The Edge of the Light

Final morning out of Skukuza, through the gate early. That is the whole trick to driving yourself in Kruger: be the first one out, before the rest of the camp is awake. Near the bridge we ran into her, on her own, and we were the only car there.

She wandered about for a while and then sat down in the first sun of the day. Behind her nothing but burnt bush and rock, which closed up completely against the light. She was sitting exactly on the line where the light stopped, and all I had to do was wait on it.

Half an hour later that was over. The cars come, and then this stops being a moment and turns into a queue. This frame exists because for a short while we were the only ones there.