Lia's files 2_Heading down south

by Kathrin Kilambya

  “He told Mekonnen that we should hurry, make sure that we left that area quickly and without leaving a trace, as there was a major battalion of Nemesis expected here. He also warned us of the Nemesis base north of Gondar. He advised us several times to hurry and get on our way as quickly as possible. Then, it was gruesome to watch, he clutched Mekonnen’ arm very hard, whispered something, sank back and was dead. Even though he had been our enemy and had tried to kill us, it felt awful. But we couldn’t afford to wait, to mourn this death or the others we had killed. We left the dead Nemesis all there in that village, just hid their bodies in a house so that any other Nemesis patrol that might happen this way wouldn’t find them too easily. Their radios we carried along. They may come handy.”

  Paul looked exhausted and Winter had tears in her eyes, that she wiped away angrily.

  “It was gruesome. Yes.” Rob confirmed. “But we really don’t have the time to discuss this all now. It’s imperative that we move quickly and set out toward Lake Tana as soon as possible. Goytom says, if we hurry we might still make it all the way to Lake Tana without these Nemesis catching up with us. We’ve managed to get six vehicles, two of them bigger pick-ups. That should do for our entire luggage and everybody. So let’s go and get all our gear, shall we?”

  Without waiting for an answer, he strode forward, toward the cave, and Winter followed him immediately. Paul, too, started toward the cave. They really seemed in a great hurry and we all quickly followed to get our gear and set out on the next stretch of our journey. Yuki had translated for Paul. Idris and his people were just as stunned as we were when they heard their story. Mekonnen gesticulated and talked very fast to Idris, waving his arms toward the cave and generally making it very clear that they should all hurry.

  So, in quite a hurry, we all trooped back to the caves and got our gear out and to the cars. Paul and Josh started to load up our remaining car plus another one with our gear, while we others went to fetch the remaining things.

  It took a bit longer to get Idris’s people’s gear all out to the cars and load it up on the other four vehicles. Some discussion ensued, too, as to who would travel in which car. We didn’t much join into this discussion and were standing by our cars, basically waiting for the others to finish the loading, and getting all worked up because it seemed to take them so long.

  We had left the doors of the cars open, for some fresh air to pass through, because it was scorching hot and we didn’t want the cars to heat up too much. It would have been exhaustive to sit in the baking heat of the closed cars. Yuki stood in the shade of the car, a pensive look on her face and I was just about to ask her what was the matter, when she suddenly looked up and expostulated. “Sun-cream! We thought of just about everything, medicine wise and so, Lia. But we have forgotten to pack sun-cream! We’ll be toasted and red like lobsters before long.”

  Everybody had to laugh at this unexpected remark. Even Winter, who had been standing very close to Rob, still looking rather shell-shocked after their gruesome experience, smiled. She volunteered that she, too, hadn’t packed any sun-cream, shoot. For Josh, Rob and Paul that might not really pose a problem but we others would have a hard time without, at least for the first few days. Well, it was as it was; there’s was nothing we could do about it now.

  Josh looked a bit concerned and urged me to stand in the shade. Cute and rather unnecessary of him. It felt nice to have somebody care that much for one’s well-being and I obliged him, more to please him than because I really was in need of shade. Winter gave a snort and muttered something about over-protective males, which made me giggle and Josh wrinkle his brows a bit.

  We settled back into waiting for the others to get ready; they were almost done and were already getting in the cars now. Alice had left Nulu and her other new friends behind and remained close to Yuki and me during all this packing procedure. In fact, she was snuggling up to Yuki right now, when Goytom and Belachew suddenly approached us.

  Goytom shyly addressed Rob. “We, that is Degu and I, would like to travel with you further south, at least towards Addis Ababa, maybe further. That is, if it is okay with you?”

  Before any of us could answer, Degu joined us and said. “I want to get back to my home town south of Addis Ababa. And I would very much appreciate, if you could take me along until Addis.” He looked at us a bit helplessly.

