by Botha, Johan
Chapter 11
“Let’s camp here for the night.” Danny said with authority in his young voice.
As usual, he and his crew found the perfect spot for a guy’s weekend away. There’s nowhere Danny would rather be than under the stars.
Although he was lazy when it came to academics Danny Kravitz was a highly intelligent person with a nearly eidetic memory. It was just that he wasn’t interested in College-stuff. He loved this land, its people, lore’s and history.
His dad, Jason Kravitz, the local newspaper owner, used to moan about college reports but in everything else Danny was above average. “Just plain lazy!” his dad used to say after seeing a bad report card from school or college.
Give Danny a tent and a good pair of hiking shoes. He would hike 100 km’s with his tough, lean little body and still be prepared to fix camp for you. He knew his way around these parts of the mountains like the back of his hand and once even helped to find someone’s lost child.
Now, as Danny slowly took off his backpack he eyed Tubby Diedericks, who was his best friend in the group.
“You, ok, Tub? You look as if you just came out of a sauna.”
“Yeah, but you really grilled us today!” his breathing was heavy as he looked into his friends smiling face while rubbing his large stomach.
“You should stop eating all the way, then you would have more breath for the walk.” Lucky said.
“Bug off, Lucky! You think because you and David permanently live in the gym that we should all look like you.” Tubby retorted.
“Ho, come on….just joking. You don’t have to get serious, man,” David apologized clumsily. Tubby grinned back and wiped the sweat off his forehead with his already wet sleeve.
He looked at David Ashton who had just sat down where he stopped and was busy rolling a “skyf.”
“Let’s get some wood. I’m starving.” Danny said.
“I’m sure! We did about fifteen k’s, man,” David said as he got up.
“Maybe more. I think more like eighteen or twenty.”
“I agree with Danny. But with that stuff that he smokes I’m sure that he doesn’t even feel the distance.” Tubby said as he looked at the joint that David treated with a lot of patience.
David just grinned as they walked off leaving Tubby behind to pitch the lightweight tent.
After walking about thirty meters the trio came to a cliff and a friendly silence fell among them. They took in the majestic view with hungry eyes. All of them preferring nature to city-life.
The Village looked very small in the distance and everything was green and lush. Birds were plentiful and although they did not see much other wildlife they knew that there were predators aplenty in the bush. They were smart campers though and felt comfortable here. This was home, after all.
Everything was ready by the time that the group got back and Danny got a decent fire going for them.
It gets dark quickly on the mountain as the shadow of The Guardian fell over them on the East Side. The young men settled around the fire and each one had his own thoughts as they all listened to the sounds around them.
Suddenly David jerked his head up.
“Did, you hear that?” He asked softly.
The others looked at him with startled expressions on their faces. Lucky was the first to start smiling. “Oh, is this going to be another campfire story?” he jested.
“No.” David said, still trying to locate the sound, “No, you guys, I’m serious, there’s… something.”
Everyone’s face froze. Some smiling, some open-mouthed.
“What…what did you hear?” Tubby was the first to ask.
“Drums…I could have sworn that I heard drums.”
“No Fucking way, man. …. I think that you had to much joint and now you’re hearing things.” Danny said quickly, throwing another piece of wood on the fire. The wood kicked up ash and sparks in a fiery spew, causing them all to jump away in a panic.
They all laughed at and slowly became quiet again.
“Let’s have a beer.” Dave suggested and walked over to the backpack that Tubby carried “like a champ,” as he reminded them the whole hike in.
He threw each one a beer and they all settled down again around the fire, waiting for it to be just right so that they could cook their steaks on it.
“I can’t believe it’s been over a month since we’ve been able to come out here.” Lucky reflected. He could clearly remember how his father John reacted when he heard that his son was on the mountain.
“Yeah, that rock fall from the cliff. Man that was a spectacle.” Dave pulled on the last bit of another joint and remembered how he and his pals nearly went down with the rocks to the bottom of the river flowing underneath the cliff.
If Danny hadn’t pulled him back in time …
“It caused a wave almost as big as a house. It even swept away some of the trees and animals that were in its path.” Tubby shivered as he remembered how close they were to the rockslide when it happened.
“My dad says that since that rockslide happened a lot of strange things have been happening here in the village and some of my people talk about seeing things walking around at night.”
“I know, here we go again, with the stories…” Danny said.
After a few more beers David convinced them to share another joint with him. They all agreed as he started rolling one big enough for all of them without waiting for an answer. They settled in, waiting for the perfect flame.
