Mystery Man

One night as I was taking my usual runs in the cold street’s of Montagu , I noticed a dark peculiar shadow laying on the side road. I got closer only to discover the horror that would eventually change my life entirely. The shadowy figure was an injured me.His facials indicated that he was about sixty years of age. The greyish beard on his wrinkled face had been covered with blood. It seemed as if he were fighting with an animal, his face was covered in scratches down to his chest area. I grabbed his hand to check for a pulse, fortunate enough it was still pounding which meant that he was still alive. My apartment was close by, I ran back to get my car, placed the  man into the car and drove all the way to the nearest hospital. I begged the staff nurse who was attending him to contact me as soon as the man’s condition became better. Even though the man was a stranger, I felt a great deal of sympathy for him. The following day around 4pm,I received a call from the nurse ,where the injured man was being treated.

“The patient, you brought in yesterday is doing much better, we are discharging him today, will you be able to collect him from the hospital? “asked the nurse.

I felt slightly awkward but remained loyal to my promise.

“can you please contact me after discharging him, I’ll be there” I replied.

Two hours later I received a call that the man had been discharged. I drove all the way to the hospital that very moment. The nurse led me to ward 10,where the man sat with other patients in their own beds waiting to be picked up. I could see that he was doing better, the smile on his face widened as I entered the room. Painful memories began to torment my mind, as I was approaching him, I could remember the horrific car accident that nearly ended the life of my mother. She stayed in the hospital for a week, each day was unbearable. I nearly lost the queen of my heart. I was only twelve years old at the time, but that is a story for another day. The stranger besides me had been staring at me from the moment I had stepped inside the ward till I sat down next to him. The nurse gave him a prescription of pills. The man and I immediately left, after all I couldn’t stand hospital’s.

“Thank you for saving me, my name is Benjamin, as in Benjamin Temo but you can call me Ben” the man said in a hoarse voice.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Lebohang,but you may call me Lebo. Do you have a family close by, perhaps I could drive you. Tears came running down from Ben’s eyes all the way to his cheeks. I felt uncomfortable for a while.  

“Is there anything you would like me to do for you?” Ben whispered, while hugging me tightly. I felt his adoration, for a second I wished he was my father. 

Here’s a sick man who had gone through great trauma, yet he was asking what he could do for me. I felt great pity toward him. I fought to disclose my feelings from him, but not my intention. 

“Perhaps you could help me find someone. I’m trying to locate my father, all that I know is that he’s name is Chris Debeer at least that was what my mother told me.You see I never knew him and I don’t have his photos, they all burned in our old house while I was still a baby, well at least that was what I was told” I explained. I hoped Ben could offer me the help I very much needed.

“The name sound’s familiar, I think I know where he stays, I can direct you to him” 

“Oh yes please! That would be helpful, but first let me get back to my apartment then we will go look for my father” I pleaded. Ben agreed. 

I felt hopeful but remained weary.

We drove to my apartment to collect additional clothing for me and my new friend as the cold weather condition was worsening. A packet of chips, two cans of soda drinks were the only edibles available in the house. I hadn’t done any grocery shopping for the past two months of my arrival. Fortunate enough, the snacks could keep me and my new friend energised for an hour or so. Time was passing by quickly, I grabbed a red plastic bag that I had placed untidy on the couch, put the snacks in it, while holding a blanket in my right hand, then fled to the car. 

We drove for 30 minutes, but because I hadn’t eaten since morning, I stopped the car and ate the chips with Ben. He seemed hesitant to eat, when I asked him what the problem was, his response was “I ate” but I knew he was being untruthful, but I couldn’t figure out why he would lie, My main concern was finding my father. As soon as I had finished eating, I continued to drive..

“There it is”Ben said, pointing to a house ten metres in front of us. We had been on the road for an hour an a half, God was finally on our side .We got close to the entrance, waiting for a while to be attended, but no one came, not even a security guard was present. A brunette haired woman opened the main door of the house, then returned back inside. Suddenly there was movement, the entrance gate slided to the right side slowly making a way for us to enter, we took the opportunity and entered slowly and carefully. 

“This is the place where a man by the name of Chris Debeer resides. He has eye’s similar to yours perhaps he is the person you’re looking for. I’ll stay in the car for now but if you need me, I’ll be there.” He whispered, I could smell the garlic on his breath, then I remembered that it must have come from the chips we both ate, which meant that I also smelled garlic. Luckily I always had menthol candy inside my car . I gave him one then slid one inside my mouth. 

“Should you feel a slight hunger, you can finish off the remaining snacks inside that red bag. If you begin to feel cold, there’s an extra blanket beneath the red bag. I’ll be back soon, wish me luck”. I pulled a thumb’s up signal. 

