Brave Souls. (Book One.)

Teriah's Abduction.

Johari blind with panic and confusion shoved at the standing village folk and he fumbled, falling into the clear path behind the now retreating ghastly women.

"Teriah! It's me, turn around!"

"Teriah, it's me Johari." He shouted getting up to run after her.

The procession stopped suddenly. It was an abrupt halt, a pause if you will for they did not move again nor turn their heads around. Gasps erupted from the villagers and they retreated further backwards creating a bigger clearing as they stepped and trumpled on each other.

Johari was about to reach them but in seconds vice like grips held him and forced him to the ground.

Bewildered he struggled and lashed out to free himself.

"Be quiet you fool!" Johari heard his angry grandfather's voice as more hands held him down.

"No grandpa! Look that's Teriah, they're taking..."

"I said be quiet! Do you want to bring death upon yourself or even worse a curse.!" Old mzee Tembo whispered vehemently.

"Leave me be..! " Johari continued to struggle furiously.

They did not understand. What had these evil women done to them. More hands held him tightly to the ground. A particular rough hand pushed his face down to the ground and he inhaled a thick cloud of dust as he laboured in futility to free himself.

Johari stopped struggling, coughing and spluttering out thick spurts of brown spit. He lay there sprawled and helpless and he felt hot tears of frustration stinging his eyes.

There's different types of pain in this world, and each pain has its own badge of tears. For utter and complete frustration the tears are the least short-lived, they last only seconds but they are the most bitter and the most hot. They mercilessly sting the eyes leading to the famous montage of the utterly frustrated man. The one we all know so well, of eyes tightly shut screaming at the sky in rage.

For what seemed like eternity the numerous hands pinning him down relaxed and retreated. Johari quickly looked up to see the strange women were no longer in sight.

He shot up and tore up towards the village gates much to the chagrin of his grandfather.

"Johari come back here right now.! Johari..."

The dust covered Johari rushed past the frightened villagers, towards the gates and past. Old mzee Tembo sighed as he slowly walked towards the gates. He felt sad for his grandson for he knew he would not catch up to them, for the tshamari - the spirit mediums travelled in many a path unseen.

He found Johari sitted on the boulders at the far edge of Mariani hill. He could see his tear stained face held so much emotion, bitterness and pain. The old man sat next to Johari and they both stared across the Sereti.

"They disappeared in a cloud of black smoke." Johari muttered. He clenched the dust at the spot they had disappeared tightly in his hand, then he let the dust slip through his fingers as he watched, slowly until nothing was left.

"She's gone grandpa, I couldn't help her."

"No son, It's neither your fault nor hers. It was her destiny, her path to join the tshamari, the great spirit mediums."

"She received the mark when she was six and today they have come for her."

"There's nothing you could have done son, it was simply meant to be."

Johari got up slowly and made his way back to Mariani. In a way he understood what his grandfather had told him but guilt was still heavy in his heart. He remembered Teriah's frightened face and in his heart he was convinced it was a cry for help. Help that never came.

Entering the village gates he saw villagers peeping from their doors and windows, hiding back when he caught their gaze. Suddenly he loathed every single one of them.

"You are all weak, hiding and not protecting one of your own."

But was he any different, all he had done was run and cry. He cursed and spat out remnants of the soily taste in his mouth.

And where was the Kai, their ultimate warrior and protector. Was he also hiding behind the shadows?

Johari felt exasperated.

"I will be the strongest warrior this village has ever seen."

"Nobody will ever harm anyone or take them against their will ever again especially you evil witches." he swore this to himself.

With this solemn vow, Johari lay besides his grandfather's hut once more and closed his eyes shut.

To shut off the world once more.