Another narrative inspired by my trip into the African Savannah (amazing how just 5 days out of the normative can have such a creative impact). It had been my turn to do the night watch and I was alone, freezing cold watching the fire when a cricket appeared next to me before jumping straight into the hot embers and becoming a charred mess. It made me realise how arrogant humans are…we think because we have such amazing brains we can solve any problem be it nature based or an effect of the work of humans but actually who is to say we won’t ultimately use our brains to create our demise in the future?

Cricket says: ‘My legs are powerful.’
Man says: ‘My brain is powerful.’

The Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park lies still like an expansive carpet hugging the south-eastern side of Africa. Like the soft padded undergrowth that spreads out in a forest, snuggled amongst its nooks and crannies roam the jewels of the African Savannah: Lion, Rhino, Buffalo. No one questions their formidable strength but under their heavy paws and hooves is the terrain of the insects. And Cricket thinks he is King.

Cricket effortlessly bounds away from the guttural growls and yowls of the dawn’s watering hole gatherings. Like a wind-up toy permanently highly strung, Cricket jumps to look down on the wart-hog as he shimmies across the sandy dry riverbeds before crouching down to embrace invisibility as the giraffes dance with their necks.  Like the player who can’t settle down, he leaps from one patch of grass to another only looking ahead, not back, not reflecting and only focused on where to land next.

Man occasionally visits Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. He stands upright with his burdensome pack heavy upon his raw shoulders and the beads of sweat sparkle around his neck like a watery necklace. In his hand rests on a long rifle. He stares straight ahead, unafraid because he believes he can kill anything that wanders across his path and remain Master.

Man wishes to burrow beneath the park and ravage the secret layers beneath for gems. Money is his food and he feels excitement as his heels and toes crunch the fallen twigs and dying vegetation beneath. He looks across the Savannah and his greedy eyes imagine whirring wheels, lorries, piles of scree and black dust rising into the air. He fingers the oiled wood of the rifle and believes he can feel crisp green notes which he will exchange for smart houses, cars and clothes.

As Man stalks through the wilds he thinks upon his achievements and conquests: he has built boats that can survive the tumultuous seas, created railways that cut searing wounds across the rocky landscape and spaceships that pierce the atmosphere. As he builds his fire for the night he reflects that he has been able to harness light in the form of electric bulbs and feels secure in the knowledge that his brain means he will remain Master of all forever.

As the red heart of Scorpio burns brighter in the darkening skies, he sits by the fire and watches the flames lick the dry twigs he collected earlier. His rifle sits slumbering next to him and he knows no animal will dare investigate what he is doing as to do so would mean death. By the faint blue line of horizon, a line of elephants produce a lumbering shadow puppet performance and vultures swoop and soar above his head choosing a tree to roost in.

Cricket has sensed the end of the day and is vaulting over Acacia and through Whistling Thorn seeking a spot for rest. He enjoys the springy power of his legs and feels exhilaration as he leaps over the slow snake slumbering under the Manketti Tree, past butterflies clinging to the rocky banks like limpets made of cartouche, on and on towards the glittering light he has spotted in the near distance.

Man rests back on his elbows watching the dancing shapes of magenta through half shut eyes, nestled in the womb of an animal pelt and day-dreaming of the ivory keys on the piano he will buy.

Cricket dodges the long inquisitive tongue of a web-footed gecko and lands by Man.

Man lazily turns his head slightly to look at the cricket whose rustle alerted him to its presence and muses that for all the special features animals have such as powerful legs, teeth, weight and camouflage, his brain will always ensure his survival.

Cricket is mesmerised by the flames that reach up into the sky and thinks: my legs are powerful; I can jump over that.

He launches up into the sky and lands in the middle of the searing heat and is immediately turned to ash.

Man’s brow furrows for a moment but then he turns his back and dreams a dark and dreamless slumber.