Chapter 18

I went to the clinic and picked up my other bag and filled it with drugs, bandages, tape and sutures. The bodies of our patients littered the rooms and hallways. Inside, I cried again at the sight of the dead, but it was the living who still required my help as much as I needed help too.

My mind searched within the house and found some old women who had escaped detection in the basement along with some of the younger children.

I went to the basement and called down telling that all who I was and that the soldiers were either dead or captured. "I need some help," I said as I looked at the people I could pick from. Six grandmothers, eight young girls that would have been raped, six boys who would suffer the same fate as well as twenty three young children. They all ran to me knowing who I was. I hugged many knowing how they needed a human touch.

I scanned the older people and selected the ones that would not break down when the work was needed. They heated water and washed the victims prior to the suturing of their raped orifices, or other wounds. Some had knife and gunshot wounds that would require a quick operation. I found places to sleep for all my patients, for that was what they needed most. A few would heal correctly but would never be the same mentally again. When I stopped for a second to think about it, I was in this class of people too.

Two I knew would die within the next few days and three others would be better off if they did too.

The helpers went out and started on the village. I followed on foot with my supplies and did what I could. Some of the child soldiers had been killed in their induced sleep by the town folk wanting revenge. I had to explain that they were victims as well. The two officers who were frozen in place watching all this while unable to protect themselves were a different matter however. The girls they had raped became their only protection now. These girls would rather knife the men but followed my suggestions instead.

I walked up to them and looked very deeply into each. I saw that Zambia was behind the attacks but only partially. Some unknown people high in the Rhodesian government were helping in the planning of the attacks. For all I knew, we were the only surviving settlement that had been attacked though there were three others nearby. Their only plan was to sow fear among the natives of Rhodesia to get them to rise up and overthrow the white only government or face more attacks. Our family was the first target on their list and there were special orders that none of us were to live.

Rhodesia kept it's black or mixed race population uneducated and uninformed. This allowed the rich white landholders and miners a cheap source of labour. Locals were only allowed to own the poorest land in their own country. The British Commonwealth objected to this strenuously and a lot of infighting occurred to curtail this practice.

The Rhodesian police and soldiers would probably arrive much too late to be of any assistance. The soldiers too seemed to be taking their time in coming to our assistance. I knew what would happen when they did come. All of the enemy soldiers would have a quick trial and a bullet.

When all the major cases were treated I called all the walking wounded to a meeting in the centre of our small village. "Most of the attackers are dead. They will not hurt you now. Some are children that need our understanding not our hate. I am asking you now to help me save some of those children. You may want to kill them yourself but that is not right. The soldiers coming would shoot them in any case. I am asking you as a favour to protect these children till you know the truth of the matter. Will you do this for me?"

All agreed most very reluctantly. I walked around to the sleeping soldiers and stirred each with my physical and mental touch. The youths were very frightened now, not that they weren't before. I ordered them to remove all parts of their uniforms to have them burned. Clothes were found for them so they would blend in with the rest of the villagers. Before they dispersed I talked to everybody again.

"I will now speak to the soldiers that came to our village. I know that you were forced into General Mobutu's army. You either fought or were shot yourselves. Eventually the Rhodesian military will be here so I have asked the villagers to protect you on my word alone. This assistance comes at a price. You will help undo some of the wrongs done here tonight. You are now members of this village till I say otherwise. There is much work to do now, graves to be dug and houses to be rebuilt."

The young fighters did not know who the young boy before them was but seeing how the villagers followed my words they would also.

I reluctantly returned to my home and picked up the bodies of my family and took them outside in the now empty garden that my mother loved so much. I got soap and water and did his best to make my family presentable. I went inside again to bring out clothes and clean white sheets. I redressed dad first in his Sunday best. Mother followed with her long rose coloured gown. Japera had three wounds so she must have been a grave threat to her attackers. I finally cried as I placed the dress I had just purchased the week before on my wife Lusa. Large tears rolled down my cheeks as I held my eighteen month old son Jason and dressed him in his sailor's suit. I carefully tucked the clean sheets around each of my family.

I walked down the driveway thinking of the inevitability of the soldiers coming to our house. They were more than three hours late on what would normally be a one hour trip. I picked up a large boulder placing it in the centre of this thoroughfare, before wearily walking the quarter mile to the centre of the village. I was thinking of all the things I lost today and would loose in the coming days.

