Echoes In The Mist

by Rifi Strawn

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Stanley checked on Jeremy. He’d slept most of the two days he’d been home after the abduction. His body must’ve needed the rest. Her sympathetic gaze turned to Lucky as she looked out the window. He sat on the front porch with his rifle close by.

  She stepped out to see him. “Jeremy is still out.”

  “It will take many days for Mr. Jeremy’s wounds to heal.”

  She checked the time. “You should go home to Tabo and the kids. I’ll be okay.”

  “I will call for someone to take my place.” Lucky asked the ranger for help on his walkie-talkie. Since the attack, the wildlife sanctuary and Jeremy had been heavily guarded.

  She returned to Jeremy and lay next to him in bed and gazed at his peaceful sleeping face. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. “I’m so happy to see you.”

  “Oh, my, God. You have no idea how happy I am to have you lying next to me. I prayed and begged God to bring you safely home.”

  “I thought I’d never see you,” he choked.

  “I refused to give up hope. Everyone thought I’d lost my mind. At first, I thought a lion or leopard attacked you. I was relieved when Lucky couldn’t find any shred of evidence of your clothing or blood. I knew someone had kidnapped you. The thought of never hearing your voice, seeing your face, and touching you broke my heart. I wanted to die with you.” Tears in her eyes, she stroked his hair. “Lucky and I searched for you everywhere. I even accused the village chief. He promised me that he knew nothing and gave me words of comfort.”

  “The chief might’ve saved my life.”

  “How?”

  “Never mind.”

  Jeremy rubbed his face in distress and sighed when she asked where he’d been taken. She kissed him. “I’m here for you whenever you need me. I love you.”

  “I love you more.”

  Jeremy struggled to sit up and winced at his sutured arms and legs. “Denise did a good job of putting me back together.” He coughed and held his stomach. “Did the doctor get the lab and x-ray results yet?”

  “Yes. He sent me an email. Your x-rays showed a broken nose, but no other breaks. The lab report showed infection that should clear up with the antibiotics he’s given you. It seems you came in contact with contaminated water.”

  He looked at her as she sat up. “Please don’t tell Mum about any of this. I don’t want her to worry.”

  “Okay.” She held his hand. “Promise me, you’ll talk to someone about what happened.”

  “I will when my wounds are healed.” He swallowed his tears and cleared his throat. “How’s Makeda?”

  “She’s fine, and so are Luki and rest of the herds.”

  “Makeda saved my life.”

  “I think so. Lucky drove the distance along the river and tracked elephant feet four miles away. They started where yours tracks had ended,” she said.

  “Lucky should know, he’s the best tracker around. I remember I saw something swimming down the river, but I couldn’t see it very well. I was so weak and dehydrated. Makeda must’ve sensed me with her sharp hearing and smell. If it weren’t for her, I would’ve died or probably been eaten by predators,” he said.

  Stanley gently stroked his back. “Makeda was your guardian angel. I can’t thank her enough for bringing you back to me.”

  “There are evil people out there who want the elephants gone, and want to kill the people who protect them,” he choked.

  “Lucky has extra people watching Makeda and the other herds.”

  Jeremy grew restless after a look at his chest. “I feel dirty. I need a shower.”

  “Babe, I cleaned you up good. Denise thoroughly disinfected your wounds and cleaned all the blood.”

  He cringed. “I need a shower…I need clean running water on me.”

  “I’ll come to help you.”

  She put his arm around her shoulder as she walked him to the bathroom. “Are you okay?”

  He held on to the shower door handle. “I’m fine.”

  She turned on the water and helped him undress. Holding back the tears, she looked at the long gashes all over his body. “I want to kill whoever did this.” She started to take off her clothes to help shampoo and clean him, but he stopped her.

  “No, thank you,” he said. “I need to do this on my own.”

  “Okay.” She opened the shower door for him and left him.

  Ear to the closed bathroom door, Stanley waited to help him in case he needed her. Her heart ached from his agonizing cries. Twice last night he’d called out for his father in his sleep.

