Katriena gets up slowly, her back seeming to ache right down to her toes and follows him inside. Her mouth drops open in a round little “o”, as her eyes take in the rows upon rows of clay pots and strange hangings all over the hut. There are wooden rows of pots and things, covering every inch of the hut, with an open space to one side of the floor which is surely Johannes’s sleeping space.
“Close your yob, girl and come over here! We’re almost out of time. Take this and rub it on as much of your body and your hair as you can. It will cover your smell, fo’ sho I will be called to take the hounds out after you.”
“I’m going to need some time to get this right and you’re gonna have to hide out somewhere. You can hide out in the vineyard that was worked last week; they’re likely to think that you just upped and ran away. In this here cloth are some bread and cheese that Jana brought down from the Madam’s pantry, and also a good sized ham. Be very careful and come back to me on the first night that the moon is full. Now take this here blanket too and go, girl! You be safe now, ya hear?!”
Chapter 4
Marie finds Meimoena on her balcony, as usual, when she arrives home that evening. She is absolutely drained. She had hoped to sneak into her apartment without being spotted but no such luck. Meimoena leans over the balcony and beckons to Marie.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come home, Marie. I’ve been fretting about you all day.”
Marie sighs as she starts to climb the stairs to Meimoena’s apartment, which is at least also on the second floor, same as Marie’s.
“Afternoon, aunty ‘Moena.” Marie gratefully sits down on the wooden kitchen chair that had been awaiting her arrival. Meimoena looks thoughtfully at Marie’s hand rubbing at the small of her back as she sits down.
“Your back still troubling you, Marie?”
“It’s nothing, I’m sure I just need to replace my mattress or something. What did you want to talk to me about, aunty ‘Moena? It’s almost time for Brian to come home and I have to get started on supper.”
Meimoena heaves a heavy sigh.
“You are in trouble Marie.”
“Don’t be silly, aunty ‘Moena! What are you talking about? I’m fine…or did Brian call, or is it Denver? Did something happen to Denver?!”Marie leans forward anxiously, her back forgotten for the moment as thoughts of something happening to her son filled her mind.
“No, Marie, nothing like that, nobody called. I’m talking about you. “Meimoena gives Marie a long speculative look, then clears her throat. She seems to have reached some sort of decision.
“I was born with the cawl, you know. My mother preserved it in a jar, although I always thought that was a bit creepy. Wait, before you say anything; I know that most people think of all that as superstitious nonsense but I’ve always had these….uhm, feelings, you know.”
“Really, aunty ‘Moena….” Marie smiles politely, preparing to make her excuses. Meimoena held up her hand to cut Marie’s protestations short.
“Marie, I’m really worried about you. I know something is very wrong with you and I can feel that you are in grave danger. I have no idea what it is but my feelings about these things have never been wrong before. Remember, I was the one who told Bernice to see a doctor, right before they discovered the lump in her breast. I’m sure she also thought at the time that I’m just a crazy old woman but she went anyway and they removed it in time.”
Marie did remember and in fact, Bernice is still very much in awe of Meimoena and repeats the story to anyone who would listen.
“You can talk to me, Marie. I only want to help. Please talk to me.”
Marie decides that it really can’t hurt and she desperately needs to tell somebody or she might go stark, raving mad. If she wasn’t well on her way already!
Meimoena listens without interrupting. When Marie falls quiet, Meimoena excuses herself and then returns with two glasses of Cola.
“Would you mind if I speak to my Imam about this, Marie? I know that this is very personal but this is also very, very serious. He is a very wise man and people always go to him for help. He is a very highly regarded spiritual leader; some even regard him as a “Holy Man”. If anyone can help you, he can …and you did say that you don’t want to mention this to the doctors or your priest.”
Marie sips her drink, thinking. Well, what harm can it do? She already felt a bit better, just telling somebody. Marie sighs, and then agrees. “Okay, if you think it will help, aunty ‘Moena, but please, please don’t mention anything to Brian. I really have to go now. Thanks for listening to me.”
