Ndlovukazi - Queen

Chapter 17

I shiver as I feel the cold breeze against my skin. I am lying flat on the ground, my head resting on my arms and as I curl my legs into my chest in an attempt to shield myself from the bitter cold, I feel course grains of sand scratch against my skin.

That doesn't feel right.

As I blink open my eyes, I find myself staring at the yellow blades of grass surrounding me and the rich smell of the dirt beneath me confirms it ... I'm no longer inside the cave I fell asleep in.

I turn my head, blinking my eyes rapidly, willing the scenery to change back into the dark cold walls of the cave but it doesn't.

I'm still on the ground, trying to figure out how I got here when I hear a sound that makes me ridged and aware of how loud my breathing sounds. I lift my head ever so slightly to look around because I hear what sounds like laughter .... specifically men laughing.

The feeling of dread starts to fill my being but I cling to denial before the thought can fully take root. It could be anyone right? ... I'll just wait silently until they pass ... Or they stumble right on top of me.

But as I sit still, a small voice in the back of my head won't stop whispering, "Sebengitholile" (They've found me).

I try to keep myself calm, considering I am not bound, I think they are close, but too far away to see me on the ground. Maybe it isn't them, perhaps it's some other group of men wandering around ... that thought does not fill me with joy either.

I release a shaky breath, 'In and Out, In and Out' I try to focus on breathing steadily and not panicking because my life is about to end. The urge to flee begins to crowd my mind, I shake my head as if the action alone will rearrange my thoughts ... ' I need to get away from them. As I look around and I realize that none of my weapons or bags are with me, this makes me even more confused as I would never leave without them but I am reminded that I lack the time to dwell on it as the sound of their voices comes closer.

Hesitating for too long will surely result in my capture, so I crawl slowly through the grass. My movements are like those of a lizard, I move as though I have four legs instead of two, my knees never touching the ground as I try to scurry through the veld.

I cannot be sure of the direction in which I am moving but I cannot see the sun ahead when I crane my neck, so either it's morning and the sun is behind me so I'm going west or the sun is above me, which helps me with time but not direction.

I try to be as silent as possible, I try to ensure I do not draw attention to myself crawling on the ground, and yet not even a few minutes after moving from where I woke up, I hear a voice whisper, "uyaphi?" (Where do you think are you going?).

My blood runs cold, and I don't even think before I act, I jump up and shake off his grasp on my leg and I begin to sprint.

Was I so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't hear him approach me? what is happening to me?

"Mbambeni!, Nangiya ebaleka," ( Catch her, there she is running away)"... That's all I could hear in the distance. From the voices, I knew it was more than a few men shouting behind me as I fled.

I swing my arms harder pumping them, and urging them to help me run faster. I don't dare to look behind me, how did they find me so soon? I don't know how many of them there are not how they got on my trail so fast but as long as my hands and feet are free, they don't have me yet!

I'm running through the tall grass with no trees or rivers in sight. I feel my chest ache and my throat burn as my lungs struggle to keep up with how fast I running but I can't stop.