Danny stared at the campfire, thinking about the route that they were going to walk the next day when David poked him in the ribs and passed the lit joint over.
He took a long pull and knew immediately that this was very good stuff.
“Where’d you get this monkey grass?”
“Some guy in John’s kraal sold it to me. He promised me that it was good and I have bought from him before. This is the best he ever gave me.”
“Hell, I don’t know if it’s because of my empty stomach but this stuff has gone straight to my head.”
Danny gave the joint to Lucky who looked at it suspiciously before he took a long drag on it.
“Wow, I don’t think that even our old Sangoma has stuff like this.” He reported.
“Yeah, man. He said that it had the blessing of his forefathers and that I would experience things like never before.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me before? “ Lucky, Big John’s son, suddenly become nervous, Fuck, Dad’s gonna find out for sure now, that Sangoma is going to tell him something, he thought to himself but it was too late to pull out now.
“I don’t believe in that crap.” Tubby had to say something to cover his nerves as his turn came for a pull. He had only done this once before and only did it to feel part of the group. He knew that no one would force him to do it but did not want to feel the odd one out.
“Maybe after tonight you will think differently. If that dealer really had the blessing from the forefather you might meet yours tonight!” Lucky leered at Tubby.
Meeting one’s forefathers wasn’t always a good experience. Each person must do it to find his or her purpose and become a Man, but to do it unguided could be disastrous. He had not yet experienced meeting any forefathers, and still had to go through his initiation to be declared a man. He would not like to meet his forefathers without the right person to guide him as he might meet with evil spirits and that would affect him for the rest of his life. If the bad spirit invaded him he would have to go for treatment until the Sangoma could help him get rid of them.
By the time that the joint was finished they were all hungry and decided to move the conversation onto lighter topics.
“How do you want your steak?”
The boys fired up their steaks and Tubby played chef by adding a can of beans and some creamed corn to their dinner plates. The conversation stopped dead while they all devoured their meals with relish.
“Wow.” Tubby said, first to finish, “Great!” He got
up off the ground slowly with a grunt.
“I have to get rid of this beer or I’m going to burst and become a fountain.”
No one replied as he strolled off to the nearest tree.
His head was buzzing as he steadied himself against a tall pine tree with one hand and opened his zipper with the other.
This is almost better than sex. He thought as he emptied his overfull bladder against the tree.
Something caught his eye and he looked up with a start. What the hell! Tubby turned his head in a circle, it must be the dope. No, there it is again.
Suddenly the tree shook and Tubby almost pissed all over himself.
Tubby hurried back to the camp, zipping up quickly on the way. He pulled a hair in the zipper as he hustled back, adding to his misery.
“Hey, Tub! Did a snake get your dick or what?” David laughed the loudest at his joke as the others looked up at the nervous Tubby.
Should I tell them? No, they will only make a joke of it. It must be the dope. I’m sure of it.
“No, I’m okay.”
“You look like you’ve seen your forefathers already!” Danny almost fell over laughing at his own joke, made more hilarious by the weed. The others laughed along to make him feel better about himself.
The only one that did not make a sound was Lucky. He just sat there, staring at Tubby.
Tubby ignored them and sat down fast to hide his embarrassment.
“FUCK!” Tubby suddenly jumped up and screamed, making the others jump along with him.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?”
O god! That hurt! Ouch! Ouch! He turned around and fumbled with his zipper, trying to free another patch of hair from the angry metal teeth.
Danny is the first one to realize what was wrong and started laughing. The others joined in and Tubby turned as red as a tomato.
“Go to hell! All of you!”
He smiled at them and went to the tent where he crawled into his sleeping bag.
His mind was empty as he tried to recall what he saw on the mountain. All he remembered was something that looked like a light. It was higher up and he thought for a moment that it was a fallen star lying on the mountain.
That tree! It scared the shit out of me! How the hell did that happen? I could have sworn that there was something electrical up there...
Tubby scratched his crotch where the zipper had left him bald and closed his eyes to fall into a deep spinning sleep.
Danny and David cleared their dishes and readied themselves for the night. They each grabbed a lantern and stumbled to their shared tent. After a few mumbles they settled themselves into their sleeping bags and breathing steadied and slowed.
Lucky stayed outside and stared at the top of the mountain. He seemed very relaxed from his pose, but inside he was all tense and aware. His mind raced.
What did Tubby see? Why am I different from the guys in my kraal? I grew up with my friends and they are part of me. Why do I feel like a traitor to my people?
