comprehension and was the archetype for ancient ruins.
The same went for the Girls high school hostels to the right. The durawalls

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had all tipped over and signs of great debauchery had wrecked it in its
entirety. The demons were all around him, minding their own business and
giving him way. The creatures dreaded the light and went on with their
wicked business as usual. The sight of such sickened him, but the fact that he
was all alone, the only sign if life in a world that was now owned by these
creatures made him sad. As he got close to Park Lane street and Samora
Machel road, he noticed that the tile and carpet store and other nearby
buildings had a few vehicles that had been flung at them. The infinite
darkness had come at night so it made perfect sense for the whole road to be
mostly empty, but as Tanaka glanced to the right, he saw the lengthy road
that led to the show grounds which looked empty as well but had blood
puddles. Glancing to the left he saw the rest of the buildings which were all
spoiled and cracked. There was a giant nest on the reserve bank building
which his torch clearly showed with great detail. As he walked slowly along
Samora Michel, he found a truck that had smashed into the Western union
complex, a Mercedes long nose truck. It was drenched in greasy blood and
was beyond repair. But suddenly the door of the truck began to bang open.
A young girl who was wearing hospital clothes, had greasy hair, same height
as Tanaka and had bloodshot eyes came out of the truck. She was wearing a
pendant and upon getting out she screamed out, "Nicholai you bastard, you
came back. Why did you leave me here? Do you know what I had to go
through you sick fuck. You left me to die. You left me here on my own you
sick! Tanaka at first thought that it was a possessed corpse, but the
dishevelled body that ran towards him told a different story. The girl was
another survivor like himself and she ran towards Tanaka in a crippled like
stance. She had cuts on her wrists which were healed up and light ebony skin.
She clung onto Tanaka who was speechless and said, "Nicholai you fucken
asshole why did you leave me here to die! The girl prodded Tanaka and
cried, however the name Nicholai sounded familiar but for the life of him he
couldn't remember the source. The world of infinite darkness had presented
another human being who had survived the carnage, but this time, Tanaka
wanted this survivor to pull through the horrors of the nightmare. He had
remembered what Daniel had said and he hissed to himself, "There is no

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such thing as isolated hope.

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Chapter 8

They call him the

ruthless soldier from
Russia.
"We are going to use you as a ransom to get Austin back, our boss and
member of the Zeal society." he said, changing the gears and pumping more
gas as he passed Josiah Tongogara road. It was the same old job: extraction
and delivery with a hint of malignant intent. Nicholai cruised along Sam
Nujoma road with one objective in hand. To get Austin back! However, in
between feeling driven and switching gears, Nicholai heard a loud shrill. Bob
who was in the passenger seat was startled by unusual sound. Eventually they
began to hear unintelligent voices, the kind that desecrated purity and
innocence. The street lights and many other lights that emanated from the
buildings in the Avenues neighbourhood began to lose their visibility. Even
the far background and foreground that showed the Nassa building and the
rest of Sam Nujoma road up to George Silundika Avenue could not be seen.
It was as if someone had poured black paint over Nicholai's field of vision.
Everything had begun to lose its visibility to the point that it became pitch
black. The screaming and disturbing voices grew louder and progressively
thunderous to the extent Bob screamed out, "What the hell is going on?!"
Nicholai roared as he lost sight of the road, swerving his vehicle to his own
demerit. The darkness had engulfed the encompassing environment,
maiming it with a void of unquestionable depth. Nicholai's vehicle flipped

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over and crashed. This was an unexpected turn of events and something that
Nicholai had not prepared for beforehand. The coming of the infinite
darkness had made its appearance, an era of weeping and gnashing of teeth
that was surely going deface all manner of life, the coming age of terror.
The horrors echoed in the background as the incapacitated two remained
motionless in the now upside down car. After a few minutes Nicholai woke
up, dealing with the sores and bruises on his arms and temple respectively.
The window screen cracked with fragments of the shards of glass all
scattered around. These intricate details weren't visible at all to Nicholai who
seemed to be only seeing black. He fumbled through the vehicle as he heard
the noises. He called out bob's name and got no reply. He could feel his
partner's body but could not tell whether he was dead or just knocked out
due to the crash. In his claustrophobic predicament the violent and depraved
noises reigned supreme, muting any other possible sound. Nicholai felt like
covering his ears with earplugs but his hands didn't have such a leeway to
manoeuvre. All Nicholai could do was just endure as the diabolical noises
sent chills down his spine. The sounds of hopeless, the sounds of suffering
and sound of death were all he could hear and in that moment Nicholai was
vulnerable. Suddenly his breast pocket which had been concealing a tiny
spherical marble began to glimmer. The sphere glowed and dispersed the
darkness in the car. The light was differed and didn't have much intensity. In
an instant Nicholai could now see the shard of glass and the rear view mirror
which revealed to him cuts and scrapes on his face. Nicholai examined the
sphere which was glowing and prodded it with his fingers. He then
remembered what it was and said out loud, "Its Austin's essence." He said
this in an absent minded state as if he was expecting his discovery to be also
marvelled by Bob. As soon as he glanced at Bob's body he noticed that his
temple was bleeding and that most probably he had suffered a severe head
injury. Nicholai tried shaking Bob but the man from Newcastle didn't budge
at all. After giving up on the effort to awaken his colleague he decided to
unstrap the seat belt that hand incarcerated him in the uncomfortable bind.
As tried to yank off the belt he suddenly heard a deep exhale of a creature. It
was somewhere near the vehicle but he couldn't quite pinpoint its location.
Its guttural nostrils sniffed the vehicle, searching for its meal. Despite the
loud and disturbing cacophony of horror in the background, Nicholai could

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hear this creature. Its slithering gave away its size which probably that of a
whale. In an instant the vehicle which had crashed near Five avenue was
flung by the beast. Nicholai was helpless in this situation as his body felt the
impact of the vehicle being tossed. It was no different from being in free fall,
but this was the kind of fall that promised great pain and flustration. The
clanging of the metal as the vehicle crashed bruised Nicholai's back with
relentless severity. The demon however did not consider his misfortune and
thus pursued the flung vehicle with murderous intent. Nicholai sensed the
coming of the oblivion and disembarked himself out of the now disgorged
BMW. He kicked the door open and hurled himself out as the demon
dropped its weight on the vehicle. Bob's body was pressed down to the point
of graphic mutilation. The terror in the eyes of the Russian man was one that
could not be described in words as he saw the state of his vehicle and partner
go through a grotesque desolation. This was not what he had planned for
and this was clearly going to inhibit his plan. The luminous sphere in his
breast pocket did not do much to add clear visibility of what was before him,
but the little he could distinguish in the infinite darkness was enough for him
to take relative defensive action. Nicholai was worried about Tanaka who
was in the boot as the creature slithered over the passenger seat, crushing the
right side of the vehicle. Nicholai crawled his way to safety as he saw the
demon glare it him with empty eyes of savagery. The two Berettas which had
been strapped to his lower back were quickly unsheathed and fired at the
wretched abomination. Nicholai clenched his teeth as he gutted it down,
emptying both cartridges of his two weapons. The demon's exterior flesh was
destroyed by the bullets, peeing it death as he slithered towards Nicholai. The
fiend tasted death and fell before Nicholai who looked as if his heart had
almost given out. His sweat had dampened his clothing and his adrenaline
had kicked into another gear. His breathing, his concentration and even
acceptance of what he had seen were all distorted and trying to find
precedence in his situation. The moment of shock quickly disappeared as he
felt the flow of blood on his hip. The vehicle being tossed had done much
more damage than he had expected, but there was no time to whimper over
his pain. The creatures in the infinite darkness were sure to come and grab
his attention, but what was even more dreadful was what was happening to
the inhabitants of the Avenues. The hapless souls who had been asleep in
their apartments, mistaking the darkness for the usual power cuts that

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occurred in Zimbabwe were now in great suffering. As the teeth of the

depraved sunk their teeth into the flesh of the masses, a great unanimous cry
was echoed in that area. Nicholai could hear children, fathers, mothers and
the elderly scream to their heart's content. The forced entry into the homes
and private property were audible in the cacophony. The breaking of
windows, furniture, walls and even the bursting of pipes were
complementary to the already existing discord. In that moment Nicholai
realised how grave his situation was and pondered over what to do next. He
remembered his initial objective and thought about retrieving Tanaka's body.
He hoped that the boy was still alive, and as soon as he got back on his feet,
he made his way towards the car. As he trotted, clinging onto his hip to stop
the flow of blood, something suddenly descended from the sky. It was
abrupt in its landing and quickly devoured the carcass of the creature he had
just killed. The unusual act of cannibalism was the least of Nicholai's
concerns as he was faced with the dreaded choice of either retrieving Tanaka
whilst nursing his injury in a hostile environment or fleeing from the scene
until he recuperated. Though these options played out in his head, the
unknown beings of the infinite darkness were not like people who would act
according to his logic. Nicholai eventually made the decisive call and ran
away from the dreaded creature. Whatever would happen to Tanaka was now
beyond his control. His decision had peeved him inside, but his pride would
not equate to his survival in this situation. All Nicholai could do was just trot
down Baines Avenue as he tried by all means to avoid the distracted beast
which was relishing on the flesh of its own kind. The light that emanated
from the breast pocket slowly began to increase in vigour, going from being
dim to being a bit bright. As this happened he had just passed the Baines
avenue flats' neighbourhood main gate, getting a glimpse of a screaming man
who was being pursued by reptilian maggots which had serrated teeth. This
ghastly imagery made him wonder whether he would encounter such as he
trotted away. Nicholai could only recall hearing the tearing of human meat
and demented laughter as the man met his end in the darkness. This was only
going to escalate further into a nightmare of obscene proportions and
Nicholai was already beginning to doubt his chances. As his light became
more luminous, he could now see at most a meter's worth of visible objects
within his immediate position. The sudden rise in intensity from the sphere
of light had surprised Nicholai, but what he had not prepared for was when

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the sphere dissolved. It liquefied itself and soaked his chest, but as a result of
such happening, the unexpected happened. Nicholai grew a white fiery aura
which covered his body from head to toe. He was now no more different
from a fluorescent walking light bulb inside a thick black fog of darkness.
Nicholai darted at his body, marvelling at the glistening aura which seemed to
be keeping him warm, but the pangs of his bleeding hip made his awe short
lived. He coughed out blood and cursed as he moved along. The sound of a
plane which was plummeting began to increase gradually, even getting to the
point of muting the screams of the people who were suffering in the
Avenues. As Nicholai wondered what was going on, he heard a sudden
boom and loud explosion. The impact of the crash landing was like a
thunderous drum interspersed with the friction of scrap metal. The plane had
crashed in Chinamano Avenue, just before new Mazoe road. This was to the
north east of Nicholai's current position and this as he expected was one of
the elements that were going to escalate the chaos and carnage. The level of
uncertainty reached a towering high in Nicholai and made him wonder what
he was to do next in situation that could not be predicted. His aura of light
which acted more like a bulb emitting light managed to show him the sign
post of Baines clinic. It was the towering facility that was just after the Baines
Avenue flats, separated from the compacted neighbourhood by the usual
asbestos durawall. The visage of the facility made him realise that he could
patch up his bleeding hip with the medical utensils inside. His first objective
had become clear and he thus made his way to the clinic which looked more
like a hospital. As Nicholai turned right, heading towards the entrance which
had the usual guard post and barricades, the demon which had ignored him
to devour its own kin had now averted its attention towards him. The
fiendish beast galloped towards Nicholai, smashing into the durawall that
acted as the bulwark to the facility. The escalation towards a bitter and grave
night had now begun and this surely he would never forget.

Nicholai passed the pharmacy which was locked and sprinted towards the
adjacent block which had the patient wards. As soon as he reached the glass
revolving doors he found a nurse who was crouching near the receptionist
counter. The great darkness which had infringed the room before had now

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been subsided by his aura. The light that emanated from his body revealed to
him a perfect example of mass hysteria in a chaotic environment. The
corridors had nurses and other complimentary staff members cringing in fear
on the floor with some screaming at the sound of the unintelligent voices.
Nicholai took out his carbine which he had tucked away in his jacket and
pointed it at the nurse. The sight of a glowing man was one thing, but the
sight of one pointing a gun at her was something that the nurse wasn't
prepared for. She immediately rose up from where she was and ran the
opposite direction. Nicholai was speechless upon seeing the young ebony
skinned nurse leave before he had a chance to siphon information from here.
He only needed to ascertain where the medical kit and drugs were kept, but
this was probably the worst time to be interrogating people. Nicholai thus
passed the ground floor and made his way to the first floor where
encountered people who were either being devoured by a grotesque being or
were running away aimlessly without the ability to perceive anything in the
darkness. Some staff members in the clinic mistook Nicholai as a man with a
flash light. The moment they noticed that the light was just aura around his
body, the staff members were startled at the sight of Nicholai. This was
perplexing situation for them indeed and to make matters worse a number of
creatures had invaded the premises. Patients who had been sleeping in their
wards were devoured without a forewarning. As Nicholai began to call out
for a doctor, he began to see a lot of carnage and mayhem in the hospital.
The brutality in which the janitors, nurses, security guards and patients were
massacred was represented on the walls: gallons of blood, limbs and
protruding flesh were all decorating the walls. Nicholai from time to time
fired his carbine at the creatures, as he called out for a doctor. He opted to
treat himself but realised that he wouldn't have time to do so. The demon
which had left outside had entered the facility, but soon forgot about him
when it discovered humans that had been quivering in the darkness, unable
to see and in a stationary position. What that creature did to them was
beyond the descriptive capabilities of any insane man, it was purely horrid
and beyond remorse. This all took place on the ground floor which Nicholai
had left. He finally found a medic kit compartment which was mounted on
the walls and broke it open by striking the glass casing with the hilt of his
gun. The shards of glass all decorated the hospital floors and made a scrapelike sound as Nicholai walked over them. He took a bottle of spirit, needle

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and thread, bandages, morphine bags and a plastic container full of penicillin.
Nicholai then immediately ran into a random ward and settled in it. In the
room he found a nurse and a female doctor crouching and hugging one of
the patients on the bed respectively. The sight of him walking in and
dispersing the pitch black darkness that had engulfed the room had given
them relief, but at the same time seeing a glowing man was something no one
would be ever ready for. The chubby toffee skinned nurse with an oblong
face, puffy cheeks, small succulent lips, pulled back hair and a blue attire
screamed out, 'Mhama mhama!' Nicholai ignored the scream of the woman
and the astonishing glare from the female doctor. He instead tended to his
wound and began to stitch it up, applying the spirit and subtly grunting at the
pain. The young boy on the bed who was being embraced in the form of a
mother-like hug from the female doctor glanced at the man. His faint voice
which echoed a weakness only peculiar to those maimed by illness addressed
a question at the man.
"Are you an angel?" asked the young boy. He was an 8 years old, scrawny,
pale ebony skinned boy with short hair, a thin and narrow face and eyes that
looked droopy. His question startled the doctor who had been covering his
head to alleviate him from the anxiety of the screaming monsters in the
darkness. Nicholai was bewildered by such a question, but quickly replied,
"Um no angel, just a man. You over there, doctor aren't you? Come here fix
me up." The doctor's eyes were instantly drawn towards the man's eyes with
utter stupefaction. Her initial reaction towards the summoning was that of
stern refusal. However Nicholai raised his carbine which consequently caused
both the doctor and nurse to scream. Nicholai fired one shot at ceiling which
caused some plaster to fall onto the floor. The warning shot filled the doctor
with horror and petrified the nurse. The doctor, who was in her mid thirties,
had a healthy and well maintained thick figure, wavy curly hair fresh from the
salon, squint eyes, a supple round face with well defined cheek bones and a
height of 6 feet. She looked at Nicholai with great uncertainty and at the
same tried to take in the reality that things had gone way off the tangent of
sanity. The glowing man to her was as frightening as the absence of light and
disturbing voices in the darkness. Her inner being wanted to stay put where
she was, but she decided to oblige the man with the gun. She kissed the
young boy on the forehead and told him, "Listen to me John, don't panic on

