Cut for Life
Page 23
Amie kept looking for Simon’s Toyota but it was nowhere to be seen. Why hadn’t she gone with him? They’d all been in such a panic she’d run to the nearest truck, her Land Rover. She couldn’t lose him just as they were re-united. Even at this distance the earth was vibrating from the thundering hooves. It was impossible to count the number of wild animals: mostly wildebeest, with zebra, Grant’s gazelles, Thompson’s gazelles, eland and impala. They were bunched up tightly together, and they were stopping for nothing.
The sun had disappeared, casting a gloom over the landscape and a twilight aura over the savannah. There were rumbles in the distance and bright flashes of lightning created an eerie silver and orange glow. They could hear the deafening crackle of the fire inside the pall of black smoke that rose from the conflagration. It reminded her of a huge firework display; the bangs and roars reaching her ears, the smoke making her eyes water.
Jean-Pierre kept his foot to the floor, weaving this way and that to avoid termite mounds and bushes, the wind obscuring their view in the thick engine-clogging dust.
“Why don’t we make for the road,” Amie yelled. “It’s also a firebreak.”
“Oui, bon idée, we must. The petrol is almost gone!” Jean-Pierre yelled back. As if in response the Land Rover coughed, the needle on the gauge resting on empty. Already bits of ash and sparks were floating past the windows, blown by a scorching wind that was increasing in intensity. How fast was the fire coming towards them?
“Oui, we’ll have to be very quick. The fire is coming fast.”
They shot up a slight rise and there at the bottom of a very steep incline was the river, shallow, but just wide enough to stem the progress of the flames. They stared in dismay at the height of the banks of the river, they were almost vertical. Crossing it at that point was beyond the capabilities of the most rugged vehicle. Of course, the animals would have chosen the safest place to cross, but to attempt to drive among them would pose further danger. She could already feel the blistering heat from the fire. She looked behind, but it was impossible to judge how close it was, the air was a solid wall of dust and smoke, and the acrid smell brought tears to her eyes and made her cough.
“Ok, cherie, we go down to the river and when the fire comes we go under the water.” Jean-Pierre opened the car door.
It was the only thing they could do, but there were dangers in the river as well.
Amie grabbed the Glock from the glove compartment, stuffed it in the new waterproof bum bag she’d bought in Apatu and opened her door, unsure if leaving the security of the Land Rover was the right thing to do. They covered their mouths and noses with their shirts and ran to the edge of the steep bank.
If I slide down to the bottom of that, I don’t think I’ll ever get up again Amie thought staring at the sluggish brown water below. It was impossible to tell what lurked beneath the surface, but maybe they could crouch right next to the bank. As long as they kept an eye open, they might survive. If the truck got burned, once again she would be stuck out in the wilds with no supplies. It wouldn’t be a new experience, but this time she wasn’t alone.
Beehive was as sure-footed as he was excellent at tracking. He skipped down the bank to crouch by the edge of the water but Amie landed on her bum in the first couple of metres sliding unceremoniously down. She would have shot straight into the river if Beehive hadn’t caught her.
They hunkered down in the lee of the river bank watching the sparks from the fire flying overhead. Again and again the sky was illuminated by lightning flashes, the trees exploding as their trunks were licked by the flames. The thunder rumbled, the sun was no longer visible, masked by massive black, rain-sodden clouds.
Slowly at first, then faster and faster the rain drops fell. They bounced off the ground like twirling ballerinas before settling on the earth to create little puddles which trickled together to form larger pools. To begin with the water skittered over the surface of the dry earth, but as more and more poured from the sky, some of it began to filter down beneath the surface – the rock-hard ground acting like a grateful sponge.
The three figures huddling against the bank were soaked in seconds. The rain bouncing off the slow meandering river made it impossible to see any dangers. The rain continued to fall, turning the loose earth into glistening wet mud which slid down the vertical bank in deadly avalanches that threatened to bury them. As the rain eased off, falling in some places and not in others, the fire continued to rage, an all-out fight between two giants of nature. One bent on destruction, the other on nourishing the parched earth bringing new life to the seeds and grass roots which had suffered during the long dry season.
The battle raged on, at one point they could see the red glow become larger with orange flames shooting into the sky as the fire burned closer and closer to their refuge by the water.
The river continued to rise, becoming turbulent and treacherous, its escalation faster than Amie believed possible. How long before it would wash them away? She put her head back and opened her mouth to receive the rain drops as they poured relentlessly down, turning the air cold. Their clothes stuck to their skin, the rain dripped from their hair, running down their backs, arms and legs. The wind cooled the water and soon Amie was shivering, her teeth chattering.
Then, all of a sudden, it was over. In a few places the fire had jumped the river, but a final downpour quenched the last flames.
Jean-Pierre stood up. “I think there is no danger now from the fire,” he said. “We go back to the car, yes?”
Freezing cold and sopping wet, they edged their way along the river, looking for a place where they could clamber out. Further down they could see the stragglers of the great herd crossing. The beasts were moving slower now, aware the danger had gone, eager only to keep up with the rest of their kind. Solitary animals lagging behind were easy prey for the predators that would not be far away.