  “Well, yes. Of course. You can all come with us. Certainly. That’s no problem.” That was Paul.

  “Hey, you can’t decide that just by yourself. We all have a say in this.” Winter scolded him and I punched her gently in the side.

  Really, this was hardly polite.

  We could certainly do with a guide; our maps might be useful, but to have somebody along who really knew the area well would be priceless.

  Rob folded his arms around Winter and blew a kiss into her hair. “Flo, let it go. Goytom and Degu will be a great help. Paul is right to welcome them.”

  Winter glanced at every one of us and we all nodded silently our approval.

  Rob stepped forward and shook hands with Degu and Goytom “You are most very welcome. We will be happy to give you a lift as far as you like. Will you be riding with us from now onwards?”

  “No.” Goytom said, beaming. “We will ride in the front car, showing them the way.”

  “We really should get going.” Degu urged; he, too, was smiling and nodded his thanks at us before walking at a brisk pace toward the other cars.

  While this had been happening, Idris and his people had gotten in their respective cars; they were clearly anxious to get going now; and so we hurried to get into ours. I couldn’t help noticing, that Mahlet was staring hard at Degu and Goytom. What was this all about? Then she shot a glance over at Paul and it all became clear. The longing in her eyes. Apparently she had a crush on our crazy hero. Well, interesting to see how that would develop.

  Grinning to myself, I lifted Alice up into the back seat of our car. Paul slid into the driver’s seat. He hadn’t seen Mahlet’s look, or had he? Josh got in beside him. Yuki, Nin, Winter and Rob climbed into the other car. The doors were closed and the colonnade of cars started moving. While Paul navigated the car to follow Rob’s, Josh bent his head over the map on his knees. The driver of the front car set a brisk pace, much faster that we had been cruising along these roads yesterday. But then, we had no box with deadly poison fastened to our car anymore, had we?

  At first, we drove on in silence, everybody busy with their thoughts or just watching where we passed and what the scenery had to offer. Not much, really, but it was spectacular in its own way. This dry, desiccated land, desperately waiting for the hopefully soon approaching rain season. Everything looked dry and brittle, the soil showed cracks and the only hue of green came from some acacia trees near a dried up riverbed. Probably this land would look green and fertile when the rains came. Now it was a wilted and desperate scenery and I was glad that we hurried on at quite a speed. We could see the chains of hills now in the distance. Just a haze in the far, these were the hills we were heading to. Up there somewhere was this Lake Tana and, if we made it until there without any further skirmishes with the Nemesis, we ought to be safe. At least for now.

  “Wow, my head is kind of spinning after everything that has been happening in these last few hours and days.” Paul suddenly mused; he caught my eye in the back mirror and grinned at me.

  “And here we are, on our way, steadily approaching home.” Josh answered with a chuckle.

  “Don’t overdo it! We’ve got to get past these Nemesis first.” Paul cautioned him.

  I didn’t like to be reminded of this danger. After all, we were like sandwiched between enemies. Some in front of us and others following behind. Yes, neither group might know of our existence, yet. And we might just have a chance to slip past them. But still, it was nerve-racking. I kept glancing back, but couldn’t see anything, of course, because of the other cars following us.

  “Don’t you think that the dust we are raising mig
ht give our presence away.” I asked anxiously.

  “It can’t be avoided. The dust, I mean. We’ve got to get into Ethiopia now. From what this Nemesis chap told us before he died, it’s now or never. If we want to get there without any of these Nemesis around here noticing it.” Paul answered in a sombre voice.

  “And why would that be?” I wasn’t convinced.

  “Don’t be dense, Lia. Because whoever is following behind us will think that we are just another Nemesis patrol heading toward the Gondar basis. And, they haven’t got a clue about our existence anyway.”

  “But if they find the dead Nemesis in that village then they’ll know we are around.”

  “Sure, but why should they find them? The village is on their way, yes, but we took away all their gear and hid the bodies in houses. I assume, and I think it’s fair to do so, that the Nemesis platoon that is heading this way will just troop through that village as well as any other, not suspecting anything. After all, why should they?”

