A maneater rules the night, fear comes with the darkness for the villagers know The Devil lies in the shadows and hunts the easiest prey of all...man. Piet van Zyl hunts the killer...but when does the hunter become the hunted. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
Daybreak brings with it a heat that bakes the wet earth, the imprints of the night's visitor firmly embedded in the mud, and with it, the sound of people, wailing at the loss of a loved one, and terror amongst the villagers as the light of day reveals the destruction to the hut.
Once more the "Devil" has paid a visit to this remote village, and once more a life has been taken to appease the ancestors. The "Devil" has visited five times over the past three months, always after the full moon, when the night is at its darkest, the people sleep in fear within the village, the doors are wedged shut before the sun goes down.
A group of the braver men gather outside the hut where the attack took place, armed with spears and knob kerries, they move off, following the imprints of the spoor in the drying mud, towards the thick foliage at the edge of the forest, more for show than anything else as they know that they will not find anything, other than the site where the "Devil" had his meal.
Grass in the area is flattened where the Lion ate, and the rain from the night before has washed away any signs of blood. All that remains of the old woman is a broken bracelet lying discarded in the tall grass, other than that, the area is empty. The scavengers of the bush have feasted well on the remains of what was once human.
Spoor of the night visitor vanishes into the forest, and no trace can be found of him having ever been there. Fear and superstition spreads its leathery wings over the village.
***
The lion moves slowly through the forest towards his lair, the leaves under his paws cover his tracks as he moves into the foothills towards his destination. Sounds of the waterfall come to his ears and he picks up his pace as he nears the lair, hidden from the eyes of man.
"Devil" is a fully grown black mane male, who was cast out of his pride by a younger male, and in the process lost his left eye in the fight. He now finds it easier to prey on the people in the villages rather than on his natural prey, and he has developed a taste for human flesh, much like a supermarket, he just walks in and helps himself when the need arises as man is the easiest prey of all.
He has no fear of the humans, for they are the source of his food, and there is plenty to be had in the Zambezi Valley.
***
The sound of an axe striking wood reverberates through the forest, as more join in the chorus, the rhythm of the sound of wood being struck rings out through the trees, and one by one, the trees fall to the ground, and hurriedly are turned into stakes to be used to reinforce the walls of the mud huts, to keep the "Devil" at bay.
Slowly the work on the reinforcing of the dwellings in the village starts to take shape as the sun climbs to its highest point in the sky, and then starts its descent towards the distant horizon, and with it, a cold blanket of fear covers the village as darkness starts to creep in.
The time of the "Devil" has arrived.
A wooden stake has been placed in the center of the village, and an offering of a goat has been secured there, in the hopes that the "Devil" will accept it as a sacrifice and allow the villagers to live. In fear they huddle within the huts, the fires inside blazing, throwing grotesque shadows up against the walls and outside there is nothing but silence as fear stalks the village in the darkness.
***
Two nights later the blazing flames from the main bonfire in the centre of the village dance in the night, the goat bleats in terror as the fire throws the shadow of the lion across the open ground, to climb up against the walls of the huts as it pads past, ignoring the goat in its path. The hut stands to one side, and the scent of the man inside reeks of fear and of sickness.
Inside the hut, the fire burns slowly down to embers. The man lies under his blankets, on a stained mattress, shivering with the onslaught of malaria and hears the sound of movement outside the hut.
He watches the light from the outside fire being cut off as a body moves past the crack in the door, then hears as something brushes against the outside wall, and with eyes bulging in terror, watches as the far wall of the hut takes up the weight being applied to it. The wooden poles hold the weight, and the noise disappears, all is silent once again.
He lies back in his bed and hears the noise again, but this time it's not coming from the side of the hut, or the door. The scratching sound is coming from the thatch roof of the hut, slowly he starts to see the night sky through the hole, and silhouetted against the stars is the massive head of the "Devil."
A man's screams shatter the African night as the lion springs into the hut and attacks him as he lies in his bed. The screams are cut off so suddenly that the neighboring huts are not sure what they have just heard.
The lion leaves the hut the same way he came in, through the roof, taking his victim with him, all that remains is a blood soaked mattress, and blood smeared across the floor that ends under the hole in the roof.
