by Rifi Strawn
She eyed the hungry mosquitoes resting outside of the netting. Are they waiting to feast on me? If only Jeremy hadn’t chased the birds out that’d wandered in when she’d left the door open, they would’ve eaten all the bugs and insects in the hut. To top it all off, the sickeningly sweet smell of insect repellent was clogging her pores.
Biting her lower lip, she looked at the melting candle on the table. No way she was sleeping in the dark like Jeremy had suggested. Her luck, she’d step on a lost tarantula or snake on her way to the bathroom.
Nervously, Stanley swiped the sheets for bugs and the bed squeaked. Jeremy’s tweaks didn’t fix the problem. Maybe he wasn’t the good handyman like she’d thought. Eyes closed, she sighed. Think happy thoughts.
Her lips still tingled from his unexpected kiss. If he hadn’t distracted her, she’d probably be dead by now from a venomous snake bite. She didn’t know whether to thank him or slap him. At dinner, she kept looking at his sexy lips. Instead of her chocolate cake, she craved him.
She barely knew the guy, and yet she trusted him beyond her comprehension. Either she’d lost her mind to trust him blindly, or he was a damn good kisser. Maybe she was attracted to him because he protected her like a child in his wild world. In one day, he’d taught her more about the elephants, hippos, and zebra than she’d would’ve learned in her entire life. Now that he’d kissed her, she’d never look at this wildlife conservationist in the same way again.
She froze from sudden loud roars of a lion in the distance. Oh, God, please don’t let it come any closer. She’d take the startling jolts from loud police sirens and ambulance horns over these heart-stopping calls in the wild any day.
Think happy thoughts.
Luki’s panicked cries flashed through her mind. Did the lion also scare the elephants? Luki and Makeda probably kept their distance from the predators out in the bush. She could just see the baby elephant scared and curling next to his mother. Other than Jeremy, she had no one to embrace or console her here. It was disturbing to think he was her only hope for a rescue in this unfamiliar place.
Every heart-rattling roar shortened her lifespan. If it weren’t for Jeremy’s educational talk this afternoon, she would’ve been more scared. He said the lions roared loud to show off to other males, or to warn a predator to stay away from their pride. If she were a curious horny lion, she’d keep the hell away from this one. He sounded big.
She checked her watch. It was only 8:22 p.m. Damn. She’d thought it was midnight. Was this going to be a long-ass night or what? Dosing in and out of sleep, she seriously doubted she’d last three months here.
The candle melted before she drifted into a deep sleep. In her sweet dreams, she swam in the river with Luki, Makeda, and Jeremy. In a game of tag, she ran away from Luki’s trunk full of water. As her lips puckered to kiss the calf, she heard heavy thumping on the roof. This was no dream.
Trembling from the thuds overhead, she heard running feet on the thatch roof. Panicked hollers turned into shrieks of agony. She buried her head in the pillow to muffle a scream. Heart pounding in her ear, she sat still. The tormented cries stopped, and the straw crackled from the dragging above. Oh, God, what was that?
An hour later, she woke up again. She gasped after another look at the window. A dark figure pressed against the glass looking inside. Oh, shit. Is that a human? The imposing head on top of broad shoulders stood less than ten yards from her bed.
Moonlight hid behind the clouds to protect her. Darkness was her best friend right now. Thank God, the candle had burned out or that thing would’ve seen her. She startled from sudden loud rattles on the door. Her back pressing the netting against the wall, she covered her mouth to keep from screaming. She didn’t even have Jeremy’s phone number.
The door shook from the persistent struggle to get in. The thick wooden barrier between her and the predator was rattling at the hinges and about to fall down. Whoever or whatever was out there was finally going to get her.
She closed her eyes. Oh, God, please make it go away. I promise to pray more and do better. The knocking stopped. She exhaled as the heavy footsteps slowly faded away. “Thank you,” she said looking up at the ceiling.