  “Well, okay, but suppose, one of the Nemesis you killed managed to send off a message.”

  Josh chipped in. “Don’t you worry, Lia. We’ll make it.”

  He turned around in his seat and looked at me reassuringly.

  I held his gaze for a moment, feeling a surge of panic within.

  Nothing was okay. And everything to worry about!

  Josh smiled at me tenderly and repeated. “Really, don’t worry Lia, we’ll make it.”

  A bit exasperated I nodded my head in approval of his words, more as a gesture than because I really believed him. At the same time, I was scolding myself for being such a sissy. Where had all the pluck of late gone? Why was I constantly worrying and imagining the worst? What about my usual courage and nonchalance?

  I tried hard not to think about it too much. Things would happen as they would. We had prepared ourselves as best as we possibly could. As to the future, we would deal with it, whatever it threw at us, wouldn’t we? To distract and calm Josh just as much as myself, I laid a hand on his shoulders. He touched it with his and pressed a kiss on it. Then he bent his head over the map once more and traced a route with his fingers.

  “Where are we, by the way? Do you have any idea?” I asked him, peering past his headrest at the map he had spread out in front of him.

  “Well, we’ve been driving a bit more than half an hour. So, don’t expect us to have gotten far. We should reach this border town called Metema within another half an hour or so. From what I can discern, we ought to be at that junction where we will branch off toward Lake Tana by about four o’clock in the afternoon. If we manage to keep going at this speed that is. The road will be as good as it is here, all the way past Lake Tana; Goytom told me.”

  Yeah, he was right on this account, the road was really in excellent condition. Tarmacked, with a bit of potholes, but since we could use to whole breath of the road, Paul managed to evade them easily. A glance at the speedometer told me that we were cruising along at almost 100 km/h. Not bad indeed.

  “So, we might settle for the night near Lake Tana?” I asked a bit incredulously.

  “We certainly might.” Paul agreed with a big grin and Josh nodded his head, too. “If we can keep going at that pace, we ought to make it there, no problem.”

  He looked over to Paul, amazement spreading over his face. “Lake Tana, Paul! To think how often we have talked of going on an expedition there with Uncle Phil. Nothing peculiarly interesting geology-wise. But we just wanted to go there. However, for one reason or another, it never happened. And now here we are, heading there. I will finally get to see this mysterious lake. Wow, and with all of you! This is really going to be a once-in-a-life-time experience!”

  “Why, what’s so special about that lake?” I asked, curious to understand why he was so excited about seeing this lake.

  “I don’t know. It’s kind of hard to tell.” Tilting his head sidewise, he gave me a tender smile. “It’s just. Ever since I learnt of its existence, I dreamt of seeing it. Because it’s so high up. Because it’s the source of the Blue Nile. Because it’s kind of magical. Do I make sense?”

  I patted his shoulder with one hand. “I think so. At least I am now curious, too, to see that lake.”

  “Will there be hippos?” Alice chipped in.

  “I guess, tiger. Why? Are you afraid of them?” Paul answered her.

  “Of course not.” Was her indignant response. “I have seen so many hippos. I know what to do. And besides, I am not afraid of any animal.”

  “Really?” I raised an eyebrow in her direction.

  “Okay, okay, spiders. I don’t like spiders, because some of them get to be sooo big.” She indicated with her hand a hypothetical spider of about 50cm diameter. “And they are so fast. At least the ones you get in Uncle Phil’s place. Remember Lia?”

  I shuddered at the thought of these spiders. “Yes, you are right, tiger. Those spiders are about the only drawback of Uncle Phil’s place. Remember how we jumped from our seats when one came around the corner about ten metres away and seemed to be under our table in just a blink of an eye.”

  Josh laughed at this. “Really, afraid of spiders? You? After all the bravery, spiders are the one thing that scare you?”

  I tried to maintain some dignity and answered somewhat haughtily. “So what? Who likes them anyway? They may be interesting, but from a safe distance as far as I am concerned.”

