Africa (Complete)

Chapter Fifty

Kam dragged his feet through the dirt like he was in a dream. His eyes were barely open and his mind wasn't fully present. He was exhausted and his muscles could barely function. He had lost all sense of himself. He didn't know who he was or where he was. All he knew was what he could take in through his senses. He wondered what circumstances led him to where he was now.

In the distance, he heard the distinct sound of running water, so on instinct, his feet shuffled in that direction. There was a stream up a head, and when Kam found it, he dropped to his knees, then lowered himself so that he could bury his face in the cold water. He let the water hit his face until he snapped back to reality. After thirty seconds or so, he became more aware and took inventory of his immediate surroundings. He looked down at his arms and hands and saw his dark skin covered in scars.

He rolled over onto his back and stared up at the sky. A shadow stepped into frame and blocked out the sunlight. Kam turned his head and saw a small child who didn't look a day older than eight years old.

"Get up," the child demanded, shoving the long barrel of a gun in Kam's face.

"Okay, I'm getting up," Kam said. "Don't shoot."

Kam slowly rose to his feet and placed his hands up. That's when he saw dozens of children. They all had guns, dressed in camouflage, and had war paint in their faces. The visual sparked Kam's memory. Like a car struggling to turn over, Kam's clunky brain started to see images of soldiers flash in his mind. He recalled being in the fields, eating at the long tables, making trips to the pig pen, spending nights in the pit, but didn't know how to make sense of it.

"Who are you?" one of the boys demanded.

Kam had to think about it for a moment before answering. "My name is Kamaru."

"Who are you with?"

Again, Kam wasn't really sure and had to take a moment to think. "I'm not with anyone."

"How did you get here?" the boy asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Why are your clothes so clean?"

Until that moment, Kam wasn't even aware of what he was wearing. He looked down and saw an outfit he didn't recall picking. "I don't know," Kam replied.

There was chatter among the boy as they spoke in a dialect that Kam didn't understand.

"This way, move."

With a dozen or more guns pointed at him, Kam had no choice but to follow orders. He wasn't sure where the children were leading him, but within twenty minutes, he heard the melodic chants echoing throughout the forest. His mind went to all sorts of dark places. One such scenario was that he was being led to a colony of cannibals.

As the sounds grew closer, the path opened up to a large clearing in the forest. He was now in a small commune with shelters and fire pits. He looked around and noticed one hut among the others was more substantial. Kam was being led toward it.

When they arrived, one of the boys instructed Kam to wait as the boy disappeared into the hut.

Kam was nervous, looking at the army of child soldiers staring back at him. He thought for sure he was about to be cooked alive and then eaten.

Moments later, the boy exited the hut followed by a towering figure. The silhouette of the man was imposing and struck fear into the heart of Kam. As the man came more into view, he saw that it was a face he recognized.

Tau looked at Kam and smiled. 

"It's okay, he is a friend," Tau said. The child soldiers lowered their weapons. Tau stepped fully out of his hut and approached Kam.

"King Kamaru," Tau said with a smile. "I see you went shopping."

Kam had yet to respond as he wasn't sure if Tau was a friend or enemy. 

"You can relax," Tau said. "You are safe here. We can provide you with food, shelter, and safety."

Tau started walking and Kam followed. Trailing behind were the legion of boy soldiers.

"This is my home now," Tau said. "You are welcome to stay here as well. I am no longer a soldier, but a servant to God."

Kam wasn't sure where Tau was leading him, but so far Kam had yet to say a word. Tau's demeanour seemed much friendlier than he remembered, but it had only been a short while since they had last seen each other. Kam had doubts on whether a person could make such a transformation so quickly. 

Tau led the way toward another hut. At the entrance, Tau turned back to Kam and smiled. He entered the hut and instructed Kam to follow him inside.

Reluctantly, Kam followed the towering man inside. That's when he saw another familiar face. 

"Kamaru!?" Ukari said with joy. She rose to her feet and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him. 

"I never thought I would see you again," Ukari said. "It's a gift from God."

Kam's memory was still a bit scrambled. His head was cloudy and he struggled to make connections. It almost hurt to think.

Ukari picked up his hand. "God is good," she said. "I am so blessed to have you back in my life."

"I... I'm sorry," Kam said, finding it difficult to find the right words. "I... don't know who you are."

"Give it time, sweetie. You must have bumped your head. You need rest."