Mazuka Origins Pt-1

**Mazuka** Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:05 pm

//B.M. – Before Mazuka//

From the time Zachary Isaac Arison had arrived in Tanzania, Africa, he’d been treating the locals for various illnesses, wounds, and also trying desperately to keep them from starvation. He was the lead doctor in his group for the Wellness Without Borders organization. The group provided aid and relief to those victims of war and disaster and the less fortunate outside the US—regardless of race, religion, or politics. Their funding, while scarce at times, is usually volunteer donations and occasionally they receive help from the UN or even the country itself that they are in at the time.

Zach and his team set up camp in Tanzania after large amounts of rain wiped out main travel routes and destroyed a lot of plant-life, causing a siege of hunger to spread across a great deal of the wild-life to migrate elsewhere. After that, a major drought prevented any plant-life from reviving and thus the wild-life also stayed away…this period was known as ‘The Time of the Dead’. You either left and found food and shelter somewhere else, or stayed and starved.

They struggled to save more than they lost, falling considerably behind after what they called ‘The Plague’ came through and wiped out a lot of the locals and vanished just as quickly. It appeared hopeless, being there seemed to be a lost cause. They were doing all they could and they still couldn’t manage to keep the survival rate steady. Zach made bargains and pleas for help, for more funding so that they could obtain more food and medical supplies. But it was to no avail.

Zach grew frustrated, losing hope and becoming increasingly agitated each day. Though just when he was about to decide there was nothing left they could do there, a woman came to him—different from most. For one, she spoke English. She also wasn’t seeking medical help like the rest. She offered her services, hoping to sway Zach’s decision to call it quits and help wherever she could. He reluctantly took up her offer and continued on with his relief camp.

“Who are you? I’ve gotta know.” He’d asked her once to which she replied, “A messenger.”

“To whom are you delivering a message?”

“I believe you already know.”

“…And what is this message?”

“Aminia Yahya Kamaria. Believe.”

“Believe in what?”

“A gift.”

He didn’t understand at first, but he was certainly intrigued by her. They continued to converse and he remained at the camp, provided they kept receiving funding for aiding those in need, and while they lost more than they were saving—he soon found out that it was worth staying, if only for her. A bond formed between them, first that of great friendship and determination, then grew into a deep love and passion for one another.

After awhile, Zach grew concerned when she seemed to have pain and trouble breathing. He was right to be worried—she revealed to him that she was ill. Her symptoms came and went…and she had—at best—10 years left. She knew it, and she was dying. But she was also with child, his child. There wasn’t a single thing that could be done to save her, even when she first met Zach her fate was this. But Zach was a healer—and he refused to just stand by and watch her die. He exhausted every resource in an attempt to save her, or prolong her life further and bring her back to the U.S., to his home to treat her properly. But she refused and told him it had to be like this.

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