The school Driver

On a hot Thursday afternoon Mark Kabwe drove past the school sign which read “Goldie junior High”. It was after five minutes that he pulled over in the parking lot. He opened the car door, picked up a package from the rear seat, and strode off to the school buildings.

“Hey, you packed in the wrong place again pal” a school guard shouted to him. Mark turned and looked at the guard who pointed at the billboard in front of where he parked reading “Reserved School Board Manager” ’can’t you read? The guard said glaring at him.

‘Oh’, he scoffed ‘don’t worry I will be out in a minute’ then he strode off

‘Hey, get back here right now’ the guard was shouting. It was after Mark entered the school building corridor that he stopped hearing the guard cursing. The corridor was filled with students loitering and rattling their lockers by slamming and opening them. He walked right through them and bumped into a boy who dropped a file he was carrying.

‘Hey watch where you are going, geese’ the boy said sarcastically. Mark just walked past him but could overhear him talking to his friend.

‘Who’s that?’ the other boy asked

‘Just some clumsy creepy school driver, no body likes him, he is such a jerk’. The boy said as he picked up his file to go. Mark ignored the boy just as much as he ignored a few stares from some other students. He arrived at an office door that read “School Principle”. He opened the door and walked in. On one side of the small office was a door and on the other was a young beautiful woman behind a huge desk with a desktop, an answering machine, a telephone, and a fax machine. She looked at him as he closed the door behind him and looked back at the computer as she clicked the key board.

’Is Wesley ….?

‘Mr. Chulu is expecting you,’ she cut him short as she continued clicking without looking at him.He opened the door on the other side of the office and walked in.

‘There you are’, Wesley Chulu said as Mark closed the door. ‘Take a seat’. Mark walked to the front of the desk and sat on a chair.

‘Got your parcel’ Mark said as he handed it to Wesley.

‘Oh, I see’ Wesley said as he went round and got the package. He walked to a painting on the wall and removed it. He opened a locker that was concealed behind the painting. ‘Do you know, our school football team kicks butt,’ he said as he closed the locker after putting the package and smiled wryly at Mark. ‘They beat Mpezeni Junior High five nil,’ he walked to the front of the desk and sat at the edge of it facing Mark, ‘you know I would bet my career on it that they will bring a trophy out of this tournament.’ He reached for a mug cup, which had a “Goldie Junior High” written on it. He took a sip from it and put it down. ‘Can I tell Maggie to bring you anything, maybe coffee, water or anything?’ Wesley asked.

‘Thanks, but no Wesley am alright’ Mark replied.

’You know sometimes, you act like you never need anything, but I’ll tell you, you need to shave, Wesley said. Mark thought to himself maybe Wesley was right, his beards had grown as if shaving had gone extinct as the dinosaurs.

‘If that’s all, I’ll see myself out Wesley’ Mark said as he rose to go.

’Hey wait a minute, am only getting started, now sit. Wesley said as he gestured Mark to sit then went around behind his desk and sat.

‘Danny Kajiro is not well’ Wesley said apprehensively.

‘What is he sick or something?’ Mark asked startled.

‘Seriously am afraid, and so he has gone on sick leave’ he sighed. ’That’s what makes things worse because Miss Shanis Lungu, the geography and archeology teacher is giving the grade nines a tour at Mfuwe archeological center and I need you . . . He hesitated. ‘I need you to drive them there and back, don’t worry you’ll only spend three days out there and everything has been well arranged’ Wesley said as he studied Mark’s face. ‘So what do you say, I’ll pay you overtime, double’

Mark scoffed ‘you know Wesley, I can do you any favor but do you expect me to drive five hundred miles, besides I got plans to…’

‘What, sleep in that sorry ass apartment of yours?’ Wesley said sarcastically ‘after all that happened, you could use this as a chance to get back in these kid’s good graces’

‘Please don’t bring that up, I did what I had to discipline them,’ Mark said defensively.

’By leaving them in the rain for three hours …?

‘Two hours’ Mark corrected ‘and you know how they were vandalizing the bus not to mention their rude attitude towards me when I was driving them, they pissed me off’.

‘Whatever’ Wesley replied ‘but after that it brought a lot of controversy. You appeared in the school magazine they even debated about it and only two percent justified your actions. I had to do everything I could to save your job when their parents demanded that you get dismissed. You owe me this man’.

‘Can’t you just reschedule it?’ Mark asked.

‘No we can’t, we always stick to the program, that’s what makes every kid dream of coming to this school, it’s what makes us the best’

‘Okay, I’ll do it,’ Mark said and Wesley sighed as he looked at Mark.

‘Trust me pal, we really don’t have a choice even the pupils and their parents don’t know you’ll be driving them tomorrow’ Wesley said ‘but I’ve talked to Miss Shanis Lungu, she will make sure that the students won’t give you any problems. All you’ll do is drive’.

‘Okay, I sure damn hope it shall stay that way’ Mark said as he rose to leave and as he opened the door Wesley called to him

‘You will start off at six, so be here five thirty sharp.’ Wesley said and Mark went out of the office.

Mark raced the steps to his apartment door and opened it. The living room was quit a mess, on the table was a pizza box that lay open and only a slice of it was left inside, next to it was a bottle jug that was halfway filled with juice. Around the table were three sofas, one had scruffy looking books.

Mark threw the bag on one of the sofas and went straight to have a shower. He came out the shower ruffling his hair with a towel and went to a sink. He stared into the mirror and couldn’t believe how much his beard had grown, he felt like he had slept for years and had just woken up just now. He picked up a comb on the side of the sink and combed his hairs down to his behead. After putting it down, he went straight to bed.

Chapter 2

‘Jona Banda’ Shanis shouted

‘Present’ one boy from the back of the bus replied

‘Carol Mumba’ Shanis shouted again as her eyes went over the pupils in the bus.

‘Present’ she replied much closer than Shanis expected.

And lastly Mateo Nkosha Jr.’ She called out as she looked at the list in her hands.

‘Present’ he replied and Shanis ticked on the number thirtieth name.

’Okay she shouted ‘you shall all stay on the bus; the driver will be here any minute’ she said and got off the bus. ‘Have you tried his phone again’ Shanis asked the woman who emerged from the school building

‘Still no answer’, she replied apprehensively. ‘He is forty five minutes late, its always important for a long journey like this to start off early’, Shanis said as she put her hands on her hips.

‘Maybe I better go back and keep trying to reach him’. The woman said as she moved backwards and turned to walk away.

Helplessly Shanis walked around checking her watch frequently and as she started walking to get on the bus, heard footsteps behind her and turned to see whom it was.Mark was approaching her and her face shone with excitement.

‘Mr. Kabwe, I was beginning to get worried, I thought ….’

‘Am here now, aren’t I?’ Mark said as he passed her going on the bus

‘What! He is driving us’ one of the girls shouted

‘Careful he will throw us in a pit’

‘Somebody call my mom’ another one shouted

‘Am getting of this bus’ another one shouted as they all began protesting loudly. Mark put his bag on the driver’s seat and came off the bus striding.

‘We should be leaving now Mr. Kabwe’ Shanis said as she turned when he passed her.

