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Seifert – The Edge of the Fall - Chapter One
Sheila Seifert
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THE EDGE OF THE FALL
Chapter One
By Sheila Seifert and Lovejoy Tirivepi
I flicked a grasshopper from my arm, and it landed on my cousin, Tendai. He gave a disgusted snort and immediately flicked it toward his brother, Muriadzi, who dodged it by rolling closer to the rough-barked musasa tree. Tendai and I were twelve. Muriadzi was eleven. I suppose we all looked similar, wearing only our dark cotton shorts as we lounged in the shade, trying to escape the scorching, African heat.
"I need water," Muriadzi whined as he wiped the sweat below his short, curly black hair. "Lovejoy, the cattle don't need herders today. Not even leopards are stupid enough to be out in this." The cattle were lying down, like us, but in the shade of mahogany and cypress trees nearby. The cattle were an open invitation to flies and other unwelcome insects.
Tendai cleared his throat. "We could go to the Pungwie River." He smiled. "Who would know?"
"Your father would beat us for certain," I said. The thick trees of the eastern mountains of Rhodesia kept us hidden from the rest of our fathers' relatives, our krahl. We were hidden not only from the Tirivepi krahl but our village, Muparutsa, and the entire Manyika tribe. For as usual, it was our turn to watch the cattle.
My father worked in the big city, Salisbury, and returned home only once every other month. Because of this, my uncle took over whipping me. I moved one of my toes, making a line in the red soil between jabvane bushes. Not even their purple-black fruit was appealing. One quick dip in the river would feel so good.
"The cattle have not moved all afternoon," Muriadzi said.
Tendai added, "No one would ever know."
If we were caught, I knew that my punishment would be greatest. Of course, if my uncle had been drinking, there was likely to be some sort of punishment regardless of what we did or did not do.
I nodded and Muriadzi's smile grew as he jumped to his feet. "The vine is mine!"
With a loud whoop, we rushed to our favorite mupani tree overhanging the swimming hole just below the Mutarazi Falls. Muriadzi caught the largest vine.
"Give me your best push," Muriadzi demanded. Tendai and I shoved him. When he was over the center of the river, he let go and plunged into the water. With a loud yell, I grabbed a smaller vine so that I would not have to wait to be pushed.