The Last Hunt
A work of fiction by Tsao Alexander
Waterton Publishing Company
No part of this book was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
This is a work of fiction. The events described are imaginary and the settings and characters are fictitious and not intended to represent actual places, companies, or persons.
Copyright © 2026 by Waterton Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved.
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THE LAST HUNT
CHAPTER 6
Gabelo took a few steps forward while Jane waited. “We just wanted to know if you knew anything about the safari that’s out, that’s all, because we don’t have much equipment for our safari that starts tomorrow.” Gab took a few more steps. Jane did not move.
Shammi opened the door and stood in the doorway. He was a big man; strong and lean. His face was broad and partially covered by long grey matted hair. Around his neck were stones and beads and animal teeth, all strung together with nylon and hanging loosely in the grey hair of his dark brown chest. His only clothing, a pair of old white shorts decorated with a red flower print and a leather belt around his waist to which a sheath for a very large knife was attached. The knife handle was ivory.
It was all a rather startling sight for one not familiar with Shammi. That was not the case for Jane and Gab. Jane spoke up, “Shammi, have you heard anything, do you know if something has happened?”
Shammi looked up at the sky and then at Jane and Gab. “I have been made to know that the Englishman suffered a sudden death.”
Gabelo turned and looked at Jane, who was simply staring at Shammi with her mouth open. Gab turned back to Shammi, “You know this for sure? Do you know what happened?”
“It was made to me,” replied Shammi slowly, “therefore I know it to be true. The man was drowned under water. Under a buffalo. That is what was made to me. A buffalo. This English made a poor decision being in the water with a buffalo.”
Jane then rather calmly asked what happened to the woman. “His wife, what, is she okay, is the woman alive?” Gabelo turned again to look at her.
Shammi turned toward his cottage and with his back to Gab and Jane, said, “The woman is gone.” With that he closed his door.
Gabelo backed up slowly and when next to Jane whispered, “Clarence has likely gone to help. He will not be back tonight. We need to get everything together with what we have in preparation for tomorrow. Not much time. Let’s go quickly.”
Jane nodded and then she, Gab, and the dogs started back to the other buildings. On the way she whispered to Gab, “How does he know these things?”
“I do not know for sure,” Gabelo answered; “All that I know is that he is never wrong.”
“What did he mean by the woman is gone?” Jane stopped walking and studied Gab.
“I think” Gab looked at the ground, “it means she has been lost. She is lost. She is gone. She may be alive still.”
“Maybe Shammi should go help with the search,” Jane suggested after a few minutes.
“You know that Shammi does not track people,” and, with that, Gabelo started walking faster, “Come on, we have much to do in not much time.”
Yvonne was back in her cabana doing some work on her computer when her two-way radio beeped. She answered it right away. It was Kamau, the guide from the safari that was still out. “Yvonne,” he said, “you hear me okay? We are traveling in a hilly region.”
“Yes, Kamau.”
“I am calling you because I could not reach Clarence,” Kamau said. “We have had a problem here.”
Yvonne asked what kind of problem and Kamau explained that the Englishman was dead and that his wife was unaccounted for: “We cannot find her. Clarence got here not long ago and has joined the search.”
“What do you want from me, Kamau?” Yvonne stood up and paced the floor. “What can I do to help?”
The radio crackled. Yvonne heard something from Kamau but couldn’t make out what he said. “Say again, say again, I did not catch that.” The radio crackled some more.
“Where are you, Kamau?” asked Yvonne. The radio crackled again and she set it on the table next to her laptop, now somewhat concerned that Kamau needed something, and that she did not know what it was. She picked up the radio, pushed the call button, and again spoke loudly into the microphone: “Kamau, are you there?”
Silence. ‘Hilly country,’ Yvonne thought; ‘maybe Kamorasai.’ She decided to talk with Vince and found him back at the pool.
“Dead? That’s a bit drastic.” Vince stood. “How did it happen?”
Yvonne did not know. “And the wife has gone missing,” she said.
Vince’s facial appearance changed to one of concern. “How the hell does someone go missing from base camp? Where were the guides, the porters, the husband?” Vince sat back down in the lounge chair. “What about the safari we were talking about today? Do they have enough equipment and vehicles and food and water? Shit. Where’s Clarence?”
Yvonne sat next to Vince on the lounger and told him everything she knew. After a few minutes, Vince suggested they try calling Kamau again. Yvonne had the radio, so she adjusted the frequency and tried to make contact. Crackling sound and then Kamau broke through, “Do you hear me?” Yvonne replied but Vince quickly grabbed the radio from Yvonne and started talking: “Kamau, when are you coming back?”
More crackle, and then Kamau, “We are leaving now. Clarence has returned. We are stopping the search.”
Vince and Yvonne looked at each other; Vince simply said to Kamau, “Okay. See you soon then.” Then Yvonne lowered her head and cradled it with her hands.
“That poor woman.” It was all she could say.