‘I know am just getting something’. The noise in the bus was now getting wild as the voices overlapped. Then Shanis got on and tried to clear everyone up

‘Hey’ she shouted but no one was paying any attention to her, ‘hey’ she shouted more loudly and all the noise halted, ‘now listen, no one is getting off this bus because there won’t be any need to,’ she sighed ‘we shall all travel peacefully that I can assure you.’ she said and everyone started muttering but they stopped when they all looked to where Mark was coming from carrying a tools box. Shanis disembarked to meet him and Mark stopped in front of her.

‘Mr. Kabwe, am apologizing for what happened, I hope you won’t take it personal they are just…’

‘Save it lady I know these kids better than you do’ Mark said and walked into the bus as Shanis followed him behind. Mark opened a box right next to the driver’s seat that contained a flashlight, a compass and a map. He put the tools box into it and closed the box then turned the keys in the ignition, shifted the gear lever and the bus took off. Every kid in the bus started roaring with excitement and then started singing loudly. All the singing and excitement died as they traveled for two hours on this never-ending journey. It was all replaced by quietness as some of the kids stared through the windows, others held books in their hands, which were seemingly boring, and a few others were fast asleep. Shanis sat right behind Mark and every time he looked in the rearview mirror, he caught her staring at him.

‘Don’t bother thinking of talking to him, he’s such a dork’ a girl sitting next to Shanis said as she stared through the window.

‘Shi, he might hear you’ Shanis whispered but that was no good as Mark heard her and Shanis felt embarrassed and fidgeted in her seat, the only way was to talk to him. She moved out of her seat and stood next to Mark near the bus door behind her

‘Are we a long way to go’ she asked amicably and smiling.

‘Yep’ he answered without interest

‘You know the kids have really been looking forward to this tour and so did I’, she said smiling but her smile disappeared when Mark didn’t show any sign of response. ‘I just hope the kids will like the tour, they are expecting a lot’, then she stared through the windshield.

‘So tell me do you like to drive?’ she asked smiling

‘I like it better when it’s quiet’ Mark said as he looked at her and back to the road. Embarrassed she moved slowly to her seat and sat down.

‘Told you’ the girl said and Shanis looked at her face for a moment and leaned back in her seat.

The bus brought everyone to life as it pulled over a filling tank at Shibe filling station

‘Are we there yet?’ one boy shouted

‘We have gone half way, refreshments, ten minutes’, Mark said then got off the bus as the other kids rushed their way out of the bus.

‘Hey be back as soon as possible or you’ll be left behind and don’t talk to strangers’ Shanis said as they ran to the shops before she could say some more.

‘God its been nothing but trees and bushes for so long’. One boy said to another as they came off the bus

‘Finally some civilization’ the other boy replied and they dashed to the shops

Slowly the kids were coming back but the last of them came back noisily and Shanis came off the bus towards them but she was late, two boys were tussling on the ground

‘Hey stop that’ she shouted but couldn’t be heard because the other boys were chanting

‘Fight, fight, fight’ they continued chanting and Shanis tried to get through the boys who were fighting but couldn’t. She looked behind and Mark stood there leaning on the bus side.

‘Aren’t you going to help me’, she said angrily at him.

‘Oh, am sorry what am I suppose to grab them by the ear and tell them fighting is bad’, he said wryly.

‘You’re the man around at least be useful just once’, she shouted

‘Hey lady I drove you this far, I think am doing my part very well’, he replied

‘you know what mister you think you’re such a hard case, I’ll have you know that I once worked in a zoo, I had put up with wild animal attitudes, so if you think you’ll give me any trouble, am ready for it cause you an amateur’, she said and by this time the kids had stopped the scuffle and all of them had turned to Mark and Shanis as their media of entertainment

‘That’s not nice comparing me to animals’ Mark said as he moved towards her

‘Well then stop acting like one, you act like you’ve got a lot of problems, everyone else does but at least we don’t act like jerks, we smile to everyone even strangers’ she said as she brought her face close to his that both could feel the heat of their breaths.

‘I’ll try to remember that face before I decide to piss you off’, Mark said slowly and smiling’

‘Oh’ she screamed as she turned to face the kids who stood smiling like they were watching an award winning romantic comedy.

‘Okay everybody, on the bus now’ Shanis shouted as she pointed to the bus door

‘Take it easy honey, your voice is straining’ Mark whispered in her ear behind her and got on the bus laughing.

‘Take it easy honey…’ she mimicked him. ‘Jerk’ then she got on the bus and closed the door. Mark didn’t waste any time in driving away. Shanis sat down her arms folded across her chest and stared across the window. All she could see was nothing but trees and bushes as the bus moved. Mark looked into the rear mirror and stared at Shanis through it. He stared like he had seen her for the first time, he realized he should be driving when the bus swerved a little off the road; he managed to bring it back on the road but had already drawn much attention.All he did was drive on.

Chapter 3

Mark slammed the brakes and the bus stopped pushing everyone on the bus forward. About thirty meters ahead were two mini vans that were packed on the road closing it. Four men emerged from behind the minivans with their hands behind them. They were all dressed in the same way; black boots, pants and a leather jacket. The men came and stood in front of the minivans and the fifth man emerged striding from the back of the minivans to the bus with one of his hand behind him.

‘Is there a problem?’ Shanis asked staring through the windshield. With each strode he made towards the bus, Mark tensed horribly trying to figure out what he was up to. Mark pulled a lever under the steering and the door clicked open.

‘Anything wrong?’, Mark asked as the man took a step on the bus and pulled a hand gun from behind him and pointed it at Mark.

‘Yeah, get off the bus’ he said and everyone got into frenzy and screamed on top of their voices.’Hey none of you move okay sit right where you are and no one will get hurt’He shouted as he pointed the gun all over them and they all quieted with their fears.

‘Look man if this is a robbery, there’s nothing worth taking on this bus, am just taking...’

‘Who said something about a robbery?’ he grinned ‘now get off the bus or I will blow the inside of your brain out tough guy’ he said sternly

Mark got up the seat and as he took a step, the man moved back out the bus his arm halfway in the bus through the door pointing the gun at Mark.

‘Slowly’ he said then looked to the other men and beckoned them. Mark then took advantage of his attention to the other men and slammed the bus door and the man’s wrist got caught between the frame and the door. He groaned and pulled the trigger and the noise deafened everyone on the bus and they started to scream but the bullet went through the driver’s seat window. Mark then wrestled with his hand to get the gun. Mark pressed his shoulder on the door and as the pressure on the man’s wrist increased making him shoot twice and the bullets hit on the driver’s seat and the other men started running towards the bus. The man used his entire body weight and yanked his hand out the door and it closed. As he fell on the ground and groaning, Mark rushed to the driver’s seat and shifted the gear. The other men aimed their AK 47s at the bus and started shooting.

‘Get down’, Mark shouted and the kids sank down under their seats as Mark under the dashboard shattered glasses falling all over in the bus. With instincts, he stepped on the gas peddle and the bus zoomed forward.

‘Stop shooting you will hit the kids you idiots’. The man shouted as he struggled getting to his feet his wrist bleeding badly.

Mark then emerged from below the dashboard his foot still on the gas peddle. The men aimed at him again, with as much energy as he could muster, he turned the steering wheel and the bus turned swiftly to his left and went down the slope on the side of the road.

