“YES! BUT…” he stammered.
“Before you take me home, I need to see the police.”
“For what?” Mr. Francis managed to ask.
“I found this child on my way here. My plan was to reach your house and ask your wife to take me to the station, but there is no need since you are here.” She gave the boy a stroke on the head.
Mr. Francis looked at the boy and swallowed hard. Then he requested, “Let me have the baby!”
Sensing no danger, Aunty Mabel handed the child to him. She smiled, rubbing her hands together like a poor soul that had won the lottery. Thomas began to play again as soon as he touched the warm hands of his father. “The baby seems to like you!” she whispered.
Mr. Francis heaved a sigh of relief and replied, “You are right. Thank you for bringing my son back!” He held the child close to his chest.
Mabel frowned. “I don’t understand…”
“This child went missing some hours ago. We came to the riverside together but I left him to play with a doll on the sand and went into the boat. But after working awhile, I raised my head and was surprised to see that my son was gone. No one seemed able to give me useful information about his whereabouts. So I sat at the foot of that almond tree, praying that God would bring him back to me.” He looked at his wristwatch, “The day is far spent. My wife will be worried now because we left home without breakfast!”
Mabel shook her head and told him how she had found the boy. “You are lucky. I saw your child crawling out of the compound of an old man who had been accused of rituals in the past. I almost left the child, but something in me told me not to. As he crawled after my dog, I picked him up. After waiting for sometime on the street, and no one came to claim the child, I decided to take him to the police station.”
Mr. Francis was humbled by the tale as tears gathered in his eyes. Then he said, “Thank you, Mabel. What would I have told his mother?”
“Thank God the worse did not happen.”
Happy that his son was back in his arms again, Mr. Francis led Mabel to his house.
BLAIZE AND THE MASTER OF ENCHANTMENT
CHAPTER 1
Horrible Flood
It was the rainy season: the din of children on the street, women singing like birds at the dawn of a new day, and farmers with smiles upon their faces showed that the people loved the season. The rain had washed away all the dust, and there will be a bountiful harvest in no time at all.
As the cockerel had sounded the dawn, and human activities were yet to reach their peak, no one thought that the streets would soon be flooded with rainwater. But the sudden and fierce assault of foul weather was too much for the people to handle. It started slowly, before the people had even settled into the lazy morning. Lightning flashed from distant clouds, and the people were caught in a light shower that lasted barely ten minutes. But when it ended, the sky was still gloomy.
Aware of this invitation to rain, some people shut their windows and remained indoors to continue the business of the day. As expected, thunder crashed repeatedly in the sky as it began to rain, not a steady drizzle as it had a while ago, but a downpour that flooded a land normally flowing with milk and honey.
All day it rained hard and left the people stranded in their houses. A feeling of disaster mounted as the water in a nearby carnal rose, and there was nothing the people could do. Suddenly, the carnal overflowed its banks and flooded a nearby town. As the water spread out onto the surrounding land, it caused considerable damage, and most of the buildings were submerged by floodwater. The occupants had no choice but to flee before they were drowned.
In the midst of this misfortune, Blaize, Dag and Fred were trapped on the roof of one of the submerged buildings near the carnal. Blaize surveyed the flood and a deep melancholy settled over his spirit. Sighing, he moved from one end of the roof to the other. His sorrow multiplied. But at this dark and hopeless moment, an inspiration burst upon him. There was a piece of dry wood in a corner of the roof that would surely float, and Blaize stared at it with absolute interest.
“What are you looking at, Blaize?” Dag inquired.
“I have an idea!” Blaize replied as he stared at the piece of wood.
Dag and Fred moved nearer. “I hope your idea is good enough to get us out of here,” Dag said.
“If we can throw this piece of wood down and we get onto it before the flood carries it away, we can float to safety!” Blaize explained.
“How?” said Fred.
Blaize led them to the point where they could look down at the floodwater. “If you look at the water, it appears to be moving towards the carnal. At the far end of the carnal is a little portion of land that is not covered by flood. If we get there, then we can jump to onto the land before the flood carries the wood away.”
Dag cleared his throat and said, “That’s a nice idea no doubt. But if I may ask, what happens if we are unable to reach the land because the wood changes its direction?”
“Then we shall be face to face with death!” Fred said fearfully.
“That is true,” Blaize disclosed.
“Doom is something I too fear, but it is a challenge that we all must face at some point,” Dag reacted.
“But we must take the risk! If we don’t, the flood will soon cover this house and we shall all perish!” Blaize spoke firmly.
Dag and Fred pondered Blaize’s logic. “Let’s try the wood,” Dag finally said with a voice that was as soft as a whisper.
Together they moved the wood and pushed it into the floodwater. As quickly as they could, they jumped onto it. For the moment, they were safe! As expected, the wood floated towards the carnal. The cats clung to the little raft for sometime before danger came down upon them like the rushing torrent. Another log of wood, which had floated from the other side of the carnal, was destined for a part of the stream where the water was flowed at a frightening speed, obstructing their movement and pushing them further away from the tiny bit of land. Before disaster engulfed them, Dag and Fred jumped and landed safely, but just as Blaize was about to jump, the wood floated away from the land. Determined to survive, Blaize tried to jump as others had, but it was now too far and he found himself in the water. Dag and Fred tried to help but there was nothing they could do to save their friend. They were reduced to watch in sorrow as the flood carried Blaize away.
