The Extinct

CHAPTER
39

Jalani stoked the fire, keeping an eye on the rain clouds moving in. Sandra sat across from her and Douglas was already drunk and lying next to the fire warming himself. Namdi sat on a log sipping tea and watching the ashes drift on the winds and land softly on the dirt before dissipating.

“Tell me something doctor,” Douglas said, “That elder said one of the children claims the animal talked to it. I’ve heard myths that hyenas can imitate human voices. Is it true?”

“I don’t know,” Namdi said. “As a man of science I say no. But there was a time when I was traveling by myself through Tsavo. I stopped at night near a large clearing and made a fire and put up a tent. I was speaking on my cell phone and I answered it saying ‘this is Dr. Said.’ In the night before I went to sleep, I heard a noise in the bush. I came out of the tent and saw the yellow eyes of hyenas in the darkness and heard their laughs. I was getting out my rifle, when I heard a voice say, ‘this is Dr. Said.’”

“Christ,” Douglas said, “what’d you do?”

“I got into my jeep and drove away. But, one is more likely to be frightened when alone. It was probably a growl that I misheard because I was scared.”

They listened to the crash of thunder behind them and could hear the rainfall not more than a few miles away. The air now smelled of wet dirt and had a dampness to it that made breathing a little more difficult. “How do you know Thomas?” Sandra said to Jalani, wanting to change the subject. “We met in Kigali.” “Rwanda?” Douglas said. “When was this?” “During the civil war.” “You were there during the war?” Douglas said. “Yes,” Jalani said, obviously uncomfortable. “Well?” Douglas said. “What happened? How’d you meet?” “Thomas saved my life. I have stayed with him since then.” “What was it like in the war?” Sandra asked.

“I didn’t know what people were until I saw that war. Then, I knew. When Thomas found me I was being rounded up. I was told I would be forced to leave the country, but I found out from someone else they were just going to kill me. There were four guards guarding ten of us and I decided to run. I was only eleven. I was half a kilometer away before one of their trucks came and they shot me in my legs.

“Thomas was near there for some reason. I don’t know why. He shot one of the men as he put a gun to my head. The other men were cowards, they ran.” She looked skyward. “It was the worst place in the world. There were hundreds of children without arms or legs that had been cut off. Women were raped in the streets. People were burned in large fires and when they tried to climb out men would push them back in. I have never seen Thomas cry except while we were there. I don’t know if that place has left him.”

Slowly, droplets of salty rain began to pour and the fire began to die down. Douglas looked up to the sky, feeling the water against his face. “I hope they’re all right.” “They are fine,” Jalani said. “I think we should get to sleep however. Tomorrow, we should build some traps.” “How long do you think we should give them before going out to look for them?” Douglas said. “They have enough food for five days. After then we will find them. We will pay the park officials to find them.”

Douglas looked out over the storm clouds, a swirling mass of gray and black, the occasional lightning bolt brightening the sky and thunder booming through the air a few seconds later. “I hope it won’t come to that my friend.”