5
The river meanwhile, has a mind of its own. With a sudden ferocious roar, it spills over the banks. The villagers try to flee in terror as a great gushing wall of water comes towards them.
Cattle bay in panic as they are swept away on the flood. The screams of the villagers’ turn from fear to pain as the other creatures move in for the kill.
As in the sangoma’s dream, the muddy waters run red with the blood of his people. Some manage to cling to trees or the walls of their huts, some climb onto the roofs, but most of the villagers are swept away.
The fortunate ones drown immediately; the others die violently and in great fear as the great jaws of the creatures close around them in a feeding frenzy.
The sangoma, meanwhile, tries to save himself. He could not be bothered with the screaming, dying villagers, as his instinct for survival takes over. He drops his drums and tries to run for his hut, but the rushing waters are too fast for him. Soon it overtakes him, and he is swept away in a headlong rush of water, dead cattle and corpses and debris.
For a while he tries desperately to swim, but a large tree trunk slams into him with force and the sangoma loses consciousness. The creatures are content with their feeding frenzy, and they do not take note of the sangoma when he floats past them, still attached to the tree trunk.
The waters run red with blood and the creatures churn the already rushing waters in their feeding frenzy. It has been a long dry summer, and they are hungry. The huge crocodile drifts past the Sangoma where he lies halfway on top of the trunk. He stares at the man, considering if he would be worthwhile prey.
The sangoma awakens. His eyes widen in fear as he spots the predator watching his every move. At first he tries to play dead. The crocodile moves closer to him. The sangoma, muttering gibberish, tries to clamber higher onto the tree trunk. He is too late.
The crocodile moves in for the kill, swiftly covering the distance between him and his intended prey. The sangoma screams in agony as the jaws of the crocodile slams shut around his leg, crushing the bone and tearing the flesh. The crocodile shakes his head furiously, and starts twisting in a death roll. The Sangoma barely has time to hold his breath before being spun around and around under the water.
