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LOVE CHASE
Chapter 5
Have you ever strolled casually out into the evening
with both the mild air and your mood totally auspicious, when
suddenly you sense caution in the twilight? Or sat gazing blankly at
nothing in particular when your body is shaken as if a dreadful and
chilling spirit rushed right through it?
Imagine that feeling for a moment.
The first time I felt such a ghostly visitation during
my term with Mr. Shaw came a few short days before our next
session. Because of a commitment on Thursday, I forgot all
about Mr. Shaw and his tale. That remained so until Sunday when
Dennie told me about her last night's dream. My wife thought me
very silly when I gagged on my morning orange juice as she said,
"I had a weird dream about a lion hunt in a desert..." No
caution's wind or passing ghost ever chilled me as that statement had!
Not carrying on about the whys for my surprise, I only
cleaned myself up and encouraged her to relate the dream. Seemingly,
she could not remember much else. The hunters were like cave men-no
rifles or clothes. It struck me odd. I dont think lions live in the
desert. Do they? However, the coincidence of her hunt involving Stone
Age, dark skinned hunters in a desert setting baffled and bothered
me. Shaw's tale took place when Sahara still had green. But Dennie
did not mention a specific location. Her location hit right home with
a desert if you think of the Sahara today. Freud had no answers to
this but I dug up an essay or two of C.J. Jung's dealing with
sympathetic sensations. Perhaps I said something in my sleep that
invoked a dream into Dennie's dream. I did not know then what strange
forces were at play.
Dennie's dream did have an effect on my attention when
Mr. Shaw continued his weekly story. I hung on to every word and his
every expression and pause.
He began his tale this week with Tanu's visit to his
father-in-law's hut, taking a moment to describe Ahutu's general
layout. He drew for me mental pictures of a sizeable community of
large huts in five circular groups. Ahutu, if it ever existed, must
have been a well-structured village with true naturalists at its
helm; according to his description. At a later date, I undertook
checking out Mr. Shaw's information against recent anthropological
finds and discovered time and time again that he was always true to archeology.
Then he took me back into the tale: Three elders sat
atop a decorated cloth in the center of Imblu's house. They were:
Talki, Phro and Imblu. About them were figs, dates, and goats
milk in the center laid a Moorish looking sword. Such a manner
of weapon Tanu had never seen before he had witnessed the many men.
Metal had yet to arrive in Ahutu. Just as Tanu entered Zizza, Imblu's
wife, left to visit her daughter, Sheba. The men were alone. They
greeted Tanu in a fashion deserving of his post as leader among the
hunters then instructed him to sit and enjoy any refreshment he
desired. Imblu turned to Phro, saying, Tanu has seen warriors during
the hunt.
Phro, oldest of the village yet erect and strong, looked
upon Tanu. I once was a warrior, he sought Tanu's reaction but Tanu
did not comprehend the meaning of the word. Phro reached to
handle the sword. Slowly he ran worn fingers along its blade. There
existed melancholia in his gray eyes. To Imblu he said in a low
voice, This is why you desired my sword? Imblu nodded as Phro
turned aged eyes upon the hunter. He picked up the implement and
handed it to the leader of the hunters. You had seen warriors with
swords such as this?
"I saw men, Tanu marveled at the weapon. It blade
forged by a substance unknown to him that shone silvery blue in the
hut's dim light. At its end, an engraved handle fitted his hand
perfectly. The sword felt dense. Yet it weighed less than any
stone weapon of the same size. He looked back to Phro. Strangely
dressed men. He handled the blade and marveled away at the functions
of such a tool. I do not understand this word - warrior.
Phro pursued his questioning, Did they have swords such
as this one hanging from their sides?
"Swords? Yes, Phro, he answered jarring the elders.
Their suspicions confirmed, they looked from one to the other as
if danger lurked in the shadows of Imblu's very hut. But the only
danger Tanu perceived lay in the eyes of the old men. What does all
this mean? he begged for answers.
Imblu answered the question first. Warriors are a human
force known as an army. They may be from the land of Nubia.
"Nubia would not send so many to Sahara, Phro
interjected. Half of Nubia is formed from our people. They may be
from the cave cities of Tassilli or the great Delta of Egypt. All
these names confused Tanu. He had never heard of all these
places and things before and wondered how the elders gained such wisdom.
Tanu sighed and dropped the sword before the men. So
many men?
