Land of No Return Read online

  Land of no Return

  N.K. Aning

  Published by N.K. Aning, 2022.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  LAND OF NO RETURN

  First edition. March 19, 2022.

  Copyright © 2022 N.K. Aning.

  ISBN: 979-8201263775

  Written by N.K. Aning.

  Also by N.K. Aning

  Imaginaterium

  Pierce and the City of Imaginaterium

  Pierce and the Fallen Gods

  The legend of Pierce and Peter :The Dawn

  Poetry

  In Her Eyes

  The Agony of Life

  A Memory of Death

  Short Stories

  The Bronze Man's Secret

  Jack and God

  Jason And The Great Dragon

  The State

  First Contact

  The Agony of a Slave

  The Dilemma Series

  The God Dilemma

  The Christian Dilemma

  God in the Midst of Pain and Suffering

  Reality

  Standalone

  Damned

  Prophecy

  The Conjuring

  The Addiction

  A Song for Eyram

  The Infernal Jury

  The Bronze Man's Secret and Other Stories

  The Agony of a Slave and Other Stories

  The Dilemma

  Son of a Priest

  Land of no Return (Coming Soon)

  The Most Beautiful Thing (Coming Soon)

  Watch for more at N.K. Aning’s site.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Also By N.K. Aning

  Dedication

  Chapter One | 1990

  Chapter Two | 2000

  Chapter Three | Present day

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six.

  Epilogue

  Sign up for N.K. Aning's Mailing List

  Further Reading: First Contact

  Also By N.K. Aning

  About the Author

  To my son, Kyrian

  Chapter One

  1990

  The screams were the worst things he remembered. Brave men reduced to whimpering cowards in the face of horror. From where he crouched in the bamboo foliage, he listened to the dying screams of the last of his friends. It was only a matter of time before they found him. His heart was pounding in his chest, he blinked away the sweat trickling into his eyes. His calf was burning and for the first time, he felt the sting of a wound caused by a spear grazing his calf. His friends had died like livestock in that place. He sniffed, Jack O’Connor, famed hunter extraordinaire, reduced to a coward who abandoned his friends. He choked back the tears threatening to overwhelm him.

  What had he gotten himself into? He could still hear the drumming in his hiding place. There was little visibility under the light from the moon. He breathed a sigh of relief when the echoes of the drumming faded into the distance. A monkey screeched above him startling him. He stepped out of the foliage, squinting and exhaling to calm his beating heart. Jack did the sign of the cross. A twig snapped behind him. His heart lurched in his chest. How had he gotten himself into this? The world would never know the truth and that caused him to sob even more. Another twig snapped and his eyes bulged. He had seen how his friends had died. He felt something hot flush against his thigh. A pool formed beneath him, and he began to cry as he felt a presence behind him. His screams echoed all over the forests as the monkeys screeched in fear above him.

  Chapter Two

  2000

  “Mom, this is boring,” Ethan said while ruffling his golden hair. Beside him, his sister Emily Brown was making faces at him.

  “Ethan, we’ll be out here soon. Just stay calm.” His mom, Claudette said as she snapped photos of some exotic birds. The Australians had been touring the jungles of Uganda. They had made a pit stop at the Kampala Hotel and having heard of the jungle decided to visit it.

  Ethan rolled his tongue at his sister while wiping the sweat from his brow. He wondered why they could not just stay in their hotel. He wished to be back home. Mom and her stupid holiday tours, he thought as his attention was drawn to his sister beckoning him backwards. He scowled, knowing his sister was up to no good. He stole a glance at his mother and saw her still engrossed in taking photos of insects. Why grown-ups were fascinated by some stuffs was still a mystery to him? He followed his sister.

  “Where are you going?” He whispered as they ventured deeper into the jungle.

  “Shh!” Emily shushed him, placing a dirty finger on his lips.

  “We’re going to play a game,” she said with a wink.

  Ethan smiled, pleased at his sister’s comment. The whole day had been boring. As they walked deeper into the forest, they could hear the steady thrum of the waterfall. Twigs cracked as they made their way towards a cave. Through the tickets, the peak of Mount Elgon could be seen.

  “Emily, I think we should go back,” Ethan said, voice faltering.

  “You’re not chickening out on me now bro.” Emily said with a smug face.

  Ethan knew he did not want to look scared in front of his sister, “fine!” He said even as his heart pounded like crazy.

  They entered the cave and Ethan switched on his penlight, a gift from his grandfather. The light bounced off the cave walls revealing very detailed paintings. The children were mesmerized. Far off in the distance they could hear their names being called. The kids ventured deeper into the cave and came to a dead end. A drawing of a warrior like person was on the cave wall.

  “What do you think it is?” Emily asked, gazing at the ancient painting.

  “I don’t know. Looks like an alien to me.”

  “Boys and movies,” she said, casting a sidelong glance at her brother and shaking her head.

  Ethan studied the painting and felt his shin crawling with goosebumps. “We need to go back Emily.” He whispered, casting a furtive glance backwards. He could not see the entrance of the cave from where they were. They must have wondered off.

