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The jeep was hot as the team drove towards the caves close to Mount Elgon. Susan drank a bottle of water to quench her thirst. The heat was terrible even as she tried to roll down the window of their jeep. The jeep’s air conditioning was faulty. Professor Jones sat at the front with their local guide who was as handsome as a Hollywood star. He was regaling the professor with some tales of the cave.
Susan was sandwiched between Jack and Mark, his camera bouncing off his knees. Mark was there to chronicle their journey yet seemed to be more enamored of Chloe. Behind them another jeep was carrying the other team members plus a model called Joana. She was with her crew to take some photographs. From her window, Susan could see Mount Elgon. Restaurants had sprung up around the area to accommodate the influx of tourist to the place each year. The jeep came to a stop in front of the Mount Elgon Lodge. Susan got out and stretched her legs, lessening the cramps in her thighs from sitting for too long.
“Nice place, isn’t it?” Jack said as he came to stand beside her. He had his backpack behind him. “I definitely hope they serve good food here,” Jack said winking at Susan. “My stomach is growling.”
Their guide, Joseph Muku laughed. “My brother, I can assure you that Ugandan cuisine is the best.”
Jack clicked his tongue and arched an eyebrow. “You’ve not tasted Jollof from Ghana. I assure you my brother, you will want to become a Ghanaian.”
Professor Jones laughed as he shook his head.
Susan glared at the two of them and scowled. “If you’re done comparing dicks, can we go and get something to eat?”
Jack chuckled as Joseph Muku did a perfunctory bow. “Of course, madam Susan, I’ll take the lead.” Joseph said as he beckoned the team to follow him.
The group followed the guide to the lodge. They were shown to a table. A bit far from them the model Joana was posing and taking photos. Susan shook her head. Not that she was jealous. Maybe jealous. Who wouldn’t want to have that slim, sexy body men always fawned over? The near perfect skin.
“Hey!” Jack said, snapping Susan from her reverie. “Won’t you dig in or you want to be fed?” he said this with a teasing glint in his eye. Susan blushed.
Susan took a bite out of her food and moaned. “Wow, this is good.”
“Of course, this is good,” Joseph said, shooting a meaningful look towards Jack. “It’s our national dish. Only expect the best from Uganda, my princess.”
Susan arched an eyebrow at the compliment. It felt good to be appreciated. The professor was reading a newspaper and eating his food.
“Muku,” Jones said, “tell me what you know about the story of the two Australians?”
Susan paused with her food halfway to her mouth. She noticed a momentary look of confusion on Joseph’s face, but it was immediately wiped off by his usual chatty demeanor. Outside the sun had set.
“It’s just an old wives’ tale.”
Jones frowned, stroking his salt and pepper beard. “You’re saying there no truth to what the children saw?”
Joseph chuckled but Susan saw something else in his eyes. “You believe a monster lives in the cave?” They all chuckled at the table. Outside they could hear drums and songs being played.
“Waiter!” Joseph Muku said as they stood up and followed him to an area where there was a bon fire and a local dance was being enacted.
“What’s that?” Susan said, fascination drawing her closer to the dancing.
“Professor, do you want to do the honours?” Joseph said, deferring to the professor. Susan rolled her eyes. Jones always wanted an audience to perform to and now he had one.
Jones tipped his hat to them, “the dance is a recreation of the creation by Ruhanga from the Bunyoro myth.”
“I thought the Bunyoro myth was just a legend?” Chloe asked, confusion etched on her face.
“Myth alright,” Jones said. A bit far from them, the dancers were moving around a man playing the role of Ruhanga. “But every myth holds a grain of truth albeit small.”
“But Chloe is right,” Susan said, forehead creasing as the light from the bon fire reflected in her eyes. Mark jabbed Chloe playfully as she blushed. “These creation myths were used to explain natural phenomenon. Take the Greek myths for instance.”
Jones scowled and shook his head, hands ruffling through his grey hair. He seemed to be lost in thought, staring at the bon fire. The rhythm of the drums was so mournful.
“Prof?” Susan said, jolting Jones out of his thoughts. Susan shared a look with the rest of the team who shrugged.
Jones smiled, a resigned look on his face. “The Bunyoro myth might have been the imagination of some long dead Bacchwesi but there was an empire of Kitara no doubt.”
“The empire of Kitara,” Jack whispered almost reverently as Susan scowled at him.
“But I’m sure our guide here knows more about the Bunyoro myth than this old man here,” said Jones, a wry smile on his face as everyone chuckled.
Joseph Muku took center stage, winking at Jack who scowled. The group was sitting down in a semi-circle. Susan noticed Jack had scooted closer to her and had his arms around her.
“In the creation story, Ruhanga...”
Susan placed her head on Jack’s shoulder and imagined the gods of the Bunyoro Myth as Ruhanga took on the form of Muku.