Chapter one
Tina noticed that Leon's grandfather was troubled.They were happy being with him at his farm but he seemed troubled and absent minded all the time."Leon I think grandpa is sick or stressed about something and he is not telling us",Tina approached Leon. "Well,it's news to me,I didn't notice,maybe we should ask him about it,you know how old people are,they love hiding everything,even the smallest things",Leon said.
Piet was in his early seventies but he looked younger than his age,still energetic.He was walking around his farm in the morning after breakfast,he was happy that Leon and his wife Tina had visited him and they intended to stay with him for some time but his worries outweighed his happiness.He stopped and stared at the combine harvester he had just bought."Grandpa",It was Leon standing behind him."We noticed you are not fine, something is bothering you,are you ill or something,are you hiding something from us?"Leon asked.Piet wanted to tell him that everything was fine ,he turned and saw Tina standing beside Leon,he knew hiding was not going to work,Tina was not going to let him be until he said something."I borrowed money from someone for farm equipment upgrade, I used my life savings on medical expenses,renovating the house so I didn't have enough,I borrowed",Piet told them. "So what troubles you?they want their money? and who is this person you borrowed money from grandpa?"Tina was too quick to ask questions.Piet took a deep breath before he could answer "I barely know him,I met him through a friend of mine at a bar downtown,a young man,he sounds dangerous now,he wants his money and I don't have it all yet".
"Maybe we should call the person, talk to him and pay him monthly until the debt is cleared,what do you think Tina?"It was Leon.Tina nodded her head in agreement.Piet looked more worried,that was what he was avoiding, letting them help him pay his debt,he wanted to handle it himself without bothering anyone.Tina ran to the house and came back with grandfather's cellphone,she handed it to him,he knew what that meant.
The day passed,the expected visitor did not show up neither did he call nor text.
It was around eight o'clock in the evening after they had dinner,Leon and his grandfather sat in living room sipping coffee.Tina walked down the passage from the living room to the home library.She wanted to grab a book to read.
When Tina opened the door,a man was sitting on a chair facing the book shelf,he seemed so relaxed,who was it? Tina stood behind him wondering.She was about to ask him who he was and how he got into the house but he spoke first still facing the book shelf. "Hello Tina, I still remember that scent, I never forgot".His voice sounded familiar, Tina's heart started racing,she was scared and shaking.She walked slowly towards him and stood beside him,she wanted to confirm if he truely was the man she was thinking he was, she slowly turned her face to look at his,her eyes met his,it was him,she trembled with fear.
"Danny",she whispered. "What.what are you doing here?were you following me?how did you escape from prison?you are not supposed to be out, what do you want? please don't hurt anyone",Tina was uncomfortable.
"I did not come here for you Tina, I came for the old man,he owes me you know,he should have paid me a long time ago or he should have stopped being ambitious at old age and about us, I guess fate has brought us together, don't you think?"Danny smiled a little and stood up.He took a cigarette and matches from his pocket, lit it up and smoked.He headed to the door, walked down the passage to the living room.Tina stood still in the home library for a while."The Janssens!" Danny said the moment he got to the living room.Piet asked him to sit down and told Leon that he was the guest they were waiting for.They tried to talk to him about the debt. "I have no time for this,your debt is long overdue and I know how you will pay for it here and now!"Danny said,he was not looking friendly at all.Tina walked in silently.Danny threw the cigarette on the flow and stepped over it.He reached for his trousers pockets and took out something."I will just kill this old man then the debt is cleared,no need for all this stress",Danny said like he was joking.He flipped the spyderco spot open.Tina shook with fright, Leon and Piet tried to calm him down,they never actually expected him to go that far.
Danny listened to nothing they said,he went behind Piet,his left hand hugged him from behind,over his chest ,his right hand placed the spyderco spot on his throat. Tina did not dare scream,she broke down crying silently.She sat on the floor and leaned on the wall and prayed for the three of them to be left alive but she was also doubting her own prayer.Leon went on his knees and begged him to let his grandfather go.Danny grew angry looking at Leon and Tina,it was as if something struck him, something from the past, something that opened a wound, a wound that needed revenge to heal.Leon and Tina watched him move the knife swiftly across Piet's throat,blood coming out like water from a burst pipe.Leon stood up in complete shock,he never expected that.Danny stepped aside and Piet fell on his back.That angered Leon and he punched Danny hard on his face, Danny staggered backwards and looked around quickly,he grabbed a flower pot and smashed it on Leon's head and knocked him off. Tina screamed this time,two men lying down and she was alone facing her nightmare, nobody to defend her, nobody in the farm,Piet had said he gave the workers off days but the truth was that he was failing to pay them.Danny walked up to Tina,they looked into each other's eyes,Danny dropped his gaze to her body lustfully,he lifted his hands and ran his fingers over her breasts and neck."Fate has made our paths cross again, I will come back for you Tina",he sounded very sure.