  “Just a moment,” Emily said as she moved closer to the painting. Ethan cast a worried look backwards and stepped beside his sister.

  “What are you—”

  “Shh!”

  She pointed at the painting. Ethan eyes focused on her fingers and saw what she was pointing at. A tiny cleft was installed halfway above the painting of the warrior. Ethan mopped the sweat on his brow and he stiffened as he saw Emily moved closer to the painting.

  “Stop!” he shouted, “You have no idea what that would do.” He grabbed her hand.

  She twisted free and pushed the cleft.

  “Noo!”

  Nothing happened. They both stood there for a minute glancing at each other.

  “Well, it was worth a try.”

  “Mom will hear of this.” Ethan said in disbelief as he turned and began to walk away.

  “Chic—”

  A grating sound could be heard coming from right in front of them. They both stopped in their tracks, eyes wide.

  “What was that?” Emily squeaked as she scooted closer to her brother and held his hands. Proximity did nothing as their bodies trembled. They slowly turned around and stared at the dead end of the cave. Only that it wasn’t a dead end anymore. They shone their light at the hole and both children screamed.

  Chapter Three

  Present day

  “Professor, are you really sure this is a good idea?” Susan asked while s
taring through the window of the plane. Her guts clenched when the plane was hit by turbulence.

  Professor Jones Harrison, a man with a salt and pepper beard expelled a tired breath. He adjusted his cowboy hat before dignifying her with a response.

  “How many times must we go through this? Don’t you want to earn your doctorate?” Jones gazed at her with an arched eyebrow.

  Susan could not believe she had been talked into accompanying her professor on this journey. While he admired Jones for his extensive knowledge in history, he was an insufferable tutor who always had his way. Jones smiled at her and pulled the hat over his face, obviously signaling her that he wanted to doze off.

  Susan cast her eyes around the occupants of the plane. Jack Quainoo sat on the right going through some magazines. He gave her a wink when he saw her staring at him again. She quickly pulled her eyes away and focused on the two teenagers with their heads together listening to music through their earpiece. They were a five-member team. How the professor had managed to coax the university to fund such a venture was an enigma to her?

  “We will be landing very soon. Please fasten your seat belts.” Everyone stirred at the voice of the pilot. Susan fastened her seat belt as she felt the plane banked steadily downwards. She felt trepidation build in her gut. She had never enjoyed flying and this was her third flight.

  Through the window she gazed at the runway lights. She braced herself and prayed.

  They passed through the checkpoints swiftly and boarded a taxi. A hotel had already been booked for their stay. Her room was beside Jones with the two teenagers on the far end. She was too tired to bother with removing her dress and flung herself unto the queen size bed. She gazed up at the chandeliers. Just when she begun to doze off, she recalled she had to take a shower. She stepped into the bathroom and let the cold-water slide over her body. A mirror on the bathroom wall showed her dimpled dark face staring back at her. She had bags under her eyes. She needed to get more sleep. She flung herself naked unto the bed and was asleep in minutes.

  PROFESSOR JONES HARRISON sat behind a mahogany desk in his hotel room. His sight was glued to the newspaper clipping he held in his hand. The aesthetic beauty of the room in which he was lodged in was of no concern to him. Being a professor of history, he had the luxury of studying the historical impacts of different eras. He had been composing an essay on Emperor Nero and his fixation with Christendom. He had stumbled across an interesting news item online when he had been doing some research for his lectures. He held the newspaper he had pleaded with a colleague to mail to him. He read the extract again.

  “Two kids, a brother and a sister were found outside a cave in the region of Mount Elgon. Kids were blabbering about seeing a giant white ghost in the cave. They described symbols which made no sense whatsoever. Authorities have cordoned off the area to visitors until investigation have been carried out and the truth ascertained.....”

  Jones scratched his head and read the story over again. His old but intelligent mind was unto something. He fished out his own brown book and opened to the myths and history of Uganda. He glanced at his watch. He had little over six hours to sleep. He put on his spectacles and began to read.

  SUSAN WOKE UP WITH a blinding light in her vision. She had forgotten to close the drapes in her room and sun rays was streaming in. She showered and donned a jeans with a pink top emblazoned with ‘I love my self.’ She walked out her room with her backpack. She had come prepared. She descended the stairs and heard commotion downstairs as she approached the reception where they had agreed to meet. Professor Jones was arguing with a short plump lady. Behind her were her two kids making faces at the professor. The receptionist was at a loss as to how to separate the two. Susan got closer to them and coughed.

  Immediately the arguments stopped. Jones turned to Susan and smiled. “Hey, I was just explaining—” He paused, a slight tick in his jaw, “to this lady here that the first ride was ours.” Jones said as he gazed expectantly at Susan for support.

  Susan’s gaze switched between the professor and the plump lady who had her arms crossed. Jones obviously wanted her to choose his side. Her lips curled up as she remembered how the professor had tricked her into coming with him on this journey if she wanted to earn her doctorate. She pretended to think about it.

