Chapter 35

Luyanda flicked his eyes open. He was lying flat on his back. To right and left and towering all around him were walls of bright, light brown sand. He sat up, and realised he was back in the desert, but was in the middle of a crater. Keita was a few feet away, stirring as though awaking from a heavy slumber. Luyanda pushed himself onto his feet. His back was sore, and his arms ached. But other than that, he was fine. Something at his feet caught his attention. It was his shadow. Despite him standing still, his shadow was moving. It crawled towards him, growing shorter and shorter, until eventually it disappeared. He glanced at the sky. The sun hung low in the horizon. It was evening. He looked at the ground again. His shadow was gone.
He slogged his way to Keita, and helped him sit up.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. You?”
“Yes, but—”
“But what?”
“My shadow. It’s —”
Luyanda’s words caught in his throat. A few feet away from him, a hazy silhouette materialised out of thin air. It was Shadow. He knew it. Shadow stretched out his hand towards Luyanda. Luyanda almost grinned, and reached his hand out to Shadow. He gasped, as a cold wave shot through his body, like a bucket of icy water had been poured over him. A long, dark shadow reappeared at his feet.
“What about your shadow?” Keita asked.
“Nothing,” Luyanda said. He threw his arm around Keita and helped him to the top of the crater. It was early afternoon. The sun still beat down hard, and it’s reflection off the light brown sand burnt their eyes. Luyanda realised that they hadn’t been gone for more than a few minutes. Nomsa, Amina and Yisa were exactly where he had left them. He wondered where Jabu was.

A cough startled him. He spun around. Jabu lay prone on the ground, covered by a thick sheet of sand. Luyanda grabbed a dusty arm and pulled him up. Jabu coughed again, and shook the sand out of his clothes.
“Are you okay?” Luyanda asked.
“Yes, I’m intact. I think. What happened?”
“I’m not quite sure. How long have I been gone?”
“I don’t know. I think I blacked out for a bit.” He rubbed his head and winced.
Yisa and Amina came trudging up to them.
“Are you guys alright?” Luyanda asked.
“Where is Uru?” Yisa asked, ignoring his question. “He tried to kill us.”
“He is gone.” Keita answered.
“Gone where?” Nomsa asked, as she ploughed her way through the sand and joined them.
“I have no clue,” Keita said. “But this young man here,” he nodded at Luyanda, “might be able to tell us.”
“Who? Me?” Luyanda stepped back. “I don’t know. I’ve got no idea.”
“Yes you do. That … thing….we met. It spoke to you.”
“Which person?” Nomsa asked. “Who did you meet?”
“Didn’t you see him?” Luyanda asked.
“I just saw a dark haze floating about. More like—”
“A shadow,” Luyanda said.
“Yes,” Keita continued. “But I couldn’t see it or hear it.”
“What’s going on Luyanda,” Jabu asked. “What happened?”
Luyanda quickly told them everything that had happened from the time he was stabbed up until he got back.
“So Uru’s gone for good?” Amina asked. “Can he never return?”
Keita shook his head. “I saw how he left. I doubt anyone could survive that. He was literally obliterated.”
They stood there in silence for a minute. A light breeze whistled past them, sending tiny specks of sand into their eyes. In the distance, Luyanda imagined he could still hear Uru’s final shrieks. He shuddered and shook the thought out of his head.
“So what does that mean?” Amina asked. “What about Alkebulan?”
“Alkebulan was a utopian ideal,” Keita answered, “and I hope you’ve seen for yourselves that utopias don’t come about without bloodshed.”
The group fell silent once more. A loud sob cut through the desert stillness. It was Amina. She buried her face in her hands and wept.
“I am so sorry,” she stammered, in between sobs. “I did’t mean to hurt anyone. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
Nomsa wrapped a bracing arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay,” she said. “You had no idea what he was planning to do.”
“I should have stopped him,” Yisa snarled. “I should have realised that he was just using us all along.” He balled his fists. A slight tremor shook the ground, and a sheet of sand rose slowly into the air. Luyanda shot a panicked glance at Keita. Keita raised a placating hand.
“Calm down,” he said. “There’s nothing you can do about it now. I’ve known Uru a very long time. He’s a master of deceit. He deceived even himself.”
Yisa’s shoulders slumped. The ground stopped shaking, and the sheet of sand fell back down to the ground.
“I think we should be getting back,” Luyanda said. He nodded at the pile of rocks a few feet away. “We don’t want anyone to find that and blame us for it. It would probably be the first time someone is accused of destroying a pyramid.”
“That was my fault,” Yisa mumbled. “I’m sorry.” He plonked down on the sand and hung his head between his knees.
“Let’s just forget it, shall we?” Keita said.
“So how are we going to get back?” Nomsa asked.
“Yisa,” Keita asked, “Can you get us back home?”
Yisa didn’t reply.
“I don’t think he’s in the right state,” Amina said. “It’s quite draining on him, and I think he’s exhausted as it is.”
“I could try a whirlwind,” Nomsa offered shyly.
“Yes, Luyanda told me about that,” Keita said. “You think you could do it again?”
“I don’t see why not?”
Keita fixed a piercing gaze at her and nodded.
“Then in that case, we’re in your hands.”
“I need you all to get into a circle,” Nomsa said. “The tighter, the better.”
Jabu trudged over to Yisa and stretched out his hand.
“Let’s get going mate. I want to get home in time for dinner.”

