------------------------------

Journey to the West

Chapter 3

----------------------------

He could feel it in his torso as the plane made its descent, the city below appearing more detailed as it increased in size.

The flight personal directed everyone where to exit a few short minutes later after the landing was complete. Eddy, Christie, and Sergio advanced to the outside, baggage in tow. His female companion escorted her grandfather out by the arm. Even when he appeared well and able to move about on his own, Christie never seemed to take chances.

Coming out into the coruscating sun made Eddy's eyes flinch before he put on his shades, the warm rays awakening him in full.

In front of him, Christie stood on tiptoe, yawning as she stretched her long, bare arms toward the day-lit sky. He could hear her bones popping from everywhere as she let out a relieved sigh. "Man, that trip sure makes you feel stiff." She put a hand to her mouth and yawned again. "Least we're back on solid ground. Right, Mister Gordo?"

Eddy breathed in some of the air before expelling it, taking in his surroundings. The lanky trees reminded him of the ones back home, bringing a smile to his face. The ground here was dry and dusty, like land used for a construction site. A few battered cars passed them by.

It was a new world, a new world one third larger than the state of Texas, inhabited by millions.

Just as anticipated, the driver arrived, a dark-skinned man clad in a white suit and cap. Sergio had a brief chat with him before they got into the car and he took them where they needed to go. The further they went the more the environment around them morphed from the richer part of the country to something much less. Some of the buildings were cracked, deteriorating, or already in ruins by whatever had caused such a wreck.

It was like visiting another planet; yet, that was the feeling he often had when coming to any country.

He turned to Christie, feeling the vibration of her pink-nailed fingers drumming along the seat beside him.

"You ok?" He squeezed her wrist to capture her attention and succeeded.

Her eyes rose in acknowledgment like a deer's when it spotted an approaching stranger. She paused, furrowed her brows, and sighed. "Got a feeling that we might not get such a warm welcome. Seen it happen before. Everyone kept giving me strange looks…like I was stuck-up or something."

Eddy patted her arm, noting the muscles there had become even firmer. "I'm sure we'll be fine. If we're respectful to them, they'll give us similar treatment." He did not know what to expect from this visit, but he preferred the more positive side of things. Christie had a right to be skeptical since he knew she spoke from experience. She would never fabricate her reasons if otherwise; yet, overreacting was a whole different thing.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes as her voice held some traces of doubt. "We'll see. First sign is when they check you out up and down and give you the look." A short chuckle and she folded her arms, head bowed. "They probably think they can tell who we are just by looking at us." Tongue clicked. "People like that really bother me."

Eddy knew Sergio could hear all of what she said. However, he had not bothered to comment to tell if she was wrong or right. Maybe he knew more than she did and just did not want to argue over the matter. Far as Eddy knew, Christie never got into such disputes with her grandfather and vice versa.

Whatever the reason, Eddy did not wish to bring him into this.

In minutes, they had reached the village. The vehicle then came to a shaky halt. Eddy stepped out first with Christie to look around. Rectangular shaped mud huts. What looked like sticks of bamboo seemed to hold up the straw made roofs. Some of the village populace had stopped their activities to gaze at the trio of newcomers.

"See! See! What did I tell you?" Christie whispered to him, pulling at his sleeve like a nagging child.

He ignored what she said and continued to observe the scenery of this lush, green jungle. Sergio walked ahead of them and up to one of the villagers who had stood with a scowl. He was tall and shorthaired, wearing glasses and had a thin goatee. Silence had fallen between the two, as if they were waiting for the other to make some kind of move.

Christie and he watched from the rear as backup, predicting nothing good would come from this stare off. Through the corner of his eye, he discovered her moving into a combative stance. He put his hand to her abdomen to stop her, shaking his head for her to keep back before he considered any type of violence.

Right away, the two men embraced, exchanging smiles and laughter, conversing in words unfamiliar to him.

Christie put a hand to her chin, a hint of shock in her voice. "Grandpa's friend, I presume."

"You presume correctly, Watson." Eddy grinned and took her by the hand. "Come. We should introduce ourselves."

He could hear her muttering words of refusal. She tried to pull away from him, but his strength would not allow her to flee. Now they were within earshot of the man, his smile giving off a more pleasant feeling about him.

