Deep African Hell

                  By Omar Lothaire

                CHAPTER 1

It was a relaxed, romantic evening at 'Old Bernardo's'.  Beautifully adorned with fresh flowers, the secluded restaurant oozed a refined and sensual touch.  As a gentle, soothing music played in the background, the amorous silhouettes of a number of couples flickered in harmony as they happily sat at candle-lit tables chatting with verve and getting to know each other. 

In his early thirties, average-looking and timid, Craig looked ahead at the beautiful forms of the much older woman sitting directly opposite him.  Fiddling nervously with a numbered badge stuck to his shirt, he took a sip of his wine before asking her his next question.  'So tell me Sheila, what is such an attractive lady like yourself doing speed-dating?' 

Blonde and sophisticated, Sheila was now in her early forties.  Enhancing her smile, she eye-balled Craig with soft suggestion.   She was definitely one of the best looking women to be found that evening despite the presence of many other younger females. 

Holding a pen in her hand, Sheila replied sincerely, 'I guess I've been single long enough now..  I've finally figured out that it's time to start dating again.'

Craig intervened, unable to contain his appreciation, 'Well, looking the way you are, I'm sure you'll find a lot of attention here tonight.  I, for one, think you're stunning.' Sheila mirrored the gentleman's kudos. The pair stared at each other with anticipation. Perspiring, Craig felt his heart racing as his eyes floated eagerly over the mature woman's body.

Six months later, true romance had blossomed.  The pair had met each others friends and families and nothing seemed to trouble the serenity and solidity of their now enviable rapport. On the verge of moving in together, Craig and Sheila's lives resembled an improbable fairy-tale.  Lying on a hammock, they watched some birds pecking at the grass. A red Volvo pulled up the driveway.  Jenny, Sheila's oldest daughter, a pretty blonde in her late twenties got out. She wore a formal suit top with a hip-hugging short skirt. She carried some grocery bags along the way to the house. 

'Hi Mum. Hi Craig. Looking all cosy there aren't ya?'.'Don't we just?' ­replied Sheila, 'How was your day at the office ?' 

'Oh, boring as usual.  My feet are killing me.'

Craig hugged Sheila tight as he watched her daughter approach the house. Jenny bent down to pick up some envelopes; her long legs flexing beautifully, her fair skin stretching all the way down to her feet. Watching Jenny close the door behind her, Sheila cuddled up to her man. 

'Oh, this feels lovely. I really didn't think things would turn out the way they have. What with the age difference and everything.' Craig stroked Sheila's hair, amused, 'Are you joking?' ­he replied. 'No, of course not. It's just that with me being much older than you.. divorced and, well, a mother of two, I imagined that sooner or later something would go wrong.'

'Honey please stop talking nonsense. The age difference means absolutely nothing to me. I enjoy being with you and that is what counts. Trust me.' 'Sorry if I keep whining.' Sheila said tenderly, 'Yes, I do trust you,' she moved her body closer,'I guess we'll just have to take every day as it comes.'

Craig lightened up as if relieved. 'Right. Now, about this vacation. Have you decided?' Sheila intervened, 'Oh Craig, you don't have to..''Nope, I've made up my mind. Now come on, what's it gonna be? Asia, Europe or a Safari?' ­he playfully yanked her arm.

Sheila puffed a sigh of elated resignation, 'Ok, ok. If you really and truly insist.' She smiled with verve, 'I have to admit that the idea of a Safari sounds absolutely wonderful!' 

'A Safari it is then. Right, well I guess I can start getting things sorted.. tickets, transport, some new sunglasses.''Are you absolutely sure you want to do this ?''Without a doubt', replied Craig. He placed a gentle kiss on Sheila's lips.

A month later, the pair were standing next to the red Volvo parked just outside the airport. Jenny was unloading their luggage from the car helped by her younger sister Christina. Christina was in her early-twenties, very pretty, silky blonde hair, tanned with a firm, slinky body. 'Right, make sure you enjoy yourselves and don't forget the sun lotion.'

