The Smell of Apples: A Novel by Mark Behr Page A

you.'
    And then I start telling Frikkie Delport how Mister Smith from America is actually a general from Chile. I tell him about the others as well: the Germans and the real Taiwanese who have visited Dad. I tell him about the Americans from the CIA, about the four Israelis who come at least once a year and about the colonels from the British Air Force. And I tell him that no one is allowed to know ever.
    'Why can't anyone know.'
    'Because everyone hates South Africa.'
    'But if everyone hates us, why do they still come to your house?'
    'Because, no one is meant to know that they're really on our side. The ordinary people in those countries have all been brainwashed. They don't understand what's really going on here. If anyone finds out that the General is in our house, they might kill him. And America and Russia might make war against Chile.'
    'But America and Russia are enemies!' he says.
    'Ja, but America doesn't know that the Russians are just using them to get hold of the Republic. That's what the Americans from the CIA tell Dad.'

    The Smell of Apples
    We sit staring at each other for a long time. I can see he hardly believes that he's in the same house as such an important general.
    'So if anyone finds out ... it will be war?' I nod my head and pull in my breath to show him how serious it is.
    'Will South Africa fight on the same side as Chile?'
    'I think so. Dad says National Service won't only be nine months any more. If we're fighting against the whole world, everyone will have to go for longer.'
    'For how long will we have to go into the army?' he asks.
    'I don't know, but Dad says things are looking bad up north. They've even started planting bombs in Southwest Africa. Things are worse than when Dad was in Rhodesia. The Communists muddle up people's brains so that in the end you can't trust anyone. The Communists indoctrinate everyone. I heard the General tell Dad that the guys in Chile already have to go to the army for a year and a half
    We sit in silence for a long time. When we're sleepy, I get up to turn off the light. I'm feeling thirsty and I ask Frikkie if he wants some water. He shakes his head against the pillow. Then he asks:
    'Marnus, do you think there will really be war?'
    I nod my head. 'Ja. It's war already.' I switch off the light and go quietly down the stairs to get a drink of water.
    I can hear voices from the lounge, so I quickly slip into Use's and my bathroom, where the light is on. Suddenly I see the General in front of me. I get such a fright that I want to turn around, but he must see me in the mirror, because as I'm about to slip out, he says: 'Why aren't you asleep yet, boy?' He's bent slightly forward over the washbasin, with his back to me. He's looking at me in the mirror. There's only a towel around his waist, and running

Mark Behr
    across his brown back is the mark of what must have been a terrible wound. It's almost as thick as my arm, and it looks new, because it's still pink.
    4 I just wanted a drink of water . . .' I say, and look into his eyes in the mirror.
    l Well, have some/ he says, and turns towards me, smiling.
    I walk to the washbasin but he doesn't move. I look up at him, unsure of how to get to the tap.
    'You remind me so much of my own son,' he says, still looking down at me.
    4 I can't get to the tap,' I say, pointing at the basin behind him.
    4 Oh, sorry,' he says, and lets me pass.
    I drink, and when I turn back from the basin he's already gone.
    Upstairs I call softly to Frikkie, to tell him about the General's scar. But Frikkie's sleeping like a log. I lie awake thinking of the General. He's a handsome man and I wonder if Use might really be in love with him. These days she's so full of weird and wonderful ideas that nothing will surprise me. But the General's almost as old as Dad and Use's hardly seventeen! And besides, he's married because he just told me about his son. But what'll happen if his wife dies, or if they get divorced? The heavens help us if Use