“Cut the crap, Professor. We dug through the rubble after the explosion and found The Major’s hand. There was no diamond. There was a bar of melted soap in his hand. You switched it during the ceremony, and now I want it. I want it for myself. I’ve helped the bloody British take over land and valuables from the natives. I’ve also disappeared many people. I’m done with that. The diamond will make me rich and powerful. We intend to drive the British out of Africa. Now hand it over. Don’t make me shoot you first. You still might live, if you show me how to achieve its powers.”
Realizing Jan had been at the dinner where Wesley had set up the lie about the diamond, he decided giving the diamond to the Boer might save his own life. But he had to be subtle with the brute.
“Please let me live. I’ll tell you everything I know. Just don’t shoot me.”
“Maybe I’ll shoot your friends here first,” he said. Suddenly a shot filled the air. The wounded native withered on the ground. Jan had shot him in the leg. The man now had two bullet holes and was dying.
“Here,” Wesley quickly said. He pulled the pouch from his pocket and threw it to the Boer. Jan snatched the pouch from the air and opened it, extracting the diamond. The rain was already washing the goat blood from it.
“Hold it in your left hand. You must hold it for at least five minutes to gain the full power.”
“You told The Major to hold it in only three fingers,” replied the Boer as he shot the wounded native in his other leg and cocked the gun for another shot. It was clear he would shoot all three of them if Wesley delayed any longer.
“Stop! Yes, that’s true, but that was for the start of a ceremony. I would have told The Major to grip it fully in his left hand had we been able to finish the ceremony.”
Jan could see Wesley was very frightened. He believed Wesley told the truth. Jan gripped the diamond in his left hand and stood with his gun in his right hand. Within a minute, he turned to the other Boer and said. “I can no longer trust you.”
Before the man could react, Jan shot him between the eyes. Wesley recoiled in horror, as he now believed Jan would dispense with all of them no matter what happened.
Jan now stood with his legs apart, absorbing the strength of the Black Diamond. Both arms were extended to the sky in triumph. He raised his face to the deluge and let out a roar like a lion. Within seconds, the aura around the Boer had changed. Rainwater appeared to bounce off of an invisible shield. His body straightened, and he seemed to grow taller. The scratches on his bare arms from traveling in the bush seemed to dissolve. Wesley silently counted the seconds. He prayed that the Boer would continue to hold the diamond. After another thirty seconds, the gun Jan held disintegrated. All the metal burst into dust. He looked at the wooden handle that was left in his hand and started an insane laugh. His mind was now being infected. Rage and fury filled his eyes. It was like looking into a blazing red-hot fire. His face displayed an all-consuming hatred.
“I will kill all of you,” he screamed. “I will kill anyone who opposes me, anyone who does not bend to my wishes. I am all-powerful.”
The Boer became increasingly agitated and paranoid. His head was on a swivel, constantly searching for enemies. The diamond was glowing, taking in energy from everything around it and passing the energy to the Boer. The grass on the ground shriveled; nearby trees went limp. A flowing stream was reduced to a stagnant lagoon. Wesley could feel the very air around him being sucked into the spell of the diamond. He was stunned when the body of the dead Boer, shot by Jan, suddenly melted, and a wave of current seemed to flow into the diamond. He wondered how long it would be before the diamond would consume him and the other two men in the clearing. It was like a storm in the center of the clearing. Wave after wave of energy shot toward the Boer. Bolts of lightning radiated from Jan. The sound was like a train passing nearby, the roar constantly increasing in intensity. Jan began to feel the overwhelming effects of the energy surge. His features became distorted, misshapen. His hair went white and then all fell out; his leg muscles bulged. He had also lost all sanity, and it shone in his eyes. He began to violently shudder. He looked right at Wesley.
“What have you done to me?” he screamed in a fierce roar.
The sound which came from his throat no longer sounded human—it was full of tin and metal. With great effort, Jan moved his leg in an attempt to approach Wesley. It was clear he intended to do him harm. When he started to take a second step, the leg disintegrated into dust. Jan started to fall over like a tower, a look of horror and malice fixed on his face. When he hit the ground, his entire body exploded into dust. The diamond dropped to the ground and the fury of the energy waves stopped immediately. A slow breeze filled the void and dissipated the dust that was once Jan the Boer.
Chapter Twenty-Five
All was quiet. For a few seconds, no one moved. Suddenly Wesley bolted to the diamond. He grabbed it in his right hand and rushed over to the dying native. He attempted to place it in the left hand of the man, but the other native had recovered and batted the diamond away. It landed in the mud where Wesley had been trapped only a few minutes earlier. Wesley scrambled after it. He used the shield to walk on the quagmire and turned as he retrieved it. The still recovering native now pointed a spear at him. It was clear that the native thought Wesley intended to detonate the dying man just as Jan had exploded.
“No,” Wesley screamed and shook his head in the negative.
Wesley scrambled from the mud and placed the diamond in the left hand of the dying native. He held the hand closed with his right hand. This seemed to pacify the other native, at least for the moment, as he did not kill him. Wesley could feel warmth emitting from the diamond. Soon the native opened his eyes and stared at Wesley. Once again, Wesley sensed hatred and fury. The native rocked his head as if to say no, but the diamond had already done its work. The holes created by the gunshots began to close and fade. The blood flow subsided, and the wounded man suddenly spoke to his friend, who stared in amazement.
