And Then Came A Lion (Lions and Lambs Book 1) (13 page)

Late that same afternoon, the old Indian appeared next to the sorting table. His sudden appearance startled her.

“It’s been a long time. I thought you’d forgotten me.”

He cocked his head and smiled. “Was that a wish, Susannah?”

She shrugged.

“Come. I have something to show you.”

He led Susannah out of the compound onto a narrow path between the Wait-A-Bit thorn bushes, moving deep into the bush. They finally emerged into a clearing. In the center stood a small building, similar to most of the native huts.

They stepped into the interior. It was empty, except for a square hole in the center of the floor. A rickety wooden ladder lean them into a subterranean chamber. Flickering light danced at the end of what appeared to be a long corridor.

The narrow passage opened into a chamber lit by torches. In the center was a crude table. Over against one wall was a fire. A large cauldron of some sort hung over it.

Further inside the dark chamber, she heard the weeping of children.

Taking one of the torches from the wall, she followed the sound. A group of boys and girls sat huddled in the corner. Something moved in her periphery. The children screamed. Susannah raised the torch. The chamber was empty except for her and the children.

She gestured for them to come. They shook their heads and scuttled further back. One child pointed at something behind Susannah. She turned. It was the old Indian.

He beckoned the children. They stood and followed him out of the chamber. Susannah trailed behind. Again, she saw movement just out of her sight and felt an ominous presence.

She raised the torch and swept the corridor with its light. The space was empty. She turned and hurried after the children.

Susannah put the torch on the floor and grasped the ladder. Rancid breath blew against her face. Still, she could see nothing.

A raspy voice whispered in her ear. “We know who you are.”

Susannah hurried up the ladder and into the light.

The children stood in a tight cluster outside the door. The old Indian had vanished.

Susannah glanced back at the hut. Nothing appeared in the doorway, yet she still felt an unwelcome presence. She turned away and led the children through the brush to the mission compound.

***

Susannah pointed to the hut. The commanding officer of the local police nodded and signaled to his men. Half stayed in place securing the perimeter. The other half went into the building. She waited under a thick copse of acacia, wiping sweat from her face and flailing uselessly at a cloud of flies.

Finally two officers reappeared. The commander broke off and approached Susannah.

“None of the cult is present.”

“Why would they leave the kids unguarded?”

“Not being a native, you would not understand. The natives believe this place is cursed and anyone who approaches, without permission of the priest, will be cursed too. As for the cult members, they believe the priest protects them with his witchcraft and they do not need to guard the children or fear arrest.”

Susannah thought about the presence she felt in both the corridor and the chamber. “You and your men don’t believe this?”

“We know there is no such thing as witchcraft or sorcery. The priests use the superstition to keep control of the cult ― and the native population.”

Oh, it isn’t a superstition.

“You didn’t feel anything odd down there?”

The man regarded her for a moment and then answered. “No. Did you?”

“Probably just my over active imagination.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.”

Before she could pursue that thought, he gestured toward the clearing. “I have posted guards. We will arrest the cult members as they return. Now, two of my men will escort you back to the mission.”

***

Dr. Forrester drew Susannah aside after the evening meal and led her to the small mission office.

“Susannah, I spoke with the authorities. They have several men in custody as of late this afternoon. From what I hear, these men are unfazed by any of the interrogations, even boasting of their invincibility. Evidently they believe their priest has the power to protect them, and the police will not be able to touch them, let alone hold them.”

“Well there is something down there. The kids saw something that terrified them. I didn’t see anything, but I felt a presence. It spoke to me.”

Dr. Forrester’s face paled. “It spoke to you?”

Susannah nodded. “Not good, huh?”

“What did it say?”

“We know who you are.”

“Really?”

“What does it mean?”

“The only thing I can think of is a demonic presence. Be very, very careful, Susannah. Hold on to your faith.”

“Will it come after me?”

“Didn’t the old Indian say you were coming to Africa to issue a challenge?”

Susannah nodded.

“I think you just did.”

“To whom?”

“Well, that will soon be evident.”

“Not what I want to hear.”

“No, I imagine not. This cult is a version of an ancient religion far scarier and more real than Voodoo. It is an amoral religion called Palo Mayombe. Palo means
stick
in Spanish. I am not sure what the term is in the African dialect.

