Killed in Kruger

by Denise M. Hartman

  Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Luminescent grasses rattled in the slight breeze. It was a shrubby woody area. The night dew exuded an earthy smell. Tabitha ran for the shelter of an outcropping of short trees. She dodged dark shapes that she assumed were rocks or downed trees. A light flashed across the bush and she knew Vandenblok was after her. His voice was distant, growing closer. C’mon, if she could just make it to the trees before he spotted her. He yelled, sometimes in Dutch and sometimes in English.

  Then she heard the report of the gun tearing through the night sounds of the wild. The light flashed across her again. He had her. Tabitha broke into a full run, no longer watching her footing. Her air came in gasps. Survive, she told herself, survive.

  She could hear him coming. Footsteps pounding in the veldt. The light periodically brightening her in the bush. She searched for a hiding place. Tabitha heard the gun fire, this time closer, but her toe caught something—a branch, maybe. She tumbled to the ground. Unable to break the fall with her bound arms, she hit with a heavy thud.

  The ground knocked the wind out of her. She struggled to her side, sucking at the air. She lay still, trying to get her breath, listening. Vandenblok seemed to be celebrating. He must think the bullet had taken her down. For once, being a klutz had a benefit. She started to hear a snorting chuffing sound that was not him.

  Vandenblock’s chortling grew closer, and Tabitha cautiously inched herself on her side through the grass in the direction of a nearby tree. She wiggled her way carefully. He still seemed to be searching for her, maybe to finish her off if the one bullet hadn’t done it.

  Her movements sounded loud in her ears, but she hoped the wind rattled the grasses enough to hide her movement. Then she heard the primal snorting again, and smelled the distinct smell of animal feces and urine. She reached the shelter of the tree trunk and sat up to lean against it. Had she just crawled through an animal toilet? She squirmed and peeped around the edge of the tree, dreading Vandenblok’s flashlight.

  The beam flashed across the veldt away from her. Briefly, as her eyes adjusted, Tabitha thought she saw a rhino picked out by the light. This must be the snorting and scrabbling she heard. The volume was escalating. Only one, though. It must be the more aggressive black rhino.

  “Where are you? Are you hurt?” Vandenblok called out into the night air. He muttered again in Dutch.

  The light fanned across and Tabitha saw the rhino again. Its ears pricked up this time. He or she was pawing the ground. Then as darkness consumed the image again, she heard more snorting. She had read that they were territorial. Vandenblok seemed not to hear or notice. He was too consumed with finding her and killing her off, if she wasn’t dead enough. Tabitha knew he’d kill her if he could. She shivered and ducked lower in the darkness. She tried to think of a way to provoke the rhino to run Vandenblok off.

  The snorting grew louder, as did the scraping sound of the rhino pawing the ground.

  The pounding of hooves and snorting announced a charge from the rhino. Tabitha cringed, but peeked out from behind the tree, crouching still lower. Vandenblok heard the hooves too, but spun around in a circle, not knowing what direction it was coming from. He shot the pistol out ahead of him. The burst of flame from the muzzle brightened the night for a second. The pounding did not stop.

  The flashlight fell to the ground and Tabitha saw Vandenblok suspended against the night sky as the rhino tossed him with the great horn. She heard a sickening crunch and scream from Vandenblok as the rhino’s horn skewered him. Another toss into the air and Vandenblok fell to the ground with a thump.

  Chapter 68

  The rhino snorted and pawed the ground near where Vandenblok must lie. Tabitha was rooted to her spot, her mouth open in a silent gasp. The rhinoceros stamped away, perhaps satisfied that the territory was secure once again.

  The flashlight had fallen among the grasses, creating a strange bright spot. She stared at the spot, not daring to move. Then Tabitha heard a moan from Vandenblok. The man was still alive. Tabitha sat frozen. Would the rhino return to destroy her if she ventured from the tree? She listened. Would Vandenblok still try to kill her if he was capable? She had no way to know the extent of his injuries. It hadn’t looked good, though. The sights and sounds of the last minute replayed in her mind. A shiver ran up her back. She sat up, rubbing her cheek against her burning shoulder.