‘Shoot the tires’ the bleeding man shouted as he started shooting but the bus sped down the slope.

Everyone on the bus was screaming as Mark was struggling with the steering wheel avoiding hitting the trees that may make the collision fatal but the bus was hitting some smaller trees and they were all coming down because the slope was accelerating the speed of the bus adding to the weight that increased the pushing force. Mark worked his best with the steering wheel and slamming the brakes when he realized that there was a almost a ninty degrees depression of four meters ahead, he pressed on the brakes more rapidly but the bus couldn’t stop

‘Hang on’ he shouted

‘What?’ Shanis replied shouting because screaming had almost deafened everybody on the bus. Then she saw what was up ahead and stiffened.

‘Oh my God’ she screamed

‘Tell everybody to hang on’ Mark shouted and all the kids reached for the seats and held them firmly

The bus flew over the cliff of the depression and landed heavily on the ground throwing everyone all over the bus. It turned by the pressure but Mark grabbed the steering wheel and managed to keep it in a state of balance and then the right rear tyres burst. The bus then hit into a slight elevation and the bumper fell off making everyone jerk forward but the impact had slowed down the speed and the bus came to a stop when it hit into a tree. Mark was breathing heavily and then he turned his head slowly.

‘Everyone alright’ Mark asked as eased his breath. Then he got up from his seat looking around at everyone.

‘Maybe, maybe not’, Shanis said and started inspecting everyone. Mark then got off the bus and looked up ahead where the bus had come from. He was amazed that they were a long way from the topof the slope when everything seemed to have been over sooner.He tried so hard to see the men but the trees that lay all the way to the top obstructed him. Shanis then came out as everyone followed her behind.

‘Everyone okay?’ Mark asked as he looked at her.

‘Yeah’ she replied overwhelmingly staring at the slope.

‘We must get out of here now’ Mark said as he walked past her and got on the bus. ‘Grab whatever you can carry, Water, food, anything we can use for the night’ Mark told the kids and they all rushed on the bus. He opened the box he had carried and took out a flashlight, and a knife, he put the flashlight in his left leg sock.

‘Hurry’ he shouted to the kids ‘it won’t be long till they reach this place’. Mark then came out of the bus and Shanis walked to him.

‘Do you think they might follow us?’ Shanis asked apprehensively

‘Oh yes’ Mark answered and all the kids came out carrying a few of their things.

‘Okay lets all move out’ Mark shouted and started to walk.

‘Hey wait a minute, the highway is in the opposite direction’, she said as she pointed across the slope

‘Yeah, but we might run into them and they are all armed’, Mark replied

‘So we’ll just go deep into the jungle, and it’s getting dark’ she said hastily

‘Look lady, while we argue about this those guys are gaining up on us, you want to go back that way, good luck’ Mark said and continued walking.

‘Maybe we should go with him’, one boy said looking at her

‘Okay everybody lets start walking’ Shanis said and they started walking towards Mark.

After about sixty minutes the men found the bus and checked it but found no one, a phone rang and the man who now had his wrist bandaged shoved a phone from his pouch clung to his belt. He pulled out the aerial pressed a button and put the phone to his ear.’

‘We have a little problem’ he said after a while.

‘They are loose in the jungle I think’ he said again

‘I understand’ he said and pushed the aerial back.

‘What now’ one of the men asked

‘We find them before dawn’ he said as removed a flashlight from his jacket and started running and the other men followed him behind. They followed the path deep into the jungle.

Chapter 4

‘You won’t allow us to rest, aren’t you’ Shanis said as she dragged her feet to keep up with Marks pace.

‘No’ Mark said firmly.

‘Why, you made us run all night and it’s almost sunrise. Do I have to keep reminding you they are kids?’

‘Because if I do, you won’t live to rest, God knows how long before they catch us’ Mark replied.

‘What makes you so damn sure they are following us?’ she asked

‘Haven’t you figured it out yet, they tried to kidnap these kids and seemed determined and they know we are vulnerable out here’ he said

‘Is that a river up ahead?’ she said as she looked intently through the thick forest trees. Their paces quickened as they came to the bank of the river.

‘A river, good’ Mark said excitedly as Shanis looked at him in disbelief.

‘And how do you expect us to cross it because even if these kids could swim there is no way they would hold against that current’. Shanis said as she bent to put her hands on her knees.

We don’t have to cross it, this where we will lose them’ Mark said smiling wryly

‘What!’ Shanis asked confused

‘We will mislead them, all I have to do is create a clever diversion’ he said as he studied the place and the kids lying around tired.

‘Miss Lungu am going to need you to take the kids and go left’ he said as he came close to her. ‘I will stay behind and make sure they go the other way’

‘But, I, what’ she stammered

‘I will follow you when I succeed’ he said as he looked into her eyes.

‘No, no’ she said ‘it’s usually when people split that bad things happen in situations like this’ then she looked away. Mark then cupped her shoulders in his hands and she looked back at him.

‘It’s the only way, you just go left until you find safely, I’ll find you’ he said and let go of her shoulders.

‘We’ll go, but after two hours we’ll stop and wait for you’ she said and turned to the kids ‘alright guys lets go’ and they started walking

‘Mr. Kabwe’ she said as she turned

‘Just call me Mark’ he smiled

‘Mark, be careful’ she said apprehensively

‘You too, the jungle is a lot worse than those bad guys’ he said smiling. Then Shanis strode to the rest of the kids. Mark looked at them until they disappeared up ahead. He then started to study the place then he heard a noise behind him. He took out his knife and started to walk to some bushes. As he got closer the bushes shook rhythmically. He got close and stuck his hand through the bush he felt something. He held it and yanked it out violently raising his right hand with the knife.

‘What …, what are you doing here’ Mark stammered ‘I could have killed you’

‘I decided to stay behind and help you’ the boy said

‘Help me, you are just twelve’ he said

‘Thirteen’ the boy corrected ‘besides you’ll need a smart plan to create a clever diversion’

‘Oh, so now you think you are smarter than me’ he said as he moved away from the boy

‘No, but two smart people are better than one’ he said smiling

‘Do you realize that this is dangerous?’

‘Yep, but you stayed behind’ he said grinning

‘I had to’ Mark said

‘So did I’ the boy replied still grinning

‘Very funny, what’s your name boy?’

He asked as he looked at the many footprints on the ground going to were Shanis had gone with the other kids

‘Cholwe’ the boy replied

‘Alright Cholwe lets wipe these prints of the ground’ he said pointing to the ground. ‘Then we’ll make new ones on the other opposite side’, and he turned pointing to the ground.

‘I like the sound of we, me and you working together can’t be that bad, can it’, he said

‘Oh no, don’t get used to it, I’ll just need you to make many foot prints of your shoe size on the other side’ Mark said

‘How about not wiping off these prints over there’ Cholwe said and Mark was startled

‘Look here boy; I don’t have time for stupid games’ Mark said giving him a stern look

‘Am not playing with you anyone who knows his way in the jungle will know that you wiped the ground and that you went that way. Instead lets make foot prints on the other side and then wipe them’ he said as Mark listened in disbelief. Then Mark turned and put his hand to his chin.‘We can make two or more feetprints on this side and they’ll think maybe we neglected to fully wipe them’ cholwe said as he went the other side‘Come on I’ll show you.’