Blaize struggled to stay alive, but the strong movement of water carried him downstream towards the carnal. He clung to another piece of floating wood and hung onto it as Dag and Fred looked on. Shortly after, he disappeared into the canal.
CHAPTER 2
Drood
It was not raining hard now but the carnal was still overflowing, and the bewildered cat clung tenaciously to a piece of wood that had kept him from adding his death to the tragedy. Not long after, the wood floated to a corner of the stream and became entangled in barbwire, leaving the poor creature stranded. A short distance away from the carnal, at the foot of an almond tree, stood a boy called Drood, who had nicknamed himself the Master of Enchantment. Holding an umbrella, he whistled as if this horrible morning was the best day of his life.
The boy glanced at the canal and his gaze fell upon the cat. He was not sure if the creature would survive, for it was weak and frail from its ordeal in the water. Smiling faintly, Drood peered down at the cat. A righteous man regards the life of his beast, he thought to himself, and found a piece of wood behind the almond tree. He stretched out the piece of wood toward the cat, and the creature did not disappoint him: Blaize hopped onto the branch as the boy pulled him out of the water. As the cat breathed the air of salvation, Drood adjusted his umbrella, straightened his chin and moved away. He now must return to the factory before his boss, Mr. Stanfield, returned.
Blaize had regained his footing but there was little strength left in him. He thought he would try to return to the neighborhood to meet Fred and Dag, but after taking only a few steps, he changed his mind and followed Drood, the boy who had saved his
life.
By the time Drood reached the factory, the air was still and the rain had completely abated. The flood had displaced many, and most of the buildings on the other side of town were underwater.
Drood had settled well into his new job as an apprentice. He was expected to be at the factory after school hours everyday, as well as during holidays. Today was no exception.
After the day’s work was finished and it was time to return home, Drood picked up his umbrella and placed it underneath his arm. He walked down the old street without noticing the cat on his trail. Not long after, he was at home, his dog Thatcher by his side. As Drood ate his evening meal, the dog waited patiently for crumbs to drop from his master’s table. But that was not the case, for Drood was hungry. Still, he fed the leftovers to the dog. As Thatcher relished the moment, Blaize watched from the top of a fence.
CHAPTER 3
Blaize Meets Thatcher
The starry night was cold and calm. Drood and his family had put the day behind them, leaving the night in the hands of the rats. Thatcher was awake in his kennel, but there was nothing he could do to put the rodent situation under control.
Blaize was not gone. The cat was still hanging on the fence when an idea flew into his head. He could kill the rats to thank Drood for saving his life. Immediately, he went to work. After few minutes, he stumbled upon a rat in the compound. Blaize gave chase and eventually caused a disturbance as he rounded a drum to pounce on the rat. Hearing the disturbance, Thatcher jumped to his feet and began barking. By the time the dog reached the commotion, the rat had breathed his last as Blaize stood over the expired creature. “What are you doing here?” Thatcher asked with a frown.
Blaize smiled and returned, “It is I, Blaize.”
Clearing his throat, the dog protested, “This is my territory. You don’t have any right to hunt here!”
Blaize pushed the dead creature aside and rubbed his paws gleefully together. “You are right,” he admitted, “Something brought me here.”
“Thatcher reacted, “You came here to hunt, didn’t you?”
Blaize chuckled. He leaned on the drum and crossed his paw over his body and explained, “The person that feeds you rescued me from the canal on the other side of town.”
Thatcher adjusted and snarled, “Then why should you disturb me?”
“Well, I am sorry. I intend to hunt down the rats here as payment for the help your master rendered.”
Thatcher paused and observed the cat discreetly. “Though my master has trouble with rats, and you can help us cut them down to size, you cannot live here, because this is my territory. Besides, your presence might reduce my ration!”
Blaize laughed out loud. “I don’t want to live here. Once my job is done, and he acknowledges my presence, I will be gone.”
Thatcher pondered over his words. He glanced at Blaize again. He disclosed, “I like people who keep their promises. I hope you will keep yours.”
“I will.”
“What did you say your name was?”
“Blaize,” the cat replied shortly.
“Blaize? That sounds nice. You can call me Thatcher. Together we will kill the rats. My master will appreciate that. And if he allows you to stay, your meals for the next week will be on me. Do you agree?”
The cat did not give it a thought; he nodded in agreement and smiled. Thatcher winked and said, “Now that we have a deal, let’s get down to work!”
CHAPTER 4
The Agreement
As the night retired to its holy interior, the day began in earnest and Blaize wished his expectations had not been cut short. He’d had a good night; his speed and cunning had served his cause and his claws had done their work. He’d placed the rats on the threshold of the house then curled up in a corner, expecting Drood to present himself in the morning.