“Anyway, the religion became associated with the term because the priest use wooden sticks in preparing the altars ―”

“Wooden sticks? Intricately carved?”

“Yes, Susannah, exactly like the ones you saw. The priests use these altars, called la nganga, or el caldero or la prenda, as the focal point of their ceremony. They are the means by which they speak to their god – or gods – demons in reality.”

“Like the one the children saw and I felt?”

“Exactly. The members of this religion are known as Paleros, Ngangeros, or Nganguleros. The liturgy and invocations are now mostly a mixture of Spanish and Kikongo languages, with a few other linguistic influences interspersed as it spreads out to other countries.

“Their belief system and rituals venerate the spirits of their ancestors. They believe in natural, or for a better term, earth powers, believing natural objects, especially their sticks, are infused with powers, particularly of spirits. They use a cauldron known as the nganga as the focus of their rituals, magical rites, and religious practices.

“This is where it steps away from other religions. Members believe it is only through horrific sacrifices that their spirit contacts, or gods if you prefer, will grant them their petitions. These usually include wealth, protection from harm, and anything else they want.

“And they will go to any means to get their victims. Animals, children, men, as well as women are tortured in the most horrible ways imaginable. You saved those children from a horrible death, Susannah.”

“It makes me sick to my stomach to think humans can do such horrific things in the name of religion, or for any other excuse. I am praying, fervently, they are all caught and incarcerated. They make the general run-of-the-mill pedophile look like a saint.”

“Yes, and we need to pray for your protection from the demon you encountered. I think your challenge has been accepted, and we will soon see how it will manifest.”

After their prayer, Susannah joined Barbara beside the fire.

Barbara patted her arm. “Remember, faith will conquer anything.”

“Anything? Many of the saints were martyred. I don’t know if I am cut out for that.” She held up her hand. “Don’t say it. I know, through God, all things are possible. I’m just not quite there yet.”

“I disagree. You’ve already taken huge risks.”

“For the children.”

“Doesn’t make the risk less. I think you’d risk even more if it meant you could protect a child, so don’t discount your courage, Susannah.”

Susannah shrugged. “I’m tired. I think I’ll head to bed.”

Once again, she rushed through her nightly routine. All she wanted was to sleep, and to forget.

In the dream, Susannah ran through an old cathedral, darting in and out of hallways and subterranean rooms, desperate to escape. She could hear the demon’s heightened breathing, the scrape of its claws on the stone floor. How was it possible the thing could enter the sacred building? Weren’t demons afraid of holy things?

Several men and women sat or kneeled in the ornate pews, none offered help ― none
could
help.

She skittered around a corner and into another hallway, a dead end. With her back to the wall, she turned to face the monster.

A man stepped from a side cleft and stood between her and the demon. The demon stopped and stared, flicking a black tongue in and out of a grotesque mouth.

It hissed at the man. “You. Who is this woman to you?”

“She is my companion, my partner. She belongs to God, as do I.”

Susannah’s eyes flew open ― no church or demon, only thatch. She curled into a ball and tried to shut out demons, lions, bears, and ugly old men with scars.

The old Indian spoke. “Read the Book of Tobias, Susannah.”

***

Barbara touched her arm. Susannah opened her eyes. Sun poured through the windows.

“Oh no! I overslept. Why wasn’t I wakened sooner?”

“Dr. Forrester said to let you sleep.”

“He did?”

“He was concerned you were on the edge of exhaustion, like most of us. We’ve all been told to rest. I haven’t been up long myself.”

“Really? Is this usual?”

“Of course it is. It isn’t the foundation’s goal to work us until we literally keel over and die.”
“I guess not.”

She slid out of bed and grabbed her clothes. “I could sure use some coffee.”

“There’s plenty, and plenty of breakfast. Cook just put it on the table.”

Susannah dressed quickly and followed Barbara over to the dining area. Conversation centered on Susannah’s rescue of the children. Embarrassed and unwilling to talk about the experience, she ate quickly, grabbed another cup of coffee, and left the dining area. She settled into one of the large rattan chairs close to the fire pit.

The day was cloudy, cool, but not overly cold. Sitting next to the fire, with a cup of fresh coffee and a book, felt good, almost normal. Even better, the novel she selected created a world where the good guys won, every time.

Around noon, Barbara joined her. “Want to take a walk before lunch?”

