Share

Along came a hero

last update Last Updated: 2025-05-14 15:47:04

Chapter 2 

Leah new she was about to faint. Not just from the shock of looking into eyes of a human that reminded her of the lion that she just saw from the roof of her SUV. And not because he was so close to her in this very confined area that she could see little speckles of brown in them as well.

No, it was  probably from the pain that shot right up into her left leg after she touched the clutch pedal with her foot. “I landed into something on my way down from the rooftop of my car. It is now stuck in my foot and it … hurts so badly.”

Lionman reached down and moved her foot just enough to take a look at the damage and then a sigh escaped from deep inside of him. Almost like a roar.

“Oh no, that does not look good. That is not good at all. Don’t you have shoes?”

“I have sandals. I just thought I don’t need to wear it in Africa.”

“Going bear foot or wearing sandals is not a good idea when walking in the veld. Here are snakes, scorpions, thorns and sharp sticks and stones. I strongly advise that when you get to a nearby town you buy some hiking boots and wear it, whenever you walk around.” He did not laugh at her joke.

“I was wearing sandals while driving here.”

“And they are where now?”

“My sandles are outside by the steps that lead to the roof of my car. I took them off before climbing on top of my roof tent.”

“I see. Next question…what were you doing on top of your car?”

“Trying to make a call to my dad. I could not find a signal. And now I lost the cellphone. I suppose it could be anywhere from here to Beira.”

“Mmm your dad… Yes he was a little worried about you. That is why we came looking for you. You triggered one of his security cameras. It is just over there.” He pointed in a direction. For Leah it could be anywhere.

At that moment another much larger vehicle pulled in, next to the window on Lionman’s left hand side.

Down came both the windows. A familiar voice called out her name. “Leah! Oh my word Sergio. Just tell me that my babygirl is okay.”

“Dad?” Leah lifted her head up. “Daddy…” and then the tears came.

“She is a little hurt John, but not by the lion and nothing too critical. The wound is just bad enough, that she won’t be able to drive the Jimney.” Lion man opened the door and climbed out of the little car as if death was no longer lurking in the long grass next to them. He strolled over to the driver side of the car.

There he opened the door and asked. “Lady, are you able to climb over to the passenger side of the vehicle?”

Lady? Of all titles he could give her.  

“No…” Leah said. The adrenaline was gone. Her foot was killing her. She was stuck. He probably realized that himself as he bend over and lift her from the seat. He carried her in his arms to the other side of the vehicle.

“Where are the lions?” Leah was in shock by now. 

“Gone. They took off. Too many humans I suppose,” he said. “Hang in there, your ordeal is almost over…”

After as short drive with Lionman behind the wheel. he parked her Suzuki in front of the old house. She got out, standing on one foot and hugged her father when he came rushing closer. It was so good to see him again. But when they let go of each other, she had to find a chair again. She was a bit off balance.

So Lionman did it again. He lifted her up in his arms and carried her on to the veranda and through the kitchen where poor Maria the Portuguese cook stood with her hands over her mouth. She also wanted to come closer to greet Leah. Now she was in shock. “It’s okay Maria. It is just a little stick stuck in my foot. I will have it out in an minute, bandage the hole up, and then I will come back to greet you.”

“Where must I take her?” Sergio asked in Portuguese. “This one is not exactly getting lighter by the minute, guys.”  

“Her room is the one next yhe granny flat. The one with the en suite bathroom, Sergio,” Maria explained and started to run ahead of hom, to remove the fancy comforter from the bed.

And that’s where Sergio dropped her.

He lifted her leg and took a good look at the stick that was now part of her foot for about an hour and it is not exactly feeling better. It also had no intention to fall out by itself.

Sergio lowered her leg again and exclaimed. “She needs a doctor. You will have to take her to the hospital, John. This must be removed under local anaesthesia. Then she will need antibiotics, stitches where it will leave a hole. And she may need pain pills to get her through the next day or so.”

Maria gasped. “But why can’t you do all of that for her Sergio?”

“Because I am not a doctor and it is not ethical for me to do any procedures on human beings.”