"Guys," Sergio said, "this is Ekon, my friend." He looked to the taller man and laughed. "These two were under the impression you were a woman."

The man he referred to as Ekon looked at him, then at them, then laughed, too. "I'd be one unusual looking woman if I was." He spoke in English this time and extended his hand to them.

Eddy was the first to shake it. "Pleased to meet you. I am Eddy Gordo." Despite the man's thin appearance, his grip was stronger than he expected. Eddy turned back to Christie and nudged her in the arm. "And this lady here…well…she's been dying to meet you." He tried to hold in his laugh, but it came out regardless.

Christie shot him a glare, her cheeks red like the skin of a tomato. She was always one to introduce herself first and ask questions like she knew the stranger more than she did. Her hand took Ekon's. "Ni…nice to meet you." She turned away from him, rubbing at her forearm.

"That's my granddaughter: Christie." Sergio said with an amused chuckle. "She's quite the woman, don't you agree?"

Ekon glanced at her face as she forced a grin that showed all of her white teeth. "Aye. She is very beautiful. Like an African goddess. I can see where she gets it from."

Her expression changed to small smile that was more authentic than the last. "Tha…thanks." She seemed to enjoy it when she received a compliment, but only when she knew it was genuine.

"These two…they saved your life, yes?" Ekon asked his master.

"That they did, and I feel blessed because of them."

Eddy nodded, facing Ekon. "If you do not mind me asking, how did you and him become friends?"

He rubbed his head, his hand casting a shadow over his face. "Funny you should ask that. This man here saved my life, too. I was in Brazil visiting my sister after she had just moved there many years back. On the way, I was attacked by some ruffians who didn't seem to like me being on their turf. Sergio here came in and made the save and I have been grateful ever since."

"So grandpa saved your bacon?" Christie pouted, hands placed at her hips. "He never told us."

"Didn't think I should brag." Sergio shrugged.

"The point is you saved someone's life. That's what counts." Eddy added.

Ekon's agreement came with a nod. "That is true. Oh! There is something I wish to give to you, my friend." He went into one of the huts for a minute and came back out with something in his hand. "I want you to have this as a token of my appreciation." It was a silver amulet with a curved design, beautiful enough for someone to put on display in a museum.

Sergio glanced at the shiny object, frowned, and put a hand up in rejection. "It's beautiful, but I can't have it. You don't have to give me anything. Your thanks is enough."

"Please, my friend." Ekon insisted, extending it to him. "I want you to at least have something. It would be selfish of me to take it back."

Eddy's master again put his hand up and shook his head.

"Can I have it?" Christie blurted out as she stared wide-eyed at the amulet as if it were a piece of gold worth a fortune.

Everyone turned to her, puzzled.

"Give it to my granddaughter." Sergio requested with a short nod. "She has a thing for jewelry."

Ekon sighed and smiled. "Very well. Here. I've had it for quite sometime. Hope it brings you happiness, just as it did me."

Christie took the amulet, chirping a thank you. "Sorry. I got a little excited there." A blush showed her embarrassment.

Ekon waved a hand and chuckled. "That's ok. I can at least accept Sergio's granddaughter having it. Now, allow me to show you around and get you acquainted with where you'll be sleeping."

Eddy nodded once more with his two companions. "Sounds good."

The tour was a wonderful learning experience. Ekon went through cultural lectures and what everyday life was like here. Afterward, Eddy had gone to sleep as Christie had wandered elsewhere in the middle of the night with his master. They could be up to anything, and, confident they could handle themselves, he knew there was no need to worry about them.

He had silence to himself for most of the morning, an outdoor silence that took him back several years. The environment was a playground to him as a child back then. He could still envision his younger self hanging off the tree branches, balancing himself off logs, and creating bonfires passed on from the outings with his father.

The distant clamor of African wildlife here was common, but the longer he stayed the more he grew used to it.

Eddy leaned up against the thick tree, feeling the grassy earth dampen his pants and shoes. He was used to such things. It was no different from sitting in the wet sand on the beach when he chose to watch the waves in Christie's company.