  ~*~

  A month later, Jeremy was still recovering at his hut from his wounds. She looked at him frantically working on his computer desk at home. She put a cup of coffee with Amarula down, and rubbed his tight shoulders. “Don’t work too hard.”

  He swiveled his chair to face her. “Thanks.” After a slow sip, he looked at her. “Did you buy a one-way airline ticket to San Francisco?”

  She looked at his computer screen. “I have to go home and take care of some unfinished business.”

  He put the cup down and crossed his arms. “When are you leaving?”

  “In two weeks. It’s the end of my assignment with you.”

  “I thought maybe you’d changed your mind and would stay here with me.”

  Stanley stroked his hair. Perhaps he thought she was leaving him like Claire had. “I’m not leaving you for good.” She kissed his forehead. “I promise I’ll be back at the first chance. I have some important business to take care of.”

  “I can’t protect you if I’m not with you,” he said. “It’s not safe for you to travel alone, especially after what happened to me.”

  “I have no choice in the matter. I have to go.”

  He cleared his throat. “Is there someone waiting for you at home, like a husband or boyfriend?”

  She smiled and kissed him. “There’s no other man in my life. Only you.”

  “I can’t come with you?”

  “Makeda and the elephants need you more than me. You have to trust me on this. I love you. I don’t want to be away from you.”

  His voice cracked. “Without you, I feel like an empty shell. I need to feel your touch, see your beautiful face, and hear your voice every day.”

  “I’ll be counting the days and hours until I return to you.” She kissed his lips.

  He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you so much. I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’ve been dreading this trip.”

  Their lips locked in a long tender kiss. The sweet taste of Amarula lingered in her mouth. Savoring each moment with him, she felt his heartbeat next to hers. She dreaded the thought of long, lonely days and nights without him.

  His phone rang. “It’s the rehab center,” he said. “They want to release Tutu.”

  “Call them back later.”

  “Honey, you have to let Tutu go. She needs a surrogate mother other than you.”

  “Why can’t we keep her?”

  He stroked her sad face. “She belongs in a herd. We must do what’s best for her. She’s strong enough to walk in the bush. We need to introduce Tutu to Makeda before her milk dries out. Luki is almost done weaning.”

  “I know there’s no substitute for mother’s milk for Tutu. I want her to have the nutrients to survive in the wild, but I’m having a tough time letting go of her. It’s like she’s my baby.” She checked the time. “I better get ready.”

  Half an hour later, Jeremy tapped on the bedroom door and came in. Stanley broke out in tears after one look at him, and he held her. “I can assure you, nothing will make you happier than to see Tutu grow and mature into a beautiful female in the wild. We’ll keep close tabs on her just like we do with Makeda. You’ll get to see Tutu every day from a distance.”

  “What if she forgets me?”

  “She’ll see you every day while you keep an eye on her herd. I doubt she’ll forget you.” He wiped her tears. “You better
not stay away from us for too long.”

  Stanley sat quietly as they drove to the rehab center. She held his hand tight and looked at him. “I knew this day was coming but I’m not prepared to let go of Tutu and leave you.”

  “Honey, you helped that baby elephant defy death to live the life she was meant to.”

  “Do you go through this every time you release an elephant?”

  “Oh yes. It never gets easy.”

  She put her head on his shoulder and looked ahead as they drove on to the rehab center.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jeremy and Stanley walked past the guards outside the rehab center. Since Jeremy’s kidnapping, the treatment facility had been heavily guarded. The threat of danger wasn’t over yet. A uniformed guard opened the door for them.

  Jeremy nodded. “Good job taking care of this place.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Stanley walked past the stinky bowls of fish guts and liver without holding her nose.

  He stopped and smiled at her. “Look at you. You’re a pro like rest of us.”

  “My tolerance for bad smells has a reason now. I know these stinky diets are helping the animals.”

  “After a while, you won’t even notice them,” he said.

  She put her purse in Jeremy’s office and went to check on Tutu. It was feeding time. She grabbed a huge bottle full of formula from the table outside and carried it into the enclosed area. The baby elephant came running to her with a swinging tail and flapping ears.

