Riva Mumma

Bolo gaped at the angel sitting on the rock by the bembe river. Everything in the woodland became still...nothing drew Bolo's attention in this strange yet familiar place with its vibrant plumage birds and succulent fruits like this strange woman sitting in the forest. The woman with her golden hair, creamy skin and cat like oval eyes in a heart shaped face dipped her fingers into the shimmery water of the flowing river. Her hands waded and she curled forward, using her delicate, slender arms to throw a few golden tendrils from her face so that she could taste the cool water. Bolo shook his head and licked his lips. This strange woman had an aspine tongue that slithered out of her mouth and into the transparent water. Bolo shuddered. She drank like a dog, her tongue lapping and Bolo found it seductive. He was mesmerized and the bundle of wood fell from his hands onto the dewy shrubs that littered the ground in a soft thud. It was like magic and Bolo closed his eyes to heightened the excitement that coursed through his veins. It was lust, animalistic and frightening, rare but real. Bolo heard her whisper his name... Bolo's eyes fluttered opened and the lady gawked at him and batted her long golden lashes. That was strange but her hazel eyes enthralled Bolo. He began to move towards the river and the lady with the golden hair sang. Her voice was ethereal. It soothed Bolo's frazzled nerves. In that moment, he forgot about the plantation, this eerie place with its foreign tongue and it's pale skin masters. The pain of the wife and children that were lost to him forever. Numbed. He was on the white sands of Benin, and he heard the ululations of the head hunter beckoning the huntsmen to retreat before nightfall. He saw his mother with her soothing voice calling him at the edge of the forest. She smiled and then her features changed, she pointed at Bolo and shouted in her Afrikaan tongue. Bolo's eyes fluttered and the woman on the stone before him morphed into a creature of malevolence. Each strand of her long hair transformed into snakes and when Bolo glanced down at her feet, her lower body changed into a scaly armor like a fish. He gasped and his eyes became fixated on her small round breast covered by a leafy bra. Bolo shook his head and pleaded with his eyes. He screamed but somehow he had lost his voice. A pain, burning sensation engulfed his lungs and his chest heaved before he crashed into the water. The golden woman…