Chapter 84 Surprise in the Wilderness
1655words
After they had swum through the pool, dodged the cannibals, and reached the other side relieved, they climbed out and half-naked sat on a warm rock and had a passionate time together. Eventually, they came to their senses in each other's arms and had to face the hard reality of their desperate situation. That is when they both remembered the dream they had had that led them to this blind gorge. The dream was vivid in their memories and they strongly believed that Vipracitti intentionally led them here. It must have something to do with their mission. They had that feeling and it drove them forward deeper into the gorge seeking the people of their dreams.
Now they are again sitting on a rock depressed after they had to swim across yet another pool. It is near dusk a full day later and they have found nothing during the day. Yesterday afternoon they had to look for the best shelter before it was dark. The night was bitterly cold because they are only wearing their underclothes and they had to dig into the sand and with their bodies close to each other try to preserve warmth and so brave the cold night. This morning, after the sun has warmed them, they continued and crossed one pool after the other. They encountered many splits and don't even know whether they are in the right gorge. Despondently they are sitting on the rock while it is becoming late and qualms are building up in their minds. How are they going to survive half-naked in these gorges? How are they going to keep themselves warm? Although there is enough water, what are they going to eat? The reality of their dilemma is increasingly sinking in. Two lost city kids stranded and entrapped in the gorges with cannibals waiting nearby. Are they going to die of hunger?
Billy softly touches the swelling on Kadin's ankle. "Why won't you allow me to carry you? Your foot must rest. Look how purple and swollen it is! There is bleeding as well. You have been injured badly, my darling."
Kadin ignores his words and communicates her fears: "I don't really know, Billy. What are we going to do half-naked and without food? It was freezing last night and we don't have any clothes and we can't go back to where we came from with the monsters waiting for us?"
A small tear of despondency and fatigue trickles slowly down her cheek. Billy doesn't reply, pulls her against him, licks away the tear, and kisses her passionately.
She smiles and embraces him. "Unluckily, love is not enough to survive."
"I love you so much I can't help myself, dearest. We had been so near each other for a long time but our parents were with us and we wanted to devour each other and now we can. But don't be worried, my bundle of love, I will make spears like those of the monsters and start to hunt. Surely there must be wild animals here."
Again they are lost in a passionate kiss and so try to console each other. Suddenly Kadin breaks away and shows with her eyes the surprise when she peeps over Billy's shoulder and yells: "Look Billy, look!"
Billy turns and looks back and flabbergasted he sees the soldier coming from the shadow of the cliff on his way to them. Excitedly and nervously they can't believe their eyes. It looks like Jonathan; the soldier in their dreams.
The soldier lifts his one hand and screams in a strong American accent: "Wait! Don't run away! I come in peace." They hear the voice and recognize the accent. It must be him!
Yes, it sounds like him but they have trouble believing it. When he is almost upon them, Kadin remembers suddenly she is only clothed in underwear and covers her breasts with her left arm and with her right hand her crotch and blushes blood red.
Billy asks: "Jonathan?"
The soldier is taken by surprise when he stops in front of them and eyes them with a question mark on his face: "What have you said just now?"
"Are you called Jonathan?"
He frowns confused. "Yes, but have we met somewhere before?"
Billy continues: "You and Donavan took turns to carry the injured man with the badly broken ankle. Another man accompanied you. He was dressed in civvie clothes and you called him ‘captain'. Am I correct?"
Jonathan shakes his head dazed: "Yes, and how do you know?"
"Have you also fled the cannibals like us? Have you noticed that they are afraid of deep water and you fled into these gorges?"
Jonathan is slightly relieved: "You don't know everything. No, we have not fled the cannibals; we had to flee because our helicopter was shot down by the mercenaries we were looking for. We followed the stream to hide our tracks and came upon this blind gorge and realized we will be safe here because it would be difficult for them to follow us up to here and also time was against them. Donovan and I are sentries just in case they dare to come and search for us. That is why I saw two young, healthy people only in their underwear …"
They are surprised by his words and Kadin excitedly interrupts him: "Billy, why haven't we thought about this? They were in the helicopter and Joss went to search for them! We should have known! They fled Joss and his mates!"
Jonathan frowns: "Joss?"
Relieved Billy smiles: "Joss is the leader of the mercenaries. Now it makes sense completely!" He stops his reflection when he thinks about something else. "However, not quite. Jonathan, how did you know about the mercenaries and why were you looking for them?"
"No, first tell me who you are. How come you know so much and what happened to you that you are here only in your undergarments?"
Billy looks at Kadin, "I think we must tell him everything from the Eastwood Estate up to now; also about our mission, Kadin. We will have to explain about Vipracitti or else he won't understand anything. Are you going to try? It won't be easy. I shall help and add information if needed."
They tell him the whole story and they see the amazement on his face time and again and when they eventually end their story, he explains: "Donovan and I are soldiers and we are only informed about what our officers think we should know. You have told me a lot of which I was ignorant and now things make much more sense to me, thank you. Now it is my turn to fill you in. Captain Haasbroek …"
They are surprised to hear the captain's name and Kadin yells first: "Haasbroek! Is that the captain with you in civvies?"
Jonathan nods. "Yes, why?"
"So, you are from the Eastwood Estate? And you were probably sent by Colonel Morrison?"
"Yes, please let me explain. Captain Dexter was sent with the Puma to pick you up and fly you back to Eastwood Estate, but you didn't emerge from your hideout and the captain explained our mission before our small team left in a private copter. Our mission was to, in the first place, investigate what was going on at the smallholding in Port Elizabeth. Why didn't you come back in the Puma and now you told me you think the mercenaries blew up the helicopter and kept Dexter and his troops busy while you were abducted through that tunnel. The captain also told us that Colonel Morrison and a few of his trusted comrades suspected that it was probable that a dangerous group of mercenaries were responsible for your disappearance. I don't know how they were informed. That question you will have to ask the captain. All I know is that we followed the road in case we come across the mercenaries and then we saw the blockage down below and we followed the first dirt road leading into the woods. Donovan, luckily, saw the building where you were held and also the Ranger cabs the captain had asked us to look out for. When Captain Haasbroek asked the pilot to go lower, a sniper hit our tail propeller twice. The copter began to swirl around and our pilot, Eldrich, had to do an emergency landing. We crashed down and he badly hurt his ankle. We are now very worried about him. He is very sick. I don't think he will survive the night."
Kadin and Billy look at each other. "Now everything makes sense, Billy."
Jonathan smiles and points to her foot. "You were very brave and definitely enduring, my girl. Have you with that sore ankle run away from the monsters over this rough terrain?"
Billy smiles: "That is precisely what we have been arguing about only a while ago. She won't let me carry her."
Jonathan takes off his bag and with his gun hands it over to Billy. "Here, carry my things, Billy. I will carry her." He turns his back to Kadin. "Come, jump on my back and grab on my shoulders and I will carry you holding your legs."
He giggles naughtily: "At the same time you don't have to hide from me!"