Hugging her knees, she sat until sunlight poured in through the window. Tree branches brushed against the four-foot square glass. Maybe their shadows had fooled her into thinking they were a predator. But the rattling on the door was determined to blame it on the wind.
Stanley listened to chirping birds and monkeys hollers in the distance to welcome the new day. It was as if her terrifying night had never happened. Her bladder full, she cautiously slipped out of bed. Without the mosquito netting, she felt vulnerable. The thin layer of fabric seemed to protect her like fortress walls.
Her cautious steps hurried past the haunting window. Quickly, she locked the bathroom door. Flies buzzed above her head as she relieved herself. She scanned the dark shadows and corners and checked the time. It was 4:15 am, and she was almost late for work.
Not knowing who to trust here, she dressed in a hurry. What if that dark figure she’d seen at the window was Jeremy or Lucky? That didn’t make sense. Neither one would’ve struggled to get in. Jeremy had keys to the lock. And if Lucky wanted her bad enough, he had the right tools to pick the lock or bring the door down.
A firm knock on the door raced her heart. She took slow steps toward it. Ear to the rustic door, she heard jingling keys. Quickly, she grabbed the insect repellent container from the table. The knocks got louder, but nothing like before.
“Stanley, you okay in there?”
It was Jeremy’s voice. “Coming.” She lifted the latch and let him in.
His concerned gaze lingered on her face as she caught her breath. He put down his shopping bag and held her shaking body by the shoulders. “What’s going on?”
She swallowed hard. “There was something on my roof last night. It sounded like an animal, and then later a shadow peeked through the window. It looked like a man. He banged on the door so hard, I thought it was going to fall in. I was terrified. I still am.”
His gentle strokes on her back calmed her. “You probably heard a lion hunting a baboon. There are some lions on the loose from the sanctuary nearby. Two days ago, wild elephant herd knocked the fence down and some got out. Be careful walking around here.” His intense gaze fixed on her. “Did you see the face in the window?”
“No, I was too scared to look.”
“Around what time did this happen?”
She shrugged. “Three thirtyish.”
He opened the door and walked back outside. She followed him out as his eyes scanned the ground around the hut. “There’s no sign of blood.” He looked up at the roof. “There’s probably signs of a hunt up there. I’ll take a look later.”
Biting her lower lip, she stood in confusion. “This is so weird. I promise, I didn’t imagine my terrifying night.”
He looked at her sympathetically. “I believe you.
“Did you see anything?” she asked.
“Yeah. There are baboon and lion track close to the hut. They probably ran up the low tree branches and onto your roof. I’ll trim the trees today, so that doesn’t happen again.”
Her voice quivered. “Did you see human footprints?”
“Just some old sneaker tracks dried in the mud.”
She sighed. “I swear someone tried to get in.”
“I see that.” He checked the loose hinges and door handle. “I’ll fix them for you soon.”
Stanley picked up the shopping bag. “What’s this?”
“Your regulation uniform,” he said. “You’ll need to wear it for work today, so the guests know you’re an employee.”
She took a look inside. “I need a weapon for protection—preferably a .45 magnum. I know how to use it.”
He tucked his hands in his front pockets after an assessing glance at her. “No guns are allowed here. We use strong tranquilizers if an animal gets aggressive. It knocks both humans and animals out in seconds
. We don’t want the bodies too long on the ground, or they become food.”
She smirked. “But Lucky has a real gun.”
“He’s a guard. Volunteers get a dart rifle and a flashlight for emergencies.”
“A flashlight? That’s hardly a lethal weapon.”
“It’s a really bright flashlight. If you shine it into the animal’s eyes, it stuns them.”
“Like a deer in the headlights?”
“Something like that.” He checked the time. “You need to hurry and change. The guests are anxious for their morning ride.”
She changed in the bathroom. The baggy shirt and matching pants engulfed her body like a sack. The uniform was a moving violation of her fashion sense. The drab khaki color did nothing to enhance her skin tone.