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me. Everything is going to be okay. Keep calm and think happy thoughts.
Everything is going to be okay. Dr. Rondozai isn't going anywhere, just stay
strong."
"Hurry up now or else I will shoot your friend!" roared Nicholai. Dr.
Rondozai slowly removed herself from the bed-ridden boy called John and
shuffled slowly towards the glowing man. Nicholai could have easily
continued to patch himself up, but believed that the best thing he needed
was the expertise of one in the medical field. As Dr. Rondozai approached
him, the window at the opposite end from where Nicholai was' was broken
from outside. A yeast-like creature with dark granular textured skin with
orifices all over its withered amphibious body was fuming with the souls of
those it had devoured. The now exposed part of the room facilitated the rush
of hot humid air. It was no different from a mid summer heat wave as a
result of diffusion. This change of atmosphere complimented the arrival of
the demon, but what was more frightening was the fact there was another
person at the far end of the room. The other bed which was adjacent to the
one John was lying on was separated from his bed by a curtain. The heavy
drapery had concealed almost half of the rest of the room and only exposed
the window which had been broken by the demon. The nurse jumped back
upon hearing the smashing of the glass and even shrilled upon hearing the
scream of a young teenage girl. It had become apparent to everyone that
there was one more human being in the room. Dr. Rondozai, acting upon
instinct, ran to get John off his bed. Nicholai observed the frenzy that took
place before him and quickly reloaded his weapon and fired 6 shots at the
demon. The bullets didn't do much to stop it, as it prepared to lunge itself at
him. The screaming girl behind the curtain had been ignored by the creature
and it was now Nicholai who was on the menu. The nurse fastened her body
at the very corner of the room whilst Dr. Rondozai concealed John in her
arms. The creature's speed of propulsion was like lightning and so was its
quick death. As soon as it got close enough to maim the man, its ghastly
body disintegrated into a pile putrid flesh. The remnants of its muscle tissue
crinkled away into nothingness and disappeared. Nicholai who had not
blinked at all at the sight of such a phenomenon feigned heavy panting. The
girl who had been behind the curtain continued to cry, pouring out her tears
without a hint of reservation. She eventually made her way to Nicholai and

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the rest, with a brisk walk that reflected her fear. She was 5.5feet tall, petite,
light ebony skinned with an oval shaped head, greasy elongated hair and wide
hips. Her face was crisp and etched with a brazen look that was
complemented by her thin and sharp nose, but yet still maintained a feminine
elegance expected from a young lady. As soon as she got to the other side,
she curled into a ball right next to Nicholai, cringing in fear as she chanted,
"Daddy still loves me, daddy still loves me." Nicholai glanced at the young
child and whispered said to her, "Um sure he does, you're safe now." He
grunted as he said this, now tending to his wound. The nurse went on a
cursing spree, wondering what the hell was going on as she quivered in her
corner. The doctor who had earlier on feared the presence of Nicholai soon
enough asked him, "Who are you? What was that thing just now?" Nicholai
wanted her to tend to his wounds but realised that this was the wrong time to
be subjugating civilians. He instead took a long pause and asked, "Do you
believe in the principle of natural selection?" Dr. Rondozai remained quiet
and didn't attempt to answer him. She hugged and comforted John who was
at the breaking point of fear. He was in a state of shock and undeniable
dread. His heart was thumping hard and somehow Dr. Rondozai knew that
he needed every bit of her comfort to remain strong. This was the horror and
fret everyone was sharing in the room. Nicholai who was irked by her silence
and went on to say, "Well you see, natural selection has made mankind
obsolete... well the majority at least. Only the select few who survive will
become part of the paradise."
"Select few!?" asked the nurse who seemed perplexed at the same time still
afraid of the glowing man.
"Yes, the select few under the leadership of my boss, the era of Austin." said
Nicholai with a grating smug on his face. None of them understood what
Nicholai was saying and at this point, anything he was going to say was going
to be considered as gibberish. An ominous silence fell in the room which was
soon to be toppled by the sounds of two women crying and one boy sulking.
The only two who did not indulge in the whimpering were Dr. Rondozai and
the glowing man from Russia. The door which had been shut in the room
was suddenly burst open. The face of a stout light skinned ebony man

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wearing a standard Hawaii summer t-shirt and denim trousers was

accompanied by 3 other men. The man who had just waltzed in was covered
in blood, but not his blood. The flesh of those who had been mutilated in the
Baines Clinic hospital had been sprinkled all over his body with such
murderous precision. The man who had just walked in felt relieved to have
just escaped the carnage in the darkness. It was the same for other two who
were trailing behind him, however the fourth escapee wasn't as lucky as his
companions. As the three walked in, Dr. Rondozai and the rest of the gang
were startled by their dramatic entrance and the nurse did not miss an
opportunity to scream her lungs out upon seeing the blood drenched stout
man. Dr. Rondozai blocked John's ears and held him tight, not even giving
him the time of day to peculiarities before her. It was clear to her that things
had completely gone south. She was as petrified as the rest but was remaining
strong willed for the sake of John. However that strength was soon short
lived upon the arrival of the fourth man. The fourth man had just put one leg
into the room before a mangled thorn like hand had punch through his
chest, coming out the other side. Everyone who was in the ward watched in
horror as he was yanked back into the darkness. He was returned to the void
where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth, unprecedented violation of
one's body and sadistic brutality. Dr. Rondozai cried upon seeing the
gratuitous violence and subsequent death of a colleague. In that moment she
let lose her emotions. The 3 men who had survived; the stout man with the
Hawaii summer t-shirt who had entered first, the security guard who was
wearing his black uniform and a semi-athletic 20 year old boy had arrived to
further their understanding of fear. The moment they realised that the source
of light which they had assumed was from a flash light or solar lantern was
actually Nicholai, they went into a frenzy of fear and one of them even a
chanted a prayer. Everything in that moment had gone to shit way too fast
for their ability to desensitize. The only room with the light became the one
Nicholai was in. From the top floor to bottom floor of Baines Clinic, there
was murder and suffering. Patients, staff, doctors who had stayed for their
night shift and the neighbouring flats all around had been subjugated to great
terror and savagery. No one knew what was going on exactly in the world

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except for Nicholai who had just finished patching up his wound. However,
what they clearly shared together was their mutual acknowledgement of the
present fear in their lives, the existence of the infinite darkness. At the back
of Nicholai's mind, he was wondering whether Tanaka was still alive. Austin
had told him that he was going to be the one who brings the child to him
and as far as he was concerned, Austin was never wrong. As those in the
hospital met their fatalistic end and those in the surrounding neighbourhood
met their demise, Nicholai could not help but burst into a guttural laughter
saying, "The world is dead; this is now the era of darkness!"

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Chapter 9

The glowing man in

the infinite darkness.
Nicholais chuckle left a disheartening feel amongst the members of the
surviving group; a negative externality of his very existence that he never
considered when he did things. The shock and sight of the glowing man in
the infinite darkness was still etched in their minds and with the
complimentary horror that surrounded them did not do much to alleviate
their already rising despair. Nicholai glanced at Emma, the girl with greasy
hair who had maintained her curled ball position. The three men stood at a
distance, observing the seated Nicholai wasnt even irked at all by their
darting eyes. The stout man with Hawaii t-shirt was the one who broke the
ice and asked, What are you? Nicholai was surprised that the question had
come sooner than he had anticipated, but nevertheless he obliged the man
and said, Um a survivor, just like you. My name is Nicholai Vickinder.
Before you get your religious hope high in this situation, just know that I am
not an angel, never was and never will be. Nicholais clarification did not
help the situation and it caused the security guard to shout out, Demoni iri,
demoni iri! This random shouting caused the rest of the group to be
startled. In an instant Nicholai realised if the security guard went on with the
shouting he would cause mass hysteria in the room and cause chaos to the

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already dire situation. Nicholai aimed his gun at the ceiling, fired a shot and
shouted out, Shut the fuck up! Dr. Rondozai was bewildered by the turn of
events and noticed the trepid scream of Emma. John began to pour out tears,
soaking the bosom of Dr. Rondozai who could tell that the boy was barely
keeping it to the together. The nurse became one with the wall as she cringed
in fear after the gunshot. The men panted liked overworked beasts,
recuperating after a long run. Nicholai went to say, You want to know what
is going on, sure let me explain your current situation. If you did not know
the definition of totally fucked, then youre in it. Youre totally immersed in
pure shit I tell you. As you can see, the things that are chewing your buddies
like sugar cane are Diablo in the dark. However, luckily for you guys Diablo
hates the light thus we are united together to bask in my light.
Youre not making much sense sir, said Dr. Rondozai who lisped over
every word she uttered, Are you saying that things are demons NicNicholai?
Precisely, you catch on fast doctor. If more of you quickly digest the
situation quickly, you wont be turned into chopped liver. The things outside
are demons, ready to consume anyone who steps out of my light.
Demons!? How is that even possible? There is no such thing! screamed out
the young semi athletic boy. His gesticulations showed great disapproval
towards what Nicholai had said, grimacing despite the fact that he was still
startled by the sight of him. Nicholai then glared at him and said, I guess a
class in atheism always skips that part of the spectrum. Demons exist boy,
never forget that. Upon hearing this, the 20 year old 5.9feet tall young adult
called Hilary Madzima could not help but feel instant rejection of such a
truth. He had a lean physique, oblong crisp face, dread-locks, a crooked noise
and lazy eyes. He had the stoner lock and a blunt could easily fit him into the
prediscribed imagery. Regardless of his personal beliefs, what he had seen
could not merely be effaced by his stern beliefs. The sight of the man who
was pulled into the darkness, the noises outside and inside the hospital which
told a grave story of death and unprecedented mutilation staunched his
ironclad denial. In the face of death, there was no denial for Hilary. As this

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reality sinked into his frame, the stout man went onto ask, So those things
are demons?
Yes they are and as long as youre in the dark, you will be their food.
How are you glowing? asked the stout man.
This light you see here isnt mine. Its an extension of my boss Austin, the
one who will change everything back to normal once we find him.
Austin? they asked, some hissing and others in their thoughts. This
puzzled everyone who was still dealing with the fact that there were in a
nightmare and to add more fuel to the madness, Austin was supposedly the
saviour in their bleak predicament. Nicholai noticed their vexation and went
on to say, My boss Austin is going to set the world in order. This reality
youre currently experiencing is but a phase that will pass once he has
established control. The darkness will go away and everything that comes
with pain will cease to exist. Emma averted he hidden gaze and glanced at
Nicholai with down casted eyes. She had been lost in her sadness, but the
iteration of the end of pain struck a chord in her spirit. Something she longed
for more than anyone else, a personal scarcity in her life.
Do you mean it when you say the end of pain? asked Emma, who
resembled a child whose only chance to happiness was an exceptional form
of escapism. Her innocence which was fastened to her frame showed a great
yearning that Nicholai could easily observe despite the greasiness of her hair.
Her vulnerability and despair was all exposed to him, nothing left but
remnants of ones broken self-esteem. Nicholai looked into her eyes and said,
With Austin as the leader of the new age, the pain will go away little one.
Hilary couldnt believe what was happening and sighed inside, grasping his
face with utter stupefaction. The nurse who had had cringed to the point of
aligning herself with the wall beckoned a surrender with her body language
and slow sat on the ground. Everyone was dealing with the reality in their
own way, some better than others, but for Nicholai this meant that they
would devote their hopes towards him. In the graveness of any turbulence,
the stable figure is always the pillar of strength.
Now if anything at all is going to progress, youre going to have listen to
me. I have a mission to see to it that I get someone to Austin and that

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someone is outside. Said Nicholai who feigned fluid speech regardless of

the pain of his hip peeving. Though Nicholai had been glowing, something
that was still terrifying most of them, the stout man mustered the courage to
overcome his fear and asked, Someone outside?
Yes, someone outside in the dark.
But those things are out there, those things that are killing people in the
hospital are you planning on going back out there? asked the stout man.
I guess you and the others dont understand. There is no safety anyway;
every single area in the dark is just death waiting for you people. I am the
light here, the reason why youre alive. said Nicholai as he pointed at the
putrid carcass of the demon that had blown up upon trying to pounce on
him. Both the stout man and the other men scanned his raised right hand
which pointed at the bloody remnant of the demon that exploded. This was
their first time taking notice if the wretched specimen on the floor and the
visage of the broken window which had no distinguishable features beyond it
reinforced more fear. The darkness which was as concrete as the depressing
reality they were facing made them instantly look back at Nicholai. Nicholai
ignored their mutual display of discomfort and said, That thing on the floor
died because of the light coming from my body. The reason more of them
havent come through yet is because they cant stand being in my light. As
long youre within my light nothing will happen to you he said, just
before he coughed out some blood. Nicholai held his mouth and felt the
scarlet liquid moisturise his palm. Dr. Rondozai noticed this and began to
worry. John had clenched onto her with a full proof grip as if his life
depended on it. The coughing was something that she was familiar with, and
the bleeding hip that Nicholai was grasping was evident that he was drawing
close towards a critical condition. Dr. Rondozai whispered into Johns ears
and told him, John, I need to help that man. I wont be gone for long. Be
strong and be brave. I will be back shortly.
Please dont, stay with me, please dont let go. Said the boy who tightened
his grip even more, squinting his eyes as the tears poured down his cheeks.
Its okay, you gotta be strong, I will be back. She said, stroking his head
gently with great concern for his fleeting stamina.