Early in the morning the boy opened his eyes to the light of the world. Without wasting time, he jumped out of bed, got dressed and made for the kennel to greet his pet, Thatcher. But just as he reached the threshold, he saw the dead rats. How they got there, he wondered? Then he raised his head and glanced about, and found the cat he’d rescued yesterday asleep in the corner. Drood smiled at the creature and said, “I guess you did this. Thank you!”
But there was no response from his new friend. The boy moved to the back yard and returned with a broom and shovel to clear the mess. Without wasting time, he gathered the rats into a dustbin, and then he dug a hole and buried the dead creatures. Relieved, Drood raised his head and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Now, Thatcher and the cat had moved nearer, but Drood turned a blind eye, for he was keen to return the shovel and broom to their place.
The boy returned to see the cat and the dog rolling happily on the floor as if they had been friends forever. Drood fed them both a befitting meal then disappeared into the house. Thatcher reminded Blaize of their agreement, but before the cat could snatch either a morsel of food or a breath from the wings of the morning, his meal was in the belly of the greedy dog.
CHAPTER 5
The Kidnappers
It was a lazy morning, and Drood reached the factory without knowing that Thatcher and Blaize were following him. The dog was eager to know where his master worked, and when he found out, it was surely the best day of his life. Not to cause any disturbance, the creatures took cover near a building opposite the factory. As soon as they settled down, Thatcher turned to Blaize and said, “My master will be surprised to see us here.”
“I think so, and I doubt if he will be happy,” Blaize returned.
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Blaize. My master is hardly offended. Do you know his name?” Thatcher threw out a question as they exchanged glance.
“No,” Blaize replied shortly and turned away.
Thatcher adjusted and said, “His name is Drood, but he told his people to call him the Master of Enchantment!”
Blaize chuckled and scratched his hindquarter. “Why did he choose such a whimsical nickname?”
“Drood has said he would like to be a magician in the future. I am sure that is why he chose that nickname.”
“Well, in an ever-changing world, it is best to allow people to follow the path they have chosen.”
“You are right, but his father is a professor and he does not believe in playing tricks to make a living. That is why he asked him to come to the factory, to learn how to use his hands. An honest vocation is never a bad idea.”
Blaize was impressed, and then he asked, “What vocation is he learning?”
Thatcher replied, “I don’t know, but I think it has something to do with machines!”
As Blaize cleared his throat to talk, the sound of a vehicle pulling up in front of the factory drew their attention. Some armed men jumped out of the van and dashed into the factory. Not long after, the men came out of the factory with Drood and Mr. Standfield. They bundled them into the waiting van, and drove off. Thatcher jumped to his feet. “What is happening? That’s my master! Where are they taking him?” Without wasting a moment, the friends hit the road and gave chase.
CHAPTER 6
Rescued
Blaize and Thatcher were tired by the time they got to the kidnappers’ hide out. The men had dragged Mr. Standfield and Drood to the backyard of a building in the middle of an abandoned plantation, and tied them to a stake. The men telephoned Mr. Standfield’s people, and it was obvious from their side of the conversation that what they wanted from the family was a ransom. Drood had apparently been mistaken for the Mr. Standfield’s son.
Blaize whispered, “Thatcher, you must return to the house and try to get your master’s father to come here.”
“NEVER!” the dog snarled. “Let’s attack them here and now and teach them a lesson…”
“SSSH!” Blaize interjected. “I hear footsteps; keep your voice low.”
Thatcher shook his head angrily. “I can’t sit here and watch my master die. We must act fast. Come up with an idea, Blaize!”
The
cat inhaled sharply and suggested, “Let’s get closer and see how they’re tied.” Without wasting time, Blaize led the way, looking carefully to every side as they moved. By the time they were a stone’s throw from where Drood and Mr. Standfield were tied, they realized that they were at a serious disadvantage. “This won’t be an easy task,” Blaize relayed.
“What do you mean?” the dog asked, staring at his poor master tied to a stake.
“The rope! We need a rat to loosen it,” Blaize disclosed.
“Ah, you are right! What do we do now?”
As they pondering what to do next, Blaize cleared his throat and whispered, “I will be back in a flash!” Before Thatcher could blink, the cat disappeared into the bush.
Moments later, there was a big commotion. Thatcher realized it was Blaize, who emerged with a hare whining under his extended claws. Reaching the dog, now charged for battle, the cat spared the hare a breath and disclosed, “If I intended to eat you, I wouldn’t have brought this far. But if you try to play pranks, then my claws will ruin your day!”
Quivering at the feet of the two immense creatures, the unfortunate hare mumbled, “Just tell me what you want me to do, and consider it done.”
Blaize took a deep breath as he looked straight into the eyes of the frightened creature. He grabbed the hare by the neck and pinned him to a tree. The hare was kicking at the air as the cat threatened, “Let me warn you one last time; if you disappoint me, then my face will be the last one that you will see on this earth!” Then he dragged the hare to where Drood and Mr. Standfield were tied. “I need you to untie our master!”
“Okay,” said the hare. “I was at the top of a tree, at the other side, when they were brought in. Which of them do you want me to untie?”
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