Wesley quickly pried the diamond from the native’s left hand and ran to where Jan had flung the pouch only minutes ago. He dropped the diamond in the wet pouch and held it by the drawstrings. As he turned to head back to the natives, he saw the wounded native was standing and showing no ill effects of the gunshots. He displayed no signs of any insanity. He seemed to have fully recovered. Wesley walked to the natives and held out his hand.
“Thank you,” the man uttered.
Wesley was shocked. “You speak English?”
“What is English?” he replied. “I speak to you in my own tongue. We are Zulu, there are many of us.”
It was at that point Wesley realized the diamond had affected him in a way he had not expected. He could immediately understand the native language. He shuddered with the implications and wondered if there were any other changes in his body…or mind.
“How do you feel?” Wesley inquired.
“I feel strong. I feel happy. I am glad I can still help my people. You must come with us quickly,” he added.
“Why?”
“There is great sickness with my people. Your magic will cure them. I am certain.”
“I do not control the diamond. It is very dangerous. You saw what happened to the Boer.”
All that the man said was, “You must come with us.” He then motioned for Wesley to follow.
Chapter Twenty-Six
They walked for several hours across the veld. As he traveled, Wesley contemplated the effects of the diamond and the power that he now possessed. He considered different ways to test his abilities and how to use them for good. His thoughts totally blacked out all that was around him. He had no way of knowing what was ahead, but he made one decision. He vowed to never touch the diamond again. The natives suddenly increased their pace and broke into a jog. Wesley followed and could now clearly hear the sound of running water nearby.
They soon reached a clearing where about fifty mud huts clustered together. The two men ran through the villag
e, with Wesley between them. Many people sat outside the huts and took notice of the white man in their midst. They all took up pursuit, and by the time the lead group approached the largest hut, there were over a hundred people jogging behind them. They skidded to a stop, and the taller Zulu yelled out.
“Mother, we have brought help. It’s magic. You must come out now.”
A wizened woman of considerable age waddled from the hut. The smile on her face disappeared when she saw Wesley. “You brought a white man here?” she bellowed. Wesley noted that for an African, she was ancient. Her posture was stooped; her weathered body seemed fragile.
“He is different. He saved my life from two bullets. It is great magic. His magic is greater than yours, Mother.”
“This is a trick. There are Boers hidden in the woods. The whole village will now burn,” she lamented.
“I come in peace,” Wesley spoke.
“You speak our language?” she questioned.
“I understand you perfectly,” Wesley shot back. “I am also being hunted by the Boers.”
“Mother,” the taller native spoke. “This man has big magic. He can use it to save our sick.”
“What magic do you possess?” Mother asked Wesley. She narrowed her eyes as if to intimidate him
“I don’t understand its power, but it did heal your son’s bullet wounds. I know it is dangerous and must be handled very carefully. The side effects from using it are unknown.”
“We have many who are sick from food the British tricked us into eating. I believe the meat was poisoned so it would kill us. Can your diamond cure them?”
“All we can do is try.” It was a solemn reply from a now-benevolent Wesley.
“Very well, follow me.”
The woman was clearly the head of the village. This was unusual for an African tribe, but Wesley soon found out why. They entered a large hut in the middle of the village. Men sprawled on the floor everywhere. Several women stood over them and attempted to comfort the delirious warriors. The stench of bile and feces filled the air. Wesley started to choke, but managed to hold back the reflex.
“Our warriors have a disease. They started getting sick one day after finding some British supplies left unguarded at the abandoned British outpost some distance from here. We now think they poisoned the food to kill us. My own man, our chief, has already succumbed, many more have followed.”
Wesley was no doctor, but he knew food could be contaminated on purpose. There were many ways. He wondered if the British could be that heinous, but he quickly recalled that some British citizens were capable of brutal acts. He had recently known a few of them. He decided to help these people. To die in a battle was one thing, but to die from trickery was another. He did, however, have a problem. He had vowed to himself to never again touch the diamond. He also could not let anyone hold the diamond for more than thirty seconds, yet there were at least thirty men dying right in front of him. How could he accomplish both goals?
The answer was simple. Each man would help the next man. Wesley would time each and give the command to pass the diamond to the next person. He decided to start with the old woman.
“Mother,” he asked, “can you find some goat’s blood?”
“That is a strange request,” she suspiciously replied.
“The diamond is held powerless by goat’s blood. I will need the blood to coat the diamond when we’re finished.”
“It will be done.” She turned to one of the women in the room. “Do as he has requested.” She left the room.
Wesley continued to stand in the doorway and ordered the small windows to be uncovered, allowing for a breeze to drive some of the foul odors from the room. He then spoke to everyone in the room.
“Listen, everyone, I know you are very sick. We are going to make you well, but you must do as I ask. Mother will place a large black diamond in the left hand of one of you. Hold it in your fist for only thirty counts. You must then move it to your right hand and place in the left hand of the man next to you. I will also count to make sure you don’t hold it too long. You are warriors, you will feel hatred and be afraid, but you must not hold the diamond too long.”
