Forest of Fear - The Demon Child

FOREST OF FEARBy 1998, four years after South Africa finally achieved democracy, hundreds of thousandsof destitute South Africans still lived in squalid squatter camps spread across the country.San Diego squatter camp or informal settlement is situated on the western boundary ofJohannesburg. Themba 'Legs' Gwala, the under-nine sprint champion at his school, lives inthe San Diego squatter camp near Johannesburg with his dad and mom and five-yearold sister, Gugu. His best friend, eight-year-old James 'Chomp' Bafokeng, ravenous foodconsumer, and his parents, also live in the settlement and the two boys witness the povertyand hardships that the residents have to endure: no electricity, no proper sewerage systemand no running water, winter snow, summer torrential downfalls and the danger of runawayshack fires. Other characters in the settlement include Misses Ntombi Zondo, the settlement’sSangoma, who is dedicated to preserving the myths and legends of Africa and enthrals Legs,Chomp and Gugu with her wonderful stories, Mister Bongani Cele, the retired illegal gold minerwho has spent most of his life searching for the non-existent treasure in abandoned goldmines, Misses Lerato Nonyana, the retired school teacher with her stories about Africanurban legends, Mister Calvin Tembe, the Mozambican 'mayor' of San Diego, striving to helpthe illiterate residents, Mister Joseph Amin, the Ugandan law student who helps MisterTembe with the resident’s legal matters and Constable Edward Luthuli, the settlement’slazy incompetent policeman. Amidst all this, the serial killer watches silently.THE DEMON CHILDBruno Berger, living in Johannesburg, South Africa, is cruelly abused by his parents duringhis formative years and develops a hatred for his fellow beings that dominates his life.Throughout his young life he has been ridiculed and betrayed. He meets Conrao 'Connie'Amores, another abused student at his school and the two young boys plan to eliminate theirtormentors, especially their parents. On the day that they’ve agreed to begin their revenge, Conniecommits suicide and Bruno is left to continue with their mission on his own. Bruno kills both hisparents and then goes to his school, mainly to wreak revenge on Lucy Brentworth, his maintormentor during his schooldays. Unable to kill Lucy, Bruno kidnaps her and holds her hostage,only to find out that Lucy is also the victim of child abuse. The two young people decide to team up,escape from the police, and go on the rampage, robbing a business, killing Lucy’s abusivefather as well as Connie’s parents. Captured by the police after a car chase, Bruno is foundguilty of several crimes including murder and kidnapping and incarcerated in a Child DetentionCentre while Lucy, denying all Bruno’s claims of a joint conspiracy, is placed on probation.Obsessed with Lucy’s betrayal, Bruno swears revenge. This is a story of the triumph of loveover its real enemy; indifference, the turning away from those in need. It’s the story ofthe influence that one person’s love can have on another; the transformation of an individualfilled with hatred and revenge into someone who can express love and compassion.