Natural Ways

The car crawled along the deserted road, its headlights bouncing
back in the thick fog. Laughter echoed as the woman's head disappeared
down to the male driver's crotch. A zip flicked open. His eyes closed.
Her head bobbed up and down in ecstatic rhythm to the car radio,
oblivious of the dark mass heading towards them. His eyes bulged open,
a reaction to the trumpeting of a stampeding elephant, demanding the
right of way. Lights blinded him. The woman, who pleasured him, had no
idea of the situation - not even when the impact came.

Wayne bolted upright in bed. An elephant bellowed outside. Beads of
sweat soaked his naked body. Julie awoke with a start, realising he'd
had another nightmare. He rejected her efforts to console him.
The telephone rang. Ignoring the large Valentines Day Card on the
bedside cabinet, he grabbed the receiver behind it, listened then
banged it down on the cradle, knocking the card to the floor. "Early
morning Safari call," he grunted, jumped out of bed, flung open the
mosquito nets and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door.
Julie glanced at the travel clock beside her - almost 6 30am - still
dark outside. In Africa the winter sun rises at 7am and goes down at
7pm. Twelve hours of overpowering heat. She tossed back the
sheets.
Julie swung her legs out of bed, hand groping around the floor till
she found a pair of crutches, using them to lift herself upright. Both
legs hampered by callipers, she shuffled around to Wayne's side of the
bed, straining her body to pick up the Valentines Card; reassert it on
the bedside cabinet.
Breathless, she laboured towards the veranda and slid open the door,
peaked outside. A small herd of elephants had come for an early morning
drink from the waterhole. She admired them for a few minutes, before
hobbling to a dresser, sat down and brushed her long, silky hair. Still
in her twenties, her reflection in the mirror did her face justice. The
accident had crippled her waist down, but spared her face and hands. Or
even blinded her. Worse, turned her into a cabbage.
Oh, yes she would have hated that, not being able to see or look nice
for Wayne and hold him. She loved him. He had once loved her, but he
seemed indifferent to her somehow after the accident. Counselling had
suggested it might be because he came out of the crash unscathed.
A girl's wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
They were on their way to their honeymoon on the south coast of
England. Instead of a fortnight's bliss, she spent two years in and out
of hospital.
During those years she tried everything to recapture Wayne's love and
get the marriage going. Julie never gave up hope. She hoped this
Safari, a belated honeymoon six thousand miles from that fateful place,
would do the trick.
She chose this Lodge, an imposing structure, because it seemed so
romantic in the holiday brochure. Surrounded by dense jungle,
constructed mainly from ebony trees and standing on wooden stilts,
overlooking the waterhole. This was the dry season and most of the
waterholes, rivers and lakes had dried up. A Fish Eagle perched itself
in a tree, ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey.
Inside the lodge, a friendly atmosphere greeted them. Before
registering, staff offered them iced drinks
They were escorted to their cosy, little room with all its amenities,
including air-conditioning. The dining room and the bar, the entire
furnishings were also set in ebony.

Next morning, after a light breakfast, Julie and Wayne set off on
Safari, a six-hour trek to the vast plains of the Masai Mara Game
Reserve for a two-night stay over. She stretched across the back seat
of the land rover for more legroom. Wayne chatted up front with Daniel,
the driver, a wiry, middle-aged local lad. He complained about poor
wages, working seven days a week, and hardly seeing his wife and
kids.
Daniel advised Wayne and Julie to rub in high factor sun tan lotion.
Also to guzzle bottled water and wear Safari hats, to prevent
dehydration. Not to waste any. Water is precious in the
wilderness.
Julie watched the breathtaking scenery flying past; local women
trekking along dusty dirt tracks, pitchers on their heads, babies
strapped to their backs, fetching water from God knows where. Julie
wondered, in such primitive conditions, without the aid of modern
appliances, how these women managed to get their clothes whiter than
white.
Letting her mind wander, Julie wondered if Wayne had another woman
back in England? Julie would understand if he had. He had good looks
and fine body physique. Said he had not touched her in two years,
because of her injuries. Julie thought it considerate of him, but still
she wondered
Sometimes, he'd go missing for days and come back with some lame
excuse about 'needing space.' Julie suspected Wayne only stuck with her
now, because leaving would make him a rat, deserting a sinking
ship.
Months before their marriage, they discussed starting a family
straight away after they were wed. Wayne wanted that so badly, being a
family man. Before embarking on this trip, Julie's doctor had given her
the all clear, no reason why she couldn't conceive. Coaxing Wayne into
having a baby could be the answer to her prayers and win him
back.
Daniel and other Safari drivers kept in touch via short wave radio.
