Thursday, October 27, 2016

Chapter No. 07 " Running Amok"

     The stars flickering in the night sky as the Lunis glows silvery white, but illuminates the ground with a bluish twilight. The air is unusually calm, as normally there are still birds cawing, singing and whistling at this time. The bugs chirp and buzz for just a while more until the cool air replaces the warmth from the sunji heating the ground. A light mist begins to emit as the atmosphere lowers in pressure and the vapor in the air settles to the ground.  There is a sudden flash of brilliant white light from far off in the distance. The sky becomes illuminated momentarily as the flash fades off leaving a purple haze to diffuse the night sky. Jex and Narfeesh witness the flash which lights the surroundings for just a few seconds before dissipating. “ What was that?” She asks. Narfeesh replies, “ I don’t know, perhaps there’s thunder storm coming. In which case we better find shelter.” Standing still for a moment Jex stares at the sky above where the flash had taken place. She inquires, “ do you think it has to do with the fijar mogk?” Narfeesh looks at her, then back at the remnants left behind. Thinking for a moment about the celestial body that passed the night before he reflects on the legend. “ I’m not sure.” He answers as he factors in the mysterious visit and the words that have filled his thoughts from earlier. Meanwhile back in Yenga, the entire village rushes out to get a glimpse of the flash that fills the sky. There is much chatter as the villagers speculate as to what it could be. The lookers, and listeners assemble just outside the market. Errow, the village linguist approaches the group. He looks for Chargus, and Lutzi, ensuring both are there in attendance.  “ I’m sure you have all heard the news or witnessed what had just taken place. I assure you it’s nothing more than an thunder storm heading this way.” Just then the rippling shock wave passes through the village as it blows trees aside and huts not properly secured to the ground. There is a deafening crackle as the whole ground below their feet rumbles. Most everyone cowers down covering their ears. A moment after it had passed many villagers begin to question what just happened. Shaking his head side to side as he attempts to focus his thoughts, Errow says to the group gathered. “ See, as I said just a thunder storm, the wadja will soon fall after. We have all been gathered here because our lead dhanda would like to have a word with you all.”

      The men all look at each other wondering what this is all about. Lutzi remains looking forward, his thoughts elsewhere as he considers the fijar mogk from the night before. Chargus looks at Errow, lifting his head slightly to get Errow’s attention. He then shifts his eyes to the right towards Lutzi as to signal for Errow to look over at him. Every other individual there currently enthralled in speculation and conversation as to the flash that had just occurred. Errow makes his way over stopping in front of Lutzi. “ Do you have something you wish to say?” He questions. Breaking his concentration, Lutzi opens his mouth, but Before he can answer Yote yells interrupting him. “ ol-right den you useless excuses fer dhanda’s stand dere and shut it.” Errow smiles at Lutzi, “ we’ll continue this later.” He says as he raises his eyebrows confidently. Yote looks over at Errow, “ Errow! wot part of shut it dun you undah stand?” He asks angrily. Errow shrugs looking over to quickly apologize, “ sor...” But before he can finish Yote cuts him off, “ shut it!!!!” He screams as his face becomes flushed, the vein in his forehead protrudes and throbs. Making his way over Errow he gestures for Errow to lower his face down to his level by curling his index finger repeatedly. Lowering down in front Yote slaps Errow in the face with his open hand. The whole crowd flinches as contact is made. Turning to the side Errow accepts his punishment then stands back up straight. His face now burning where Yote’s hand contacted, Errow remains silent. Yote walks back in front of the group as he says, “ dats bettah.” He sighs gathering his thoughts before turning to face the group. “ Any of yew know wot it is why aye ave yew ere right now?” Not one person answers. Yote looks at their faces, mostly filled with fear and anxiety. “ Well let me tell yew den. Oi gavered yew ere to remind yew for de final time wot it is we are doing. Lookers, ware’s de lookers in de group?” He asks. “ Step forward, listeners yew step back. Just the lookers up front.” All the listeners take a step backwards leaving just the lookers and Errow standing there. Yote paces in front of the men standing there. Getting to Errow he looks up at the red mark on his face, with a smile he once again gestures for him to come down to his face. Doing so Yote smacks him across the opposite side of his face. The group winces once again as the hand contacts the face. “ Wot part of lookers only in de front did yew no get?” He asks. Errow steps back, both sides of his face throbbing now. Yote turns back around pacing once again in front of the group. “ Lookers it is de responsibility to watch for fings dat go on in an around de village. Yew see somefing you report it. Ave aye made myself clear!?” He yells. Once again no one says a word. He repeats, “ ave oi made myself clear!?” The group of lookers and Errow all respond unanimously. “ Yes Yote!” Looking over Yote sees Errow yelling, “ do yew like it wen oi smash moi and on yor face?” Errow shakes his head side to side, “ no Yote, I don’t!” He replies. Yote then proceeds to ask, “ den why do you make me ave to do it?” Errow answers, “ I don’t understand.” Yote makes his way back towards Errow, the group of lookers moves aside out of his way. Yote curls his index finger once again, “ come ere now... dun be shy!” He says to Errow who is reluctant to lower his face. Just as Yote lifts his arm to smack him across his face for a third time a voice calls out, “ he doesn’t understand you because you talk different!” The entire crowd gasps as they all look amongst each other. Yote freezes just before striking Errow again. “ ew says dat?” He demands to know. Lutzi steps forward. “ It was me.” He answers. Errow looks over surprised that Lutzi would do such a thing. Yote lightly slaps Errow on the cheek, “ stand back up!” He tells him. Making his way over to Lutzi Yote
adjusts his belt and satchel as he tosses his head to the side cracking the vertebrae in his neck. He smiles, “ now wot would compelle yew to say such a fing?” He asks. Lutzi looks down at the short man, taking a moment he replies. “ You are not of this land, you came here from Brierland did you not?”

