[2016] Rubbing Stones

by Nancy Burkey

  “I think they’re expecting another delivery. Zuka seems to want to be around for those.” Michael handed her a bowl of lukewarm grilled vegetables.

  She ate and watched out the window. “And the others?”

  Michael laughed. “Paul tried to convince them that he needed to exercise his leg.”

  She stopped mid-bite.

  “He tried to circle camp, see where we are. It was pretty obvious he’s planning his great escape.”

  “What did Zuka and Japera do?”

  “That was the funny thing. They kept an eye on him but let him wander—don’t think they’re too worried about anyone making a mad dash into the wilderness. And by the time he came back he was really limping. He went in to elevate his leg.”

  She thought of Shelly, her fears of leaving camp.

  “Mom?”

  “What?”

  “Did he say a name?”

  “Who?” Jane was looking out the window. Thabani sat looking at the stars, rifle in hand.

  “The driver. Changa. I couldn’t hear well, too far away. But it sounded like he said he had to get back before the girl woke up. Did he say her name?”

  “Not that I remember. Why?”

  “Oh, nothing.”

  “You think he was talking about the girl you met in the airport? It might make sense—she’s Japera’s sister, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “You’d be disappointed if she were in on it, wouldn’t you? What was her name?”

  “Katura. It doesn’t matter, Mom. I just feel stupid.”

  “It’s a different world out here, Michael.”

  Michael picked up his paperback and turned over. Jane went back to looking out the window.

  Thabani was about to make his camp rounds but stood and looked toward her hut. He glanced up expectantly when she came out the door.

  Jane slowed her pace as they rounded the backside of Shelly’s hut. She noted the enormous variety of flowering plants, luscious ferns, and fig trees.

  “There must be some underground water in this area,” she said loud enough for Shelly to hear her. She knew Shelly was still in there, but she’d had no chance to slip away and check on her.

  Thabani held his index finger over his mouth. She rounded the bend and saw why—two small antelope were foraging under nearby trees. They glanced at the interlopers, then calmly resumed eating. Jane took in the white spots on their strong hindquarters and necks, the stripes on their backs and sides over coats of chestnut brown. They stood just under three feet high and had foot-long straight horns with a distinct twist.

  “Bushbuck,” Thabani whispered. “As usual, grazing at dusk.”

  Just then a large male warthog walked within ten yards from where she stood and stopped. Although it was smaller than the antelope, its large head with prominent tusks and wart-like skin below each eye made her stiffen as it came closer. She reached over and grabbed Thabani’s arm.

  “Careful, not all the natives are friendly,” he whispered. They moved backward together. It must be a line he used when guiding. Now so out of place.

  “You mean not as friendly as the ones carrying guns?”

  He didn’t respond.

  The bushbuck had lifted their heads at the sound of her voice and bounded off in the opposite direction, out of sight of the path. The warthog stared for a moment before letting out a low, sustained grunt.

  Jane and Thabani didn’t move.

  It stood for a minute longer before it turned and trotted off with its tail straight up like an antenna.

  “Want to follow him?” Thabani asked.

  She shook her head.

  “Too bad, he’s an amusing fellow.”

  Amusing? Her heart racing.

  “If we followed him to his burrow we’d get to see him enter butt-first. He has to do it that way in order to keep his tusks facing out—in case we try to attack. It’s a smart way to do it but it looks pretty funny. Quite entertaining, actually.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” She smiled at him—she wasn’t moving any closer toward that swine.

  “Those guys can get pretty rough if they’ve a mind to.” He reached down and picked up some nearby branches, long enough to poke at any small wildlife that approached. They circled the north side of the resort and headed toward the more forested area, away from the structures. They walked for at least ten minutes in silence.

  “You must have been quite a guide,” she said finally.

  “I was fair.”

  “You enjoyed it, didn’t you?”

  “I suppose.”

