The Cave
(Episode 14)
The heat from the sun was now becoming scorching; not even the trees could provide us with the much-needed refuge. This forest was full of mysteries. It was difficult to believe that it was the same forest that almost killed us with downpour only a few hours ago—one good thing the rain did, though was that it provided us with enough water to drink. We continued our journey in a single file heading towards a mountain we had seen when we left the cave.
We all remained silent as we moved on. Only the rustling of leaves and chirping of birds were audible. Everyone was battling with his or her innermost thoughts. No doubt, there was much to think about in this situation. It was sure that none of us had gotten over Fatima’s death in the cave. We were ten that started this journey in the forest together before Michael joined us, but now three of us had already gone, and we didn’t know what the forest had in store for the rest of us.
After walking for hours, our destination seemed not to be getting any closer. The closer we got, the more it seemed the mountain ran farther away from us.
At about three O’Clock, we decided to get some rest. We found a massive tree that formed a huge canopy over our heads. The breeze underneath the tree was cool and refreshing. Biggie and Ubong went into the bush and soon returned with enough fruits for all to eat to satisfaction. We had enough water too. We had had our fill when we came across a clean pond earlier and had filled up some of the wineskins we got from the cave.
As we took our rest and enjoyed our meal, we naturally loosened up. I discovered that it was the best thing to do. We needed to stay positive and make the best of the situation we found ourselves. We cracked jokes and shared exciting stories. Sister Elizabeth entertained us with some songs. I was delighted to see Amitabh clapping and drumming with his mouth to the songs. I didn’t know that Lilian too had such a beautiful voice. She was the quiet type that hardly spoke. The smiles and laughter on everybody’s lips were invigorating. We came to appreciate our surroundings—the chirping of birds became melodious songs to our ears, and squirrels jumping from tree to tree, filled us with laughter.
Fiona and I moved away from the others and shared sweet memories while curdled in each other’s arms. We were fast becoming inseparable. From time to time, we checked our phones for network signals, but we were always disappointed each time. Anyway, they still allowed us to measure time.
We hit back the road after we had had sufficient rest. We soon came across a broad path that appeared to be frequently used. I saw happiness beam forth from everyone’s eyes. This could only mean one thing—we were close to a settlement.
However, as soon as we hit the path, Fiona started telling me she felt that someone was watching us. But we saw no one.
As we moved farther down the path, we came across stone sculptures of different sizes and shapes with scary features. Some had what looked like ancient markings and inscriptions. Some looked like altars and shrines. There was something strange hanging in the air. My nose had begun to twitch again. I started feeling cold from the inside, and I could see others too feeling that way. We slowed down and turned in all directions, but we found nothing. We did not know what to do—whether we should turn back or continue. If there was anything we instinctively agreed on, however, it was that going forward might be a bad idea. Everyone braced up for any eventuality. Michael steadied himself with his rifle at the ready like a trained soldier. I loved that guy!
The moment we started backtracking, we began to hear sounds and noticed movements in the bush around us. And in what seemed like a flash we saw human figures running around us and disappearing back into the bushes. We swung around frantically but saw nothing. It happened the second time. God! What was going on? Were we being haunted by an army of the dead? My palms became sweaty.
Then we heard what sounded like a war cry and the figures appeared and disappeared again. However, this time, they lingered a bit longer so that we could catch a glimpse of what they were. They were kind of some ancient warriors. Michael wasted no time in squeezing the trigger but hit not a single one of them. There was pin-drop silence for a moment. My heart started beating so hard I feared it would pop out of my chest. I held Fiona’s hand. She too was sweating.
To be continued … Watch Out for the Next Episode!