'We will, petal.' Sheila replied. She caressed her younger daughter's cheek, 'Now make sure you behave and try not to burn down the house, understood?' 'Have faith mother.' Craig swiftly intervened, motioning Sheila towards the entrance. 'Honey, we'll have to hurry if you still want to do some shopping before the flight.'

After giving a hug and a kiss to each of the girls, Craig and Sheila head towards the airport. ­The Volvo started to pull away.  Sheila turned and waved goodbye as her two daughters yelled enthusiastically from the moving car, 'Have fun!!' 

A mixture of orange, pink and yellow blurred together majestically..  The African sun slowly began to set over the breath-taking landscape of deepest Congo. Craig and Sheila held hands as the off-road vehicle began to make it's way back from the  wilderness of the African outback. With the safari jeep in movement, Sheila sat on Craig's lap. 'Oh Craig, this is such a beautiful continent. I can't believe I never thought of visiting it before.' 'Indeed it is.' replied Craig.

Sheila wrapped her delicate arms around him and nested her face beneath his chin, 'I kind of wish this moment would never end.' she sighed. 'Don't you worry honey, there's plenty more to see. Trust me. I told you it would be a holiday you'd never forget. We have many more places to visit before we head back to the States.''Really? Huh, the surprises just keep on coming.'

'Oh yes. Fear not, I've planned our route carefully. I want us to see as much of Africa as we can.' Craig extracted a map of the continent from his side pocket. He started to point at their position, 'You see, Central Africa is one of the most fascinating territories on the planet. It's natural beauty is simply unrivalled. At this moment, we are here.' His finger fell on 'Congo'.  He continued, 'I've arranged for us to travel horizontally along this line. Tomorrow we set off for Gabon. After that we'll cut through Cameroon and Nigeria and, if I can arrange the transport, hopefully we can then reach the Ivory Coast.  I've read that these territories are simply breathtaking.'

Sheila looked surprised, 'Do you mean you have planned every thing beforehand? How on earth did you do it?' Craig crumpled his forehead before responding, 'Well, to be honest, not every single thing. We may have to improvise accommodation and transport when travelling through Ghana.. But hey, we both love a bit of adventure don`t we?' 'Uhm, I guess so..', replied Sheila, still mesmerized by the passing wilderness.

Back home, Jenny placed her key in the front door lock. Turning it without effort, she made her way through the doorway after another hard day at the office. She threw her bag on the sofa before heading to the fridge. She took out a chilled bottle of mineral water and brought it to her mouth. Gulping the iced liquid down, she proceeded to flip off her shoes. As her delicate feet met with the cold floor, she softly contracted her toes. Placing the bottle back in the fridge, the young woman took off her jacket to reveal a slender, attractive body beneath a flimsy pink cotton vest. Hardened by the cold water flowing down her throat, Jenny's stiff nipples pierced through her skimpy top like a couple of jellybeans.

Feline-like, she arched her back and stretched her arms before bringing her hands to her waist and releasing her belt. As her skirt fell to the ground, it revealed a pair of long, smooth and well-toned legs. Her tender ankles, her perfectly trim and shapely calves, her firm and warm thighs leading up to a pair of tightly adhering slips firmly clinging to her vaginal area.

Jenny's vaginal mound was swollen. It allowed the forms of her moist lips to protrude through the clinging fabric of her underwear whilst behind, her perfect bottom cheeks sandwiched her skimpy panties with every movement of her hips. She was indeed an incredibly attractive young woman. Jenny allowed her body to drop passively onto the couch. ­With a melancholic look, she stared out the window, losing herself in deep thought. She began thinking about other places and other times. She tried to envisage the future and what it could possibly bring. Sadness taking over quasi, she tried to analyze her life. Her life: a void, an intricate bundle of question marks, of 'what if's'.  Lifting her gaze, Jenny's mind was suddenly engulfed by images from a faraway land. Like a succession of polaroids, she began to see her mother and Craig having the time of their lives; taking photos of each other in front of a waterfall; embracing one another at the top of a cliff observing the sun set over the African horizon. Jenny's mind swirled with chaos. A maze of loneliness, regret and confusion. She gently closed her eyes, allowing the images to fade away. She gradually relaxed her body and fell into a deep slumber.

