Two Moons by J. Raymond Ractliffe - Chapter 16

Two Moons is a new novel by J. Raymond Ractliffe that explores the inner spirit life of Africa, her people and their powerful faith in the world of the Unseen.

The Mark of the Two Moons
Chapter 16

      The sun was moving now towards the orange horizon, the simmering heat on the land fading and cooling, bringing final relief from the scorching day. Jeremy could see the rolling hills where the Blue Barn stood far off in the distance, beautifully surrounded by the tall blue gum trees they had planted when he had laid the corner stone on the house. Now they were tall and magnificent and reason for great pride as they brought shelter and cover to their fine colonial house. Jeremy was still many miles away from their security and shade and the warm embrace of Claire and her smiles.

Jeremy had made good time during the day, he had found his land markings which he knew would direct him home and had with new strength focused on the trail before him. The stiffness of the cold night had left him early after he left the compound and he walked with long confident stride towards home.

The hot jagged stones had caught at him, the endless bushes and thorns had cut his thighs and arms. There were times in the day he felt he was being trailed but when he looked behind him, he could never see the reason for his growing fears. Walking through Africa was never something to do when unarmed, it was no wonder he was cautious. His own instincts were over stimulated, causing this nervousness.

When the sun was high and angry in the sky, Jeremy squinted into its searing light, not seeing for a moment a loose rock by the side of the buck path.

A stumbled missed step and suddenly, he was cursing like a sailor. A stone spirit smiled with devilish eyes as it withdrew away under a dark bush and shadow. It had been a long time since it had found someone to play with.

Jeremy's eyes teared up in disbelief as he sat by the side of the sand path, clutching his foot and ankle. He watched as ithe ankle became swollen and hot to the touch, the deep blue growing in minutes that left him an ankle that refused any weight.

Each step now brought searing pain that rose up through his muscled leg and left him panting and shaking. He was not going to make the farm before nightfall. He would have to stop somewhere, light a fire and try and hold out until sunrise.

Jeremy leaned heavily now on his walking stick, each forward step measured against the pain that followed. Limping slowly he made his way along the bush path, the walking stick digging deeply into the sand under his weight.

By mid afternoon, he had fallen several times and made little progress as his stick slid out from underneath him when it touched down on polished stone instead of deep sand. His ankle skin now drawn tight and deep blue, the pain searing up like sharp spears at the slightest jolt or movement.

Stopping by a large boulder by the side of the path, Jeremy slid the water skin from his tired drooping shoulder, he took out the stopper and brought it up to his moth to drink. There was little left and he had not found any new stream or river to refill the skin. Better to leave the rest now until nightfall and the morning when he would set out again in the final stage of his now limping return.

A sound suddenly from the deep thicket behind him, his blood suddenly beating hard through his body, filled with adrenaline and fear. A snorting intake of air, a light rustle and giggle as the tell tale sound of a hyena made its way out from the winding path behind him and into the clearing where he stood with his water skin held in mid air.

It slowly lowered it head, bobbing up and down as it stood shoulder square to him. It had finally found this three-legged creature that had walked strangely along this path. It could see one leg held up in pain, wounded, useless for a hasty retreat or run. It looked directly into this creature's tired eyes and saw the signs of fear that always led to a successful hunt.

The African hyena, not one of God's beautiful creatures, but millions of years of careful evolution had turned this laughing scavenger with its broad shoulders and massive jaws into a deadly and very patient hunter. It could bring a thousand pounds of pressure per square inch to a buffalo or hippo bone and make nothing of it as it fought its way to the white marrow full of protein that was a delight on the plains of Africa.

The hyena sat suddenly on its small hindquarters in the sand and watched Jeremy as he fought deep and gripping fear that had stopped him breathing. Now Jeremy faced the unrelenting and cowardly stalking of a hyena, out in the wild, withnothing but a walking stick holding him up on a twisted blue ankle. The blood from his torn hands, although covered with the torn cloth from Konjaru's shirt, now filled the animal's senses and hunger lust, whooping and calling out as the hyena rocked side to side, ever watchful of his quarries reaction to his prying maneuvers to get ever closer.

Jeremy had no illusions as to his situation. The hyena rarely fought a stand up battle, preferring scavenging from the kills of others. Pitched battle between lions and hungry hyena's sometimes had the lions retreating if there were enough hyena males to encircle and harass its rear until it retreated into the bush. Older and more experience male lions would attack and kill these female leaders of the pack, causing the rest to fall back and return to their lairs, hungers unfulfilled and the count of their yellow pack reduced and bloodied.

Jeremy was no lion and wounded as he was, without a spear or rifle, he was no fool. This was serious and if he was to live through this nightmare his mind was to remain clear and calm.

Africa had come now to play with him. From the tops of trees and inside the darkened bush, hidden smiles and keen eyed spirits watched the play of man and yellow beast. Lost in the giggles of the stalking yellow beast their own laughter mingled and danced.

Only one would walk away.