"Men are everywhere, Talki smiled at Tanu's
innocence. Sometimes they live in small villages like ours. Sometimes
men gather into great villages called cities. Villages: as big as the
mountains of Nubia. Once, long ago, Sahara was such a city legend
tells us. My grandfather told me stories of great cities when the
elephant roamed our Sahara.
"Elephant? What are elephants? Where are these
cities now, Talki? Tanu wondered.
Talki answered philosophically, With the elephant; to
Nubia or some such place. Wherever the soil is rich and the sun cool.
Tanu, like the elders, conjured up individual, fanciful
thoughts. Finally he broke their silence. Now these men return to
Sahara? Still he could not grasp the concept of organized
governments and their formidable armies.
Phro mumbled, I think not, Tanu.
"If they discover Ahutu, they will level our
beloved village, Talki made the hard comment. Kill our men, rape the
women and drag away the children in heavy bonds.
Horrified, Tanu's face went pale. What? he gasped. Why
would anyone do such a thing?
"That is what a warrior is all about. Talki stated
sadly. Am I correct, Phro?
"You are, Talki, Phro's face turned swiftly to
Tanu. But again Talki is incorrect. A warrior is a man put at arms
for a divine purpose. He is the strength of a ruling lord and makes
certain all others obey his lord's commands. A warrior conquers land
for his lord. That is probably what this army is doing, while taking
land they also plunder it. Shifting his gaze from one to the other,
Phro added, We may be in terrible trouble, my brothers.
Tanu worried more than ever. He said quickly and in a
fearful voice, They can not be far away. The sun may find them in our village!
"Do you expect us to run and hide? Talki challenged
him. Hide on the flat breast of Sahara?
"We must not run! Phro, the ancient warrior,
rejected even the thought. We need to meet them eye to eye. To
approach in a manner which will gain their respect. To run from them
will only excite them into a chase.
Imblu pulled at Phro's robe, Just how do we meet
them? I mean, eye to eye?
"With a warrior of our own, Phro placed the sword
squarely into Tanu's grip. One to defend us from this army.
Everyone else appeared confused at best. Phro noticed their
reaction. It raised him to a level of authority and importance
simply because of his past. It was long ago when Phro left
Ahutu to trek off into Nubia. But, instead, he landed up in a
realm far from both places. Fate had put him into an army as an
ordinary foot solider. However, shortly there after, the army
dispersed and Phro found his way back to Ahutu. For the rest of
his days, he spoke of many adventures beyond the tiny village. With
all the fire in his tales only the elders listened for the children
could not conceive of places and endeavors beyond their little world.
Now he had a captive audience. Young and old
needed his expertise. Courage is well respected by warriors. If
one man from our village will stand between us and them, they will
respect our courage and perhaps bargain with us.
"Then they will go their way? Tanu hoped as
the fire's embers reflected into Tanu's eyes from off the
sword's blade.
"No, Phro shook. That they will not readily do.
They will bargain with a man's courage. Tanu, you are the strongest
and bravest of our village. You must take this sword and stop this
army at Ahutu's gate.
Tanu led a cold silence that befell them. He did not
believe himself to be the man they described. Tanu would fight and
die for Ahutu so long as Sheba lived in Ahutu. Were Karut a
stronger man, Tanu instantly would have named him to the task. But
Tanu stood taller and wider than his brother and often had a single
mindedness in battle that Karut rarely displayed. With a great
sigh, he committed himself to the wisdom of the elders, an uncertain
commitment, to be sure. He felt unprepared. Never had he fought a man
in outright battle. Never did he ever believe men would invent such sport."
Mr. Shaw paused longer than he should have. I
watched him, wondering what his feelings were. His expression came as
one of bewilderment that slowly transformed into sober evaluation.
"It was a very frightful moment for Tanu." He finally
commented as if this fantasy of his were a real life drama. I took
note of this aspect as Mr. Shaw continued.
Back at Tanu's hut, Sheba and her mother sat in an
awkward silence. Sadly and somewhat embarrassed, Sheba's head hung
low. Zizza, in her old womanly wisdom, did not comfort her daughter
but watched sympathetically on.
Zizza had walked in on Sheba and Karut. After seeing the intruder out
she wanted to scold her daughter for allowing another man other than
Tanu into her house. She saw Sheba's shame, however, and remained in
silence to await an explanation and to assure Karut would not return
until after Tanu arrived back.
