Tokoloshe: When you hear the drums, it's already too late!

by Botha, Johan

  This was the inspiration for lore and song. Here are the victims of tragedy and myth.

  The sun warmed the leafy growth and the swell of the crickets chirping grew as the heat of the day came on. Somewhere on the East Coast a huge galleon was almost hidden by the tropical growth around the natural harbor. It was nearly invisible until you were almost right next to it; a ghost of a ship.

  There were no sails flapping in the wind and the anchor chain was stretched as it kept the ship in place. Furious currents pulled it to and fro.

  The deck was busy with important work.

  The Sea Queen was a beautiful ship and her finish was of such quality that those who saw her thought she must belong to a royal family. In reality it belonged to a flesh trader.

  A trader of humans taking them to strange lands where they would work in captivity and under whip for rich land owners, till their end of days.

  A scream filled the air and huge flocks of birds took to the sky. More rose as a crack, like a pistol shot, followed the scream.

  On the deck a sturdy, half-naked sailor stood with a smile on his face.

  In his hand was a bullwhip of about 6-ft long. He moved his muscular arm backwards and the whip followed him like a black and wicked snake. The point of the whip had a piece of rough lead tied to it. He called it “The Yes Sir,” because after just one strike his slave usually says, “Yes Sir” to anything else he is told. He smiled when he thought of it, he told that story many times in the pub back “in the world.” It was always good for a free pint.

  Now, it slithered on the deck leaving a trail of blood as he pulled it back towards him. He eyed the other sailors on deck, as he got ready for the next strike. He lifted his wrist, pulling the slithering heavy leather back again.

  He watched the captive, waiting for the right moment to snap the bullwhip at him like a Cobra. He especially loved that part; the anticipation. He knew how to drag the lead across the deck just so, he knew how to make sure the whip hit the rough edges of the last strike; he was a master at his art. To say he enjoyed his work was an understatement.

  A huge black man was tied to the main mast and as the scraping on the deck stopped he tensed his body knowing instinctively that the next pain was on its way.

  With a whistle the whip seemed to get a life of its own as it streaked forward.

  It cracked again just before it touched the captive’s back and he was screaming in pain before the sound of the crack reached anyone on the deck.

  Blood spurted from the wound as the flesh on his back was cut open. It spattered amongst the sailors. One of them caught a drop on his lips as he laughed at the man’s suffering.

  His cruel eyes light up as he licked of his lips while a hideous smile formed on his ugly face. His stomach growled. It was getting late. He wondered if the cook had finished preparing the stew for lunch.

  ****

  “Iqiniso!”

  The scream came from below the deck. It was a young maiden struggling anxiously in her bonds where she was tied to the lower deck. She, too, was covered in blood where the shackles had cut into her ankles.

  “Iqiniso!” she screamed out his name again, as if her voice would give him strength.

  She had small feet and the shackle that held her was made for bigger and stronger legs. Now slick with blood, she realized she might be able to slip out. She looked around, she saw that some of the other women here were also in loose shackles, but they were all so weak and scared that they didn’t care to try to break free.

  She began to struggle against her bonds, cutting into her ankles more deeply as she wrestled with the heavy irons. Hearing the screams and laughter overhead made her stomach churn and her determination to save her lover even stronger.

  She was “Nomagugu” and she was going to be with her Prince.

  Iqiniso was majestic; young, but proud and tall, with muscles rippling all over his well sculpted body.

  A king’s eldest son, a Prince and warrior, who only had eyes for Nomagugu since they were adolescent.

  Normally a delegation of men would have been sent to fetch his bride-to-be from another kraal, but this time, out of great respect for her father, one of the kings greatest warriors, he broke tradition and came himself.

  The old warrior inspected the cows and he was happy with their condition. They agreed that the Nomagugu- “Gugu,” they called her, could go to the new kraal and as soon as the prince was sure that she was not barren and could bear him many children, he would invite the people of the kraal to a wedding ceremony unlike any other ever had.

  The woman of the kraal started packing Gugu’s belongings into woven baskets. They were so excited for her. They giggled and joked with Gugu over the adventure ahead of her. Gugu was excited too. She looked up at the blue sky and imagined holding Iqiniso’s sons at her breast.

  Suddenly there was the sound of thunder among them and black and white men surrounded them with strange thundering sticks in their hands. Everyone was running. The strangers were hitting them. Gugu ran as well, but the kraal was so crowded with the Prince’s arrival that they were easily corralled into a tight circle.

  The kraal consisted of 150 people including the children and elders and they were overpowered without a struggle by thirty-five men carrying firearms.

  They were separated into confused groups. Only the frail and elderly were left with the infants and small children. The others were shackled together in metal chains. They were driven, like animals, towards the waiting ship.