  Night noises. A moan from Vandenblok. No rhino hooves or snorting. Minutes, maybe just seconds ticked by. A branch in the tree above her cracked, sending her heart rate flying faster. Leopard? She looked up but saw nothing. Perhaps it was time to leave the tree. She needed to confront her fears and Vandenblok.

  She crept through the bush on her knees, hands still tight behind her. She searched for Vandenblok. Another moan off to her left. She tried to duck lower. Finally she saw him in the faint light from the flashlight. He was lying on his back, a gaping hole in his abdomen oozing blood. She found the flashlight and brought it closer. She had to turn her back to lay it down facing him. He stirred. She flinched. Where was the gun?

  “Get help. Get help.” He gurgled the words through what must be blood in his throat.

  Tabitha wanted to shake him. This was his fault. All his conniving and manipulation had brought him and her to this. Somehow she had got caught in his deceptive undertow. She wanted the truth. She wondered if they were smuggling humans somehow too. She saw clearly, since he’d kidnapped her, that Uncle Phillip’s death must be caught up in the smuggling ring. Maybe her death too, if she didn’t get out of this alive. Run. Her body’s fearful fight or flight reaction cried out for flight. Get away from this man. Get away from the bush, away from the darkness.

  Another gurgle came from Vandenblok, and a wet cough. She looked at him in the distorted light. Inaction would bring them both death. The blood would bring the predators. She knew what she had to do, knew what Daniel would do, what Africa needed from her at this moment. The night pressed in on her.

  “You’ve got to cut me loose. I can’t drive this way.” She waggled her hands behind her back even though he couldn’t see them. He nodded and she pushed and pulled at a knife in his pocket until it was free.

  What a strange moment. The prey had to trust the hunter long enough to be cut free. She turned her back, closing her eyes and presenting her bound hands as an offering. She held her hands as far away from her body as possible. Would he still have enough hate to try to kill her?

  She heard his harsh ragged breathing. She felt the knife brush her wrist and flinched. But hate did not prevail in him now. He used one hand to begin sawing at the strap binding her. He wheezed and moaned. After one piece was cut she fidgeted her hands free. Her airflow came easier as she turned to face him. Her shoulders burned hot, particularly the left one that had hit the ground first out of the car. She pulled Vandenblok’s jacket closer around him. He must be in terrible pain.

  She looked him in the face. His blond hair stuck to his sweaty forehead.

  “You’ve got to tell me the truth,” she said, her face close to his. “The truth.”

  He nodded, then turned his head to cough out a clot of blood. The sight of that dark liquid spelled out the danger in the bush.

  “I’ll go get help. Hang on.”

  Tabitha left the flashlight with him and ran toward the Jeep’s lights, which still were visible. He probably deserved what was happening to him if he’d killed others, but it was awful to see. Tabitha knew she couldn’t live with herself if she just watched him die. She’d find help. They couldn’t be more than a couple of kilometers from Lower Sabie.

  Chapter 69

  She ground the gearshift. Crud. The Jeep lurched and died. She tried again and got the vehicle moving. Her left arm screeched with pain when she used it to shift, but she persevered, swerving back and forth across the road.

  At the wooden gates of Lower Sabie, she beeped the horn. Nothing and no one stirred, and she beeped again. She thought about ramming the gates with the vehicle. She crept forw
ard but saw a security guard jogging across the compound.

  He must have climbed on a platform or something. He peered over the fence at her and called out.

  “The camp is closed.”

  “It’s an emergency. He’s been gored. There’s a hole. It’s awful. He needs a doctor.” Tabitha only thought she was staying calm. “There’s blood. Please, hurry.” She gestured for the man to come with her.

  “What are you saying? Someone is hurt? Where?”

  “He tried to kidnap me, to kill me. Oh, just get Mpande.” Tabitha leaned her head against the steering wheel for a moment, fighting off tears.

  “I will get the medic.”