With a heavy heart Tanu entered carrying the sword. His
eyes fell immediately on his wife as Sheba's eyes pleaded for her
mother's silence. Zizza read her daughter well and kissed her,
bowing to Tanu, she left.
Tanu placed the sword under a burning torch. He
starred with gloom down at it and without a word or glance, he
reached out for Sheba. She remained frozen across the room. Tanu
missed her touch. He turned to her seeing her odd reaction to his
silent call. What is it, Sheba? Why are you silent? Lowering
her eyes she sadly grunted into her breast. Tanu forgot all about the
sword and the task that stood larger than life before him in order to
rush to his stricken wife. Are you in pain? He gently embraced her.
Tell me. Tell your husband of your sorrow.
Sobbing, Sheba hid her face into Tanu's coarse hunting
garments. Oh, my husband!
Tanu grew suspicious. His big hands pulled her into
plain sight, eye to eye. What has happened here? Speak, Sheba!
Her heart ached and she began to weep. We are one
forever, Tanu. I will always be part of you until we return to the
gods. Dropping her tearful eyes, she begged, Tell me this is true!
Under the stress of such a rare evening, Tanu grew
savage. What has happened here, woman? he bellowed.
Sheba quickly caught herself and placed her hands to his
chest in order to quiet her big man. Please do not rage, my love. He
visibly restrained his anger. Through fiery eyes he commanded
her to answer him. Stammering, she cowered away from him saying, A
man came into our house while you were at my father's.
Furious but trying to control himself, Tanu slowly
growled and asked, Did he touch you?
"Only my hand. Nothing more. She replied on
the edge of hysteria. By the gods, nothing more!
Slowly he turned from Sheba. Anger gripped his brow. His
belly ached for vengeance. There, under the torch he eyed the sword.
Murder could have come easy to Tanu then and he wrestled with the
concept. Picking up the sword, he asked, Who was he? Which brother
has made folly of our vows?
Sheba flew to his side. Fearful of his intentions, she
grabbed the sword as tightly as Tanu held it. What is this long,
strange knife and what will you do with it?
Looking deeply into her eyes he spoke displaying all the
emotions boiling from within his soul. His hand belongs to me now! I
will take what is mine! Who was the man?
"No, Tanu, he meant no harm! she pleaded.
"Then why was he in my house with my woman? Who is he?
Sheba dropped her hand from the sword. In the orange
flicker of the torch her face fell, her eyes poured tears down upon
her disgraced hand. She felt lost. She virtually drowned in her own
submissiveness to the will of her man. A man she always believed to
be her counterpart, her equal for all time. She presented the hand to
Tanu's flaming eyes; teardrops still cling to her fingers. Only my
hand. My husband, is that so wrong?
Tanu felt her awkward position standing like a berated
child before her mighty, yet angry husband. Yet all knew the taboos.
The intruder wronged both husband and wife. Somehow Tanu had to
correct or punish the insult. Who? Tell me who.
Sheba surrendered to his insistence. He is Karut, she sighed.
Shock overcame him. Tanu unwittingly lowered the sword
and peered with miserable wonder into her wide searching eyes. This
evening is too much for my heart. Karut was his life long friend,
confidant and tribal brother. The boy born to be a simple cattle
herder who fought all odds to grow up to be a strong hunter able to
hunt tirelessly at Tanu's side. Tanu might have been the stronger but
Karut held an inner strength for endurance. Karut was the type to
cling endlessly to what he believed to be right. Yet the laws were to
be obeyed. Crimes needed to be punished. I must go to Karut, he
fought with the words.
Sheba again placed her hand tightly to his. Please,
husband, think on it. He is our brother. Would a brother mean you
harm? He came only to tell me why your heart is so heavy. Do you
fault him for that?
Tanu then argued with his fury. He frowned at Sheba,
asking, What did he tell you?
"Of the many men and their march toward Ahutu.
"He had no right! Tanu roared, knowing fully
the implications made urgent by the appearance of the army. He
will be cursed for this and for his disloyalty to Meka and my
household! A curse binding until he, himself, or I expel it!"
"Tanu! Sheba, with peering eyes, scolded her
man. Say no such things. Karut is our brother!
"Her shift of moods caused Tanu to regain his
temper. Tanu felt hurt yet angry and confused all at once. He pulled
Sheba to him. My heart is very heavy. I hurt dearly. Comfort me, my
lovely Sheba. I need you now. She embraced him like mother. |