The bulky pockets would invite bugs to start a colony of insects on top of her boobs and butt. Besides, her pants were too loose around her waist. One strong tug would drop them down to her feet and expose her. The boxy shirt did nothing for her shape. If Jeremy’s trying to hide me in these clothes, he just succeeded.
She looked in the full-length mirror attached to the back of the bathroom door. If her fashion designer saw her now, he’d gag. There had to be a good seamstress around here. After all, someone had put together this hideous uniform.
She pulled the leopard print belt from the loops of her fitted khaki green pants and used the reversible dark brown leather. Fastening the buckle around her waist, she gathered the fabric close to her body. Much better. She rolled up her pant legs enough to show off her hiking boots. Approval in her eyes, she looked at herself in the mirror again. She didn’t look half bad. For now, this will do.
Jeremy tapped on the closed bathroom door. “We need to leave now.”
“I need another minute.” She gathered her hair in a ponytail and put on her fedora. Adjusting the wide brim to block the sun, she walked out to meet him.
Speechless, he stood looking at her.
“What?”
He smiled. “The uniform fits you better than I thought.”
“That’s debatable,” she sassed. “Did you borrow this from Lucky?”
He ignored her dripping sarcasm. “Don’t forget to use your skin protection.”
Scrunching her face, she sprayed the insect repellent on her clothes and arms and coughed. She could feel her pores clogging from the oily lotion. “Did you ever find an organic insect repellent?”
“I’ll get right on it.”
She just looked at him. “Stop making fun of me,” she said. “I’ve had a traumatic night.”
“I’m sorry.” He gave her the matching uniform jacket to wear. “It’s a bit cool in the mornings. You might want to bring this along.”
She looked at her monochromatic outfit. “Was this fabric on sale?”
“We were lucky to get it at half price.”
“There was a reason why it was marked down. Did you buy the entire stock?”
“Sure did,” he said. “Better safe than sorry.”
He held her hut door open for her. “Thanks.”
She pulled at the baggy pants. “This uniform is a hazard to my health. These bulky pockets could easily get hung up on a branch and make me a sitting target. Not to mention the emotional trauma of wearing bad design.”
He locked her door and gave her the key. “The animals don’t care about the color or fit of your uniform. We’re here to care for them, not to make a fashion statement.”
“Who designed these clothes? Obviously, not Ralph Lauren.”
“Tabo and I designed them.” He rubbed his chin. “I gave her a picture of what I wanted, and she copied the uniform. She’s the best seamstress around here. And Ralph Lauren has nothing over me. I’m just as good as him.”
“Dream on.” She smiled. “I’ll need to have a chat with Tabo about a fitting for me.”
“We don’t have the extra money for upgrades.”
“I’ll pay for my own fitting.”
“Then, the other employees will want to fix their uniforms.”
“Employees in smart fitting uniforms make a good first impression. It’s hard to find anything in these deep pockets. A backpack would be more suitable for storage.” She exaggerated a deep reach into a pocket. “Ah. Here it is.” She held her phone up. “I could’ve died trying to call you for help.”
“Very funny.”
She gave him her phone. “Would you please program the emergency numbers for here?”
He added his number to her contacts. “Call me anytime, day or night.”
“What’s your response time?”
“As soon as possible.”
“On foot? You said not to run.” She stopped and looked at him. “Are you serious? What if an animal attacks you while you’re running to rescue me? My chances look really bleak if I have to depend on you.”
He met her gaze. “Sweetheart, this lodge isn’t that big. No car will fit down these narrow dirt path. I haven’t had any problems rescuing people yet. I suppose the rules out here are a bit lax for an uptight city girl.”
“Uptight city girl? I survived the night here in holy terror.”
He held his hands up in a truce. “I’m sorry. You get kudos for not making a sound. I couldn’t be prouder of you. You were smart for not panicking.”
She walked along his side and stepped over a pothole. “Most people underestimate me. They think I’m a spoiled diva or something.”
“I think it’s your defense mechanism or a distraction from your fears. You only have an attitude when you’re nervous or unsure about something.”