‘It’s a good idea but very risky, we’ll have to hide near by and make sure they fall for it’ Mark said still holding his chin, ‘alright, lets get on with it we’ve got very little time’

Cholwe made a few footprints facing the opposite side of where the other kids with Shanis had gone. As the ground was a little wet and the reeds and weeds that lay over it cholwe didn’t have a hard time to make the prints with just one stamp to the ground and there was a fine print of his shoe. Mark was getting a branch full of leaves, went a few meters away from cholwe, and started brushing the ground. Moving the branch from left to right and right to left he was taking a step behind and some reeds and weeds were bending. He moved until he reached where cholwe had stopped from making the footprints. He moved the branch along the ground and the prints were wiped like they were not there. Making the ground blotched as the soil in it was becoming lighter. As he was finishing, he brushed two prints half way and put the branch on the ground. From here, he could see that the ground ahead of him looked different from the other sides he did not brush.

‘They definitely would have noticed if I had done all this on the other side’ Mark said as he looked at cholwe

‘So we go’ cholwe asked

‘No, not yet’, I will have to make sure they don’t go the right way’ he said as he started to look for where to hide. His eyes moved across a few bushes and they rested upon one next to a big tree.

‘We’ll hide over there’ he said pointing to it a few meters opposite the river.

‘But isn’t that close to the path that the men are coming from?’ Cholwe asked.

’They won’t see us if we hide quietly,’Mark saidand they went to it and sank under the bush.

‘It’s been thirty minutes since Miss Lungu left, do you think they are still following us?’ cholwe asked as Mark gazed through the bushes deep in the jungle

‘Yep’ he answered without looking at cholwe behind him

‘What are you going to do if they go the right way’ cholwe asked

‘Shih’ Mark shushed him, ‘I think I hear something’ cholwe sunk deeper under the bush as Mark held his gaze through the bushes, his muscles tensing. Then he heard heavy feetsteps ahead and they became more louder as the men came closer. Mark saw the first one trotting as he had seen the river and the rest came following him behind. The men past about two meters away from the bushes were Mark and cholwe were hiding.

They all then stopped at the bank of the river looking around.

‘I don’t think they’ve crossed the river, they couldn’t have made it’ a man said looking at the bandaged man

‘Hey I think they went this way’ a man said pointing to the footprints on the ground. Marks facial muscle flexed as he peered through the bushes. Then the man charged to his left and the others followed him but the bandaged man didn’t move.

‘Wait!’ he called out to them and they all turned and started coming back to him.‘Something is wrong’ he said pointing to the other side a few meters away and they all stared at the ground. ‘it seems as if they had a lot of trouble wiping the feetprints here’, he said as he moved forward squat down to touch the half brushed shoe track.

He got up and turned to the other side trying to see as far as possible but the sun blinded him slightly because it was almost past sunrise. He put his hand to the forehead but was disturbed by a slight noise up the path. With the others attentive to the noise, he also looked at the bushes and Mark could see that their eyes were focused on the where they were. Before the men could do anything a rabbit emerged behind the edge of the bushes and looked at them, then it ran off and disappeared. They eased and looked at the bandaged man for a decision

‘Come on’ he said as he turned and started running the other way. They went this way and they can’t be very far’ and the other men followed.

‘That was close’ Mark said emerging from the bush after five minutes when the men left

‘Super close’ cholwe said as they came out

‘Come on’ Mark said as he jogged to the other side, ‘we have to catch up with them’

Then they both started trotting to where Shanis had gone, with the men having gone the other way. They had less to worry about now.

Chapter 5

‘Sir the cops are here’ Doria, Wesley’ secretary said through the telephone. Three men were standing in front of her desk, two wore civilian black suits and one was in a police uniform.

’Shall I send them in? She asked

‘Right away sir’ she said and put the phone down, and then she looked at the men. ‘He’ll see you in his office, you can go in’, she said pointing to Wes’s office door and the men went in.

Wesley rose to his feet when the men walked into his office and gestured them to sit.

‘Am glad you’re here’ Wesley said smiling but the smile faded because all the men did was look at him. ‘So can I get you anything before we start?’ The men looked at each other and shook their heads

‘My name is Kerody Chizongo, chief of Lusaka central police’, the man wearing a uniform said and then looked at the other two men. ‘This is detective Noah Mazembe and detective Peter Chivuta’ he said pointing to the men respectively. ‘They’ll take on investigations’.

‘Haven’t you received any phone calls from your driver or the teacher?’ Noah Mazembe asked as he pulled out a notepad and a ball pen from his pocket.

‘No,’ Wesley answered ‘considering the time they started off they could have reached destination at two o’ clock latest’ Wesley said as the men listened intently Noah having his note pad on his lap and his pen on his note pad taking some notes. ‘but when Mfuwe called and told us they’d not yet arrived, I thought it was a minor delay but when the security guard went in to the security room along the corridor found a board written all over it ’ Wesley said

‘I think we’ll have to see it’ peter Chivuta spoke for the first time ‘take us to it’

Wesley rose as the other men and left the office and Wesley continued explaining

’When I saw it at first I couldn’t believe it, we all had to stay here until seven pm when we called Mfuwe and learned that they’d not shown up,’Wesley said as they walked the corridor and they stopped in front of the last door in the corridor and opened it. The room was very small and didn’t have much except some bags of cement, stained paint cans and a frail old table in one corner. The wall opposite the door had a board mounted with nails that were half way in it. Some of the nails had some keys hanging from them. The floor was rough and the ceiling was not painted. One would agree that it was the untidiest room on the school. Wesley, peter and Noah walked into the room leaving Mr. Chizongo at the door

A board about thirty centimeters wide and fifty centimeters long on the table was learned against the wall. Peter and Noah walked closer and read on the board

I HAVE EVERY KID THAT

WENT ON THE TOUR AND I WANT

A HUNDRED MILLION KWACHA FOR EACH

YOU HAVE TWO DAYS TO PREPARE THE MONEY

‘When did you first see this’ Peter asked

‘Almost seven pm, our security guard saw it first and told me immediately’ Wesley replied

‘We’ll have to interrogate your staff starting with the security guard’ Noah said and they all walked out of the room to Wesley’s office.

‘Doria, have Daka come to my office, now’, Wesley said as they walked in the office, ‘and notify everyone to be coming through for interrogations.’ The men followed Wesley behind as he entered his office leaving Doria overwhelmingly startled.

‘We will need to have a list of all your staff who had been present yesterday,’ Noah said as they took their seats in the office ‘it’s also imperative that we checkout their lifestyles and backgrounds and anything that can be essential to our investigation.’

‘It would really make me very sad if any of my staff would be involved in this,’ Wesley said as he was reaching for a shelf and pulled out a file that he opened immediately. ‘I mean after working and trusting them for so many years.’

‘We mustn’t jump to conclusions yet Mr. Chulu’, Kerode said ‘not until we sort this thing out’

‘I think you’re right Mr. Chizongo’ Wesley said as he pulled out a paper out of the file ‘Here is a list of everyone who was present yesterday’. He then gave it to Noah who started going through it.

