39.
In no time flat they found themselves before
the house and humble home of young Abu.
They snuck around from front to backside door
and sat to quickly plan what they would do.
As Stella whispered plans, she gauged response
by checking change of puppy panting pace.
And all the while they sat and heard the taunts
of distant creatures in night’s carapace.
With plan in motion, Stella threw the ball
of fluff that trusted her since rescue from
the log months back. Past life she could recall
was monotone compared to this, and glum.
She got a chill and shivered. Life apart
from drudgery and teasing warmed her heart.
40.
The window through which she had one pup tossed
lacked glass to brake the earthy evening breeze.
On it draped metal netting, crissed-and-crossed
defense against mosquito-borne disease.
At quarantining, though, the screen now failed
to serve its owners. Time had torn it up:
its mismatched mishmash wire-thread gaps curtailed
no entry of a sentry missile pup.
Stel thought of the unpleasantness of flight
while launching her beloved through the gap.
She felt a rather classic fear of heights
stirred up by watching her dog’s wingless flap.
The forest howls from darkness briefly met
a thrilling YIP! as pup turned air cadet.
41.
The silence that ensued brought single bead
of perspiration pooled to Stel’s forehead.
What could be stalling BLING’s courageous lead
of Abu toward adventure, from his bed?
But once the bead had multiplied by three
the pressure weighing on her shoulders left:
emerging from the hole was abductee
Abu, leftover screen to pieces cleft.
Equipped with bulging backpack, he’d the look
of mischief glinting in his moonlit eyes,
as if at night he’d chosen not to brook
the complications daytime life disguised.
BLING back in hand, they wove past fields of crops
in search of the alleged banyan copse.
42.
Their search was fire that melted air’s sharp ice
that otherwise would freeze to still their frames,
the pull of undiscovered lands enticed,
like frontiers, which to frontiersmen seek claim.
This burning purpose shielded minds from fear
that lurking in the wooded black was harm,
a thousand ghouls and goblins, gathered near
in blackness so complete, that no alarm
in ear or eye detected that the space
was filled by creatures creeping. Looking out
from makeshift path to darkness showed no trace
of what stared back. But Stella still stayed stout.
The dark pressed in like tightened seams of coal,
compressed galactically as if black hole.
43.
In daylight Stel tracked trails. Her knacks were in
good landmark cues and bearings set by sun.
At night her sensed direction wore more thin,
yet she persisted when it came undone.
Stel feared admitting flaw, was not forthright
until convinced too lost to then reverse.
“That cooing sound,” Abu said with a fright,
“sounds like an omen or a voodoo curse.”
“I think,” squawked Stella’s tremulous, soft voice,
“it’s lonely birdcall waiting for reply.”
“But tell me, would you really make the choice
to willingly find out?” Abu then cried.
The tension made the dampened ground feel cold
and robbed from childhood hearts all feelings bold.
44.
A CRASH! crashed through the branches overhead
that sent the kids flat-stomached on the moss,
with fears they’d soon be doubled over, dead
from strike of pterodactyl, albatross
or stork of prehistoric size and girth,
or bat that feasts on bits of little boys
and girls. So they reflected on the worth
of life, school, family lost, and wished-for toys.
Right then amid their second-split repose
inspired by the shadow’s flight above
they heard a YIP! and jumped back to their toes
for, though the smallest of the three, BLING’s shout
defended from this airborne bombing bout.
45.
Their mettle metered sonically, the wings
withdrew the baleful beast they carried high
back to the canopy of lofted things
too far from ground to be known by the eye
of creatures on the earth. Two lengthy phews
were heard by all things lurking near and far
and turned those scanning, watchful eyes in twos
toward where the kids were cowering. “There are
a hundred score of animals sharp-toothed
that know we’re here, but don’t know if we’re food.
Let’s jet before we let them know the truth.”
“Yes! Premature departure isn’t rude.”
Their flighty instincts complemented BLING’s,
whose bear-sized bark was backed by bite-sized sting.
46.
With pinprick firefly light as useless guide,
their travels through the undergrowth were not
entirely successful. They supplied
a modicum of safety, as they sought,
but moved them unawares yet further from
the banyan stand they’d set out first to find.
Abu’s thick bag lacked bread: no trail of crumb
could guide once norths and souths were misaligned.
Then Stel burst out exasperatedly,
“Abu, can you please hurry up? We’re lost.”
“I’m gathering,” he aspirated, “these,”
in tone deterring being further bossed.
He’d fished out oil-less lantern of clear glass
and with bugs’ butts found means to light amass.
47.