     Yote looks around as all the other watch intently. “ Aye, an wot’s dat matta?” Lutzi rebuttals, “ that’s my point. You came from elsewhere and as such you speak different. Perhaps Errow can’t understand you because of the  difference in the way you speak.” Looking back at Errow, Yote raises his eyebrows, “ is dis de troof den?” He asks Errow, who shakes his head and answers, “ no Yote. I can understand just fine.” He replies. Lutzi looks over at Errow and sighs. Yote looks back at Lutzi as the whole group watches waiting to see what will happen. Yote smiles, “ I appree-she-ate de fought, but I’m fraid dat’s jus not de case. You know Lutzi, I admire de fact dat you spoke up in is defense just den. Says alot about wot yew stand for. But now oi ave to do somfin I dun want to ave to....” Turning back he yells, “ Errow!” Getting his attention, “ come ere!” He says motioning for him to come over instead of going to him. Errow smiles at Lutzi as he makes his way towards the short man. Yote curls his finger to have him come closer. “ Oi need ta tell yew somefing dat’s for yew only!” He says. Errow bends forward turning his head towards Yote. Placing both of his hands around his mouth as if about to whisper as secret into Errow’s ear Yote leans close. With his left hand he grasps Errow’s hair, and with his right he smacks him across the face. All the men wince as he makes contact. “ Now maybe nex time yew won’t ave such a ard time earing wot it is oi say!” He then pushes Errow back. Returning to the front he continues his speech. “ Right now all de listeners step forward, lookers an Errow step back!” Everyone does as he says. “ Good oi fink we ave an undah-standing now. Listeners it yer jobs ta listen and report. If a looker tells yew somefin you don’t deside wevah or not to report, yew jus do! Do oi make myself clear?” He asks. The listeners reply simultaneously, “ yes Yote!” He smiles, “ now finally, last but certainly now least. Errow step forward!” The lookers and listeners step back leaving a large space between them and Errow, who take a step forward then looks back at the others. “ Dun look at dem, look at me!” Yote shouts. Errow sharply turns around to face Yote. “ If yew ear anyfing. An oi mean anyfing, yew tell me roight away. Do yew undahstand?” Errow nods, replying, “ yes Yote!” Nodding, Yote says his final words before dismissing the group. “ Well den if the wadja is gun fall soon we bettah fix dem uts for the village. Dun waste anymore time, get on it!” He exclaims before turning around to make his way back up the hill towards Yetzan’s residence. Stopping he turns back, as the men all begin to walk away Yote shouts, “ wait now... one more fing.” The men all freeze and turn to look back at him. “ Anyone see dem tew Giblet an Dwege? I notice dey aren’t ere!” The men all look at each other. Most everyone shakes their heads no. Yote then says, “ wen dey show up yew send dem to me!” As he sticks his thumb into his chest. Turning back he continues to the path leading to the staircase up the hill to Yetzan’s.