‘So is the government going to pay the ransom’ Wesley asked leaning in his chair looking at the men across his table.

‘Not without a certain procedure, we’ll need to know if the kids are alright, the kidnapper will have to provide enough proof to convince us of the kids safe status’ Kerody said as the other men went through the list ‘but I assure you, we’ll bring him to book faster than he’ll even think of how he’ll spend the money.’

‘Am sure you will’ Wesley uttered

‘How come the drivers name is not on the list,’ Noah asked raising the paper in his hand.

‘Oh Mark’ Wesley scoffed ‘he usually says its pointless for him to scribble his name on a piece of paper when we see him get things done around here, he’s such a difficult fellow but you got to like him’. He said smiling and the office door opened, a man in his fifties walked in wearing a security uniform. He took his hat off as he came closer.

‘Gentlemen, that’s Mr. Daka, our security guard’. Wesley said as the other men turned their heads to look at him ‘take a seat Mr. Daka’ he came forward and sat next to the other men

‘Am Mr. Chizongo chief of central police and this is detective Mazembe and Chivuta, we would like to ask you a few questions’ Mr. Daka nodded shyly.

‘Mr. Daka, what time did you report for work yesterday?’ Noah asked

‘Five thirty, because the …’

‘That’s it, thank you’ Noah said as he was writing on his notepad, ‘am surprised you didn’t see the board sooner, would you explain that.’

‘Usually I spend the entire day in the security booth at the gate, am always checking on what goes out and what comes in the school and taking vehicle plate numbers, am always busy.’

‘When you first came in, considering the fact that you opened the room, you didn’t find the board, did you?’ Noah asked and Mr. Daka shook his head.

‘I saw it when I went to lock the room because am responsible of locking all the doors at the school before I knock off’

‘So you don’t keep the room locked during the day?’ Peter asked

’No because janitors, builders and painters, and most of the caretaking department keep their stuff there and I don’t like them chasing me around to be opening the door, besides nothing ever goes missing,’Mr. Daka said.

‘That’s it for now Mr Daka, we’ll call you if needed again’ Noah said and Mr. Daka rose immediately and left the office.

‘So the board was put in sometime between five-thirty am and six pm’ Noah said as he looked at the other men

‘Anyone could have gone in that room’ Peter replied.

The phone rang and Wesley pressed a button and Dorias voice spoke through

‘Sir the parents of the pupils are waiting far you in the main hall’ she said and the phone beeped.

‘That can’t be good’ Kerody said as they all stared at Wesley rush his hand through his hair.

‘I’ve been getting terrible phone calls from them lately, this is probably the end of my career,’ Wesley said and he rose from his chair ‘I’ll have to address them’

‘I’ll come with you’ Kerody said as he rose from his chair.

‘We’ll stay here and continue the interrogations sir’ Noah said and Kerody nodded and walked out the office. As they walked to the hall, they ran into some men who where carrying what looked like an electric appliance and Kerody stopped to talk to them.

‘Morning sir, we got all we need’ one of the man said to Kerody

‘Okay, have every phone tapped and also the board should be run for fingers prints’ Kerody said ‘and have the trace buster attached to the Phones’

‘We’ll see to everything sir’ the man said and signaled the other men to follow him

Wesley and Kerody walked into the hall the people inside gave them questionable gazes as they went to the front of the hall, they climbed a few stairs and got on the plaitform facing the anxious audience.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for coming on this miserable day but I regret to tell you that we haven’t had any contact with anyone who has gone on this tour and they haven’t shown up in Mfuwe either.’

Wesley said and everyone started murmuring and then started wailing. Wesley shouted for them to be quiet but some of them began to get up from their seats and wanted to reach for him.

‘Excuse me, excuse me’ Kerody shouted and they somehow quietened down. ‘in case of who might not know who I am, am Kerody Chizongo, Chief of Lusaka central police, I know you’re all worried but I can assure you that we’ll bring your children back to you’.

‘But how did they just disappear like that’ one man asked

‘Yeah, we need to know what’s going on officer’ another shouted holding a woman who was sobbing on his shoulder.

‘They did not just disappear, they …’

Kerody hesitated ’they’ve been kidnapped.

’What!” some of them snapped and the murmuring began but Kerody quietened them by raising his hands up and down

‘How much is the ransom’ one shouted

‘A hundred million Kwacha for each child’ Kerody said

‘Well, lets pay up’ another man shouted and the others agreed noisily.

‘Not only do we want the kids safe and back, we’ll also have to bust the criminals behind all this’

‘It better not be for your glory that you’ll do anything reckless and compromise our children’s lives,’ one man shouted as others were agreeing.

‘I assure you your children will come back safe and sound’, Kerody said and started to get down from the stairs ‘so we’ll now get back to work’. Wesley followed him behind leaving everyone murmuring.

‘I just hope this doesn’t get to the press before it gets fixed’ Kerody said to Wesley as they walked

‘Why is that?’ Wesley asked

‘The press has a way of making things worse sometimes, you know’ Kerody said and Wesley nodded in agreement.

When they got back to Wesley’s office, it was more hectic, his table was cleared of everything. They’d put the big equipment machine next to the school telephone. Peter and Noah had moved their interrogations to the other side of the room where they sat facing a certain man they were interrogating. Wesley just stood looking around.

‘They sure know how to mess up a place, don’t they?’ Kerody said and Wesley chuckled.

‘Yeah, but you got to admire how organized they seem’ Wesley said smiling

‘They are the best I have in a situation like this’. Kerody said wryly.

‘Sir’ a voice called behind Kerody and he turned ‘we just ran some tests on it’ he said as he lifted the board written and he was wearing some white gloves.

‘What, did you find anything?’ Kerody asked

‘No sir, it’s clean’ he said and kerody nodded. Peter and Noah came to them.

‘Anything yet detectives’ Kerody asked

‘Nothing much, they all keep saying the same thing, they didn’t go in and neither did they see someone go in’ Peter said

‘So we still have nothing’ Kerody said

‘But there was a janitor who said that while he was mopping the floor saw the driver go into the room just before he left’

‘Could he have put it there’ Kerody asked

‘We don’t know but he came out with a box, if he didn’t put it there then someone else must have, we just cant tell who,’ Peter said, ‘something strongly tells me we get to the driver we get to the kids’

‘There’s a possibility that he is highly involved because he’s known to be weird and cunning’ Noah said

‘So the driver is the suspect’ Kerody said holding his chin as Noah nodded ‘alright let’s keep cracking this case’.

Chapter 6

‘Are you sure they are coming, we’ve been waiting here for three hours’ a girl asked as she studied Shanis’ face.

‘Melinda, for the last time, yes they are, what would we be sitting here waiting for huh’ Shanis replied slowly.

‘I don’t know, but am just thinking of what will happen to us if they’ve been caught, poor Cholwe if only he had not secretly stayed behind to be some kind of a hero’ Melinda said as she was biting her nails.

‘If you had told me what he was planning when we left Mark, I wouldn’t have allowed it,’ Shanis said ‘instead you had to wait until I discovered that he was missing when we had already walked to many miles.’

