The Inkanyamba

‘Stand right there.’

‘Why here?’

‘With the light of the sleeping sun behind you, your beauty rivals the goddess Afru-Ika herself.’

‘You should not say such things Xolani.’

He took her hand gently in his, and led her along the river bank. ‘I believe them to be true.’

‘I am without answer ,’ she brings him to the water and seats herself on a flat grey rock next to it and before him.

‘None is needed,’ he kneels before her and rest his arms gently on her lap. ‘With each waking sun that finds you by my side, you provide answer enough Siphokazi.’

‘What of my husband?’ she smiled. ‘You are as beautiful a man as I could desire. You have stood for eight migrations in King Shaka’s army, and you have protected your wife and son with a fierceness to match Ninka Nunka.’

‘Now it is I who is without answer.’ He replied.

She smiled again. ‘None is required, with each moon that sees you by my side, you provide answer Xolani.’

Suddenly as if Afru-Ika had thrown a blanket over the sky, darkness descended on them, and angry storm clouds circled over the river, throwing a tantrum that struck the ground mercilessly. Siphokazi jumped up and into Xolani arms.

‘We must leave!’

‘Ngesaba ukuthi liphuzile kakhulu kulokho.’

A violent flash of lightening revealed the horror that had found them. All around them were tree trunk thick, scaly coils seeming to twist on forever but with a submerged tail end in the water. The scales were slimy green, and dripped brown water all around them. Before they could even think to flee, the coils tightened and they were crushed together in their embrace.

Rising up from behind the coils, emerged a true monster. The head of eel, with huge dark pearly eyes the size of ostrich eggs, and a mouth that looked like it could have made short work of a rhinoceros.

Siphokazi tried to scream but she could not get enough air into her lungs with the monster squeezing them so tightly. All she could manage was a frightened wheeze. ‘Inkanyamba!’

‘What do you want demon?’ shouted Xolani.

‘Sekuyisikhathi eside ngidlile,’ hissed the Inkanyamba. ‘iSisu sami sikhala inyama.’

‘We know the laws of your kind,’ said Xolani. ‘You cannot consume that which is not willingly given.’

‘Lokhu kuyiqiniso,’ smiled the Inkanyamba. ‘Nginikeza ukukhetha.’

‘What madness would see us to a deal with a devil?’ said Siphokazi the weight of the monster eating at her strength.

The Inkanyamba hissed loudly and threw them to the ground. Before Xolani could get to her the Inkanyamba struck and bit Siphokazi in the arm. Her screams pierced through the storm and shook Xolani to his core.

‘SIPHOKAZI!’ He ran to her side just as she collapsed to the ground.

‘Ubuthi buzombulala,' hissed The Inkanyamba. ‘Ngaphandle kokuthi ungikhonze futhi ungilethe ukudla kuze kube phakade'.

‘Sthandwa sami,’ gasped Siphokazi. ‘Run from this place. I am for Afru-Ikas temple. Our son will need your strength now.’

Xolani took her hands gently. ‘The greatest strength is love.’

‘Demon!’ he screamed at the Inkanyamba. ‘I will serve you, in exchange for her life.’

‘kwenziwa,’ hissed the Inkanyamba. Lightening struck Xolani in the chest and the air was filled with the smell of ozone and burning flesh dirt and water flew into the air.

When the air had cleared, Xolani was changed. He was shorter now. Only a little taller than a baboon. With thick coarse hair all over his body. He let out a loud screech and bowed at the Inkanyamba.

‘Uphephile,’ hissed the Inkanyamba. ‘Manje ngilethe ukudla kwami ​​inceku yami. I-tokoloshe yami.’