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No please, I dont want to be left alone. Please Mrs. Rondozai dont leave
alone. Please! said the boy who tightened his grip as if trying to smother her.
Dr. Rondozai knew all too well that the boy was struggling to cope with the
situation just as much as the adults were, but she had to do what needed to
be done. Dr. Rondozai left John on his own, kissed on the forehead as she
left to tend to Nicholais wound. The glowing man who was as luminous as a
solar lantern lit up the flames of uncertainty in Dr. Rondozai as she tiptoed
to him. Her mind tried to discern the feasibility of the human body glistening
like a fluorescent, thinking about all the theories that scientists had theories
and when that didnt surmise, she went to think of religious alternative
possibilities. As she reached his body Nicholai said, Its okay, you can come
here, um not going hurt you or anything like that, just take your time. This
bruise really needs adequate medical attention. As if making a leap of faith,
she quickly dashed to look at his wound. Dr. Rondozai who had expected
some sort of unusual feeling or pain upon being in the presence of Nicholai
was subtly surprised that nothing within her physiology apart from the
receding fear upon contact, had changed. She sighed in relief, quickly
removing the cloth she had been using to clog his wound. The stiches he had
tried to place were hardly methodical and were a tad rushed. Dr. Rondozai
quickly called out Abbys name, the nurse had been lost in her fear of the
known that she had lost track of what was happening all around her. She
repeated her name 4 times until Nicholai reciprocated by calling out her
name which immediately restored the nurses cognitive senses. Abby, the
chubby and panda shaped nurse with dark ebony skin, pulled back her braids
as her right hand twitched. Her face revealed an undeniable sullenness and a
pout that was similar to that of collapsing crevices in a cave. Her waning
frame showed uncertainty and ambiguity. Dr. Rondozai wasnt sure whether
she was hesitating or whether she had frozen under Medusas spell, but one
thing for sure, her 5th calling out got her back into reality.
Abby, listen to me, open that cupboard and drawer and get the disinfectants
and drip. Also get the syringes in the black jar on the top shelf. screamed
Dr. Rondozai.

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Okay, okay um getting that done, said Abby who seemed to have
swallowed her words as she uttered, tasting the tears that flowed down her
cheeks in the process, the syringes in the black jar!?
Yes. Get them quickly or else he will start convulsing. He needs to get a
tetanus shot! screamed out Dr. Rondozai who was applying pressure on the
wound, glancing at Nicholai who was feigning an indifference towards his
pain. Emma, the rest of the men and even the petrified John, all darted at
Abby who opened the fitted cupboard and drawer, rummaging through the
contents and meticulously selecting the right medication. She carried all that
she had collated and began to pace towards Nicholai. Nicholai who had been
looking at Dr. Rondozai, who was scrutinising his wound, quickly stared at
Abby upon hearing her footsteps and inadvertently caused her to drop the
medical utilities when looked into his eyes. She hadnt gotten used to the fact
that he was a glowing man and the luminosity of his body made his eyes
shimmer as if they were burning sulphur, something that recoiled a nasty
sensation of inner dread in her spirit. She took a few steps back as if the path
beyond entailed death, but was quickly hurled back to the task when Dr.
Rondozai said, Its okay Abby, his harmless, you see nothing has happened
to me. I f um fine you will be fine as well. Just bring things here and we can
move forward. Dr. Rondozai was clearly okay and this resonated with her
mind, pushing her beyond the barrier of fear she had self-inflicted. Abby
picked up the syringes, the morphine plastic bag and other items, handing
them over to Dr. Rondozai. Her sweat tripled upon being in the same
breathing space as Nicholai. Regardless of the fact that her fear had impeded
concise progress with treatment of Nicholai, the Russian however was not at
all angered at all by her inadequacy, but was aroused. The fear she had of him
gave him a hedonistic pleasure peculiar to him. One that relayed diminutive
smug that only the stout man took notice of. Dr. Rondozai asked for towels
as she injected Nicholai with tetanus shots and pain suppressants. She
rubbed a medicinal liquid on the wound and bandaged it. The whole process
seemed very methodical and the rest of the individuals in the room all
looked, equivocal at best at the sight of what happened. The stout man,
Hilary and the security guard all looked at each other speechless, their eyes

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wondering about but reflecting their confusion. Emma peeped through her
hair strands in her curled ball position. She remained stationary, observing as
Dr. Rondozai went to work. However, when she turned to the side to look at
John, her dilated eyes were promptly raised when saw his empty soulless
expression. Only she had noticed the vacancy of his frame and in that
moment, the fears that came from the infinite darkness and the demons
beyond were second to nothing compared to the dread she felt from the
boys ghastly appearance.

The howls of the night and the screaming of those who lived in the Avenues
went on for a while; sounds of carnage and dismay echoing in the
indistinguishable darkness. It was as if a grand choir which specialised in
discord had gathered outside to profane the air. The noise which did not
cease, interspersed by the sound of wailing demons sent a chill down all their
spines. The ward which contained the 7 people who survived the gruelling
butchery was the least tainted room in the whole hospital. The upper floors
had all been wiped out in a depraved bloodbath, fountains of blood trickling
down stairs like a stream. The sound of screaming had disappeared and it
was replaced by the sound blood dripping and the occasional disgorged
furniture falling apart. This had now become a mental trial for the survivors
who could not even hear themselves think. The noise which had heightened
after Nicholai had been patched up had instilled a silence within the group
for an hours length. Emma had covered her ears with her hands in the
duration of the unsavoury ruckus. It was the same for John, Abby and the
rest of the men. Nicholai and Dr. Rondozai did not cover their ears; the
noise wasnt much to Nicholai and Dr. Rondozai had tended to her domestic
duties of taking care of John by embracing him in her arms. The howling and
winds of the night stirred panic in the security guard who seemed to be
chanting prayers whereas Hilary and the stout man had put their backs
against the wall, wielding dismantled drip stands as weapons for self-defence.
Abby had returned to her prior position with a mangled facial expression as
she emulated Emmas current disposition. Nicholai was also terrified, but he

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had gotten accustomed to dealing with his fear and soldiered on impeccably
as the others waned in mental fortitude. As soon as the high pitched sounds
had gone, the gradual volition to ask Nicholai more about what was
happening came in the mind of Dr. Rondozai. She broke the silence which
had just returned and asked, Mr. Nicholai, whatever or whoever you are.
Please explain to us everything at least the crux of things.
Tell us everything, please. Please tell us what the hell is going on.
Interloped the stout man.
Wasnt the explanation of demons good enough? said Nicholai who
seemed clueless of what else they desired.
No. Its not good enough. We want understand why this is happening and
where you came from and how youre even glowing. Said Dr. Rondozai.
Are you like a special agent? asked Hilary who looked at him dead in the
eye.
Yes I am kid, but not the kind you think but the information you seek is
beyond your scope of understanding. It is utterly useless for me to tell you
anything that I know. he said with a hint of apathy.
Try us then. With whats already happening I dont think anything crazy
youd say would surprise us anymore more than whats already happening.
Trust me my dear, even a poor wretch like me couldnt handle the truth
when I heard if from my boss the first time, youd simple collapse upon
discovering the truth. Let it be. He said sternly.
What youre doing doesnt make sense, why withhold shit from us, like
honestly. Is this like some biological weapon or something that the Russians
sent to this place? Are you a terrorist? asked Hilary who was gradually going
paranoid.
Young man watches too many spy movies I see, but to what benefit would
Russia get from wiping out this hospital let alone this country. You have an
active imagination young man but its clearly misplaced. chuckled Nicholai
who was astounded by what Hilary had just said.
That glowing body of yours could be some special military suit. My cousin
in the army told me some interesting stories, I think youre some kinda
special agent. Insisted Hilary.

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You took the agnostic stance I see, little boy you saw what you saw and
heard what you heard didnt? What do you think that was? asked Nicholai
inquisitively.
I dont know, but um definitely not going to be mind-fucked into your
demon bullshit. Those things, I dont know, I think its a virus or
something.
And what about the pure black night of beyond the window and the dead
thing on the floor and the noises, can your logic explain what they are?
teased Nicholai.
There is no moonlight cuz its midnight or something said Hilary before
being interjected by Abby.
Listen kid, shut up. Just shut the fuck up. screamed Abby whose irritation
towards Hilarys denial had reached its peak. Hilary was surprised by this and
was muddled by her sudden cry. Dr. Rondozai caught a glimpse of his eyes
and signalled for a desist on his part. Her body language conveyed the
message and Hilary instantly reclined and left the adults to the task of asking
questions. Nicholai was astonished by the breakdown of communication
which had transpired before his eyes. The stout man immediately took this
opportunity to ask, We really need to know. Give us some closure to whats
going in detail. The how, who and what. Please tell us what you know.
Yes Nicholai, please tell us everything dont hold back anything at all. Said
Dr. Rondozai who was now stroking the hair follicles of John who had fallen
fast asleep. Nicholai had no intention of telling any of them what was really
going on and had preferred the route towards secrecy, however keeping all
that information to himself would lead to distrust and insubordination from
the group members. The thought of lying came to mind and feeling them
with nonsense to go by or the possibility of him killing them all and
continuing on with his mission however the last thing hed want to do is get
into conflict with potential allegiants. As far as he was concerned, these were
potential citizens in the era of Austin, killing them would deplete the
population of the coming age, and besides, Tanaka Manyika was still in the
bonnet of his dishevelled BMW. The last thing on his mind was causing
dissention which would prolong his stay. All of the people in the ward were

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disposable anomalies in terms of combat ability, but with Bob dead, the one
who knew Harare inside out, Nicholai would have to rely on the locals for
directions. Many things apart from the fact he had to get Tanaka played in
his mind. Tanakas brother, Collin, who had Austin as his hostage was the
formidable anomaly in his way, one that he wouldnt reveal to the rest of the
group. The dynamics of his mission had become complicated: Bob was dead,
he was injured, had possible liabilities or assets in the room and he had to
face the highly trained and deadly Collin Manyika in the world of infinite
darkness. This was among the list of his growing problems, but his
immediate concerns were getting Tanaka who was supposedly alive become
Austin was never wrong. Though this sounded ridiculous considering how
the rest of the world was experiencing mass extermination, Nicholai did not
at all doubt the chances of Tanakas survival. All he could was just hope that
he was still in the boot, incapacitated but not gravely harmed. After
contemplating in his head how he would carry on his mission and get Tanaka
to his boss, an intricate plan was conceived from the depths of the Russians
mind. Nicholai then glanced at everyone and said, I think its time I told you
what is and how the world has gone to shit. The stout man, security guard,
Hilary, Emma, Abby and Dr. Rondozai devoted all their attention towards
the glowing man. Dr. Rondozai went onto to say, Were listening. Nicholai
straightened his frame and then began to say, Before I oblige you with a
horrific tale, does anyone know where Crowne Plaza? The Mezzanine floor?
What? asked Hilary who seemed disappointed by the anti-climax.
Crowne Plaza is just next to the Harare gardens, its not too far from here.
Is it important in what you have to tell us? asked the stout man.
No, its besides what um talking about, but its where we will be going after
I heal up and retrieve the boy. Said Nicholai with a stern look.
Wait a minute, you want us to fucken go outside. I thought you said you
wouldnt bring the pain. I dont want fucken go outside. I dont wanna. No,
no, no, no. I want to stay here where um safe. screamed Emma.
You have it all wrong little girl, this ward isnt safe for now because the
monsters in the dark ignored it. Its safe because my body is generating light
that keeps them away. If I leave you here alone in the dark, you will die. said

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Nicholai who seemed irritated by her interjection. Emma immediately

absorbed the information given to her and went silent. The corrosive nature
of Nicholais remark left the girl at a loss of words. Dr. Rondozai. Hilary,
Abby and the stout man were shocked by the acrimonious words that had
come out of Nicholais mouth. At that moment it became clear that their
saviour was not a saint and that anything that they wold do or say would
work against them. After hushing the girl, Nicholai went on to say, After I
tell you the truth about what is happening you must take to Crowne Plaza.
Only if you promise me that you will guide me there will I kindly tell you
prospects for the future.
Okay Nicholai. said Dr. Rondozai who seemed poised as she addressed
him.
Very well. You see the world is as my boss put it is a construct of innocence
and wickedness, pretty much good an evil to put it in simple terms.
Humanity is driven to either acts of evil or acts of good, but here is the catch.
Its pretty bad when we do bad things.
Isnt always bad? asked Hilary with a sarcastic tone.
Hmm the atheist at least confers with um saying, touch, but when people
sin, the thing that taints their body is emitted by the body and is sent to a
realm similar to what they call hell in the biblical sense.
So what happens to this emitted stuff? asked the doctor.
Its contained in a vacuum called the cup of wrath, the liquor of poison,
death and hades. And when that cup fills up, the wine of wrath over flows
and seeps into the physical realm. Thus, the monsters are a product of our
sins. We are in a sense a victim of our own vices and the whole world played
a part in this." said Nicholai who seemed hardly phased by what he just told
them.
So this is the end of the world, like the apocalypse? Oh my god, this is like
the end? asked Emma whose mentality stability was gradually waning
beyond recovery.
Yes. This is the end of the world. said Nicholai quaintly.
So this is not just happening at this hospital? This is wide scale? The whole
of Harare, Gweru, Masvingo, Bulawayo and the neighbouring countries? Are

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you kidding me? This is too much to take in. said Dr. Rondozai who felt as
if her conscience had been struck anvil. Everyone in the room was shattered
into pieces by the news. Hopelessness had filled in on the empty seat
happiness had left and anymore divulging of the horrors of their current
predicament was going to lead everyone to a meltdown. Nicholai had
anticipated this reaction and thus prepared in advance words to sober up the
group.
But you see, as much as this is the order of the day, there is still hope. he
said glancing at everyone, waiting to see the change of expression on their
faces.
There is hope you say? asked the stout man.
Yes, let me explain. The world has had observers of the cup of wrath, a
secret society that was monitoring it. An organisation called Zeal. Some
would call them the illuminati as popular culture would dictate or free
masons, but thats just fairy tale garbage to mislead the masses. Zeal in
essence are the chosen architects of the Paradise construct. They are going to
erase the darkness and create the new age. Millennium new.
So how does that happen? asked Dr. Rondozai.
My boss Austin who is one of the hierarchy members of Zeal is going erase
the darkness from its source. His like me but much god like and powerful,
but the key to destroying the monsters is to get the boy to Austin.
What boy? asked the stout man.
The key to paradise is that boy and his outside in my car. Replied Nicholai.
What the fuck man, you left a kid out there all alone with those things
screaming and killing people? Are you nuts? judged Hilary.
I didnt leave him, I was attacked by one of those things and managed to
survive. The kid isnt going to die. I know that he will be alive when I go
back there. Said Nicholai with an air of enthusiasm.
How could he possibly survive out there? Is he like, does he have a glowing
body? asked Hilary with an earnest concern for the well-being of Tanaka
who he barely knew.

