Tokoloshe: When you hear the drums, it's already too late!

by Botha, Johan

  dumdum dum dum dumdum…

  Chapter 16

  “If I’d known that the campsite was going to be this far, I would have brought less gear.” Peens complained, heaving under the heavy backpack.

  He, Peter, Beth and Big John had decided to hike up to The Guardian and camp there. They wanted to see what was lurking there, knowing that whatever was there had to be faced head-on in order to stop the massacre that seemed to be happening all around them.

  Peter and Beth argued for the first time ever over her coming along, as he thought it would be way too dangerous for her, but she insisted. With a heavy heart, Peter gave in to her persistence; there was just no keeping her away. With resignation, Peter knew that Beth really wasn’t safe anywhere anymore.

  “Almost there.” Peter said.

  Peens was not used to hiking. The sweat trickled down his brow and the afternoon sun was burning the hell out of the bald spot on his head. He knew that they would all soon be in grave danger, as Peter was the one who shot the baboon creature. As he remembered what Peter had told him that evening at the station, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. This was all so unbelievable; he thought to himself, is this really happening?

  As they neared their campsite, Big John could not help but wonder what the rest of the day will have in store for them. When will they encounter this Tokoloshe and will his ancestors protect him and his dear friends from harm? His wife had told him that she wished he wouldn’t go. She said that she felt great evil on the mountain and that her husband and especially Peter’s presence there will disturb them even more. There was no helping it, Big John knew, what had begun, had begun… there was no going back now.

  Beth was lost in her own thoughts as she kept her eyes on the ground in front of her. She stopped to take a drink and looked up at the beauty that surrounded them. It was then that she noticed the strange quietness of the mountain. There were no crickets chirping or even birds singing songs in the trees. Even the wind seemed to weave its breath through the leaves without making a sound. It made her feel uneasy, as if something was holding all the sound back from the mountain, in anticipation…

  They came upon a rich, loamy clearing that seemed perfect for their camp. It really is beautiful up here, Beth thought, as she took a moment to enjoy the view. It was paradise. The sun broke through the green, wet canopy above, drops of rain silently rolled off vibrant green leaves and onto the mossy carpet below. The mountaintop seemed too ominous, too looming and too perfect to be real. It stood over them, yet seemed to be all around them, both sheltering them from the world and holding them in a trap between the river and the rocks. It would be romantic if they weren’t in danger of having their intestines yanked out, Beth thought.

  Peter helped Beth set up her tent as Big John and Peens attended to their own. They settled down under a Jacaranda tree and waited, tense and ready. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts preparing for what was going to happen when they encountered the Tokoloshe and how they were going to banish him.

  Everyone was aware of the spirits on the mountain, but no one wanted to recognize them with words. They sat as a group in front of their tents and the sun cast their hunched and twisted silhouettes against the drying ground.

  ****

  Lucky knew his father was going to go up to The Guardian. He had heard his mother and father talking about it. He also knew the danger his father would be in when they encounter whatever was up there. Lucky knew, he saw it and knew how dangerous it was…

  While listening to the hushed voices near the fire in their small hut, Lucky lay on his straw bed, thinking about what had happened over the past few days. He thought about the ash he and Danny had taken from the small bag that Peter had put it in. Drifting off into a restless sleep, an idea began to form in the back of his mind…

  Before the roosters could shake their feathers and announce the dawn of a new day, Lucky silently crept out of the hut, not wanting to disturb his parents, still sleeping.

  A foggy blanket lay across the valley, making it seem as if it were consumed by an invisible spirit. The dew lay heavily on the blades of grass, glistening in the early morning light. Lucky got an uneasy feeling as he started walking up the dirt pathway towards Danny’s house. He picked up the pace to a jog, trying to keep his mind occupied, not wanting to think about what might be lurking behind the bushes as he passed them.

  “Psst, Danny! Hey Danny!” Lucky whispered at his windowsill.

  He gave a gentle knock on the window, careful not to wake anyone else.

  After a few minutes, Danny appeared at the window, clearly startled by the voice outside. After realizing it was Lucky, he pushed the curtain back and opened the window so that Lucky could scamper into his room, quickly closing the window again.

  “Man, what are you doing here so early? You scared the shit out of me!”

  “Danny, eish man, I have a plan. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a try.” Lucky was out of breath and panted like a dog.

  “Slow down! What are you talking about? What’s wrong?” Danny stood in front of Lucky, confused about why his friend would be in his room at this hour.

  Lucky drew a few deep breaths to calm himself down. The reason for him being out of breath was not the fact that he had jogged all the way to his friend’s house; it was the fact that he was scared as hell while doing so.

  “I know how we can get rid of whatever attacked us on the mountain.”

  Danny stared at Lucky, wide eyed. “You what?”

  “I know, I know, you think I’m fucked, but I can’t just sit here and watch all the people I care about die! I have to do something, anything! Thing is, I can’t do this without your help.”