  She stepped over a fallen tree trunk. “I mean, until that accident, it must have been fun to—”

  “Look, I don’t want to talk about that.” There was something in his tone, something softer than his usual signal to stop. “It’s over, okay?”

  “That’s good.” She sat down on a boulder a few feet away. “Because often it’s not over.”

  “No, it’s over. Definitely over.”

  “That’s good. Because, you know, for some people a thing like that just goes on and on—in their heads, I mean. The scene just flashes in front of you, again and again, like it’s still happening. Can’t get rid of it.” She pointed to her temple. “In here, I mean.”

  He was very still but didn’t say anything.

  She waited, then picked up a stick and started drawing in the dirt. “Sometimes the scene changes, different outcomes…”

  “Different outcomes?” He shook his head. “No,” he said quietly.

  She nodded, but didn’t look up at him. She waited in silence.

  “It’s always the same—her face, pleading, staring at me. It’s like I can hear her words calling to me.”

  Jane continued drawing a labyrinth in the dirt.

  “The dreams are the worst, like she’s whispering from underwater, her hair swirling in front of her face. . . I can almost make out her words.” Thabani shook his head. “It’s stupid. You can’t hear people underwater.”

  He suddenly threw a stone across the path, squarely hitting an acacia trunk thirty yards away.

  “It all fell apart because of Andrew’s report.”

  Jane reached down and removed a couple of twigs from the middle of her drawing, smoothed over the dirt and began sketching again.

  “It’s not that what he said was so damning—a few things here or there, but nothing of consequence. No, he’s more clever than that. He saw his opportunity. He just took his time for the report, and that’s all it takes. First an incident, then nothing for weeks to clear my name? After that, it didn’t really matter what the report said.”

  “Her words?” she asked softly. “What does she say?”

  Thabani looked confused.

  “In your dreams, you said the girl spoke to you under water.”

  “I said I could almost make out her words. I can’t really…”

  He took in a deep breath. He squatted, picked up a small stick, and started following the trail of her dirt labyrinth. It was several minutes before he spoke.

  “She’s begging me, like I’m not trying hard enough. Like she knows something. . . knows I won’t get to her fast enough.”

  Jane continued drawing. His eyes followed her lines as they became more detailed. He had stopped drawing himself.

  “When they found her body they said she hit her head on a rock. They said she died instantly.”

  “Does that help—to know she didn’t suffer?”

  “Not really. The bottom line is, she died on my watch. I was the safety. And that’s not at all how I remember it. For me, it’s like slow motion. I’m always seeing the same face.” He looked directly at Jane for the first time. “I’m not even sure it’s hers. She’s white, with blond hair. That’s all I really remember. I see her everywhere. Every time I see a young white woman I see her.” He looked away from Jane. “Even in your face. But she was younger than you.”

  “And not very forgiving.”

  “I did
n’t know her that well.”

  “No, at this point you’ve invented her. And you’ve made her awfully cruel.”

  “I haven’t made her anything.”

  “The girl in your head expects you to reach her when she was out of reach. I’m just saying, maybe that’s not what she’s like at all. You’re right, you don’t know her. Maybe she’d understand that you tried and that it was impossible to save her. I don’t know her either, but maybe.”

  Thabani sat motionless for a minute or two, looking down at the ground. He stood up when Jane did, and they started walking toward camp.

  “Maybe,” she heard him whisper.

  CHAPTER 17

  “Shelly, how’re you holding up?” The girl didn’t react when Jane came in—odd, she’d been so desperate before. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long, they’ve been watching us pretty close.”

  “I’m sure you tried.” Shelly’s voice was flat.

  “We have a few minutes, they’re circling camp.” She looked closer—Shelly wasn’t tied up. Jane grabbed her own wrist and held it up. “Hey, you’re free.”

  Shelly turned slowly to look at the ropes that still hung from the ends of her cot, as if seeing them for the first time.

