by Sierra Rose
“I can see why he’s king,” Jake said. “Surely no animal in their right mind would mess with him!”
“The lion is a symbol of power and dominance,” Anto said, gripping the steering wheel. “He can eat up to forty pounds of meat in one sitting.”
“Whoa! That’s, like, over a hundred Big Macs!” Jake exclaimed.
I shot Jake a big smile. “I dare you to go pet the kitty.”
He playfully slugged me. “Not a chance.”
“Why doesn’t he attack?” I asked.
“He’s not interested in eating a vehicle, but it might be a different story if we get out.”
I chuckled. “I think I’ll stay put.”
“We’re not moving until the lion gets out of the way,” Anto said, shaking his head and clicking his teeth. “Today it was a lion, yesterday twenty-foot-tall giraffes.”
“That’s a whole other kind of traffic jam than what I’m used to!” I said.
The lion let out an intimidating roar, stretching his powerful jaws wide. Staring in amazement, I aimed my camera and started snapping, just in time to capture the big cat with his mouth open. After making his presence known with that roar, the lion shook his head and strolled away as if he didn’t have a care in the world, which he probably didn’t.
Once the lion had trotted off across the veldt, Anto pressed the gas on the Land Rover and took us to the place where water buffalo were known to gather. Our assignment was to have our picture taken next to a wild herd.
“Ah, the perfect spot!” Anto said as he parked the vehicle.
I grabbed my camera and stepped out. Beneath my feet, the grass was a deep gold, the same color as the lion we’d seen, and above me, the skies were blue and filled with raptors, like something out of prehistoric times. Acacia trees stretched out for endless miles.
We waded through a river, which wasn’t nearly as easy as they made it look in the movies, and before long, I was panting from the effort. Pebbles shifted under my shoes as I walked to the other side, and under the stifling weight of my wet clothes, I stumbled over a rock or two. I just hoped no crocs lurked nearby. In spite of the difficult river crossing and my trepidation about being eaten alive, the spectacular wilderness, undisturbed wildlife, and breathtaking scenery was a dream come true. As I stared around me, I couldn’t stop smiling. Everything in every direction was absolutely stunning.
My gaze drifted to Jake. My cheeks grew hot as I stared at the safari shirt stretching across his broad shoulders and strong chest, with the sleeves rolled up at the elbow. Khaki pants were the perfect finish for his swashbuckler ensemble. His black hair hung in shaggy waves under his hat. He looked really hot, but there was no way I’d ever admit that to anyone. The guy still made me furious. If he’d had a bullwhip, I would have wanted to strangle him with it.
Anto advised that we should hike downwind so the herd wouldn’t smell us. I stared ahead through the tall elephant grass. As the buffalos grazed, their tails and ears wagged and twitched. Their reek drifted through the air, and I covered my nose with my hand. Nonetheless, I peered straight ahead. The animals resembled overgrown oxen, with short faces, wide muzzles, and a flat forehead with prominent eyes. A thick layer of mud covered their dull, gray skin. I stared at their giant heads and enormous, white, curvy horns that stretched out to a five-foot span. Even the smallest of the beasts had to weigh close to a ton, and most stood six feet at the shoulder.
I heard the snap of a twig, followed by a loud crunch as we moved along, and I was terrified the noise would alert the animals that there were intruders at their buffet. “Is this really such a good idea?” I asked, fearing I’d be trampled any minute.
“We need that picture, and we’re gonna get it,” Jake said, taking another daring step closer like it didn’t even faze him. “That’s no bull!” he said with a grin.
“Stop,” I said, rolling my eyes at him.
“What?” he said, feigning innocence.
When we were within twenty-five feet of the buffalo, I could hear them chomping away on grass. I tugged Anto’s arm. “This is close enough, right?”
He nodded.
I let out a sigh of relief. “What if they charge us?” I whispered.
“They’ll run first. But if they do charge, don’t run. Just lie flat on the ground behind me and my gun.”