Susannah stretched. “Yes, I’d love to.”

After a few laps around the compound, the two women joined the rest of the staff in the dining area.

A lion roared somewhere close.

Susannah jumped. “That sounded too close.”

Phillip spoke up. “There is a pride moving in closer to the village. Many of the villagers are worried about attacks, but so far, no one has been bothered. Yet, everyone is concerned there will be confrontations as the lions get closer. Ranger patrols go out every day, especially at night.”

“These poor people, with both four-legged and two-legged predators hunting day and night, how do they survive?”

“That’s why we’re here.”

“Right. I thought the foundation just dispenses food and clothing, offers classes, and some spiritual guidance.”

“We help anyway we can.”

She nodded. “So I am beginning to understand.”

Susannah spent the rest of the day running errands for the medical staff, reading to patients in the mission hospital, and helping with a deep cleaning and inventory of medical supplies.

After a short session around the campfire that evening, Susannah excused herself and headed back to the chalet. Tired to the point of her bones aching, all she could think of was sleep.

The old Indian appeared beside her bed. “Read the Book of Tobias, Susannah.”

She rolled over and closed her eyes. “Yep, I’ll get right to it. Tomorrow.”

***

Susannah groaned when the knock on the chalet door rang out again at O’Dark-Thirty, announcing another thirty minutes window to dress and pack. Dr. Forrester, Phillip, Barbara, and she were going further north with more supplies for missions in the central part of the country.

She didn’t pay as much attention to the animals or the landscape. What was in the Book of Tobias that was so important for her to know? She’d never even heard of the book. Well, it would have to wait until later.

Don’t wait too long, Susannah.

The bush thinned out and the ground flattened, resembling the savannah of the famous Serengeti of Kenya, the postcard, National Geographic version, a world of bright sunshine and large numbers of people going about normal things.

Normal. What exactly was that, an existence void of scary things, no visions, no angelic visitors, and no saving children from monsters? If only she could have the good parts and not the other. Then, without shade, the sun would be too hot to bear. That sounded like something the old Indian or Dr. Forrester would say.

They drove straight through, stopping only once or twice at waysides to stretch and eat a simple lunch of sandwiches and cold drinks from the coolers. Twelve hours after leaving the mission compound in Triangle, they arrived at Magama. They barely beat the sunset.

Susannah slid out of the Land Rover, her legs stiff, her back aching, and once again covered from head to toe in a fine, grey dust.

After dinner, she wandered over to the fire pit, always the center of activity. Something about a fire drew people around it, even those who were still a little leery of getting too close.

Conversation was intense.

“Barbara, what’s going on?”

“A large male elephant has been raiding local crops. No one has been injured ― yet, but it’s only a matter of time. The local authorities have called in a game warden to shoot the animal and some of the staff feel killing it is cruel and prefer relocation. A few others think the expense of relocation is prohibitive, and the age old disagreement rages, while the poor villagers pay the price.”

“What is the best recourse?

“Both sides have valid points. Me personally? I don’t know. The villagers have a right to live without fear. They have a right to keep their crops. And, the animals? They are only trying to survive in an ever shrinking environment. I think this is one of those cases only God can sort out, but no one will wait for His answer, if they even bother to ask.”

“Kind of like the man who thought he could be God, until an impossible situation came along and he had no idea which seemingly bad choice would lead to the most good.”

“Exactly. And too many people try to play God. Oh, before I forget. Dr. Forrester has decided to stay here for a couple of days. There is another large shipment of supplies coming into Bulawayo tomorrow and Phillip will be taking the van back to fetch them. So, we’ll wait a day or two before moving onto Vic Falls.”

“Vic Falls?”

“Victoria Falls.”

“Ah, I’ve read about them. The pictures are sure beautiful. Do you suppose we’ll get a chance to see them?”

“I would think that could be arranged. After all it would be a shame to come all this way and not get to see one of God’s mighty wonders.”

“Mighty wonders. I like that. And right now, sleep sounds like a mighty wonder.”

Barbara nodded. “I think you’re right.”

The two women excused themselves and walked over to their sleeping quarters. Minutes later, the lights were out and they were deep asleep. Susannah didn’t hear the other women come in. Neither did any creatures disturb her dreams.

***

Susannah sauntered over to the beverage bar at first light and helped herself to coffee. With breakfast still a half hour away, she settled in beside the fire pit.