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His different, but all you need to know is that whatever Austin says comes
to pass. He has never been wrong. He said, stroking his hair as he glanced at
Hilary.
And where is this Austin you speak of? asked the doctor.
His at the hotel I mentioned, Crowne Plaza, but his under someones
custody. A soldier like me but he has sided with the monsters in the dark and
has betrayed pretty much the whole of mankind. His a well-trained killing
machine whos in the way of the paradise that awaits being created. His name
is Collin, the bastard whos in the way of Zeals great mission. He said,
grimacing his face.
Seems like there is going to be a lot of trouble before paradise comes, so
your mission is to get a hold of the boy, get to Austin, kill this Austin fellow
and then save the world? asked Dr. Rondozai who seemed uncertain of
what Nicholai had said. She had no reason to doubt him, but the information
that they were given seemed carefully picked to support his agenda without
question. The stout man felt the same way as the doctor, but in this situation,
they had no choice but to believe whatever he had to say.
Precisely. Its quite simple; I find the boy, take him to Austin, kill the
anomaly and save the world. The things in the dark can be stopped, we just
have to get the boy to Austin and all will be saved. Its that simple.
So what do you propose we do Nicholai? And hows it youre glowing
again? asked the stout man.
First of all I need to explain why these things cant stand my glowing light.
My body is glowing because of Austins essence. His aura of innocence is
masking body and it has the power to ward off the evils in the dark. As for
the plan. First things first I need to recuperate, 2ndly we have to leave this
hospital and get supplies, get the boy and then finally get to Crowne Plaza.
he said with his eyes drawn at the doctor.
So we are really going to leave? asked Abby.
We dont really have a choice. Said Hilary who seemed to be subtly glaring
at Nicholai.
Youre right young man, you dont have a choice. Whether you comply or
not, I am going to fulfil my mission. Youre alive because of me. Your

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compliance would much appreciated and I would be happy to see you all live
to see the new age. Lets work towards reaching that goal.
Are we completely safe with you? Is your light full proof? Are we
guaranteed that no harm will come on us if we stay with you? asked Abby.
As long you dont wonder off into the dark, no one will die. Stay within my
boundary and you wont taste death.
So whats this paradise going to be like? asked the stout man.
It will be the very definition of heaven on earth, the finer things in life well
pale in comparison to what Zeal promises the world.
What about our family members, people who are at our homes. Can we
rescue them and bring them along to this paradise you speak of? asked the
security guard who had been silent for a while. Dr. Rondozai already new the
depressing answer to his question, but was surprised that the guard had not
picked it up quickly. Nicholai took this opportunity to the shatter the man
and the rest of the people into pieces by saying, Everyone who isnt in the
room with me, may it be in this city or neighbouring cities is dead. This your
chance to mourn for your loved because they are all dead.
Everyone? asked Hilary who seemed to have not realised that world
annihilation meant that casualties would also consist of his own blood.
Nicholai then said, Um going to take nap now, feel free to explore your
emotions. When I wake up, we are going to move along with the mission.
The insensitive nature of his remark did not help at all to mitigate the pain
and the tears that poured down the security guards face. Hilary collapsed as
he wept vehemently, thinking about his mother, girlfriend and younger
brother. The stout man had passed the point of crying and simply sat on the
ground with a defeatist look on his face. This surely was hell on earth and
there was going to be more turbulence for the future that awaited the 7 who
were now surviving in the world of infinite darkness.
As Nicholai dozed off, peacefully as if the existence of the demons didnt
matter, the remaining survivors took this time to talk to each other. The
whole group except for Emma sat in a circle and began to talk. Dr. Rondozai
knew the stout mans name and began to say, Mr. Tafadzwa Hokwa, youre

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the guy who worked on the computer systems for the hospital. Its funny
how people are brought together at the worst of times.
Yup the worst of times. I barely get to see the whole staff, but at least Abby
here is a regular. I would always find her and playing candy crush during her
breaks. smirked Tafadzwa.
Yah you noticed, wow, I wonder what Dr. Rondozai will say after youve
exposed me. she said with a feisty and yet poignant look.
Well with the hospital gone, I dont have jurisdiction to end you, so
consider yourself lucky. remarked the doctor with a sombre look.
Its still had to take in, you know, this shit and all. What Nicholai has told us
and the fact that we survived being eaten by monsters, freaken things youd
see in the movies and yet here we are. said Abby who was grasping her
forehead as she stared at the ground. This was unsettling for all of them, but
the discussions would soon bring the group into unison.
Yah, here we are, waiting for that guy whos glowing by some odd
farfetched reason to wake us up and take us to Crowne Plaza. This night only
gets better and better only that I never pictured hell being like this. said
Tafadzwa.
Were probably in hell, is that what you think? asked Dr. Rondozai.
I mean there demons like he said and were apparently supposed to follow
him to get to the promise land. This sounds like the script his been flipped or
something. I mean honestly, if this isnt hell, is this like purgatory. Um a
Pentecostal and that stuff has no real meaning to me, but Catholic churches
have that in their doctrine. This could be like some trial or realm where we
get to go through tests and we survive. Then from here on heaven or hell.
said Tafadzwa who seemed to be fondling his fingers as he pictured his very
words.
Please stop already, can we please talk about something else. Right now, the
last thing I want to hear about is theories. Our family members, people we
care about are dead. At least talk about the people you lost or something.
said Hilary who seemed stricken with pain as spoke.
Um sorry, but we its important that we try to figure out for ourselves
whats happening. Whats your name? asked Tafadzwa.

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My name is Hilary. he replied.

Okay Hilary for your loss. said Tafadzwa as he patted his back.
Um sorry too and um sorry for everyone here. said Hilary as he darted at
everyone around him. Everyone nodded to signal their mutual understanding
foe his remark and then looked down-casted.
A moment of silence was thus sprung into motion for a few seconds until
Dr. Rondozai asked, Lets get to know each a bit more before. I think that
would help the situation right now. Security guard, whats your name?
My name is Tawana Madziwire. You can just call me baba Tawana.
Nice to finally know your name. This child in my hands is John. His an
asthmatic 8 year old kid with dreams of being pilot. Pretty much every boys
dream when they are in their primary school days, she said, turning her
body and facing Emma, Thats Emma over there. She was diagnosed with
bipolar and clinical depression. She has had a hard time growing up and isnt
that open to human communication. Shes a good kid, but she still needs
time to get used to people.
Is that why she wont join us and prefers to sit close to that guy? asked
Hilary.
In a way she is just someone who takes her time when comes to making a
connection. she replied, now averted her body towards the group.
Um Abby by the way, one of the nurses of this hospital slash clinic. Pleasure
to know you all. said Abby as she glanced at everyone as well.
As much as it was scary at first, I have to admit that its kinda fascinating
that to see a glowing man, like how he is emitting light and all. This really is a
spectacle. said Tafadzwa.
Yah it is, so if this is going to go down the way its going down then, all of
us will end up in heaven. said Dr. Rondozai.
Apparently so, since he stated that finding this Austin guy would lead to the
paradise construct being made. So Austin must be an angel or something?
Hmm, this really is confusing. said Tafadzwa as he scratched his head.
Hopefully we will all make it to the finishing line with this guy. We gotta be
strong and survive. John and Emma are our weakest links in the group. We
need to take care of them because they are in no position to take care of

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themselves. So I know this news is as shocking to me is it is to all of you, but

I think we should look forward to getting to where that guy wants to lead us.
To Austin. said Dr. Rondozai with a fixed and determined frame.
Yah, but that Collin guy is holding the future hostage as he said and works
for the monsters. How are we supposed to face these things or even assist?
asked Hilary.
I dont think we have to. The monsters out there are not coming in here
because Nicholai is here so we are safe as long as we are with him. Thats
what he said and so far it checks out. replied Dr. Rondozai.
So we settle for his plan and survive, okay at least we have got that all
covered but now the question is are there more people like Nicholai? Like we
cant be the only ones. I know he said everyone is dead, but I cant just
accept that. This isnt how I imagined the end of the world or the rapture.
There have got to be more people like him who are being helped. said
Tafadzwa.
I think youre looking too deep into this. Lets call a spade a spade accept
what Nicholai has said. refuted DR. Rondozai.
But think about it why us, like how are we the only ones alive is the rest of
the world is dead? asked Hilary.
Does really fucken matter, why cant you be just grateful and appreciate that
youre not monster food. Why all these questions. Why do you people waste
your time over such convoluted bullshit? Just be happy that youre alive.
Dont over think it please. said Emma who surprised them all. It was
presumed that she was asleep, but apparently she had been wide awake,
eavesdropping on their conversation. Hilary then took this opportunity to
say, Why dont you come here and sat with us.
I want to be close to the light and dont wanna join you guys. reciprocated
Emma.
Okay. Sure you can stay there. replied Hilary who seemed irked by her
arrogance. Emma eventually recline in her corner, chanting words silently to
herself. The process was at first startling to the group, but they later ignored
it when Dr. Rondozai stated that it was her way of coping with stress.

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As the group discussed, they went on to talk about personal things in their
lives. Dr. Rondozai was a divorced doctor with a child who died in a car
accident, the product of teenage party escapades and drunken driving. She
had joined the Baines Clinic in 2013 and had enjoyed and squabbled over the
ups and downs of her work life and personal life respectively. She had
devoted her time to paediatrician work and personal fulfilment by digesting
self-help books and being involved in the community. She was a woman who
had evolved rose from the ashes of her turbulent existence. The doctor lived
in Helens vile and tonight she had planned on going through some paper
work which had been distorted by her one of the staff at the hospital, but the
infinite darkness came along and shattered everything.
Tafadzwa Hokwa was the IT specialist who went to Monash University,
studied a degree in CISCO computing and finally returned back to
Zimbabwe after completing his education. He was a cosmopolitan individual
who had been exposed to various cultures and life styles during upbringing.
He was fit for the salala (snobs in Zimbabwean slang) stereotype, but hid it
well in the working environment. His interests spanned from anime, manga,
movies, video games, technology e.t.c but he had a knack for blending in
with conventional circles.
Abby was like all aspiring humanitarians: a willing participant, but yet
unqualified. She had not done sciences subjects for Alevel and planned on
bridging into medicine via nursing, a conquest that only a few individuals
could actually materialise. She was also one to have many failing relationships
due to her demeanour and demanding work schedule. As time stretched on,
she grew to hate her career choice and wore her heart on her sleeve, but this
apathetic tone towards her work was publicly shown. It was her own internal
trial that she had to overcome on her own, never to be shared to her
superiors.
The security guard, baba Tawana, was a man who had a simple and not so
inspiring upbringing. He was born to an impoverished family that lived in the

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Rushinga village district and his high school education ended at its infancy,
the scarcity of finances to further his education as the route to his tragic tale.
Like most rural boys who would end up stripped of their right to education,
he began till the land, embracing a mundane agricultural existence until he
moved into town. The city promised manner opportunities but unqualified
had many disadvantages let alone those who didnt complete their high
school education. In this instance baba Tawana ended up lodging at
someones house, exchanging labour skills as the means to get pay and
accommodation. The whole process eventually lost its vigour and made the
boy now turned man seek other means of employment. The rigorous security
guard experiences started off from a low note and went on to the security of
banks, private property and now hospitals. He was a village pansy in the great
city that never slept and his rural semantics made him less comfortable in
dialogue in english.
Hilary was a sportsman who was impaired by a genetic heart palpitation
condition usually knocked him out when he would over exert himself. He
was agnostic and his family had travelled across the globe, diversifying his
childhood and showing him all facets of life in various places. He tended to
be egotistic, snobbish and particular. His palpitations had risen during a
basketball match and had sent him to Baines Clinic. He was talented piece of
work, but hereditary wasnt one to exempt the gifted.
Emma was a child had a tragic and sad upbringing. Her parents experienced
the height of domestic violence at its core and this made the family dynamics
complicated. To make matters worse she lived in a neighbourhood were
most of the children in it were affluent and the family drama, fathers misuse
of money and surprise discovery of step-siblings turned her youth into a
whirlwind of restlessness. The stresses were always real to her and her peers
couldnt entirely understand the differing of her social standing due to such
circumstances, but what drove to the edge was the death of her older sister.
Her sister had managed to go through the troubling obstacles of her family
life and had made into university, completing 2 years and waiting for

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attachment. Her death in a dreadful accident ended her life and started the
decline of her sister. The death had not only taken away from her a role
model, but someone she could connect with at a personal level over things
only she understood. This emotional scaring of such a young girl at a
youthful age was the point at which she began to aggressive, erratic and
depressed. She shut out many people who she couldnt relate to and began to
change drastically. Her friends began to alienate her and her isolation and
deviance led to her feeling lonely and not being able to come to terms with
the reality that siblings died. Her vulnerability made her prey to boys who
would pretend to want a serious relationship with her, but only wanted a
piece of her ass. The fairy tale vision of how love was supposed to be was
thus perverted by each encounter she had with from the opposite sex. She
ended up feeling sad that the romance in real life didnt play out as well as the
novelty of literary fiction. This led her to suicide attempts, cutting her wrists
and drugs. This landed her straight into the hospital where began to be
detoxed by the doctors. The infinite darkness had done a number on her and
it essentially reminded her of what it meant like to be alone.
These were their stories; differing circumstances and different backgrounds
that summed up the individuals in the ward. The infinite darkness had come
into their world, but little did they know that once Nicholai had woken up,
the turmoil of the night would be even riper, bringing in more sadness into
their lives. However, one thing lingered in both Dr. Rondozai and
Tafadzwas minds, the process of how Zeal failed to prevent

Day 1.

