The Flood

Chapter 1  

            

The alfalfa stood green and thigh high in purple bloom. Over it a red tractor loomed methodically mowing down the green alfalfa stalks.  A long serrated knife protruded at right angles from the lower back of the tractor and stretched across the ground. The knife mowed down the alfalfa stalks as the tractor descended on them and left them felled in long neat rows. A sweet dank smell of freshly cut weed hung in the air. It rose up together with shimmering heat from the earth and beat against the red of the tractor and surrounded Jannie, the tractor driver, a colored boy of thirty five. Occasionally Jannie glanced up at the cloudless, colorless sky and white ball of hostile sun beating down upon him. He removed his greasy hat by sticking his forefinger through the hole of the top and wiped his arms across the beads of sweat on his forehead, "God But it's hot!" he exclaimed.

           Suddenly Jannie saw at the far end of the field a rake drawn by another tractor turning over the rows he had just cut. Jannie stopped the tractor, stood up on it and waved his hat, shouting "what the hell d'ye thinks your doing?" But the rake ignored his warning and continued on its way. Jannie jumped off the tractor and ran across the field repeating:" what the hell d'ye think your doing?" until he reached the other tractor. -" The baas told me to come in and rake." Said Mans, from the height of his seat, and continued driving the tractor. Jannie walked along beside him: "Here? This field? "

-"yes."

"hell. Its not dry enough to be raked. Won't be until tomorrow."

-"Listen, that white man is yelling mad. Wants this baled by tomorrow. He says you cut out the next field as soon as you get done here."

Jannie shaded his eyes with his hands as he looked out at the next field, "The baas must be out of his mind. That field won't be ready for cutting until next week. Besides, he said I must cut Roodt's alfalfa for him when I get through here. "

-"Well now you're to cut that half green field…"

-"That white man must be crazy!"

-"What do you care? Just do as he tells you. Oh yes, and he wants us to work all of tonight."

-"What's up? Look, there's not a cloud in the sky, not a chance of rain and he's making us work at half ready stuff."

-"Don't ask me." Mans shrugged, "Hey Jannie, you'd better get back to the tractor before that white man really kills you." He pointed to a long trail of dust in the distance. At the head of it raced a car.

Jannie ran over the rows of alfalfa, jumped onto the red tractor as the baas car came to a halt on the road. The car had not stopped before a full well built man ,a bit bald graying hair in the temples, with small restless blue eyes, popped out of it and came running across the field clutching his hat and yelling. At first Jannie couldn't make out the words, than as Miass Kriel came forward he heard: "Standing and gossiping, you black devil, get to work and don't stop till all the alfalfa is cut!"  

Jannie turned off the tractor to hear better the baas words.

-"I said don't stop that bloody thing. If you have to piss, piss from the tractor, but don't stop for any bloody reason."

-"Yes, bass." Jannie started the tractor and Miass walked beside him gesticulating wildly, "When you're through here you go to the next field and don't open your trap. I know its half green. All this alfalfa," he swung his arm around the huge field, "all this alfalfa is going to be cut and moved out of here by tomorrow night."

-"Bass?"

-"Don't you bass me. When you're finished take the wagon, load the cut stuff and stack it in the house."

-"Is the automatic baler broken? Wouldn't it be better to bale it on the floor like bass always does?

- "hell, you are deaf, you insolent black devil! You do as I tell you and that’s that!"

He turned around abruptly and raced for the car which seemed to start up even before he entered it.

 

                                                                   Chapter 2

It was a mall day and the farm store was crowded with coloureds and whites. Both coloureds and whites made futile attempts to fan away the flies and cool themselves from the stifling heat, which beat down from the corrugated iron roof on to the cement floor whence it rose again and remained static in mid air. The coloureds, comprised  mostly of women and children, because their men were at work, stood subdued at the grocery end. The white men puffed at cigarettes and squatted at the post office end of the store, discussing matters of the day. Behind the counter white clerks rushed, sweating, back and forth attending politely to the whites and solemnly to the coloureds.

