VESSELS UNKNOWN

TWENTY TWO

Ploughing through the river like field, the flood had measured to my hips. I could barely walk in its thickness, the current pulled me back.

The field spread out for miles, yet there was no one insight. I kept moving forward with no destination in mind. Few times, I called for help, but the raging sound of the rain swallowed my efforts.

         As the water continued to rise, I knew I was going to drown if help didn't come. So I said my last prayers to the God of Jacob.  One of his songs broke out of my mouth. So I sang heartily.

   
    "Make a way for I am drowning.
    In this tempest, I have found myself
    Show me mercy for I deserve it not
   Just One more chance to make it right
    Another chance to live for you."
   
  With my eyes closed, I sang so long and loud till my heart almost gave out. I had not realized the rain had stopped, the water receded down to my ankles. I stood up and followed a clear path made by the rain, still harmonizing my song.

My tired legs carried me through the farm path for hours. I took turns to catch my breath and rest a bit. Walking barefooted in the swampy water, I didn't care for what lay beneath. I just wanted to get to shelter, any shelter.

                                                                
            Bursting out on a tared path, a small lone cabin stood across the road. I walked towards it.
As I approached the house, a bold sign was posted on the windows, 'Unsafe to occupy'.
Standing in place, my eyes were searching, monitoring.

Few minutes had passed by, yet no movement, it had been abandoned. I thought. I listened for any sounds, only the chirping of the birds reminded me that I was all alone.

          My steps had increased as I walked round the drive way, ducking often to avoid been seen. An old rusty Honda sat on the side, the windows broken, the body scratched out by the elements. 

I crouched to my knees and watched carefully, nothing. Except the door that hung hopelessly on its last hinges.

I imagined myself fixing it and spending the night there. Maybe find few bites to eat. I stole a glance at the sky, the clouds had cleared but darkness stayed thick.

I hid in the bushes by the car to scan the area some more. When I was sure that the house was clear , that no threat would befall me, I proceeded to enter through the open door.

     On entering, The house seemed quiet, another indication that no one was here. The chairs had massive amount of dust plastered all over them.

My legs moved me to the kitchen, everything looked as if no one had been here in years. The first room on the right was a mini office/library.

The books looked quite old and dusty. Within minutes I had checked the other rooms. Confident that no one was in the house, I began to relax in the eerily quiet house in the middle of nowhere.

        Just as I made my way towards the kitchen deck, a shadow passed in my field of vision. I ducked, then moved quietly towards the deck where I saw the movement.

A scream escaped my mouth, I quickly placed my right palm over it muffling the sound.
Ten people sat around a fire, each one with a tea cup in their hands but none of them moved. A woman hung upside down on a tree, her wrists oozing fresh blood into a huge bucket. 

A pit had been dug at the center, stacks of wood rose in a triangular shape, forming a bonfire.

From where I stood, I became petrified, my heart on a race to get blood to other parts of my body.
Hopefully, no one had spotted me. I hid behind the back kitchen door, my heart somersaulted a million times that I found it hard to breathe.