Lions, thought Amie, we’re still not safe
By helping each other, slithering and sliding in the mud, they managed to scramble up the riverbank and make their way back to the Land Rover. The downpour had eased off a little, but the rainy season had begun. The earth sent wisps of steam off the ground and the sky remained overcast, threatening even more downpours.
“Let’s hope the car starts,” Amie remarked as they retraced their steps.
“Pah! A little water.” Jean-Pierre shook his head. “These Land Rovers, especially these Defender models are strong. They are strong, like me.” He turned and gave Amie a dazzling smile, his white teeth shining in contrast to his tanned complexion.
She smiled back, but the thought of two alpha males on the same mission ... providing Simon had survived was not something she wanted to think about. She wondered where they were and vowed that if he were still alive she would stick to him like glue.
The Land Rover was exactly where they’d left it, astonishingly untouched by the fire, but it was not alone. There was a second truck parked right next to it, not Simon’s Toyota but another Land rover. Without words, the three of them backed off the way they’d come and ducked down behind a handy termite mound.
23 A REUNION
They couldn’t hear what was being said, or in what language, but whoever had discovered the Land Rover was going through it with a fine toothcomb. Yet, they just rifled through the contents but took nothing. They must have broken in for Amie remembered Jean-Pierre locking it before they fled. She counted three men, all Africans, all in safari gear, so she didn’t think they were the kidnappers. Were they wildlife rangers? It might be helpful to talk to them; they might have seen Simon’s SUV. She was just on the point of going to ask them when they closed the doors, walked away, climbed into their own truck and drove off. It was too far away to make out the logo on the doors, but reassuring they were probably genuine rangers and therefore no threat.
The clouds hiding the sun did nothing to stop the air turning hot and humid. The steam rose off their soaked clothes and Amie rummaged for the water bottles.
Amie detected the sarcasm on the word ‘friends’. “It would make sense to join up with them again,” she said, “we’re all after the same crowd. Let’s face it there’s a limit to what we can do on our own. Had we met up with them before, we could have reported back to the embassy or authorities on their phones and left it up to them.”
Jean-Pierre looked thoughtful for a moment then gave his customary shrug. “And now we go where?” he asked, pouring the rest of the petrol from the jerricans into the tank.
“Maybe back to where we met up with them the first time?” Amie suggested. “I’m not sure we can explain that to Beehive, but I can try.”
They set off back the way they’d come, only this time the wheels squelched through the shallow mud making the going slippery. In some places there was little sign of the fire, but soon they could see the blackened bushes, seared tree trunks and the sad little bodies of small animals burned to a crisp where they’d been unable to escape the flames.
“Nature, she is so clever, yes?” Jean-Pierre said.
“What?” Amie was too busy worrying about everything to want to chat.
He continued. “These bush fires in Africa can start with the sun’s rays shining through a raindrop, a bolt of lightning, or even a glass bottle thrown away. And, ma cherie, they are not a disaster. Many of the local plants, they need the fire to release their seeds. Then the rain washes the ash and burnt wood and leaves into the soil to make food for the new plants.”
Yes, I know, but right now I’m focusing on our immediate future, thought Amie. She didn’t reply.
The earth resembled a moonscape where ash covered the ground, while other areas were untouched. The rain had extinguished the fire before it destroyed all the vegetation. There were patches where the fire had leapt forward leaving whole spaces unscathed.
“We should wait in the old place,” said Jean-Pierre approaching the small kopje where they had all met up before. “I think, it is known, yes, that you go back to the last point?”
“I’m amazed we found it again without our intrepid tracker’s help.” Amie smiled looking over her shoulder at Beehive who was fast asleep on the back seat, smelling none too fresh.
“I think there will be a problem now to find the children, we do not know where Jabu is.” Jean-Pierre brought the truck to a stop and surveyed the ground. Thousands of animal hooves, followed by scorched earth and then the downpour had washed away any hope of tracking them. Unless Simon turned up and had some answers they were stuck. They could drive around in circles for hours and still not find Tony and Charlie, and Jean-Pierre had just emptied the last of the petrol into the tank.
They climbed out of the Land Rover, grabbed some food out of the back and sat down to eat as the humidity rose and the heavens threatened to open again at any moment.
“How long we wait?” Jean-Pierre broke the silence.
This time it was Amie who shrugged. If she had her way she’d stay there until all their supplies ran out, in the hope that Simon would reappear. “Maybe, until tomorrow morning?”
They sat and waited all afternoon. At one point, Beehive wandered off in the vain hope he could pick up some clues from his scrutiny of the ground, but he returned shaking his head. Amie guessed it defeated even his outstanding skills.
They came in the night. Beehive was the first to hear them. He tapped Amie and Jean-Pierre on the shoulders, whistling quietly between his teeth. A vehicle was approaching, travelling slowly using only side lights.
“Out!” barked Jean-Pierre, but Amie was already sliding around to the back of the truck unzipping her bum bag and pulling out her gun. She didn’t think for a moment it would work, it must have got soaked through in the rain, but it might act as a deterrent. Why hadn’t she checked it as soon as they’d set up camp? She wasn’t thinking straight; she’d forgotten every bit of her training. Possibly, she reasoned, as she ducked down behind the truck, because she didn’t particularly want to remember; she must be the most reluctant spy in history.
