Cut for Life

by Lucinda E Clarke

  Ian stared at them. “Shit!” he exclaimed pointing at Jean-Pierre. “Met him once or twice, works for the DGSE, French version of our SIS.”

  “Well, he don’t no more.” Amie snapped. “He had me fooled but he bloody well worked for the other side, the kidnappers.”

  “Who are those other two?”

  “Remember I told you about the phoney aid workers? Those two are them, minus two others. I’m not sure how they got involved except the other pair were recruited over the internet, I suspect, to give the group more credibility. But they were murdered when we arrived in the village in Ruanga. Poor devils.”

  The men who’d followed Ian into the room efficiently carted away Tony, Charlie and Jean-Pierre as if they did it every day, although Amie pointed out that Charlie was still alive. They nodded to Ian as they left closing the door behind them.

  “Maybe a good idea if you changed rooms,” Ian remarked with a grin.

  “I agree! Housekeeping’s just not up to the usual standard,” Amie shot back. Her outward show of levity hid the shaking inside, and she held her coffee cup tightly to keep her hands from trembling.

  “Ah, one piece of good news. They found Peterson. He’s in the hospital, bad case of dehydration and heat exhaustion, but they’ve got him on all sorts of drips and things and he’ll pull through.”

  Simon? Simon was alive? Amie’s heart leapt. She dropped her half-full mug of coffee on the bed, another thing for housekeeping to deal with, and she couldn’t stop smiling.

  “Want to go see him?”

  “Of course, but let me change first; again.” Amie glanced down at her blood-spattered clothes.

  “Not a bad idea. Daresay you’ll be up for a bit of R & R then. Managed to twist Timothy Barclay’s arm on that one. He’s thinking he might get mentioned in dispatches for breaking up a network of trafficking and child FGM. As we all know, he did it single handed, but I didn’t say that right?” He squeezed her hand and made for the door. “I’ll wait for you downstairs Miss Felicity Mansell.”

  The next day Amie went back to the embassy to say goodbye to the children and ride with them to the airport. She wanted to watch them walk up the steps to the plane and see they were safely on their way home.

  Linda and Fazia gave her such enormous hugs she could hardly prise them away. They promised to keep in touch, but Amie knew that would never happen; she had no fixed address. Little Winnie clung to her one final time, before tottering backwards through the departure gate waving frenetically until the doors closed behind her and she was lost from view.

  It was three days later when Amie and Simon sat down to a romantic dinner at the Grand Hotel. They chose to sit in the far corner, the tall potted palms close to their table reminding Amie of the first time she had unconsciously glimpsed Jean-Pierre at the Sandton. Waiters dressed in black with white napkins over one arm shuffled to and fro serving the three couples that were dotted around the large restaurant.

  Over a leisurely meal they filled in the gaps. They’d learned from Trevor that Jean-Pierre had attacked him but had been interrupted and fled. It must have taken super human strength to get all the way back to the camp. Jean-Pierre had stalked each one of Simon’s recce party and picked off the men one at a time. Jabu and Simon had been the only ones to escape.

  “I can’t believe you were so close to death.” Amie slid her arm over the white tablecloth and squeezed his hand.

  “I don’t even remember being picked up,” Simon said. “It was pure chance that one of the soldiers in the army trucks noticed me on their way back to the main road.”

  “About time we had some luck.” Amie smiled. “I guess there are still many layers of the FGM operation to unravel. They’ve not arrested everyone, yet.”

  “No, they only got some of the people at the camp who were round the container, or so they told me. Jean-Pierre escaped and he probably wasn’t the only one. Large areas of the camp were burned to a frazzle, so several of them must have got caught in a bush fire, which made the job a lot easier.”

  “Mmm.” Amie nodded. One day she would tell him, but now was not the time. “Let’s forget all that for tonight and concentrate on each other. I just want to think of nice things tonight.”

  As they entered the grounds of the hospital on their way to visit Trevor, Amie immediately saw Ouma Adede sitting on a bench. She went over to her and accepted the invitation to sit down. She would forever be in awe of this wise old lady.

  “You listened to my advice.” It was a statement rather than a question.

  “I’m not sure,” Amie whispered. “You told me you would help me and for me to beware of a man who was not of my country.”

  “That is so,” the witchdoctor agreed.

  “But Ouma Adede I did not know which of those men you meant. There were many African men and the Frenchman as well.”

  “My child your heart is in Africa, so it could not have been my people. It was against the white man I warned you. But I see that my protection has worked and you are alive and well. And you will return.”

  “I will? I hope so. But it is difficult ...”

  “I understand my child, but you will come, and you will bring with you the baby that is now growing inside you.”

  “But I’m not ...” Amie began, and then she believed.

  “Will I be alone?” she asked tentatively.

  “No. You will come with the father of your baby,” she nodded towards Simon who’d gone on ahead. “And one day we will meet again. My blessing on you until that time.” The witchdoctor rose to her feet and with chicken bladders and coke bottle tops clattering and rattling, she ambled gracefully towards the gates.