“What!? I don’t wanna be a doormat for those things!” I said. “We’ll be trampled!”
“Maybe…or maybe not,” Anto said, shrugging. “It’s still our best chance.”
I let out a long breath. It was official: Our guide didn’t care if he lived or died. He was carrying a rifle, but I was sure those measly bullets wouldn’t do anything to stop the whole herd, if even one of the massive creatures.
Jake handed Anto the camera, then the guide slinked into the grass cautiously, looked around for a moment, and climbed on top of a large rock. He motioned for us to stand closer together, and Jake took full opportunity of the necessary closeness, slipping his arm around me. “Smile,” Anto whispered.
I rolled my eyes when Jake pulled me even closer.
“Smile!” the man whispered more insistently.
Realizing he asn’t going to give up, I finally smiled. All things considered, having to stand next to Jake for a photo was slightly less hazardous than being killed in a stampede because I didn’t want to say, “Cheese.”
After Anto snapped the picture, he jumped back down and handed Jake the camera.
Jake glanced down at the digital image. “It’s good.”
“Great,” I said. “Let’s go.”
As I took a step away, another twig snapped. The beasts lifted their heads and snorted. I instinctively grabbed Jake’s arm, and he protectively moved me behind him.
Suddenly, there was a pounding of hooves, but when I peered around Jake, I was relieved to see them running off to the left.
I turned around, with my nerves still on edge, only to see a lioness bolting out of the tall grass. I backed up slowly, but to my surprise, she ignored us and made her way to some thicker vegetation, where a dead animal was waiting for her to feast upon. I couldn’t even make out what kind of animal it had once been, but its insides were strewn about.
Jake grabbed my arm and led me to the right.
Wide-eyed, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the lioness wasn’t following us, and I was thankful she wasn’t. The last thing I wanted was to end up like that dead animal.
We made it back safely to our vehicle and sped off. I hung on as we continued the bumpy ride over rocks, brush, and fallen branches. Everything was so beautiful and I couldn’t stop staring up at the indigo sky dotted with the most fluffy, white clouds. It was the prettiest sky I’d ever seen. I never took time out like this for myself, and it was nothing short of amazing. After a few minutes, Anto slowed down.
“Look ahead!” he pointed.
I stared at the magnificent elephants through my binoculars and watched the old matriarchs lead the way as their precious families and young calves lumbered right behind them on the green and brown earth. Suddenly, a blur caught my eye. An ostrich sped past us going so fast that I swear it could be mistaken for a road runner.
“Get a picture!” Jake said.
I snapped, but I was sure it was nothing more than a blur.
“Did you get it?” he asked.
When I glanced down at the view finder, I was pleasantly surprised. “I sure did!”
Jake shot me the biggest grin ever as the wind whipped through his hair.
Chapter 10
On the way to our camp, we saw more lions feeding on a buffalo carcass. Looking through my binoculars, I even caught a glimpse of six white rhinos and one black one with her baby. I watched a leopard drinking at a waterhole, only to be chased away by an angry herd of elephants, and I also saw a wild pack of dogs with at least ten pups. We saw lots of giraffe, hippos, and antelope. Every time I saw a new animal, my excitement grew. Our African safari was, by far, one of the most incredible experiences of my life,
and I made sure to document everything with my camera.
When we set up camp, I realized that Jake and I would be forced to share a tent; we were informed that if we separated, it would break the requirements of the Will. Since we didn’t want to risk being disqualified, we had to play by the rules. Jake wanted to sleep under the stars, but our guide was against that, because it wasn’t safe at all. I actually had to agree with Anto; as much as Jake was on my nerves, I didn’t want him to get eaten by a lion or bitten by a malaria-carrying mosquito.
After dinner, we sat by the fire and chatted with Anto. He had been a tracker for twenty years, and he had the best stories to share by the fireside. We listened anxiously and hung on his every word. The black sky twinkled with billions of glittering stars, a breathtakingly dazzling display.