      Melt Kennedy sat on the counter and brought his cigarette to his mouth. As he did so his eye caught the white bandage on his finger. "Jesus" he said, "you see my finger. Damn near broke it and all for that bloody kaffir Neels. And now I need a new fan belt for my tractor to boot."

  -"What he do? Hit you?" asked Hendrik Brand.

-"You crazy? I tell that kaffir to milk the cow every morning at six and unless I damn well go out and get him, he doesn't begin to milk before seven. So I decided to show him. The other day I went and gave it to him."

-"With the fan belt?"

-"Right you are. I laid it in good but I am damned if the belt didn't bounce off crack onto my finger and he's hollerin' for mercy. "

The farmers roared with laughter, "Better be careful with that belt."

-"Yes" smiled Melt, looking wistfully at his finger, "but why did I have to break it?

-"They don't have any here you know." Said Hendrik, Jumping down from the counter and straightening his pants.

-"No, really, that a nuisance." Said Melt

-"You have to order them. Takes about a week. Never mind I have an extra one. You can borrow it till yours comes."

-"Thanks." Said Melt. "Oh yeah… if you need Neels to help with the alfalfa you can borrow him from tomorrow afternoon. I"ll be through by then."

          A car raced by and stopped suddenly outside the store leaving a trail of dust       in the air. Hendrik Brand peered through the small window. "Miaas Kriel" he  informed. A minute later Miaas's bulk filled the doorway.  "Hello fellows, you waiting for mail?" he asked

-"Sure."

Miass drummed his fingers against the counter.

-"Say Miass, that stuff you gave against that boll weevil (a cotton beatle which feeds on buds and flowers ) Its first class." Said Hendrik.

-"Yeah, I know."

-"Where'd you get it."

-" It's not on the market yet. Happy to help you out, but I don't have any more.

Miass walked up and down, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for his mail.

-"Say, Miass, we hear you're buying another tractor."

-"Maybe."

-"What kind?"

-"John Deere, maybe Hanomag, The damn things are so expensive but I could do with another one."

-"Hanomag…..That's German." Said De Merwe.

-"Yeah, they make good machines, but such a bloody lot of money. I need a tractor, two tractors right now, what can I do?"

 -"You can hire mine tomorrow afternoon." Said Hendrik.

-"You working tonight? "

-"No, Jesus you're in a hurry."

-" Miass turned towards Hendrik, "The work has to be done".

" -I take twice as much for night work."

"No problem. What's with the mail? Its taking ages."

They're still sorting it out. The car just arrived. "

"Well I haven't got all day. I'll come back when its not so busy. See you Hendrik."

-"Bye" said Hendrik as Miass left.

 -"Big shot!" said Mel-

-"He's got further than all of us." Said Hendrik

-"By having a big fat nerve, that's how. Member of the waterboard! Be running for the parliament next!" Melt puffed at his cigarette so that it glowed red between his fingers. "What's happening with the mail today? " demanded De Merwe.

-"Why didn't some one ask Miass about the rains?" asked Hendrik.

-"Rains? Are you kidding. It's so dry out there. Not a cloud in that far heaven." Said Kuhn.

-"Not here. In the north. Didn't you hear on the radio? " ask Hendrik

-"My radio's got broken." Said Melt

-"Been raining in the north for the last two days." Contributed De Merwe.

Melt shrugged his shoulders, "That river's so low right now. It needs to rain five days up there, until the water reaches us."

-"They said yesterday it rained 15 millimeters up there. " Said Hendrik

-" You know, last night was my water night and we only irrigated half the front bit of cotton and the water dried up." Said Kuhn

-"Any one poaching? Asked Hendrik

-"Come on now. The water bailiff said that the dam's so low it’s a miracle I got any water at all." Said Kuhn

"Well" said Melt, "Maybe I'll strike a lucky one. My turn for water is four days away. The dam will be full by then."