This way they let each other know the locations of game. The Lodge
reception had a blackboard for guides to chalk up which types of game
had been spotted. Game is always on the move, usually following food or
water.
A pride of lions had been spotted close to Masai Mara, now only a few
miles away. Daniel put his foot down to get to them before they moved
on. Scores of dirt roads encompassing the Game Reserve met at
crossroads, numbered into sections and signposted. The Safari guides
knew the maize of roads like the back of their hands.
Soaring above them was a hot air balloon Safari. They were gaining
height after a champagne breakfast on the plains. Julie would love
that. Maybe Wayne would take her on a balloon Safari. He loved animals
in their natural habitat, as much as she did. The balloon started to
peel off in another direction, its passengers waving. Julie waved back
as it moved off into the distance
Swerving to negotiate the blind bends along a dried up riverbed,
Daniel suddenly slammed on the brakes. The four-wheel drive skidded to
a halt. Two female elephants and a young calf were blocking the land
rover's path.
Daniel pounded on the hooter. The beasts glanced up, raising their
trunks, as if blowing a raspberry at him then carried on feeding from
the luscious vegetation on either side.
Julie videoed from contorted angles, discomfort in her legs, but this
were a once in a lifetime jungle scene not to be missed. These
magnificent creatures were a peaceful family sight. Wayne recognised
the dire look on Daniel's face; calm before the storm.
Suddenly, hundred yards behind them, a bull elephant charged out of
the thick bush, like a runaway bulldozer, knocking everything down in
its path. It stampeded towards them to protect its family from
tourists, intruders, encroaching his territory. Daniel knew if the
raging bull rammed the land rover they'd be crushed. He had to think
fast.
He banged hard on the outer door panelling, pounded the hooter louder,
shouting, until the beasts in front sauntered off into the bush. The
bull kept on coming, trunk raised meaner than hell, so close Julie
could see down his throat.
Daniel stamped his foot on the accelerator to outrun the rampant
elephant. Their lives depended on it. The land rover surged forward,
churning up dust, almost overturning around narrow, snaking bends.
Julie tossed around in the back, scream for Wayne for help. He just
stared straight ahead, mesmerised, terrified, and reliving that fateful
accident back in England.
The bull ploughed into the land rover with such force the vehicle spun
round, facing the way it had come.
It stopped dead, dangling on the edged of a steep bank, overlooking
the dried up river. Daniel, though stunned, managed to grab the radio
hand piece and shouted for help. Nothing - only crackling. The set had
been rendered useless.
Bellowing in defiance, the bull rammed Daniel's side of the rover. The
vehicle plunged over the edge, down into the parched riverbed. The bull
trumpeted in triumph as the bus spiralled in a free fall, landing
upside down. Satisfied he had dusted the interlopers off, the bull went
back to his herd, disappearing round a dogleg bend.
For what seemed an eternity, all was still, before Julie's moans broke
the silence. Wayne had been catapulted into the back near to her. He
stirred. Daniel, upfront, lay motionless, blood oozing from a head
wound.
"Wayne...Wayne...." Shouted Julie. "Are - are you badly hurt?"
Wayne stared at Julie, as if possessed. He grabbed her by the throat
and squeezed hard. "Wayne - no - p-please. It's me, Julie, you're
wife."
He eased his grip, coming to his senses, releasing her. "Julie...."
Then fell into a coma. Concussed, she thought, delirious, that's why he
tried to throttle her?
Daniel had not moved yet. Julie hoped he was not dead. Surely, if
they're close to the Masai Mara, they'll send out a search party, if
they don't arrive at the specified time. She laughed, whistling in the
dark. Probably setting off right now.
From where she lay, she could see it was getting dark outside, too
late for a search party. Jungle nocturnal sounds had already started.
Julie even thought she heard a lion's roar in the distance. Daniel said
night Safaris are the best. When predators make most kills, usually at
waterholes, or rivers, like this one when it's full with rainwater. The
most vulnerable prey is the young, or old.
Nature is so cruel, she thought. Survival of the fittest meant
magnificent animals had to kill and eat other magnificent animals in
order to live. She tried to imagine what it would be like to watch a
pride of lions eating a kill. Say a zebra, or wildebeest maybe. Would
she feel like one of the sadistic ghouls who slow down on the motorway
when there's been a multiple pile up to ogle the blood and gore?
Masai Mara, expert trackers, surely can't track in the dark. No,
they'll start at daybreak. Best be comfortable for the night. Her legs
were twisted, but moveable and didn't hurt, too much. Or were they just
numb? She laid thinking about Wayne and his sudden impulse.