Two weeks later and Sheila and Craig were snuggled up at the back of an old coach headed towards the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. It was late afternoon and the sun allowed a last glimpse of its unique orange/yellow light. As Sheila's eyes closed firmly, Craig lifted his gaze and removed his sunglasses, intent on studying the land passing before him. With the old coach choking forward and with darkness creeping in, Craig's peaceful thoughts were slowly replaced by growing doubts. Looking outside, he unexpectedly saw the landscape deteriorate before him. The progressive changes were not for the best. Makeshift sheds, burnt down cars, rubbish and broken glass, rusty bridges and holed roads. The beauty of rural Africa with its wildlife and natural sceneries were slowly replaced by the more intimidating reality of suburban Nigeria.

Choking and jerking, the old coach passed a sign which read 'LAGOS'. The deserted territories of remote Congo were now replaced by substantial herds of black people, old cars and cheap markets. Craig turned to his left. He noticed Sheila sleeping and was soon relieved; happy she had not witnessed the harsh features of that outer area. He turned his attention back to the window in an attempt to take in as much of Lagos as he could. Many tall buildings, hazardly crammed together. Lots of tight alleyways void of sunlight. Intense traffic, streets buzzing with cheap cars and tacky old buses. Watching the locals passing by, Craig stared at the brute darkness of their skin. The blackest of the Africans. His face straightened drastically, skeptical about his choice of destination. He held the warm body of his companion close to his as the coach entered the old city.

It was late night. The couple entered a medium sized hotel chamber. Immediately, Sheila appeared ecstatic.. to see.. a bed. As Craig closed the door, she fell on to the mattress and began to wriggle her arms and legs. She stretched out her body and  puffed up the cushions, 'At last! A real bed. Oh my God, I think I could sleep for days.' 'It's all yours honey.', Craig replied, as he began to unfasten his suitcase belt.

A few hours later, Craig was sitting in the hotel room, sipping on a pepsi, working on a crossword. He slowly lowered his magazine and lifted his gaze. He stared at the delicate body of his travel companion spread out over the bed, in front of him.  Sheila lay across the mattress, bare legged, without sandals. ­She wore a baggy t-shirt, her panties firmly hugging her hips, her slender thighs relaxed, her toes twitching slightly. In her forties, Sheila was still a very attractive woman. She had a very pretty face with a soft complexion accompanied by a firm body and a flat tummy. As the African heat swept the room, Craig's gaze floated over her body, her arms, her legs. His mouth watering, he took a deep swig of his coke. An erection grew hard in his pants. His mind began to deviate as he stared at the warm body of the mature woman in front of him. He grinned mischievously as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He first sighed, then murmured to himself, 'You lucky bastard.'

It was noon the following day and Sheila was still in a profound slumber. Craig fastened his shoe-laces then scribbled a quick message on a piece of paper. He left the note by Sheila's side before moving towards the door and unlocking it. The piece of paper read: "Gone to get some food for later, be back shortly, xx"

Amidst the hustle and clamour of the Nigerian streets, Craig made his first real contact with the locals. He entered a riveting market area as the sun scorched his forehead. He took a cap from his side-bag and placed it on his head. One by one, he absorbed the various aromas of the products on sale: roasted vegetables, corn-sticks boiling in huge caldrons, bruised bananas and other dodgy fruits darted frantically by hovering flies. As potential souvenirs there were animal statuettes carved out of wood, tribe drums and handmade necklaces. There were second-hand clothes and scruffy old rugs surrounded by flee-infested dogs and bags of rubbish. Alone in such a place, Craig's emotions merged growing levels of discomfort, anxiety and fear. Everywhere, he saw tight crowds of black people, mainly men. He was blatantly overshadowed by the surprising height of the heavy and much more muscular blacks. Their dark skin hardened without mercy by the scorching heat. The locals had an intimidating effect on Craig as they towered above him. Their eyes commanded a sense of ruthless power and sheer fearlessness; their loud shouts and obvious physical strength assigned them an almost beast-like masculinity. The wilderness of the African continent was now reflected in the sheer primitiveness and untamed verve of its most natural inhabitants.