Nicholai woke up and got the group ready. The first thing he did was
grouping them together, leading them into the depths of the hospital. All
members were initially petrified to leave the ward of comfort even forgetting
that they only needed his light to actual survive. Emma managed to muster

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the strength that she needed to carry and so did Abby and the little boy called
John. They left the ward, going through the bloody corridors which made
Abby whimper and the rest cringe. They left the hospital about the same time
Tanaka Manyika had woken up only that when they reached the dishevelled
vehicle they found the boot empty. This triggered paranoia and a tang of
dissatisfaction in Nicholai who had stipulated that he would find him still
there, but judging from how it was opened, he deduced that the boy had left.
Nicholai had thus opted for a close proximity search party and ended up
taking out a tiny blue spherical ball which had been in his inner pocket of his
jacket. It was the one that was supposed to be given to Bob. Nicholai ended
up having to choose who he would give the responsibility in terms of split
search, but the howling of the evil spirits became more thunderous and it
began to rain blood. This drove some of the group members into a panic and
they thus opted to return to the hospital. The regrouping at the hospital had
thwarted his plans which had been initially to immediately get a hold of the
boy and the raining of blood didnt help at all. The fear that came from the
recognition of the infinite darkness and how things outside the boundary of
his light were not visible were things that each member was still getting used
to seeing. It was haunting moment and each member became more
subjugated towards Nicholai; some showed their dependence with more
vigour and others with restraint. The day which had the violent and terrifying
noises of the creatures in the dark lasted the whole day. At some point, the
group ended up writing on pieces of paper to communicate during the
ruckus, but the shared fear of the unknown helped ease the tension. The day
which was supposed to be eventful was thus wasted.
Day 2.
The end of the storm and lack of noise made it the best timing for the group
to leave. Due to conveying their messages on paper, the group managed to
circulate information regardless of the loud shrills and sounds that emanated
from the unintelligent voices. Nicholai had planned on using an ambulance
to drive to Crowne Plaza with the group and repurposing some hospital

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equipment into weapons that he would use to kill Collin: mending stands
into sling-shots that fired nails and other serrated objects. The members all
obliged to Nicholais instruction and even Hilary had been at first uncertain
whether follow him or not was not a good and obedient chap. The
compliance of everyone helped keep them alive and Nicholai who had
thought that one of them would kick the bucket was surprised by how they
handled themselves. The will to live rested in everyones minds and they were
not willing to take their chances by doing something stupid. After much
thought, Nicholai gave Dr. Rondozai the blue spherical ball which he said
was supposed to be ingested for it to work. The doctor was at first repulsed
by the idea of doing such a thing, but she took it down her throat regardless
of her reservation. In a moments time, she began glow, glistening like
Nicholai. This startled the rest of the group, but made John happy who
ended up thinking she was an angel of some sorts. Nicholai did this for the
division of labour in searching for the boy. With this being decided, the
group of 7 individuals was segmented into 2 groups. Nicholai was leading
Emma, Abby and the security guard known as baba Tawana. Dr. Rondozai
was taking care of John and Tafadzwa, moving with them. This split came in
handy due to the fact that they wouldnt be travelling with the aid of a
vehicle. The ambulances at the hospital had been wrecked beyond
comprehension, leaving them completely useless. The whole group was left
to the task of first searching for the boy and then going to Crowne Plaza.
Nicholai had every intension of finding the boy, but he knew if they were to
encounter each other it wound mean trouble for him. H had murdered his
parents and he was planning on killing his brother and offering him to his
boss, Austin. The complications of finding him would entail him having to
kill off his group members just in case they deviated due to the boy exposing
him. However, the group members didnt get the logic of having to find the
boy when all they encountered were ravenous beast with despicable desires.
The search was conducted within a perimeter of Josiah Tongogara road to
Herbert Chitepo from the very end of 7th street to Mazoe road. It was
daunting task that left the group members with more questions to why they
had to go through the trouble of finding the boy considering the horrors they

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saw. The gruelling nature of the casualties was sight for sour eyes and indeed,
every one of them believed that plucking out their eyes was the next best
alternative. With all that they had done, all that was left for the man to do
was to go and get Austin out of the clutches of Collin. Though the horrors
had not done much to group, staying away from them due to the light, the
come scourge death was coming its way to them and it was sure to end them.
Day 3.
The group used Sam Nujoma road to carry out the mission. Nicholai who
was guided by Dr. Rondozai reached the destination of the desired target
after turning into Julius Nyerere way and trotting forward past the Harare
gardens and reaching the semi-circular 20stories plus hotel known as Crowne
Plaza. It was now the defining moment for him though he had failed to
retrieve the body of Tanaka. His speculations of his possible survival where
farfetched, but unlike the others who didnt know about Austins
clairvoyance, there was nothing in him that could deny his bosss record
breaking prediction abilities. The operation to kill Collin and retrieve went on
its way and every member of the group felt petrified. The fear of facing
demons that were always waiting on the light boundary lines had been a real
shocker, but now they had to face one who had sided with bad guys.
Tafadzwa honestly doubted how they were going to achieve this so called
mission that would determine the restoration of the world. As they entered
the once glamorous hallway of the hotel, Nicholai changed his demeanour
and moved more stealth like to ensure that they wouldnt mess up the plans
he proceeded to the receptionist counter. Dr. Rondozai watched in silence as
her glowing contemporary moved up the stairs, tiptoeing as if there was an
unprecedented need to be silent. Emma, Hilary, Tafadzwa and Abby
followed behind, sweating as they wondered what would happen once they
encountered the formidable agent known as Collin. The atmosphere became
tense and the men in the crew could not help, but reinforce their testosterone
to fight the coming anomaly. Nicholai climbed the stairs with his hand
carbine pointed dead ahead with a glaring look. He would hush the group
from time to time to ensure that they wouldnt mess up the plan. When they

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had reached the Mezzanine floor, Nicholai glanced at all directions that lead
to the series of doors that were in the corridor. The illuminated interior of
the place told a grave story of its own of merciless savagery which was in its
great detail a form of offence display. John who was being accompanied by
Dr. Rondozai as they climbed the stairs waned in spirit as he saw this
depravity beyond. Nicholai began to pace and his followers slowly emulated
his movement. Nicholai was looking for a specific room which would have
luminous light. His goal was to capitalise on making use of his group
members as a diversion or assistance in attacking Collin. He did not think
much about their combat abilities, but one thing that he knew was that Collin
would never expect him to have been diplomatic to the point of unifying
individuals under his guard. With Tanaka nowhere to be found, he didnt
have a reason to kill them in case Tanaka had defamed him as an
indiscriminate murderer. His failure to bring the boy turned out to be a
blessing in disguise for the group, however they would never know the truth
behind his intensions. This was in the end the best thing that could ever
happen to them.
Nicholai cleared the Mezzanine floor and found nothing at all, no signs of
life, just dead bodies and no Austin. The group looked perplexed as if they
were expecting something horrendous to happen, but nothing happened at
all. The uneventfulness was refreshing, but at the same time disappointing.
Finding Austin and killing Collin was the key to the inception of the
changing of the crude times, but nothing came from such a trek. The only
thing that came out of it was seeing the plethora of ravaged buildings that
were in ruins, Nassa building being one of them and Karigamombe being the
worst in its wreckage. Nicholai checked the upper floors and left the rest of
the group behind. This alarmed most of them who had seen him as a beacon
of safety, but with Dr. Rondozai having a luminous body, they could at least
feel safe around her. The sound of the creatures in the darkness didnt
dissipate and at times, the sound of flesh and bones being chewed by
ravenous beasts were the soundtrack for the day. The whole group watched
as Nicholai left them, going up the stairs to scan the building. Dr. Rondozai

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played tag along, insinuating possible harm coming to them if they were left
to fend for themselves. Tafadzwa felt the same way and encouraged the idea
of pursuing Nicholai. As they got to the upper floors, the gratuity levelled up
as they got to higher ground. Little did they know that Nicholai was already
thinking of an excuse to satisfy his subjects who were going to start doubting
him once the confirmation of Austin and Collin not being around was now
deemed final. In a world where all hope and direction was dead, a sense of
purpose was the only thing that keep the group stable or in this case, safe
from him resorting to killing them all. Nicholai cleared the floor and the
other floors until his patience had run out. There was no Austin or Collin but
a ghastly silence and precarious sound of fiends at their most in terms of
wickedness. Austin had given away this location on the phone before being
captured and said that he would definitely find him there. He had blindly
trusted in his clairvoyance and not made the logical decision. The very
thought of hi not finding anyone at all was depressing. Nicholai ended up
regrouping with the survivors and telling them that his boss and Collin were
missing. Hilary was peeved by the eventless trek to the hotel and said in an
absent minded state, They are probably dead. This rewarded him with a
painful hit on his nose when Nicholai shoved the hilt of his gun at his face.
Tafadzwa pushed Nicholai back, shielding him from inflicting more damage.
Though Tafadzwa wasnt a special ops combat operative, he could at least
handle shielding a big guy like Nicholai from inflicting more damage on the
boy. Dr Rondozai tended to his broken nose which was nose bleed and was
aided by Abby. Emma just watched in a detached manner and the security
guard helped in shielding Nicholai from the boy. Nicholai took this chance to
say, Listen to me, he is here I know it.
Well there isnt anyone here. Its just empty and full of those things. said
Emma.
Quiet you little bitch. You dont even know what youre saying. Keep quiet
before I give you a reason to be silent.
Stop it damn it, stop Nicholai! Jesus Christ what are you doing? asked Dr.
Rondozai who seemed perplexed by his sudden erratic behaviour.

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Youre not the boss here woman, keep yourself strong or I will apply the
same warning at you.
Nicholai stop it, not now, its okay if we didnt find him just dont get
angry. said Abby who wanted to mitigate the situation.
Shut up you whore! reciprocated Nicholai. The situation was progressively
drawing towards a physical confrontation was now beckoning on the group
and this wasnt going to go down well. The security guard saw drawing out
his gun at Abby which triggered him to react. The security guard tried to
disarm him using some of basic disarming techniques that he had learnt
during prerequisite training course at one of his past jobs. The effort proved
fruitful with Nicholais carbine being tossed away, but a right serve was given
to baba Tawana who landed on the ground due to the raw power that the
punch carried. Nicholai averted his attention to get a hold of his weapon, but
what he saw behind him startled him. It was an Indian man who had been
wearing a blue t-shirt, grey trousers and loafers. His right arm locked as if it
was yanked off or struck with the aid of an anvil. His abdomen was covered
in blood, his eyes were blood shot red and his body was flickering like a light
bulb that had circuit problems. He was like a glitch in a video game,
luminous at one point and normal in another instance. Everyone watched in
horror as he came close. Nicholai immediately recognised the man and said,
Aarush, what happened to you? Everyone was startled to see that Nicholai
actually knew the dishevelled man. Dr. Rondozai was alarmed by the fact that
the mans body would light and then switch off like an ignited flame that
would flicker from time to time. Nicholai ended up restraining the rage that
he intended on releasing and watched as his friend approached him. Aarush,
who was dark in complexion and had mullet which was disorganised, told
Nicholai, Austin isnt here Nicholai.
How could this be? He told me that he would be here and that I would find
him here. Austin is never wrong Aarush, he never has been and he never will
be, he said in a defiant manner as if defending the name of Austin in a court
hearing, but what happened to you? Did Collin do this to you?
No Collin didnt do this to us. replied Aarush who was now coughing out
blood, he was gone by the time things had gone crazy.

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You people with you, people with you protecting Austin? asked Nicholai
who seemed to be exhibiting emotion for the first time which made the
group members feel slightly awkward in his presence.
Yes. We were with him but Collin got a hold of him. We failed to protect
him, but we managed to finish the ritual in time. We accomplished our
mission of breaking the seal of the cup of wrath, all thats left is to weight for
master Austin to initiate the paradise construct. Said the man who seemed
to be waning in strength. Dr. Rondozai looked at him in an equivocal
manner, wondering how it was possible for him to be still alive despite how
dishevelled his body was. Nicholai noticed that some of his members were
taking head of the conversation with Aarush and particularly Hilary and
Tafadzwa began to wonder what it meant when Aarush said breaking the
seal of the cup of wrath, which was worrying Nicholai who thought that they
would now get suspicious. During the contemplation, Aarush went on to say,
The call you probably heard was pre-recorded and Collin probably forced
the master into making one. The Demetrius managed to follow them at least
and said he pin pointed him at that rainbow towers hotel, the one which is
tall but with yellow like paint on it. Its the one usually on the tourist
brochures for this country. He is probably still there considering that
Demetrius informed just before the lights went out.
If that is so then I might as well get there as quickly as possible, he said,
glancing back and forth at his group members to see how they were
behaving, but you said you were many and if Collin didnt mess you up then
who did?
One of the 12 disciples did this to us, the dark being known as Methodius.
Said Aarush was now coughing vehemently. Dr. Rondozai had hesitated at
first to tend to Aarush due to him being invested in an apprehensive
conversation with Nicholai decided to rush and help him. Nicholai told her
to stop and Dr. Rondozai pleaded against his stance. Nicholai insisted and
she watched Nicholai conversed with a man who was on the verge of dying.
Aarush had now dropped to the ground ended up saying his final words,
The agent of Mweya Mutema came in here and killed everyone. I was lucky
to have survived and managed to cripple the creature. I lost a limb and a

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number of my ribs broken, but I managed to survive this long with such
injuries due to Austins essence. I owe my things to the master and I
managed to deliver this message to you.
What does a disciple look like Aarush? I they impossible to kill? asked
Nicholai who looked tense fairly empathetic towards his friend.
They are powerful indeed, but not impossible to kill. Austin could handle
any of them, but I fear that without the boy, Mweya Mutema would too
much for even our master, he said coughing blood as his light flickered on
and off, is that the boy?
Yes, thats the boy, lied Nicholai who realised that Aarush meant John who
was in the care of Abby at the moment, we will fulfil the prophecy that the
forerunners of Zeal talked about and I will bring the boy to Austin.
I have never doubted you Nicholai; youve always delivered where others
have failed, he said with a smile which looked as if he had lipstick due to the
way his blood was smeared on his face, you even have an entourage, I never
thought I would see the day when Nicholai would pick up allies.
Its means to an end Aarush.
Do me a favour and kill that bastard Collin. Make regret the day he was
born. said Aarush who ended up dying with his eyes wide open. The group
just watching closely as if lost in translation. Everyone had questions of their
own and Hilary out of all of them was curious to find out crux what Aarush
had said, but before Nicholai gave them a chance to say anything he said,
Its a shame he isnt here, but we have to go to rainbow towers hotel and
find my boss.
Why did you lie to him? We didnt find that kid at the car crash so what
does it mean for us and the world if we cant get that boy for Austin? asked
Dr. Rondozai who seemed frightened by the possible response that Nicholai
would give her.
I lied to him because I wanted him to die knowing that he had something
to look forward to and as for your other question, though it is necessary to
have that boy, I am sure that my boss will come up with something. Austin is
the last hope of this world.

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Its not making any sense at all its not, said Hilary who was frisking his
hair with a look of doubt, I dont know if any of you missed this, but that
guy who just died right now said that they broke the seal of the cup wrath
and um pretty sure that Nicholai told us that the cup of wrath filled up and
out came the monsters and the darkness!
Honestly Nicholai you have been keeping us in the dark, tell us whats going
and who that was that just died? asked Tafadzwa who seemed reflecting the
same concerns as Hilary.
There is no time to explain right now, we have to get moving. We are going
underground to get a ride out of here. He said, evading their questions like
the plague.
Dont be so evasive Nicholai. You talked about stuff that concerns the fate
of humanity and you even stopped me from assisting your friend. Austin
wasnt here and quite frankly we are too much in the dark. said Dr.
Rondozai who seemed peeved by his behaviour.
Your questions will be answered later. We are going to get ourselves a car
that actually works in the underground garage of this place. Unless you think
you can get the clogged engines outside to work, he said, averting his
attention and now going downstairs, the bloody rain really knows how to
fuck up mechanical equipment. Cant even jack a car in this goddamn
nonsense.
You cant leave us in the dark Nicholai, you just cant said Dr.
Rondozai.
Leave him alone, were alive because him, lets just listen him and move
along. We are alive because him. screamed out Emma who didnt want the
questions of the others to escalate into something violent. Her sudden
screams were always unexpected and it was clear that she preferred comfort
over enlightenment. Though this was evident to Dr. Rondozai from the get
go she ignore and said, Um well aware of what he has done for us young
lady, but we cant simply be foolish when the bigger part of the picture is
being hidden from us in plain sight.
You know what, I wont argue with you. Those who are in favour of staying
here can stay. Those who want to save the world with me can follow me.

