“The night runners must be out tonight,” Auma said.
“What are night runners?”
“They’re like warlocks,” Auma said. “Spirit men. When we were children, these people here”-she pointed at Granny
and Zeituni-would tell us stories about them to make us behave. They told us that in daylight the night runners are like
ordinary men. You might pass them in the market, or even have them to your house for a meal, and never know their
true natures. But at night they take on the shape of leopards and speak to all the animals. The most powerful night
runners can leave their bodies and fly to faraway places. Or hex you with only a glance. If you ask our neighbors, they
will tell you that there are still many night runners around here.”
“Auma! You act as if it is not true!”
In the flickering light of the kerosene lamp, I couldn’t tell if Zeituni was joking. “Let me tell you, Barry,” she said,
“When I was young the night runners caused people many problems. They would steal our goats. Sometimes they took
even our cattle. Only your grandfather was not afraid of them. I remember one time he heard his goats bleating in their
pen, and when he went to check on them, he saw what looked like a huge leopard standing on its hind legs, like a man.
It had a baby goat in its jaws, and when it saw your grandfather, it cried out in Luo before running into the forest. Your
grandfather chased it deep into the hills, but just as he was about to strike it with his panga, the night runner flew up
into the trees. Luckily, it dropped the goat when it jumped, and the goat suffered only a broken leg. Your grandfather
brought the goat back to the compound and showed me how to make a splint. I cared for that goat myself until it was
back to health.”
We became quiet again; lamplight grew low and people began drifting off to bed. Granny brought out blankets and a
twin-sized cot for Bernard and me, and we arranged ourselves on the narrow bed before blowing out the lamp. My
body ached from exhaustion; inside Granny’s bedroom, I could hear the murmur of her and Auma talking. I wondered
where Roy had gone to, and thought about the yellow tiles on the Old Man’s grave.
“Barry,” Bernard whispered. “Are you awake?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you believe what Zeituni told you? About night runners?”
“I don’t know.”
“Myself, I think there is no such thing as a night runner. They are probably just thieves who use these stories to make
people afraid.”
“You may be right.”
There was a long pause.
“Barry?”
“What?”
“What made you finally come home?”
“I’m not sure, Bernard. Something told me it was time.”
Bernard rolled over onto his side without answering. A moment later, I heard his soft snores beside me, and I opened
my eyes to the darkness, waiting for Roy to return.
barré
(Barré)
#1