SASABONSAM

Chapter 7

Chief Ashanti loved no one more than his daughter because after losing his wife he dedicated his life to protect the daughter that they both had and that’s why he never wanted to remarry again. He turned to the guard beside him and said, “Go and bring my daughter here.” Suddenly Ama and Mayra appeared beside Chief Ashanti where Ama responded, “Am here father.”  Chief Ashanti and Barrett both faced their daughters.

Then Barrett due to the terror he turned to Chief Ashanti and said, “It almost afternoon we should be on our way.” Chief Ashanti wanting to cool the situation, pretending that was an ordinary occurrence he replied, “It’s ok but don’t let that scene frightens you.” He was the chief and pretending things were good when they weren’t it was one of his talents. But deep down Barrett knew something was wrong and could see the chief pretending, wanting to protect his people especially her daughter he quicken the trade by asking, “Ok, where can we get the ivory?”

Then Chief Ashanti responded, “Ok follow me,” while moving away and the others followed him back. They walked until to a certain point in the woods where Chief Ashanti stopped faced Barrett and said, “Now I want you and Andrej to follow me and only you two.” The community store was one of the secreted places in the community the people who ever walked in were countable, entering in one must fast be trusted by the clan of elders and approved to.

 After the words, Chief Ashanti continued walking away from where Barrett faced back to the Portuguese and shouted, “You all have to stay back,” then he turned to Andrej and said, “You follow me.” Then they both followed Chief Ashanti who was followed by two guards.

Chief Ashanti and the others went and stopped on an underground tunnel entrance where it was guarded with two strong and armed soldiers. For a secreted place in the community, it was to be guarded by the best guards who were brave and strong. Where then the soldiers opened the gates to an underground tunnel that was so dark that could not be seen a meter away. Before Chief Ashanti entered the Tunnel, he was handed over a flaming torch by one of the guard in the entrance.

Inside the tunnel, there were thousands of gold where walking in with a flaming torch the hole place would glow due to the reflection of gold. Andrej walked in the tunnel slowly as he was admiring the artifacts it was the first time they ever walked into the community store but it was not the first time to walk into the community. After frequent exchange where they made a good vibe, the community clan of elders believed the two of them to walk into the store. On the other side as Barrett was slowly moving in the store, his be drawn to a certain book that was surrounded by three flaming candles.

Barrett went slowly towards the book. To him it was sure that the community cherished the book. Chief Ashanti noticing that Barrett was caught up with the book he paused looking at him wanting to see his reaction to the book. Barrett went picked up the book and using some keys that he had he started trying to open the lock that was locking the book from being opened. Chief Ashanti walked to where Barrett was standing looking at the book closely. Then Chief Ashanti distracting him from picking the lock he said,

“It has been on our community possession for years.”

“And what’s in the book?”

“it’s believed to have been written by God himself.”

“And this lock who has the key to it.”

“We have possessed this book but no one in our community has ever read it.”

The book had been in the community for years where nobody has ever open its lock, the community considered the book as part of their culture. The book at a distance he walked and stopped beside them also intrigued Andrej who was a distance away from them listening to their conversation and asked Barrett, “What is the price of taking it?” This was part of his nature he thought everything in this world had a price. Barrett responded, “It’s impossible for them to give out the book it is part of their community heritage.”

Chief Ashanti in curiosity he asked Barrett, “What is your brother saying?”

“He wants to buy the book at any cost.”

“We cannot sell the book.”

Suddenly their conversation was cut short when one of  guard who was at the entrance shouted towards Chief Ashanti and others, “The Portuguese are complaining about time.” It was past noon and the Portuguese were afraid to travel at night to their camp because they were afraid of the African beast that had a tendency to kill for food. Quickly Barrett returned the book to its position and Chief Ashanti ordered the guard to take the ivory out.

The guards quickly responded by taking the gold outside as Chief Ashanti, Barrett, and Andrej walked out. After all, the gold was out the nine elders did the batter trade with the Portuguese. The nine clan of elders were representing each clan where they did and talked beside of the whole community that would be time consuming.

After the batter trade, the Portuguese quickly packed their gold on their animals and walked away as the community people waved them goodbye.

After an hour, the Portuguese were at the savanna walking slowly towards their camp. Barrett and Andrej were leading the way because they were the only who were familiar to the place. After a long silent journey, Andrej broke the two silent monotony by said to Barrett,

“You should have negotiated the price of the book.”

“Why are you interested in the book and it may be having useless content.”

“It cannot be even it edge is expensive too.”

