African Pursuit by David Alric Read Free Book Online
Authors: David Alric
family and they were obviously in a lorry, heading east. Her grandpa had repeatedly said that they wouldn’t dare to execute him because of his links with the UN, so perhaps the plan was to exile him to Rwanda or Burundi. There were obviously guards keeping watch over the house so she clearly couldn’t return there. The problem was, where could she go? The rest of her schoolfriends’ parents were friendly with grandpa and grandma and she didn’t know who else might be targeted in this political move. There was no-one she could really trust or, at least, there was no-one with whom she could be sure she would be safe. She might even bring trouble to an innocent family by staying with them.
She decided without further thought what she must do. She pulled her notepad towards her and scribbled a note to Chakula, the girl who helped the family with cooking and housework. She was seventeen, loved bangles and brooches and was particularly proud of her large silver earrings. She had obviously been spared as being unimportant by whoever was targeting the family.
“Dear Chakula,
I know what has happened to the others but I am safe. Please can you put some bottles of water, some matches and some clothes in a small bag and leave it near my bedroom window. I may send you more notes when I know what I need.
Thank you,
Love from Neema
P.S. Destroy this note immediately and tell no-one about it.
P.P.S. Don’t forget my spare glasses!”
She folded the note into a tight wad and turned to Jambo.
‘Jambo. I wish to come and stay with thee and thy kin.’
‘That will be a great honour and privilege for us, O Special One,’ was the immediate reply. ‘ We shall be held in high esteem by all the junglekin. No harm shall befall thee whilst thou art in our care.’ Neema was relieved to hear this reply.
‘ There are things I shall need from the place I dwell.’ She handed Jambo the note she had just scribbled. ‘Canst thou take this to the one with the silver ears? Those with the thundersticks must not see thee.’
‘ My kin cannot be seen in the village,’ said Jambo, ‘for we never leave our own place. The leaf thou hast scratched on is small. A mimicquill shall take it.’
She turned and called up to the canopy and within a few seconds a grey parrot fluttered down. Jambo spoke to it and soon it grasped the note in a powerful claw and flew off towards the village.
‘Another must also go,’ said Neema. ‘ Maybe one of the arborikin? One who can carry a burden.’ She gestured with her hands to indicate the size of a small bag. Jambo turned again to the canopy and soon a black and white colobus monkey swung effortlessly to the ground. Neema explained what he must do and soon he scampered away on his journey to Neema’s bedroom window.
The next few days were both stressful and enthralling for Neema. She was in a state of constant concern for her family and could not see a satisfactory way out of her current situation that would enable her to resume a normal life. On the other hand she found life in the rainforest intensely liberating. The bonobos were gentle and kind and did their utmost to help her in every way. They brought her all mannerof food: things with which she was familiar such as pineapples, peaches, avocados, bananas, papayas and coconuts, but also many kinds of succulent fruits and vegetables that were unfamiliar to her. They were terrified when she first lit a fire, but after a while got used to it and brought her fish and crustaceans to cook, and she baked eggs, yams and plantains in the ashes. She roamed far and wide in the vast jungle and was taken to regions so remote and impenetrable that they had never before been visited by any human being. After some days, to her great relief, the animals reported to her that her family were now in a land far to the east, and were no longer under guard. Neema correctly assumed that they had been exiled, and as the animals said that there were gorillas in that
She decided without further thought what she must do. She pulled her notepad towards her and scribbled a note to Chakula, the girl who helped the family with cooking and housework. She was seventeen, loved bangles and brooches and was particularly proud of her large silver earrings. She had obviously been spared as being unimportant by whoever was targeting the family.
“Dear Chakula,
I know what has happened to the others but I am safe. Please can you put some bottles of water, some matches and some clothes in a small bag and leave it near my bedroom window. I may send you more notes when I know what I need.
Thank you,
Love from Neema
P.S. Destroy this note immediately and tell no-one about it.
P.P.S. Don’t forget my spare glasses!”
She folded the note into a tight wad and turned to Jambo.
‘Jambo. I wish to come and stay with thee and thy kin.’
‘That will be a great honour and privilege for us, O Special One,’ was the immediate reply. ‘ We shall be held in high esteem by all the junglekin. No harm shall befall thee whilst thou art in our care.’ Neema was relieved to hear this reply.
‘ There are things I shall need from the place I dwell.’ She handed Jambo the note she had just scribbled. ‘Canst thou take this to the one with the silver ears? Those with the thundersticks must not see thee.’
‘ My kin cannot be seen in the village,’ said Jambo, ‘for we never leave our own place. The leaf thou hast scratched on is small. A mimicquill shall take it.’
She turned and called up to the canopy and within a few seconds a grey parrot fluttered down. Jambo spoke to it and soon it grasped the note in a powerful claw and flew off towards the village.
‘Another must also go,’ said Neema. ‘ Maybe one of the arborikin? One who can carry a burden.’ She gestured with her hands to indicate the size of a small bag. Jambo turned again to the canopy and soon a black and white colobus monkey swung effortlessly to the ground. Neema explained what he must do and soon he scampered away on his journey to Neema’s bedroom window.
The next few days were both stressful and enthralling for Neema. She was in a state of constant concern for her family and could not see a satisfactory way out of her current situation that would enable her to resume a normal life. On the other hand she found life in the rainforest intensely liberating. The bonobos were gentle and kind and did their utmost to help her in every way. They brought her all mannerof food: things with which she was familiar such as pineapples, peaches, avocados, bananas, papayas and coconuts, but also many kinds of succulent fruits and vegetables that were unfamiliar to her. They were terrified when she first lit a fire, but after a while got used to it and brought her fish and crustaceans to cook, and she baked eggs, yams and plantains in the ashes. She roamed far and wide in the vast jungle and was taken to regions so remote and impenetrable that they had never before been visited by any human being. After some days, to her great relief, the animals reported to her that her family were now in a land far to the east, and were no longer under guard. Neema correctly assumed that they had been exiled, and as the animals said that there were gorillas in that