  “Lucky, you…”

  “Wait, before you start going all ape shit again, listen to me! Let’s do this for Tubby and David.”

  Hearing the names of his friends, Danny seemed to calm down a bit. He would do ANYTHING to avenge the friends he had lost recently.

  “Man, you seriously lost it, but for Tubby and David, I’ll do anything.” Danny said hesitantly.

  “Right. Listen now; remember the ash we took from Peter’s small bag?” Lucky took the ash from his pocket, wrapped in a piece of cloth. “I know of a Sangoma that can help us. We must take the ash to her. She will know what to do; I have heard the Sangoma of my village talk about her. Umthakati Nqobizitha, they call her. The witch who conquers enemies…”

  “So, you mean to tell me that we have to give the ash to some Sangoma and she will fix everything? Will she be able to bring our friends back, Lucky, did you ever think about that?” Danny interrupted Lucky and was getting angry at all the bullshit that he was talking.

  “No, it won’t bring them back.” Lucky stood his guard. “But it will prevent anyone else from being sucked into the hell going on that damn mountain!”

  “And where do you think will we find this Sangoma? Better yet, how the hell will she be able to help us?”

  “I heard that she is traveling through the country. She is passing through here today. I know that because I saw the Sangoma in my village burn some Wattle logs near her hut this morning. Every time she burns wattle, a Sangoma from another village will pass through or near our town.”

  “Is that so?” Danny asked, wondering what had gotten into his friend.

  “My father once told me about Umthakati Nqobizitha when I was young. He said that she is the most powerful Sangoma in South Africa. She can walk with the spirits and ancestors. Very eccentric, but I am telling you, she is our last chance.”

  “You sure ‘bout this, Lucky?” Danny sat down on his bed and looked at the floor. He was not used to being scared, but what Lucky was telling him was really scaring the crap out of him.

  “I’m sure. So, you in?”

  After what seemed like ages, Danny looked up. “Yes, I’m in. God help us, I’m in. I not doing this for you, I’ doing this for David and Tubby. Danny said, as if trying to convince himself.

/>   “What you waiting for then?” Lucky was already halfway out the window. “We gotta find the Sangoma before she leaves Hill Valley!

  Danny grabbed a shirt and climbed out the window.

  ****

  Halfway back to Lucky’s kraal, they heard a slight chanting and the clinging of what sounded like bells. Not too far up the dirt road, they spotted her. Umthakati Nqobizitha. She was known across South Africa not only for her spirit strength but also for her flamboyant nature. She truly believed that all the riches of the land are promised to her once she fulfills her duty as Umthakati.

  “Umthakati Nqobizitha, bless the spirits that walk with you.” Lucky said as she neared.

  “You talking to me boy?” She said, looking at the two youngsters standing in the pathway. “You not only talking to Umthakati Nqobizitha, you know. You are talking the most powerful and richest Umthakati’s that this land has and will ever see.”

  “Phephisa.” Lucky murmured and wished he had never thought of this idea. He has never spoken to a Sangoma yet in his life and was not sure how to talk to her. All he could think of was avenging his friends and helping his father banish whatever was lurking in the mountain.

  Umthakati Nqobizitha’s tangled black hair was braidd with white beads, making the lines in her face appear even deeper, making her look wiser than she really was. The colorful but moth-eaten clothes she wore had traditional patterns on them. In her hand she always carried her whip made of bamboo and a cow’s tail. Her teeth were rotting in her mouth and her lips were always as red as blood as if she had just eaten raw meat, riddled with blood. She looked like she could at least be a hundred years old by the way her back arched. She did not wear shoes and her feet were caked with mud from walking in the valley.

  She was not your usual witch doctor. Yes, she talked to spirits and called upon the ancestors for help, but more than that, she was a witch doctor that asked for riches in return for her powers. If you wanted her help, you simply did not ask. You had to bring her something, such as gold coins or silks from the ships that sometimes dock at the coast. She used the riches she gained to make people not only respect her but fear her as she usually boasted about her riches. The more riches she had, according to her, the more successful she was when talking with the spirits.

  “Is that all you have to say, boy?” she spat. “Get out of my way and off you go or I will send the Tokoloshe and all his spirits to haunt you until you jump of the highest mountain you can find!”

  “We… um… we heard that you would be in the region and we were waiting for you, Speaker of the Spirits.”

  “What’s this names you are calling me? Have you ever spoken to an Umthakati before? Wait, you were waiting for me? Why? Is there something you want me to do for you?” she rubbed her hands together and licked her lips as if readying herself for a meal.

  “Yes, yes we need your help.” Danny spoke for the first time. He was scared of the hideous woman standing in front of him. He only saw the Sangoma in Lucky’s kraal a few times and never dared speak to her.

  Umthakati Nqobizitha ignored Danny and looked at Lucky instead. “You need me help eh? What for? Then again, I imagine it has something to do with the darkness surrounding your village?”

