The Conspirator Croc
A Satire With An African Theme, On A Pandemic Newsflash A Few Weeks Ago.
Down By The Riverside.
“I’m going down the Nile,” said Crocodile, his words addressed to the morning air, or whoever cared to pay attention to his announcement.
“Really?” croaked Toad. ‘Well, I’ll have you know this isn’t the Nile,” he added as he heaved himself out of his hole, mud dripping from his warty body; squish, squash, black sludge oozed from the rim of his home, dribbling down the slope of the riverbank in large droplets.
“It’s the Zambezi, you old fool.”
Croc snapped his mouth closed and flashed his eyes: “Who cares? Mighty big happenings are taking place out there you know. While you lie buried in your mud hole, important news has reached us”.
“Who cares?” replied Toad.
“We do,” quipped several waterfowl as they bobbed past, freshly landed from Europe that very morning. “We keep ahead of the news.”
Croc took no notice of this interruption; who do these pesky feathered birds think they are, anyway? This lot is back, always with something to say.
With a swift, agile movement and a flick of his tail, he lifted his body and glided to the water’s edge, where he paused.
Social Distancing Had Cramped Croc’s Style.
“If you want to know, there’s an important consignment going downriver and I aim to help move it along.”
Toad opened his mouth as if to say something but thought better of it. “Mmm, there’s more to this than meets the eye,” he thought. “Espionage, conspiracies, hacking, it happens right here in my backyard.”
Crocodile remained where he was. He had the air of an old conspirator considering whether to drop a hint, a little morsel to tickle the curiosity.
“It’s about some vital equipment. I have to move fast. It’s a matter of saving a nation.”
“There’s nothing that vital to disturb our isolation, nevermind any nation needing saving. The most crucial place to be is where you’re supposed to be. Staying Home,” he croaked. “It’s the Law of the River, you know that.”
Crocodile chuckled. “ A small intervention, won’t take long.” He grinned gleefully, thinking of the reward. Besides, he was in dire need of some action. Social Distancing had rather cramped his style.
The Plan Swims Into Action.
Croc slid into the water with an evil gleam in his eye as he thought of the planned sabotage; the diversion would be done and he would see some action.
As he swam, soft ripples fanned out on either side, lapping against the riverbank, small and insignificant, like this little corner of their world.
He floated downriver looking like a half-submerged log, slowly, deliberately; a flotilla of eager little water creatures followed alongside gliding stealthily beside him. Big Catfish glanced up from his muddy basement at Croc’s shadow floating above and moved a lengthy whisker in approval; Croc felt the current bounce against him; all was going according to plan.
The Consignment.
The Tiger Couriers lived up to their reputation. Built for speed, fast and furious, nothing stood in their way; taking advantage of the deep underwater currents, their load perfectly balanced on their lithe bodies, there was no stopping them once they had a target in their sights.
A crocodile was no deterrent to the Tigers. They simply snapped their razor-sharp teeth, leapt clear through the water, their scales gleaming in the sunlight, flashed their tails and dived back into the depths like a lightning strike, way out of reach and far too fast for a crocodile, notwithstanding his agility.
The old croc knew he had to use the element of surprise. He had to intercept the group in a sudden move, using his powerful tail to dislodge the goods, sending the load clear through the waters into the blue above. The Tigers would not know what had hit them; their speed would propel them forward without the realisation the load was gone. It would be several hundred metres before they knew they had been intercepted, and by then it would be too late.
The Trap Is Set.
Croc waited at a bend in the river. Ahead, to the left, was a quiet lagoon providing a perfect getaway for him to speed into calm waters, turn around and go back upriver. No one would know he had been here, there were no witnesses today, and the Tigers, momentarily stunned, would be recovering and far downriver. By the time they returned, he would be gone.
In the silence, he braced himself. He entered the deep water with a mighty push off the rim of the underwater riverbank; his tail, poised in readiness, curled into a powerful arc. As the Tigers rounded the bend, compact like a dense silver cloud, Croc, gathering his might, launched his powerful weight, light as a feather in the water, into the speeding mass.
His tail hit the group, slicing through them like a sword, precise, deadly, separating their closely packed bodies, and finding its target, lifted the load clear; it soared through the water, breaking the surface with a slight ripple, clear into the sky like a missile heading for space.
In a few seconds, it was done. Croc swam slowly and triumphantly into the lagoon, turned, and began his journey home.
Back Home.
Big Catfish waved his whiskers as Croc glided above, acknowledging reception of a successful outcome. All was well in the river, all had gone according to plan. A country in dire need of a specific solution had been saved.
Toad was fast asleep in his hole. Croc shot a disdainful glance at the muddy surface. The waterfowl bobbed contentedly on choppy little waves; a fish eagle stood guard in his stark tree on a bleak, high riverbank opposite. Croc slid silently to his place beside the reeds, opened his jaws and dozed. Peace reigned supreme.
Moral Of The Story.
The load drifted into an International Airport later that day; the consignment had been diverted and everyone was happy. Thousands of lives had been saved. There were shouts of disapproval from some quarters and then everyone forgot about it.
You never know what is going on in the backwaters of the world. Beneath still, smooth waters, secrets abound, for, after all, it is the Law of the River that prevails.
Copyright Lynette Clements. 2020.
Writer’s Note: There was a piece of news that caught my attention some weeks ago. As it was announced, I noted a few objections and then the item disappeared. Was it fake news? I do not know, but it got my imagination going. This is the first time I have attempted a story like this; I rather enjoyed it.
The Tiger Couriers: are the tiger fish, beautiful, fierce fish found in the Zambezi. They are powerful swimmers and provide fishermen with good fishing experience as they fight the line, leaping out of the water and resisting being reeled in.
If you enjoyed this story, you will love the next adventure of the wily old croc!
Bye for now. Lynette Clements.
