by S. K. Ng
Venom sat by the edge of the water. He noticed the strength of the current. He reasoned that a large dam must have broken somewhere. At that moment he was glad he had forced Pearl, Hay and the rest of their village to climb up the base of the mountain range. Only essential goods were taken, and these were packed directly onto their horses. The pathways up the mountain range were too steep for the carts.
Venom stared blankly at the fast flowing current. Then suddenly, something floated by that caught his attention. It was a man, struggling to stay afloat.
“Help! I need strong rope and good swimmers! We have survivors being washed away by strong currents!” shouted Venom to his fellow villagers.
A few youths came running towards where Venom was seated. A number of stout men followed.
“What should we do?” asked one of the youths.
“Get those ropes and tie them separately around our waists! The rest of you hold on tightly while we swim out to the survivors. When we call out to you, pull us in. Don’t forget to tie the end of those ropes to an anchor of some sort, maybe the trunk of that tree,” said Venom as he pointed to a large tree.
More survivors floated by, swept away by the strong current. They wasted no time in following Venom’s instruction. Venom and the youth jumped into the raging floodwaters. It took Venom only a short while to get to the nearest survivor, a barely conscious male. He called out to his fellow villagers and they pulled hard on the rope. He could feel the force of the current being exerted on his body and the counter-force of his fellow villagers pulling at his waist. He looked around to see the youth had caught hold of another survivor. He was being pulled back to the bank as well. A few more splashes ensued and Venom could now see three or four more rescuers in the water, doing the same thing he was doing. Venom had barely reached the bank and had the flood-swept man pulled up before he swam out again for another survivor. There were so many of them, and they floated by so fast that he knew that most of them would not be saved.
Half an hour later, there were approximately twenty exhausted and traumatised men, women and children sitting and shivering, wrapped in blankets, towels and whatever spare cloth Venom’s fellow villagers had to offer. Venom started to shiver as soon as he had climbed out of the water and Pearl wasted no time in wrapping him up with towels, a blanket and a rain coat. Hay brought his father a cup of hot chocolate, which was covered with a lid since it was still raining. Venom sipped the hot beverage slowly and with every swallow, warmth began to fill him.
“Let’s get some spare wood and build shelters for these people! Hurry! They’re shivering and the sooner we get them near a fire the better they’ll be,” instructed the village headman.
Venom put down his cup and started to take off the blanket when his headman saw him and stopped him.
“You get into your shelter and rest, Venom. You’ve done a lot for these people already. Let us carry on from here. You go get yourself warmed up,” said the headman.
“Are you sure, Headman Bolven? I’m still fine. I can help some more!” offered Venom.
“Yes, I’m sure. We’ve enough volunteers for this. You get out of the rain and get some rest!” insisted Headman Log Bolven.
An hour later, Root Swerrell sat next to a small campfire inside a makeshift shelter. He was shivering severely. His face was as pale as a ghost. There were cuts and bruises on his arms and legs. But that did not matter to him. Nothing mattered to him anymore. He was not happy to be alive. Someone had swum out in the raging current of the flood to save him, but he was not sure if that person did him a great favour or laid upon him a great curse. Daisy was dead. He saw her body floating and bobbing away from him in the strong currents. Crystal smashed her head against a rock when the current swept her away. Root was witness to that too. His mother was missing, and so was Bud. He reasoned that they were both probably dead as well. And here he sat, sheltered and relatively dry, enjoying the comforts of a small warm fire. His eyes stared blankly into the flickering flames. And a thought came to his mind, ‘I’m still alive, why!?’
The rain continued on for three more days. When the sun finally broke through the clouds, there was a short feeling of relief and gladness amongst the survivors. Then a new reality sank in. Their homes and fields were flooded. Crops, whether harvested or not, were all destroyed. Most of the livestock were either drowned or washed away. How would they even start to rebuild their lives? Could their lives even be rebuilt?
The light hurt his eyes. Something was not right! Can a dead person feel pain? The light was too bright. He wanted to make it stop. With a tremendous effort, he managed to heave one of his arms over his eyes. The relief was instantaneous. There was no illusion. He was still alive. How? He did not know. He did not care. He did not get the relief that he had hoped death would offer him. But does death truly offer relief? He had hoped so, but now he would never find out. Bud Swerrell was still alive, and that was that!