Lucky was one of the first black students to be accepted in the school after it was opened up for all races. Most of the people from his area knew him well, as he always went around with Danny and the other two. They never worried and helped him as best they could. Later more blacks joined the school but still Lucky kept with his crowd of friends.
The four boys shared a room in the boarding school and went on hikes together for as long as they could remember. They were more than friends, they were brothers. Lucky smiled when he thought of it.
Lucky poked and stirred the fire. Looking at the night sky, he headed to his tent for the night. As he zipped up his bag he swore the sound of his own heartbeat sounded like that of ancient drums.
****
Tubby woke with a start and tried to remember where he was. His mind was a blank and a cold sweat came over him. He shivered.
I have to know what it is…. I have to see the light…my legs! My legs feel lame. Why is everything spinning like this? Drums... Where the hell is that coming from?
He struggled out of the sleeping bag and softly crawled through the tent flap.
Wow! I can see in the dark! Everything is so light. What’s that? A man and he’s beckoning for me to follow him. Wait! Wait, I’m coming!
Barefoot and with only a pair of shorts on, Tubby followed the man.
Don’t move so fast! I want to talk to you! Are you my forefather that David spoke about? Wait for me!
The man kept his distance and Tubby could not make him out very clearly. It was like following a silhouette the whole time.
He walked on sharp objects in the field and through thorn bushes that scratched his body without realizing it. He fell to the ground with a hard bump and looked up to see if the man was still there.
Wait! Help me to get up, please! Come nearer so that I can see you…please! Get up Tubby! Don’t be so lazy! Dad…? Get up!
“Ok, Dad I’ll get up now…Dad where are you? What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be dead! Dad…!” He spoke out loud.
Get up Tubby! Get up!
“Yes, Dad. I’m up… Dad, don’t walk so fast…I want to catch up with you… I’ve missed you..! Wait for me..!” Tubby began to shout.
Tubby was nearing the edge of the cliff where Danny and the others had been earlier.
“Look at the lights, Dad! The darkness? You want to go into the darkness?” Tubby asked.
The figure seemed to be moving away.
“Wait, Dad… you know that I would follow you anywhere. I miss you so much! It’s funny Dad, finding you here…in the bush!”
Dad… Dad… Where are you? Dad…!
Oh, god, Dad what is happening to me? Something hot, I feel numb, weak… Dad….
He clutched his stomach and looked down.
The horror of what he saw brought him back to reality and his mind began to split. Split from the sheer surprise at what had happened.
Someone or something had cut his abdomen open from side to side. His navel was split exactly in two and his guts were busy falling out.
He tried to clutch his stomach and heard a scream that almost deafened his ears. It wasn’t until he hit the ground that he realized the maniacal screaming he heard was his own.
“What the fuck was that!” Danny was wide-awake and sat upright in his sleeping bag. With the second scream he was up and almost fell over Lucky who was just sitting up.
“What? What’s going on?”
“Someone is screaming.” Danny replied, stumbling out of the tent.
“Are you sure?” Lucky asked wishfully.
Danny didn’t answer, but they both, by now outside the tent, stood listening to the sounds.
Nothing!
Not even a bird made a sound and the deadness of the night woke a fear in Danny’s heart like he had never known in his short life.
“I’m sure that it was a monkey or something that was startled.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. That second scream though ... it sounded very human … and familiar.”
“What racket are you guys making outside? Can’t a man sleep in peace even in the wild?” David wanted to know very irritated.
“Don’t worry, Dave. We thought that we heard something outside.”
“Yebo, let’s get back to sleep.” Lucky said and turned to get back into the tent.
They got back into the sleeping bags. Danny was just dozing off when it struck him and he sat up with a start.
“Tubby!” he screamed as he felt around in the tent for his best friend.
Another scream ripped through the quietness of the night and this time all three of them rushed out of the tent.
****
The moon seemed to shine its full light on him where he still knelt at the edge of the cliff.
Blood was everywhere and it covered his lower body like a red blanket. Tubby felt weak and still tried to keep the slippery intestines in place. It was a struggle.
He groaned softly, too scared to make a hard s
ound. Looking down at what is between his fingers and saw the layer of fat between his abdomen muscles and his skin.
“Dad!” His voice sounded weaker.
Tubby heard someone scream behind him. He could not react in answer as he stared at the horrifying wound in his stomach.
He was weakening fast and let go with his left hand to try and make a sign to whoever screamed behind him but the moment he let go he knew he shouldn’t have done so.