With the clouds blanketing the moon, it was difficult to see the make of the truck, but from the way it was moving and the fact they were not using their headlights, the occupants were probably up to no good. It rolled to a stop about five metres away, the passenger door opened and a figure stepped out. The shape of the gun he was cradling sent shivers down Amie’s spine as she peered round the tailgate.
The figure approached the Land Rover, opened the doors and shone a flashlight around inside.
“Yes, it’s theirs OK,” he called to the others, “but there’s no one here. Their gear looks intact though.”
Amie bit her lip, was that one of the men who’d been with Simon? She hadn’t even had a chance to say hello to any of them before they’d all driven off in different directions. She hesitated, but Jean-Pierre had already stood up and confidently approached the new comers. “You take a long time to arrive!” he greeted them cheerfully.
Amie and Beehive followed, squinting in the dim light. Amie choked back a yelp when Simon got out of the vehicle and hurried towards her, arms outstretched.
He hugged her as if he’d never let her go. “Thank goodness, you’re safe,” he said.
“What happened to you? Where did you go? I thought we’d all stay together.”
“Of course, that was the plan but ...”
“Yes, I know, I’m being stupid,” chuckled Amie, “the smoke, the fire and then the torrential rain, it was impossible to see where anyone was. Jean-Pierre and I sheltered under the river bank. Oh by the way this is Jean-Pierre, he’s been helping me and the children.”
Jean-Pierre shook the hand Simon extended, nodding briefly.
“We were incredibly lucky,” said Simon. “We shot off in the opposite direction when the stampede started, then we were completely surrounded by fire, only escaping when the rain came. Really lucky! Yet another close shave.” Simon kept his arm around Amie’s shoulders.
“You should be getting used to those by now.” Amie smiled up at him.
Simon took her by the arm. “It’s time to introduce you to the guys,” he said walking her towards his truck.
The three men looked like well-seasoned soldiers or bodyguards: tall, thick set, strong and capable. Amie gasped. Even in the dim light of the pre-dawn, she recognised one of them. It was the embassy man who had guarded her at the cemetery when she attended her own funeral and watched them bury a coffin full of rocks. Did he remember her? He showed no sign of familiarity when they shook hands so she decided not to remind him they’d met before. She learned his name was Bill. Jake and Trevor also said “Hi” before going to unpack supplies from the back of their vehicle.
“I guess they’re your bodyguards, right?” Amie giggled, punching Simon’s arm lightly.
“Yes, to protect me from you.” He chuckled.
“I’ve a million questions to ask you,” Amie blurted out.
“And I’ll give you a million answers just as soon as we’ve eaten. I’m starving!” Simon hugged her again and went over to help unload the food.
Simon and his crew sat on the sodden ground to eat dinner by torchlight, but Jean-Pierre pulled out the red, white and blue picnic blanket bowed to Amie, took her arm and lead her like royalty to sit down.
She was aware of a sharp hiss from Simon as he observed the Frenchman’s familiar behaviour towards her and Amie could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head. She had no wish for them to fight over her, so she stood, pulled the blanket closer to Simon desperate to ask him a whole string of questions.
Simon’s companions ate quickly and then went over to the Toyota. Jean-Pierre walked off in a huff leaving them alone.
“Where have you been? Why didn’t you come to Gaborone ...?” Amie hissed.
“Whoa, one at a time.” Simon spluttered as he munched cold meat balls straight from t
he can. “They pulled the plug on me joining you, so I never left Durban. Much as I ranted and complained, I got nowhere.”
“So where ...?”
“Flew up to Johannesburg, hooked up with Bill who drove down from Pretoria and then we flew into Apatu and went straight to the Embassy. Teamed up with these guys, had a briefing and here we are. And that bloody phone was useless. I could never get through to you on it ...”
“I couldn’t get through to you either from my end,” Amie interrupted.
“You tried to call?”
“Of course I bloody did! Countless times. What did you expect?”
“Sorry,” Simon looked sheepish. “It’s just when I didn’t hear from you I thought ...”
“You thought it was a kiss and run relationship? Huh, thanks for that Simon, I thought you realised ...” Amie paused. She’d fretted it was the other way round and as soon as she had disappeared from the scene Simon felt free and unencumbered. Maybe she had read a lot more into their friendship than he had. She was about to say more but changed the subject. “So why did they decide to let you come?”
“I’m not sure which was the biggest motivation, but there are two possibilities. Firstly, there’s a big fuss about a British Government minister’s daughter going missing. He’s of Ghanaian origin and this has created huge publicity in the press, with suggestions that the far right have kidnapped her, stirring up racial feelings. So that’s been quite nasty. Naturally the government is pulling out all the stops to contain this and quash the rumours that she was taken abroad for some ancient black magic ritual.”
For a moment Amie said nothing. “And the second reason?”
“I think they freaked out in London when they saw you plastered all over the front page of the Ruangan Times – wanted for kidnapping.”
Amie gasped. The news had reached London? Of course it had, they had people monitoring all the media, 24/7.