by Donna White
A boy said quietly, “I do not know why we are coming here. It will lead to no good. The girl is evil and has control of the spirit. It is better that we stay away.”
“Hmph,” another boy scoffed. “You fear her? She is nothing but a fake.”
“You will see when she curse us and make us mad as a mongoose that bite the mamba.”
The boys stopped their conversation. They had reached the edge of the yard that surrounded Fire’s hut.
Silently, Charlie climbed to the very top of the tree, where the tip was thin and spindly, and pushed his weight forward until the end bent and touched a neighboring tree nearer to the yard. He jumped onto the second treetop and hung on to the tip, bending it forward until it brought him closer to another tree, giving him a better view. He looked down. In the distance was the group of boys surrounding Fire. Charlie noted the position of their weapons, hung nonchalantly over their shoulders or resting on the ground beside their feet. They weren’t a threat. For now. He decided to wait and see.
He made his way down the tree and crept through the bush. When he came to the back of the hut, he crouched down and listened.
It was Jonasan who was speaking. “We must find out now now, Fire. We have heard a rumor just that Kony is nearby. You must talk to the spirit and tell us where he is.”
“I told you before,” she said. “Kony magic is strong. I have tried to listen to the spirit that talk to him, but they will only speak to Kony. They are evil evil spirit.”
“Hmph!” Jonasan snorted. “I am starting to think, Fire, that you are making up the excuse. Perhaps it is because you are a liar and you do not know the witchcraft.”
Charlie heard the thud of a machete striking the trunk of a tree.
“I will try again. Perhaps I can speak to Banganda. Maybe he has finally grown disgusted with Kony way and has left him.”
Charlie heard the rustling of Fire’s bag opening and the rattle of bones and horns. She began to moan and chant. Her ominous voice sent its tendrils around the boys, into the trees, and up into the night sky. The hairs on the back of Charlie’s neck rose and an icy chill traveled up his spine.
“Bannn-gann-daaa! Bannn-gann-daaa!” she moaned again and again.
He heard the sound of the charms hitting the ground. Fire’s moaning and chanting ceased, and the jungle was quiet.
Minutes passed as Charlie imagined Fire examining the position of the bones and horns, trying to read a message, trying to figure out what Banganda was telling her.
“No,” she finally said. “No, Banganda is refusing to speak to me. His allegiance is still with Kony. I am sorry.”
A familiar voice responded. It was Naboth. “You lie, Fire. You are not a witch doctor. Any lajok would be able to talk to the spirit and tell us where Kony is right now.”
“Then you do not understand the way of the spirit. They select who they will speak to. I do not choose them—they must choose me.”
“I say you are a fake, Fire. I say that you know where Kony is but you are not telling us. Why is that? Why is it that every time we ask you to find out where Kony is, you cannot tell us? Is it because you are in allegiance with him? Are you one of his spy? That would explain so much. Why you came here alone. Why you stay here, alone.”
“No. I am not one of Kony spy. You know that is not true.”
Charlie detected a slight quiver in Fire’s voice.
“I say we string you up. If you are a spy, then we are rid of you. If you are not, then what does it matter? It mean one less whore just.”
Charlie stood and leaned forward.
“What do you think, Arrow Boy? We have put up with this long enough. Tale of spirit, prediction of rain that does not fall, and medicine that give no cure. It has all been lie!”
Fire’s baby screamed. Charlie used all of his resolve to hold himself back.
“No! You must understand! If the spirit had told me where Kony is, then I would tell you. I have lost those I loved in this war too! If I could help, I would!”
Maisha’s screams grew louder.
“No!” Fire yelled. “Give me back my child!”
Charlie couldn’t stand it any longer. He rushed from behind the hut and ran into the midst of the group. Naboth held Fire’s baby with one hand and shook his fist at her with the other. The baby’s screams grew louder and louder until they drowned out the angry shouts and accusations. Fire grabbed for Maisha, but two boys held her arms and pulled her back.
