A Texas girl finds herself admiring a light in the sky only to find out it is indeed an alien, which transports her to another time long long ago in Africa and pairs her with a Neanderthal population in hopes that her descendants will populate Nort...
As we traveled north in search of the river, Julie called Nile, Kamrasi's home clan, under Ugandi's command, had their own troubles. This is how Ugandi told his story at Sabatta. It has been remembered even after he left the Clan.
Ugandi remembered little of his first years. Growing up, he always felt something wild within his blood. His Father, Ujiji, told him that Cave bears had stolen him and raised him until he had somehow found his way back to his home Clan. The proof in this story was in his size. Ugandi stood at least a head taller than anyone else his age. He was, they all figured, at least as tall as Tall One was, though few remember that. With a temper to match, he possessed the same intelligence that his grandfather had, and so it was figured that one day, he would run the Clan.
The deep blue sky, freckled with thin mackerel clouds, allowed enough light to pass through it, save for the intense heat that baked the surface of the drying plains below.
Ugandi sat with his father, Ujiji, on the banks of the dry riverbed.
Why must you leave now, said Ujiji. We are moving on soon, this land is barren.
I want to bring mother back to live with us.
She had made her choice many rains ago. You are here, and that is enough. You are brave, you are fearless, and you will lead. I am old now and will not remember, besides. Let us all just keep moving toward the new sun. Where she rises must be beautiful.
Later that same day, Ugandi walked along the path into an open glen, and saw old Simbabe dancing in a circle, cackling like a guinea hen, and she appeared to be throwing something in the air and catching it again. She was singing a song in a strange tongue as she often does. It made little sense to him or anyone but it seemed to make her angry and sad at the same time. She would often tell the children frightful stories of faraway places, and it was at those times she would speak with the spirits she called The Orius.
She had a little cave, and in front of it, a smoldering fire burned. On either side were two branches stuck in the ground in the shape of a fork. Ugandi watched silently. In her hand was a dead rabbit, and she tossed it one last time and settled down by the fire. Then, she methodically ran a knife along its flanks and carefully removed the skin.
One more and I'll have enough for a new dress, she said gleefully.
He was afraid of her still, though she never showed him any reason to be.
I see you, Ugandi, she squealed, her gravelly voice often changing pitch and resonance, her eyes never leaving the task. She quickly pulled the skin free of the connective tissue that held it to the body and then pulled the legs through inside out. He walked slowly in front of her and stood tall and proud with only a slight, imperceptible tremor.
Little Ugandi, poor lost boy, she continued. Is your Dada sending you away?
He said nothing.
Ugandi is not scared of old Simbabe, she said, oh no, not at all. He fears nothing. Ugandi the strong, Ugandi the brave. She set her rabbit in the dry dust next to the fire and approached him, dancing around him in circles and shaking a fig branch.
Simbabe needs no magic token, she said. She possesses no powerful charm. Her power is inside her, she said in her mysterious tongue. She drew herself up to stand as tall as him and looked into his eyes. Then resumed dancing, picking up her rabbit fur.
Simbabe was not always an old, dried fig - she had been tall and lithe, her skin brown and smooth. Her breasts were like no other woman's in the Clan.
She stopped and rose to her full height and caressed her breasts. These two coconuts are large and firm and don't flop and swagger. As she said this, she made them flop and swagger.
You are different, aren't you, Simbabe? He said. He was frightened, though he never showed it.
Salli Mae, she said in her strange tongue. Then, switching to his language, she said, Salli Mae. You dig sugar cakes? That's what they called me, ha, ha. She danced around the young man, stroking his hairy, muscled abdomen. I played golf until those dratted Orius took me to this godforsaken place. Talk to me, she said in his language.
I, I am looking for my – your daughter, Tisane, he said. He stood tall, looking powerful indeed. He had broad shoulders and strong, muscled arms. A scar ran the length of his left arm, marking a battle with a young crocodile.
Is that her name? She scowled as if the name were unfamiliar with it.
I want to bring her back to live with us.
Now? After all these years, you miss Mommy, do you? She winked and gave him a nudge with her elbow. She cooed and felt his stomach, rubbing her hands over his chest.
Beware, my boy. You shouldn't go on this trip. Stay here. Stay and help your father. She had suddenly become serious.
He said, There is nothing here for me. The river dies, and the animals are all gone.
What will you find? What do you think is out there? Her? She's dead, boy. I see death if you go, terrible things.
I see death if I stay, he retorted.
I wasn't talking about you, lad, she said. But do as you will. The river changes even as we speak.
What do you mean, old woman?
But she would say no more and went back to her rabbit. Try as he might, he could not get her to say anything intelligible. So he walked away, leaving her babbling in her strange tongue.
Ugandi saw his father again and told him about his talk with Simbabe.
Beware of that old woman Ugandi, said Ujiji; she has strange powers we cannot understand. She brought Tisane into our Clan and so to me.
The air was dry, and the wind blowing in from the newly forming desert to the north brought the smell of creosote and pine. Flies buzzed in giant swarms but bothered them little enough; death was everywhere.
I told her of my plans to find Tisane and kill Mutesai, and she said that it would not be necessary and that I should wait.
But you cannot, said Ujiji, I know that.
It's not what you think, Dada. If the river is growing, then we should go to it. Ngamii has just returned from downriver near the great Rapid, he said. There were Flesh Eaters. They killed two of his men, and there weren't enough to fight back. They had to hide.
Did they stay long? Ujiji said.
Long enough.
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