Marie unlocks the door to her apartment feeling much better. She even hums one of her favourite hymns, “Abide with me Lord”, as she starts her Monday night meal. The next morning, Marie finds Meimoena waiting for her when she leaves her house.
“Take this Marie. Don’t look so worried, it’s nothing funny, really. It’s just a tea containing some herbs and a whole lot of prayers. I got this from Imam Majiet and he instructed that you have a cup before bed every night.”
Marie takes the soda bottle from Meimoena, gives it a shake and looks at the contents doubtfully. As she unscrews the top, she can smell Rosemary, Thyme and other vaguely familiar smells.
“Thank you, aunty ‘Moena and thank your Imam for me”, Marie says as she goes back inside her flat to place the mixture in her refrigerator. As she comes back outside, Meimoena says: “Imam Majiet will still come around to see you but he was very concerned by what I told him. At the very least, the herbs will help you sleep well, Marie.”
“I appreciate your concern, aunty ‘Moena. I’ll be fine, though. See you later.”
Marie walks away with no intention whatsoever of drinking the dubious looking brew, herbs or no herbs. After enduring the recurring back- ache through-out the day though, Marie decides that taking the brew can’t hurt after all. And for the next few days, it actually does seem to work.
After Marie’s talk with Imam Majiet, she self-consciously wonders if things are really so bad after all. Her story sounded a bit ridiculous to her own ears, even as she was telling it. The Imam, however seemed to be getting increasingly worried, the more he heard.
He wasn’t at all what Marie had expected. She is not sure what she expected but definitely not the soft-spoken, well-dressed, intelligent individual that she encountered in Meimoena’s living room. He is definitely a good listener and Marie had felt right at ease talking to him. He had listened without interrupting, though the frown on his forehead had steadily deepened. She had eventually left, promising to drink her tea every night and to keep Meimoena informed.
Marie wakes up feeling better than she has in days. She stretches carefully, expecting the familiar ache in her back to return but it seems to have gone, for the moment at least. She nudges Brian awake carefully, marveling at the fact that he is still sleeping.
His internal clock usually wakes him about half an hour before Marie’s electronic one starts to beep. For a moment Brian looks at her strangely, then seems to shake himself mentally, grunts a “Mornin’ “and shuffles off to the bathroom, frowning deeply. Marie is completely oblivious of this, enjoying her first pain-free morning in days.
She stares dreamily out the kitchen window, while waiting for the kettle to boil. It promises to be a lovely day.
“Morning Elize! Are you well this morning?” Marie hangs her bag in its accustomed place and moves towards the kitchen, to start her work day.
“How is Laura, is she still enjoying her tour? Has she met her European nobleman yet?” she asks smiling, while starting to clear up the breakfast dishes. Marie turns to look at Elize, unaccustomed to the silence greeting her attempt at small talk. She finds Elize standing against the granite kitchen counter with her arms folded across her breasts, looking at Marie speculatively, with a worried frown.
“What’s wrong, Elize?”
“Marie, you know I love you and you are part of the family already, right?”
“Uhm, yes, I guess so??
?…what’s this about Elize?”
“Are you going to tell me what happened yesterday? I was so worried; no call, no explanation. What is going on, Marie? Did you and Brian have a fight?”
“But I was right here yesterday! I don’t understand. I spent some time with Netta outside, when I took a break. I left at my normal time and then went to see my neighbour.”
“Marie, Netta was just as worried about you as I was, you did not come to work yesterday and you didn’t even answer your phone! Are you sure you’re okay? I am really very concerned about you.”
“The week only started yesterday and I know I was here at work!” Marie is now very distressed as this makes no sense to her at all. “I even cooked our usual Monday night supper of meatballs, mashed potatoes and baked beans.”
“Monday night? Marie today is Wednesday! Where were you yesterday, on Tuesday, Marie?! You can talk to me. If you have a problem, you know I’ll try to help you.”