  Paul and Josh laughed at this.

  “I kind of assumed you were of afraid of nothing, Lia. Now I am disappointed.” Paul chuckled and glanced at me in the back mirror.

  I scowled his direction. “Well, there’s quite a lot of things I am afraid of actually: spiders, those huge bed bugs that you get in Kenya, the big centipedes and the feathery millipedes, or snakes and monitor lizards. Monitor lizards really freak me out, you know. Because they are so cunny and clever. When you encounter them in the wild, they always strike me as seriously contemplating how to get you and make you their next meal. No, don’t laugh, they are really highly intelligent. Several studies have shown this…”

  That’s about as far as I got. Josh and Paul apparently thought my words extremely hilarious, because they were laughing so hard now that Paul almost lost his way and drove us into the ditch. Josh punched him, still bursting with mirth. “Hey, mate, take care where you are driving!”

  “Sorry!” Paul got a grip on himself and closed the distance to Rob’s car. Then he turned and asked. “Was that it? Your catalogue of creatures you’re scared of?”

  I had to laugh at this. It was, after all, funny, wasn’t it?

  But before I had time to answer, Paul pulled the car to a stop.

  “What the…!” He exclaimed.

  The cars in front of us had stopped and Idris, Goytom, as well as Rob were getting out of their respective cars. Josh cautioned Alice and me with a wave of his hand. “Wait, I will go and see what the matter is.”

  He joined the others outside and they stood at the edge of the road glancing backward. Goytom was indicating something with his arms. The other cars had stopped, but Idris motioned for everybody to remain in their cars. Goytom ran toward the three rear cars shouting something while Josh sprinted back to us.

  “Someone is following us.” He gasped as he jumped into the car. “Step on the pedal, Paul. We have to hurry now!”

  Paul didn’t lose time discussing things. He started the car and raced after Rob’s, the entire colonnade speeding along now at 120 km/h at least.

  “What do you mean? What is this all about?” I asked shakily, glancing over my shoulder as if the Nemesis were already here.

  “Belachew spotted them. Idris and he think that they are just about 20 kilometres behind us. Belachew saw the dust column in the far distance and guessed how far away they might be. Goytom thinks, we might still make it, but we’ve really got to hurry now.”

  “So, if we can see theirs, they must see the dust column we’re raising, too, right?” I felt all of a twitter.


  “Yes, probably.” Came Josh’s curt reply. “But nothing to worry yet, they are still far away.”

  “Will they capture us? I am afraid, Lia!” Alice wailed and started to cry.

  I took her into my arms and held her close. It comforted her as well as myself.

  Josh turned around and glanced at me questioningly.

  “It’s all right.” I assured him. “We’re all right. Let’s just get out of here and to this Lake Tana. Then we’ll be all right.”

  Alice hid her face in my chest and sobbed quietly.

  I’ll never forget the next four hours.

  We came to Metema in under ten minutes. Crossing over a stone bridge that was clearly the demarcation line between Sudan and Ethiopia, we drove into the town and found it totally deserted. We didn’t linger and quickly drove through the empty streets, nervously scanning our surroundings, not daring to stop anywhere. It felt strange to cross from one country into another. In the old, normal world there would have been people, lots of them. And it would have taken us a while, probably hours, to complete the customs formalities. And now, in this new, strange, frightening world of no people, we just cruised through. The streets looked forbidden and strangely threatening. There was no sign of death, just emptiness. Not even dogs or cats were anywhere about. The houses all looked intact, there was no destruction, everything just looked as if everybody had gone away. It felt threatening. I for one was glad that nobody suggested we take a closer look. What with the Nemesis troupe behind us, speed was of the essence and we cruised through Metema without stopping once.

  After Metema, the road wound steadily upward, not in a steep climb. Just gradually. And the road was tarmacked just as the stretch we’d covered so far. Therefore we could drive at quite some speed. The scenery would have been very nice, had we had the time and mind to enjoy it.