Africa (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Six

It had been a few days since they had separated from the group. They were exhausted, but determined to press on, hoping to find some form of civilization.

Wielding a machete, Kam led the way, swinging the blade back and forth, hacking through the tall grass, bushes, and vines to clear a path. Tau limped along, remaining a few paces behind. His hands and feet were still bound. To seal his wounds, he had made a special concoction of anti-microbial plants mixed with tree sap. It would help the wounds heal and not get infected, but it did nothing for the pain.

Kam had his doubts on whether Tau was telling the truth about guiding him to some secret city. But as far as Kam knew, they were lost in the jungle and Tau had no idea where he was going. Even still, the matter remained of what they would do once they arrived at this so-called forbidden city. With nothing else to go on, Kam was operating with the small sliver of hope that he would somehow gain entry into this secret society and find Cara. Considering her family's wealth, that was as good of a spot as any to look for her.

"This city," Kam spoke. "You made it up, right? It's okay, you can tell me. I won't be upset. But I need to know. That was just a ruse to save your life."

"The city exists," Tau said with conviction.

"And you know where it is?"

There was a pause. "Not exactly, but I can lead you to the general region. From there, it is up to you to find the rest of the way."

"When were you planning on telling me this?" Kam asked. "I mean, what was your plan after you led me as far as you can go?"

"I hadn't planned that far in advance. I would take that situation as it were to come."

"The part about my girl being there, you made that up, right? I mean, how did you know I would fall for that?"

Tau laughed, "There's always a girl."

In the distance, they heard sounds of gospel chants — the kind that are commonly sung in church. Kam looked and Tau, but didn't say anything. They both just listened. Moving in closer to get a better view, they crept like stealth jungle cats. Hunkering low in the bushes, they saw a group gathered around a fire. Scanning for intel, Kam and Tau didn't see the group as violent. For one, they were worshiping Christ through song, and they didn't appear to have any weapons.

With his hands and feet bound in front of him, Tau asked Kam to scratch an itch on his back.

"No, deal with it," Kam replied, showing little empathy.

"You may not want to help me, but I assure you there will be a time when you need my help. I would like to establish more trust with you. You scratch my back, and maybe one day I can return the favour and scratch yours."

Kam ignored him. His stomach growled loudly.

"You're hungry," Tau said.

"You are too, now shut up and let me think," Kam replied.

"You already know what we you're going to do," Tau said. "You're going to camp out until dark, and when everyone is asleep, we're going to sneak in and take what we need."

Kan didn't respond.

"Morality is a slippery slope, isn't it?" Tau replied. "We do what we must in order to survive."

"I'm nothing like you. I don't enslave people."

"I would like to point out that you have me in chains and under your control. I am enslaved by you at this very moment."

"That's different," Kam shot back. "You're a monster."

"We are more similar than you may think," Tau said.

"I said shut up."

This time Tau remained silent, focusing his attention on the Christians.

"May I suggest you temporarily release me from these chains so that I can help you. After, if you still feel safer with me in shackles then you can put them back on."

"Not a chance."

"What if you get captured or run into any problems?" Tau asked. "With my hands locked behind my back, I am useless to you, and would never survive on my own. I would have no choice but to surrender to them as well and hope they show me mercy."

With the Christian chants echoing in the background, he thought about Ukari and how she chose a path of forgiveness and second chances. Prior to hearing Tau's story, Kam just labeled him as a monster, unworthy of the simplest consideration. But now, he was growing more sympathetic to him. Tau was once a kid trying to survive a life he didn't choose, and from that point a new outcome had been set in motion.

There was a few more hours of daylight before the sun retreated over the horizon, so Kam and Tau hunkered in.