  “Yeah, for now, who knows when these guys’ll change their minds again. I try to leave the hut, I get shot. Don’t really need ropes when you’ve got guns.” She turned away.

  “Shelly, what’s going on?”

  “I can’t do it, Jane. I can’t be in here alone day and night. I’m going—”

  “Do they say why you can’t come out with us?”

  A long pause.

  “They think I’ll plan an escape, that as a guide I’m the most likely to be able to go for help.” She swallowed hard. “I mean, since Baruti…”

  She sat on the cot and put her arm around Shelly. The girl broke into tears. She laid her head against Jane and began to rock back and forth. From the beginning Jane had noticed that Shelly was close to Baruti, that he’d been supportive to her. She’d had no one to console her about his death. And the isolation was killing her.

  “He seemed like such a good man, Shelly.”

  “The best.” She began to rock again. “There was something so special about him. He was trying to help, to do good, that’s all he ever wanted.”

  “He obviously thought the world of you.”

  She laughed, tears still running down her cheeks. “You know, he’d sneak over and in that low voice of his he’d give me hints, little pointers on how to survive working under Lorenzo. Invaluable really. He didn’t have to do that, just going that extra mile—always thinking about the other guy.”

  “You must miss him terribly.”

  “It’s just not fair—why him?” Shelly suddenly pulled away from Jane and faced her. “Oh my God, Jane. I’m sorry, I’m being so insensitive.”

  Jane glanced toward the window, tried not to think of her own loss. Her grief was private.

  “Look, maybe I should just run, make a break for it and see what happens. It doesn’t matter now, I might as well make myself useful, maybe I’ll even get out.”

  “No, Shelly.”

  “How the hell else are we ever going to get away from here?” Shelly looked over at the slit in the canvas Jane had come through. “We have to try something. You wanted me to go before. Well, now I’m ready.”

  Ready? Shelly’s skin was pale and she’d lost weight. Her willingness to take the risk gave away her hopelessness. A third loss on their side was more than Jane was willing to contemplate.

  “Look at me, Shelly.” Jane took hold of her hands. “Our plan is working. You need to stay here. I’ll try to be back as soon as I can, but you have to hold tight.”

  “Thabani? What’s he going to do?”

  “He’s coming along, I just need a little more time.”

  “But what’s—”

  “I know this is hard, but be patient. We’ll be out of here soon.” Through the window she saw Japera round the corner of Paul’s hut. He’d be heading for the center of camp in another minute. “I’ve got to go now.”

  Shelly reached out, but Jane had already moved to her exit in the tent.

  “I’ll be back. Don’t worry, it won’t be long.”

  CHAPTER 18

  By the time she found the right doorway, Katura knew she didn’t have much time. It hadn’t been easy to find the bar despite having been there just two nights ago. It had been dark and there weren’t any identifying signs. Zuka said that was because it was a secret meeting place for the MDC. They called it The Cave, and it had been chosen because it blended so well into the neighborhood. Too well. She was hoping it would be less intimidating in the light of day. She had to find a way to Mana Pools, and someone in there had to know how to get there.

  She knocked and waited. No one came. She knocked louder. Maybe they didn’t open this early. She was about to pound again when she heard the latch inside slide open.

  “Who’s there?” It was a low male voice, but she couldn’t see its owner. Beyond the crack of the door it was pitch black. The windows must be covered from the inside.

  “I need to talk to someone.”

  “And who would that be?”

  “I’m not exactly sure—”

  The door closed to about six inches wide as the man yelled back into the room. “Anyone here waiting for a girl?”

  Someone said something she couldn’t make out, then there was an outburst of laughter.

  “No, honey, I think you’ve knocked on the wrong door.” He started to shut it, but she grabbed his arm.

  “Please, I need some help.” Her eyes had adjusted. The man at the door looked to be in his late twenties.

  “What exactly do you need?” He said it softly, but she shivered. Before she could think what to say next, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her next to him. “I’m sure I can help you with whatever it is.” She pulled Thabani’s river map out of her jacket pocket and tried to squirm away but his grip was too strong.