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Youre no longer dependant on my light like before. You have the doctor
with you to protect you, but since youre clearly in the dark as you say, then
you wont last long on your own. So do yourself a favour and make the right
choice. All questions will be answered later, no now but later cappeash. Said
Nicholai as he climbed down the stairs. Emma upon instinct stood up and
tagged along. Hilary grabbed her wrist and told her, You cant honestly just
follow him. Dont see? There is a conspiracy behind what really happened in
this world and this guy has been selling us bullshit from the start.
It is not my concern, as long as I am alive is what matters. she replied.
You didnt seem to want to live before, what changed now? said Hilary
was pointing out to the cuts on her wrists which were vertical and instead of
the less dangerous horizontal slashes. Emma was infuriated by such and
yanked her hand off. She pursued Nicholai as the others watched her go
down stairs. Tafadzwa took this opportunity to say, as much as we would
want to stay, we still dont know much to even consider staying here let alone
tangible options that would help us in our situation.
That asshole is taking advantage of us. said Dr. Rondozai.
This is the first time I have ever noticed you cursing. said Abby who
looked a bit shocked. John was also in the same bought as her, shocked by
the fact his guardian had the capacity to be foul mouthed.
Some men just bring the worst out of me. She said with a tense look on
her frame.
The group followed and this gave Nicholai an unprecedented smug on his
face as he watched his doubters subjugate to the circumstances he had set for
them. Emma tagged along like a child who was dependant on her father in
partaking in treks. Nicholai was now using the stairs that led to the
underground layer where all the cars were parked. As the group caught up,
the sound of dark, demented souls that were weeping began to emerge from
nowhere. The noise was loud and seemed to be deafening the group. The
security guards face became strained as the screaming continued. The
screaming was thus accompanied by the thumping of earth. It sounded like
an earth quake this made the chandeliers, furniture and other lose items fall

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or tip over. The quaking was getting stronger as if something was coming
and in that moment, they knew they had to evacuate the building before this
had gone totally chaotic. The group began to sprint just as Nicholai began to
trot his way downstairs. He was holding Emmas as moved like a driven
beast and got to the underground car park after kicking a locked door open
with a force militant proportion. Nicholai examined the vehicles in the area
and searched for a strong and sturdy vehicle that could handle the brittle
terrain outside. He then found an orange ford pickup track hard body
vehicle, but just as he was about to reach it, the ground before them began to
collapse. The cracked piece of concrete which was showing its reinforced
steel and debris revealed an unsettling hive of demonic activity underneath.
Nicholai was hanging on the diagonally placed concrete whilst glancing at the
horrors below. His body had the light which meant nothing much would
happen if he were to fall in, but unlike Aarush and others he knew who could
harness their essence or late alone Austins essence, he was not yet at the
level of being able to handle the impact of a 20 plus story hotel collapsing on
his body. In the case of Emma, falling in the pit meant instant death and she
hanged onto Nicholai leg as he tried to climb out of the hole. The demons
that were waiting below began to disperse due to an intense irritation towards
the glowing body of Nicholai. Nicholai got a hold of the ledge and used his
upper body strength to lift himself up. Emma held onto to his leg as elevated
himself out of the whole. After he had gotten himself out of the hole, he
lifted her out of the hole and watched as she cried vehemently, fearful of the
death she had almost encountered. A truss and beam from the ceiling of the
car park smashed into the designated vehicle, ending Nicholais conquest
with crude mockery. This infuriated him, but he later heard the cranking of
an engine. He glanced everywhere and found a minivan that looked like an
ambulance. Nicholai began to sprint towards the vehicle, disregarding Emma
who tripped and fell to the ground after a failed attempt to run together. He
just rescued her from the hole, but he couldnt find in his heart the time to
waste on her and thought about self-preservation over sacrifice. The group
members who were driving out of the complex had assumed that Nicholai
had already left with a vehicle. They were also prompted by the quaking of

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the earth to leave the place. Dr. Rondozai took the wheel due to her light
making her the only one able to see what was on the road and left Tafadzwa
and the security guard to man the back door, just in case they had made a
mistake. As the vehicle left the inclined exist, Nicholai who was sprinting like
Hussein Bolt quickly got to the vehicle, jumping in as it drove on the inclined
road. Tafadzwa upon instinct asked Nicholai, Where is Emma?
She couldnt keep up. he said with a casual tone.
You fucken bastard! screamed out Tafadzwa who went for a punch at
Nicholais face. Nicholai dodged the right hook and punched him instead,
knocking Tafadzwa out like a Mike Tyson boxing match. The security guard
didnt retaliate and remained quiet as Nicholai looked at him. He knew that
he was clearly no match for the man and refrained from any physical
interactions with him.
The differed light on the foreground was beginning to disappear from the car
park as the vehicle left the building. Everything was now becoming pitch
black as the vehicle moved away and Emma was at her worst as she
panicked. She got to the exit and run upwards seeing the light get far and far
away from her. Once the vehicle was outside, Dr. Rondozai stopped the car
and checked backwards to see what was going on. She saw Nicholai and
asked, You guys were still in there? What the hell Nicholai and where is
Emma!?
Emma didnt make it, he said with a feigned expression of sadness, a
beam fell on her.
Bullshit, you fucken killed her you asshole, dont you dare lie. You killed
her! screamed out Hilary who had turned his had to glare at Nicholai. Abby
and John looked distressed and were saddened by this news, however, Dr.
Rondozai didnt by Nicholais bullshit and instead halted the car to wait for
her to come out of the car park. They were now in Park Lane street, a street
that looked more like an ally and was adjacent to the Harare gardens. The
builds in front of them and the ground below began to shake, the tremors
shaking the car as if it was on top of jelly. Nicholai took this moment to

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scream out, Drive this fucken car out of here doctor or else we will get
crushed underneath the rumble!
We are not going anywhere without her! screamed out Dr. Rondozai.
Damn you woman do want us to all die? Get to driving and dont fuck
around! he said with a now enraged tone. His frame now looked vicious and
animalistic as he talked, like a rabid dog that wanted to rip her to shreds. Dr.
Rondozai was intimidated by his physique and knew that if he came to the
drivers seat she would be devastated by his rage, but still insisted on staying
put until someone came out and just as she had hoped, someone actually
made it out of the exit. Sprinting out of the exit drive way with tearful eyes,
Emma spotted the car, but at the same time this happened, a gigantic
monstrous being the size of the reserve bank of Zimbabwe which had been
moving along Julius Nyerere way walking into the hotel and upon impact it
collapsed. The great hideous being of unquestionable grotesqueness was
Mweya Mutema which was on its way to Mr. Hambiras home. The force of
the impact and its centipede caused great destruction and the roads
themselves were collapsing underneath. Emma caught sight of the car and
Dr. Rondozai caught sight of the girl, but the debris that were now falling
were too dangerous and the doctor was forced into driving away from the
area they were in. Dr. Rondozai began to pour out her tears as she drove
away, dodging collapsing concrete, down Park Lane street. Emma felt
betrayed as she watched her entourage leave her behind. It was a saddening
situation for both women, but Emma was the one experiencing the short end
of the stick. As they left, the light left with them, but she didnt waver at all
and kept on running despite the fact that the buildings to her left were
crumbling. She tried all her best, getting past the collapsing concrete and
crumbling road, but couldnt make it. The building road ahead of her
collapsed, creating another one of those pits that contained demons. This
was the end for her and she had tried her best.
Emma was now in the dark, blind and unable to see her whereabouts. It was
as if she had been paralysed by fear and the inability see and was longing for
a euthanasia type of death, but this was one way to die she wasnt going to

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get. She refrained from crying or even flinching to the point of making noise.
She instead trotted slowly, hoping to not encounter death, but the sound of
demented voices in the air defeated her confidence. She was nothing, but a
lamb at the mercy of these fiends. They were going to violate her in every
heinous way possible and there was nothing she could do. She walked
blindly, hearing the hissing, screams and unintelligent voices. The beings in
the infinite darkness began to laugh like hyenas and made profane sounds
that sexual predators would make before raping their victims. She was
panicking and her heart was pounding at the thought of them sinking their
teeth into her and as soon as she heard a squeal, she ran the opposite
direction. She didnt know if she was running the right way or not because
the darkness had disorientated her. West from east, south from north were
not within he capacity to distinguish. The only thing that was tangible was
the pain of the bite she got from one demon. It was so sudden and she
couldnt discern where the demon was. Her left forearm was yanked off by
serrated teeth and the pain that came from the bite was of unfathomable
proportions. She cried for her mommy and felt something cold and sharp
penetrate her thigh. Her lower right leg was chewed off and the laughter
around her did not help to ease the tension. The pain she felt was
insurmountable and the warmth of her blood spread on the tarmac like a
burst pipe. The drool of the demons fell on her body, soaking her wet as if
for marinating purposes. She was the quick meal for the night and the fact
that she couldnt see what was attacking her made everything worse. Her
gluteus maximus was ripped apart from her lower back, nearly casing her to
faint, but her fear of being unconscious kept her awake. One demon scraped
her back with hardened claws and another ripped off the remaining limbs.
The sound of her flesh being chewed complemented the current despair that
she was feeling. This was the end for her; a bitter life wasted on depression
and failed relationships. She was in true sense totally fucked. All that was
remaining of her body after death was it going through the worst form of
necrophilia and then decay. However as she took her full dose of pain she
had the sound of footsteps and an effeminate crude voice saying, Leave her
to me my brothers and sisters, I sense a great darkness in her soul. Though

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she could not see what had spoken, and the demons that were violating her,
it was evident that whatever had spoken had managed to stop the demons.
The steps which were heavy grew louder until she knew that the entity before
her was standing just next to her dying body. The entity then said, You will
make for such a good subject Emma. As soon it had spoken, she lost all
consciousness and died.
Emma woke up in Park Lane street just next to the durawall of Queen
Elizabeth, a girls high in Zimbabwe. She woke up with her heart pulsing,
touching her body parts to check whether her limbs were still intact and
surprisingly they were, including her hospital clothing. She tried to recall
what had happened earlier on and was wondering what on earth had
happened. She could remember Nicholai leaving her behind, seeing her
entourage abandoning her and the pain of being violated by the demons.
However, what disturbed her the most was her current vision. She could see
in the infinite darkness which was surprising, but it wasnt like normal
sensory perception, but a pure red. She could only see the colour red and the
tones and shades of red were what distinguished each object and shape from
each other. This was startling and couldnt understand at all what the hell was
going on. She rose from the ground and paced slowly, feeling petrified by the
fact that she was alone despite being alive. Her eyes sight was still a shocker,
but she surprisingly felt okay, physically, but spiritually she felt like she
contained a sadness that was greater than what she had already been
repressing. It was dark and dense and felt as if someone had poured liquefied
depression all over her soul. Emma began to trot, feeling trepid as she
walked down the street. So far, it was quiet and there were no noises of
demoniacs. However, the durawall to her right which trailed down towards
Harare street was demolished by demented slug looking scorpion which was
munching on rotting corpses like candy. The sight was frightening and she
cringed, almost running to the opposite direction until she saw other demons
coming her way. They were far much uglier than the other one behind her
and he shades of red made their appearance more ghastly. She anticipated an
attack and surrendered her body to them, conceding defeat before even

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putting up a fight. To her surprise, the demons passed her and didnt think
much of her. The slug scorpion came to her and regurgitated the corpses in
front of her. It even opened its mouth and said, Here I left some for you.
She at first wanted to scream, but refrained even though her body wanted to
break down. She watched in silence as the demon went on its way, not
attacking her and just leaving her alone. This was the first time this had
happened and she felt as if she was being toyed with. The sight of the
corpses was grotesque, but after a while of looking their mouldy, putrid flesh
and maggots looked appetising. Her hunger for the rotting flesh was like a
sexual desire that needed to be satisfied, and in that moment, she almost
dropped down to eat the corpses. Her sense of humanity stopped her from
doing such and she left the food. She heard one of the voices from the
passing demons say, She doesnt appreciate large sums, such a waste of
good flesh. The fact that she could understand their discourse was
terrifying. This wasnt making sense to her at all, but she quickly walked
away, heading down towards Harare street. As she walked, glanced at the sky
and noticed that there were no clouds but orifices that replaced them. The
orifices were fluffy and grotesque, but they were made up of images that
were showing wicked acts and things that were immoral. It felt like she was
watching television and each cervix of the fluffy dark orifices had slides of
peoples lives. When a boy lied, cheated, fornicated, committed adultery and
so forth. Other images on other layers of orifices showed a young teenage
girl who had just lost her virginity, doing drugs, arguing with her parents, at
an abortion clinic and committing abortion. The many layers had tales to tell
with the evil acts being minor and some being nasty. She even caught a
glimpse of a man killing his wife with a bread knife, stabbing her repeatedly
and another instance of him in court, claiming that saw another woman kill
her and the evidence incarcerating the accused. These were the sins of the
Zimbabwean citizens, recorded and displayed in the sky and she had full
access to all their dark deeds which were most probably their deep and
darkest secrets. It was an exposition of everything; rape, masturbation,
household abuse, fraudulent business, war crimes, cruelty, lies and everything
that associated with dishonest and wicked acts. It was the apotheosis of a

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display of how the messed up world was like and she watched in horror as
everything was displayed in full view. As soon as she reached Harare street,
she found an abandoned truck, a Mercedes long nose which was probably a n
on the go cargo truck. She found the door wide open and couldnt help but
feel compelled to enter it. As she reclined in it, thinking about the other who
had most probably reached Rainbow towers and her anger and
disappointment towards Nicholai, the weather began to change. It became
windy and a loud sound of clashing waters could be easily heard from behind
her. It was the flood blood which was nearly 14meters in height, cruising at
an alarming velocity. The flood smashed into a number of buildings, but it
moved more like it had conscience. The water which looked red as
everything else in her field of version smashed in in the truck and pushed it
until it was clogged next to passport office gate. Emma subsequently bumped
her head on the dashboard of the truck. She was instantly knocked out, and
the flood continued like a serpent and the last of the water that made up the
flood also followed like it was a tail. This all happened as she was
unconscious and she later woke up after a couple of hours. Upon waking up,
she stayed in the truck, with no scars at all. She had healed and there were no
visible signs of her even being hurt. This was all puzzling to her, but she
didnt feel at all invincible. There were plenty of demons surrounding the
vehicle, probably fellowshipping near the passport office. Their numbers
discouraged her exit from the vehicle and she didnt feel at all compelled to
leave. She decided to pass the time by looking into the sky to look at the
orifices. She saw how many in the city fell from grace, the white lies, bad
behaviour and the assholes in high school who preyed on their victims. The
wickedness and cruelty of mankind became all too clear to her and in that
moment, she felt as if man was an existence that needed to be destroyed.
However, something broke her trance of rage. A familiar feeling that stirred
her insides into depression. She caught a glimpse of her own archives being
displayed in the sky. Her sad life from a third person point of view looked
really unpleasant. She noticed all the stupid and reckless decisions she had
made. Even her selfishness affected her as she watched. During her early
years of existence, she had done a lot that she regretted and in a sense, some

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of her depression was self-perpetuated. She broke down and cried, realising
that she was entirely the product of her suffering. There were so many things
she could have done to alter the course of her life, but it was too late now.
She had done her worst and the coming of the infinite darkness had stolen
her chance to redeem herself. As the sounds of weeping souls began occur,
and the pouring of tears, she left the truck and headed towards Samora
Machel where she saw more ruin and chaos in the city. Something inside of
her was telling her to go to old mutual, but it wasnt clear what it was. She
followed her instincts and obliged, found another truck that had apparently
been flung into the building, probably due to the force of the flood. She got
inside of it and waited until after a while she saw a light. Her eyes expanded
and she was jovial. She didnt whether or not it was Dr. Rondozai or
Nicholai who had abandoned her, but she was at least happy that someone
was there. She opened the door and launched herself out of it, but the light
was blinding to point that she needed time to get used to it, she ran, unable
to see who exactly it was and said, "Nicholai you bastard, you came back.
Why did you leave me here? Do you know what I had to go through you sick
fuck. You left me to die. You left me here on my own you sick!

