“Catch me! Catch me!”

THE game was on. Errol and Colin were playing in the mango tree. It was dark and the two were having a lot of fun. Although they had been warned not to play in trees after dark, the boys always disobeyed. It was way too much fun not to.

They both lived at the foot of a hill in the rural farming village of Dutchman Koker. Errol lived in a green house facing the road and Colin lived next door to him in a two-story house that was the envy of the neighbourhood. It was the only high building in the village which consisted of 40 small houses, a church building, a school and two bottom-house groceries. Market Day was held every Saturday and villagers were able to sell their produce and buy necessary goods.

The parents of both boys worked in the city and got home after dark every evening. This gave the two friends plenty of play time before being restricted to their homes.
Errol was younger and very small in stature. Colin was three years older, tall and well built. Their game that night was a simple one. One boy climbed the mango tree and perched on the lower limb. The other waited below. At a signal, the boy in the tree would jump and be caught by the waiting lad. At least that was the theory. It did not work out as smoothly as that.

Errol went up the tree first. He had three turns at jumping and being caught by Colin. Then it was Colin’s turn to climb. When Colin settled in the branch he signalled Errol.

“Catch me!”
He jumped and landed on Errol. They both tumbled on the damp grass. Colin was upset at being let down.
“Why did you drop me? I catch you all three times and now you drop me!” Colin said.
“Sorry, but you heavy bad,” Errol protested.
“Yo betta catch me dis time or else!”
The warning was unmistakable. He would beat up the smaller lad if he did not catch him. Errol decided not to wait around for a licking. He knew he could not catch Colin so as soon as his friend started climbing he started running for home. The mango tree was on top of the hill so the journey down was easy for the smaller lad.
Colin got to the branch he had selected. It was higher than the lowest limb and he got ready to launch himself.
“Ready! Catch me!” he called.
The boy leapt from his perch. He was safely caught then tossed from hand to hand. It seemed as though there were a number of people moving him around.
He tried to see who was throwing him around but it was too dark to see. He suddenly panicked and shouted at them.
”Put me down!”
He was immediately dropped. This happened when he was in transition from one hand to the other.
First, he was in mid-air, then he was plummeting to the ground.
Bam!
His butt hit the ground hard.
“Ow! Boy why yo drop me?” he accused Errol.
His friend did not answer so he became infuriated. He lunged at the shadowy figure and began punching.
“I gon beat yo up Errol!”
Ply!
His face stung like the attack of a swarm of maribuntas. This took him by surprise. Errol had dared to slap him? This enraged the bigger boy even more and he charged and punched in a fit of rage. He would make Errol regret hitting him.
Ply!
Pow!
Two more slaps. Both sides of his face lit up and his head swam.
“Colin!”
It was Errol calling him. But how could that be?
His friend was calling from the foot of the hill. Colin knew when he was in over his head. He suddenly realised that no way would his friend ever risk hit him. Whoever it was that did it he would definitely not wait to find out. He made his escape bid. Colin started to sprint downhill. He then stumped his toe on an old tree root and took off. He hit the ground hard and rolled the rest of the way down the hill. He quickly got up and ran indoors.
When he told his mother what had happened, she was not sympathetic.
“Good fo you! I warned you not to play in tree after dark! A hope you ain’t bring no jumbie wid you in hey!”
Colin sought refuge under the bed.