L'etoile de Mouaka "An African sunset" An excerpt

L'etoile de Mouaka

"An African sunset"

An excerpt

Right in front of them, against the horizon, beneath the low hanging clouds, Mouaka floated up before their eyes, through the car’s windshield. A light and wide strip speckled with dark bluish-gray spots of vegetation and empty spaces between the many groups of buildings that were growing bigger and bigger, as they were approaching the Coast of Hope capital. The huts and shacks that were an integral part of that city were scattered all over the plain before them. The spots, lines and specks of just a few seconds ago were becoming clearer and bigger as they advanced towards the city. They were moving fast in a strange solitude, on the narrow asphalt road while crossing that vast plain.

Some twenty minutes earlier, the Priels were lagging somewhere behind them, right now, they vanished and were completely out of sight. Their rate of speed was growing up constantly; Shatz could feel it very clearly. As he sneaked a look at the speedometer he missed a heartbeat in alarm, the needle danced around one hundred and forty...!

'That's nothing for that car.' Everon demonstrated his skills as a potential race driver, with a cold-blooded nonchalance mixed with pride. He was expecting that chance to come, for quite a while.

'There's Mouaka in front of us.' He went on monotonously.  'Just a bit bigger than an average village, in this country,’ he added, expressing unconsciously his deep contempt, and the disgust the sight of this town caused him.                                                                                       

'Do you see that building on top of that lone green hill? That's the hotel.'

Shatz was too tired and a bit shocked still, to offer any opinion or any comment on any matter.

Within two minutes drive, they have reached the outskirts of town and a lone crossroads right after it, which led to the hotel through a double curve serpentine mounting slightly upwards.

The hotel was a big three story structure, with a tiled roof that made it look old and out of place, in spite of its impressive structure. It was encircled and partly hidden by a huge tropical garden, and a tall wall that surrounded its premises.

As they were approaching its open gate, its name: "L'Etoile de Mouaka", inscribed on the arch above it became suddenly visible.

Everon exchanged a look with Shatz while crossing the hotel's gate, and curled his tight lips in a sarcastic smile with a note of contempt.

'Well that's the whole lot.' He muttered curtly hardly audible as he parked the car along the broad staircase, which was leading to the hotel's wide entrance.

They got off instantly both of them and while Everon summoned the first available "garcon" who peeped at them out through the open entrance's door. Shatz took off his jacket and moved to and fro to stretch his weary limbs.

They ascended the stairs side by side, while hopping right behind them with Shatz's suitcase, the "garcon" came along; an old porter who must have been well over sixty, and was carrying himself and his load up the stairs with ease.

Shatz on the other hand had some breathing difficulties at the staircase's top.

'Do wait for us at the reception please.'  Everon with his polished French sent the "garcon" off, to complete his errand.

© Haim Kadman 1987 – all rights reserved.

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