  Stanley stuck the bottle’s nipple into Tutu’s open mouth. “Hello, my sweet baby girl.” She smiled when Tutu finished and prodded with the tip of her trunk for more. “You big glutton.”

  Before she offered Tutu a second helping, Jeremy walked in. “Don’t give her too much. We want her hungry enough to latch on to Makeda if she offers to nurse her.”

  He took the bottle away and distracted Tutu with a beach ball. Laughter echoed in the metal building as the baby elephant chased him for it. Stanley video-taped the play on her phone. Out of breath, he ran toward her. The calf’s little trunk got between them before he could hug her.

  He kissed the intruding trunk. “Ooh, Tutu is possessive of you.”

  Stanley stroked her big head. “I’m going to miss her so much.”

  Lucky walked in with his hands behind his back. “Mr. Jeremy, you need to give Miss Stanley an African name like the rest of the staff here.”

  “Good idea. She deserves the honor after helping Tutu.” Jeremy tapped his chin and looked at her smiling face.

  “Pick a name I can pronounce,” she said

  He pondered and then smiled. “I have a good one. I want to name you after Queen Nandi. She was the mother of Shaka Zulu, the ancient South African warrior king. She played an important role in their kingdom and advised the fierce ruler on important matters just like you consult with me.”

  Stanley held her head high. “Then, Queen Nandi, I am.”

  “It is a perfect name for you,” Lucky said. “You are the queen of Mr. Jeremy’s heart. He is a warrior who protects the elephants.”

  Jeremy checked the time as he caressed the crown of Tutu’s giant head nudging him to play. “We better get to work. Makeda and her herd will be coming by here in the next hour. We need to stage our princess for adoption.”

  As they led Tutu out of the rehab center, the staff’s claps echoed in the metal building. “Every time we release an animal into the wild, we celebrate.”

  “What a cool ritual,” she said.

  He chuckled as Tutu made her grand exit and ran out with her trunk up. Lucky loaded her into the truck to transport her to Makeda’s daily route.

  Stanley nervously looked at Jeremy as they followed Lucky in the Rover. “Are you sure about this? You said Makeda killed a baby elephant recently.”

  “The baby was premature and wouldn’t have lived anyway. Makeda made a difficult decision to keep her herd safe. The sick baby would’ve attracted predators.”

  She looked through binoculars as Lucky unloaded Tutu. She happily followed him down the ramp and onto the dirt road. He gave the calf a treat and then sat in his truck, watching her.

  “I see Makeda with Luki.” Stanley scooted to the edge of her seat. “She just nudged Luki to nurse on her, but he ran off. Ooh, Jeremy, I don’t know about this. Makeda doesn’t seem too happy about that. Do we really want to subject Tutu to a huge, upset elephant?”

  “Makeda’s breasts are engorged and causing her discomfort. That’s why she’s upset at Luki. She might accept Tutu for the relief.”

  The calf looked back in their direction and ran toward the trumpeting calls of Makeda’s herd grazing close by.

  “Tutu probably thinks this is her herd,” she said.

  Jeremy looked through his binoculars. “She’s definitely curious.” Luki ran toward Tutu. “He just wants to play.”

  Tutu stumbled from Luki’s strong nudge.

  “He’s going to hurt her!” she blurted.

  “Easy there, bru,” Jeremy mumbled.

  She bit her fingernails as Makeda pulled on small branches full of leaves. Tutu shrieked when Luki nudged her harder to play again. Makeda stopped and walked over to make sure her calf was okay.

  The smell of milk attracted Tutu to Makeda’s full breasts. She tried to latch on, but Makeda’s huge trunk pushed her away. Luki ran after his mother with his large, flapping ears. Tears running down her eyes, Tutu stood alone in the dirt as the herd moved on.

  “We’ll try again tomorrow.” Jeremy radioed Lucky. “Let’s take Tutu back to the rehab center.”

  “Okay.” Lucky took cautious steps toward the upset calf who was screaming and bucking away from him.

  Stanley gripped Jeremy’s arm. “Why is Tutu treating Lucky like a threat?”