“Good luck” Ben whispered. Pulling his thumb up as well 

Before ringing the doorbell, I took three large breaths, it had been a while since I had felt so scared. The woman I saw while I was in the car, opened the door.

“Greetings, what can I do for you mam?”she asked.

I could not help but notice the ugly scar on her upper lip.

Seeing that my attention was fixed on her imperfection, she increased her voice, with an annoyed expression on her face. 

She yelled. ”Mam,Can I help you!!!?”

“Hello, my name is Lebohang, I’m looking for a man named Chris Debeer, have I found the right house?” I said, trying to be cautious not to annoy her further.

“Yes ,this is Mr Debeer’s home, come in I’ll take you to him “the housemaid said pulling a disfigured smile on her face.

I blushed in embarrassment, entering slowly into the enormous house. The housemaid led me to her master’s office. My heart pounded faster as we approached the door. I waited outside the office while the housemaid entered as it was my way of showing respect. From outside the room, I could clearly decipher every word which was spoken. As I was observing the interior walls of the house, I saw a charcoal portrait of a man with the head of a lion pointing a gun on his own head.

“disturbing!!”I thought.

“Excuse me sir, there’s a woman here to see you, she says her name is Lebohang” announced the housemaid..

“Let her in and please make tea for me and guest please Belinda” the man said.

The housemaid did as she was told.

“Mr Debeer said you could enter” she said.

I slowly walked into the office and there he was. The man who I hoped was my real father, the man I’d been searching for since I was a child.

Tiny freckles covered his cheeks, his black curly hair, neatly trimmed.Eyes,big bulgy and blue like mine. A similarity that could mean that he may be the man I have indeed been searching for, but I needed to be certain.

“oh hello, don’t be shy, come in me.I don’t usually get female visitors, but now there are two females in my  house, Belinda and you. Hahaha.please excuse me..My helper says you want to see me, what can I do for you miss..?”

“Miss Mokoena, my name’s is Lebohang Mokoena” just as I was introducing myself, I heard a manly voice coming from the other room. Suddenly Ben entered the office.

“Two guest’s at the same time, I must have done something right?”

“What are you doing here? You were supposed to wait for me in the car.” I whispered.

“Chris this is the woman who saved me.If it was not for her, I would be dead by now.” Said Ben.

“Really? Where are you from and why are you here? “Chris asked.

“I was born and raised in Joburg by one and only mother Patricia Mokoena, perhaps you know her. I came here looking for my father, as I had been told his name is Chris Debeer and that I would find him in the hex mountains. Are you indeed the man I am looking for?” as  I said those words, I felt sharp pain within my heart, but I could not cry. Both these men were strangers, I did not want to seem weak or be ridiculed by them. 

I further continued my speech seeing the awkward silence in the room.

”I would also like to know the reason behind your abandonment” I said.

Chris slowly walked towards me.

”I knew your mother, we had a baby. I am the man you’re looking for, I am your father “he said with a shrilling voice.

“but why did you leave me, didn’t you love me?”

With tears in his eyes, Chris gave me a hug, it felt unreal, yet pleasant.

Tears from my eyes, dropped on his white, tailored blazer. I hoped I would not cry, but it happened anyway and I despised it.Crying made me look vulnerable.

“I’m so sorry I left, please would you find it in your heart to forgive me for what I’ve done, disappearing like that. I thought I was doing what’s best for you and your mother. I didn’t realise the pain I was causing to my family, my wife, my daughter. I am so sorry my dear. Said Chris. His hug getting even more tight. The pain within my heart slowly faded, I felt relieved to have finally found my father, but painful memories were interfering with my mind. I found it difficult to speak, I only smiled to show that I forgave him.

“This is beautiful, I guess my job is done ,I need to leave.” said Ben.

His spiky hair seemed to glow on the ends, but I did not ask him about it.i thought it was the light on the ceiling, illuminating the hair, somehow.

“Wait remember what we discussed at the hospital?” 

Ben chuckled, his image seemed to slightly fade which I thought to be odd, but I didn’t make much of it. My energy had decreased, my stomach began to growl, the snacks which I had eaten earlier on had  not been able to satisfy my hunger. I hadn’t eaten a normal meal for two days. All because I hadn’t received payment for the work I did for a certain client in Joburg, even though I finished painting his portrait two weeks back, he still refused to pay me the full amount.

“I did not forget”Ben said. I fought hard to allow my focus to return to me.

Chris signalled Ben to be silent, I turned my glance towards Ben but I saw nothing, he had disappeared into thin air.

“Where did he go?” I asked in shock. .To my surprise Chris was not scared, instead he gave a happy impression.

