The Last Elephant Keeper

Part 55

The tension in the air was palpable as the three men started to unload their gear and prepare for the journey across the quicksand. As Abel tries to push Dave into the direction of the quicksand, Dave takes a step back and firmly states, "I'm not doing it, Abel. It's suicide!"

Pete quickly steps in between the two men, trying to defuse the situation. "C'mon guys, let's just calm down and think this through. We can find another way."

But Abel is not having it. He shoves Pete out of the way and turns back to Dave, his eyes wild with anger. "You coward! You're always too scared to take risks. We need to cross this quicksand to get to the elephants, and we're going to do it."

Dave stands his ground, his jaw set. "I'm not risking my life for this, Abel. And I'm not going to let you risk my life on a girl."

The tension is thick between the three men, and for a moment it seems like a fight might break out. But eventually, Abel relents. "Fine. We'll find another way," he said through his gritted teeth.

Pete lets out a sigh of relief and tries to lighten the mood. "See, we can all agree on something," he says with a small smile, but the tension lingers, and the group continues on in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Dave and Pete watched as Abel's behaviour became more and more erratic. They exchanged worried glances, wondering if their leader was losing his grip on reality. But despite their concerns, they remained loyal to him, trusting that he had a plan.

Eventually, Abel called them together and revealed his meticulously crafted plan. As he spoke, Dave and Pete couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and respect for their chieftain. They had underestimated him, assuming that his erratic behaviour was a sign of weakness. But now they saw that it was part of a larger strategy, one that required cunning and patience.

Despite the nonsensical nature of Abel's speech, Dave and Pete listened intently, trying to piece together the fragments of information he was giving them. They knew that they needed to support Abel, not just because he was their boss, but also because they were all in this together.

They realized that he was talking about a remote area in the mountains, a place that was inaccessible by car but could be reached on foot. It was a dangerous journey, but they knew that if Khumo was headed there, it was the only way they could catch her. They were finally beginning to understand Abel's plan, and they knew that they had to act quickly if they were going to have any chance of success.

As the group was driving on the outskirts of the Blacksands, they saw Khumo in the distance. She was helping an elephant that had gotten stuck in the quicksand. They watched her as she worked tirelessly to free the animal, using branches and rocks to try and create a pathway to safety.

Pete and Dave couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for Khumo's compassion towards the animal, and the ability of actually being able to walk across the sands. Abel, however, was only concerned about the potential loss of Khumo, for reasons he believed were only concerned about losing a chance at revenge.

He was getting impatient, tapping his foot on the ground and checking his watch every few seconds. The group waited in anxiety, unsure of what was going to happen. They knew that Khumo could be a formidable opponent, and they didn't want to risk getting into a confrontation with her. As they watched, Khumo managed to free the elephant unharmed.

Pete and Dave breathed a sigh of relief, happy that the animal had been saved. Abel, on the other hand, was still focused on the potential loss of profit. As the group drove out of sight, they entered a rugged terrain, full of sharp turns and rocky hills. Abel was confident that this was the shortcut they needed, but Pete and Dave were sceptical. The rocky terrain was tough on their old car, and they worried about getting into an accident uphill.

As they made their way through the rough terrain, they couldn't help but wonder what Khumo was up to. Had she noticed them watching her earlier? Would she be on the lookout for them now? The tension in the car was palpable, and nobody spoke.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they emerged from the rocky terrain and onto a flat expanse of land. In the distance, they could see the hills they had been aiming for. Abel grinned triumphantly.

"That's where we need to be," he said, pointing at the hills. "This was the shortcut we needed."

Pete and Dave exchanged glances, still feeling uneasy about the route they had taken. But they didn't want to argue with Abel anymore. They just wanted to get the job done and get out of there as soon as possible. As they drove into the abandoned town, the men were struck by the eerie sight of buildings slowly being swallowed up by the encroaching sand dunes.

The structures had gradually been sawed down by extreme weather conditions, with large sections of the walls missing and roofs caved in. Pete and Dave looked around in disgust, disliking the idea of even crossing through such a place, as old large settlements had a reputation for producing strange things, whenever someone passed. The town seemed to have been abandoned for years, with no signs of life anywhere.

The wind howled and sand swirled around them, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. The air was filled with a musty, stale smell that made the men feel uneasy. Abel, however, seemed to be at ease, driving confidently through the deserted town as if he knew where he was going.

As they progressed, they saw nothing but empty streets and half-demolished buildings. Suddenly, Abel slammed on the brakes, causing the car to skid to a stop. The men looked around, trying to figure out what had caused him to stop so abruptly.

"Look over there," Abel said, pointing to a partially buried sign. "That's the name of the town my brother used to talk about. We must be close."