Her Tattered Prince

Chapter 4

She jumped at the sound of car doors banging. That announced the return of her mother. She was definite that she went to pick her little brother after work

She rushed out to meet them. He squeaked in delight when he saw her. He rushed out of the car and flung himself at his sister.

After the tight embrace between siblings, they did the fist bump, they lightly tapped each other’s clenched fist. That was their signature greeting.

“Bro I have been gone for a week and you are already this big? She teased him

“Seriously, are you being real?” he rolled his eyes at her.

She laughed at his exaggerated reaction and went to place a light kiss on top of his head.

When they got into the House, their mother was already seated. She had a sombre expression on her face. One look at her face, she knew that all was not well. She anxiously sat down and faced her mother.

“Katlo, I called the National Service department to find out why they had to post you to an inhabitable place.” She paused. “It seems you are not the first participant there, infact there will be seven of you.” She stated.

“If previous participates made it, why would you not?” she questioned.

Katlo knew what that meant. She started to cry. She was wondering why her mother was being insensitive to her plight.

 Her mother’s words shook her.

“You are acting like a spoilt child. Tomorrow you will take a night train back. I want you to go back.”  That was her mother’s verdict.

“But Mama…there is no transport, how will I get there?

She tried to plead with her mother.

“Will you drive me back then? I do not even have money for transport”

“No!” was the blunt reply.

“I will however, give you some money so that you can buy couple of supplies for yourself before you leave” she informed her.

“By the way, I know you have already been given your allowance” she said as she brushed past her to go to her room.

Katlo knew her mother had spoken. She stood up to go to her room. If she was going back, then she might as well prepare for the boredom.

She called her sister to borrow her radio and a couple of music cassettes. With the money her mother promised her, she would step out to the shops to buy all the treats she was going to need for some time to come: Chocolates, sweets, peanuts and all the goodies.

Her back pack was not enough to carry all the things she would take back with her; the radio on its own was occupying all the space. She decided to put all the candies, snacks and tapes in a basket.

***

Two days later, she jumped out of the bus by the Xanaga junction. It was half past ten in the morning.

Upon alighting from the train she took the previous night, she had proceed to take a bus going to the border. She knew that once she was at the fifteen kilometre gravel road she would walk the rest of the way. If along the way a vehicle happened to pass by, that would be even better.

There was absolutely no way she was going to wait by the junction for transport. She had barely walked for two hours when she noticed a footpath leading into the bush, she was sure it joined the gravel road at some point. She decided to take it so as to cut on the meandering of the gravel road. She followed it without any hesitation hoping it was a shortcut. Alas that was to her detriment.

***

She had been walking for hours and the path was leading nowhere. She had lost her sense of direction and she no longer knew if she was going the right way or not.

All around her, the environment was wild, harsh and the surrounding was hostile. She was starting to panic as she felt the exhaustion taking its toll.

       She needed some rest. “Few minutes should be enough rest,” she thought as she sank down on to the fine sand and sobbed.

Thoughts of her family back at home in the city, her brother, sister, adorable niece and nephew were her only comfort.

She could not help but smile at the way her nephew often followed her around the house.

If only she could see him one more time, hug him tightly and breathe in the lovely sweet scent that was often associated with toddlers. She closed her eyes in an attempt to block the thought of not seeing him again.

He was two years old and he had a lot of vocabulary for a child his age.

 He would roll on the carpet whenever he did not get his way. He later realised throwing such tantrum did not work.

He adored his aunt and would often trail after her in the house. Maybe had to do with the fact that she spent most of her time babysitting the toddler after writing her matric. She only stopped looking after him when she was called for the National Service

She was jolted back to reality by the howling sounds coming from deep in the forest.

Could this be the end of her life, she never expected to meet her end this way: to be a meal for hyenas.

She broke into another sob. The continuous crying drained the last drop of energy from her shattered body,

She had no idea how long she sat there weeping.

 Suddenly, a distant sound, cowbell!

“Could it be...?” she wondered.

She instantly sat up, wiped her runny nose and strained her ears.

It had to be. She began to pray, never before had she prayed this hard in her life. With eyes shut, she prayed for that miracle.

All of a sudden, it dawned to her; she had been engrossed in the growls, howls and other sounds she seemed to hear, wondering what else was lurking behind the thick shrubs close by. The sound had eluded her.

It was becoming clearer and louder. How could she have missed it? With a ray of hope she leaped to her feet.

From a distance the cloud of dust confirmed her hope.

The herd was approaching, what was apparently the leader had a bell swinging and clinking with every step.

Her childhood fear of the beasts was forgotten as she ran onto the road lest she missed her chance.