The Arrow Boys closed in around them and shook their weapons.
“Stop it!” Charlie shouted. “Stop it!” The noise subsided as everyone looked at him. He took a deep breath. “I can bring you to Kony. If that is what you want, I can show you where he is.” He paused. “But it is stupid of you to want to find him. You really do not know what wait for you there, do you?”
Fire rushed at Naboth and grabbed Maisha. She clutched the baby close to her chest as he buried his face into her neck and sobbed. Tears coursed down her cheek and landed on the boy’s black hair.
Naboth glared. “We have had enough attack on our village to know what we are up against, ka-boy.”
“Yes, an attack on your village by some of the LRA, not the whole army. Not the rocket launcher or all of the commander and all of the men and the boy under them. No, you do not know what you are facing.”
“Then tell us,” Jonasan said.
Naboth stepped between Jonasan and Charlie. “Why should we listen to him? He is one of Kony kid. You cannot trust him.” He turned to Charlie. “Go. You were told you are not welcome here. Go!”
“No.” Jonasan rested his hand on Naboth’s shoulder. “We need this information. We have no choice. And,” he said as he turned to Charlie, “I think we can trust him. Tell us, Charlie. Tell us what you know.”
Charlie nodded. “I will. And you will listen.”
Charlie and Fire sat as Maisha’s sobs now diminished to tiny whimpers. Fire caressed his head and rubbed his back. The Arrow Boys enclosed them in a circle.
“I walked for seven night after I escaped. But I traveled at night just. During the day I found a safe place to sleep, sometime tied to a high branch in a tree or in the thick bush away from any sign of people. The going was slow slow. I am sure if you walk the distance by daylight it would take less than three day.”
“Three day, but in what direction?” Jonasan asked.
“In the direction that the sun rise in the morning.”
“In the east?”
“Yes, but not fully east. Between the east and where you can see the Great Bear shine in the northern sky in the night.”
“And if our group were to travel for three day, what would we see? How many soldier, how many gun?”
“At least four hundred soldier, maybe five or six.”
The Arrow Boys glanced at each other, their eyes wide with disbelief.
“Six hundred?” Naboth shook his head.
“Yes, that is what I have seen gather before. But I am not sure right now. It depend on who Kony want and what commander he call.”
The Arrow Boys stood silently and waited for Charlie to continue.
“The army has been gathering during the last month, but I am not sure if they have set off in smaller group since I escaped. And gun? Plenty. There are plenty plenty gun. Some in use, some stored.”
“Stored?” Jonasan asked.
“Yes, in the cache, hidden for raid and for time when more children are trained to be soldier and more weapon are needed.”
Jonasan moved closer to Charlie. “Do you know where any of these cache are?”
“I do.”
“Where?”
Charlie took a stick and drew a line on the ground. “If you head north and walk for perhaps one day and a little more, you will find a creek where it meet a little lake. There you must turn into the bush and travel toward a cane field. At the end of the field is a large tree; the flower look like the flame of a mighty mighty fire. At the base of that tree are some AK-47 with about thirty ma
gazine.”
He drew another line, extending from the line that represented the creek. “And here there is another, past the field just that grow the pineapple and has three row of orange tree standing taller than you and Naboth put together.”
“And is there one here?” Fire said, pointing to a spot north and west of the cache Charlie had just pointed out.
Charlie thought for a moment. “Yes, there is.”
“And one here?” Fire asked again.
“Yes.” He looked at the diamonds that surrounded her dark eyes. “How do you know?”
She drew in a quick breath as she pointed to the bones and horns, shaking her head as if in disbelief. Their positions corresponded identically with the caches Charlie had drawn on the ground.
Chapter 7
Patience attracts happiness;
it brings near that which is far.
~ Swahili proverb
The stars were beginning to fade into the morning sky when the Arrow Boys returned to Fire’s hut.
Jonasan yawned and wiped the sleep from his eyes. “Where is Naboth? I told everyone last night we had to make an early start if we were to find the cache.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a tree.