They bunched together into a tight circle, with their elbows locked together. Nomsa squeezed her eyes shut, and furrowed her brow. The breeze around them quickened, and in a few second it was a howling wind, whipping the sand about their faces. Luyanda squeezed his eyes shut, and in a few minutes, felt himself shuttling through the air at a breathtaking speed. He tried to sneak a peek to see where they were, but all he saw was a solid grey wall of cloud. When he realised that he didn’t have to make any effort to stay on his feet, he gave in to the sudden exhaustion that he felt and fell asleep.
He woke up when he sensed that they were slowing down. The wall of cloud around them thinned out gradually. as the whirlwind died down. The ground was only a few metres below them now. Nomsa brought them to a standstill, hovering a few meters over the ground. Then the wind died suddenly, and they landed on their feet with heavy thuds.

“Sorry, Nomsa mumbled. “My landings still need a bit of work.”
“That was the best flight I have had in a long while,” Jabu beamed.
“Thank you, Nomsa,” Luyanda said. “That was better than the first time around. You’re getting really good at this.”
Nomsa blushed and took a sudden interest at heaps of plastic and metal scrap all around them.
“Where are we?” Yisa asked. “This place looks kind of familiar.”
“It’s the scrapyard behind the sports complex,” Amina said.
“Good choice,” Keita said. “This place is usually deserted. We are only a few minutes from the main gate.”
“Let’s get going then,” Yisa said, wheeling about towards the entrance.
“Just a minute,” Keita said. “I have one last request to make.” He turned to Nomsa. “If you’re strong enough, could you make just one more tiny whirlwind?”
“How big?” Nomsa asked. “I’m a bit tired after that last one.”
“Just a slight breeze,” Keita answered. “You won’t even have to close your eyes.”
Nomsa nodded, and furrowed her brow as she concentrated. She raised her arms, and a gentle breeze whipped up around the four of them. Luyanda glimpsed Keita slip a hand into his pocket, pull something out, and scatter it into the whirlwind around them. He caught a whiff of a slight coppery scent in the air, but it was gone a second later.
“That will do, Nomsa,” Keita said. “Thank you. I think we can proceed to the university.”
“That’s a good idea,” Jabu said, “I think that flight made me a bit light-headed. I think I need a solid meal.”
“Me too,” Amina added. “A meal and a nap.”
“Hang on,” Jabu said, staring at the twin sword hilts in his belt. “What the hell are these?” He pulled them out and stared at them as if he were seeing them for the first time in his life.
“Oh, just some objects we were experimenting with on our research trip,” Keita answered matter-of-fact-ly. “I’ll take them back to the museum.” He stretched out his hand and Jabu handed him the swords.
“Now,” Keita said, “I think it’s time that we got back.”

