“I’m here because I can’t stand the lie. I’m not a hero! John is in a wheelchair, his spine completely severed.”
“But he’s alive,” she whispered.
“Yeah. He’s alive.”
“How does John feel?”
“Oh, he called me a hero too. Said I saved him. His kids are calling me Uncle. But what did I really give them?”
“You gave them their father,” Hannah whispered as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Sure. I did that. I did nothing. I tried to tell them but no one listens. His family, my family, they all think I’m crazy.”
The tears flowed freely. “Tell me.”
He laughed hysterically. “The thing is I don’t remember helping him. He’s the one that said I did those things, rescued him, I mean. He said I was like a man possessed, like I had the strength of ten men. He could see my open wound, blood pouring from my leg. He told me my eyes were wild and he was afraid I’d lost it. But I carried him out. Something must have taken over in me because I wasn’t in charge of my body, I tell you. Only with therapy did I start to remember, but still things are fuzzy.”
“Is that why you came here? To the monastery, I mean?”
“Yes. I had to get away from all the hero worship and the pitying looks. Not to mention the tongue lolling about my condition. Always behind my back but just loud enough for me to hear. Besides I needed to search for answers.” He averted his gaze.
“Do you believe God helped you?” Hannah asked.
Cynicism pervaded his tone. “God help me? Why? Why would he do that? I’ve never done anything for Him.”
“Rory, what God gives, He gives freely.”
“So you believe me? I mean, you believe I don’t remember saving John?”
“Of course, I do. Why wouldn’t I?”
“The doc said I forgot because it was traumatic. He said the memories would come back slow. What do you think?”
“Honestly, Rory? I don’t know. What I do know is that all things are possible with God.”
Father Thomas entered the room and brought fresh water. “And, how is our patient?”
“I’m alive,” Rory answered.
****
Rory was feverish off and on for two more days. When he was well, he was still too weak to travel. Hannah was worn to a frazzle. She begged Father Thomas to contact the authorities, but he staunchly refused. She begged to be allowed to contact the authorities, but he wouldn’t trust her to leave the monastery. She begged him to go to the camp and demand release of the prisoners, but he said it was too dangerous. Then she threatened to go on her own, and he locked her in her room.
Like a caged animal, she paced a rut into the carpet. Every hour that passed was sheer torture. Conjured images of what a slave trader could do to a helpless person drove her mad.
The unexpected thud of a knock made her jump. She hit her head on the low ceiling. “Ow.”
The door squeaked open and there he stood. Thinner than before, his lithe body relaxed. A grin rested upon his face.
“Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Without speech she covered the distance of the small room and fell into his arms. He stroked her hair and murmured words of comfort.
“Rory, are you okay now?”
“Aye, love, I am.”
Leaning back, she punched him in the arm.
“What was that for?”
“That was for scaring me. And this one,” she socked him in the other arm, “is for making me wait. Do you realize that I’ve lost a whole week and a half? There is no telling what has happened to Melanie and the children by now.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Thoughts of escape filtered through his mind like water over coffee grounds. Korzan and the men continued to go out each day, work in the mines, then return to the compound at night. The highlight of every afternoon was at mealtime when he saw Melanie.
Digging through the loose mud, Korzan sighed. The hidden diamonds in the mine had been found.
Dread filled Korzan. Now that the vein wasn’t dry, would they be forced to stay by the cave in tents? By some miracle, the men remained at Tapiwa’s camp. Unfortunately, their stunt caused security to tighten. Extra guards kept the workers under constant supervision. This offered little hope of escape and no way of getting closer to Melanie.
“You need to stop brooding,” Afua whispered.
Headlamps blared in the dark cavern. Korzan didn’t attempt to locate his friend. “Why should I? Now the stash has been found, our work will only get harder,” he mumbled, under his breath.
“You’re right.”
“So you’ve heard something?”
“Yup. I heard it through the grapevine that Biashara showed up and demanded a report. When Tapiwa told him they’d found more diamonds here The Butcher was ecstatic. It seems we will be here until the last vein is emptied.”
Korzan nodded.
“This should make you happy. This means you can stay near your woman. Even though our little trick of hiding the diamonds placed us under suspicion, I don’t think Aja told Tapiwa. If he had, we would have been beaten and forced to live in the tents again.”
Drawing a deep breath, Korzan continued to work. Today they were moving away from the walls and closer to the underground lake. It had taken an amazing amount of time to get this far.
Every day Korzan and a group of men journeyed from the compound in a covered truck. They bounced along rutted roads until the sun crested over the mountains. When they stopped, they were escorted inside a dark cave and given a small shovel and a bucket. The men would lift a small amount of dirt and sift through it. Every now and then they were lucky enough to find a diamond.
Moist mud along the cavern walls proved easy to shovel. Still, it took ages to work through all the earth. As they moved, other men shored up the cave walls with heavy wooden beams.
Closer and closer they drew to a new location. The running water sounded like a constant dripping.