“You did not sleep well through the night in the comfort of your hut, Jonasan?” Peter asked.
“No. When we have all the gun from the cache, then I will sleep.” He glanced into the bush. “And if Naboth do not arrive soon soon, we will go without him.”
Fire finished her breakfast and threw some dirt onto the dying coals. She grabbed a small sack and tossed in some simsim patties, cassava chips, and a few pieces of dried fruit. Tightening the lid on a bottle of water, she tossed it into the bag and tied the bag with a piece of rope.
She hoisted her bag of pots, plates, and rice onto her hip and carried it to the grain bin that stood between the two huts. “I do not know if the bag will be safe here from the rat and the monkey, but it is the only place I have to keep my kitchen,” she told Charlie as she tucked her sack into the beehive-shaped structure.
“You do not have to come,” Charlie said. “It is perhaps best that you stay. It is a long long walk.”
“Yes, it is long. But you may need me. You do not have eye in the back of your head.”
He nodded in understanding. “Will you be wanting to place this in there too?” He took Fire’s black bag from the hut and carried it over. He felt its weight. “What is in here?” he asked as he ran his hand over the top.
She grabbed the bag and clutched it to her chest. Her words were quick and angry. “It is nothing, and it is of no concern to you.” Charlie backed away as she set the bag into the bin and gently stroked its side. She secured the door.
A girl approached her. She held the hand of a young boy who was sucking on a piece of sugarcane. Wrapped tightly to her back in a yellow printed shawl was a small child, asleep and content.
“Itye nining, Fire?”
“I am well. And how are you and your family?”
“We are good also. The child still does not sleep through the night, but I am still rested.”
“Eeh. This is good, Salume.”
Fire removed the cloth that tied Maisha to her back and placed her baby in the young girl’s arms. She reached into the folds of a scarf tied around her waist and brought out a small bag of leaves. “Here, take this. You told me your son has a cough. Boil it in the water and let it sit for the morning, then make him drink. It will help.” She bent down and kissed her son on his forehead. “He is a good boy. He should not fuss,” she said as she caressed his cheek. “Be safe, my ka-man. Maa will come home soon.” She placed her bag on her head and stepped onto the path leading away from the hut.
Naboth rushed out of the bush and limped to the group. He had a rifle slung over his shoulder.
“Look what I have,” he said, panting and holding the gun out to show everyone. “I found it last night, near to the creek, on my way home. It was where we found the ka-boy and the girl last week when we scared away the two LRA soldier.” He pulled the action open and pointed inside the chamber. “And look. It still have the bullet inside.”
“But you are sure you know how to use it?” Jonasan asked.
“Yes. Yes. It does not take any brain to point and shoot.” He slung the gun strap back over his shoulder and looked at Fire. “And what are you doing? Why are you coming with us?”
“I am coming because we cannot trust it all to Charlie memory. If we cannot find the cache, then I will summon the spirit and ask for the help. That is why I am coming.”
Naboth glowered and shook his head. He went to the back of the line.
Charlie glanced at each of the boys as they stood in line behind Fire. The one they called Peter, the one who had tied his wrists, was first. With such long arms, the boy couldn’t help but remind Charlie of a gorilla. Peter was talking to another teen, the one Charlie recognized as Michael Jackson. They both carried a bow and a quiver of arrows slung over one shoulder and a hoe over the other. For a moment, he remembered a person he had met who had two names: John Paul, a soldier they were told to call J.P. He didn’t have many good things to remember about him. He wondered, Why would a mother and father give their child two name? Was one not enough?
Next in line was Jonasan, carrying his bow and a quiver of arrows, and Naboth, standing tall as he brought up the rear. Naboth glared at Charlie, who dropped his gaze and stared at his feet. He couldn’t blame the boy. And he wouldn’t. This was how it was going to be, and there would be no changing it. The hatred was there and it always would be.