-"The cotton that had the boll weevil." Hendrik couldn't hold himself. "You should see it now – beautiful flowers just beginning to open up in all colours. Say what you may, that Miass is something else!"

 

 

                                                                  Chapter 3

Petrus Miller sat on the stoep dreamily cradling his pipe bowl in his hands. The stem was clenched firmly between his teeth and from time to time he puffed forth big clouds of smoke. A car stopped, Miass Kriel appeared and leapt onto the stoep, "whats the radio saying?"

Petrus slowly removed his pipe from his mouth and began knocking it against his heel, "about what?"

-"Jesus, man. About the rain up north." Miass was pacing up and down the stoep.

Petrus went to the edge of the stoep and spat onto the flowers. "So it's raining. This damn tobacco, bitter as all hell but its all I can afford."

-"Petrus. If that rain in the north keeps up there'll be a flood here in three days time!"

Petrus began filling his pipe. "Sit down man. Relax. A bit of rain up north. That river's so dry! Every night some idiot farmer wakes me up complaining there is not enough water. And what can I do.  I’m telling you – a water bailiff in a place with no water!" He shook his head. 

Miass spoke softly and slowly, fixing his eyes on Petrus. "Get off your ass and call the water engineer."

-"O.K, O.K. Calm up man." Petrus walked into the living room, where his wife Mina was straightening the table map. 

-"Hello, Missis." Miass held his hat.

-"Hello. Would you like a cup of coffee."

-"Oh, no thank you."

Mina went on into the sleeping rooms.

Petrus picked up the receiver. –"Jesus Christ!  60 millimeters in two days and it is still raining!" Miass tried to hear too."Snow melting in the mountains. What should I do? yes, of course, I shall warn the farmers. Sand bags and all. Keep me posted." Petrus closed the phone. "There, now you're satisfied? You got your flood coming."

-" Hey petrus what would you do if I would tell you, you could save those farmers from the flood?"

 Miass walked back to the stoep and down to the yard and Petrus followed him. Miass took a dry stick and squatted on his haunches and flattened out some sand and began to draw a rough map.

-"What is it?" asked Petrus

-"Look" Miass pointed. "If we could build a really strong sand wall along here and bolster it with sandbags, the water would drain off this way and all these farmers lands would be saved."

-"Sure" Petrus spat into the garden, "Don't be a Nut! The water won't drain off nowhere. It"ll just make an enormous dam in Hendrik's land. Maybe it will save your land and Melt Kennedy's land but nothing more."

-"Yep Petrus," Miass slapped him on the back. "I guess you are right." He produced a ten rand note. "This is for the phone call."

-"But I don't have any change."

_"No mind. You keep it. Now don't go rushing around telling everybody about the flood. We can't do much anyway."

-"It will get here about noon the day after tomorrow. I can wait till tomorrow morning" agreed Petrus, "If its god's will, they'll be flooded anyway." He put the ten Rand note in his pocket while Miass got into his  car.

    

                                                            Chapter 4

        All night long the tractors worked on Miaas's alfalfa fields – some pulled knives to cut the alfalfa, some pulled rakes, some pulled wagons which carried the cut stalks to the stacks at Miass's house. Like all the farmers houses in that area, the houses were built on the high ground, away from the river, and the fields were situated in the lowers grounds .In the morning five stacks of unbaled alfalfa tall and green stood beside Miass's house.  Miass's eyes blood shot, lips pursed tightly together.

       Hendrik Brand came over to collect his tractor. Petrus just passed by his farm. "Damn all hell! The flood its coming! Couldn't wait another month. All that work I put into the cotton! Bloody hell boll weevil!"

-"Yeah. Every year something else happens. Working like shit. I've already made the order for another tractor. God knows how I’m going to pay it all up. Any how, thanks for yours." Miass steeped into the house to get his wallet.

-"Miass, Miass! Can I have your tractor instead? You won't be needing it now that you got all your alfalfa."