After a quick tour of the market, Craig head back to the hotel with a couple of bags of food. He had purchased some rice and beans along with bottled water. As he approached the entrance, he spotted a MARLBORO logo in a shop just opposite. With his nerves playing up on him, he was tempted to purchase some cigarettes. Turning towards the shop, he soon noticed a group of blacks sitting on a crumbling wall. They appeared rough and rugged, many of them barefooted with dust-covered feet and sweat-stained clothes. The men were laughing and acting tough, breaking bottles and fist-fighting. Craig thought twice about his smokes. He decided against buying the cigarettes and headed into the hotel instead.

Once inside, he spotted an arrowed sign on the wall behind the counter; it read 'BAR'. Relieved, he followed the arrow. He took a few turns and reached the bar area, approaching the counter with a slight grin. The bartender was a black man in his late thirties with a pot belly and brownish-yellow teeth. He had a devious look and an unfriendly face. At the sight of Craig, the bartender straightened his back and puffed out his chest. He eye-balled Craig in a menacing way. His eyes studying the hated pale flesh of the white man in front of him. Politely, Craig asked for some smokes, 'Hello, could I get some Marlboros please.'

The bartender approached the counter, he scruffled his face before unleashing a sigh of frustration. 'How many you want?' he barked abrubtly. Craig was surprised by such a cold approach. He answered diligently, 'Just one pack please.' The bartender slowly made his way to the cigarette stand. Craig forced an uneasy smile, 'Uhm, could you tell me what kinds of beverage you sell here?' The bartender looked confused as he placed the cigarettes on the counter, 'What you mean?' 'I'm sorry, I mean do you just sell soft drinks or alcohol too?' The bartender eyed Craig up and down, still unhappy about the white man's presence,  'We sell all kind of alcohol here.' Craig smiled nervously, 'Wonderful.  Well thank you for your help.' Still confused, Craig paid for the smokes and headed back up to his room.

The clock in the room showed 22.17 hrs. There were bread left-overs, unfinished rice on plastic plates, empty cups and scruffled serviettes scattered across the table. Craig was slumped in a chair resting. Sheila, finally awake, was stood alert at the hotel room window observing the lights down below. She appeared lively and cheerful, eager to discover her surroundings.  She approached Craig and nudged him affectionately, 'Everything O.k, darling ?' 'Yes, of course.' replied Craig, surprised by her liveliness. 'Do you not want to get some rest?' he continued. 'Not really. I've been sleeping all day.' Sheila moved closer and sat on Craig's lap. She stroked his neck, 'To be honest, I could do with a drink right now. And to be fair, I think you need one too,' she placed her hands on his shoulders, 'Look at you, you're all tense, you need to loosen up. Did you enjoy yourself this afternoon?' 'It was alright I suppose. Do you really want to get a drink?' Craig looked doubtful.

'Oh please yeah, I haven't had one since we left the States.' Craig looked at her with pitiful eyes, 'Well, earlier I happened to buy some cigarettes from downstairs. There's a bar and they definitely sell drinks and stuff.' Sheila's face brightened up.  'Great. Just let me put some clothes on and we can go straight down. I can't wait for a glass of wine.' She quickly jumped up and head towards the bathroom. Craig watched her warm body move gracefully in front of him. He focused on the forms of her fleshy breasts bouncing beneath her light t-shirt. A fresh erection grew hard in Craig's pants, his mouth becoming watery once again.