Fire interrupted Charlie’s thoughts. “Let us go. We have mile and mile ahead of us.” She readjusted the bag on her head and stepped aside so Charlie could take the lead.
Charlie stepped onto the pathway and took a deep breath. He straightened his shoulders and stared ahead.
Fire rested her hand on his shoulder. “Are you ready?” she asked.
“No. But we will go just.” He followed the path.
The Arrow Boys kept up with the quick pace Charlie set. They continued on in silence, passing abandoned huts, treading over pathways once clear and smooth from years of use, now showing signs of overgrowth. In the forests of Uganda, it didn’t take long for any seed or tendril to make its claim on an unused piece of soil.
When they came upon the edge of a forested area, Charlie turned to the shelter of the trees. He led the group into its thick foliage and pushed his way through the branches, barely making a sound. They traveled for several more kilometers, the boys walking carefully, leaving as little sign of their trail as possible. Finally, when the sun was at its highest point in the sky, Charlie stopped and stood in a small clearing among the trees. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a drink from his bottle of water. “We will rest here for a bit, until the sun move away from the top of the sky,” he said, sitting at the base of a tree. “We will stay in the cover of the tree until we make it to the river. From there we can travel under the safety of the dark and reach the cache before late late night.”
The boys sat on the ground and took long sips from their bottles. Fire walked to a spot near the group and leaned against a tree.
Jonasan gathered the arrows from Peter and Michael Jackson’s quivers and set them on the ground beside him. “I will check them for straightness,” he said as he held one up to his face and gazed down the long shaft.
Peter cocked his ear and listened. “I hear water,” he said. “I hear it faint faint, but there is a creek near here. It is not flowing fast, but I hear it.” He turned to Michael Jackson. “Come. We can fill the bottle.” The boys gathered the half-full bottles of water and crept into the bush.
Charlie rested his head against an immense tree trunk. A shadow loomed over him, blocking the rays of light that reached the forest floor. He looked up and saw Naboth glaring down at him.
“You are stupid,” Naboth said to Jonasan. “You close your eye while this ka-boy think only of slitting o
ur throat while we sleep.”
Jonasan shook his head. “Eeh, the pot has boiled and the tea is made, Naboth. Can you see he is not a threat? The boy was captured by the LRA, he escaped, and now he is helping us. Can you not see the courage it take for him to do this?”
“You think it is courage? The hyna has courage when it face the lion. This is not courage. It is stupid stupid. It could be a trap. He could be leading us right to the LRA. And what could we do against them? Our one rifle against their many? Our arrow and machet against their bullet? It is foolishness.”
Fire took a step forward. “Even the hyna know what is a threat and what is not. And I do not see him as a threat.”
“Eeh? We do not listen to you. You are a whore. Sit down, ka-girl, and shut your mouth.”
Fire glared. “No. I will not shut my mouth.” She took a couple of more steps and stood in front of him. “I have had enough of this stupidness. You stand there like a peacock, all full of pride and thinking you know so much, but really you are an opego. A dumb dumb opego!”
“I will not take this from you!” Naboth’s nostrils flared. “I said, shut your mouth, whore! You do not call me a pig!”
Fire spun around and kicked him in the back of the legs. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground. She yanked her scarf from her waist and wrapped it around his neck and pulled tight. Naboth’s face turned red. While twisting the scarf with one hand, she snatched up his gun and pressed the barrel to his head. Jonasan grabbed his bow and reached for an arrow.
“Stop now, Jonasan. Or I will shoot,” she said calmly. You will be dead dead with the bullet in your heart faster than it take you to reach the arrow. Throw the bow away.”
Jonasan obeyed.
“Now let us see what it is like. Take it.” She placed the gun in Naboth’s hands and twisted the scarf tighter. “Take it, I said!”
Jonasan and Charlie stared at Fire, confused.
She stood behind Naboth, using him as a shield between her and Jonasan. “Now aim. Aim it at Jonasan.” She pulled the scarf even tighter. Her words came out slowly. “And shoot him.”