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Chapter 10

The inevitable Death.

Tanaka took the girl to where Jameson hotel, and waited in the inquiry room.
He wasnt sure if the voice was going to liquefy the building to kill them or
not, but hoped that the girl would wake up soon. She looked surprisingly fine
despite having in the crashed vehicle. She was pretty and had greasy hair that
really appealed to him, but at the present moment he wondered what he was
going to do with her considering that he had no clear cut plans. Daniel had
died, but he wasnt going to let this girl get away. His sense of duty was at its
peak as he looked at her supple body. After a while, he realised that he was
hungry and that he would have to get food for himself and the girl. Not
trusting the encompassing environment, he carried the girl on his back and
moved with her. He checked the kitchen of the hotel which was mostly full
of blood and mouldy food, competing with smell that was outside. Tanaka
then remembered that there was a bar close by which kept a large jar full of
peanuts which to advantage were not a perishable food. Tanaka held the
torch tight and carried her body as he left the building. He took a right turn
immediately after existing and then another right in into Park street. There
were a number of stores to his right the third one was Beer engine. Tanaka
trotted to the bar and noticed that the wooden door was smashed apart. He
pushed the door open and found the chairs all scattered around in random
positions. Tanaka placed the girl on the bar tender counter table and began
to rummage through the contents of the top drawers. There were several
peanuts and he took the jar and another and placed them on the counter.
The girl woke after he dropped the third jar on her head by mistake, slipping
due to his shoes being still moist. The girl cursed outwardly saying, What
the fuck!? Tanaka was surprised by this because he wasnt used to girls who
sweared apart from his sister Nyasha. In fact Tanaka had never encountered

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a girl his age who had the audacity to swear, but in the moment he forgot
about that and focused attention on the girl he had just bruised. Emma woke
up, glanced at the boy before her and asked, Who are you?
Um so sorry, um Tanaka. So sorry about hitting your head. I found you in
the truck outside on your own. You came out saying something and then
passed out. He said frantically as if he felt guilty already.
You found me. Thank you. She said, hugging the boy. Tanaka felt
awkward as he felt her bosom rub against his chest, filtered by the layer of
his clothing. Emma looked at her surrounding environment after scanning
the vicinity and noticed that she was in a dirty and bloody bar, not as
fabulous as her time at Pabloz and H20 bar. She withdrew from her embrace
with emotional and weak eyes and asked, Did Dr. Rondozai send you to
look for me?
Dr. Rondozai? Wait a minute there other survivors, like for real? asked the
boy who looked astonished to hear that other life besides him existed.
Yah, there others like me wait, you werent sent by them? How is that
possible? she asked, with great stupefaction.
I was all alone when all this happened. I have survived with the aid of my
torch light. I know it sounds ridiculous, but um still here because of it. He
said, twirling his torch as if to convince her.
Wait lived without having a glowing body? she asked, surprised by what
she had just heard.
Glowing body? What are you talking about? Wait, wait, are your friends like
glowing people? he asked, confused, but yet immersed in his curiosity.
Yes they are, well two of them. One asshole who left me behind to die and
a stuck up doctor whose really nice. she replied.
They left you behind? he asked, shocked that there were people who had
to treat one of their own like crap when the demons were the common
enemy.
Yah they left me behind. Those fucktards did that to me. I went through
hell and some weird shit on my own she said, pausing to look at Tanaka
who seemed to be staring at her with undivided attention, but I dont
remember it all though.

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I guess you bumped you head in the truck and passed out, but yah youre
lucky to be alive, he said, with an earnest look on his face, would you like
some peanuts?
No. I dont feel hungry at all. Its weird but I just dont feel hungry. she
said, self-conscious of her prior horrific experience when she hungered for
the flesh of those decaying corpses.
Oh okay. Well thats okay. Um curious though, who are these glowing
people? he asked.
All I know is that he plans on saving the world from the monsters by
getting some guy called Austin and killing a man called Austin. The rest
doesnt really make sense to me and the guy was rally fucken asshole. I
almost died because of him.
Austin, I have heard that name before and Collin is my brothers name.
How is that even possible? A coincidence no, no, no, he said reminiscing
over past events, that cant be, um must be mixing things up.
Mixing what exactly? she asked as if slightly spooked by the way he reacted
to her tale.
I remember being taken away from my home by two strange men. They
killed my sister, father and probably my mother. They also told me strange
things like Zeal, a guy called Austin and that my brother, Collin, was some
secret agent. It sounded like bullshit to me. he said, lost in deep thought.
Your parents were murdered? Who were these two men? she asked,
petrified at first, wait a minute your brothers name is Collin!?
I dont really remember their faces, all I know is that they were all white
guys and one of them had a British accent and the other a Russian accent,
he said, touching his forehead with his free hand and thinking, yah my
brothers name is Collin.
Oh my god, youre the boy who was supposed to be the crashed BMW that
made us search for. Youre the hope of this world that needs to get to
Austin. She said, surprised to meet the boy they spent hours searching for in
the whole of the Avenues.
The what? he said, perplexed by the title he had been given by the girl, I
dont get it.

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Youre the one who is supposed to save the world that is what Austin told
us at the hospital. If youre the one who was in the boot, then youre the one
who is supposed to save us. she said, leaning towards him with gleeful eyes
as if she has found the jackpot.
This is the second time now you mentioned that name, I think thats him.
The Russian was called Nicholai by his partner when I was in the boot.
Thats the bastard who killed my parents! he said with an alarming rage and
then banged the counter with his free hand. The counter was levelled to the
ground and the bricks and layer of concrete which had been used to
reinforce the counter was broken down. Tanaka was shocked by his strength
and walked away from it as if he had committed a sin. Emma was startled by
his inhuman display of strength and took moments to look at the destruction
and the one who had caused such. Tanaka looked at his hand to see whether
or not he had inflicted damage on it, but was apparently unharmed at all.
This puzzled him and Emma asked him, What are you? Tanaka looked at
her, uncertain of what to say and responded, Um not sure anymore. Emma
looked at him with tortured eyes and wondered whether she was safe with
him or not. Tanaka didnt like the way she looked at him and thus replied,
But um still me and whatever changes that are happening to me are a result
of the torch affecting my body.
Your torch light is changing you? she asked, slightly doubtful and slightly
amazed.
Yah its a long story, but tell me, is the guy you call Nicholai Russian?
asked Tanaka who seemed optimistic to know that his adversary was the one
Emma was talking about.
Yah his a pale skinned fucken Russian. She said with a tang of rage of her
own.
Do you know where is? he asked, driven by the desire for vengeance.
He abandoned me and left with the group. I think they were planning on
going to Rainbow towers to find Austin and kill Collin. Oh my god, they are
going to kill your brother. She said, connecting the dots and realising how
Nicholai had fooled them.

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So not only kills my parents, my sister but now wants to kill my only big
brother. I hate him. I want to do the same things that he did to them
damn that bastard! he said clenching his fist and tightening his grip on the
torch.
Um so sorry about what happened to your family, but there is something I
dont get, she said, pausing for a bit and then looking into his eyes, Austin
needs you to save the world, but why would Nicholai kill your family and
your brother attack the last hope of the world?
I dont what that bastard said about my brother, but just know it was just a
loud of crap. My brother isnt bad at all. He was probably lying. Damn it.
Damn him. I need to stop him. he said with an angry tone in his voice.
Then I guess he was leading us all along with his bullshit. I feel like such an
idiot. she said, reminded by her foolish act as she followed him down the
stairs.
Um going to Rainbow towers. I think if there is one thing I need to do
before I leave this earth is to kill the person who killed my family, he said,
glancing at her and offering her his hand, lets go.
You want to go now? she asked, surprised by his decisiveness.
I have lost everything, everything! Um not going lose my brother. Now that
I know his a live, I have reason to live. That bastard is not going to take him
away from me. Thats a guarantee. he said, grabbing her hand instead of
waiting for her to grasp it. Emma didnt fight him, but instead asked, Wait,
whats your name?
Tanaka Manyika is my name. Whats yours? he asked.
Emma. Just call me Emma. she said with a composed voice.
Then lets go Emma. he said.

The two of them left Beer Engine with heading to Rainbow Towers hotel as
their destination. Though Tanaka could see natural light due to torch and
complete darkness when he looked at what was beyond his light, the same
could not be said for Emma. Emma could see the natural light from the
torch, but the rest was completely red. This was weird for her and at times

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she could see the patrolling demons that Tanaka was oblivious of. Emma
stopped at a store, broke the glass window and decided to change her
clothes. This was awkward for Tanaka who had to point the torch at her in
fear of leaving alone in the dark to change. Emma told him to look away as
quickly changing and even suggested that he closed his eyes. His mind was
focused on getting to Nicholai, killing him and seeing his brother, but he was
slightly disorientated when he saw her naked as she changed. She had an
elegant body, plump breasts and the desirable buttocks of an African woman.
Tanaka didnt want to peek, but somehow opened his eyes at the wrong
moment. Emma wanted to change her hospital clothes and to wear
something that was decent. Tanaka had insisted on wearing his clunky and
heavily stained clothes, not caring for a change. Emma was soon done with
her changing and he feigned having his eyes being closed so that she
wouldnt notice that they had been open. Emma then said, Um done now
you can open your eyes. Tanaka opened her eyes and noticed that she was
wearing timberlands, black denim jeans, a black t-shirt and leather jacket. She
looked exquisite and her rather wretched appearance before had now been
erased from his memory. Tanaka smiled a bit and she took notice of this.
Surprisingly she was the one who was affected more by him noticing her and
hid her face. Before things really got awkward, he took her hand, helping her
dodge the sharp glasses that were still attached to the window seals of the
display. Tanaka then asked, Do you mind if we run?
I dont mind. she replied.
Good. he said, picking up his step and running with her. They ran down
Samora Machel at a quarter pace, getting to the robots and turning left
into Rotan Row road. The ZB bank to left, just behind the trees had
crumbled to the ground. Jongwe house the left was still towering, but there
was a winged creature lying on top, gazing at them as they ran. It was pretty
much the same old same for Tanaka who was seeing the demons that were
surrounding him, avoiding his light at all costs, but still waiting as if
something grand was going to happen. As they reached Jason Moyo avenue,
they noticed that the net one build had completely collapsed, tipping over to
the side and some of its remnants crumbling over into Kwame Nkruma

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avenue, the avenue that was two streets before Jason Moyo avenue. As they
ran, following the trail that was shown by the torch, they came across a dark
being who was standing in the middle of the road. It looked like a 6.6 feet tall
human shaped body but completely black as if it had been roasted by a flame
thrower. Tanaka and Emma immediately stopped upon seeing it. It was
hideous in every way, but when it turned to look at them, he was frightened.
It had no eyes, mouth, noise or ears. It was completely black and had gaseous
black aura coming from its body. The dark being began to make its move
and as it walked, it began to speak, I do not understand why father didnt
destroy you already, seed of hegemony Tanaka Manyika. Tanaka heard its
disturbing voice speak and wondered how it even knew his name. Realising
that it was possible for such spiritual entities to do so, the novelty of it
knowing his name ended. Tanaka then responded, I dont what the hell
youre and what you just called me, but um tired of you things. Tanaka
became inflamed with rage and his right hand began to surge. He pointed his
torch at the ghastly creature and fired the laser of light. Emma who was not
prepared for what he was about to do looked at him with disbelief and
watched as he ejected blinding light at the dark being. The creature jumped
out of the way and crouched. All the buildings beyond had been levelled to
the ground. Tanaka who assumed that he killed the creature heard it speak
from his right and it said, So much power, but yet no real skill to make the
most of it. The demon in a flash ran towards him and punched him in the
gut. The boy was flung into the building that was just before Jason Moyo
Avenue and experienced great pain. His torch had fused with his hand yet
again which was fortunate for him who would have probably dropped his
weapon of choice due the impact of the punch. Emma who saw his take
down feared for Tanaka who seemed weak compared the menacing beats in
front of her. She could see him in the dark in her red vision. The dark being
ended up saying, I see that Baalesh has already started recruiting humans
into the creed of darkness. Hmm, she has never been a patient disciple to our
lord Mweya Mutema, but her zest is still commendable. Emma looked at
the dark being with utter confusion and dread, already feeling sad due to the
death of Tanaka. The dark being noticed this and said, No need to worry,

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youre one of us now Emma. Dont weep for the enemy. Rejoice in the
darkness and know that youre on the winning side. I am Lord Methodius,
one of the twelve disciples of Mweya Mutema, spreading the gospel of
darkness on earth and ending its populace which full of irredeemable sinners.
The fact that Baalesh chose you means you will get to see our lords
transformation. The final form he must reach before he seals the fate of this
pathetic race for eternity. Rejoice my sister, youre part of the darkness.
I dont understand? she said, confused.
You will my new sister in darkness, you will. said the dark being. Emma
remained silent as she watched the dark being, fearful of what he had just
told, but suddenly, the building that Tanaka had smashed into had begun to
crumble. A loud roar was heard and Tanaka sprung forth from the wall at an
inhuman speed. Tanaka struck the face of the demon which subsequently hit
the durawall of Jongwe House. Tanaka was surprised by his own physique
and power, and yet again, the torch had saved from death. Emma looked at
his ambient body, shocked that he was still alive and that he not encountered
death. She smiled in awe, as she saw him walk towards the site where the
dark beings body had fallen. Tanaka began to hear a chuckle and the dark
being shouted, I am impressed. No one has ever inflected such damage on
my body before. Lets see if you can do it again. The demon flung itself at
Tanaka and was blocked by hi elbow. Tanaka didnt know how he was able
to do things he was doing and began to brutally beat the dark being. He
broke its arms, legs, feet and burned off its lower back with his torch. His
body had a mind of its own and he began to realise that every time he was
about to encounter death, his torch would somehow save him just in time.
This was now seeming like a victory for him and if he could pulverise a being
as powerful as the dark being, then nothing could stand in his way. As he
looked at the dark beings mangled flesh, he also glanced at Emma who was
beyond the description of speechless and glanced at the dark being. Tanaka
then said, So much for the scare you piece of shit.
Its not over yet boy. I came with a friend. Chuckled the demon. As
Tanaka was distracted, a creature similar to Methodius but with a more
feminine physique grabbed his from behind, yanked it off and punched him

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through the gut. He was sucker punched by the demon and mortally
wounded. Emma screamed her lungs out as she this happen. The boys
adrenaline nullified the pain of strike for a bit and he felt disorientated. The
feminine demon flung his body which landed on the intersection of Rotan
Row road and Jason Moyo. Tanaka had not anticipated this and he was on
the verge of dying. The female demon glanced at Emma and said, You look
well my convert. Embrace the darkness and the great lord will notice thy
servants labour. Emma was perplexed by what she meant by servant, but
remembered the sound of her voice. It was the voice she heard before dying
and realised that the reason why she was alive and so different was because
of her. The body of Methodius began to regenerate, reforming into a solid
figure. Emma stood up and ran towards Tanakas body with tearful eyes. She
go to his body and saw him convulsing, blood filling up in his mouth as he
darted randomly into the sky. His torch was on the other hand that had not
been yanked off, but the pain in his body made his hand twitch. Methodius
had now full regenerated, recovering his body and now walking towards
Tanakas body to finish where Baalesh had left off. The demon even shouted
out, After I am with you boy, I am going to kill everyone at that hotel.
Every single person you love.
Please stop! screamed out Emma.
Your crying wont stop me from ripping your boyfriend into pieces my
sister. Dont waste your tears on him, because after I am done with him, we
are going to devour his flesh. he said now pacing with a determined step.
Baalesh then shouted, Enough Methodius! Methodius was shocked to see
that his partner had halted him. His aura began to burst violently as he asked,
Bloody hell Baalesh!? Have you gone and sympathised with this human?
No. I dont sympathise with that boy, but I will not let you do away with my
kill. As far as um concerned, that boy kicked your ass. You have not right to
touch him. His my kill and I have decided to let him bleed out his lie force.
Not even the children are allowed to take a bite. Methodius was angered by
her, but decided to concede.
Make sure you kill the Initiator of Hegemony. This is decision of your own,
dont fuck it up.