-"Hendrik I need every working force I can gather." He turned from Hendrk and walked towards the boys who where resting under the wagon. "Basta! Basta! Get the bags out of the garage, take them to the backlands and fill them with sand, and tuck them tight next to the wall. The flood is going to be here by mid day tomorrow!"

-"I'll give you my truck to carry the bags."

-" Hendrik,  The truck will sink in the sand."

-"But the cotton. It's going to be all ruined."

Miass turned again to the boys " Man's get some shovels and picks from the barn. And all of you stack up on the wagon. I"ll be down there in no time." He turned towards Hendrik and payed him, "Hendrik I"m no charity organization. Take your tractor and go on and save what you can."

  

 

                                                                 Chapter 5

At first Miass couldn't see Melt Kennedy at all. He was not with the tractor cutting alfalfa, nor with the wagons that followed closely and loaded the freshly cut, wet alfalfa. Suddenly he heard Melt's voice "Miass, what the hell you doing here?!" Miass turned, shaded his eyes, and spotted Melt sprawled under a tree. Miass approached Melt. –"want some coffee?" asked Melt

-"No thank you." Miass sat down on a tree stump.

-"Jesus Christ! What a mess." Said Melt and sipped his coffee. "At least you've  got somewhere to put sandbags. Your lands are higher."

-"It's not yet mine. I own only five morgen. The rest belongs to the Jew."

-"My lands are so low, the furrow runs right here," Melt pointed the tin coffee cup to a bent in the land, " and all the water will run into the land, such a shame."

-"We still have time. If we bend forces together we might be able to get away with it."

-"How's that Miass?"

-"Look." Miass carefully selected along stick and began to sketch.

Melt looked as Miass drew something that resembled a map.

"Now." Said Miass. "That’s the furrow. That's the river. Brand's land, Your land. My land.  O.K?"

-"Yes."

-"Now what's the flood going to do?" he pointed with the stick. "First the dam will brake up here. Then Kuhn's land will be gone, then the water will come rushing through De Merwe's land, into Hendrik's lands, continue to your lands and on to mine – We will all be sunk. Sunk in rotten mud!" cried out Melt.

-"Well to hell with it." Miass clicked his lips, "If we build a sand wall right here." He drew a line between Melt's land and Brand's land. "At least we can save our lands."

Melt shook his head, " In 1950 I was flooded from that furrow here, nothing to do with Hendrik's land…"

-"Yeah but its different this time. The dam has a crack in it and it won't hold the water."

-"How do you know?"

-"last water board meeting they talked about fixing it."

-"You clever Devil!"

-"If we put in all our tractors and all our boys into building that wall we can have it done by tomorrow."

-"But my boys are working on the alfalfa." Melt waved towards the tractors.

-"I talked with Du Plessis from the alfalfa Co-Op, You know what he told me?"

-"What?"

-"He said that after the flood when every one wants to replant the alfalfa the seed is going to be expensive as hell. You'd get a good price if you left this alfalfa for seed, and three weeks is just the time it needs to become seed."

-"Jesus, you got it all ready set in your head."

-" I saw it in 1950 and I saw it 1945. I've grown up with floods and no one has ever done a thing about it – God's will! Get you crops out, green as hell or not, put down a few shitty sand bags, and then starve for the next two years. Well not this time. I'm not going to sit back and let the water take my land."

-"But what about Hendrik's lands?"

-" His land will be flooded anyway."

-"Can't we build the wall on the other side so he'll be saved too?"

Miass shook his head, "Too low. My boys and tractors are waiting to come in immediately."

-"Miass, but what if the dam is strong enough and the water will come through the furrow?"

-"Not in hundred years. The dam will never hold. "

-"O.K. I'm in it." Said Melt.