The villagers were only slowly coming to grips with the experience. Work was a good cure for both the villagers and myself. I organized teams to bring out the bodies and commence the task of digging graves. All the enemy dead were placed in neat rows. I counted forty three that I had personally killed along with seven killed by the villagers. Two had been killed by mom and Lusa but there were two more that had to have been killed by Japera. Twelve boys and the two officers could have been added to the rows of corpses. The freed boys now worked as if driven to expiate their perceived sins.

I had some guns, ammunition and vehicles moved to a safe location so that if we were to be victims of an attack again, my people would be protected. The military might seize the equipment to keep it away from any terrorist that might use it against them. The time until an army or police unit could arrive in the event of another attack allowed the enemy to do as it wanted, yet still have adequate time to withdraw.

I had my own dead to contend with but the military could alter my plans for revenge. I spent my time till the military arrived by looking into all the sleeping patients and reassuring them of their safety through my ability to plant thoughts.

Two jeeps and two troop trucks finally drove into town. The person in charge was either uneducated or incompetent. If I were the enemy I could have killed most of the new arrivals with the captured guns at my disposal as they drove up.

A white officer got out of the lead jeep with a Colt automatic in his hand looking for somebody to shoot. He was thinking that the enemy would be quaking in their shoes at the mere sight of him. Other white officers got out as well some with more sense spread out and looked for snipers. The first troop truck was for white soldiers while the last was all black.

The arriving white soldiers wandered around viewing the dead as if they were for sale at an open air market. Eventually they got to the enemy dead. Most of the deaths resulted from my mental spears so there was little blood on the front of the uniforms. The remainder had died because of a spear to the heart, across the neck or through their skulls. The dead even looked organized.

The first officer had got out of his jeep then signalled his driver to bring the vehicle closer. He climbed on the back to better be seen when he spoke.

"Who is in charge here?" he spoke in a British voice not much different from my own but his arrogant intonation was altogether different.

Nobody came forward because the head man was among the dead. The older people then the children turned their heads toward me. I was just elected the village headman or fool. He didn't know which.

"I guess I am," I stated after the officer had to ask the question a second time.

"No games now. Who is in charge or do I have to beat all of you until somebody admits to being the leader?"

"You may find beating anyone in this village to be a very serious matter. I already stated that I am the new headman," I said as I read the man's mind. He was very strongly bigoted. Blacks and coloureds were only fit for labouring. The women if young and pretty enough would be allowed into his bed, as long as nobody saw.

"And who are you boy to say such things to me?"

"Shawn Boz, my family and I provide medical services to the people in this area.

The officer was thin to the point of emaciation and did not recognize the name but somehow it had a familiar ring. He appeared to be around thirty years of age and of average height. His sandy brown hair was visible under his cap. His crisp and clean uniform was out of place in a situation like this. His nose he kept elevated either to show his disdain for the surroundings or to keep his senses further from the smell of corruption and death about him.

"Who might you be?" I asked in a voice that was clear and strong. This surprised even me.

"Lieutenant Webber of the Queens Own Rifles. Where is your family boy?"

"Just east of here about a quarter of a mile."

"Get in. I will give you a ride in a real military vehicle," as if offering me a lolly.

I saw that none were going to vacate a seat for me and I would not crouch or sit on anyone's lap. "Thanks but I prefer to walk the short distance."

The jeep rushed ahead to the only house that was not of native construction only to be stopped by the large stone blocking further passage up the driveway. The driver was ordered out and tried to move the large stone. The sergeant had to come out to assist in the stone's removal. Before the jeep was able to pass I walked by. The jeep went to the north side and toward the main entrance while I walked south to the garden and my family.

The soldiers came around when they saw that the front door was broken open and nobody answered their calls. "Ok boy. I am getting angry now. Where is your family?"

The village had been lit by the burning houses and the torches held by some of the people. Here in the garden. There was only the moon and stars for illumination. "Certainly, right over here." The soldiers approached slowly unsure of their step.

I pulled the sheets back over each of my family's faces, one at a time. "Father I would like to introduce Lieutenant Webber. Lieutenant, this is my father Dr John Boz. My mother professor Agatha Boz of The University of Salisbury, my wife Lusa, her mother Japera and last of all my son Jason."

The soldiers were speechless.

"Please excuse my family. They seem to have a problem incurred by the less than prompt arrival of the military to our emergency call." The charge was not justified as almost all were dead before I even landed but the extra three hours taken was inexcusable.

Lt. Webber did not want to loose face and especially not to a boy. "It is none of your business how the military does it's job. There are other important assignments occupying our time." He attacked now, "How can you have a blackie for a wife? There are laws against marrying outside your race in this country. You look many times too young anyways. How can that black get be yours?"