After a while, I excused myself and sat down in front of our camp to watch an approaching lightning storm. Black clouds drifted in the sky as bright flashes of light lit up the golden grasslands. We were serenaded by the natural sounds of the wildlife around us. The little slice of African wilderness truly touched my heart and soul. Just being out there in the bush, practically alone with my thoughts, was a life-changing time for me.
After about an hour, Jake approached. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Everything I dreamt of and more.”
“I’d love to spend another week in Africa.”
“I know, but we don’t have that kind of time. It’s so peaceful and serene here though. I could just sit here for hours with my thoughts.”
“Being with you is just as magical for me as Africa,” he said. “I’ve never stopped thinking about you, Ashly, not once. I’ve wondered what you’ve been up to all these years.”
“Well, you didn’t just ditch out on me, Jake. You also left your friends and family. You didn’t bother calling or emailing them either, and they didn’t know if you were dead or alive. You just dropped off the face of the Earth.”
“I was just…ashamed.” He paused for a minute, then continued, “I actually came home a couple times, but you were so busy with school.”
“I didn’t know you came back.”
“Only a handful of people knew. I know you’ve always loved fashion and photography, so I’m glad you’ve been able to combine your two passions into a career.” A smirk grew across his lips. “I remember how long you used to spend choosing your outfit, fixing your hair, and putting on makeup.”
“Well, I had to look good. After all, you were the hottest guy in school. I had to make sure your attention didn’t stray.”
“My attention? Ashly, you’ve always taken my breath away.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Jake.”
“How much longer do you plan on being a fashion photographer and journalist?”
“I’m kind of sinking trying to do that while running my own business. Like that old movie, something’s gotta give. When my business takes off, as I hope it will, I’ll have to quit my job. But I also wanna start my own fashion magazine so my journalism skills will come in handy.”
“You’re so smart and talented. If anybody can do it, you can.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
He smiled. “Anytime. You know, I remember a few of our photo sessions. Didn’t that one, uh…risqué one of me win first place in one of your photo shows? It had a black background, and I was looking down.”
I cleared my throat and looked away. “You weren’t naked, Jake. You were covering yourself with your hands, and it was a sensual photo. Nobody knew it was you because I shadowed your face.”
“Sensual, huh? Well, I’d like to retake that shot.”
A chill shot down my spine. “Are you serious?”
A sexy grin spread over his face, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. “Dead serious.”
I met his gaze, and our eyes locked for a minute. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how anyone could be so damn handsome. My breath froze as I imagined what he looked like naked, in his grown-up body.
He shifted his stance. “Look at you, a blushing beauty,” he mocked.
“That’s only because it’s so hot out here,” I said, fanning myself. “And the answer to your question is no. I’m not retaking the shot.”
“But I think I can bring a lot more to the picture now—you know, in an artsy sort of way.”
“Is that just your fancy, humble way of saying it’ll be better because you’re so buff now?”
He smiled. “I wasn’t aware that you’d noticed.”
“Right,” I said. “You’d have to strip down to re-create that photo, and I think there are a lot of things we need to leave in the past, Jake.”
“I can’t make that kind of promise,” he said, slowly walking away.
* * *
That night, I decided it was best to sleep in my clothes; the African bush, in a tent, with Jake didn’t exactly call for a silk nightie. After I checked the sleeping bag for creepy-crawlies, I slipped inside it and made myself cozy. I also made sure I was on the other side of the tent, so Jake wouldn’t get any ideas.
Jake turned off the lantern. “Today has been amazing.”
“I can’t argue with that,” I said, snuggling into my pillow. “It’s not exactly some glitzy, five-star hotel, but this is pretty awesome, everything we talked about and more. There’s something magical about Africa,” I said.
“Right, it can’t be experienced in some fancy resort or from the safety of a Jeep.”