  Tabitha leaned there, gulping fresh air, trying not to fall apart. This was taking forever. She had no love for Vandenblok, but she didn’t want his blood on her hands. She was impatient to get back. She wanted to hear if he had anything to say for himself. Her hand hit the horn again in exasperation.

  Three men came towards her and out of the fence. The man from before said, “May we ride with you? This camp is not equipped with a vehicle.”

  Tabitha nodded and ground the gearshift into reverse. She burned the tires down the tar surface. The medic said, “You’re hurt too. Your shoulder.”

  Tabitha looked down. Her left shirtsleeve was torn away and a scrape covered her upper arm and shoulder.

  The security guard asked, “What happened? Were you camping?”

  Would they believe her? She took a deep breath and tried to speak coherently. “He kidnapped me from Lower Sabie, from my rondavel. I dove out of the Jeep, and he got gored by a rhino looking for me.” She saw the flashlight in the field off to the left and stomped the brakes. She pointed.

  The men surveyed the surrounding area and shone lights around the ground and in the trees before leaving the vehicle.

  “Rhinos are territorial,” the guard said, climbing out. He shouldered a large rifle.

  Tabitha felt herself follow a few steps behind them. Was it out of concern? Morbid fascination? She wondered if he was dead already. She needed to know.

  The multiple flashlights created a vague strobe effect as they walked. Then all the lights shone full on Vandenblok. The opening in his abdomen was a purplish-black color in the strange light. The medic exclaimed in a language Tabitha couldn’t understand and knelt beside him. His hands fumbled for his bag.

  “I cannot help this man. He needs to be in hospital.” He used a bundle of gauze to cover the wound and took out a syringe. “I am giving him a painkiller, so we can move him.”

  Someone produced a large cloth that would double as a stretcher. The guard spoke rapid fire into a radio. It was unreal. Tabitha began to shiver.

  Vandenblok moaned as they shifted him onto the cloth-turned-stretcher and lifted him. The men broke out in a sweat and were breathing hard when they finally reached the Jeep. The top was off, but the backseat was too small to lay him flat. The medic tried to make him comfortable. The guard hopped into the driver’s seat and the extra man stood in the rear of the Jeep, holding onto the roll bar. The driver headed away from Lower Sabie. The medic crouched in back touched Tabitha’s arm, making her jump, but he indicated he was going to clean her shoulder. She nodded and braced herself. The cleaning caused a deep burning that shot clear to her bones. Tabitha cried out, then bit her lip. He seemed to take forever. Involuntary tears ran down Tabitha’s face from the pain or the wind or both.

  “I’m sorry,” he called over the wind. “It is very dirty. We must get the dirt out.”

  Tabitha nodded. “Will he live?” She gestured with her head to Vandenblok, propped across the back.

  “I don’t know.” He gave such a helpless shrug. “There is nothing I can do for him in these circumstances. We are going to meet a helicopter.” The man tucked a small blanket around her shoulders and she was grateful for a modicum of warmth.

  The driver handled the roads with as much speed as seemed reasonable. He slowed to take a sharp curve. Tabitha heard Vandenblok’s voice above the wind. She turned in her seat to look at him.

  “I didn’t kill your uncle.” He coughed, and the medic tried to get him not to talk.

  “What about Mhlongo? Did he kill my uncle?” Tabitha asked.

  He nodded and coughed up blood.

  “Did you kill Mhlongo?” Perhaps it was heartless to hound a wounded man, but Tabitha wanted answers while she could get them.

  The driver hit a bump and Vandenblok seemed to lose consciousness again, or maybe the drugs took him into a stupor.

  Tabitha reflected on this new information. Mhlongo had killed Uncle Phillip. He hadn’t wandered away into the bush and been shot by accident. He had deliberately been left out there. She looked into the darkness. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she didn’t wipe it away. She still hoped the terrible bullet in his head meant he hadn’t suffered the teeth and claws of the animals he’d so loved to photograph. She gulped at the air rushing at her face to calm herself. She couldn’t stop the shivering. Phillip was gone and nothing would bring him back.