When Stella first regarded it, a shock
swept ’cross her face, which now was cast alight:
it seemed Abu’d collected growing flock
of glowing fireflies so to aid their sight.
The lantern flickered as a candle would,
according to the pulse and mood of those
within it. “Worry not, I know we should
return them later. But let’s now impose,
because, my friend, our vision needs a boost,
and frankly I’m a little on the edge.”
The light was helpful locally, reduced
the stumbling chance amid its lumen wedge.
The flicker made false ghouls of forest shapes
but fell short of revealing clear escape.
48.
Each step was taken slower than the prior,
as fear arrested progress. Neither felt
the gentle slope that inched them higher and higher
to outcrop that stood tow’ring over veldt.
“I wish,” said Ab, “the moon would break through trees.”
“Me too.” “When I was little, I desired
to go up there and see if it was cheese.”
“Ha. I grew up where cows’ milk was required
for chai and nothing more. What’s stopping you
from flying up to moon now?” Stella asked,
reminder of request he join her
crew.
“Mere time.” Stel was impressed by drive unmasked.
At that age she still likened competence
to confidence. “Great! That grit complements
49.
adventuring I plan with BLING. You should
enlist with us.” Right then another CRASH!
was heard a ways away in endless wood,
renewing fear they’d end up ’tween jaws gnashed.
Stel’s body rattling prompted Ab to say,
“My parents said when roads were hard they’d start
a game so to distract mind other ways.
It stole some sting from sun and tread and heart.
What do you say we try the same?” Foot speed
had slowed to snail’s, still infinitely far
from stoppage. Soil aground gave way to scree.
“I wish huge glowworm’d been in lit wee jar,
enormous bug with storm torch light to share,”
he started, as example of affair.
50.
“I wish,” he said, as feet continued on,
“those hungry-looking beasts were all at fast,
religiously abstemious.” Stel yawned,
the lateness beating heartbeat at full blast.
An avian apparition coursed ’cross view,
gray streak that interrupted where once were
enclosing trees. Stel realized from clue
they’d left the woods. Now dying was the chirr
and hiss of sleeping forest. Stars pierced black.
“I—AAH!” she squealed as sole stepped into air,
arresting self on gluteus. The lack
of earth sent ventricles on pumping tear:
“I – Ab – I’m terrified. Let’s rest and sit.”
“We’ll hunker here till brighter light is lit,
51.
adventurer. But now you gotta play.
It helps, I promise. Lean here. There you go.”
“I wish,” she started, “BLING’s bark kept at bay
all predators. I wish he would bestow
us both with other wishes.” “It’s more fun
when wishing for the animals, not us.
This is a game that’s much more lost and won
by humor than by need. Ditch selfward fuss.”
She pulled her shuka tight against the breeze,
leaned on the lifeline tree, wished for asphalt,
and searched inside for long-fled sense of ease.
Ab said, “I wish giraffes could somersault.
I rather think they’d find in tumbling joy.”
Stel couldn’t help but laugh, while still annoyed.
52.
Though ground gave some security, word cloak
of animals-do-human-things felt thin
against Stel’s dread. Ab’s remedy was joke,
right? Comfort couldn’t come from simple spin.
“At least the predators are back that way,”
Abu said, “now our safety’s in our hands.”
“How so?” “There’s no chance feet slip, plunge away
if we here plant ourselves aground. Don’t stand,
you’re fine.” Stel probed, “But did they follow us?”
“Of course not.” “Yet again you’re sure.” “Indeed.”
“And why?” “Because we’re breathing. Logic, thus,
shows that no beasts pursued us as their feed.”
Hard rationality still couldn’t quell
the sympathetic system’s fear in Stel.
53.
Her heartbeat drowned out hearing ’cept for breaths
she heard Abu draw slowly in, let out.
Her mind fixated on a dozen deaths
imagined. Meanwhile, he’d let no threat rout
his reasoned focus. “Picture flying squirrels,
a hundred, dropped from plane. Or owls a-dance.”
She eased with such imagined tumbles, twirls
of fur and feathers, Hedwig’s b-boy stance.
“Nah, stick to ground. It’s safer.” “Still your turn.”
She wondered how her favorites fit this shtick,
then realized the plight of pachyderm:
“How ’bout an elephant on pogo stick?”
“Mm, safi sana,” came reply, “be scared
of standing near a tembo in the air!
54.
There can’t be any doubt they’d love to jump.
To take a grounded beast and set it free
would be so kind. Herd’s sonic booming thumps
would make a joyous rhythm, shift esprit
of Serengeti toward Zaramo drums.”