‘Hey I only overheard him telling Matthew about it, but Matthew refused to stay so you can’t blame any of us, if he’s in trouble it’s his own fault’ Melinda replied. Shanis looked at her and couldn’t find any words to say, she looked over at the other kids who were in groups. Some girls were busy fixing their hair and faces giggling while they did it. Some boys were a little further laughing and making fun of each other. The other group seemed to concentrate on a snakeskin that lay under the bushes, some were fascinated and some stared at it with extreme terror on their faces. Then about seven kids sat closer to Shanis under a big tree some cupping their heads in their palms and others seeming to look like they were feeling out of place. Shanis wondered as she stared at them if they were as worried as she was. Unlike some other kids who were turning this situation into some adventure. All that lay ahead of them was an overstretching valley covered with short grass, shrubs and bushes all over the land, there were some hills lying all over. The river had meandered to the other side miles behind them and if she looked back, you could doubt that there is a river from where they came from she looked up the clear sky and the sun was right above their heads, there was no doubt that it was noon. One of the kids sitting close to her shone with excitement as she pointed to where they came from.

’There they are’, she shouted

Shanis looked and couldn’t believe her eyes at first.Mark and Cholwe were walking towards them. Then Shanis got up and rushed towards them smiling and opening her arms widely as the other kids coming behind her. Mark couldn’t believe that excitement on her beautiful face was for him. He watched her getting closer and closer, he could not remember a day that a girl ran to him like that and realizing that it was real he couldn’t help but smile shyly

‘There you are’ she shouted ‘dear you got me real worried’. Mark tensed more at hearing this and charged forward to welcome her but was surprised when she passed him and hugged Cholwe

‘You brave little angel, you almost killed me with worrying, why did you do that?’ Shanis said as she knelt cupping his head into her hands and he just stood smiling ‘are you alright?’ Shanis asked finally and Cholwe nodded. She let go of him and the other kids surrounded him. Mark just stood looking at them, in as much as he was disappointed he felt embarrassed that he thought Shanis was all jumpy for him. Shanis then turned to him and then he froze thinking of what to say to conceal his embarrassment.

‘Hey’ Shanis said to him as the other kids were busy asking Cholwe about what happened when they left them.

‘Hi’ Mark replied smiling

‘What took you so long?’ Shanis asked forcefully ‘I was starting to think that you were not going to come.’

‘I was going to come, I wasn’t going to leave you here alone’ Mark said and Shanis looked at him in a very tender way with disbelief ‘I mean you and the kids’ Mark stammered and Shanis looked away, the way he had said it emphasized more like he just came back just for her.

‘Right’ Shanis said

‘We really have to keep going’ Mark said breaking the awkward moment by starting to walk away from her.

‘What are those men still on our tail’ Shanis asked vehemently.

‘Not anymore, but we really have to get these kids home as soon as possible’ Mark said walking and Shanis walking behind him.

‘Mark’, she called out to him, ‘at least we should allow these kids to rest, look at how far they’ve come without rest and besides, they ran out of food last night.’ Shanis said in a very desperate, exaggerating convincing way as Mark listened ‘This is after all a good resting place’ Mark then looked around and back at her,‘What?’ she asked ‘at least say something.’

‘Okay, I have no problem resting but didn’t you just say there is no food’ Mark said

‘No, there isn’t, but we can try finding some food around here’ she said as she looked at Mark apprehensively ‘right’

‘Alright we’ll see what we can do’ Mark said and Shanis heaved a sigh of relief.

‘Just tell us what we can do’, Shanis said ‘we’ll do anything’

‘Just find some firewood and water, I’ll go over those hills and try to see what I can hunt’ Mark said

‘Alright, firewood, water you got it’ she said smiling and turned to the kids as Mark walked away. He then stopped at a nearby tree and started peeling its trunk removing the skin and shaping them into strings

‘Can we come with you’ Cholwe asked and Mark turned to look at him. He was with four other boys with appealing faces.

‘Um’ Mark said as he tried to find the words to tell them.

‘Please’ they all said together

‘Okay I can use some extra hands’ Mark said as they jumped excitedly

‘You two’ Mark said as he pointed at two of them ’go find a long hard straight stick and you find me as many tree skins as possible’Mark said and they all rushed away

‘Cholwe’ Mark called out to him ‘stay here and carry this for me’ then he handed Cholwe the tree skins and went to a big stone that lay nearby.He pulled out a knife from his boot and started sharpening it on the big stone. He looked in front and could see Shanis ordering the kids around. He stared at her intently as he thought just how good she is with kids; he didn’t know any teacher at the school who was as much caring as she was.

‘Now bring them over here’ Shanis shouted to the kids as they were laying some firewood on where she was pointing at a hip of wood. Mark continued sharpening out of instinct because his concentration was all over Shanis

‘Why don’t you just go over there and tell her you like her’ Cholwe said behind him. This brought Mark back from his reverie.

‘What …, tell… her what’ Mark stammered as much as he blushed.

‘Come on, everyone knows you like her’ Cholwe said and Mark looked at the other kids he had sent standing at a distance all smiling.

‘No, I don’t, I mean how do you even know that’ Mark stammered as he got the tree skins from Cholwe and beckoned to the other kids.

‘The way you look at her, and you really asked a lot of questions about her when we were coming here’ Cholwe said smiling as Mark got a stick with the tree skins.

‘That can’t mean anything, besides even if I liked her she can’t possibly …’ Mark hesitated ‘you know, um, forget it’

Cholwe scoffed and Mark looked at him with disbelief

‘I thought adults never had such doubts’

‘What do you know, you’re just thirteen’ Mark said

‘Let’s just say am a boy who knows many things’ Cholwe said smiling wryly

‘And a stubborn one too’ Mark said as he tied a knot on the knife along with the stick. ‘Move aside’ Mark said as he waved his hand and the kids stood behind him. Then he held the stick on the middle and threw it with as much force as he could. The stick flew and struck the trunk of a tree.

‘Wow, perfect aim’ the boys marveled and rushed to the tree. The knife was about half way into it. The stick pointed from it. Mark then reached for the stick and yanked it out along with the knife firmly attached to it.

‘That’s hard enough’ Mark said smiling

‘Did you used to play javelin’ one boy asked

‘Nope’ Mark answered

‘Wow, that was cool’ he said as he studied the hole the knife had made in the trunk of the tree.

‘Are we going to kill an elephant?’ another boy asked with extreme fascination and Mark wondered if these boys knew even half of the dangers of hunting

‘Maybe’ he replied smiling ‘come on, lets get moving, we have a huge task’ and they all left, Mark in front as they all followed him behind.

Chapter 7

Right before sunset, Mark, Cholwe and the other Kids came back from their hunting. Mark was carrying a warthog on his shoulders. The warthog had two knife wounds. One wound on the side of its neck. Blood had been strimming dowm its body and had created two blotched streaks. Mark’s shirt was stained with its blood and this brought fear to to Shanis as she rose from where she sat and charged towards him

‘Are you hurt, how bad is it , you really have to sit down, God I don’t even know what to do’ she was asking so many questions apprehensively and fast that it appeared she didn’t want to hear his answers.

‘Am alright, thanks’ Mark said grinning

‘it seems pumba’s blood over here has made quiet a mess of me’ he said moving his hand slightly to show that he was referring to the warthog on his shoulders.