Her mind drifted back to the car accident all those years ago. She
vaguely remembered a vice like grip around her throat then. She
dismissed it as imagination, or the position she had been trapped in.
Then it all slowly came back to her, Wayne's voice echoed in her mind.
'Julie, my darling, your back's broken. I'll kill you with my bare
hands before I let you live your life a cripple.' Then his hands let go
- just like they had minutes ago. Then she realised the truth.
"Oh, Wayne, I love you," she said, as he started to regain
consciousness.
"I-I-I love you too, Julie. Never-never stopped loving you."
"You just wanted to save me from all the suffering." She said. "Oh,
Wayne."
She stretched out her arm. Wayne squeezed her hand. They had a reason
to survive now. "Happy Valentine's Day, love."
"Never get you a card Julie. You - you never forget."
A voice in broken English suddenly cracked over the radio. "Daniel,
this is George, can you hear me? Where are you? I've been trying to
contact you for ages."
Daniel didn't stir. The voice spoke more urgent. "Daniel, if you can't
reply, I hope you can hear. I know you must be close by my
calculations. There is a man-eating lion roaming the area. It's already
killed a women and her child from a Masai village. Daniel several
search parties are already covering the route you came. Daniel, we...."
It went dead.
"Oh, Wayne, darling," she said. "What are we going to do? We're
trapped. For the first time she panicked. The lion's roar was getting
closer. "Its here - probably come back to its natural watering hole."
She laughed. "But the water's all gone, dried up."
"May-maybe the lion will go away, my darling," he said.
Wayne lapsed into unconsciousness again, burning up and dehydrating.
She inched her body towards a bottle of water just out of reach. If
only she could get to it. God, please give her strength. HE did. She
grabbed the bottle.
Before she had the cork off, a lions snarling jaws appeared at the
window, circling the vehicle, reconnoitring for ways in. Having smelled
human blood it now had a taste for, its paw smashed through the side
window, clawing at Wayne, the closest.
"No - get away from him, you beast." Julie bashed the lion's paw with
the bottle. The lion pulled its paw away, disappeared from the
window.
Wayne gained consciousness. "Julie, stay calm. Listen, before I pass
out again, there's a handgun...behind the driver's sunshade. G-get
it."
"Wayne, I can't - it's too far away. I-----,"
The lion roared at the window to demonstration its dominance, before
disappearing out of view. Wayne was on the verge of passing out again.
She had to think quickly - something to use as a weapon.
"Ju-Julie...this..." He eased a crutch to almost within her reach,
gripping the other like a club. She stretched to grab hers, just as the
lion struck again, with both paws and more determination than last
time.
Together they tried to fend it off with the crutches, but the beast
proved too smart. The lion somehow snatched a crutch in each paw. It
roared in defiance, dragging them outside. Then retreated. Wayne
blacked out.
Julie's heart sank, but she had to keep calm, the gun now their only
chance. With no time to lose, she started inching her backside, but
paused to admire Wayne. "Nice going, love." She smiled and blew a kiss.
"We'll beat it, you'll see."
The lion bellowed outside, urging her on. She endeavoured to pull his
body further away from the lion's attacking position. She shuffled
faster, absorbing the pain. Exhausted, she had almost reached the front
of the rover; horrified that Daniel's body covered the sunshade - and
the gun behind it.
She stopped for a breather to muster up enough strength to go the last
bit. Julie was learning the hard way that survival of the fittest is no
mean fete. The lion's roars had stopped. Had it decided to go away? Or
had it seen easier prey.
Julie remembered seeing a jungle film once - Gary cooper - Distant
Drums. 'Yup,' said Gary in that Texas droll of his. 'When the drums
stop beating, that's the time to worry - that's when the varmints
attack.' Or words to that effect.
Julie was out of puff when she reached Daniel and felt his neck for a
pulse. She made the sign of a cross, sniffing back her tears. No time
to stand on ceremony now. Taking deep breaths, she heaved the body
clear of the sunblind; saw the gun on clips, twisted by the elephant's
impact, behind it.
She laughed in triumph and grabbed it, but it wouldn't budge. She
needed to get closer to free it.
Without warning the lion struck again, only now it couldn't reach
Wayne. It withdrew its paws and went away. The lion was desperate, but
so was she. Julie pushed her face up to the windscreen for leverage to
free the gun.
Then came a thunderous bang. The lion had dived through the windscreen
with such velocity; it passed by her and finished up colliding into the
rear doors. It looked around to gain it's bearing. He licked his lips,
like some kid finding himself in a larder. Problems! Problems - who to
eat first.
She was a threat and must be eliminated. The lion bared its teeth,
ready to pounce. Julie, in a panic, tugged to free the gun - she did -
but too hard. The gun went flying from her hand. On impulse, she
dragged Daniel's body over her face, clinging to it with all her savage
courage. The lion pounced.