"Sergio no man. Help us out here." Her dad tried another angle. “What if she was a wild dog or elephant baby in the same trouble, what would you do? Left her to die?”

“If she was an elephant calf or a wild dog, she would probably try to walk with it for days before we realised that she was in trouble. Then she would sit down and lick the wound and bite the stick, until the strange object left her body. If someone reported to me that they have seen an elephant or dog with something like that in their feet, I would dart her and remove it.”

"Then that is what you will have to do now..."

“No! What the hell are you guys talking about? What’s got an elephant baby or a wild dog got to do with the stick in my foot.”

The two men looked at each other and then they looked at Maria. Eventually it was her dad who did the explaining. “Elephants are Sergios favourite animals and wild dogs are on the red data list for scarce and endangered species. We don’t have a lot of them here. And you are my precious daughter. The nearest doctor and small clinic is about seventy five miles from here.”

Enough, decided Leah. It was time to take her fate in her own hands. She removed many thorns from her feet. “Stop talking about a doctor or a clinic. I don’t need any of those. I will remove the thing myself.”

“See Sergio! That is the daughter I told you about. My brave Lea. Maria bring us some of my special Brandy.”   

But Sergio was clearly still not convinced of her father’s vote of confidence in her. He folded his arms over his chest and planted himself firmly at the bottom end of the bed. The expression on his face showed that if there was anything he ever had to see in his life, this was it. He wanted to see how Leah pulled that tiny little sticky from her foot. An action he was going to enjoy as well. Sadist!  

Leah slowly sat up and lowered her right leg from the bed. Then she crossed the left one over, turned her foor slightly for a better look, and started to inspect the stupid thing that caused so much inconvenience in her life. Right in the middle of the ball of her foot. It was stug. As deep as it could get in and it caused a lot of pain.

She almost go through the roof the moment she touched it.

Her dad had enough. “So Sergio, are you really gonna stand there and watch my girl in so much agony. Help her, please.”

He nodded with his head. That’s a no no.  “No John. You just have to take her to a hospital or I will do it. I will take her.”

That brought Leah to her foot. The one she could stand on. At least that made her look a little taller in front of this big guy, her father and Maria. “Get out of here all of you. Leave me alone. I am not going to any hospital. I just arrived here. Maria please bring me a Disprin and a brandy and let me sleep for the night. I will deal with the problem tomorrow.”

Clearly Sergio disagreed with that suggestion as well. “Tomorrow that foot will be septic. You can get blood poisoning which will make you feel miserable. And if you drink enough of your dad’s brandy to comfort you tonight, you will have a terrible hangover tomorrow.”

“See Sergio, I told you. Stubborn. So please, be my guest and go ahead. You are the only one here, remotely qualified to help her.”

“How is Sergio remotely qualified to help me? Is he a lumberjack by profession?” Leah uttered sarcastically before sinking back on the bed again.

“No Sergio Martinez is a veterinarian.”  

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • In love... with her own African beast   Baby shower and more

    Chapter 65What a fun day in the end. They met Paula and Silvi at the store in Bonsai. John and Paula bought the two camping cots. And then they all go crazy buying nappies, bottles and clothing. Sergio couldn’t resist to get the boys baby grows with lion-cub hoodies. And immediately the saleslady fetched him two towels with that very same design on it.Between the five of them they spent a small fortune on the gifts for the twins. And wrapping paper, tape and ribbons.And snacks and dips.Back home, they all disappear into Sergio's small apartment where they start wrapping packages. They told Maria that they won’t be eating dinner in the main house tonight. Give the Da Silva family a chance to bond with each other.And let Jesu and Anna believe that none of them are here over the weekend.They take turns to feed the lion cubs as well.Especially Haya and Silvi. They'll punch the others in order to get a turn to hold them. And in the middle of it all, there is Gato.Don’t think she is

  • In love... with her own African beast   Babies everywhere.