Elize’s voice rises slightly on the last sentence, as Marie’s confusion becomes evident. Marie is completely dumbstruck. She can only stand and gape as Elize points to the date on this morning’s newspaper. It is Wednesday and not Tuesday, as she believed.
What happened to Tuesday? Oh God, what happened to Tuesday?!
Chapter 5
As Katriena leaves Johannes’s hut, she can hear a commotion towards the general quarters. She is sure that she can hear Young- Boss Jan shouting commands but she is too far away to hear what is being said. She regrets not putting her work boots on before coming to see Johannes tonight.
The voices now seem to be moving closer and Katriena tries to run as best she can towards the direction Johannes had advised her to go. Her feet is getting cut and scraped but the old blanket around her shoulders at least protects her body from the dry bony arms of the vines that seem to be doing their best to snare her. She has no idea how far she has come or how far she should still run to be relatively safe.
Now she can hear the barking and baying of the hounds but they still seem pretty far away. She decides to move a little bit further, even though the night is very dark and she can hardly see where she is going. Katriena steps on a big stone and her legs buckle. She is unable to stop herself falling but turns her body so as to not land on her belly.
As she lies there, breathing hard, her left cheek burning from the scrape it took when she fell, she realizes that the ground beneath her is slightly hollow. Katriena decides that this is as good a place as any to hole up for the night. She couldn’t have gone any further even if she had wanted too, anyway. She feels around for her food and puts it next to her. She gathers the blanket tight around her body, pulls her feet up so that her belly rests on her knees and closes her eyes.*
Katriena is now moving as carefully as possible back towards Johannes’s hut, hoping fervently that she has waited long enough and that everybody is really asleep. She is filthy and quite hungry, as she had finished the last of her rations the previous evening but she had waited obediently for the first night of the full moon before coming back to Johannes. Katriena’s feet are sore and swollen, and the cold has seeped into very bones.
Johannes had been waiting for her and ushers her inside quickly, without speaking. He goes back outside to the fire and returns immediately with a tin cup of steaming coffee, which he hands to Katriena wordlessly. She sips gratefully, even though it has a very bitter after-taste, scalding her lips and tongue a bit. Katriena lowers herself carefully onto Johannes’s sleep-roll as he indicates. Johannes patiently waits until the coffee has warmed her a little and the worst of her shivering abates.
“How are you holding up, girl? You sure are a sight an’ you smell none too good either”, he says wrinkling his nose a bit.
” If you’re up to it, I have some warm water in that there bowl which you can wash you down with.”
“I’d like to.” At first her voice is barely audible. Katriena clears her throat, tries again.
“I’d sure like to but can I finish the coffee first and if you have a piece of bread…I’d sure be grateful.”
“Of course, I wasn’t thinking. Here you go then.”
Katriena wolfs down the hunk of bread Johannes handed her, barely tasting it and follows it with the coffee, which was still hot enough to leave a warm trail down her throat. Johannes moves the tin bowl of water to within reach of where Katriena is sitting, hands her a clean rag and goes outside, pulling the door closed behind him. Katriena unbuttons her dress in front, making it pool around her midsection.
This is surely what heaven feels like, Katriena thinks as she sluices the lukewarm water over her body, putting her feet into the bowl one at a time. She opens the door and sees Johannes sitting at the fire, inhaling deeply from his wooden pipe. Johannes takes the water from her, empties the bowl and joins her inside.
“Feelin’ a bit more yourself now, then?”
“A lot better, thank you.”Katriena takes her seat again on Johannes’s bedroll, as he himself folds the filthy blanket she had around her shoulders and sits down on it, on the floor.
“Everybody thinks that you’ve run away and maybe been killed by some wild animal by now. Young-Boss Jan came down screamin’ an’ a-cursin’ moments after you left. I swear he woulda done something bad had he to find you that night, girl. You can stay here but you’ll have to be very quiet. Nobody ever comes over this way anyhow. I’ve been getting everything ready but I still need to find me some good sized toadstools. We should be fine as the little one is not due yet, yes?”