  At some pre-appointed place they pulled the Jeep off the road. For a moment, the sounds of Vandenblok’s labored breathing and the quiet of the night were the only sounds. Then Tabitha heard it, a distant deep strumming in the silence. It grew stronger until it filled the night. Soon the helicopter arrived and shone a light onto the dark road. Activity erupted everywhere, and Tabitha sat in the Jeep, helpless and tired.

  In the turmoil, someone coaxed Tabitha from the Jeep and toward the helicopter.

  “No, no. I don’t need to go.” She suddenly didn’t want to be near Vandenblok anymore. He represented fear and death. “I’m not hurt, really.”

  The man insisted. “You must be checked out by a doctor. I will drive you to the hospital two hours away or you will go in the helicopter. It must happen.”

  She nodded, too tired to fight it. He put a protective arm over her head as they shuffled under the rotors. He handed her up to a man in uniform.

  She turned and yelled over the sound of the engine. “Be sure you tell Mpande what has happened. Mpande needs to know.”

  She was buckled into a seat opposite where a stretcher was strapped to the side of the helicopter. A medic worked on Vandenblok, hooking up IVs. Tabitha turned to look out the window, away from the blood, and saw the copter lift off the ground. The light from the Jeep immediately disappeared out of her sight. Her reflection met her eye in the window with total darkness beyond.

  Chapter 70

  Africa. For Tabitha, beauty and death had lived as companions since her arrival. It was hard to form words in her head. The thump of the helicopter beat out any rational ideas. Pictures flashed in her head. A smiling Phillip. A torn-up photographer’s vest. Daniel with bleeding arms. Vandenblok and the other man loading ivory into the giraffe pen. Vandenblok and the rhino.

  The medic moved to speak to the men in front who were flying the noisy bird.

  Tabitha saw Vandenblok move in her peripheral vision and turned to look at him. He looked her in the eye and his lips moved as though he were talking. Tabitha wondered if he were conscious. He seemed to strain to speak louder, still looking directly at her. The dried blood caked on the side of his face looked black in the dim light.

  She looked around and unhooked her belt. She slid across on her knees to Vandenblok so she could hear him. Her hands shook. She reached to steady herself on the side of the stretcher.

  “My operation never hurt anyone,” he wheezed.

  “You mean before now?”

  He nodded.

  “Did you traffick humans?”

  He shook his head. “No, I never meant it to be this way.” He squeezed his eyes closed, seeming to fight off pain, or maybe the medicine. “I wanted to retire after this.”

  Tabitha had to know. “Did you kill Mhlongo?”

  Vandenblok opened his eyes wide and looked her in the face. He nodded. “He was out of control, out of control.” He swallowed with great effort and coughed a li
ttle. “I’ll say it was self-defense if I survive this.” A spasm of coughing racked his body. The medic turned to look.

  “Miss, Miss.” He shooed her back to her seat. “You must remain in your seat belt at all times.” He clucked at her until she was fastened in securely. “This man has suffered great injury.” He pointed. “Do not bother him.”

  Bother him? Tabitha thought about the irony of that. She’d never wanted to be bothered with this man, never intended to be linked to him at all. How had she become so entangled in such a short time? At least now she knew the truth. Phillip had been killed. Hopefully it was quick for him. She wasn’t too sure about Vandenblok’s self-defense angle, but perhaps it was a reflection of his remorse now that he too faced death. Mhlongo had walked a dark edge.

  She sat looking out the window, mostly seeing her own face in the glass, but lights started to dot the land below. She sensed a change in direction from the helicopter and soon saw a landing pad on top of a building. As they lowered to it, she saw people waiting for them. Her body had begun to ache all over and longed for rest. Too bad they hadn’t let her stay at the camp and just sleep it off.

  They landed with a rough thump. Vandenblok didn’t respond or gasp at the jarring. Perhaps the drugs had kicked in for him. The people at the hospital swarmed the copter and soon Vandenblok and his stretcher were gone. A young nurse coaxed Tabitha from her seat and into the emergency room.