    Chapter 64Leah is waiting at the gate for Sergio to return from the sanctuary. She just can’t wait to see the baby lion cubs again. They were tiny when she met them for the first time.But who is driving in first?Jesu and Anna with their twin babies in carry cots on the back seat of their Toyota Yaris.They look surprised to see her there. Jesu gets out of the car: “Have you been waiting for us, Leah?”“I was waiting to see the babies again.” It will be cruel to tell them that it was actually the lion cubs she was expecting.“That is so sweet of you, Leah.” Jesu puts his arms around het and gives her a brotherly hug. At that moment, Leah experiences something she had never felt before towards anyone. She doesn't have siblings, after all. She feels the most wonderful and warmest feeling of brotherly love towards Jesu.He was an only child and she was an only child. And although they sort of grew up together, but were mostly alone. Each of them doing their own thing. She with her art

  • In love... with her own African beast   Back to planning

    Chapter 63“Well, goodnight for the two of you,” John says and gathers the three empty glasses to take them to the kitchen.“Good night, John.” Sergio says with his eyes on Leah. This is the first night back on the farm and for him it is unthinkable to go to bed without her. He bends forward and whispers in her ear. “My place. Your luggage is still there and your apartment is locked up. Over the next weekend the two of us are going to do a little shopping. First on my list are extra toothbrushes. A pink one for you and a blue one for me.”“I want the blue one,” Leah pulls his leg. “Why is it always the poor woman who is getting the pink stuff. I hate pink!”“Can you see me brushing my teeth with a pink toothbrush?” His voice pierced with indignation.“No, not really. You are way too rugged. You can have the blue one! I will take a red one.”In Sergio’s place they shower together. He attends to her operation wounds and then they get into bed. But Serio’s got difficulty to sleep with he

  • In love... with her own African beast   Explaining things

    Chapter 62It is good to be back at Hurter’s Retreat. It is also great to have Maria back here as well. The greatest however was to see Sergio and Gato absolutely absorbing each other in total love at the dinner table tonight. When Maria and John later excuse themselves, John, Sergio and Leah retreat to the sitting room where a million questions hang between the three of them.Clearly John needs some kind of explanation of what is really going on between Sergio and Leah. Not that they need his permission to do anything. Just from a respect perspective.They are ready to talk to him. They discussed it on their way back to the farm. Sergio is the one who scrapes his throat before saying. “John, as you probably have guessed by now. Leah and I are seeing each other in a more romantic way. I am not just concerned about her health. I care for her as a whole person, if you know what I mean.”John wants to say something. He is also a full-blooded man, as Leah already noted. Isn’t he now sitti

  • In love... with her own African beast   Driving home

    Chapter 61They got away early on Tuesday morning. Once Sergio decided it was time to go home, he started to do everything with more purpose. Leah had her doctor’s appointment yesterday and he was present.“Okay doctor and missus Martinez, everything looks fine. But the stallion will still be staying in it’s stable for the next three weeks as we already discussed on the day of the surgery.”“You said three to five days…” Leah complained. She was so looking forward to things turning back to normal.“I only said that, to get you guys through the past weekend here in honeymoon paradise. I hope it was peaceful, restful and without any dramatic incident.”Oh my gosh, Leah thought. This is one time she was not going to try and catch Sergio’s eyes. She can just imagine what the expression on his face may look like. And then she would lose it.So they just sat there and try to look as modest and innocent as the altar boys in the Roman Catholic church. But she could feel Sergio’s arm shaking w

  • In love... with her own African beast   A moment between Leah and Sergio

    Chapter 61Someone is at the door and Sergio is still sleeping. It is five o’clock on a Sunday morning so it can’t be room service. The worst thing is that, that someone’s got a key to get in. Leah sits up straight, and then she touches Sergio’s shoulder.“Sergio, wake up, someone is trying to unlock the door. Maybe it is the guys from yesterday who wants to get revenge.”Sergio doesn’t just sit up. He flies from the bed, grabbing a cricket bat from the shelf and walks over to his front door. He slightly moves the curtain from the window next to it, just enough to see who their unexpected guest may be.He whispers: “Alice, oh no. What is she doing here?”He unlocks the door and the next moment it swings open and a woman with dark hair almost attacks him. The cricket bat lands on the floor and all Leah can she, is a woman who is all over her man, trying to help him out of his T-shirt and Jocks.“Why haven’t anyone let me know that you are here for the week-end?” she insists. “No Alice

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status