Wash

Suddenly, another twig snapped.

“Shh. It’s back.” I held my breath, my mind racing. Whatever it was, it was moving through the thick vegetation, its snorts and grunts coming closer. Something big was coming our way, powerful steps crashed through, each one louder than the last. Waiting to pounce? Coming to get us? What kind of animal could make that much noise? I didn’t want to stick around to find out, but I was terrified to leave our flimsy excuse for shelter. I heard a loud blast of air being blown, followed by a louder grunt, and I tried to ignore the knots in my stomach. “What kind of animal is that?”

He shined a flashlight beam toward the ground, his mouth set in a hard line. “Wait here. I’ll go check it out.”

“Armed with nothing but a flashlight?” I reached toward him, my fingers brushing his arm. “No! Please don’t go out there, Jake.”

“Aw. Jane scared for Tarzan?”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t hate you enough to want to see you get ripped apart by a wild animal,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

“Listen, I’ll be fine. I’m positive it’s not lions, if that’s any relief.”

I took a deep breath as I peered into his eyes. “I’m coming with you,” I said, grabbing a flashlight.

Knowing there was no use in arguing with me, he nodded and opened the tent slowly.

I pointed my flashlight beam down and gasped at all the footprints everywhere. Animals were getting a little too close for comfort. The place smelled damp and earthy, and could hear the creature smacking its thick, moose-like lips as it moved closer. I opened my mouth, but my voice remained trapped somewhere in my throat. I couldn’t breathe and couldn’t move; every muscle in my body tensed—all except for my heart, which thrummed like the beating wings of a hummingbird. When Jake pulled me close, as if to protect me, I rested my cheek against his strong chest, listening to his racing heart. I was just about to bolt over to Anto’s tent, certain that he’d be armed and would know what to do, but when I turned to run, Jake’s hand tightened around my arm, pulling me closer. I raised my eyebrows, and Jake loosened his death grip. I took a few brave steps, scanning straight ahead.

“It’s just a giraffe,” he explained, pointing off to the right.

My golden beam slid upward, illuminating the tall tree, and then landed on a towering creature. The long-necked animal was happily munching on acacia leaves, sending a few monkeys scurrying away in frustration.

Jake burst out in a wave of laughter. “Guess we found our killer.”

“A giraffe?” I let out a sigh of relief. “You must think I’m crazy.”

“I have to admit, my heart was pounding, too.”

A muscular black tongue licked the top of the leaves, leaving a layer of sticky slime, and the animal stared at us with its dark-brown eyes as it pulled down a branch and made a quick snack of it, like some kind of modern-day brontosaurus. It plucked the leaves with its wide lips, stripping the tree with its teeth. Then loud, thudding footsteps echoed as the giant, long-legged creature lumbered away.

I clutched my chest. “I can’t believe I almost had a heart attack over a giraffe.”

We both burst out in laughter, and I loved the way he laughed and the way the lines around his face crinkled up around his eyes.

“I’m going back to sleep,” I said, heading back inside the tent.

“If you need me to fend off any other ferocious beasts, just let me know. I’m your man.”

“You’re not gonna let me live this one down, are you?”

He laughed once again. “Not a chance.”

We snuggled once again back into our warm sleeping bags. I dozed back to sleep and was having a wonderful dream when something suddenly woke me up. I glanced down at my watch. It was way too early for this. I heard a distinctively loud, penetrating and recognizable haa-haa-haa-de-dah call.

“What’s that?” I said, sitting straight up at four a.m.

“It’s a bird. Yeah, it woke me up too.”

“Why isn’t it sleeping?”

“The Hadeda Ibis get up early,” he chuckled.

I chuckled back. “Tell me about it.” I put the pillow over my head and drifted back to sleep.

Chapter 12

Morning came faster than I anticipated. After getting dressed and brushing my hair, I opened the tent and was blown away by the sight before me. Swirls of mist danced across the grasslands in the most mysterious way. Silhouetted against the pink sunrise was an outline of grazing antelopes and wildebeests, munching on dew-laden grass. I scoured the land for lions and was thankful I didn’t see any.