     The men all return to what they were about to do. The nigh sky clear as the Lunis shines on down. Not a cloud in sight. Still the villagers all work together to resurrect the huts. Slowly they all begin to speak, forming various individual conversations that becomes an ambiance as the villagers break off into different groups all working together to rebuild. As everyone is hard at work, Errow takes a moment to stop what he is doing. He looks over at Lutzi who is busy with a few men. Lutzi does not notice Errow staring, he just remains working. Moments later Errow notices the two missing men, Dwege and Giblet approaching from the distance. He drops everything to make his way over. The two are so preoccupied in their story they plan to tell Yote that they fail to see Errow heading towards them. “ Where were you two?!” Errow asks interrupting the two and catching them off guard at the same time. Coming to a halt the two men stand looking at each other. “ We were doing something very important!” Dwege exclaims. Errow sneers at Dwege, “ oh really? And what’s that?” He inquires. Dwege retorts, “ we were fighting off a...” And before he can finish Giblet elbows him in the side, as to get his attention. “ What is it?” He turns to ask Giblet, who nervously replies, “ we were going to pick up something important.” Dwege misunderstanding shakes his head. “ No we weren’t.” He says, as Errow grows impatient with the two. Giblet looks at Dwege, widening his eyes, “ yes we were!” He replies. Dwege shakes his head, “ no we were fighting those shemli dhanda’s that we killed remember!?” He says with a very obvious wink to follow. Giblet growls, “ no we were not! Remember!” Errow now suspicious asks, “ so you were off killing some shemli dhanda’s now were you?” He skeptically asks. Giblet shakes his head. “ We were collecting something important to Yote. Dwege is thinking of something else!” He says attempting to cover for Dwege’s explanation. Shifting his vision from one to the other, Errow doesn’t know what to think. He replies, “ well Yote just so happens to be looking for you two, so we’ll see. By the way, Dwege what’s that stench? And how did you get those markings and bruises?” Giblet looks at Dwege and then back to Errow. “ It’s a long story, we will explain it to Yote.” Hesitant to believe, Errow responds, “ very well. I will take you to see him myself. I wish to know what is going on and if you will only tell him, I want to be there to hear it.” Giblet looks at him, then back at Dwege. “ Fine.” He says, pushing past Errow to head for the steps leading up the hill. Errow looks at Dwege who smiles and shrugs. He then follows behind, as Errow follows him. The three walking up the steps carved into the hillside, Giblet and Dwege side by side as Errow follows a few steps below. As they round the bend that then leads to the steep climb up neither says a word. Giblet thinking to himself about what is going to happen when they reach the top. Dwege thinking about explaining the amazing story of how he solely killed off the shemli dhanda’s and saved Giblet. Errow thinking by bringing these two to see Yote that perhaps that could ease some of the grief he’s been receiving lately.

      In the village, in the midsts of the rebuilding of the huts and shanties at the base of the hill Lutzi stops working for a moment spotting movement above. He looks to see Errow walking with Giblet and Dwege towards the chief’s residence. He smiles then returns to his task, heaving a pile of dried grasses and sticks aside to cover the outer walls of a structure. Moments later, as the three reach the top Giblet and Dwege freeze before the large gate. Errow questions, “ well what are you waiting for? Open the gate!” The two look at each other. Both shrugging simultaneously, before they both turn to grab the gate. Giblet pushes as Dwege pulls. Both men groan laboriously, “ are you pushing?” Dwege asks. Giblet replies, “ yes, that’s how it opens.” Dwege responds, “ no it’s a pull, you have to pull it!” Giblet shakes his head and retorts, “ it’s definitely a push!” Once again both men shrug and then attempt to do the opposite they were just doing. Giblet begins to pull as Dwege pushes. Both men struggling to budge the gate. Errow scoffs from behind. “ What’s the matter can’t you two open a gate?” Giblet shouts, “ I’m pulling!” As Dwege shakes his head, “ you’re pulling now? I was pushing! I thought you said it was push?” Giblet shrugs, “ no you said it was pull, you seemed so sure.” Dwege replies, “ well I don’t know anymore, do we push or pull?” Both men look back at Errow who bites his lower lip in frustration, “ it’s neither! It slides!” He says angrily. Giblet laughs, as Dwege huffs, “ well why didn’t you say so?” Reaching for the bars Dwege places his hand on the outside bars as Giblet grasps the inside ones. Giblet slides the gate to the side trapping Dwege’s fingers between the two. Dwege screams, “ arhhhggg! My hand! It’s stuck, open the gate!”  As Giblet panics and continues to push. Errow finally having enough pushes Giblet aside and slides the gate back releasing his fingers. By now the commotion has gotten both Yetzan and Yote’s attention as the two exit the residence making their way over to the three at the gate. The last thing Yote managed to see was Errow pushing on the gate whilst Dwege was screaming with his hand trapped in it. “ wot’s de meaning of dis! Still not listening cos yew fink jus coz yur a linguis yew dun ave ta?” He asks excitedly. Errow shakes his head as he nervously replies, “ no Yote, I was helping him to get out, it was Giblet that trapped him in the first place.” As he points at Giblet standing back away. Yetzan and Yote look over at him, then back at Errow. “ Really now, yew cannae even take de blame for wen it is yew urt an mess up. Blamin de ofvers now.” Shaking his head in disappointment Yote then instructs Giblet and Dwege to enter the property. “ dere’s some splainin ta do.” He says as the two men enter through the gate.