I had looked into Webber's memories before and found out that he was spending his time with his black mistress and needed to finish before dressing and then organizing the patrol.

"I was accepted into the tribe here when I just turned five, thus making me an adult. As for my wife; I have been happily married for almost three years to a girl of that tribe. The child was fathered by a man that really didn't want to live much longer but I allowed it. Whether Jason had my blood or not, he was still my son. He would follow in my shoes one day and become a fine surgeon and diagnostician. As to the military aspect; I think you were with your black mistress. You had to finish bedding her before finding the time to dress in your tailored uniform, get the men and equipment ready and drive out here. This doesn't strike me as the way a military officer is supposed to act."

Webber was incensed and brought his hand to his shoulder in preparation for a strong backhand blow. I knew it was coming and ducked at the last second, rushed forward and removed the colt from his holster and doffed the revolver from the other officer with my mind. All this done in slow time, allowing me to position himself behind the falling Webber and keep my eyes on the other men.

When the man hit the ground I was back to normal or as normal as I could be. "I don't like incompetent officers trying to assault me," I casually said.

Webber lay on his back wondering how he got there and felt the colt prodding his neck while my other hand held the revolver pointing upward. Johnson, the other officer, looked at the pistol and frantically looked for his own gun.

"I am going to arrest you for assaulting an officer," Webber started to splutter. He got no further as I put the colt out of the way and seized the fool by the throat and squeezed. Although he used both arms to try to remove my hands, no amount of struggling would free him.

Johnson started to come to his companion's assistance as I brought the pistol casually up to point at his right eye. I was calm and seemed to be using no force at all on Webber but the stricken officer was turning blue and his thrashing was getting less and less.

When Webber fell senseless, I released my grip and casually got to my feet then demanded, "Set ten of your better men around the village as sentries. The rest I want to assist the wounded and help bury the dead. Your trucks will remove the dead attackers in the morning along with the two surviving officers. Is that understood?"

Johnson was used to taking orders but not from a seven year old boy. Perhaps he could go along with the idea for now and disarm the boy later.

"Sounds good to me."

I was aware of the nebulous plan and said, "Before you get any ideas about insubordination, consider who killed almost most the attackers and captured the two officers. The troops you brought are even less in number than your friends from Zambia. Are you looking to see how large a grave I can make with foolish men?"

Johnson gulped a little and said, "No sir. We will do as you ask."

I pointed the gun up and with a flick of my wrist caused the revolver to open and allow the bullets to magically fall out into my other hand.

"Here is your gun. Take this carrion away and start your other duties. Webber will sleep till at least eight o'clock at which time I will kick him and most of the rest of you out of here. If Webber comes back without having changed his ways then you will get a chance to move up one notch in your military hierarchy."

The soldiers now worked more professionally. Graves were dug with the help and direction of the villagers. I did my rounds, soothing or sewing as the need arose. Medics assisted the less serious. They even came asking my advice on some matters for some knew who I was. The freed boys were leery of being too close to the soldiers but as the night progressed they became accustomed to them.

As dawn broke I got a meal organized for everybody. The soldiers ate in shifts while a few sentries came in and were replaced with others. There were no armed enemies around but it was good to keep the men on their toes.

I called Johnson and the sergeant to get a few guards and accompany me in interrogating the prisoners. The military men were surprised to find two girls guarding the unsecured prisoners with only clubs. I released my hold on the men and they promptly fell to the floor groaning at the pain in their joints and muscles.

I told the girls to get some water for the men.

I said to the two officers, "Your men are dead and laying in the street waiting to be taken away and dumped somewhere. I would have both of you join them except that these gentlemen would like to have a chat with you. Topics of interest to them are the names of your backers in the Rhodesian government. If you are too far down the list of people who might know then you can tell us how we may find them?" I was actually informing the Rhodesians about the traitors and how to go about finding them.

All the soldiers were very shocked to hear this. The Zambians for how such a young opponent had come about this information and the Rhodesians for the fact that there were traitors in their own government.

I pulled Johnson outside and told him, "I expect you or your superiors to get orders to shoot these men soon. The orders will come from high up in the government. If an investigation is started now, each order concerning these men and their disposition can be followed up before it is carried out. If the prisoners are not killed I think they will be forced to commit suicide. Use thick leather gloves and metal line when fishing in these waters."