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I wont. he said as he left. Baalesh also disappeared and Tanaka noticed her
departure. Emma looked at the boy as he bled out, crying and feeling as if life
had dealt her another heavy blow. The memories of seeing her sad existence
in the sky affected her in the very moment she was looking Tanaka. She had
failed at life and failed at helping her newly made friend fulfil his quest for
vengeance. She was reminded of her uselessness and frailty, a burden she had
always been in her life. She admittedly kind of liked him, but now he was
dying. Tanakas ambition was over and all the effort he had made to survive
had now left with him. His eyes closed and he died, leaving the world of the
infinite darkness as one who had failed. Emma squinted her eyes and cried
vehemently at the sight of the dead boy. His torch which was on began to
flicker and then dimmed. The light also switched off as a sign of his death.

Chapter 11

The end justifies the

means.
The dreadful journey had ended, the pain had ended, and the boy had faded.
The savagery of the infinite darkness which knew no bounds had completed

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its mission and killed Tanaka Manyika. The hope, the mission, the conquest
had all gone to nothing. Emma had left him for dead and little was known
about her whereabouts, this was undoubtedly the end, or see it was.

The agony of raging souls in the spiral if death had consumed his soul,
violating whatever was left of his innocence. Tanaka was immersed in the
deep cesspool of depravity, sharing the same fate as the other souls. There
was no harmony in the darkness; a mellow melody was the motif in the
gnashing of teeth and grinding of flesh. The oblivion had left him formless
and tailored to waste, reminding him of all the times he failed and all the
times he had experienced irrevocable humiliation. This was essentially, what
it felt like to die in the infinite darkness and the sadness that was lying within
the bellies of the demons that had devoured the masses had established itself
as the norm. It was terror and it was hopelessness, the incarnation of pure
lack of remorse. However, in the dimness of the wretched and meaningless
world, a pulse was heard. The life of one who was once stripped of his claim
to existence had returned. Tanaka was alive! The pain and brutal beating he
got from the dark being was as traumatising as it good be; his severed arm,
brutal beating, sight of tearful Emma and subsequent death had left a lasting
impression on him, but yet he had cheated death. Tanaka saw a bright
beaming light that glistened like a flare, singing to him. The voice behind the
light had a familiar ring to it, something he had heard before. It was the
sound of his sister singing to him, Be strong and be brave, we are all we have and
we have each other, be a good boy and carry on living. This is what he could hear
and the symphony that was accompanied with the voice helped to satisfy his
quench for something human. As the voice began to fade out, his eyes began
to open. His eyes were shown the present reality of the infinite darkness, a
world had be removed from after dying, by resurrected to find it in the same
state as it was before: a depraved indistinguishable hell with no comparison.
The rain of was still pouring, soaking his body wet and as he shifted his body,
assessing how and why he was alive, he realised that his body had been
restored. The flesh which had been pulverized by the dark being had been

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restored and his right arm which had ripped off had returned to him. The
question that came to mind as he twitched, shifted position and looked at
himself was where was the torch? He could see light emanating just below his
hip as he laid on the ground, but there was no torch to be found, as moved
his right hands fingers, shadows were casted down on the wet pavement.
From that very moment, he realised that his right hand was the one that was
producing the rays. Tanaka began to scrutinise his body and noticed some
peculiar. His torch had fused with his right hand and left ionised markings
that made his hand look as if it was maimed with leprosy. This was puzzling
to Tanaka who raised his right hand as the blood rained, analysing the new
features on his new limb. It was miracle that he was alive, but his revival had
come with additional upgrades. His palm had become the epicentre of the
light generation, resembling the appearance of a lodged luminous orb in a
hand. Tanka could also see the glowing veins that were close to his wrists
which looked like live circuit at work. The capillary flow of energy gave it an
ambient feel and Tanaka who just woken up from a dreadful nightmare
called death had been woken up to see the new changes. His body had been
completely healed and he also felt inner peace, peace that had been devoid in
him since the inception of the infinite darkness. The defining moment in his
existence had occurred and he had been reborn, but despite this encouraging
incident, Emmas presence was missing. Tanaka immediately rose from the
blood drenched tarmac of Jason Moyo Avenue and Rotten row road and
began to dart randomly as if he was trying to spot several things at once. The
darkness was still dense and he thus utilised his hand which had now become
the torch. His forearm which was raised at an obtuse angle revealed to him
the elements that made the remnants of the surrounding area. The Harare
city library which looked plastered with thick and flaky eggs the size of two
obese men had already hatched. This most probably happened during the
time he was deceased. The collapsed Net one building with its debris all over
was still in the same state as it was before only streaming the bloody rain into
its internal crevices. The sight any life features were nowhere to be seen, it
was pretty much the tale of one boy in a desolate and lifeless circumstance.
Emma was gone and the thought of her having gone had inflicted a severe

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emotional blemishing in him. He called out her name, several times and his
voice echoed in the silence. The only feedback he got was the sound of the
rain pouring down and the howling of the souls which had replaced the
wind. The only idea that came to mind as the emotions engulfed his mind
was the thought of seeing his brother Collin. The thought made him also
avert his attention towards the road that lead to the gates of the Rainbow
Towers hotel. The haven that he had been searching for was just ahead of
him and there was a slight chance that Emma could have run in that
direction. The dark being had been given the location by Emma and it was
probably at the same location as his brother. He had lost his fight to the
death with it and feared that a second encounter would entail permanent
death. The thought if murdering his brother and the rest who were safe
tampering with his faith. He had so much to look forward to and so much to
lose in the pursuit of his brother. What the safe zone of the citizens of
Harare looked like was all he could think of, but a stinging sensation brought
back to rage and sadness had nearly forgotten. The murder of his parents and
sister at the hands of Nicholai. The mixed emotions did their number on him
and he knew that arriving at the desired destination would mean either
happiness or more suffering. As he processed these thoughts, he began to
walk slowly towards the gate of Rainbow Towers. The Jongwe House
buildings steel banister like durawall had been bent over and the lower
sections had been left in the form of brittle debris. The segmented road of
Jason Moyo Avenue had potholes and conical serrations all over the place,
adding to more puddles of blood. The City of Harare tax payment buildings
behind Jongwe house were also devastated and there were also signs of
malevolent incubation. Such a sight was of grotesque nature and the
topography and environment was looking like the aftermath of a selfimploded rectum. The obscenities that desecrated the citys beauty where
plentiful and this was the sign of dominion for the darkness and it had taken
over human territory and made it bustle with wickedness. The world of the
infinite darkness.

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As Tanaka passed the gate, walking with his right hand darted hand darted
ahead like a flash light, he began to hear a sound that sounded similar to that
of hymn that was always sung at Sunday school. The sound was seemed to
be trying to get his attention and he thus followed it instinctively as if
hypnotised by its spellbinding effect. Tanaka trotted away, passing the
allotted car park spaces, corporate flags that were overlying in the area and
even ignored the tall skyscraper section of the once wonderful looking hotel
destination of Zimbabwe. Most of the windows of the building had all been
broken into. Tanaka thought as much that the guests at the hotel had all ben
devoured in their sleep when the darkness fell and the only thing that was
lied in there were painted walls full of the unsavoury exploits of the darkness.
He refocused at the sound passed that adjoined section of Rainbow Towers
and went straight ahead towards HICC which was the conference hall of the
hotel. The journey was going to be short and what he was going to find at
the end of this conquest was what was pestering him. The what and who
he would find? Would he find Nicholai and the rest of the group that had
abandoned Emma as they left the collapsing Crowne Plaza hotel, Austin and
his brother or dead bodies as the product of the dark beings blood lust
craftsmanship? This a mental debacle that impinging his resolve, but he
soldiered on with each step he took. When he arrived at the rectangular
prism like complex which was the entrance to HICC, the sound of the
singing began to be more audible and harmonious as if Enya had was
performing at the heart the building. Tanaka entered the building which
seemed barely touched as if there had been a Dont trespass sign post that
demon gladly ignored. He passed the receptionist counter and made a right
turn which led to the conference hall room for the seats on the ground floor.
As came closer to the doors he noticed an intense shimmering of light which
gleaming in between the spaces of the closed doors. He had arrived, but also
discovered the charged body of something familiar. The body of the dark
being. It was scorched beyond feasible form, but Tanaka could tell that this
was the creature that had killed him. Its lifeless ash like carcass was relief for
him to see, but the fact that it had been killed or driven to this state meant
that the individuals who lied beyond the barricade of doors to the conference

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hall were powerful enough to destroy such a monster. Tanaka passed the
carcass and touched the door closest to him. The singing was now vibrating;
resonating on the walls and his body felt an overwhelming sensation that was
similar to the hysterics of a fanatic. The energy was warm, blissful and
endearing and Tanaka who at first was hesitant finally opened the door. A
bright ray of light flashed and passed him like combusted smoke that was
going through diffusion. As the his eyes gradually got use to the intensity of
the light, the imagery of downstairs and upstairs seats, figures and so forth
began to take shape. At the centre of the stage were many people who were
glowing, glowing just as how Emma had described Nicholai. There was
cutlery, cooking and people lying in their beds. The numbers were not more
than 30, but the numbers were refreshing sight for his already violated eyes.
He had seen people, humans who had survived the turmoil of the infinite
darkness and the inhumanity of Mweya Mutema. At one point, he felt like
breaking down to cry, but the thought of finding his brother or Emma was
took precedence in him. As he moved into full view of the people inside the
hall, his blood drenched clothes were highlighted by the fluorescent nature of
their luminous emissions. He skin was beam and the encompassing darkness
behind him had become a thing of the past. The people inside noticed him
and shouted something. Some were alarmed by his presence others called for
help and help did come. 3 men rushed towards Tanaka who was now
pouring tears of disbelief. This was the happy ending to his shitty suffering
that he had longed for and he finally got the blissful end. The two men who
were both glowing rushed and grabbed him. The asked him if he was okay,
showing genuine concern and curiosity, but their voices were muffled to him.
He was disorientated by the sight of seeing other survivors and reflected on
the loneliness and people he had lost. Old man Richard Hambira, Daniel, his
family and probably Emma. It was an influx of emotions that made the boy
break down crying as he sighed for relief. The three men helped carry him,
drawing him closer to the rest of the glowing people. The glowing individuals
were a mixed bunch; teenagers, elderly people in their 60s and 70s, 1 child
who was probably John and a couple of adults who made the majority of the
glowing people. As Tanaka reached the stage, a doctor who called for the 3

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men to bring him to her looked intensely at him. He was put on a stretcher
and his clothes stripped off him as she check for any serious wounds. Tanaka
could hear the muffled voice of her saying, Hello um Dr. Rondozai and
youre lucky to be alive. His eyes flickered in a disorientated manner as she
spoke, Tanaka wasnt sure if it was his shock to see this manner people or his
joy to have founder people who seemed to living normally in the current
grave and chaotic era of darkness. As the doctor looked at him, she noticed
the veiny branch like glowing lines that ended on his mid-forearm and
noticed the conspersed steel like growths and spots that were on his hand.
The centre of his palm had the orb like frame which was emanating a lot of
light. The doctor was startled by this discovery and wondered to herself,
What the hell is that? The two men were also startled by this and Tanaka
realised that his moment of euphoria was going to end if he didnt say
anything to alleviate superstition. Tanaka thus darted at all of them and said,
Dont worry um on your side, my hand is the way it is and I dont know
how. The 3 men and the surrounding crowd of glowing people who were
within the vicinity began to question and scrutinise the scene, but what broke
the inspection was the actions of a young girl who ran through the crowd.
She forced her way past the bodies, knocking down someone and then
quickly grabbed hold of Tanaka. It was Emma who had just embraced the
boy and her hug made the doubting eyes refrain from their caution. The hug
was tight, the kind that would suffocate and a man, but Tanaka didnt mind
the discomfort for he found comfort in her presence. She looked deeply into
his eyes and smiled as her eyes squinted tearfully and said, Youre alive,
youre alive Tanaka. Youre alive. The imagery of the two in such an
embrace was heart-warming; everyone was curious as to what connection
these two had and about what the boy had gone through. As the emotional
commotion went on the curtains of the stage were unveiled and out came
two individuals. One who was enchained and one who had the chain like
leash that was dragging the manacled man. The manacled man looked like he
was in his late 60s, a white man with a heavy beard, grey pulled back hair,
surprisingly bulky build for his age, chiselled Greek statue like face and a
linen robe. His green eyes were glisten and his clothing folds were sharp as

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the creases were undulating as walking towards the tip of the stage. The man
who was dragging him was 6.6 feet tall dark ebony skinned, white tailored
hair which was stroke-like and mid-lengthy, athletic build which was within
the 130kgs weight bound, toned physique and a frame similar to that of
Tanaka. He was fairly handsome, wearing black special ops gear, strapped
sheaths on his gear with a couple of hand guns and army boots. His
expression which seemed more tethered for a serious no nonsense look was
suppler than it usually was. The men walked and drew the attention of the
crowd. Emma who was still embracing Tanaka was now glancing at the two
men on stage. Tanaka noticed her gesticulation and turned his head to look
at the stage. His heart beat raced upon seeing the one person he missed the
most out of this world. His eyes were wide open and Emma smiled at the
thought of seeing him happy. The awkward and uproarious moment was
soon interrupted when the tall man jumped off the stage and stood directly
in the vantage point of Tanaka. Tanaka looked at him speechless and waited
as the man began to speak.

Its been a while little bro, its time we saved the world together.

To be continued.