  Gugu looked for Iqiniso, but he was up towards the front of the group with the men. He was struggling, her brave man, and being beaten for his troubles. She heard a rumor that he had killed 2 of them before they hit him against his head with a knobkierie.

  Gugu counted as many nights as she had fingers on her hand as they walked without end, chained together.

  Gugu and the other women cried for their husbands, babies and parents. They didn’t understand what was happening. They begged for answers, but gave up soon enough. They quickly realized they were taken by monsters that could not be from this world.

  Had she died? Gugu wondered. The things she was seeing were beyond comprehension. Eight more days into their walk an older woman ahead of her died. The captors had broken her leg a day earlier and made her continue to walk on it over the moss-covered rocks. Now those in-front and behind her had to carry her dead and shackled body along the trail until they were allowed to stop long enough for a few of the sailors to hold them at gunpoint while they tossed the woman’s body off to the side and re-shackled the others.

  The rest would march past her, unless something dragged off her body first. Gugu heard the woman’s daughter wail in grief when she passed her mother’s corpse on the trail. Her bones was sure to be a permanent fixture now; a part of the soil of the continent. Her blood would feed the grass.

  When they finally reached their destination where the galleon lay at anchor, they were rowed on small boats towards the large ship. At first the new slaves were relieved to see the water, but as their cut and damaged skin hit the salty kiss of the sea, they wept, both from the pain and from the realization that they would never see their home again.

  They were frightened and have never seen such a huge thing on the water. Their dugout canoes seemed like tiny ants against this thing ion the water. They watched in horror as their families and children were forced to climb onto this huge monster.

  Iqiniso, the young prince, had tried to escape before they were put onto the rowboats but was caught by a sailor before he had run five steps.

  “Aye. That’s a fine one, lad.” The Captain said to the sailor, as he shoved Iqiniso down into the rowboat.

  “What’ll we do with him? Cap’n. Should I shoot him?”

  “Now, now laddie,” The Captain chirped, “he will be our first example to this bunch o’ animals. Tie him to the main and make sure that he’ll not get loose. We’ll deal with him later.”

  ****

  Gugu and the
others were stripped naked then checked by the ship surgeon while their particulars were noted down into the captain’s logbook by the second in command.

  She was humiliated. They all were, looking downwards, sideways, listening to some cry, still hungry and tired.

  Gugu was angry now, sick to her stomach, and the never-ending humiliation was spirit breaking. In her head she would sing songs of worship. Trying to remember what it was like the last night in the kraal.

  “You …….. step forward,” the white man motioned towards her and she stepped up for inspection. He looked her over, carefully, enjoying running his hand over her naked flesh.

  “What’s your name?” he indicated to her – asking her for a label to call her. She would not speak.

  He smiled, moving in front of her now, running his hand over her breasts, down between her legs. She averted her face.

  The white man heard a commotion on the deck, “Name her… something, I don’t care, and write – mole on lower rib cage, left” that’s all. I’m gonna go check out what’s happening on deck. Get her chained up.”

  ****

  His face was proud and majestic as he tried to keep some of his royal dignity while his people where led past him.

  The women and children cried. The men averted their eyes in respect. This was a nightmare become reality. What had they done to deserve this?

  The whip cracked again. It surprised him this time. He was lost in thought. That was a gift. He thought he felt dampness around his feet, the soft spongy earth of the kraal. Soon I will lie beside Gugu here; I will touch her face…

  This time the Prince could only grunt as he was cut to the bone. The lead piece cutting deep and pulling flesh from his body as at was drawn back. A welcome numbness came over him as darkness clouded his tired and tormented body. Visions of Gugu in a sun speckled light…

  Iqiniso lost consciousness. He thought he heard his names being called out from somewhere far away. Gugu… is that you? Where are you?

  “Wake him up,” the Captain yelled and a deckhand lowered a bucket over the side and brought up a sparkling pail of the salty seawater. He quickly aimed at Iqiniso and emptied the bucket on his open wounds.

  The salt stung the wounds as the cold water hit his back. It brought him back to consciousness and he groaned as he strained against his bonds. The strength in his young broken body was gone.

  This man, who once killed a lion with only an assegai, was now weak and shamed as he hung against the ropes that tied him. The hatred in his eyes was the only sign of will in his body as he tried in vain to free himself.

  There was laughter on the deck as the sailors watched the struggling man.

  “Carry on!” the captain shouted just before he casually took a sip of rum.

  He looked at the naked man tied to the mast and smiled cruelly. “He would have fetched a fine price on the market, wouldn’t he?” He said to his second in command.

  “Aye …. aye, Sir. I have ter agree with ya there. A fine specimen he was.” The answer came as he looked at the man’s naked buttocks.