Africa, a place where superstition and witchcraft runs deep, a place of beauty, but where death lurks in the shadows. A land shrouded in mystery, with ancient beliefs simmering just beneath the surface - set on a collision course with modern western ideas. An innocent act unleashes a horror that walks the African night... under the full moon... and nothing is safe. Piet van Zyl, safari owner, finds himself drawn into a world of witchcraft, and face to face with a horror returned from the grave. With the support of Veronica Strydom, with her vast knowledge of African Culture, he must rid the night of the abomination, or die trying. Ancient cultures and beliefs clash with modern ideas; Piet and Veronica need to dig deep into the past to combat the evil that now walks the earth at night. David, Piets childhood friend and Adele, newlyweds, return to Africa from Europe to take possession of the small holding left to David after his Grandfather dies, find themselves thrown into a battle with evil for their home and their lives. They join forces with Piet and Veronica under the full African moon and confront the evil that walks the night. With the help of the church and Veronica’s expertise in Africa, with their courage in their hands the group join forces and make ready for battle…good vs evil under the night sky. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
Step into the evil world of Human Trafficking, where corrupt officials, unemployment, poverty, greed and power all play a part. A family is torn apart by abduction. A child taken in the dead of the night, a mother abducted and sold into slavery, and the world of the sex trade. The search for the child and woman moves from the banks of the mighty Zambezi deep into the African bush, to the under belly of Johannesburg, South Africa. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
The perfect love. The perfect life. A bright future ahead of them, that is until fate and a case of mistaken identity steps in. Juliana’s world is turned upside down when her husband, Paul is brutally murdered in the darkness of an alleyway in Venice; she is raped and left for dead while the sounds of the Masked Carnival and the killers laughter fills the air. The only thing that keeps Juliana going is the memories of a perfect love, and her deep desire for vengeance. With the help of her father, the killers are tracked down, one by one and on the anniversary of Paul’s death, with the sounds of the Carnival in the background, the killers come face to face with the Mask of Deceit, and pay the ultimate price at the hands of a woman who is dead inside. With the words of her dead husband ringing in her ears. “Use the knife my love, put the animal out of its misery. Cut its throat.” Juliana moves between two different worlds. One that was filled with love, joy and hope for the future. The other filled with pain and death as she uses the blade on her path of revenge and thirst for vengeance. “There Paul my love, I showed the animal mercy... I cut its throat.” From the backdrop of the Carnival in Venice to the African bush, the world that Paul loved she moves like an avenging angel dispensing her brand of justice and spilling the blood of the men that ruined her life. Her appetite for torture knows no bounds as each one is taken to the very edge before being sent to hell. As each one dies at her hand she moves closer to closure but has she stepped over the edge from sanity to insanity... will the killing continue once the last is shown mercy and she uses the blade to show the animal mercy or will she heed Pauls call and join him once again. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
He tries to scream, the terror stuck in his throat…the darkness all around him…the stench, he can smell the creature from hell, the low growl from its throat…flailing around him with his fists…can’t see, the darkness wrapped around him like a blanket…must defend myself, oh my God the fangs. Africa, a land of myth, witchcraft, magic and corruption. A land where death waits in the shadows. A land where the hybrid now walks unafraid with a blood lust and a hatred for man …created to kill. Man playing at being God, working with genetic creation, determined to create the perfect Human being…in isolation nothing can disturb the creation…nothing can go wrong but if you are in Darkest Africa, no one can hear you scream as you die by the hand of a creature not created by God, but by the sick mind of man…a creature from hell. Two creatures now walk the African bush…one, a gentle soul breed from the womb of a chimpanzee…the other…a killer, a cross gorilla/mandrill baboon. The hunt is on to bring an end to the madness, to the fear that stalks through the undergrowth, that is spreading its wings over Africa, to put an end to the killers rampage, to capture the gentle Hybrid…to sell her body to the highest bidder. One man driven by greed…the other by compassion. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
Suspense, Thriller, Fact fused with Fiction Modern Africa… ancient beliefs. With fear, comes power. Travel deep into the Congo Basin with Piet van Zyl, safari hunter, and Veronica Strydom, African culture expert, as they are drawn deeper into the web of superstitions and fear. Come face to face with The Secret Sect that has emerged from the dark past and now walks the night. Experience the superstitions, rituals, and witchcraft of the killers known as The Leopard Men, as history repeats itself in an orgy of ritual murders and blood lust. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
Horror, Suspense, Thriller, Fact fused with Fiction. Africa, a place where superstition and witchcraft run deep, a place of beauty, but where death lurks in the shadows. A land shrouded in mystery, with ancient beliefs simmering just beneath the surface - set on a collision course with modern western ideas. An innocent act unleashes a horror that walks the African night... under the full moon... and nothing is safe. Piet van Zyl, a safari owner, finds himself drawn into a world of witchcraft, and face to face with a horror returned from the grave. With the support of Veronica Strydom, with her vast knowledge of African Culture, he must rid the night of the abomination, or die trying. Author: Paul Zunckel Publisher: EasyReading
After a passionate night, Verena left some money and wanted to leave, but was held by her companion. "Isn't it your turn to make me happy?" Verena, always disguising herself as ugly, slept with her fiance's uncle, Darren, in order to escape her engagement with her unfaithful fiance. Darren had respect and admiration. Word of his romantic escapades circulated, some saying they saw him kissing a lady against a wall and others calling it gossip. Who could ever tame Darren's heart? Then, shockingly, Darren was caught bending down to help Verena with her shoes, all to score a kiss from her!
Scarlett was left betrayed and broken beyond repair when her best friend Megan set her up with the male escort who stole her virginity...Or at least, that's what she thought he was. There was something odd about the strong and strikingly beautiful man that she spent a night with. Despite the pure hatred she felt for him, the deals he ended up offering wasn't one she could refuse. Scarlett always thought she'd marry her soulmate but turns out, that won't be the case for her. But could her mysterious husband make his way through her broken heart and fix it? It's hard to imagine but love has funny ways to manifest in places where it's least expected....
For three years, Jessica endured a loveless marriage while her husband pretended to be impotent. His lies unraveled when a pregnant mistress surfaced. After six months of secretly collecting proof, Jessica threw him out and built her own billion-dollar empire. After the divorce, she transformed into an irresistible figure, attracting admirers. As she left her office one day, she met Kevan, her ex-husband's brother. He stepped in, confronting her. "Was I just a tool to you?" Jessica's lips curled into a calm smile. "How much compensation do you want?" Kevan's voice softened. "All I want is you."
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
It was a big day for Camilla. She looked forward to marrying her handsome groom. Unfortunately, he abandoned her at the altar. He never showed up throughout the wedding. She was made a laughingstock in front of all the guests. In a fit of rage, she went and slept with a strange man on her wedding night. It was supposed to be a one-night stand. To her dismay, the man refused to let her be. He pestered her like she had stolen his heart on that night. Camilla didn't know what to do. Should she give him a chance? Or just stay away from men?
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"