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The group stared in shock at the sketches on the walls of the cave.
“This is impossible,” said Muku as a scowl deepened on his face. “These sketches were not here the last time I was here.”
Jones frowned, glancing between the sketches on the walls of the cave and their local guide. “You’re sure you didn’t have too much to drink?”
The comment drew a chuckle from the group.
Muku shook his head and opened his mouth to retort when Jones raised his hand. “Chloe, get over here.”
Chloe donning her spectacles, joined the professor, “do you think these sketches were drawn recently?”
Cloe bent down, illuminating the walls once again with her torch. She bit her lip in concentration. “These sketches are old.”
Muku shook his head. “I know what I saw, and these sketches were not here.” He noted Susan had gone deathly quiet, clutching something around her neck. “Are you okay?” She nodded as he saw Jack giving him a hard stare.
Jones edged closer to the sketches and frowned, “interesting how whoever sketched this was trying to tell a story. The Bunyoro Kitara history has been very elusive to us historians.”
“I thought the Bunyoro Kitara was a myth?” Mark said as he had been very reserved all this while.
At the mouth of the cave Joana had refused to enter after seeing the sketches.
“The Bunyoro were real. You may have heard of the Bacchwesi or Chwezi. Though the history of the Bunyoro is steeped in myth. The empire of Kitara tells the history of a warrior like people.” Jones flashed his torch at the sketches as he began to move deeper into the cave. “These sketches tell the history of a princess. This is strange.”
The cave tapered to a dead end. “I thought the cave went on further,” Jack said as he turned to give a hard stare to their guide. “Are you sure you brought us to the right cave?”
“Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?” Muku said testily as he shoved past Jack. “This cave should have gone on further. This is new and I don’t like this.”
Susan had been withdrawn throughout the journey in the cave. The sketches were reminding her of the things her mother had said. She had thought it was the ramblings of a dying woman. She tightened her hand around the amulet hanging around her neck. She felt the eyes of Muku on her and saw the concern in his gaze. Jack frowned when he saw the glances between them but said nothing.
Jack got close to the professor, and they began to have an animated conversation. Behind her, Chloe and Mark stood close to each other taking solace in their proximity.
“You seem lost in your thoughts?” Muku said, pressing for a response from her.
Susan simply smiled, fingering the amulet. She frowned when she saw Jack point out something at the dead end of the cave and glanced at her.
“Okay, that’s strange,” said Muku, “doesn’t it seem weird that Jack and Prof. are both looking at you?”
Susan frowned. She noticed the professor signaling her to come forward. She approached them apprehensively with Muku shadowing her.
“Can I have your amulet?” said Jack as a frown deepened on Susan’s face. Confusion etched on her face. Behind her the rest of the group were perplexed as well.
“Ah, what’s going on here?” Muku asked, glancing suspiciously at Jack and the professor. The professor seemed to see Jack for the first time.
Susan hesitated. “Please?” Jack’s eyes seemed to plead. She finally relented and handed it over. Jack took the amulet and placed it inside a cleft in the wall.
“How did that get there?” Muku said, an even deeper frown on his face.
“I always knew your heritage would come in handy one day,” Jones said.
“You know this is where something bad happens when you twist the amulet right?” Muku said with a tight smile. “And why is an amulet from Susan fitting into that cleft?”
“It’s complicated,” Susan replied.
“I don’t think we should go down the rabbit hole,” Muku said, “I believe the kids saw something terrible.”
“Old wives’ tale,” said Jack. “I thought Ugandan men were brave. I was wrong.”
Muku swore, eyes hardening. “You’re so full of shi—”
“Enough! This is a historic find. You have no idea the years I have spent on this.” Jones said, his speech silencing them. He nodded to Jack to go ahead.
“Here goes nothing,” Jack said as he twisted the amulet clockwise in the cleft. They all waited with bated breath.
“Phew!” Muku clicked his tongue, “well I—”
A grating sound was heard as if gears were moving beneath them, and the ground under their feet caved in. They plunged downwards, their screams reverberating around them as they fell into a pool of water.
Susan gasped for breath as she resurfaced and heard a whimper. “What just happ—” She turned and screamed when she saw the caricature of a tall man, face painted, body sculpted like a god with a loin cloth around his waist as he levelled a spear against them. More of them began to surround them. Stalactites above them illuminated the cave they had fallen into.
“Oh shit!” Muku said when he spied the strangers.
“The Bacchwesi!” Jones whispered, almost reverently.
Then a shot rang out and one of the warriors fell.
“Noo!” Muku shouted as chaos broke out. Mark had a pistol in his hands and was firing off rounds as Chloe covered her ears, screaming. Susan couldn’t breathe as she saw a warrior heft a spear and threw it as it impaled Mark in the chest, the pistol falling from his grasp.
Muku shouted in a language and the warriors stilled. One of them came forward, spat, and levelled his spear against them. Susan stiffened but said nothing.
“What are they saying?” Jack said, simmering aggression in his eyes.
“We have to go with them if we are to survive.” Muku said.
Susan put an arm around Chloe who was sobbing and hyperventilating. She glared at the strangers and the professor who seemed to be in awe of them.
The warriors led them out of the pool and towards an opening in the cave as sunlight hit them in their faces, blinding them.
“What the—” Muku said and paused, mouth opened in shock.
Jack’s lips were pursed as he glanced around, rage in them. Susan saw it and prayed he wouldn’t do anything foolish to get himself killed. The group stared in bewilderment at the mouth of the cave from which they had emerged.
“The Bunyoro are still alive. How incredible!” Jones said, “This will change our entire perception on the history of Kitara. I wonder where we are. Some said they were aliens. Some said—”
Susan stared hard at the professor. “Mark is dead and the only thing you care about is some long-forgotten history and your fame?”
Jones stared back at her and seemed to come to his senses. “I’m—”
Susan raised a hand, “You’re a jerk, you know that right?” Jones paused shock on his face. “Always wanted to say that to your face.”
Jones was about to retort when a warrior poked his back with a spear. They group crested a hill and came to stand still, awe and shock on their faces as they gazed at the settlement before them.
“Holy shit!” Muku whispered.