They shook hands. "We won't let those waters beat us this time!" said Miass

  

                                                               Chapter 6

Hendrik Brand drove the truck himself following carefully behind the tractor that gobbled up the alfalfa stalks and threw them aside. Beside the truck walked two boys , tossing the cut alfalfa onto the back of the truck with pitching forks. He was short with the boys because Melt hadn't sent Neels, and there was a lot yet to do. He wanted to gather all the alfalfa in the field till night time. "Truck full" cried out Petrus

-"O.K. Basta, Basta. Lets get going."

The boys tossed their pitchforks onto the truck and then clambered on themselves. Hendrik bypassed the tractor and put his leg on the accelerator as the truck swayed from side to side on the rocky, rough road that climbed up to the house. Hendrik stopped the truck before his house, and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. He gave the boys instructions where to stack the alfalfa and stepped into the house that was small and bare with cement floor. He wiped his shoes on the porch mat, walked through the kitchen with its coal stove where he saw a kettle boiling. He prepared himself coffee and went into the living room and sat down opposite a somber portrait of his father and mother with a red "Jesus Saves" neatly embroidered above them. His wife came out of the bedroom nursing a baby.

-"How's it going?" she asked.

-"I don't know. I hope we finish by night and than start stacking up those sand bags along the furrow."

-"It's gods will." She said looking at the portrait.

-"Yeah, well Melt promised me his boy and he hasn't sent him yet. I'll tell Petrus to go and get him" He put down the mug on the stool, gave Susy a kiss, caressed his small little girl and stepped out of the house. The boys where crouched under the truck.

-"What does this mean? We've got at least four more loads of truck to bring out before the water gets us. Petrus, climb along next to me. I'll let you off close to Melt's field and you go and ask for Neels." Hendrik raced down the road leaving behind a trail of sand.

-"Baas, Bass," Petrus came panting running in. "They're working hard there…with a bulldozer and tractors and all…They're building a wall on bass Melt's land."

-"But, hell, that’s murder!" cried out Hendrik.

-"Yeah, and Bass Miass is heading the whole thing." Petrus gathered his breath.

-"Damn it, I don't get it. The water is going to come from the furrow. That son of a bitch! You boys keep on working. Petrus you drive the truck. "

Hendrik got down from the truck and started paving his way towards Melt's land. Why should they be building a wall close to the river if the dam will stop the waters, except if there is a hole in the dam. As he approached Melt's farm he heard the tractors and bulldozer working. They were like gigantic animals eating off Melt's land. Between the clouds of dust he saw Miass conducting the whole circus. He approached and pushed him: "Where's Melt?"

-"He went home for a rest." Miass said from the clouds of dust.

-"You'll pay for this!" said Hendrik.  "You'll pay for this!" He waved his hand at Miass and turned around and marched towards Melt's House. He walked with sturdy movements, he saw the house protruding above, and the sun beat hard on him. As he approached he saw a man reclining on his front porch with a bottle of wine. It was Melt.

 -"Jodus, where did you come from?" asked Melt

Hendrik leaped on to the porch. He snatched the bottle from Melt's hand and threw it on to the floor. The bottle shattered to pieces and wine rilled all over the floor sending up a sickly smell. "Miass is digging up your land to tear my land to pieces. What's happening. Tell me man!" Hendrik was pulling at Melt's arm. Melt stood up, and Hendrik lost his balance and fell to the floor.

-" I tried persuading Miass to build the wall in front of your land but he said it won't work. Your land is to low This way at least I"ll save part of my land and I will be able to sell the Alfalfa for seed."

Hendrik stood up and brushed the pieces of glass from his hands.

-"But you will be flooded from the furrow?"

-"No. Miass is in the water board. He says there is a crack in the dam, so the water will come from the river.

  Hendrik stood dumbfounded in front of Melt. "My land," he muttered, "My land." He hugged himself, "The waters will rebound from your wall and crack my land to smithereens!"

Melt approached Hendrik. -"I'm sorry Hendrik. If you want I'll give you half of my land to work on for the next year."

–"No. this will not be." He stood up. "The dam will hold. Your land will be flooded and my land will be saved and to hell with Miass! "

-"We shall see." Said Melt.