‘Oh, I thought maybe…’ Shanis stammered embarrased by her recent fuss, Mark dropped the carcass on the ground and the other kids began to explore it, only Shanis’s face frowned with disgust and Mark started walking away as he stretched his shoulders and Shanis followed him behind.

‘Is that all you could find?’ she said pointing her hand to where the carcass was with the kids studying it and others seemed to be frightened to get closer enough.

‘What,’ Mark said as if he didn’t understand what she ment ‘oh, don’t look down on him he was pretty hard to kill after striking him once we had to chase him for like two miles before he stopped because the wound was killing him and that’s when I finally cut off his throat’. Mark said as his eyes averted to the carcass. Shanis stood with her hands on her waist looking at him intently

‘You know, whatever and however you killed it, I don’t care but I expected you to find something better than that’ she said sternly

‘We are really lucky to end up with that, as for gazelles and deers, I couldn’t even get close to shooting range, they are pretty fast and steady animals’ Mark said defensively

‘But couldn’t you atleast find any fruits?’ she asked

‘Judging by your taste of food, I don’t think you would have liked the fruits I was finding, and come on give me a break at least I managed to find us some food’ Mark replied with anger.

‘And it hasn’t occurred to you that some of us don’t eat bush meat?’ she asked

‘Just tell me what am suppose to do now, cry out to the heavens so that manner shall fall from it’ Mark said mockingingly and realized that he was making the situation more uncomfortable by saying that as Shanis glared.

‘Did you find some water’ he asked deliberately to lighten things up

‘There is a swamp up ahead, go knock yourself out’ she sarcastically

‘So you didn’t even bring any water’ he asked in disbelief

‘Do we look like we can drink swamp water?’ she asked mockingly as she turned to go to the kids

‘Do you think this is a picnic?’ Mark said but Shanis raised her hand to shush him without even turning to look at him.

By the time Mark got back to the carcass, the kids had already moved away from it. The only kids who seemed interested in what he was doing were Cholwe and his four friends and this was giving Mark the motivation to protect and provide for all these kids.

‘How are we going to cook it’ one boy asked as Mark was skinning it.

‘We won’t cook it’ Mark said as his facial muscles flexed while he was cutting off the skin.

‘We are going to smoke it John’ one boy said ‘isn’t that right Mark’ and Mark nodded.

’Alright you two, hold this skin to the other side, Cholwe and John held it firm as Mark continued cutting. A distance away Shanis gathered the rest of the kids together,

’Alright listen up everybody,’Shanis said and Markraised his head hearing this to look at her, the other kids and him had squatted around the carcass.‘You should all stay together at one place as you can see its getting dark’ she continued ‘so you don’t get to go anywhere alone and without permission from me or Mark, is that understood?’

‘Yes’ they all said in agreement.

‘Good, one other thing Mark is going to smoke that warthog over there and it’s very important that you try to eat, we still have a long way to go and you’ll need some energy’ she said but was disturbed by a little girl

‘I can’t eat a warthog’ the girl said

‘Me too’ a few others mutterd

‘Why?’ Shanis asked

‘Because it’s so gross’ the girl replied and some agreed in murmurs.

‘look its not as bad as you think, you just try it and I promise you that you’ll like it’ she said and looked back to Mark who was watching her, then he continued cutting by now he was gutting it.

Shanis walked to a small rock nearby and sat on it, She deeped her face in her palms.

‘Oh God’ she said and when she raised her head Mark was standing in front of her wiping his hands with a small cloth. They looked at each other for a minute and Mark struggled to find the words to tell her.

‘Look am sorry I couldn’t…’

‘No stop’ Shanis cut him short ‘ am sorry, I shouldn’t have been so rough and hard on you, its just that when I get worried I get really irrational, you’ve been great and I owe you my apology as much as my gratitude’ she said shyly.

‘You don’t have to, I think you’ve been great too and I promise you I’ll do whatever it takes to get you and the kids to safety’ Mark said assuringly

‘Thanks’ she said as they looked at each other

‘You know, it will give these kids an appetite if you’ll have the first bite’ Mark said grinning.

‘Really, me’ she asked laughing

‘Yeah, you’re their role model, am sure that will be very inspirational’ Mark said still grinning.

‘What if I throw up’ she asked laughing

‘You won’t, I’ll make it delicious that you’ll forget that you are stuck in the middle of nowhere and you are in a five star country side restaurant.’

‘That, I’ll have to see’ she said laughing

‘Come on then’ Mark said and they walked to the other kids. Mark went to start a fire near the fully skinned and gutted warthog covered with leaves. Shanis asked the kids to take the firewood closer to Mark. He got a box of Matches from his pocket, he then lined up some firewood and got a handful of dry grass, and he placed it under the wood and lit it. At first, the fire was small and created a lot of smoke. He then put four sticks vertically around the fire and tied some more to the top end of each stick horizontally and made a square of sticks around the fire and on top firmly attached. By then the fire had quiet grown. Mark then ran a stick through the warthog’s mouth and forced it to come out the back and only a few centimeters of the stick protruded on both sides of the warthog.He then asked Cholwe and John to lift it on the other side.He held the stick on the mouth side and them at the back.They spread the warthog above the fire which was supported by horizontal sticks, he had tied as the stick through the warthog rested on the tied ones. It was now in the night but the full moon in the clear sky outshone the darkness as hundreds of billions of stars lay in it. The fire grew much bigger and at first, no one seemed to care to see Mark smoking it but as the warthog turned brown and started smelling deliciously everyone seemed to be concentrated on the warthog. Some even drooling as the smell drew more of their attention. Mark turned it more and more using the protruding stick from the warthog’s mouth. The fire was growing more as drops of fat from the warthog fell on it.

‘Alright, who is going to have the first bite’ Mark asked wryly. And some kids got into a frenzy wanting to have it. After two minutes of calming them down, Mark took out his knife and played with it in what seemed like a chef play rhoutine.

‘How about we let Miss Shanis have the first bite,’ Mark said and Shanis shook her head shyly but all the other kids were cheering in approval and shanis had to give in.

‘Okay, okay,’ she said, rose to her feet, and came to stand next to Mark. She looked around at the kids who sat closer around the fire all looking joyful as Mark cut a small chunk of meat and handed it to her.

‘Thanks,’ she said and took a bite her face looking like she was going to sneeze but as she chewed more and more her face relaxed. ’This is pretty good,’she said before fully swallowing and this muffled her voice a little.

’Tastes just like pork,only that it needs a bit of salt,’she looked at Mark who who was just as excited as she was.They stared at each other and Mark nodded at her.And almost immediately Mark started serving the kids while Shanis helped him and all the kids received their shares with excitement. At the end of it all Mark was surprised that the kids ate more than he’d expected.All that was left was a skeleton of the warthog with only tiny chunks of meat clinging to it.

After the meal, they all sat around the fire as they talked and laughed.Mark was surprised that they were enjoying his stories and jokes.it seemed they had quite forgotten the circumstance they were in.Mark and Shanis stole glances at each other and this made them squirm quite often. Other kids were beginning to fall asleep shortly after, it was only Mark and Shanis who were awake. Some kids even lay down on the ground sleeping as if they were in their own bed. Mark rose from were he sat and collected some firewood.