  Amie looked lovingly after her then raced after Simon to give him the good news.

  _______________________

  This book is for all those young girls who are illegally and brutally mutilated – 200 million women and girls worldwide including 137,000* permanently resident in England and Wales – under the guise of tradition and family honour. Female genital mutilation is a subject seldom discussed in the open, it’s practiced behind closed doors and the perpetrators go unpunished. Young bodies are defiled solely for the pleasure of men, to keep them ‘pure.’ Not one religion advocates it.

  **From those who attended doctors’ surgeries or hospitals between April 2015 and March 2016, 8,656 cases were recorded – the equivalent of one every 61 minutes. There are approximately 103,000 FGM survivors aged 15-49 in the UK, 24,000 women aged 50 and over, 10,000 young girls aged under 15 and more than 24,000 girls under 15 are at risk.

  If this book helps to raise awareness of this horrendous abuse and saves even one little girl from undergoing FGM then it will have achieved a purpose.

  *Interim findings published by City University London and Equality, July 2014.

  ** National Health Service UK.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  No book is ever produced by one person alone and I would like to thank the following people – Gabi Plumm my editor for going the extra mile and putting up with me. Also, to Susan Jackson, Jane Bwye, Kate Pill, Shelby H. Forbes, Marna Cross, Mary Nickell, Angela Smithson, Sue Craig. Last, but certainly not least my long-suffering husband, you are my inspiration.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lucinda E Clarke has been a professional writer for almost 40 years, scripting for both radio and television. She’s had numerous articles published in several national magazines, written mayoral speeches and advertisements. She currently writes a monthly column in a local publication in Spain. She once had her own newspaper column, until the newspaper closed down, but says this was not her fault!

  Three of her books have been bestsellers in genre on Amazon on both sides of the Atlantic, she has won over 20 awards for scripting, directing, concept and producing, and had two educational text books published. Sadly these did not make her the fortune she dreamed of to allow her to live in luxury.

  Lucinda has also worked on radio – on one occasion with a bayonet at he
r throat – appeared on television and met and interviewed some of the world’s top leaders.

  She set up and ran her own video production company, producing a variety of programmes, from advertisements to corporate and drama documentaries on a vast range of subjects.

  In total she has lived in eight different countries, run the ‘worst riding school in the world’, and cleaned toilets to bring in the money.

  When she handled her own divorce, Lucinda made legal history in South Africa.

  Now, pretending to be retired, she gives occasional talks and lectures to special interest groups and finds retirement the most exhausting time of her life so far; but says there is still so much to see and do, she is worried she won’t have time to fit it all in.

  ________________________

  © Lucinda E Clarke Spain 2017

  To my Readers

  If you have enjoyed this book, or even if you didn’t like it, please take a few minutes to write a review. Reviews are very important to authors and I would certainly value your feedback. Thank you.

  Why not sign up for Lucinda’s newsletter for special offers, competitions, news on other authors and new releases. http://eepurl.com/cBu4Sf Subscribers get a free book and the exclusive serialized back stories to the Amie series.

  Web page: lucindaeclarkeauthor.com

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  I love to hear from my readers.

  Also by Lucinda E Clarke

  Walking over Eggshells

  The first autobiography which relates Lucinda’s horrendous relationship with her mother and her travels to various countries.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E8HSNDW

  Truth, Lies and Propaganda

  The first of two books explaining how Lucinda ‘fell’ into writing for a living – her dream since childhood. It began when she was fired from her teaching job, and crashed out in an audition at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. In a quirky turn of fate, she found herself writing a series on how to care for domestic livestock, she knew absolutely nothing about cows, goats and chickens. And it all continued from there.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QE35BO2

  More Truth, Lies and Propaganda

  Tales of filming in deep rural Africa, meeting a ram with an identity crisis, a house that disappears, the forlorn bushmen and a video starring a very dead rat. You will never believe anything you watch on television ever again.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VF0S3RG

  Amie - African Adventure

  A novel set in Africa, which takes Amie from the comfort of her home in England to a small African country. Civil war breaks out and soon she is fighting for her life.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LWFIO5K

  Amie and the Child of Africa

  As Amie goes in search of the child she fostered before the civil war broke out she encounters a terrorist organization with international connections. She is not alone, but one of her friends will betray her.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015CI29O4

  Amie Stolen Future

  In one night Amie loses everything, her home, her family, her possessions and her name. She has nowhere to turn, but she has no freedom for other people now control her life and if she does not obey them they will not let her live.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M67NRG4

  Unhappily Ever After

  The real truth you’ve never been told before. In Fairyland, Cinderella is scheming on how to get a divorce with a good settlement from King Charming, and the other royal marriages are in dire trouble as well. This year’s ball is approaching, along with a political agitator hell bent on rousing the peasants into revolting against their royal masters.