  Another scream filled the air as the whip cracked again, biting deep into flesh and bone once again. This time the point of the whip was stuck inside the cloven flesh. It made a sucking noise as the sailor pulled it out.

  The sailor thought he heard a muffled scream from below deck as he readied the whip for another lashing. His arm was getting tired and he was beginning to get bored with this task. The African sun was hot and he was working up a sweat; time to speed things up. The whip cracked forward and the captive started to shake, his body spammed.

  There was no scream as the whip opened up its target again…. only a soft groan as the last breath left the broken, dishonored body.

  IQINISOOOOO! NOOOOOOooooo!

  From below the deck the scream of sorrow reached everyone on deck. The bond between them was so great that she felt the same pain as he. The darkness overcame her and she knew it was over.

  With inhuman strength she attacked her shackles again. A look of surprise on her distraught face as her ankle tore through the thick rusty metal loop. Skin and flesh clung to the loop as the bright red blood dripped from it forming a small red pool on the deck.

  The blood cyphered through down below and found a tiny crack in the hull.

  Nothing could stop it.

  Neither the wood, nor the tar. It flowed straight though!

  It mingled with the waters of the ocean and a ripple of static sparked where it touched. All fish and other life forms swam away and nothing was seen underneath the beautiful ship. A cloud of darkness sprung up enveloping the ocean underneath the hull. It grew like a thunder cloud would in and electric stormy sky above Africa.

  Gugu rushed to the stairs leading to the deck and saw her mate just as his bowels emptied and she knew that her fears were confirmed.

  Iqiniso!! Iqiniso!!

  He was gone and with an angry leap she was overboard before anyone saw her.

  The splash of her body hitting the cold dark water was the only thing that betrayed her activity.

  In the crow’s nest sat a young boy. He daydreamed of kissing a beautiful girl as she pressed her big bosom against him.

  He was dirty and in his hair lice roamed plentiful crawling down his dirty sweaty neck. His ragged trousers

  bulging in the front.

  Gugu struggled for air, she almost breathed underwater but instinct kept her from doing so. Her lungs ached and she desperately kicked with her last strength against the strong current. She saw the sun shining through the water as she gave up on life and the last air in her lungs left her body. Still she could not breathe.

  Suddenly an unseen force pushed her up. Gugu thought she felt huge hands grab her sides. It pushed her up….up into the fresh air while half of her body exited the water.

  She gasped!

  And again….sucking in the air!

  The sweat, salty air brought back life to her body.

  Her breathing was fast and rapid.

  Waves smashed near her and she tried not to swallow any more water.

  The boy opened his eyes for a moment and spotted her shape as she came up for air.

  In his haste he almost fell from the lookout but managed to hold on while he yelled at the top of his lungs.

  His yellow teeth, broken and some missing while the bulge in his trousers gone in a flash.

  “Cargo Overboard!” the boy yelled down from the crow’s-nest. He heard another splash, thinking he saw a huge fish. He looked hard into the darkening water trying to figure out of it really was one of the captives.

  Then he saw her again. Clearly this time. Her breasts bobbing around in the water while she struggled against the waves. For a moment the daydream girl’s bosom was against him again.

  “Starboard! CARGO OVERBOARD!” he yelled out and pointed from his view above and the sailors below followed his lead, rushing over to the side of the ship.

  Gugu heard the commotion above her and the sound of muskets, as she knew them to be by now, firing from the ship.

  Gugu took a huge gulp of air….

  Gugu went underneath the waves, trying to avoid the bullets. She found silence there. She could not hear the waves rushing or the rifles popping outside as they aimed all over not sure where she was.

  Her mind seemed to clear and a strange tingling moved through her tired body. It soothed her and she relaxed. Gugu felt safe as she was pulled along with a strange force.

  Bullets hit the water next to her as she popped back up for air again, but as she was too far away now and the bullets where harmless. The strong force took her out of firing range and away from everyone she’d ever known.

  From a distance she could see something being thrown overboard and knew instinctively that is was her lover, Iqiniso, with whom she had never even had a chance to become a full woman.

  There were tears in her eyes as she turned around and struggled further against the current. She knew that soon the predators of the sea wou
ld get the scent of him and then the sea would become infested. She had to get away as far as possible.

  Iqiniso… help me, she implored him, over and over again in her mind…

  Once more she came up. The memories and the stench of the ship came to her, causing her to vomit into the sea.

  There was hatred in her eyes as she looked up again and kicked backward with a new strength in her tired body. She could see a beach not too far off.

  The closer she seemed to get, the more she struggled. She was determined.

  She was “Nomagugu,” and the anger in her grew. It gave her strength. The waves took her and threw her around in the surf, nearer the beach. As she struggled to get her breath she could only think about her survival.