“Ok next time I will try to negotiate the price.”

Suddenly Barrett stopped and curiously looked into his pocket as if he had lose something. Andrej in curiosity also stopped faced Barrett and asked, “What’s wrong?” Barrett responded, “I have forgotten the keys.” After trying to pick the lock with his keys, he forgot to take them after placing them beside the book. Mayra who was a little behind walked to her father disrupted the conversation between Barrett and Andrej by asking Barrett, “What’s the wrong father.”

The keys were important to him because were the keys of the hole ship that they had sail with it to Africa. The ship was not his and it was too expensive he was in a capability to break the cabins in the ship. He responded, “I have to go back.”

“Why?”

Not in a position to hear his daughter trying to convers him otherwise, he faced Andrej and said, “Just continue the journey with Andrej I’ll come back.” Then without wasting any time, Barrett turned and walked back leaving the others going to the camp.

The Portuguese arrived at their camp settlement area at night. Andrej because his the remaining leader he had to take Barrett role where he went stood on top of a gigantic rock and shouted to the people who were slowly entering the camp, “Everybody pack! Everybody pack! It’s late and we are sorry for the delay.”

The Portuguese who were tired of the long journey slowly unpacked their goods as they prepare their tents.  To where Andrej was standing, he noticed at a distance two males had gathered around a bonfire. Andrej due to the cold night he walked to the bonfire and joined the men to warm.

Time passed as Andrej was conversing with the men killing time. Suddenly Mayra walked to him looking stressed up. It was the first time that she ever stayed away from her father concern about him she asked Andrej,

“Has my father come back?”

“Not yet but I think he is on his way.”

“But is it dangerous to walk in the savanna at night?”

“Don’t stress yourself your father is a wise man he will come back.”

Mayra contempt with what she was told she walked back to her tent looking stressed up leaving Andrej around the bonfire.

Late at night, everybody had finished unpacking and they were deep sleeping. Andrej who was seated on a rock beside the bonfire he noticed the other two men that were round the bonfire were also sleeping.

 As a good leader being humble, Andrej stood and walked to the men where he woke them up and said to them, “Go to you wives in the tent watch over the night.” One of the men responded, ‘What about you master?” Andrej responded, “Today I have no sleep ill watch over the night.” The men then moved to their tent silently still as they were yawning.

After some minutes when the men had left Andrej and he was all alone outside, Andrej saw a human shadow at a distance due to the shining full moon and the clear sky. Andrej trying to have a good visibility he paused and focused his eyes on the shadow that was at a distance. At the time, no one should be walking because it was late and everybody had long slept.

Suddenly a cloud passed by the moon that caused total darkness for some seconds. When the cloud completely moved away he noticed the shadow was no more. On fear of the myth of the area, he quickly scanned the area with his eyes still while standing in the same position but could not see anything. Suddenly Andrej heard a tap on his back thinking he was attacked he sprung in front and turned back.

It was a Portugal man who had tapped him. The man asked Andrej, “What’s wrong?” Andrej faced at his back to where he had seen the human shadow then faced the man thinking it was his own imaginations he responded, “It’s nothing I only had a nightmare.” The man who was holding a sword forwarded it to Andrej and said, “It’s ok but take it in in case.”

 After Andrej took the sword, the man moved back to his tent. Andrej then sat on the rock holding the sword tightly. Immediately he sat on the rock he hears something cold landed on his neck. Andrej touched his neck where he felt a cold sensation and using the bonfire light he noticed the fingers that he had touched had to blood.

Due to the Moon’s light, he saw a human shadow beside him. Quickly Andrej rose while holding the sword and swung it behind him where he found no one. Still as he was facing behind slightly tilted, his neck where he saw a shadow was in the act of vanishing.

Andrej knew this was real not a nightmare. Due to fear he breathed heavily as he slowly turned back where he was facing, on astonish he found Ofori was standing silently before him, he froze. Ofori’s eyes were glowing red and on his hand, he was holding a Portugal man’s head. By the looks, he was not a normal man he was like a devil in flesh.

Mayra deep at night she walked out of her tent going for a short call, she was rubbing her eyes trying to open her eyes to have a good visibility where she bumped into a man where not having a clear look of the man she asked, “Is Barrett back?” The man for a moment faced Mayra then he walked away assuming her. Then Mayra still as she was rubbing her eyes said, “That man surely doesn’t know what I am saying.”

Mayra stared at the man as he walked away and saw the man was moving out of the camp and Mayra asked herself, “Is that man normal?” then Mayra move back to her tent.