Blood Mines

Chapter 4: Government’s denial

Nevertheless, anarchy ruled in the country that had once been peaceful and undisturbed by human intervention. Now it wasn't strange to see young children walking around with AK47's, handguns or machetes in their hands which they hardly knew how to use.

Arrogant, cocky and self-assured these small bandits roamed the country, intimidating the people and small towns as far as they went. Nobody was safe where they walked. On ground level skin colour wasn't a problem, people simply worked together to survive. In the previous regime Black Economic Empowerment or BEE ─ the abbreviation more commonly used, broke the people's spirit and was diligently enforced so that they had no income.

Due to that, a once proud nation was now starving and lived in informal settlements – some even worse than the commonly-known ones. Even now, thirty years after all the damage they were still being targeted by the country's wealthy and work was extremely erratic where it existed at all.

Cholera had spread amongst the people like wildfire due to filthy water and unhealthy living habits. The government refused to help or even acknowledge that they exist. They turned a blind eye to the white race, in particular.

It didn't take long before new drugs flowed in their veins and p**********n became a viable profession. Many of the young people already had AIDS or s******s with no treatment available.

The children born from these acts died within three months after birth. There were no small children to be seen around. The laughing of children was a far-off memory. They died systematically, making the gap between the ages bigger. You would only see children from the age of nine and up – if you were lucky.

Then there were the games. Games where people were hunted like animals for money with the hopes of a new life—played with vigour by the rich and power-lusting people.

She had heard of this sport before from other countries and was horrified, now it had spilt over. It was a new sport among the bored black rich and younger elite. These young white men and women offered themselves in the hopes that it would be better for their families.

They would never return to witness the result. Of course, the families weren't better off. In fact, they were worse, but parents still offered their children up one by one, clinging to the hope.

The games were simple: Caged like animals, these children would be left for days without food, and then released under the guise of hunting for their own food.

Once outside, they would grasp the true horror of their demise: There was nothing to hunt and the scorching sun, lack of oxygen and hunger drove them deeper into the swamp. Between the scorching sun and the contaminated water the veld was desolate. All that was left was barren swamps with no life in it.

Stories of monsters now roaming these swamps were told to keep people from prying, and if the children were not caught by the groupies these grotesque, mythical monsters would catch them.

Tanya heard that they would be released in these areas and like a pack of wild dog these “hunters" chased them until there was nothing left of their bodies. These children had no chance of survival from the first second, and once a body was found bonfires would light the sky. Parties were held in their “honour". The destruction of basic human rights was evident in the grandeur of these gatherings.

Clean, fresh water had become a commodity, so expensive that only a handful of people could afford it. Reservoirs were protected by militant groups—in many areas they were only myths. If caught trespassing, they would shoot first and ask questions later.

The people had grown listless, but there still existed factions that believed they could fight in the hopes to free the people from this tyranny.

Tanya made sure that Steve knew how to handle a gun from an early age. He became skilled and could hold his own in a fight, she made sure of that. She would do all she could to allow him the freedom of life no matter how desperate it may seem. She wanted him to live.

“Maaa…!" Drawn away from her thoughts she heard his bellowing, a shout that caused the hair at the back of her neck to stand upright. She moved anxiously towards the back door to see why he was shouting at her.

At the door she swiftly scanned the yard and turned ice-cold. Taking in everything with one glance, she screamed: A bloodcurdling scream that would make the strongest stomach churn. Why? It was the only way to release her immediate anger, frustration and fear.

“God, Almighty! No!"

Tanya raced out the door without thinking and was immediately stopped by a savage knock to the back. Pain shot through her body as she fell into the dust. She heard Steve's frantic screams but was too paralysed to help. Then everything went black.