They trekked out of the scrap yard and past the sports fields. Soon, they were standing at the gates of the university. They looked on a students filed past, not paying them the slightest attention. Luyanda had to fight the urge to wave at one of them, just to make sure that everything was back to normal.
“See you all later,” Amina said.
“I am hoping that you’re all going straight to your rooms?” Keita asked.
“Yup. I’m also exhausted,” Yisa said. “I feel like my head is all jumbled up. I just want to hit the sack and pass out.”
“Me too,” Jabu added. “I’ve never felt so tired in my life. It feels like I’ve climbed a mountain.”
Luyanda shook his head in confusion.
“But guys, we’ve just been on- “
Keita placed a firm hand on Luyanda’s shoulder and cut him off.
“We all need a rest,” he said. “Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Yisa and Amina turned and headed off. Luyanda watched them disappear up the walkway towards the student rooms, then he turned to Keita.
“Is it just me, or is something weird?”
“Everyone’s just a bit tired, that’s all,” Keita said.
“But they’re acting as if they’ve forgotten everything.” Nomsa said.
“Yeah,” Jabu said. “I’ve actually been meaning to ask where we went with those guys.”
Luyanda and Nomsa exchanged a confused look. Keita patted Jabu’s back.
“You just need a good night’s rest. We’ll have a good chat tomorrow.”
Jabu nodded, and turned up the walkway towards the student dormitories. Then he paused and turned around.
“Hey, Lu. Weren’t you staying with me while your parents were away?”
“Yes I was, but—,” he gasped. “Msiza, what’s the date today?”
“Today is the twelfth of July.”
“Oh, no! My parents are getting back today. I forgot all about it. I’d better be heading home.”
“Come on, Jabu, ” Nomsa chimed, “Let’s walk together.” She wrapped her arm around Jabu’s. “See you guys tomorrow.” They trudged up the walkway and were soon swallowed up by the campus buildings. Keita turned to Luyanda.
“How are you getting home?” he asked.
“I’ve got my parents’ car here. Would you like a ride home?”
“Yes, I’d really appreciate that.”

A few minutes later, they were zipping along the flyway in Maddie’s hovercar. Neither of them said anything for a long time. Eventually, Luyanda cleared his throat.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“Why was Uru able to follow us into the Shadow Realm?”
“I’m not sure, but I think that after using that fly-whisk for so long, he became more and more like it’s owner, Sumanguru. Something similar happened to you with the stool.”
“Does that mean that I am possessed by the spirit of Lwanda Magere?”
“No,” Keita answered. “Not possessed. Only evil spirits possess people. Your ancestor may have been many things, but he definitely was not evil. He would never wish a thing such as possession on one of his descendants. He merely passed his gifts onto you, and you decided to use them for the benefit of others. Never forget that.”
They drove on in silence. After a few minutes, Keita directed Luyanda to pull out of the flyway and onto the short, straight streets that were typical of Riverview, the suburb where Keita lived. A short while later, they drove onto Keita’s street, and came to a stop in front of his apartment block.
“You’ll find Vladimir with your neighbour,” Luyanda said, as he turned off the engine.
“Oh, yes. I forgot to ask about him. How’s he doing?”
“Quite upset that you abandoned him.”
“I guess that couldn’t be helped. But I’m back now, and I guess that’s what counts. You should get back home before your parents return.”
Keita and Luyanda stepped out of the car.
“When will I see you next?” Luyanda asked.
“Tomorrow. I’m still serving my notice period, remember?”
“It would really be a shame if they don’t give you your old job back.”
“Let’s just say I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that there’s going to be a vacancy in the department now. They just don’t know of it yet.”

✍️ Reply by email