     Errow attempts to follow he is stopped by Yetzan standing before him with his arms crossed. Errow Looks up at him to see him shaking his head from side to side. “ You’ve done enough Errow,  Yote and myself will hand these two. You better Go on before Yote finds another reason to smack you.” Errow slightly embarrassed nods as Yetzan closes the gate sliding it to the side. Watching from through the bars on the gate as Yote places his arm around Dwege to lead him back towards the house. Yetzan walks behind Giblet who follows Yote and Dwege. “ Now tell me wot it is yew found.” He mentions as they walk beyond earshot of Errow. Exhaling a large breath Errow hits the gate with both fists closed, he then kicks the gate enraged as he growls. “ That should be me! I should be in there!” He mutters before giving up. As Yetzan holds the door open for the others to enter he gives one look back to see Errow still standing there. Squinting as he moves his head forward to get a better look he then shakes his head from side to side before entering the home himself. The door slams behind him, and the yard is left empty. Errow turns to head back down the hill, bothered by the thought the entire way. With his head down he watches the ground in front rather than what is ahead of him. Reaching the base he returns to assisting with the rebuilding of the huts. Meanwhile inside the chief’s residence Yote takes a seat, as does Yetzan. Giblet and Dwege are left standing as they are not offered a spot to sit. Natutu peeks out from his room to look as Yote starts of saying, “ so me chief. Jus as oi had suspected, deese tew were off at the Allmeya farm on an errand.” Yetzan cuts him off there, “ what sort of errand is required there?” Yote smiles revealing his dirty stained worn down teeth. “ Well me chief, dere’s de mattah of yur unda.” Yetzan frowns, “ what does Natutu have to do those Allmeya’s?... Is this about that madja? I already told him!... Natutu get out here!” He booms. Yote shakes his head attempting to diffuse the situation, “ no, dere’s more den jus dat.”

     Giblet and Dwege standing before Yote and Yetzan, both men look at each other. Wondering what is about to happen. Yetzan sniffs the air, “ what is that smell?” He angrily slams his fist down onto the arm of his chair. Giblet takes a small step to the side as to distance himself from Dwege. a moment later Natutu steps out from his room into the hall leading to where the men are all gathered. “ So Yote, tell me then what is this about?” Natutu walks in, standing between Yote and his father. Yote stalls for a moment, “ well umm, it is dat dere’s... well... dere appens ta be more to it an den it jus so appens dat umm Allmeya an is dawtea got all wravelled up in it...” Dwege interrupts, “ it was shemli dhanda’s!...” Giblet scrunches his face up just before he covers it with the open palm of his right hand. Yote stammers, “ yeah it was dem shemli dhanda’s den...” as Yetzan pushes Natutu aside, “ what, what, what?!” He exclaims, as Yote realizes what he’d just agreed to, he looks over horrified. Dwege continues, “ well it was just us, Giblet and me!” He says slapping Giblet on the back. “ We were out past the Allmeya farm, we were just on our way back when out of nowhere these two pale skinned dhanda’s jump on us and attacked us!” He points to the scrapes and bruises on his face. “ That’s how I got these! No matter... if not for Giblet I’d be dead, cause one of them practically sat on my face and kept me from breathing.” Yetzan with eyes wide open, completely intrigued asks,
“ so what did you do then?” Giblet unable to listen anymore figures he might as well end it now before it becomes too fat fetched. “ We ran my chief!” Yote looks over at Giblet, then back at Dwege. Natutu who had been there the entire time becoming increasingly excited to hear the story. Yetzan then asks, “ did you run straight back to the village?” Dwege nods his head yes, as Giblet shakes his head no. Giblet elbows Dwege. “ We ran through the hunting ground my chief. That way if they followed they’d be trapped for sure!” Yetzan sits back to relax as he thinks for a moment.

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