FINISH TO BEGIN - a story of survival
an excerpt

They decided to go to Kapitans down in George Town to dinner. Tandoori chicken is one of the flavours she enjoys the most. She eats with her fingers and laughs in street lights as they sit outside. Its late, almost eleven and the place is alive with hungry people out for the evening. Another day in Penang… another day of freedom…

“Stephie, here you go”, more fruity wine splashed into her glass.
She opened her eyes and squinted in the late afternoon sun at her sister. A smile never far off started in her eyes,
“Thanks, I am more tired than I thought”, she said with a yawn. “I suppose I had better get cleaned up so we can think about dinner.”
And with that, she took a long swig from her glass and headed to the bathroom. Maggie watched her sister as she went inside. Who would have thought that this could be the same woman of two years ago? That Stephanie was timid, scared of her own shadow, mouse like in all ways, but now, well just look at her. She is the bubbly one of the two sisters now, she is the popular one at all the parties and gatherings, the life of the party as they say. Maggie sat back in her deck chair and shook her head. She stayed out on the balcony, watching the peacefulness of the island slide towards another night. The sun played on the water; it was pretty, nothing like in South Africa mind you, but pretty nonetheless. Sunsets in Africa were still one of the best selling features of that country. For that matter so was the sea! This place has absolutely no waves. Just the constant slap slapping of the limp water onto the sandy beach. It was beautiful, but far too hot and muggy, this was supposed to be the cooler season too. She finished her drink and looked into the room behind her. A dazzling array of colours and shapes greeted her. This was the way it should be she thought. This was the way it should have been years and years ago.