‘We’ve got to keep this fire alive for warmth,’ he said as he laid some firewood on the fire ‘and to keep animals away for the night’

’God, are you saying some animals might invade us,’Shanis asked apprehensively.

‘I do not think so,’ he said ‘maybe just some scavenger animals like hynas but its nothing serious’ he said assuringly and shanis nodded in agreement and then she looked up the sky.

’It’s really a beautiful night,’she said staring at the sky.

‘Yeah, only that we’re still stranded in the middle of nowhere,’ he replied.

’You know I was just beginning to forget that,’she said in an angrily friendly way.

‘Sorry’ Mark said grinning.

’Its okay, you’re right after all, I think just a few people get such an experience, though its messed up, but this place feels peaceful and quiet.’Shanis said as Mark looked at her intently.

’You should try to sleep now, I’ll take first whatch.’Mark said

‘I think you should first, you had many rough moments in this long day’ she said ‘besides am not sleepy yet and am enjoying the view of these beautiful stars.’ Then she looked up the sky.

‘Me either,’ Mark said ‘on a night like this when I was a little boy, we would play nearly up to midnight.’

’Really, that’s nice,’she said eagerly and Mark continued telling her his childhood stories and adventures which fascinated her.

CHAPTER 8

‘Are we really going to walk until we die?’ one boy said to another

‘Yeah, because we seem to be headed to nowhere,’ another replied.

‘What do you think we do then, huh, wait here for mom and dad?’ Cholwe said to the two boys mockingly.

‘You shut up’, the other boy retorted.

By now they had been walking through a Canyon, since morning they had been walking and it was now three in the afternoon and the sun would soon set. Mark and Shanis were walking about ten meters in front of all the kids leading the way, the kids behind them dragging their feet praying for a respite from all this agony, they all spread all over the Canyon, some walking blindly alone and some walking two or three but having no strength for a conversation.

‘Do you see that?’ Mark said hastily pointing over the hill on the other side of the Canyon on their left.

‘See what?’ Shanis asked trying hard to see what Mark was referring to.

‘The smoke billowing from under that hill over there’ Mark said eagerly.

‘Yeah, I see it,’ Shanis said not understanding why Mark was so excited for.

‘Well yeah, exactly!’ Mark said s everyone just stared at him ‘if that’s smoke over there then someone must have started the fire, and it can only mean that we are getting close to people, maybe a village or a town,’

‘I never thought there could be a town around here, but whatever, come on everybody lets hurry up, we could use some water, am dying of thirst’ Shanis said to the kids who shone with excitement and great relief. They all went along the Canyon which slightly meandered to the right away from the smoke they saw.

After having gone around the canyon at the end of it they soon sighted a house from a distance, it was a very big house with a huge corn field at the back. There was an old four doors van parked in front of the house turned to the left and stretched on disappearing into the open landscape. There wasn’t any other structure in the area apart from the chimney on top of it.

“Who’d live out here all alone?’ Shanis asked as they drew closer; they were all studying the place. Then the door to the house opened and an old man stepped out with a shot gun in his hands pointing it straight at Mark, and all the kids including Shanis were shocked with fear.

‘Who goes there?’ he asked and cocked the gun, his voice was hoarse. He wore a cap and had a moustache.

‘Were lost, and we seek shelter, food and water, but if you have a problem with that, we’ll leave now and save you the trouble?’ Mark said trying to appease the old man.

’There is many of you, isn’t there? The old man said still aiming his gun.

‘It’s just me, the lady and the kids?’ Mark said as he gestured the old man with his hand moving it across everybody. The kid’s all whimpered to each other too tired or scared to run. The old man made hard look at everyone and then lowered his gun and stepped of the veranda and went off to Mark.

‘My eyes are impaired, old age, not too many people come around here, and none I have seen in years.’ The old man said as he looked at Mark.

‘We’re lost and we just …’ Mark said but before he could finish talking the old man turned and started going toward the veranda, Mark just stood there looking at him then the old man turned and gave them a look.

‘Well come on inside, do you want to sit out here or what?’ the old man said and then turned and started going inside.

‘Crazy old man,’ Mark whispered as he whirled his finger to his head and the kid giggled and laughed and the old man turned again to see what the laughter was all about.

‘What is it?’ he asked

‘Oh, nothing they are just happy’ Mark and they got inside.

The house had many rooms, including the big living room, dining room and the kitchen; one sure thing it was very untidy, and was a big mess, rays lay around all over the living room, boxes and other tools as well. The furniture was so old and some of the wood exposed on the sofas. Clearly the old man never bothered about interior cleaning.

‘The highway is about 40 miles from here, I don’t usually drive to town because I have everything I need here’ the old man said to Mark as the kids and Shanis filled the house.

‘Um, sir …’ Mark said but was cut short by the old man.

‘Name is Jackson Jere, you don’t have to call me sir every time you talk to me,’ the old man said emphatically.

‘I only called you that once?’ Mark said defensively.

‘Yes that’s what am saying, you don’t have to call me that son,’ the old man replied.

‘Name is Mark; anyway do you have a phone I can use?’ Mark asked breaking the squabble of how to address each other.

‘Look you need to relax and worry about everything later; you just got here young man.’ The old man said appealingly ‘it’ll be dark soon, I better go run the generator I wouldn’t want to have guests in the dark,’ the old man then started going towards the kitchen door.

‘Name is Mark,’ Mark said responding to when he called him young man within his last words.

‘I know, you’ve told me already.’ The old man replied after turning and smiling at Mark, then we went through the kitchen to the back door and a few kids followed him out of the house, way over the very big living room where he was into the very big dinning room, Shanis was with some of the kids who surrounded the big long rectangular dining table, some sat on chairs while others were perched on the table, others roamed around the house playing with anything they found.

‘Hey, be careful not to break anything and make a mess.’ Shanis shouted at them.

‘This place is already a mess.’ One boy said and they all burst out with laughter

‘Don’t think this is funny, I mean it’ Shanis retorted and then looked over to the living room and saw Mark who was looking back at her. She then strode towards him.

‘Hey,’ she said as she stood in front of him smiling and staring at his face.

‘Hey,’ he replied smiling as well, and then the revving of the generator caught everyone’s ear and then its engine started running and all the bulbs lit and outshone the partial darkness in the house.

‘Atleast it won’t be open skies, creepy sounds from distant animals tonight huh,’ Shanis said wryly

‘No, I guess,’ Mark said finally as they were looking at each other.

‘Lights on,’ the old man shouted from the kitchen making his way towards Mark and Shanis, some kids running around bumped into him and he stumbled.

‘Oh, am so sorry,’ Shanis said as she went to the old man and held his hands in hers ‘sometimes these guys are a little clumsy.’

‘Don’t you worry, I have nineteen grandchildren and every time they visit me, they turn this place upside down and run me over all the time.’

The old man said smiling and then his smile started fading away ‘but they haven’t visited me in a very long time, they must have grown bigger by now.’ He said sadly then smiled again and walked in to the living room ‘anyway I have nine bedrooms, six bathrooms and a feast I’ll need some extra hands to prepare.’ The old man said with great enthusiasm.