Sitting on the beach with his legs stretched out, watching the sunset after a long hard day, is a way Max releases the stresses and heartaches he has, into the sunset of the day, and helps him with healing from the loss he has sustained, and knowing tomorrow is a new day.
Max has found this to be a very enjoyable therapeutic way. Better than those weird groups where you go sit in a circle, and listen to others share their hurts, losses, etc.
With the sea washing onto the shore just below him, Max's hands were in the sand. He squeezes his fingers into fists and loosens them in sessions, as if relinquishing all the stresses and pains into the sand and drawing on the earth's aura for healing. The therapeutic sound of the waves, coming in and out, also relaxed him, and made his breathing slow and calm.
Trying to not think about the loss he has sustained, but knowing that soon he would have to leave this place and go home to his child. Knowing, they would ask again, where was mommy.
Fresh tears leaked as his heart tears yet again slowly apart, in pain at the loss of his wife.
Trying to not question his maker as to why she had to go suddenly during the night, Max knew He had His reason for this. Max knows it has been over six months since the passing, but the pain and hurt at the loss still hurts him daily, as he struggles not only with his job - which he is not happy in, but also with his autistic 6-year-old daughter.
While he is ever so grateful for the support of his mother-in-law staying with him, and assisting him with her, he at times wishes she was not there, all the time, as he needs his space.
Watching the waves, Max prays to God. He tries to not question the Lord, but to plead for healing, guidance and support. Max's own spiritual faith has been tested to its max and he knows his Creator has a plan for him, for all of us. But no matter what Max does, no matter what one says, the question still hangs in the air – WHY?
Suddenly, a scream shatters Max's relaxation therapy and awakens him from his relaxed trance. He turns towards the screams, only to see two young girls running towards him like the devils upon them.
The nearer they got to him, he saw one of them looked like a teenager and the other was a young lady. He couldn't help noticing they were both extremely beautiful and could easily have passed as twins. They were screaming, pleading for help, again and again. He saw mascara streaks down their faces, from their tears.
Max snaps aware with realisation that these ladies need help, like now.
Jumping to his feet, he moves to try to offer assistance. It was only then, that he noticed two large men charging after them, with balaclavas over their faces, with only their eyes exposed, about 100m behind them.
It was then, he knew this was not good.
Having been sitting on the beach close to his car, Max quickly gestures and directs the girls to his car. Grabbing his cellphone from his pocket, he presses the preprogrammed number, speed dialling to a close friend at a security company. Then hands his phone to the eldest of the two girls, rushingly explaining to them. "Go. Get in the car. And tell Jake where we are. They need help ASAP."
Max, also at the car, grabs his batten from it and locks and closes the girls in the car. Then paces back towards the men coming, creating a distance from the girls, whilst praying.
As he nears the men, he notices more men also in black suits, further back. About 500 plus metres. And they were charging towards them, just without facial covers. Max prayed these were good guys.
Max stopped about 50m from the car, blocking the way up the pathway to get to the girls, and stood his ground. This caused the men to stop running, and slowly advance.
Max, sternly as possible, demands that the men leave the girls alone or else, to which they laughed at him while rolling their shoulders, flexing their hands. Then they charged at Max.
Afterwards, no one really knows how nor could recall exactly what all happened, but minutes later, both these balaclava guys were face down on the sand, semi unconscious and groaning.
And Max was panting, exhausted and noticed his strength seeping out, as he discovers something wet is running down the side of his face, which he suspects is bleeding from somewhere on his head. His left arm doesn't want to function.
Seeing the next lot of men were closer and approaching, he staggers into position to guard the girls again.
The six men in suits come to a stop in front of Max, about 10 meters away. They began shouting at Max in a language he couldn't understand. Max, belatedly, discovered he suddenly couldn't hear properly as his hearing aid must have come off, sometime during the struggle, and gone missing in the sand. The ear mould is still in the ear, causing what little bit of hearing he had, to be blocked by it. Lucky, the other ear was free of the hearing device, as Max was recovering from an ear infection, and having the ear mould in would delay and prevent the ear infection from healing faster. So, he could hear about 20% of the sound around him.
Max shouted back at the six suits, demanding that they must back off, until the police arrived, or else.
Luckily, as Max was shouting this to them, he could see flashing blue lights in the near distance, to the side of him, and knew help was on the way.
The six men before him were in black suits with boots. All were big, about 6-foot plus, muscle built, foreign guys. And one of them, advanced forward, to test Max, only to yell in pain, after receiving a blow to his upper arm from the batten, that is still clasped in Max's right hand.
Staggering back to the group, obviously swearing in pain in his language, the man in pain barked like ordered something at the rest of the group. The second guy, advanced forward in rage, spewing out a slew of language, which Max could only assume was also swearing and threats. And he pulled out a gun from a concealed shoulder holster and aimed towards Max.
At this moment Max was able to hear the police sirens, and flashing blue lights grew brighter. He prayed they would be able to stop this situation, and save him and the girls, before this guy gets trigger happy and shoots Max.
One of the other six suits shouts at the second guy, and Max can only assume he was to try to stop the guy.
While all this was happening, Max also suddenly hears a female scream and shout from behind him.
In a span of about two or so seconds, the second guy let off a couple of rounds. Max turned his head towards the screams, to see the eldest of the two girls, running towards him, shouting in a strange language. And at the same time, Max also felt three very hard impacts to his body. Max's brain didn't register at that moment, what or where it was from, as the six guys were still about 10m away from him. But the force of the impact caused him to fly backwards, and land on the sand.
Suddenly, this beautiful golden haired angel was above him. Max saw she was screaming and crying. She was grabbing at Max's body, as if to shield him from the six suits. Max was completely confused, still unaware of what was going on.
Why was he lying down on the ground?
Why is this angel above him?
With pain still not registering yet in his brain, he watched this beautiful angel, crying over him, while trying her best to press her hands on spots of his body.
Why?
Max wondered if he was bleeding.
Was this his time to go?
Did the Lord send this Angel to take him away?
Max saw the 'second' guy, the one that had a gun, grabbed her by the arm, and tried to pull her away. Only to have the pretty angel turn onto him, scream and shout at him, in that strange language, in what one would describe as "bloody murder" – even caused Max to have chills, whilst in a complete confusion on what is happening around him - with her eyes almost thought to have turned black with hatred.
This angel could have killed these guys with those eyes.
Another guy, a younger guy, rushed to the other side of Max and proceeded to place his hands upon Max and push really hard.
Suddenly, intense pain registered and seared him like a red hot poker shoved into his body, in places. So intense it radiated through his body, where this guy was pushing.
What the hell!
Max screamed, and screamed. There was pain causing his brain to cloud over, making him succumb to unconsciousness, and presenting a peaceful opportunity, away from the pain. Slowly, Max felt so weak and felt it was easier to just close his eyes, to give into this.
But some movement caught his eyes from the side of police and security guys, charging towards them with guns drawn, shouting. Max could only hear crying and shouting from the angel before him, then silence as his strength ran out, and peace. Sweet peace.
He was alone once again. Was this a dream?