Today was the first day they actually laid eyes on the water. Deep in the cavern, there appeared a small underground lake, wrapped on all sides by a rock wall. Their lamps reflected off the clear surface and sent sprays of light. Several soldiers lounged against wooden poles that had once been erected as a barrier to the water’s edge.
A short dock extended out, and one of the slaves was forced onto the floating apparatus and sent into the water. He came up spurting and shivering.
“Now dive down in there and find the diamonds,” said Gamba. A hint of mocking laughter tinged his voice.
“Oh, no,” Afua muttered.
“What?”
Afua tensed. “I can’t swim.”
Korzan nodded. Focusing, he waited for Cayman to rise. When he rose to the surface, he held a small sparkling stone.
“Good. Very good. Each of you will take one turn,” Gamba smiled, an evil glint reflected in his eyes.
One by one they were forced to dive into the chilly depths. As the line moved forward, Afua moved back. No one seemed to mind that he constantly moved behind them.
One man rose to the surface, a scream left his lips. “I can’t see a thing. But something touched me. I won’t go again. I won’t!”
“Yes, you will,” said Gamba, pointing a weapon at him. The sound of the gun cocking echoed in the hollow cavern.
The man trembled. Teeth chattering, he said, “No, I won’t. I can’t. My hands are freezing. I can’t feel them.”
Gamba didn’t wait or argue. The magazine shoved into his gun, the bullet loaded, he pulled the trigger. The projectile bounced off the water a few feet from the squirming slave. Instead of diving into the water and trying for another diamond, the man panicked and tried to swim away. It was the last mistake he ever made.
****
It was the first death Korzan had witnessed. To kill their workers was counterintuitive. However, they couldn’t have dissension. The threat of death was all Tapiwa’s men really had to make a
prisoner obey.
Rolling over, he struggled to get comfortable. The cool night air wafted through the bamboo bars and strayed across his exposed skin. He lay upon a bed of week-old grass. No blanket was provided. No new clothing. No comforts at all. He guessed he should feel blessed he was given food on a regular basis.
The mess hall was the only place he ever received true warmth. The mass of bodies kept the building heated. Unwashed odors could make a new person ill, but an individual who had been there for a while looked at the place as the only time they felt normal. It reminded him of a school gymnasium.
Now in the open-air cage, he curled into a ball and forced himself to rest. Soft snores emitted from the others in the tiny cage. Looking through the bars, he peered at the night sky. Stars winked in and out. Perhaps, wherever Melanie was, she stared at the same sky.
When they’d dated, he’d told her of the beauty of his country. How one was able to see every star clearly. Lights from American cities only distracted from the beauty of God’s creation.
When they’d married and moved to Africa, they’d enjoyed many a night in each other’s arms, staring at the sky. He’d shared all the constellations he could remember. If he couldn’t remember, he would just make one up. He’d created an entire story around each set of stars. Melanie had never questioned him. She’d believed every word. Or if she hadn’t believed, she’d never said so.
Flopping onto his back, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the wooden plank roof. Look at what he’d gotten them into. Her parents had been right all along. Why had he thought this would be a good life for them? They’d lost everything. Their child, their home, and each other.
Bitterness threatened to consume him. Why had this happened? He’d given his whole life for the furthering of God’s kingdom. It wasn’t fair.
Even as the thoughts left his mind, thoughts of the man who’d died today came. What had that man done to be in this situation? He knew the answer. Nothing. None of the men in Tapiwa’s camp deserved the evil that had been thrust upon them.
The cold wind whistled over his frame, but he didn’t shiver. There was only one course of action left — pray that someone out there would come to their aid.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Who are these people to you?” Rory asked between bites.
“Does it matter?” asked Hannah.
“Yes, love, I’m afraid it does. If I’m going to risk my neck to rescue this Melanie, then I’d like to know why.”
“Fine. I already told you that Melanie has been my friend for years. Korzan is her husband. He sent me a ticket to visit Melanie because of her homesickness.”
“Where and who is Korzan?”
“I just told you. Melanie’s husband. I believe he was taken earlier, although I don’t know by whom. In the brief time I spoke with Melanie she said that she thought he was dead.” Hannah struggled to keep the sadness from pervading her tone.
“So, correct me if I’m wrong, but a friend asks you to hop on a plane and travel thousands of miles because they’re lonely and you do it?”
“Yes,” Hannah replied breathlessly. “If someone asked me to visit, then I do.”
“Hannah…”
“Why are you so opposed to helping Melanie? How is it any different than you helping your friend?”
He turned his back to her. “It’s different.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is!” His voice rose in anger. “That was war. Melanie and her husband chose to be here.”
“Rory, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. But I have to help her. No one else is going to. So either you help me, or I’m doing it myself.”
“Do you know how infuriating you are?”
“No, I don’t,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Well trust me, love, you’re extremely infuriating.”
“Rory—”
His hand rose to stop any farther explanations. “You’ve already gotten your way. Please stop talking about it. I may be leading the only woman I’ve ever loved to her death.”