I reached into my pockets and handed the bullets to Johnson. "One last thing. Don't trust anyone but the warning must go out. We don't know if there are traitors in the military and police but you need to be aware that there probably are."

"Thank you for your help sir. I have been informed of your status and we will do our best. The men and I are very sorry for not being able to get here in time to save the villagers or your family."

"I know that and appreciate your feelings. At the moment, I want revenge only."

The girls came back and I went in with them to hold the cup to the prisoner's lips. Their ability to use their voluntary muscles had not returned.

Before the trucks left I had a one sided conversation with Webber. "The trucks are loaded with all the attackers. Some of your men will remain here until the trucks are emptied and come back for them. You are going with the first load and I don't want to see you here again. Your speech will start to return around noon or so don't strain it. If you cause me any more trouble I will rip your throat out like I did the man that killed my wife."

When the first load left town I walked around to the soldiers and individually thanked them for their help. I eventually trudged back to our house. I found the nicest place in the garden and started to dig. I watered the soil with tears till there were no more to shed. Canvas was put into the communal grave and mom, then dad, followed by Japera then my wife and child. I stood for long minutes just looking at the bodies. Eventually I covered each with their sheets then another canvas before filling the hole with the stony dry soil.

A very large stone at the edge of the garden that had always been too big to dispose of was levitated and placed near by. My powers had increased since the fight for my life. By looking into the stones structure I could see down to the molecular level. I sheared a piece off the stone, just like the diamonds, leaving a large flat surface. The finished stone appeared in my mind with some minor alterations. I removed small pieces of stone to deeply incise an epitaph to my family. Below that I carved the likeness of each of those interred as they appeared in life.

Though filled to overflowing with grief I knew that others were the same way. I cast my eye aloft and searched from many miles up. Some neighbours had been able to fight off their attackers while other hadn't. Bodies, some without clothing were scattered about. Even animals were killed as if a substitute for a white man. One small farmhouse had only two bodies and looking close I saw none inside. There were two girls of six and eight with their parents.

Black settlements were attacked and without knowing how, I thought that some of the children were missing as well.

I called the town's folk and got told them about my patients in the clinic and said that others needed my help. "There are many that I want to stop from hurting anybody else. This will be done permanently. The attackers will probably not come back this way but you know where the guns are. Give them to the boys and have them teach you how to use them."

I turned to the boys and said, "You will protect my village; for if you run I will chase you to the very gates of hell." Not even for a second did any doubt my words.

At a distance, my eye had found some rag tag groups of attackers who were dragging children or forcing them to carry booty. I tried but I could neither kill nor even force them to sleep from here.

To my patients, I gave a final check telling them what I intended to do. Through their loud cries I got a backpack and loaded it with medical supplies, food, water and my kukri.

I ran as quickly as a gazelle until I was out of sight then left the ground entirely to move at truly high speed. I laid prone to get even closer and avoid anybody that might see me. My mental finger reached far out and parted brush that would slap my face. My eye far overhead guided me to my first goal.

This first group had stolen a van and the family pickup. I got a mile ahead and put my pack to the side of the road and waited in the centre of the dirt track. The vehicles stopped and guns pointed all over looking for a trap. The ones inside saw me as a gift from heaven but I knew for their future I would be from hell.

A black man got out, holstering his pistol and planning to take me now. "What do we have here? A little boy or is it a girl. Come here. I have something special for you." His men that heard him laughed.

There were more captives here and I didn't want them hurt any more by what they were otherwise about to see. They all went to sleep. I pulled the men out of the vehicles and after searching for data from their minds. I sliced their throat like any person in an abattoir would do to a pig.

I picked the trucks up one at a time and faced them back the way they had come and away from the sight of their dead attackers. There were seven children and young girls. One child had already died, another would join in an hour or so because I had no way of stopping it. I thought of all the pain recently and silenced the small life to avoid even more pain. The rest I treated. There was lots of water and I gave them liberal amounts and used more to wash them. They all were naked and I searched and found what I could to cover them.

A girl of sixteen came around first and recognized me even if her parents didn't want her knowing some black lover. "Shawn, Shawn Boz. Is that you?"

"Yes it is Patty." I stood her naked form upright and placed a young man's pants onto her legs, before using a shirt with dried blood to cover her chest. She had not understood what had befallen her as I said, "Patty, I have to go and rescue more people like you and your sister. You can drive. Take the van and go back. Go to my home not yours. Understand?"