  “I need to know how to get to Mana Pools. I thought someone here might be able—”

  He twisted her around to face him, holding her tightly by her forearms. She could barely move. He looked up and down the street behind her. “What makes you think we know about that place?”

  “Hey, I remember that girl.” It was a woman, at a table several feet from the entrance. “She’s the one who came in the other night with Zuka and those other guys.”

  The man let go of her, and Katura moved into the bar. She recognized the woman immediately.

  Two nights before Japera had followed Zuka to a large round table in the back. He’d left Katura standing with Thabani at the bar. She had clearly not been invited to Zuka’s private meeting and she stood around awkwardly—watched from a distance as her brother was introduced to a group of young men. The light was too dim for her to make out the men at his table. Had Changa been one of them? She bit her lip and stared at the now empty table. Her memory of details was good, but never as good as her memory of her feelings. It was the details she needed to recall now. Think, Katura.

  “Can a guy get a beer around here?” Thabani had said as he stood next to her. Her cousin’s nonchalance had bugged her.

  She remembered the bartender glancing up for a second but continuing his whispered conversation with two men and a large, androgynous woman in a dark green suit—the same woman who now sat in front of her. But at the time it was the men who held Katura’s attention. The man with a full beard and thin lips kept his eyes on Thabani. After some moments he finally signaled to the bartender.

  “Yeah?” The bartender turned only his head—he kept his outstretched arms firmly planted on the bar in front of the trio. “What can I get you?”

  Thabani had looked at the bottles lined up on the wall. “I’ll take a Carling.”

  “One?” He still hadn’t moved.

  Thabani had glanced at Katura. “Just one—” Suddenly Thabani was slapped hard on the back
of his left shoulder. “What the…?” He turned to face a young man with bad skin and a bright smile. “Rudo!” Thabani grabbed the man’s hand, shook it, knocked knuckles, and stamped the top of his fist. He turned to the bartender. “Make it two.”

  “Good to see you’re back in town,” Rudo said. “You working?”

  Thabani waited for the bartender to open the bottles and hand them across the counter, then flipped him a large tip in addition to the price of the beer.

  “Let’s talk.” He looked around for a place to sit.

  Katura had waited to ask for a glass of water from the bartender before she joined Thabani and his friend—not that she felt welcome, but there was something about this place that made her uncomfortable standing alone for long. The bartender leaned over the counter and talked quietly to the older man at the bar, with the bearded man and woman in green listening in. Katura was thirsty, but after a few awkward minutes it seemed impossible to get his attention. As she began to weave her way through the crowded room, she squeezed past the trio. The man with the beard had suddenly jumped up and grabbed her right forearm.

  “You seem to have a purpose,” he said.

  “Do I?” Katura tried to pull away from his grip. She glanced over her shoulder toward the back of the room, but there were too many people in the way for her to see her brother or cousin. The man laughed and tightened his hold on her. The older man just sipped his beer and watched.

  “Such a young serious girl.” The man holding her turned to the others. “What do you think she could be doing here?” He turned back to Katura, pulled her in closer, and sat back on his stool. “Seems like an odd place to look for your schoolmates or find a new boyfriend. But maybe that’s exactly what you’re doing.” He’d pulled her next to him and ran his fingers down the nape of her neck.

  “Let her go,” the woman in green had said. “She came in with Zuka, or didn’t you notice?”

  “I noticed.” He shot a quick glance toward Zuka’s table, then back at the older, silent man to his left. “But he doesn’t seem too concerned about her.”

  Nonetheless, he had relaxed his grip ever so slightly at the mention of Zuka’s name, and Katura twisted to break his hold. She couldn’t get free—just squirmed in place—but her movement caused the man’s jacket to gape open, revealing a large revolver on his left hip. He moved forward to maintain his hold on Katura and at the same time tried to tug his jacket back into place.