Wesley then opened the pouch, and Mother reached inside with her right hand. She pulled out the diamond and raised it in the air for all to see. She then washed it in a bowl of water. When finished, she stepped to the first man and placed it in his left hand. All held a collective breath, and all counted to thirty. At count twenty-five, his eyes fluttered open, and he began to sit up. He stared at the diamond, then stared at Mother; a wide grin began to form on his face. She spoke to him softly.
“Pass it on, son. You are cured.”
The man grabbed the diamond in his right hand and with some difficulty wrenched it from his left. By the time he secured it in the next man’s hand, he was fully smiling. He stood up just as the next man began to recover. Within an hour, all the men had been cured. They mingled among themselves, patting each other on the backs and calling out to all around them. It was indeed a festive time. As each man left the hut, they grabbed Wesley’s arm, giving Zulu thanks.
“You have done a great service for the men of our village and for me,” Mother spoke with admiration.
“We must hurry and seal the diamond in the blood of a goat. The diamond has many bad powers as well as good ones. We need to prevent it from affecting anyone else.” Wesley had no time to be gracious.
A bowl of deep red blood appeared on the floor next to him as he spoke. The diamond had been left on the dirt floor of the hut after the last man had recovered. He lifted the bowl and poured the blood on the diamond. Mother picked it up in her right hand and placed it in the pouch. She turned to Wesley and offered a grin that should have been on the face of a much younger woman. The diamond had affected her during the few seconds she had held it. Wesley now understood the power of the diamond changed people quickly. The longer anyone held it, the more destructive the power of the diamond became. Also, he now understood that holding it in the right hand would affect the brain more than the body. There was so much to learn about this power, but it remained too dangerous for experiments.
“We will celebrate the return of our men,” Mother offered. “There will be dancing and much food. You may choose a companion from our women. You can even choose me,” she spoke as she adopted a sexy pose.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The festivities lasted for two days. Wesley was treated like a king. He had a special chair near the main fire. The villagers had taken his dirty clothes to wash them, so he sat in only a loincloth, his white body in stark contrast to the dark-skinned natives. The pouch with the diamond inside hung between his legs and provided a noticeable bulge under the cloth. The men danced in knee-length loin clothes, and sometimes they wore straw skirts. They painted their faces and leapt about to the driving beat of drums. It was very entertaining. The women were more intriguing. Older women wore skirts made of soft cowhide. They danced to the music in a leisurely rhythm. The younger women wore outfits entirely of small beads which barely covered their private parts when standing still. They were very revealing, especially when they sensually gyrated to the beat of the drums. Many of the younger women presented themselves to Wesley. They whirled and thrust their lithe bodies in exaggerated sexual displays. They seemed to be engrossed in sexual fantasy, touching with their hands and moaning words of pleasure. Wesley understood that each one wanted him as a mate, but he resolved to enjoy the show and little more. While he was thoroughly enjoying the dancers, he knew he had to move on and begin his return to reality. Suddenly he spied an older woman in beads. It was Mother, and she was heading straight to him.
“Do you like what you see?” she exclaimed.
“You are a goddess,” he replied. He noticed her body had become more toned and now contained curves that would delight any man. Her hair had changed as well. The once wiry silver strands were now black and flowed down to her shoulders. She danced her way over to Wesley and promptly place
d herself on his lap.
“Please let me touch the diamond for a few seconds more.” Her hand immediately attempted to stroke the bulge in Wesley’s loincloth. “I will do anything you want,” she cooed.
“Mother, what has happened to you?” Wesley stuttered. He grabbed her by the wrist and forced her hand back.
She thought for a moment, then replied, “Why, I…want a man. I want you. I want to reclaim my beauty and enjoy the pleasures of a whole woman again.”
“You are truly a treasure, but not for me. The diamond has infected you. Besides, I must leave soon.”
“Leave tomorrow, but please play with me tonight. The Black Diamond has become a phalanx to the women of the village. They all want to grab it and feel its power, but me first.”
Wesley now realized the diamond could affect large groups of people. He knew anyone who touched the diamond would become consumed with his or her deepest desires, but it appeared that those who witnessed the power of the diamond developed a need as well. Whoever possessed the diamond could influence and even control large groups of people. Wesley quickly scanned the crowd in an effort to find some of the men who had touched the diamond. He could find none.
“Where are the men who were cured by the diamond?” he asked.
“They are satisfying the women,” she grinned.
***
By sunrise, Wesley knew he had to leave. The women of the village hounded him all night. Several boldly entered his hut in the nude and sweetly proclaimed the services they would provide, if only he would let them touch the Black Diamond. Mother had finally relented and drifted off with three of the men. Wesley had never witnessed such a sexual frenzy, especially from women. He was dressed in his now frayed suit and decided to hide the pouch in his underwear.
When he exited the hut, he found he was not alone. The whole village stood outside and cheered as he tipped his worn hat. Jama, the native who had been shot by the Boer, stepped up to him and spoke.
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