Claire's Prayer Read Online Free PDF

tumultuous emotions. Before long, her head slipped sideways and sleep claimed her.
    Seth glanced sideways and saw Claire’s eyes had closed. He was grateful. As much as he was enraptured by the sound of her lilting voice, he was glad not to continue talking for the moment. He had worried she would ask him questions, too. He had been back to Harare several times, travelling to and from the airport with tourists, but somehow this trip had brought a storm of memories with it.
    Now Seth recalled returning to Impunzi that first time, with Simon and the rest of the ranch labourers, as his truck had eaten up these same miles between Harare and Hwange. The closer they had got to the ranch, the more Seth’s anger had grown. It was not supposed to be like this. Gripping the steering wheel, he’d followed Simon’s Land Cruiser as it turned up the dirt road to Impunzi. Thank God Naomi did not have to go through this; she was with Tony. He, too, had suffered, and would know what best to do: four years earlier, both his wife and child had been killed on the road. There had been too much death. Now Seth was just glad that Tony and Naomi had each other. As he approached the first gate Seth felt his heart thudding. This was where it must have happened. Driving on a short way, Simon stopped his vehicle. He watched as Seth climbed from his truck.
    The police had removed Seth’s parents’ vehicle from the scene of the ambush, but all around were signs of what must have happened. Seth could see where the car had stopped, and how his father had obviously tried to reverse away from the danger. The car must have come to a final stop on the embankment: all around were boot prints and scuff marks. Empty AK47 shells littered the area. Seth noticed a dark patch on the soil and stopped in his tracks. Falling to his knees, he buried his face in his hands as he realized that this was where his father had died. Standing at a distance, Simon waited until Seth had restarted his truck before approaching his and following on. His heart ached for Seth, but he knew that a man needed to deal with his grief alone – with no probing eyes, no false pretenses of being strong. Only then could the healing begin.
    As Simon and Seth opened the buckled security gates a little way down the road, the returning labourers stepped down from the trucks and walked into Impunzi, eyes downcast. One, in an emotion-filled voice, told Seth how he missed Mr and Mrs Henderson, and how sorry he was that they had not been able to protect his parents, or the homestead. Seth glanced up sharply. What had happened to the ‘homestead’? Looking at the man in shock, Seth ran up the front pathway.
    The front door hung off its hinges. He cursed as he entered the hallway and took in the chaos. Walking quickly from room to room, his anger grew to frightening proportions. Was it not enough that the attackers had taken two lives, that they also had to destroy their sanctuary? They must have rammed through the security gates after the killing was done. Simon tagged along behind Seth, giving him time to absorb the damage done to his home. The inside of the house looked like a tornado had gone through it. Furniture was damaged and thrown around; windows were smashed. Brushing past Simon, Seth bolted outside. He needed fresh air and time to absorb the deliberate destruction of his home.
    Approaching him quietly, Simon explained, “Seth, we’re just lucky that the gang was scared off when an army helicopter flew overhead. I’ve done a quick check: the damage to the house is superficial. It won’t take much to get it looking normal.” Seth looked up, desperate to believe Simon. He didn’t feel ‘lucky’. Simon continued, ‘The first thing to do is get the security gate repaired.”
    Taking a deep breath, Seth asked the newly-returned labourers to begin tidying up inside the house. Going to the workshop behind the ranch’s garages, he found steel pipes and fencing. For the next few hours