She didn't but I had to leave. The living had been given what succour I had to give. I took Patty's hand and put her into the van. I re-packed the vehicle and turned the key for her. The vehicle started up and I jumped off to let it start its journey. On the side of the road lay a stack of bodies. The two now clothed children were placed in the pickup to keep the animals away from their tiny forms.

I killed in twos and threes. Sometimes I rescued a child or woman and carried them to a barricaded house and asked for assistance. Only once did I change my mind when the white animal I would feed was as bad as the black animals I took the child from.

The attackers now bypassed settlements and individual farms. Otherwise the trail of destruction would lead right to them. Large trucks loaded with looted goods went by and I stopped each and the driver and their passengers died a quick merciful death. Their memories spoke of the opposite happening to their victims.

One large truck had broken down so the terrorists had pushed it off the road and into a small side hollow behind some trees. The four men held a coffle of children like slaves. Rifles, jewellery and gold decorated the men. The children were dazed and didn't even have shoes.

The men then the children fell unconscious as I moved in. Stripping the men, I took what information I needed from their unresisting minds. They were all guilty of similar barbarities to those I'd witnessed the night before, so I moved them a distance away from the children before seizing the controls to their lives and twisting.

Coming back to the children, I checked each out for damage, operating on torn bowels and suturing cuts, putting some clean dressings on one girl's disfiguring burns. I wondered why the terrorists would keep such a girl now that she was unsightly. I treated her face and chest with my talent and felt very tired when finished. I dressed the three girls and a pretty boy in the men's clothing. The truck was only a five minute flight and I recovered a large container and filled it with water. This was brought to the children. On the far slopes I found an antelope and killed it from a thousand yards. About my limit. I cleaned it rapidly and brought it back to camp.

When the children awoke they found the meat cooked and water to drink. The rope which had been tied around their necks formerly was nowhere to be found.

Sally a girl of not quite twelve opened her eyes. She looked around quickly for her captures and only saw me. She got up quickly and started to run so I grabbed her before she'd run even three feet. She screamed and fought me hard trying to get away. The others were now awake and saw Sally's futilely trying to escape so I quickly put her back to sleep and held her in my lap to show the rest that I was not hurting her.

"The people that hurt you and your families are dead. I killed them. You have never seen me before but all of you have heard about my father and possibly me. My name is Shawn Boz. I am a doctor and now I am a soldier. You are all safe. I will not hurt you but you do have to do as your told. Sandra, come here and hold your neighbour while I get the food ready."

The girl was shell shocked but when I talked loud and ordered her she did as I asked. I took my kukri and cut hot strips of meat to feed my hungry companions. Water was fairly plentiful and they drank lots till I cut them off to prevent them from choking.

Sally was awakened slowly and I got her to drink water even before she was fully awake. She tried to run again and I simply slapped her. "Sally, eat this meat now."

She stared at me like she did to her former capturers but ate from my hand like a scared animal. When they had eaten I took Francis the boy and got him to empty his bowels. He was frightened but did as I asked. I removed almost all sensation from his anus to allow the stool to pass his sutures. I washed him with my hand and some water like the Arabs do.

Both for their embarrassment as well as their fear of the pain they would soon experience, the girls refused to comply, so I had to help them void their bladders and tail ends, before cleaning each of them too and starting to clean up camp.

"Children, you know I am a doctor. You were cut and I sewed you up so you will heal right. There are more children and young ladies to rescue. We are going back to the truck you left and I will make it safe. The army will come by and take you to a safe place. I cannot stay with you."

They went from frightened of me to frightened that I would go. I carried most of the equipment and one child, then cleaned out the cab and got each to pee. The girls cried again as the urine irritated their abused flesh. They had food, water and what other comforts I could supply. "Stay here until the army comes. It will probably be tomorrow. Call out who you are so they don't think you are the bad men."

Sally had learned the hard way to try to influence her captures and started her hand to caress my chest. I simply took her hand and gave it a kiss and said, "I am not an animal Sally. Stay here for me please."

I left quickly and twenty minutes later found a larger camp being set up with 19 enemy and just two captives. It would be doubtful if they survived the night. I stunned everybody and searched their minds. Three of the attackers were children themselves and had participated in the rapes. Sixteen naked men flew one at a time to a ravine and I pinched off their lives. The jackals would have a feast tonight.

The two girls were treated much the same as the others had been. The three boys were awoken and went for their rifles right away. Only one gun was handy and the boy ordered me to surrender. "Shoot, you will not hurt me. Shoot!" The bullet missed and so did the other six. "Find another gun and check it for real bullets."