“Do you think we will be leaving soon?” Megan asked as I walked out of the bathroom after brushing. She was sitting on the bed, admiring the photos she had taken yesterday at the wildlife reserve.
“I am not certain. Why do you ask? Are you already tired of Botswana?” I asked with a chuckle.
“You are kidding right? Girl, we flew almost a whole day to get here. Do you think I want to leave here without seeing the best of it? I am actually looking into a list of places we could go to.” She laughed out loud.
“I see, I feel the same way, although I do miss home.” I acknowledged. Perhaps it wasn’t home that I was missing but rather the people at home.
My gummy bear, I missed him so much, and Jennifer? Five days without her felt unreal. I had never been away from her for that long and it just didn’t feel right.
Just then I heard Megan’s phone ding. She grabbed it from the bedside table and immediately looked at me. “It is a text from Mr. Blackwood,” she announced and I guess she opened it.
I waited patiently to hear what it had to say but her facial expression changed the next minute.
“Um… what is wrong? Oh… um… it is an empty text, I think he had sent it by mistake.” She said slowly.
I creased my eyebrows, that was suspicious “Really? Well, it is very like him to send weird texts” I giggled and Megan laughed too.
I walked to the windows to pull aside the curtains and just then, there was a knock on the door. Who could it be again?
I looked at Megan but she made an awkward face, I had a feeling that something was up but I didn’t know what. Anyways, I quickly went to check the door, and standing out there, with his hands tucked into his pants as usual, was Mr. Blackwood.
I am starting to think that he starts his day at 5 am. “Mr. Blackwood?” My face lit up with a smile and I immediately tried to hide it. We can't forget that I still hate this man, just because we are having our good days doesn’t mean I should forget what he really is.
“Good Morning, I was wondering if you ladies would like to visit Tsodilo Hills with me today.” He went straight to the point.
“Yes!!” I exclaimed in excitement and once again got it under control.
Mr. Blackwood chuckled and then looked towards Megan. “What about you, Megan? Wouldn’t you like to come?”
Megan groaned softly and waved her head in the negative. “I would have really loved to but I can't.”
“Huh?” I muttered in surprise. “I thought you were just telling me how you would love to explore more of Botswana before we leave?”
Megan laughed nervously. “Yeah, that is true but I just remembered that Ugochi promised to take me somewhere today.”
“OMG… I introduced you two and now you are going places without me, not cool.” I scoffed.
“I am sorry, I totally forgot to tell you. but it is actually a win for both of us, you can go with Mr. Blackwood while I go with Ugochi and later at night, we can both tell each other what the experience was like.” She smirked.
I smiled, everyone was so good with words these days. “Alright fine, but you will leave no detail out, promise?”
“I promise, now you better go with MB before he changes his mind.”
“I don’t like that name,” Mr. Blackwood cut in immediately and I cracked up. Too bad it was catching up and there was nothing he could do about it. “Get ready and meet me in the car.” He said as he turned around to leave.
“Wait, what is Tsodilo Hills?” I asked as it dawned on me that I really had no idea where we were going.
“We are going to find out, love.” He said with a small side smile as he walked away. I turned back to Megan and she giggled. What were these two up to?
** **
I wore a crimson red gown with tiny straps and a full chest pad, the gown reached just above my knees and emphasized my curves. Not like it was unusual for me to draw attention given the location, but I had all eyes on me as I walked out of the hotel through the reception.
I walked towards the car park where Mr. Blackwood was already waiting for me beside the car. I noticed his eyes trail me as I walked down the ramp, his jaws lightly slacked. I felt shy with his eyes on me and almost stumbled on my heels.
I couldn’t help but wonder if I was dressed a bit too much for the occasion. I mean, I don’t even know if this Tsodilo Hills was an actual hill or not.
“Hey,” I said with a shy smile as I approached the car. “This isn’t too much, is it?”
He grinned. “No my lady, this is just perfect.” He said in a soft whisper and opened the door for me.
I blushed as I walked in. He opened the door for me! That is new!
We didn’t have any more discussion as I got into the car, we barely looked at each other. I pulled out my phone to save me from the awkwardness, the silence was killing me.
** **
** ** Omniscient Narrator ** **
The car stopped at a spot designated at the base of Tsodilo Hills. Mr. Blackwood and Annabel stepped out with awe on their faces, instructing the bodyguard to stay behind. The red-hued rocks rose majestically before them, standing sentinel in the vastness of the Kalahari Desert
"Wow… This place is incredible," Annabel exclaimed, her voice echoing in the vast, silent landscape.
"Breathtaking, indeed," Mr. Blackwood agreed, a smile gracing his lips.
A local walked up to them right after, a dark skinned man with a questionable haircut. He was their Guide. "Good afternoon. Mr. Blackwood and Annabel, I believe? I am Kgosi and I have been expecting you. Welcome to Tsodilo Hills. It's an honor to have you here."
"Thank you, Kgosi. We've heard so much about the rich history and beauty of this place," Mr. Blackwood replied, his eyes scanning the ancient hills.
Kgosi nodded, motioning toward the rock formations. "Indeed, Tsodilo is a place of great significance. Please follow me, and I'll show you some of the remarkable rock paintings. I assure you that it will be worth your time."