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DPVB4M8

  All Lucinda’s books are available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

  Reviews

  That Lucinda E Clarke can write and write well is not in question. This memoir left me breathless at times. She writes of her adventures, misadventures and family relationships in an honest but entertaining manner. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, (Walking over Eggshells) buy it, delve in and lose a few days, well worth it.

  _____________

  This book was written with such consummate skill. I have enormous admiration for Lucinda E Clarke as an author. She not only knows how to write an edge-of-the-seat, well-constructed story that would make a brilliant movie – she does it using beautiful, spare, intelligent, and amazingly descriptive language. By the time I got to the end of ‘Amie’ I felt as though I’d been to Africa – seen it, touched it, smelled it, heard it... loved it and hated it. Everything that is the truth of the country is there in this book. Can I give it six stars please? It deserves it. (Amie an African Adventure)

  ______________

  Lucinda E. Clarke takes the reader on another fast-paced African adventure full of suspense and twists and turns. The characters are so well developed that I felt as if I was watching a movie while reading this wonderful book. Mrs. Clarke both entertains and educates the reader about the African experience. The story never lags and quickly pulls the reader in this new adventure. (Amie and the Child of Africa).

  ______________

  What a great book! I have so enjoyed this and love the tongue-in-cheek, self deprecating humour with which Lucinda Clarke relates her experiences. It's quite fascinating to read how she becomes involved in writing and broadcasting, and also really interesting to realise how much easier it was to get in touch with decision makers in the days before the digital onslaught. Either that or Lucinda is being overly modest and making it look simple! I loved the descriptions of her early experiences in Libya - both funny and frightening. And of course, there are lots of memories for me here as I moved to South Africa in the early eighties and always listened to Springbok radio. The style is easy and fluid, and I have enjoyed every page, riveted by the quantity of writing she managed to do without any previous knowledge of the subjects. Amazing. For me, this is the best one of Lucinda's yet in terms of keeping me pasted to my Kindle! I've read two of her other books before, and I'll definitely be reading the sequel to this one! (Truth, Lies and Propaganda)

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  I picked this one up purely on the basis of how much I enjoyed reading the first book and I was not to be disappointed. Lucinda E Clarke is one of those writers who can tell a story effortlessly in a way that just carries you along with her adventures. I have to say she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. The book revolves around a period of her life as she returns to work in Africa and she uses her natural writing ability to not just recount events but to entertain along the way. Her skill is not in telling extraordinary tales but in making often ordinary real life stories come to life and it is in the smaller details of each story that I often found myself most enthralled. I cannot recommend this book and indeed the previous one highly enough. If your next book purchase is from the pen of Lucinda E Clarke you will have made a wise decision indeed. A thoroughly deserved 5 stars out of 5 from me. (More, truth Lies and Propaganda)

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  The author's imagination and humour are combined to create a story that makes your smile or LOL from beginning to end. It is a rollicking pantomime of dry wit and well-described imagery that works exceptionally well. Highly recommended. (Unhappily Ever After)

  An excerpt from Amie - African Adventure

  They came for her soon after the first rays of the sun began to pour over the far distant hills, spilling down the slopes onto the earth below. At first the gentle beams warmed the air, but as the sun rose higher in the sky, it produced a scorching heat, which beat down on the land with relentless energy.

  She heard them approach, their footsteps echoing loudly on the bare concrete floors. As the marching feet drew closer, she curled up as small as she could, and tried to
breathe slowly to stop her heart racing. No, please, not again, she whispered to herself. She couldn’t take much more. What did they want? Would they beat her again? What did they expect her to say?

  There was nothing she could tell them she was keeping no secrets. She knew she couldn’t take any more pain every little bit of her body ached. How many films had she seen where people were kicked or beaten up? She’d never understood real pain, the real agony even a single punch could inflict on the body. Now all she wanted was to die, to escape the torture and slide away into oblivion.

  The large fat one was the first to appear on the other side of the door. She knew he was important, because the gold braid, medals, ribbons and badges on his uniform told everyone he was a powerful man, a man it would be very dangerous to cross. He was accompanied by three other warders, also in uniform, but with fewer decorations.

  They unlocked the old, rusty cell door and the skinny one walked over and dragged her to her feet. He pushed her away from him, swung her round and bound her wrists together behind her back, with a long strip of dirty cotton material. She winced as he pulled roughly on the cloth and then propelled her towards the door. The others stood back as they shoved her into the corridor and up the steps to the ground floor.

  She thought they were going to turn left towards the room where they made her sit for hours and hours on a small chair. They’d shouted and screamed at her and got angry when she couldn’t answer their questions. This made them angry so they hit her again.

  She’d lost track of the time she’d been here was it a few days, or several weeks? As she drifted in and out of consciousness, she had lost all sense of reality. Her former life was a blur, and it was too late to mark the cell walls to record how long they’d kept her imprisoned.