“One of the villagers,” he replied casually. “He said they stalk people, pounce on them, and devour their flesh. Sometimes the remains of people are found stripped to the bone.”
She looked around. “Dark, are you serious?” Her voice shook slightly.
He looked back at her. “Of course I’m serious. Don’t worry. It’s not very likely we’ll run into one of them. They’re very secretive.”
Her eyes widened. She jumped and swung around as though she had heard something. At that, Dawson couldn’t keep his face straight any longer and burst out laughing. “I’m just playing with you.”
“What?”
“I’m lying. No one told me there are leopards here.”
“Okay, that’s it,” she said furiously, pulling a strip of leaves off a bush. “You’re done for.”
She charged at him and began whipping him with the flimsy branch. He fell over with laughter.
“Get up and let’s go, you bad man,” she said. “We’re wasting time.”
He dusted himself off and took the lead again.
“I thought you said there are signs showing which way to go,” she grumbled after a few minutes. “I haven’t seen one yet.”
“I just said that to get you to come with me,” he tossed back.
“I’m beginning to dislike you,” she commented. “Besides that, I’m exhausted.”
“There!” he exclaimed.
“What? Where?”
“The ruins of the fort.” He pointed. “Over there.”
“Oh, yes!” she exclaimed. “I see it now.”
They were looking at segments of crumbled walls constructed from earth-colored bricks. Large trees grew in and among the ruins, wrapping roots around the walls as if trying to strangle them.
“Four hundred years old,” she murmured. “Amazing.”
They moved closer to the ancient structure, but didn’t touch anything.
“I wonder what they’re doing to preserve it from further damage,” Dawson said.
“Apparently, not much. Aren’t the trees and their roots going to eventually split the walls open?”
Dawson circled around to the left edge of the ruins. Here, the ground sloped quite steeply into a shaded depression. He called out to her. “Let’s go down there.”
“Whatever for?”
“It looks nice and cool. We can relax for a minute.” He stooped. “Get on my back. I’ll take you down.”
HE SPENT A few minutes creating a soft, clean spot on the ground using fronds from a banana tree, and then he sat with his back against the tree while she rested in between his thighs, leaning against his chest.
“You’re right,” she said. “It’s nice here.”
He nuzzled her neck, her ticklish spot, and she went into convulsive giggles and tried to get away from him, but he held her fast.