Katriena is not so sure about this at all. She has been having cramps in her lower belly recently but she is too tired to even think now. Johannes watches Katriena’s eyes close by the flickering light of the fat candle. After making sure that the fire has burned down to a just a few embers, Johannes puts the rolled up blanket under his head and blows out the candle.
Chapter 6
Katriena is starting to feel quite sick as she watches the multitude of colours moving by. They are moving so fast that they seem to be blending together into one bright blur. She would probably have cried out, if she wasn’t so utterly amazed. She does not know how she got here but Johannes had explained to her that she might have some strange dreams after drinking the medicine he had made for her.
Surely, that is what it must be, just a dream. She looks down at her hands and is amazed to see that they look completely different. The nails aren’t broken or torn but seem to be evenly short and very clean. The skin on her hands is a shade fairer and has no scars or scratches. As Katriena lifts her hands to feel the contours of her face, she notices the young boy with the money pouch in his hand, looking at her strangely. She lowers her hands quickly back to her lap.
She seems to be sitting in a fast-moving carriage packed with people in strange colourful dress. The young girl right in front of her has red upright hair on the top of her head, much like a cockerel’s comb and shorter black hair at the bottom. Everybody is wearing some sort of adornment, even the men. The movement of the carriage is now really making her feel ill and she hopes this ride ends quickly. The loudest sound that she has ever heard is coming from somewhere within the carriage. It seems to be a mixture of singing and other sounds Katriena cannot identify but the underlying drumbeat seems able to shake her bones loose, right inside her body.
She suddenly realizes that although her body seems to be wider, she does not seem to be with child in this dream. The shock of this and realizing that she is aware that she is dreaming, which has never happened before, makes Katriena wants to scream. How can she not be with child in this dream, when all she is living for now is her baby?! She feels like she is betraying her unborn child by dreaming it away. She closes her eyes and presses her lips together firmly.
“Just a dream, remember, just a dream, girl”, Johannes’s voice says in her head.
Even if she doesn’t care about the dream people, Katriena thought that she might scream out loud in her sleep and Johannes had cautioned her to b
e very quiet. After a moment, Katriena dares to open her eyes. She is awake, thank Heavens.
As the feeling of vertigo slowly subsides and her stomach settles down, Katriena’s eyes gratefully roams the comfortable clutter inside of Johannes’s hovel. Deeply relieved, she rubs her hands comfortingly over her very pregnant tummy.
Later, Johannes listens in silence, puffing on his pipe once in a while.
“I tol’ you there’d be dreams, girl”, is all he says.
“But I was there, I could feel everything, I felt that carriage move! It was really, really fast…..and without horses. I didn’t see even one horse.”
“Uh-huh, and what did you think of the “there”?”
“It was so different, so much colour and there’re all these different people all together and they all dress real funny…..and the air tasted real funny, bad, yegh! “Katriena pulls a face as if she can still taste it.
“You know what was worst, though? I couldn’t feel the l’le one at all. My hands weren’t mine and I felt …. I don’t know, bigger? Yes, bigger and it was like somebody was whispering in my head the whole time. It’s the strangest dream I’ve ever had!”
“Uh-huh.” Johannes nods his head.
Katriena doesn’t know what to make of this but when Johannes turns to glance at her, she sees that he is smiling around the pipe, still gripped in his teeth.“This dream is good then?”
Johannes gazes at the flickering candle flame for a while, then starts tapping his pipe out on the dirt floor. He opens his tobacco pouch and starts refilling his pipe slowly. At last he says: “Yes, girl, the dream is good. You know your baby cannot live, at least not here. What you saw in your dream, where you went, did you see the people? Did you see any slaves? ... any Masters?”
As Katriena thinks back, she realizes that in fact, all the people seemed to be moving about of their own free will and going their own way. “Everybody was walking around freely, I think. I didn’t see any Masters…” she says with a touch of amazement in her voice, as the thought hit home. “….and there were all these different looking people, all together!”
“Yes. That, girl, is where your baby needs to go if you want it to live.”