Chapter 16 Appointment with the Devil
1737words
In her school uniform with Vyasa's fake booklet in her school bag, she is ready to go. The replica looks exactly like the original except for the code that has been changed. She hopes their plan will work. Rene left early for work. She has only to work a short shift today and will be home early.
Kadin wonders whether they know where she lives or did they only follow Billy. She will have to scrutinize her surroundings all the way to the library to detect them if they are around. Should they know where she lives, they might follow her and they will be alerted if she doesn't go to school but directly to the city library. She simply has to reach the library unnoticed! The fact that she has not seen them since they parted at Billy's home, gives her hope. She will hang on to the belief that Billy will sit next to her this morning in the library.
What about the poison? That is another reason for her to reach the library unseen. What if they wait for her near the library? They could spy on the library from a distance. Tension begins to gnaw in her stomach. Damn, she is only thinking about this last possibility now.
I'm overanalysing, she warns herself. She must stop pondering everything and just do her thing. It is now or never! Billy's freedom is dependent on her!
Cautiously she opens the front door and peeps out. The street in front of her looks quiet with only a few parked cars. She studies the cars intensely. Could someone maybe lie down in one of the cars and peeks at her? She'll never know and steps out and anxiously and cautiously walks to the front gate and then surveys the street on both sides before she opens it.
Bird Street, always so beautiful to her, now has an eerie look and full of obstacles. The gorgeous, giant trees and gardens all over now represent places where the enemy could lurch and wait for her. Trinder Park with the wall around it is another possibility. The Professional Club is another good place to hide in the lush garden from where they could watch her. Darn, she has to pass all these obstacles!
What would be the best route? Maybe they followed her and Billy when they emerged from the bus in Western Street because Billy vanished soon after they got off the bus. She must avoid Western Street because they could wait for her at one of the bus stops. That is probably their plan. Bird Street runs parallel to Western Street and she must get to the next parallel street away from Western Street as quickly as possible. She must take a shortcut to Cuyler Street and from there down to Military road and from there straight to the library. When she reaches Cuyler Street, she will feel more or less safe all the way down to the library. This is the safest route, but first, she must reach Cuyler Street.
She will have to get to the nearest street linking Bird with Cuyler Street. Kadin observes Bird Street and satisfied that she sees nothing suspicious, crosses Bird Street quickly. She sees a prostitute with a very short mini dress emerging from behind one of the big trees. This is another proof that someone easily can watch and overwhelm her. She passes the lady who smiles in her direction.
"You can make a lot of money, my doll, just in your school dress, you lovely thing."
Kadin doesn't reply but only walks faster. Damn, Bird Street is always awash with prostitutes that hide and only appear when suspected, potential clients drive slowly by any time of day or night looking for their services.
At any time a car might drive by and she wouldn't know if it is a potential client or one of the devil's accomplices.
She follows the opposite pavement from her home down in the direction of the Professional Club. The nearest street that links Bird and Cuyler Streets is on the other side of the club near the courts of law. She hurries while she examines Trinder Park on the opposite side and then she nervously passes the Professional Club and is relieved when she sees nobody in its beautiful garden and also in Trinder Park opposite her.
Kadin is almost at the intersection when she sees a black vehicle parked on the other side of the road behind a giant tree. It looks like a black delivery van and her heart skips a beat when she sees two men inside. She can't see whether they are sleeping or how they look, but there are definitely two men in the front of the van.
Kadin turns right into the street and passes the courts hastily. Her heart starts to race when she hears the van starts. She looks back and sees how it slowly drives up along Bird Street. It drives extremely slowly as if the occupants are watching her. Then it disappears out of sight in Bird Street. She relaxes a bit. Maybe it is business for the prostitute. Maybe they waited to see what is on the menu this morning and then they saw the lady.
Kadin now turns left onto Cuyler Street and then turns left again onto Athol Fugard Terrace in the direction of Military road and then she sees the black van again. It came down along Bird Street and is now standing at the stop sign. Why are they waiting there? Are they waiting to see which way she is taking? The van now becomes suspicious. She feels exposed and vulnerable because of the small amount of traffic. They will be able to grab her and race away and no one will even notice. Hopefully, they are just horny men looking for a prostitute. Maybe they weren't pleased with the other lady.
While Kadin is crossing the road she sees the van turns into the street and comes her way. Her heart now races in her chest. She reaches the pavement on Military road and going down the road she must steady herself because of the steep incline down to Baakens Street. The van slowly drives past Military Street and vanishes in the direction of the fort. She feels a little relieved.
She quickly walks down the steep slope and about halfway through she looks back and sees the van coming down Military Street. Damn, the thing is like a troublesome fly! Expecting the worst she keeps on walking but nothing happens. She now looks back and sees the van is parked on the side of the road. This is highly suspicious but she has no choice but to go on.
She is now passing the Wool Exchange building and later the concert hall of the Feather Market complex and then she reaches Baakens Street with the Herald building opposite the road. She tries to relieve her tension by recalling the rich heritage of all these buildings. The Eastern Province Herald was one of the oldest newspapers in South Africa of which the first edition already was published on 7 May 1845. John Paterson and John Philip, a printer, jointly started the newspaper but after a quarrel in 1890, Sir Edgar took over and in 1903 he moved the newspaper to the corner Baakens and Military.
Walking on the pavement she now passes the Feather Market Hall and also the old post office building at the opposite of the road and Queen Victoria's statue in front of the library looking over the market square comes into sight. She is now very near her destination. She simply has to bite the bullet and forces her thoughts back to history. It helps to alleviate the tension that has built up in her. The Feather Market complex's origin was the result of the rich ostrich industry of the 1800s. Export of feather through the Port Elizabeth harbor led to a flourishing feather market in the city centre and the Feather Market Hall was inaugurated already in 1885.
She now wonders whether the municipality would complete their renovation of the old post office building. It is barricaded with no access for the public after loiterers occupied it and severely damaged it. The building was designed by H.S. Greaves in 1897 and was opened to the public on 25 June 1900 next to the beautiful city hall that faces the square opposite the main library. The bells of its 41-meter tower used to toll out the time of day over the city centre and will hopefully be restored to their former glory and functioning.
Kadin is now beginning to cross Western Street, soon to be renamed John Kani Street, and when she looks back she sees the van coming along Baakens Street and she swears surreptitiously: "Get lost!"
Hurriedly she desperately crosses Western Street in a hasty trot. She assumes the van has stopped behind her at the robot which has turned red. The entrance to the library is almost in front of her now but she would not know whether the door is open before she reaches it.
She looks at her wristwatch. Quarter past nine and she hear no footsteps behind her or car doors slamming. She eagerly wants to look back but refrains from doing so and trots even quicker. Safety is winking of hopefully an open door at her destination and her appointment with the devil.
Then she thinks about another obstacle. One of them might wait for her at the entrance! She will then be trapped! Her heart races in her chest.
She has almost reached the entrance and only hopes the door is open and there is no one waiting for her in the entrance!