  “Prof, why don’t we wait for the next car?” Susan said while smiling sweetly at him. Jones scowled, saying nothing. “Afterall, these kids want to be out of here, right?” the kids eagerly nodded their heads.

  “Agreed?”

  “Of course.” Jones said, accepting defeat graciously, his eyes belying his anger.

  “Of course, no thanks to you.” The woman said whirling around on her high heeled shoe as her kids followed her.

  “How rude,” Susan paused as she saw the calculating eye the professor was giving her.

  “You just had to ruin that. Didn’t you? I know you did it on purpose.”

  “No! I would never—”

  Jones put on his hat, “never mind. I’ll make some calls to an old friend of mine.” He moved aside as he began to engage someone on his walkie talkie like phone.

  Susan was amused and turned to the receptionist who was pretending to be seriously staring at something on his computer. She heard something being dragged and someone giggling. She rolled her eyes and saw the two teenagers, Chloe and Mark appeared, dragging a suitcase behind them. As predictable as ever. They were the youngest in the group. Susan still could not comprehend how the professor had gotten permission to let them tag along. Another thought popped into her mind; did they sleep in the same room? With the way they acted around each other, it was safe to assume both had been doused in a love potion.

  “Hey Susan.”

  Susan’s thought was cut off as Jack Quainoo came into view. He was tall and extremely built like an athlete. There was something about him Susan couldn’t put her hand on. She smiled back at him.

  “Sleep well?” She said as she gazed up at his ruggedly handsome face. She knew he was overly protective of her, but he didn’t really show any active romantic interest.

  “Yea, a bit,” he said in a deep voice. Jack had a commanding presence in any room. She knew the girls in her class ogled him anytime he lectured. “Where is the old man?” Jack asked, a smile twitching on his lips at the joke. He was the professor’s assistant so he could afford to call him that.

  Susan shrugged and stopped short as she saw the professor approaching them and grinning.

  “Ok, guys I’ve got good news. We will be escorted by our very own local guide.”

  “Any moment from now,” Jones said, staring at the door of the hotel lobby. They all stared in anticipation. The door opened and a figure walked in. Susan felt her mouth opening in shock as they all stared at the person before them.

  Chapter Two

  The jeep was hot as the team drove towards the caves close to Mount Elgon. Susan drank a bottle of water to quench her thirst. The heat was terrible even as she tried to roll down the window of their jeep. The jeep’s air conditioning was faulty. Professor Jones sat at the front with their local guide who was as handsome as a Hollywood star. He was regaling the professor with some tales of the cave.

  Susan was sandwiched between Jack and Mark, his camera bouncing off his knees. Mark was there to chronicle their journey yet seemed to be more enamored of Chloe. Behind them another jeep was carrying the other team members plus a model called Joana. She was with her crew to take some photographs. From her window, Susan could see Mount Elgon. Restaurants had sprung up around the area to accommodate the influx of tourist to the place each year. The jeep came to a stop in front of the Mount Elgon Lodge. Susan got out and stretched her legs, lessening the cramps in her thighs from sitting for too long.

  “Nice place, isn’t it?” Jack said as he came to stand beside her. He had his backpack behind him. “I definitely hope they serve good food here,” Jack said winking at Susan. “My stomach is growling.”

  Their guide, Joseph
Muku laughed. “My brother, I can assure you that Ugandan cuisine is the best.”

  Jack clicked his tongue and arched an eyebrow. “You’ve not tasted Jollof from Ghana. I assure you my brother, you will want to become a Ghanaian.”

  Professor Jones laughed as he shook his head.

  Susan glared at the two of them and scowled. “If you’re done comparing dicks, can we go and get something to eat?”

  Jack chuckled as Joseph Muku did a perfunctory bow. “Of course, madam Susan, I’ll take the lead.” Joseph said as he beckoned the team to follow him.

  The group followed the guide to the lodge. They were shown to a table. A bit far from them the model Joana was posing and taking photos. Susan shook her head. Not that she was jealous. Maybe jealous. Who wouldn’t want to have that slim, sexy body men always fawned over? The near perfect skin.

  “Hey!” Jack said, snapping Susan from her reverie. “Won’t you dig in or you want to be fed?” he said this with a teasing glint in his eye. Susan blushed.

  Susan took a bite out of her food and moaned. “Wow, this is good.”

  “Of course, this is good,” Joseph said, shooting a meaningful look towards Jack. “It’s our national dish. Only expect the best from Uganda, my princess.”

  Susan arched an eyebrow at the compliment. It felt good to be appreciated. The professor was reading a newspaper and eating his food.

  “Muku,” Jones said, “tell me what you know about the story of the two Australians?”

  Susan paused with her food halfway to her mouth. She noticed a momentary look of confusion on Joseph’s face, but it was immediately wiped off by his usual chatty demeanor. Outside the sun had set.

  “It’s just an old wives’ tale.”