Bud did not bother to get up for a long time. His body shuddered and shivered. But it was not because he was cold. It was because he was grieving. Finally, he pulled himself up. He wiped away the tears. He toughened up. No amount of tears would bring back the dead, he knew. And dying might not reunite him with them either! The only thing left to do was to carry on. Carry on!
Bud forced himself to get up. The first thing that greeted him was the sight of soft, white and fine sand. Sand!? That meant that he was somehow at the south-eastern shoreline of Southern Falls. That meant that he was at least two days’ ride, or ten days’ travel by foot, from Leafdreams Village. He looked around. There were no signs of settlement or civilisation anywhere. So he chose a random direction and just started walking. He came across a fishing village the next day. With a few kind acts of its inhabitants, Bud was fed, sheltered and given a few silver coins to help him get back home.
The scene was almost the same every time. The survivors returned to their homes, or what was left of them. There was mud, dirt and debris everywhere. A few lucky ones heard their names being called, turned around and were greeted with the sight of a loved one whom they had thought to be dead. First came the stare, then as the shock and disbelief subsided; they would run and hug each other with teary eyes. And then they would go to the cemetery to visit the graves, filled or empty, of their friends and relatives who did not survive. There they would break down in tears again.
And it was so when Bud Swerrell returned to his farm and found his elder brother Root clearing debris from what was left of their ruined house. Bud supposed that he should feel grateful. His brother Root was still alive. Crystal, Daisy and their mother’s bodies were recovered and proper burials were given to them, unlike many of the ‘symbolic’ empty graves that were dug around them. But he did not feel grateful. He felt that he was robbed! Robbed of a mother who had raised him fine and straight! Robbed of a wife and the potential family that they could have had! Robbed of a sister-in-law and a nephew or niece who never even had the chance of smelling the fresh air, feeling the warmth of the sun or touching the softness of the earth!
One week had passed since the rain stopped. There was a knock on the door. Deputy Governor Greel shouted for the guests to enter. A group of 15 filthy looking men and women entered into the lavish office. Amongst them were Rake Breven, Venom Collart, Oak Nomell, and Root and Bud Swerrell. Since most of the villagers, including the respective headmen from Greensoil and Sunbright, were killed by the same muddy wave that killed the Swerrells’ wives and mother, the survivors from these villages had decided to merge with the survivors of Leafdreams and accepted Headman Kinden as their own headman. But a few days after returning to Leafdreams, Headmen Kinden died of illness and Bud was unanimously elected as their leader. Venom was elected headman of Hopecreek much the same way when Headman Bolven had died of illness. And it was the same for Oak, who was now the headman of Whiterapids.
The sight of these 15 unhygienic farmers offended Deputy Governor Greel tremendously. What right did they have to even enter his office?
What right did they have to even call themselves humans? They looked like they belonged to the slave markets of Serpentia!
Rake and Venom sat themselves down opposite the deputy governor while the rest stood behind them.
“Who are you people and what do you want!?” demanded the deputy governor, obviously taken aback by the unhygienic look of his visitors.
“Kind sir, we’re representatives of the 10 villages at the outskirts of Southverge Town. We’re here, sir, to ask for aid for our villages. We were hit by a massive storm that destroyed our homes and our crops, and killed many of our kin. We need aid to rebuild,” answered Rake Breven.
“Aid to rebuild!? What do you think this is, a charity organisation!?” shouted Deputy Governor Greel.
“But isn’t the government a charity organisation!? Isn’t that the reason why we pay tax, so that the tax money is used to tend to the people’s needs!?” argued Venom Collart.
Deputy Governor Greel shook his head. He started laughing out loud.
“I do not know what ideas you dumb village folks have running around in your stupid, uneducated heads! This is not a charity. It is a business. And I am in the business of getting rich! Not only have you failed to pay your taxes, but you have the cheek to come and ask me for aid!? You people still owe the government 200 sacks of wheat flour, 200 sacks of rice and 1000 gold coins!” shouted the deputy governor.
The farmers were shocked. They did not expect the deputy governor to react this way. Where was his humanity?
“This is tyranny! This is oppression! This is just ruthless victimisation! If this is the nature of the government, then what’s the difference between living in Free Falls and living in Serpentia or the Arid Plains!? Didn’t all our ancestors leave Serpentia and the Arid Plains so as not to become slaves to any ruler!? Did they not leave those ancient lands so as not to become victims anymore!? Did they not form this kingdom so as to live in harmony and support for one another!? Where is the promise of the Kingdom of Free Falls!” objected Bud.