                                                     Chapter 7

           All day Hendrik worked carting and stacking the alfalfa.   To the boys he spoke very quietly, not even swearing. He could see the tractor mounting higher and higher as the wall rose on Melt's land. Sometimes the wind wafted Miass's directions to him "More sand here you black bastard." When the moon appeared round and benevolent spreading its light on the field he finished gathering the alfalfa and ordered the boy to bring the sand bags and start filling them in alongside the furrow. By mid morning there were about a 1000 sand bags stacked along the furrow. The boys were exhausted, dust caked when the water bailiff came by blaring his horn shouting "Every one out to high ground. Everyone out. Water's twelve miles away." They just stumped over to Hendrik's house and lay down on the ground, not even going home.

  Hendrik wiped his feet carefully on the mat and entered the house.

 –"Thanks God!" said his wife. "Now you'll eat something and have a good bath."

-"I have one more thing to do before the waters come."

-"Oh, don't go out." She cried, but he was already dashing out of the house. He got into the Bucky and rolled it down the road. He drove through the cotton, pink and blue and yellow in full bloom onto the bridge he built by himself made of wood and crossed onto Melt's land until he reached the wall. The furrow was already rushing, frothing, boiling brown mud water. He got out of the Bucky and walked towards the wall. It was solid and well built and on top of it sat Miass, legs dangling before him, staring. Hendrik pulled himself up and sat besides Miass.

-"Thought you would come here." said Miass.

-"Why have you decided to ruin me?"  asked Hendrik

-"Ruin you? Jesus man. If the flood does away with you're field than its Gods will, but if I do something to save the fields that I am toiling on like a slave, gathering grain after grain of alfalfa so I can purchase just quarter hectare of land, then I am Sattan himself.."

As Miass spoke the water started lapping ever so gently but persistently at the edge of Melt's field. Hendrik clapped his hands "That is admirable. Even noble. But you have no chance. The water is coming in through the furrow and it will flood Melt's field and your field too. "

-"But that’s impossible. The dam has a crack in it."

-" But it hasn't collapsed all together. Some of the water is directed towards the furrow. Look!" A surging mass of brown foaming water came into view.

Miass sat up "But look the water is coming from the river too! "

-"There can't be more than one foot of water above the bridge. Come'on Lets get out of here." They ran towards Hendrik's Bucky. Hendrik changed gears and the car started to inch forward. The water was bubbling underneath them. They managed to get onto the bridge when suddenly something gave in. Under them the mud and wood bridge swayed.-"Its no use!" Hendrik yelled ripping of his shirt and pants. Miass too was tearing of his clothes. Carefully Hendrik opened the door, with Miass close behind him. They both slid out and were immediately thrown against the door by the force of the current. The water swirled by, carrying dead cats, and trees and tires and branches and bits of cotton plants. A handkerchief twisted about Hendrik's leg. The water rose rapidly now from their knees up to their waists. Hendrik pushed off of the car and tried to swim. Miass followed. A large log floated right into them and they grabbed onto it. It banged against the car and then out into midstream. Water was now pouring into the car through the windows but it had not moved. They floated along with the log. Hendrik tried steering it to the opposite shore but the log only turned round itself and they with it. The log hit a tire and went banging off towards the bank landing Miass on firm ground beside a tree. He clung to the tree and pulled at Hendrik's arm. Hendrik rose and fell back. Miass panted and pulled until Hendrik tumbled into the tree with him. They crawled up the stony bank to safety. There they lay panting and dribbling water.

    Hendrik rolled over in the mud and looked at his watch, "its two o'clock."

  -"Must be water proof." Said Miass.

Hendrik nodded solemnly "Time to go home." They both rose.

Hendrik watched as Miass strolled away. His underpants clung to his leg, Belly protruding and he still wore one black sock.  "Yeah better go home, " Hendrik said to the wilderness around him. Than he too hobbled home leaving his trail of water drops around him.

  

  

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