Chapter 20. Thrills Africana

JULIAN

I had been running all day. Not that I could, but I had to. The barking dogs did not give me any space to breathe; they could smell my blood from afar, and my bleeding wouldn’t stop. On the horizon, the silhouette of several mud houses appeared. I could even see mild smoke slowly rising to heaven as the smell of freshly baked bread managed to reach my nostrils.

The pale-orange dusk made the sight even more alluring. It was a testament to the fact that I had traveled a very long distance within a short time, perhaps even encroaching into southern territory because orange-colored skies were a rare thing in the north. Or was today a special day? I hope so.

The pain in my ankle wouldn’t cease. Having tied it up several times since morning, it was no longer news that it just refused to heal. I’ve had wounds in the past, from cuts on blades to contusion injuries and trauma. By now, at least, there should have been blood clotting. But this was not the case.