He stumbled from the room, muttering the whole way. Hannah stayed frozen in stunned silence. Pulling herself together, she followed after him. When she caught up, she placed her hand on his shoulder and twirled him around. Once face to face, she spoke, “Rory don’t walk away from me. You can’t just spout something off like that then walk away.”
“Hannah, in order to rescue your friend, we have a lot of work to do. The longer we wait, the greater the risk that she’s already been sold. We need to prepare and go.”
“But—”
He clasped her hands tightly in front of them. “Later.”
Again he was off, limping toward his destination. Hannah threw her hands in the air. She needed a phone. Leaving Rory to his own plans, she walked the grounds. Finally she found just the man she was looking for. “Father Thomas! Father Thomas!”
Weary eyes faced her. “Yes, my child.”
“Do you have a phone I can use?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Where can I find one?”
“The closest town is eight kilometers north of here. I believe there is a small store with a phone.”
“Good. Can I borrow a jeep?”
“A jeep?”
“Yes, and a driver. I need to get to that phone.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I need to call home.”
“Oh, I’m sure your family is very worried.”
“Yes, they probably are. Tonya is going to kill me. But what I really need to do is talk to Mike. He works for the state department. I’m going to have him contact the local embassy. Maybe they’ll help us.”
Her smile fell as Father Thomas shook his head. “You must not do that my child.”
“Why not?”
“Tapiwa provides services for some very important people in and around the local town. Their exposure is much more dangerous than his own. I know you are determined to rescue your friend, but you must follow Rory’s plan. No other. He will help you.”
“Yes, I know but—”
“Hannah, you must be patient and trust him.” Finished, the father turned and left. Earth swirled around the edges of his robe as he hurried away.
As she watched the retreating form, a thought struck her mind. How could she risk one person she loved to save another? Perhaps she should have gone alone while Rory was incapacitated. Why had she waited?
Stirring up a trail of dust, she jogged to her room. She pulled out a leather knapsack the brothers had given her and stuffed all her meager belongings inside. She didn’t have much. The jeans and t-shirt she’d worn from America had been left along the road. The shorts and shirt provided by Rory had been discarded at Chin Xi’s establishment, and the flowery skirt and yellow blouse had been burned by the nuns.
A long robe used as a gown, a toothbrush, and a hairbrush provided by the sisters constituted the current extent of her possessions. Her wardrobe consisted of the overly large shirt and jeans she now wore. Placing the meager items in the bag, she wondered about food.
To ask for food would make them aware she was leaving. She would just have to borrow what she needed. When Melanie and the children were safe, she would return and apologize.
Hoisting the bag on her shoulder, she glanced around the room. Everything was in its place. The Bible lay open on the table from her reading that morning. The bed covers were tucked around the mattress. The lamp’s wick was extinguished.
Pulling the door shut before she changed her mind, a puff of air set the Bible’s pages to fluttering. The idea passed that she should check what verse the page landed on, but Hannah didn’t look back. She had to hurry. Time was running out.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Rory’s forehead creased. Stalking across the yard toward Hannah’s room, his body tensed like a caged tiger.
He’d professed his love and she’d run to Father Thomas with her own plan. Calling the
embassy indeed! She hadn’t even given him twenty minutes before she’d moved on with her harebrained scheme. He would never understand women.
Gait filled with anger, people scattered, clearing a path. Stopping in front of her door, he straightened his shoulders, took a couple of calming breaths, and rapped his knuckles gently against the splintered wood.
A hollow sound echoed back. It matched the hollowness of his heart. He knew before he opened the door she was gone.
With one push he sent the door slapping the interior wall. He shouldered his way in, looked for a note, a lipstick scrawled message, any hint at all of Hannah’s plans. Was she going to walk to town and call the embassy, or was she going to try and mount her own rescue?
Instead of a message, he found an open Bible. He touched the thin pages as he read the verses. John 15:13 spoke the immortal words of Jesus: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Gulping deeply, Rory squelched his fears. God was on her side, of that he was sure. But something told him not to be idle. She would need his help.
Supplies gathered in the jeep, Rory set off down the road. Three weeks ago the monastery had been blessed with multiple working vehicles, now they were down to one.
Father Thomas had not been happy with Rory’s request for another auto. He’d sighed and bitten back his negative reply, only nodding in response. He already owed much to the father and his brothers. He would never be able to repay their kindness.
However, he could donate money for a few extra vehicles. He could purchase an entire fleet of autos, and his pocket book would not be overly affected.
But right now he had bigger concerns. Hannah was out there on the road alone headed into danger. Did she even have a plan?
****
Hannah had walked for a few hours, and already hunger and thirst gnawed at her stomach. Sweat beaded on her upper lip, and she used the bandana wrapped around her neck to wipe it away. Pulling the cloth away from her face, she noticed a tree nearby. Its overhanging branches offered shade and privacy, something she desperately needed.
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