Night had crept on earth's ground. The thick darkness held a vague terror. The ominous rumble of thunder could be heard from a distance. The shrill of a portentous bird, the heavy silence, squeaking of little creatures and the sky which was in a mournful mood all emphasised the terrors of a world without light.

A hefty man emerged carrying a cutlass. His huge palms were like an face of a table tennis bat.

The severe look on his face, dark and unreadable, could make many men take to their heels at first sight. His calculating and dismissive look had driven my blood pressure even higher. His pupils seemed to...