  She began murmuring and looked sideways as if talking to an invisible person. “Yes, yes I feel it, to consume everything and smother the light.” She stepped from the dirt path and walked to the shade of a Jacaranda tree. In the sand beneath the tree, she started drawing wither dirty fingers.

  As Lucky and Danny neared, the figures she drew began to look like images of David and Tubby. A third figure, smaller and more obscure, hung over them.

  The Umthakati continued drawing while murmuring in a hushed voice. Suddenly she stopped and started scratching at the dirt, destroying what she had just drawn. She looked up and her eyes were rolled to the back of her head. “You need my help?”

  Neither Danny nor Lucky answered as they were too stunned at what was taking place before their eyes.

  “You need my help?” she said again.

  “We do, our friends were… and we need to banish the Tok…” before Lucky could finish the sentence, the Sangoma’s eyes rolled back into her head and she looked at him.

  “I know what evil lurks here and I know what happened. I am asking you now, you need my help?”

  “Yes.” That was all that Lucky could say.

  “And how are you two going to pay for my help?”

  “Pay?” Danny asked.

  She ignored Danny once again and looked at Lucky as if he was the one that had just asked the question.

  “Yes, boy, you don’t think I am going to do this without any payment? You forget who you are talking to? I am Umthakati Nqobizitha, the most powerful Sangoma in South Africa. You have heard of me, I can see it in your infant eyes…” She peered into Lucky’s eyes.

  “We will pay you, as soon as we have the money.” Lucky said.

  “Oh no, it’s not money I want. I want your friend here’s spirit for me. Once you give his spirit to me, I will do whatever you want.” She was smiling savagely as she said this.

  “His spirit?” Lucky said.

  “Fuck no! This is not what I signed up for!” Danny began to back away from the Sangoma.

  “Ah ah, little boy, you are too young still. But don’t worry, once you are ready, I will be waiting…”

  “What does she mean Lucky?” Danny whispered.

  Lucky, knowing full well what she meant, said, “You have a deal.”

  “What the fuck Lucky? What’s going on?”

  As if hypnotized by her, Lucky ignored the pleads of his friend.

  “You have a piece of this darkness with you then?” she asked Lucky.

  Lucky pulled the ash of the Tokoloshe from his pocket and gave it to her. She took it and opened the cloth.

  “Ahh… The smell…” she said and started chanting again.

  “Come.” She said and started walking in the direction of the mountain. Lucky followed, without looking left or right, falling under the cunning spell of the Sangoma.

  “Lucky, wait!” Danny yelled and ran after them, not prepared to lose another friend.

  Back on the mountain, hours went by in eerie silence. Their eyes dried from hyper-alertness, but the jungle was quiet and peaceful around them.

  “It’s getting late. Maybe we should start a fire.” Peter suggested, getting up and stretching his tired legs. Dusk was turning the mountain purple around them; Funny that he hadn’t noticed until now. Where had the time gone? Did he fall asleep? Did they all fall asleep? He gathered the kindling they had stacked between the tents. Beth cleared the campfire area and brought out a few items for dinner that night.

  “Peens! Let’s take a walk around the perimeter...” Big John said, wanting to feel useful.

  As the stars began showing their glowing faces in the South African sky, Big John and Peens paced off a few kilometers in opposite directions. The sounds of their voices calling to each other echoed against the rock face and startled a few birds from their nests.

  Peens was less-than enthusiastic about their little adventure, preferring to stay near the camp and the safety “in numbers,” but did his best to put on a good show. He hitched up his pants and grabbed the machete, hacking his way through the brush towards the mountain face. The mountain looked especially impressive at this time of night, he thought. The cave-like openings under the waterfall look like hungry mouths spitting out bats and birds into the night sky.

  “Creepy” Peens said out loud, deciding he’d gone far enough and backtracking towards Big Johns voice and the faraway light from the new campfire.

  Big John stood near the overlook on the other side of camp, admiring the view of the town below. His kraal, his home, his family was there. His Lettie, he knew, was probably looking up at him, right at this moment. His boy, Lucky, was there as well, so full of promise. They are the reason he is here, he thought. He was their protector, he was THEIR guardian…
and he would not fail them tonight. With a deep breath that filled his chest and built his courage, Big John turned back towards camp and the unknown.

  ****

  Peter had the campfire crackling in minutes and he and Beth settled around it quickly as the setting sun brought about a fast chill to the air. Beth sat on the ground, feeding the fire steadily while Peter slowly started sharing the memories that now flooding his mind.

  “It’s crazy how things are starting to come back to me now,” Peter said slowly, sadly, “Outside of Bert’s, I had a flashback… I have those all the time,” he added when Beth turned around to look at him quickly. “I remember more and more about Juanita’s accident… I blocked it out…” he trailed off, “I’m really good at blocking things out.” He admitted. Beth touched his foot which rested beside her, comforting him with her casual touch, thinking to herself that maybe she was the same…