Lake Chad is a shallow fresh water lake northwest of N’Djamena. The water level had lowered substantially in previous years. The islands of the lake were still there but not as numerous as they once were. The receding waterline had left many high places, which were once islands in the lake, as just another hill in the strangely textured and bumpy landscape surrounding the lake. It was said that the lake might disappear entirely due to climate change. As the group looked over the calm waters and down to the bottom of the lake, they could all believe that the claims were not too far exaggerated, if at all.
The sandy beaches that they approached had several people there, fishermen preparing their boats, camels and their caravans resting in the cool hours of the morning. The lake was surrounded by, and supported, life in all forms. Standing from their vantage point on the eastern shore of the Chari River as it fed directly into the lake, they could all see just how precious and important this particular body of water would be to the surrounding desert areas.
Looking over the lake for as far as they could see was water, and the surrounding areas. And in all that space, very view buildings were visible to them.
“Where do you want to start looking?” Malikah asked quietly.
Aiman was trying to study the map he had received from the librarian as non-chalantly as possible. He had the map folded into a small square that he was now reading from his hand.
Nodding he pointed northeast of them. “The majority of the towns surrounding the lake are on the northeast side of this lower section of the lake. If we are to search here, then we had best make our way around the lake towards one of those villages.”
Mary couldn’t help the heavy sigh that escaped her lips. “Oh, joy…more walking.”
“Look at it this way,” Tara said with a wicked smile, “all this cardio will help you keep your girlish figure.”
This earned her a sideways glance from the black woman, “Since when have you ever heard me complain about my ‘girlish’ figure?” Mary asked sweetly. “Any man who wants this,” she emphasized this by gently slapping her hips with both hands, “is going to have to be ok with me being ok with who I am *and* how I look. And that goes for the rest of y’all too.”
Acharya gave a bit of a shocked smile at the sudden proclamation and the group as a whole laughed congenially at the joke, from both parties. With elevated spirits and still wearing smiles they headed east to walk around the bend of the large lake.
The local flavor of guests that the lake was entertaining was varied. A camel grunted loudly at them while they passed. Acharya smiled back to Aiman, “Maybe we got a little too close to his rock, that looks like every other rock here.”
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
The sand underfoot was a little deeper and looser than what they had trekked on for the past two days. Their feet sank into it with every step. If it wasn’t for the camels and the already hot temperatures, Acharya would have sworn that they were back in America on the sandy beach of any other lake.
The sun had passed its zenith by the time they finally saw a village on top of one of the rises in the landscape. The group smiled and nodded. “It’s about time,” Malikah commented.
The group rested for a bit in a depression in between two hills. “Ok, so what do we do?” Mary asked. “I mean we can’t just walk up to these people like tourists and expect them to respond or even to talk to us. We need information from these people, not their fear and avoidance.”
Aiman nodded, “I will go.”
“By yourself?” Malikah asked. “No way, you are not going into a native village outnumbered 100 or more to one without some help.”
“I will be fine. I speak a language that they should at least recognize. And besides, I am of a native ethnicity, something of which I am unique in my present company.”
“You can’t let him go by himself, Acharya,” Tara said. “Maybe you could go too?”
Aiman shook his head. “The people here are not stupid. They will know him for an outsider which will only undermine my attempts to gather information peacefully.” He looked calmly at his pack, “The solution which offers the best chance of success is for me to go alone.”
“In those clothes?” Mary asked.
Aiman looked down at his garb. He was wearing clothes that shouted to the heavens, westerner. “I have nothing to barter a change of clothes with. And the robes that the local desert Muslims wear are specific to each wandering group. I could unknowingly put on robes that the villagers see as evil or from a hostile clan. My clothes will have to be worn as is. I must be as genuine as possible with these people. Only through trust and truth will we hope to find out anything that will help us accomplish our goals.”
“Aiman’s right everyone,” Acharya said suddenly. “There is nothing that can be done except to trust our Enforcer to get the job done.” He turned to Aiman, “and if you *do* get into trouble you will yell your head off till we come running. Agreed?”
Aiman smiled and nodded, “though such precautions won’t be necessary. I will be back.”
The dark brown skinned man rose from his seat and brushed off his pants and shirt. He climbed the hill and approached the village.
The village was by and large made up of wood structures, mostly bundles of vertical sticks tied together to make the walls of the various huts. There were some adobe brick buildings towards the center of the village that he could see. Those buildings were much bigger than the rest. The various huts and smaller building were covered with light pale and tan colored cloth fabric that softly billowed in the gentle afternoon breeze, making the whole village give the appearance of a great organism breathing deeply in the afternoon sun light. And he was walking straight into that organism’s mouth.
He did not fear the organism however. He had never known fear in his life, only obstacles to be overcome or enemies to be defeated. There was something strangely familiar about this place.
As he came closer to the village, he began to see people and children. The women of the village wore light colorful dresses that covered their bodies from neck to foot. The children wore similar dresses for the girls and the boys wore breathable tops and loose-fitting pants.