Faraway in front of him, he noted some of the children of the village. They swam and dabbled around in the stream, naked. The adults used it for bathing, drinking water, and scrubbing away at their clothes. Brazil, while not an economic juggernaut, was a more developed nation in comparison. Here, in Nigeria, they did not have the accommodations of washing machines and drinking fountains. They used whatever they had to live and he admired their resourceful nature. Sometimes, he felt technology was responsible for the lack of work ethic in today's society, breeding nothing but the lazy, unwitting lifestyle many chose to live. He liked to think people could learn something from the Nigerians, if not from other inhabitants who shared the same qualities.

Then something else caught his eye: a woman swaggering toward him with one hand at her waist.

His eyes shot up behind his sunglasses when he recognized the eyes and the smirk. The cropped pants of her tracksuit were hip-hugging and denim-blue, included with a matching T-shirt above it.

Her hair, now modeled into a braided ponytail, made her look more like one of the natives. "So, what do you think of my cornrows?" Christie patted atop her head with an approving smile. "A lady managed to hook me up last night."

Eddy let his expression speak for him, trying to close his mouth, yet failing at the sight before him. In more instances than one, he had found himself marveling over every detail of her body. Her eyes, there was something hypnotic about them, something enticing that drew Eddy in and made him feel weak. Words could not describe what he wanted to say. He feared if he said anything it would come out as nothing but babble.

"So, you like?" Christie seated herself beside him, leaning against his shoulder. "You know you wanna say yes." She giggled before lying into his lap and treating it like a pillow.

Then he found his tongue after taking some time to gather his thoughts. "I would be lying if I said no. It…it really suits you." He said, fingering the many knots in her braids.

"I didn't like you teasing me the way you did yesterday, Eddy." She smiled, her voice soft and seductive in his ear before giving him a soft punch in the arm. "But seeing that I'm in a good mood, I'll save your well-deserved butt kicking for another day."

"With any luck, I'll walk away with my head still attached." He smirked, rolling his neck around to remove some of the tension there.

Christie crossed her ankles on his shins, her feet bare and peppered with dirt. Eddy felt her head slip into his arm as he continued to watch the children frolic in the water. This was customary for them. Sometimes, Christie would remain there, and he'd find her sound asleep, her body contracting and expanding as she breathed; he'd stay in the same place a little longer, for her sake, unwilling to disturb the tranquility.

Sighing, her mouth puckered against his cheek. Her kiss trailed down to the center of his neck as she giggled.

"Christie," he leaned away from her lips despite liking the warmth they gave off, "not here."

"Aw, come on. No one's looking. And grandpa's not around." She did it again while her fingers toyed with his dreads. Then he discovered her hand sliding down into his shirt to graze at his abdomen, and before long, his chest.

Eddy did not mind the kisses, the embraces, or the flattery as long as they weren't overdone. Though they had a close relationship, he felt there was nothing between them and no need to pursue a romantic interest in her. She was both young and lively. He didn't want it to look like he took advantage of her. His duty was to train and protect her as Sergio asked, and he forbid himself from going anywhere beyond that.

He tried scooting away, but she crawled over and followed him. Then he turned away and stood. Looking down where she sat, he noticed she had disappeared without a sound.

"Christie? Christie?" He looked around himself, then overhead. It was when he saw it: something descending like a spider from its web. "Gah!"

"Boo!" Christie lowered herself from the tree branch she hung upside-down from, arms and hair dangling in place. Her laughter was boisterous and uncontainable. "Oh man…you… should have seen your face." She pointed at him and began to imitate his presumed facial expression.

Eddy laughed, preparing his next sentence. It never came, as the loud, echoing noise of a distant gunshot startled them both into stillness. Birds screeched by the dozens as they flew off from the trees in panic.

Christie withdrew and dropped down from the branch. He looked where the sound had come from with her. She took a step forward in that direction, her eyes in a squint. Eddy did not hesitate in seizing her wrist.

"What are you doing?" He whispered.

"Going to go see what that was all about." Her fingers slipped away from his hand before she went into a jog.

"Why?"

"Cause I'm curious!" She called out while stepping backward.

Eddy wanted to stay right where he was, hope she would turn back around and listen to him. Yet, with her almost out of sight, and the possibility of the peril she headed toward, he had no choice but to follow.