  “Tutu must associate Lucky with the poachers out here in the wild.”

  “But he saved her life,” she said.

  “Elephants react on instinct. Right now, any human is a threat, especially after the rejection she just got from her potential mother.”

  Ready to open the door, she looked at Jeremy. “Maybe I should go help. Tutu knows me well.”

  He held her arm. “She will hurt you in her panic. Let Lucky do his job.” He took slow, steady steps toward the upset calf after Tutu refused to go with Lucky. “Hey, sweet baby girl…” The calf stopped shrieking and bucking as he waved the bottle at her. “You’ll get your mum soon.”

  Tutu drank three bottles, and when she was fully satisfied, Jeremy corralled her back into the transport truck for the rehab center. He slid behind the wheel of the Rover and followed Lucky down the road.

  Stanley fretted like a worried mother. “What will we do if Makeda keeps rejecting her?”

  “It takes a few tries to get an orphan adopted by a surrogate. Pachyderms thrive on affection and reassurance. Maybe Tutu’s continued attention toward Makeda will soften her heart to accept another calf.”

  ~*~

  The next morning, in a second attempt to gain Makeda’s attention, Jeremy staged Tutu on the same dirt road and returned to the Rover. The calf was agitated without her regular formula feeding. She yelped and cried from hunger.

  “A bottle of formula wouldn’t hurt,” Stanley said. “It would give Tutu something to hold on to while she waits.

  He pointed to the herd. “I think it’s working.”

  Makeda grazed closer and closer to Tutu, her eyes half-closed and her tail swinging side-to-side with contentment. The calf kept crying and dropped on the ground from exhaustion. Feet up in the air and kicking, she tried to get up.

  Tail stiff, Makeda stopped grazing and walked to Tutu, who was still crying for help. Her giant foot hovered over the calf’s vulnerable belly. One strong stomp would kill the baby elephant.

  Stanley gripped Jeremy’s arm and looked away. “I can’t take this.”

  He shifted restlessly as Tutu cowered from Makeda’s nudging trunk. It wrapped around the disabled calf and pulle
d her to her feet. Swishing her tail side-to-side, the protective mother walked away.

  Tutu stood, shaking off the dust.

  Makeda looked back at the sad calf and waited for Tutu to catch up. In her hungry frenzy, the baby elephant walked under the huge body and latched on to the milky breast. Makeda didn’t move again until Tutu had satisfied her hunger.

  Jeremy smiled. “We have a surrogate mum for Tutu. Not just any mum, but Makeda, the queen of the herd.”

  Lucky grinned wide and held his arms up in a celebration dance.

  “Oh my God, this is awesome.” Stanley hugged Jeremy. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Makeda doesn’t easily warm up to orphan calves,” he said. “She’s letting Tutu nurse. That’s a real good sign she’ll keep her around.”

  All day, Stanley followed the herd with Jeremy. The baby elephant followed her new mother everywhere she went and grew tired after a couple of hours. The distance between Makeda and Tutu kept growing wider.

  Stanley sat up. “Now she’s walking back to Tutu.”

  Makeda gently nudged the calf with her trunk to nurse again. Luki ran up to his mother and pushed Tutu out of the way. He took a couple of swigs of milk but lost interest. Eye-to-eye with the newcomer stealing his mother’s attention, he challenged Tutu until another playmate distracted him and then ran off.

  Stanley wrapped her arms around Jeremy as Makeda cared for Tutu. “I guess my work here is done. Tutu has a new mother.”

  He kissed her forehead. “You did an excellent job of taking care of her.”

  “I’m worried about Luki hurting Tutu.”

  “He’s just curious and a bit jealous. Makeda will protect Tutu if things get out of hand. Luki was the youngest in the herd and got all the attention. In a couple of days, he’ll get used to having Tutu around his mother.”

  Tutu’s first night with the herd required Jeremy’s overnight watch. Stanley spent the night with him in the mobile unit. The danger of Tutu accidentally getting trampled or stabbed with a tusk could require his emergency help. Through the night, Makeda kept Tutu close as Luki slept next to her.