This mission was as far out in the bush as you could go without heading back out. Arid bush stretched as far as she could see in any direction.

Directly behind the compound lay the only watering hole for miles, frequented by large number of animals: kudu, elephant, buffalo, warthog, zebra, and the occasional giraffe. They all jockeyed for a turn at the precious resource. The plains animals drank and then retreated to the grasses for the remainder of the day. Elephant and buffalo milled intermittently all afternoon. Susannah didn’t see any predators, lions, or hyenas, but then, they prowled mostly after sundown, and by then she’d be safely inside the chalet or surrounded by people – some with guns.

Only a few acacia trees and Wait-A-Bit thorn bush dotted the otherwise arid country. Susannah had taken a close look at the thorn bushes and understood the reason for their name. Long thorns with vicious hooks spiraled each branch, angled backward, effectively hooking the flesh rather than rendering a mild scratch. No wonder the locals used it as a fence to ward off predators. How effective was it was against lions?

And, thinking of predators, what about the thing in the hut? Dr. Forrester seemed to think she had issued a challenge that it was accepted. If that was the case, then why hadn’t something else happened?

She shivered. Exactly how would the challenge be answered? Would a demon chase her through the bush? What would she do if she ever actually saw one? Could she run from it? Hide? What?

Prayer, Susannah.

Right. Lots of prayer ― and a whole lot of faith.

Hearing voices gathering in the dining area, she drained the last of her coffee, took one last look at the watering hole, and joined the others.

After the meal, she filled in her shifts at the sorting tables, the dispensing lines, and the clinic. During her breaks, she sat with her cold drink, and watched the animals at the watering hole, fascinated by the constant activity, particularly those of the little pigs. Although ugly, Susannah found their personalities overshadowed their looks. A good metaphor for some people, ugly on the outside, but animated on the inside, but not pedophiles or the members of the cult. Those monsters were ugly - inside and out, with no redeeming qualities in their dark souls. They were the walking embodiment of evil. In spite of the heat, she shivered. Perhaps it was time to ask about borrowing a Bible.

***

Two days later, they left the Mugamo mission and drove toward the smaller mission of Bethesda, just outside of Victoria Falls. Susannah did not have the opportunity to speak with Dr. Forrester, or borrow a Bible. At least the old Indian hadn’t appeared or nagged her about it. Guess he understood the delay wasn’t procrastination.

What exactly would she find in the book he told her to read, something to scare her more than she already was, or would there be something comforting? Guess she’d find out, at some point.

She leaned back in her seat and watched the countryside fly past the window. No dirt tracks that day, all paved highway. That meant no animals either.

They arrived at the next mission late in the afternoon. Long shadows crept across the compound and Susannah could hear lions roaring in the bush.

Barbara stopped beside her. “Don’t worry, Susannah. Remember a lion’s roar can be heard for several miles.”

“I appreciate your effort to assuage my concern, but a couple of miles are nothing to one of those animals.”

Barbara grinned. “True, and I might as well tell you up front, this mission is set smack in the middle of a game reserve.”

“Game reserve? Great.”

Susannah eyed the fifteen-foot chain link fence. “According to the movie,
The Ghost and the Darkness
, lions can jump on top of buildings. Therefore no fifteen-foot chain link fence will stop them.”

“It’s electrified, so don’t go touching it.”

“That helps?”

“Of course it does. Even the elephants won’t go near it.”

“Yeah, but lions can clear the fence without
touching the wire.”

Barbara shook her head and stepped up her pace. Susannah had to double time it in order to keep up.

The group met in the center of the compound, next to the fire pit. Dr. Forrester was already speaking.

“…you’re encouraged to stay in your rooms after the lights are turned off at night. Even with the electric fencing, we are still having some trouble with lions getting in. A volunteer was mauled several weeks ago.”

Susannah nudged Barbara.

She shrugged, “I honestly thought the fence kept them out.”

Dr. Forrester continued. “Stay in groups. Don’t wonder off alone. Pay attention.”

Lions continued to roar throughout the night, rendering sleep difficult. Susannah eyed the thatched roof. One could easily come through it. She’d heard of a lioness doing just that at a hunting camp several years earlier. Then, she also had other creatures haunting her. Intuition told her this was only the eye of the storm.