Young Stella’s mind, now tethered to that scene
fixated on its details and outcomes
instead of on night predators unseen.
Kids’ riffing slowed along with consciousness,
anxieties now dampened and downscaled.
How stories’ swaddling shrouds had spawned such bliss
would stay to Stel a mystery long veiled:
not till a decade later would she find
the power of whimsy in creative mind.
55.
Their quietnesses lengthened. They played game
till words slurred and both children slacked to sleep.
Snoozed consciences let night pass unrestrained:
perceptions logged an instant dawn. The sweep-
ing view they hadn’t known they’d had appeared
with day. The howling night had been replaced
by patchwork singsong birdcall warbles near
crescendo’s height. The sun soon crested, faced
onlookers near the cliff, then paralyzed
with instant showered warmth and piercing light.
It bleached away the night, impaired the eyes.
Stel felt in such deliverance, delight.
The scene well showed the sum of nature’s worth
and suited swell the Pioneers’ soon birth.
56.
“Abu…” Stel slowly said regarding things
the sun enlightened lightly, “Abu, I
would like you to be part of this, with BLING.”
“Of what?” “Of this group I imagined my
best childhood was to feature, friends in fun.
As Afroasiatic Pioneers
we’d gather power, our wills would bend to none.
We’d use it to roam freely.” Undiscussed
was concretely what they would do, where, how.
“Stel, you got a bit frightened last night but
you didn’t let it stop you. That is how
I’d want to Pioneer: full-bore, uncut.”
His eyes, as mirrors to the rising sun
blazed gold, a fitting hue for dream begun.
57.
“I’ve wanted to reclaim post of emir
since our name fell from grace when we moved south.”
The hint he’d fuse the trinity rung clear
despite the words slow shaping at his mouth.
“Yes. Thanks for fetching me from sleep at home,
you picked a night I also couldn’t doze.”
“Ayo! I’m thrilled!” As xylem to her phloem,
Abu’d be there when friend-ly needs arose.
“I never thought to roam much past the bounds
of our community. With strength of three
we’ll move beyond the finite world’s surrounds
and into more expansive territ’ry.
This precipice we’ve christened very place
for Afroasiatic team home base!”
58.
As proclamation bellowed out downwind,
swept from the one-tree outcrop where they’d perched,
its sound was tailed by dragonfly, wings twinned
in interplay too fast to see. Each lurch
from gust thrust fly aside, off its first path.
“Look, Stel, it�
�s getting pushed, yet still it goes.”
Its vector carved, in retrospect and math,
intent they’d not detected in the throes
of wind-fought movement. Keener eyes would see
the insect harnessing breeze happenstance
as helping it traverse points A and B.
Right focus showed design in flapping; glance
hid underlying beauty of its strain
to dance with its environment for gain.
59.
Stel mused, “Two months ago I was alone,
with Grandmum crabby, schoolbooks meaningless.
Now my self-portrait’s more a duotone—”
“Uh, ‘trio’, no? With BLING and me in this.”
“Oh, right!” Quick comfort with them made her feel
like they’d been there her whole short life, “I want
to do more out in nature. It’s surreal,
the fauna here. These beasts schools ought to flaunt.”
“They do,” Abu replied, “safaris are
the source of money here, and power too.” “True,
I know. But lauding solely superstars
impedes fact smaller creatures can wow too.”
With union set, they’d need to make up quests
unless delivered some by trusted guest.
CHAPTER 2
60.
In one week’s time BLING, Stella, and Abu
found selves again together, path to school
stretched out in front of them. They’d had but few
more windows for shenanigans. Stel’s fuel
between was work on secret gifts for friends.
“You’re now both Pioneers, you’re in my clique.
These badges show it.” Proffered dividends
had matching elephants on pogo sticks!
Bedraggled patches gifted clearly made
by Stella’s novice hand were sort of art,
cartoonily. Blobs, line dot eyes portrayed
the bouncing beast, insignia apart
from any, ever. “BLING, you, me begin
our lives with this.” “This is Promethean!”
61.
In one way Stella also presaged times
when badges, points, and Snapchat trash talk took
with dopamine-inducing iPhone chimes
activities then gamified with hooks.
This patch she gave was physical, no bytes.
It suited well its era and its place.
So too did badge with BLING’s protective bite
deterring divebomb bird stitched on its face.
“Kizuri sana! It’s the perfect gift
for dog and matching human Pioneers,”
said Abu, not the smallest bit seemed miffed
by craftsmanship as Stella prior had feared.
“I like BLING’s merit badge, I think it’s core
that we reward ourselves for doing more.”