“Definitely.”
“Ashly…” Jake said.
“Yes?” I said over the chorus of zillions of nocturnal insects buzzing and humming in the air.
“There’s a question I’ve been dying to ask you.”
“Do I still load my burger with tons of mustard? Yes.”
He laughed.
I smirked in the darkness. “Do you still drown your eggs in ketchup?”
“Yep,” he said, his tone serious, “but that wasn’t the question.”
“Just trying to keep the situation light.”
“Do you think you’ll ever really want to get married again?” he asked.
“Can’t we just talk about condiments?”
“Come on, Ashly.”
“We had such a good day. Why ruin it with all this? Like I said, the past is the past.”
“I just need to know.”
I let out a sigh. “Sure, someday. I didn’t before because…well, it didn’t exactly turn out like I hoped the first time around. If anyone proposed to me again and I accepted, I’d just go to the justice of the peace. Inviting all those people to my wedding and then being stood up like that is something I can’t go through again.” I gazed in his direction, even though I couldn’t see anything in the darkness. “I never bothered to ask. Are you married…or have you even been married?”
“Like I told you before, I made a stupid mistake with you, and I regret it every day. No woman has ever been able to fill the void. So no. I’m not married, and I don’t plan to be. Without you, I don’t see the point.”
“So there’s nobody special to share all that money with?”
“No, nobody. My last serious relationship ended a year ago.”
“Well, I hope you don’t think just because we’re both single and have a past together…” I paused. “Just know I’m not available, Jake—not to you. I never will be again.”
“You’re still bitter.”
“What do you expect? Damn straight I’m bitter. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.”
“I didn’t mean to stir all this up, Ashly. I’m sorry. I just want to say I’m glad we’re friends…and that I really enjoy being out here with you, even if you are still angry with me and hardly speak to me without being cold and distant.”
“I’m not sure what you expect from me, Jake. All things considered, it’s taking everything in me for me to be civil with you.”
“You’re still as beautiful as I remember.”
I was growing sick of h
is flattery, which wasn’t really getting him anywhere but deeper down on my shit list. “Goodnight, Jake,” I said, then turned over in a huff.
“Goodnight, Ashly.”
And with that, I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.
It was little use to try and get some rest, for as beautiful as Africa was during the day, it was very noisy at night. The tent flapped all night and kept waking me up. And then those nocturnal birds Anto told me about were super loud with their distinctive and characteristic calls. Anto had called them Fiery-necked Night Jars.
Then the hairs on my neck stood straight up when a lion’s roar echoed in the night. It started out with a few deep, long roars. I listened intently as the roars ended up turning into a series of shorter ones, and for thirty minutes, lions prowled outside our tents. When I managed the courage to look outside, I saw the shadows of at least ten animals.
“Don’t worry. They don’t want us,” Jake whispered over the squawking and chirping of the birds outside. Then he pointed at a spot in the distance, where several lionesses were tearing into an unfortunate bushbuck.
I could only snuggle down into my sleeping bag like some terrified caterpillar, my heart beating a petrified symphony in my chest. I was excited that they were so close but scared at the same time. “Can’t they find someplace else to enjoy their midnight snack?” I joked.
“This is what nature’s all about,” Jake responded. “Wow! Life on safari doesn’t get much better than this. Jake looked at me, then back out around us, his eyes wide. “Isn’t this amazing?”
Before I could answer, a hyena whooped in the distance, making me gasp.
“A little jumpy?” he whispered, wearing a big smile.
“Jake, there are meat-eaters out there, giant cats on the prowl and striped, laughing dogs. Pardon me for being a little on edge.”
“Bring your sleeping bag over by me. I won’t bite.”
“Not a chance.”
Something crashed in the trees, pulling down branches.
My imagination went wild with the possibilities. “What’s that?” I asked.
“Elephants.”
Another lion roared, and loud trumpets filled the air, followed by more crashing feet.
