...---...

She stood at the edge of the Mosi-oa-Tunya. The mighty waters created by the Livingstone ancestral spirits roared with such a powerful force, but Kathy was not going to let that stop her from jumping into the magickal waters that some had told her granted one eternal youth. She closed her eyes, and clasped her palms. Then said a quick prayer. "Grant me eternal youth, o great ancestors. I only have this..." She took out a small blade from her fanny pack made from the fabrics imported all the way from Trong. Underneath the moonlight's night glow, she gazed in awe at the trickle of blood pouring from the cut she made in her right palm. She winced.

When she looked around, and over the other point of the mighty waters, many beastly eyes were staring right back at her. They glowed with a dark crimson hue, and then she heard a piercing howl coming from behind her. This startled her, and she slipped falling into the arms of the smoking water that sounded like thunder.

The next day, a young man who was kayaking along the bottom of the waterfall stumbled upon her body. He screamed, and alerted the authorities.

The local news channel, Livingi 1, who had been dying for a hit story rushed to the scene and caught footage of their latest of what was trending, and happening in the tourist capital of Livingstone.

The young man was speechless. The local news channel broadcasting team and the reporters had tried to ask him to explain what had happened. The only thing that he kept repeating was: "Her face's gone. Her entire face's gone. Her face's not there. Her face's missing."

The reporting crew sighed. This was not going to work, maybe they would wait for a little while before they asked the man to further elaborate, and if he knew what had brought about the death of the faceless Jane doe.

The police officers after a thorough investigation were pleased to report that they at least knew the Jane doe's name, Katherina Bwalya.

Her body was left at the morgue. Once there, the investigation would begin on trying to figure out what caused Katherina's death, and how she died.

The detective called in for the case was Jane Chintu. She had graduated top of her class from the Livingstone Detective and Investigative Academy (LDIA). This case rattled every bone in her body. This was nothing like most of the cases she had had to solve during her internship with the police in her final semester at the academy. For this one, she would have to end up using the local resources to try and figure out what exactly was going on here. Quite alright her methods relied on a blend of the methodologies of deduction learned at the academy, including various legends of the peculiar happenings, or going-on's that took place near the magickal Mosi-oa-Tunya.

Her partner, Daniel Sekelani, grinned. "I see the spark in your eyes, Ms. Chintu!"

Jane smiled, and replied, "Oh, Daniel, please just call me Jane.

"Yes, of course." As she said this, she raised a fist, and punched the air with gusto. "You already know that I am determined, and ready to find out what happened to Kathy."

"So," Daniel spoke almost in a whisper,"do you think 'twas a ghost that..." He moved his hands and acted as if he was choking himself.

"Please." Jane said as she rolled her eyes. "There are no such things as ghosts, Daniel."

Daniel stared and froze in place. Jane walked ahead, and then noticing that her partner was not by her side, she turned around to face him. "Hey." She snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Stop being a joker. Let's get to work."

Mr. Sekelani burst out laughing, and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Alright. I promise I will stay alert, and focused on this case." He grinned, and slipped his hands into the pockets of his thick cold season jacket.

"The police officers mentioned that when the found her body, and took it to the morgue something peculiar happened....

"The only thing that Kathy had across her face when she was pulled out from the bottom of the waterfall was three dots, three dashes, and another set of three dots.."

#...---...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A3tBINRdiE.

26th June, 2023.