Mr. Blackwood nodded and looked at Anna who smiled at him, she was clearly excited to be on this trip. From the little glimpse, she could tell this was going to be an amazing sight.
Kgosi led them along a winding path towards the base of the hills, pointing out various plants and animals along the way. Annabel was captivated by the beauty of the Kalahari Desert, its stark landscape dotted with acacia trees and baobab giants.
As they reached the foot of the hills, Kgosi stopped and gestured towards a cave entrance hidden within the granite rock. "This is the Gallery," he announced. "It is one of the most sacred places in Tsodilo Hills, filled with the stories of our ancestors and forgotten gods."
Annabel felt a tiny jump in her chest as cold chills spread through her body, she was nervous as she followed Mr. Blackwood and Kgosi into the cave. The air inside was cool and damp, the smell of earth and ancient stone filling their senses. The flickering light of their headlamps revealed a breathtaking sight - the walls were adorned with countless rock paintings, depicting scenes of hunting, rituals, and mythical creatures.
"These paintings are thousands of years old," Kgosi explained, his voice filled with reverence. "They tell the stories of our people, our connection to the land, and our beliefs in the spirit world."
Annabel traced the outlines of a painted elephant with her finger, awestruck by the skill and artistry of the ancient San people. Mr. Blackwood, meanwhile, had his eyes following her all the way, he seemed more interested in what she was doing than the work of beauty they had come to admire.
Annabel gazed in awe at the beauty of the artwork. "It's incredible to think these paintings have endured for thousands of years."
Kgosi nodded, his voice resonating with pride. "Yes, they are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the San people, who have lived in this region for generations."
Mr. Blackwood, keenly interested, pointed to a particular figure in the artwork that had caught his attention. "What does this symbol represent?"
"That's a depiction of a shaman during a trance dance, a spiritual ritual performed by the San people. It's believed to connect them with the spirit world." Kgosi explained.
“I see,” he replied coldly. Anna couldn’t help but wonder why he wasn’t so hyped up by this, maybe because he was so wealthy that he had seen things more impressive than this.
“Come with me, I will show you the Male Hill cave,” the Guide said enthusiastically.
Annabel immediately looked at Mr. Blackwood, she had taken time to research on their way here and according to information on the internet, the Male Hill Cave was sacred and not to be entered by guests.
“I thought that was restricted,” she whispered to Mr. Blackwood behind the Guide.
“Not to me,” he smiled.
Anna scoffed at his prideful utterance, he always wanted to rub his money on her face at any given opportunity. The thought of going into that sacred cave scared her. What if it was haunted? She had watched too many movies to know that she might upset a demon that would haunt her all the way to New York City.
As they walked into the Male Hill Caves, Annabel marveled at the images, her eyes tracing the lines of the figures painted by the hands of those who had long passed into history. "It's like stepping into the past," she whispered.
Kgosi nodded, a genuine warmth in his voice. "These paintings tell stories of hunting, rituals, and daily life."
As they walked deeper into the cave, the air took on a musky scent, and the ground became uneven. The guide cautioned, "Watch your step; the terrain can be a bit tricky in here."
Less than a minute after he gave that warning, Annabel, engrossed in the paintings, didn't notice a small protruding stone on the cave floor. With an unexpected stumble, she lost her balance and fell forward, landing on her knees with a gasp.
She cried out in pain and with concern flashed across his face, Mr. Blackwood hurried to her side. "Annabel, are you alright?" There was worry etched all over his face.
Annabel nodded softly in pain as she raised her knees to inspect the amount of fall damage taken, her knee had been bruised and bleeding.
“Oh dear, I am so sorry.” The Guide said immediately.
“Look what you've done, you never listen!” Mr. Blackwood growled as he immediately began to take off his suit. Annabel looked at his face and she could swear she had never seen him that scared before. Did he really care about her?
“There is first aid in the car, let's get you there.” Mr. Blackwood immediately put his hand in place to carry her in his arms but Anna relented.
“It is just a bruise, and I can walk on my own,” she argued as she tried to stand up.
“Do not argue with me, Annabel Joseph. Just hold on and be a good girl.” He ordered in a strict voice and then he swooped her off her feet, lifting her in his strong arms.
Annabel gasped at the sudden move and immediately hung her arms around his neck in fear. She stared at him in disbelief as he carried her out of the cave and down the hill. The guide picked up the two thousand dollar suit which Mr. Blackwood didn’t seem to care much about, as he followed behind.
Back at the car, Mr. Blackwood took his time to apply ointment on her wound after cleaning it up, the way he was doing it with care, Annabel couldn’t help but be burdened with thoughts. This was not the Maxwell Blackwood that she knew, why was he being so nice to her? This felt wrong to her for so many reasons.
** **
They did not let the injury bring the day’s adventure to a quick end as they progressed to go hiking to the summit and explore more of the vast landscape, after which they both returned to the Hotel.
It was an exhilarating day for both. As they returned to the hotel and got out of the elevator on their floor, Mr. Blackwood turned to Anna. “Come with me to my room, I have a surprise for you.”
Anna’s heart skipped. A surprise? What could Mr. Blackwood have in store for her? She became nervous at the thought of it.
!