“So, you’ve been studying me?”
“I can’t help but observe animal behaviors.”
“And what have you discovered so far?”
“Not to underestimate you. The attack and the person at the door last night must have been terrifying.”
She choked. “So, you think it was really a person?”
“Don’t worry. I’m going to install extra security measures today.”
She crossed her arms. “That’s comforting to know.”
Stanley gave him an overall look as he confidently walked ahead of her. She must guard against him and watch what she says and does. The last thing she needed was for him to figure out she’d only come here out of obligation to get her inheritance.
Chapter Eight
The dew was glistening on the leaves, grass, and trees ahead of them as Jeremy and Stanley arrived at the porch. She looked at the handful of guests enjoying their coffee, juices, and snacks. What do you know? This place does do business.
She kept a close eye on the monkeys stalking the food, phones, and cameras. One of them climbed down a low tree branch and was stalking her fedora hat. She held on to it. No cute, little hairy guy was taking Aunt Zoie’s favorite accessory from her today.
Stanley took slow cautious steps to the coffee pot to avoid the monkeys, and poured herself a cup. Some of the guests were getting too close to those little thieves. They better quit feeding them fruit or they’ll swipe it right out of their hands and plates.
A whoosh of air swept her face. Her hat was transported up the tree faster than she could track it. She sneered at the monkey’s quick, agile leaps as he climbed over the branches. He had the audacity to look down at her and show his teeth. Shoulders dropped, she combed her fingers through her hair and eyed her hat.
“Trade him a banana for it,” Jeremy said.
“Does that work?”
“Every time.”
Skeptical, she waved a banana at the contemplating monkey. It slowly climbed down the branch with her hat and paused. Before she could react, it tossed her fedora on the floor, grabbed the banana from her hand, and ran back up the tree.
Cursing under her breath, she dusted off the fedora and checked for damage before putting it back on. Her eyes narrowed at the sneaky thing sitting high up in the tree, eating his banana like a refined guest at a formal dinner.
Jeremy warned the guests. “Hold
on to your hats, sunglasses, purses, phones, and cameras. The monkeys here have an eye for the finer things in life. If you happen to lose a precious item, do not go after it without a guide. These monkeys bite.”
Stanley stayed close to Jeremy for her safety. Not once did he mention her horrifying first night to warn the guests about peeping Toms and hunts on the roof. It would be bad for business to talk about such things.
Hands behind his back, Lucky gave her a toothy smile in approval as he looked her up and down in uniform. “You look official now, miss.”
She centered the belt buckle on her waist. “Thank you. I need someone to fit this uniform for me. Do you know a tailor?”
“Oh, yes, miss. My wife, Tabo, is an expert at sewing.”
After a quick glance at Jeremy, she lowered her voice. “I need to talk to her.”
Lucky walked off to launch her secret mission as Jeremy came over. He gave her a dart rifle and the flashlight. “Use your weapons for protection in emergencies only. Stay away from the animals,” he said.
She gave him a raised eyebrow. “These hardly look like lethal weapons.”
“Don’t underestimate their power. Do you know how to use the dart rifle?”
“I think so.” She pressed the trigger to see if it worked.
He jumped away. “Hey, watch it.”
She cringed. “Sorry.”
He took the rifle from her and showed her how to use and store it. “Never aim it unless you want to put your target down.”
“Okay.” She buckled the flashlight holder on her waist and slung the dart rifle by the strap over her shoulder. She noticed the monkeys were suddenly quiet and keeping their distance. “What’s up with them?”
He pointed to her rifle with his eyes. “They recognize the rifle and the slingshot in your belt holder. They’ll be back to normal in a minute.”
Stanley grinned, feeling invincible. “That’s good to know.” As Jeremy predicted, the monkeys climbed in the trees and played with each other. She took pictures of the adorable babies clinging to their mothers as they groomed them.
Tabo walked over. “Good morning, my lady. You need to talk to me?”