As we stood there on the black rugged carpet, a man’s voice echoed in the air_

“My oath, my life, I live to serve, I guard till the end I am and forever will remain, the guardian of the hex.”

I trembled in fear, but my father was smiling.

He raised his right hand up, while placing his left hand on his chest.

“My oath, my life, he stated.

Events that had taken place seemed unreal. I did not know what to believe. Was I in a dream, or could it be possible that my father and his buddy were performing witchcraft? And if indeed that was true, would I still want to bond with this man? Or would I have to return back to Joburg and remove my father from all of my thoughts as if he had never existed? I wondered.

“Can you tell me what just happened here,Ben was here one minute then he disappeared into thin air." I protested. My father cautiously took out a black and white striped handkerchief from the deep pocket of his blazer, wiped his glasses and put the  handkerchief back to where it had been. Belinda brought with her, two cups of hot tea, my father could not hold himself. He grabbed the cup of tea and began to drink. With each sip, he bravely revealed his dark innermost thoughts. After all that was the only way I could ever trust him. He had to tell the truth.

“Back when i was in my 20's i had you. Your mother and i were thrilled, but i was unemployed and i needed money to support my family. I joined a gang that was called Number twenty six. I was able to make quick cash selling drug’s, but still the money was not enough and I despised working for thugs. I told the gang leader i wanted to quit and he didn’t like that saying very much. They threatened to kill my family if i ever stopped working with them, I didn't give in to their threats, eventually they found my true home address. They set the house on fire. Fortunately your mother was visiting a family relative in Lesotho, while the incident was happening. I suffocated from the strong smoke, a firemen rescued me before the entire house collapsed. I went into total depression and had to be admitted in a hospital, that’s when i met Ben.He taught me everything i know and today I too have become a guardian." He paused for a while, then continued to speak.

 "I work for an organization called the GOH,Guardians of the Hex. We fight all sort of bad, human and non human. We use advanced technology and combat to fight our enemies" he emphasized. Confusion struck me.I didn't know how to react. I felt proud of my father, I also felt angry at him for abandoning his family to save the world. As I lifted my gaze, I saw my father looking back at me, I smiled, hoping he could not see the anger within me as I was embarrassed to show my true feelings to people I hadn’t known that long.

He didn't smile, he only gave me a hug.” I love you my child, please forgive me "he whispered."

 "I already did"

My father closed the office door slowly. 

"Come with me" he said, leading me to a secret compartment, that was located behind the book shelves. 

The room was large and wide. 30 cm from the book shelves were three computers, the smallest, the medium sized and the largest one amongst the other two.

"I use the small computer to search the internet, I use the medium sized computer for all my forging activities in case I need to travel internationally. I use the largest computer to track any incoming threats that might cause harm to life on Earth such as Extra terrestrial beings and meteors. My father explained.

 Opposite the computer's was a cabinet filled with government files. Each file was placed orderly according to their number. “what are in these files?” I asked curiously.

My father took one file, it had a number seven written on the top left corner, with the name Miranda Klaus on the centre. My father opened the file. It was evidence, showing the type of crime Miranda had done.  There were horrifying images of children blindfolded, with bruises on their bodies. Other images showed children in military uniform, holding guns like little military personnel. “stop! please no more.. "I cried. 

My father closed the file and put it back to the cabinet where it had been placed before. 

" My job as a guardian is to ensure that evil people like Miranda never get to hurt anyone ever again. When we are done rescuing the victims, we give them counselling and take them back to their families. I’m no magic man, I only use advanced technology and combat to stop crime “My father explained.

My father was not as evil as I had thought, he was a hero. I lengthened my stay, I too wanted to become a guardian, perhaps it was my purpose.

“How do I join the GOH?”I inquired. 

“You don’t join, you get recruited.

The response I received from my father didn’t satisfy my curiosity. Two weeks passed since my father had revealed his secret to me and yet I still longed to be a part of the GOH. A man by the name of Tebogo Phenyo arrived at my father’s house, He spent at least an hour in my father’s office, before sending Belinda to call for me to join them in their meeting. We exchanged greetings and I sat on one of the chairs.  

“Your father has told me good things about you, he has also told me of your interest in the GOH.I came here bearing good news. You have been offered placement at the GOH training program. The program will last for six months. If you finish your training there is a high possibility that you will get a chance to prove yourself whether you are worthy enough to be a guardian or not. What do you say? Do you accept the offer?” Mr Phenyo explained. 

My heart raced with excitement, my smiled said it all. 

“Yes  I accept” I screamed. 

My father wished me good luck . He seemed genuinely happy for me.

“Then you can call me Professor as I will be your mentor for the whole six months.” Mr Phenyo stated. 

I didn’t mind. As long as I was going to attend the GOH training program that was the only thing which mattered to me at that very moment.