The Sky Witch - 2. Chapter 2 She comes...

Everything is slow motion. It feels like it’s been an hour since she began charging.

Boom! Boom!

Danny fires, and fires again trying to stop death from reaching us.

Boom! Boom!

A quick succession of shots ring out as Mister Denials fires his double barrelled rifle.

Splashes of dust appear on her chest.

Her head drops a little, too late!

Momentum, adrenalin and rage drives her forward until she’s five metres away and bearing down on me - the closest unarmed victim – while our two trackers have long since abandoned us for the safety of the nearest tree.

Boom! Boom!

Two final shots as she draws closer.

Death looms over me sharpening his sickle…

Sienata…

The world slows to a stop.

Sienata move out of the way it is not your time…A soft voice whispers in my ear.

No need to tell me twice. I jump out of the way…just as death storms past, missing me by no more than two inches.

Before losing sight of the world, I see her standing on shaky legs tipping from side to side. Finally she falls. Hits the ground with a loud thump. A cloud of dust swallows me whole, and I hear a muffled shout in the distance. Calling. Calling out my name.

Douw!

Figures dance in a rush all around me, screaming out my name. Finally my mind strikes a gear and starts spinning.

Here…

My voice is barely above a whisper

Here!

I say with a bit more force. A figure starts racing towards me, and as it draws near I see Danny running, closing in on me. He kneels beside me and grabs my shoulders.

Everything stops as the voice whispers that strange word, Sienata

Who are you?

That is not important right now. All will be explained shortly, what is important is that you survive this day. Release your body to me. I will save you and your companions…

How do I do that and how do I know you will not hurt me?

You must trust that I have not yet hurt you and that I can help you…

What other option do I have?

You have no other option release your body to me…

How do I do that?

Clear your mind. Focus on my voice and I will do the rest…

Taking a deep breath, I focus on the whispering voice and sink into my consciousness, losing control…

***

The dust porridge begins to settle and at last I can see. The image is vague, but there is a difference; contrasts, edges, and outlines are all sharper. I don’t just see. I have vision. Something is moving faster and faster through the clouds of settling dust and I am unable to move.

Another angry buff is headed my way.

From the corner of my eye I see movement; my hands dancing to a strange choreography of their own accord. A loud voice chants in a strange language and it’s coming from my throat.

My fingers tingle and, immersed in light, they have a life of their own, emitting an electric pulse, arching through the air, and gathering power from the life within me. It cracks through the grains of dust and, with a resounding BOOM, the arc hits the buff in the chest.

You are safe. I have killed the second tokoloshe, I will leave you now…

Wait! Who are you?

There is no time to explain Sienata, I will return to you soon, and then I may explain everything. For now, I will leave you where I took control of your body… Goodbye… Sienata.

Goodbye

***

Danny’s hands.

On my shoulders.

‘Douw! Look at me. Are you ok? Did she get you?”

A couple of moments later my brain kicks in. I gaze at him and notice the worried expression etched on his face. There are tears in his eyes.

Blinking, I manage to stammer, ‘Ja…I’m ok. I think…’

Another figure looms over us. ‘Danny move out of the way. Let me look at him. I am a trained nurse,’ he says and shoves Danny aside, earning Mister Denials an angry scowl.

Wow! He looks scary when he’s angry. Those dark brows pull together, green eyes narrow into wedges, and a grim smirk plies his lips, leaving a truly fearsome expression.

A shiver runs down my spine. Man I’m lucky he likes me. I would hate to meet his bad side.

After a few moments of embarrassment from the poking and probing, Mister Denials stands, glances at Danny, and with a satisfied smile, says, ‘He’s ok. A bit bruised, but nothing too serious.’

Where, a few moments ago, there was a scowl on Danny’s face, now there is a look of sheer joy.

‘Damn, Goldilocks! I thought we lost you there.’

Ever since I began growing my hair he has referred to me as Goldilocks - from the three bears - it doesn’t help to have long curly locks and blue eyes.

I give him a concerned look, and sigh, ‘all of us will have to eat those pieces of charcoal you call steaks.’

‘Ja, ja,’ he says, and throws one of his tree-trunk arms around my shoulders. With a spring in his step he leads me to where the buff had fallen.

I wonder if I was dreaming.

We reach the spot.

It’s gone…

‘Where the hell is the buff?!’ Danny rushes forward.

What once was the buff is now a dusty heap of sand.

Am I going crazy? Did I just imagine it all…? It can’t be. Every one saw that buff. But, the second one… It must be the heat. I’m delusional.

An eerie feeling lingers in the pit of my stomach.

After a couple of hours searching for a wounded Cape buffalo without success, Danny makes a decision to return to camp. Finally we reach the Land Cruiser. Exhausted, I flop onto the back seat.

It is dusk by the time we reach camp. The sun touches the horizon, painting the sky in pastel colours no artist on earth can match; golds and reds light up the horizon.
The Acacia trees are in full bloom and fill the air with a sweet perfume. Where they get the energy to bloom in the beginning of our summer, I don’t know. There exists a stark contrast between its thorny branches and the sweetness of its perfume.

Like love.

I frown as memories of past loves flood my mind.

Sigh… Shaking my head I realize that the car has stopped.

‘Earth to Douw… earth to Douw… Welcome back to earth, space ranger!’

A familiar voice from behind, startles me.