She thought she heard herself pleading with the lion. "Please - not my
face. Don't spoil it for Wayne - please."
The lion's teeth sank into the callipers on her legs, pulling at them,
twisting them out of all proportion, as if they were hairpins. The
beast was no fool in trying to pull her clear of Daniel's body so it
could go for the jugular vein. And succeeding. She tried hard enough to
resist, but the King of jungle was too strong for her.
At least it gave her time to pray for her soul, Daniel's soul and
Wayne's soul.
Gunshots echoed in her mind. The lion gave one loud roar, before
collapsing in a heap on top of her. Julie's eyes flickered and she saw
Wayne, gun in hand, puckering his lips to her in a kiss.
He'd stayed out longer this time, needed help - fast. Both managed a
faint smile, before passing. Her thoughts of Wayne carried on in a
dream.
She didn't know how long she had lain there supporting the lion's
weight. Too weak to care even about the scratches on her face. Or
whether the wetness she felt was blood from the lion, or her legs,
which hurt like crazy now, but the warped callipers had done their job
in more ways than one.
Julie shivered in the coldness of the morning air. The nocturnes had
finished for the night. Now it was the turn of the daytime animals.
Wasn't nature wonderful with never a dull moment?
Then she heard faint rustling outside. She gasped, as it got louder
and closer. "Oh, not a lioness seeking revenge for killing her old
man." She was too knackered to care.
Julie sighed with relief when a family of monkeys poked their heads
through the windscreen. Her first reaction was to stroke them. Then she
remembered what Daniel had told her when they pulled into a park, a
break from their journey.
Wayne and Julie sat under a tree to eat lunch from two portable
iceboxes Daniel had brought along. Scrounging monkeys approached them.
Julie, the sentimental fool that she is, wanted to feed them. Daniel
pointed to a sign not to feed the monkeys. Apparently, these loveable
creatures are greedy and will snatch your fingers off to get the food.
Also, they could be rabid.
"Oh what the hell," she said. "After what I've just been through." She
tried to shift the lion off her, but it wouldn't budge.
Julie opened an icebox strewn close bye and took out leftover food
intended for Daniel's kids. She tore at a croissant, handing pieces to
the monkeys. Suddenly, they fled. "Ungrateful lot," Julie said.
Then her heart sank. Something had scared them off. She heard
footfalls and voices, chanting in Swahili, getting closer. "Knowing my
luck," she sighed. "It'll be cannibals."
A native warrior, in full battle gear, poked his head through the
windscreen; white teeth dazzled her in a grin. He prodded a spear at
the dead lion. Julie thanked God the Masai are proficient
trackers.
Traditionally, in the old days, a warrior about to take a bride, went
out alone into the bush to kill a lion to prove his bravery. In modern
Africa it is illegal to kill a lion. (Unless a man-eater).
Now, tribal warriors simulate the killing of a lion in a lion dance,
which involves jumping high into the air to the rhythm of the
drums.
Julie and Wayne were back at the Lodge, honoured guests of The Masai,
a colourful tribe, tall and slender. Male and female wore sarongs,
their body and braided hair (Female) decorated with homemade
trinkets.
They made Wayne a sort of blood brother for killing the lion that
preyed on the tribe. Julie's ordeal that night didn't seem to count.
Out here, in the African bush, it was still a man's world it seemed.
Africa had saved their marriage. Now it was up to her and Wayne.
Wayne, arm around Julie, planted a kiss on her lips. Julie thought of
poor Daniel and the family he'd left behind. His wife, like all
Africans, must accept the harsh, natural ways of their Country. Julie
wanted to take a family photo, but the widow shied away. Taking snaps
of the natives is taboo - black magic - but not if the tourist first
negotiates a fee.
"Yes," Julie said to Wayne, as she paid the agreed amount. "Africa may
be a poor country, but its people are wonderful. And of course its
wildlife."
A family of bush babies scampered across the balcony, overlooking the
waterhole. It was okay to hold and feed these cute little creatures.
Julie, saddened because this was the last day of their holiday, had
toyed with her dinner and fed them leftover titbits.
She watched in awe as the Fish Eagle suddenly swooped down and
snatched a fish from the water. The fish wriggled in the bird's talons,
as the Eagle winged back to its perch and pulled the live fish to bits
with its hooked beak. It reminded Julie of how callous life can be
sometimes.
When Wayne joined in the Masai lion dance, she realised that life had
a good side, too. The enlightenment had been worth it. Tomorrow she and
her husband would fly back to England happier than when they came to
Africa.