erblist.com - Pastiche Summary Project

MOBUTU'S GHOST
Andy Nunez
Summarized by David Bruce Bozarth
Copyright © 2005
FOREWORD
Andy Nunez wrote this story in 1997 and first published at the web site that eventually became Tangor's Pastiche and Fan Fiction. A powerful little tale of brutality in African civil war and its impact on innocent victims. Mobutu's Ghost is the scourge of evil who saves little Kasi and her villagers. Nunez writes equally well in both short story and novel length formats. Mobutu's Ghost is a fine blend of reality with fiction.

CHARACTERS NAMED IN THE SUMMARY:
Kasi
Bulenga
Captain Vladic
Elmo
Mobutu Sese Seko
Laurent Kabila
Nelson Mandella
Lord Passmore

PLACES
Zaire
Kinshasa
Rwanda
Gabon

THINGS
Modern world, no entries for this summary.

Kasi, age sixteen, is a refugee in Zaire during a civil war. Fleeing through the jungle with others, 20 armed men are encountered. Bulenga, Kasi's father, protests when Captain Vladic seeks to impress them into serving his group. Vladic sees Kasi and, wanting her, murders her father. The refugees have no choice but to become slaves to Vladic's group. Vladic beats Kasi's defiant mother. He then orders a march, unaware that a large figure shadows their trail.

* * * * * * *
Kasi struggles against the harsh hand dragging her along. She worries about her injured mother. Annoyed, the black man holding her arm threatens her, stikes her. Suddenly an arrow strikes the screaming man's wrist. Another dies by an arrow. Vladic sends a rocket into a tree, declaring the rebel dead. The march continues. A night camp--the villagers cook and feed the armed men, with very little left for themselves. Kasi shrinks away from Vladic, who converses with his men on the political situation. The camp settles, leaving four guards on duty. Vladic drinks and speaks of his mercenary adventures. Kasi keeps him talking to avoid rape, to no avail. Vladic grabs her. Before the rape occurs, a terrified shriek shatters the night. Something falls from the trees, knocking men over. Weapons are discharged, Vladic orders a cease fire. One of his men screams and races into the jungle: one of his comrades, bound hand and foot, lay dead from a cut throat. Then comes another from the trees! Vladic uses force to control his men, ordering the fires built up. Drunk, Vladic passes out.
Vladic awakes to a nightmare of attacking apes led by a giant naked white man. Vladic drags Kasi close for a shield since the villagers appear safe from attack. Ringed by apes, the white man instructs Vladic to release Kasi and he can leave. Vladic refuses, turning his pistol on the man. An ape gives warning and a name: Elmo. Vladic's aim wavers and in that instant an arrow enters his brain. Kasi turns to thank the stranger, but he and the apes are gone! Weeks following come rumors of a white man and apes targeting Mobutu's men, the "Ghost." Meanwhile, Kabila's troops advance upon Kinshasa.
Postscript: Nelson Mandela meets with ailing Mobutu Sese Seko aboard a ship. Urging Mobutu to surrender, he introduces Lord Passmore. Passmore suggests Mobutu make peace with Kabila and leave Zaire. Mobutu refuses. Passmore threatens trouble from Mobutu's Ghost and departs. The black leader is shaken. Meanwhile, Kabila is shown to a darkened stateroom. A voice prevents him turning on the light and tells him to leave the Rwandan refugees alone. Kabila is not impressed. The voice warns the mountain gorillas are inconvenienced by the battles--end the war or there might be a Kabila Ghost. Kabila turns on the light. He is alone in the stateroom! Elsewhere, Kasi's mother is finally seen by the Red Cross. The rebels are in control of the countryside. Telling her story to the doctor, he laughs. Elmo is a made up person, he says. Kasi in unconvinced. She remembers the giant man and the apes. Historical note: President Mobutu Sese Seka plans a state visit to Gabon. Rebel leader Laurent Kabila vows to take the capital. No Western news sources carry stories about "Mobutu's Ghost."