Everyone burst out laughing and Papa Haga responded, “All right, princess, I will make sure I shave it all off when you come back next time. Bye, bye, sweetheart, go well and be safe on your journey.”
“We will,” replied Mara and Tamura almost simultaneously. The three looked on waving at Tamura and Mara as they disappeared into the distance at noon.
They walked for mile after mile and the heat was getting stronger as they walked. Mara asked her brother teasingly, “You have disappeared into your thoughts again like you did when we were coming down, are you thinking of Leona?”
Tamura replied, “Yes, I am, I miss her very much and also thinking of our old home and the life we used to have there, this trip brought back memories of my childhood. So I am just reminiscing about everything really.”
“I see, it’s a good thing, isn’t it, so you shouldn’t look so sad?” said Mara with concern.
“I am not sad, I guess when you are thinking you just look kind of serious, but I am in no way sad, because things can only get better from now on, sis,” said Tamura reassuringly. “We have absolutely nothing to worry about now with our new lives in Goza to enjoy,” Tamura said, almost shouting with chest pushed out with pride of how much he had achieved in the short time they had moved to Goza.
He couldn’t wish for anything better than this. “I am thirsty, and my lips are dry. Can we stop under that big sycamore tree and have a drink of water before we continue? I am very hot as well now,” said Mara wearily.
“Okay,” said Tamura, “But we shouldn’t be too long, we still have quite a distance to cover you know, we don’t want the dark to catch up with us while we are still on this side of the journey. Look around you and see, there is not a soul in sight and the forest is thick, meaning there will be no one to help us if we need it. Our only help is the light that we are relying on to see where we are going,” Tamura said hesitantly.
Mara didn’t reply, she sat down and gulped down a few mouthfuls of water which Mama Haga had given them from the spring, which Mara thought was sweeter and tastier than the one they drank in Goza. Tamura switched back into his thoughts once again while waiting for his sister to have a little rest. Then suddenly Mara felt a cold chill down her spine and her hair stood on edge.
She felt like someone was watching them but she couldn’t see who it was, except a shaking of the tree leaves in the wind. She looked at Tamura to see if he had felt anything, and he didn’t seem disturbed by what had just happened. She didn’t dare ask him, but to just say, “Can we go now please?”
“That was quick,” said Tamura with surprise. Mara just stormed off trying to keep her fears under wraps in case Tamura might start asking questions if she gave him reason to.
Suddenly it dawned on her that it might be the spirits awakening due to their presence in that quiet place, prompted by her stupid, shouty brother, and she needed to get out of there fast. Mara walked to a sudden run as she couldn’t wait to get out of the woods, and she knew it was a long way away from where she could see the clear planes in the distance towards Goza.
She also felt that the presence was following after them as they rushed off. Tamura followed suit to try and catch up with her so he could ask her what had happened for her to storm off like that. As he pulled her to a halt, she looked sternly in his eyes and told him, they needed to get out of there quick as she sensed someone was watching them.
Tamura laughed it off and exclaimed, “Nonsense! There is nobody out there as you can clearly see.” He said with sarcasm, but also noted his sister was deadly serious and was not fooling around nor throwing one of her many tantrums either.
Mara was about to say something and she quickly stopped herself as she realised that her brother was oblivious as she was before she had the visitation from the Angel of the Lord about the evil spirits lurking in their environment. So she pulled his arm and seethed, “Stop joking about it, let’s just go home now and fast. I don’t like this nick of woods at all!” Tamura didn’t say a word and they hurried off home.
Chapter 17
Tamura and Mara arrived in Goza at dusk in haste and short of breath as they had half run and half walked the distance. Tamura was rushing to meet up with Leona before she went to bed, but for Mara, it was out of utter fear of what lay in the woods and mountains all around. She felt she quickly needed to be within the confines of her bedroom and surrounded by people in the king’s compound, than to be out there in the middle of nowhere, alone with her unprepared and oblivious brother. “Thank God, we are home,” panted Mara, whilst kicking off her shoes and falling to the ground in a slump. Tamura looked at her and thought she looked spooked, but nevertheless she had run a fast-long race for her age and he could not understand where she got her strength from. Tamura secretly pondered on his sister’s strange energy and was abruptly interrupted by the children who ran towards them to meet them as they entered the compound.
One of the boys screamed, “Tamura, Mara, you are back!” jumping up and down with delight.
“Hey, champ, good to see you, little imp!” said Tamura with a giggly voice. Mara just looked on absent-mindedly