“Promise of the Kingdom of Free Falls!? There is no such thing! It is just a fairy tale for people like me to tell to people like you so that people like you work hard and give people like me money and power!” laughed Deputy Governor Greel so loudly that he almost fell off his seat.
The fury in Rake Breven was building up.
“And why is it that we work to give you money and power instead of you working to give us money and power!?” he questioned.
“Here is a simple answer that even you dumb farmers can understand! I am the direct descendant of a Serpentian battlelord of the olden days. I am born of a higher birth, whereas you are not! I am born of a privileged race, whereas you are not! I am raised by the best education, whereas you are not! I have a destiny to fulfil, whereas you do not! I have worked tirelessly for this post whereas you did not! I am to be your Prime Minister one day, and you, however, will not! Is that simple enough for you!?” said Deputy Governor Greel.
“For your information, Deputy Governor Stomp Greel, there’s no such thing as a higher birth, or privileged race, or special ancestry! There’s no such thing as a ruling class or a divinely destined class or anything like that! All human beings are equal in the eyes of The Creator; therefore all human beings must be seen as equals in the eyes of each other! As for education, shouldn’t education empower you to be compassionate and caring!? Does education not make you a better thinker, a more responsible and reasonable human being!? It seems to me that you’re not and therefore, you’re less educated than us! For even if dumb farmers can understand compassion and concern for our fellow living beings, even to the extent of the welfare of our animals, what more is there to say about the bureaucrat who can’t!? And though you’ve worked tirelessly for this post, should you not then feel gratitude for those who’ve helped you and supported you to the point that you’ve earned this post!? And should you not give back to those people!? You do have a destiny to fulfil, I believe. Hell is waiting for you!” argued Rake Breven.
“Get out of my office, all of you! You have two weeks to pay up, or I shall drive you out of your homes!” shouted the furious deputy governor.
“We’ll not stand for tyranny, oppression, persecution and victimisation! Stomp Greel, you have one week to deliver us the aid we need!” shouted Bud as they left the office.
The looks on their faces were identical. It was the look of disgust and anger. All 15 representatives of the 10 villages sat cramped around a large table at a food stall just a block away from Deputy Governor Greel’s office. They were so upset that no one spoke a word for a very long time.
“What can he do to us?” asked Root finally.
“What can he do!? There’s nothing for us to give, or for him to take!” answered Venom.
“That’s not entirely true! He could have us arrested, or evicted from our own lands,” corrected Rake.
“Is he that cruel!?” asked a woman in her mid-forties.
“Yes!” came the almost unanimous answer.
“I suppose he is, then,” resigned the woman.
“I didn’t mean to kill your spirits, Eclipse, but we have to face facts!” said Rake in a semi-apologetic way.
The woman named Eclipse smiled. This was something that none of the other 14 people could do.
“It’s all right! I understand. Please forgive my naivety; this village headperson thing is still new to me. Forkwater Village elected me against my will, basically. There were better candidates, but none as gullible as me, I suppose. Anyway, what do we do now?” said Eclipse.
“We’ll try to meet Governor Sheppal. He’s a much more reasonable man then Greel!” said Rake.
“And what if he’s not! Or what if Greel stops us from meeting the governor?” asked Bud Swerrell.
“We’ll fight! We’ll organise protests! Civil unrests! Let the other citizens know how ill we’ve been treated! Make the government look stupid!” said Rake.
“And if that doesn’t work, what then!?” questioned Bud.
All of them were silent. Every one of them was lost in deep thought. Venom, however, shook his head. Finally, he broke the silence.
“We rebel!” exclaimed Venom.
“What!?” said a few of them, unsure whether they had heard him correctly.
“I said that if the government, and in particular that idiot Greel, doesn’t help us but take some sort of action against us instead; we rebel!” said Venom slowly and clearly.
“Careful Venom, that’s treason!” warned Rake.
“Protests are one thing, but rebellion? No, I won’t agree to that!” expressed Eclipse.
“Me neither!” said a few of the others.
“Fine! I won’t force it on any of you. This will be strictly voluntary! But as far as I’m concerned, I’d rather die fighting than live an oppressed life!” said Venom.
There was silence once again.
Finally, Root Swerrell cleared his throat to break the awkward silence.
“How are we going to know how to rebel?” he asked.
“Oak, you were a great warrior once. I know you’ve tried to hide it, but I’ve heard the rumours! You were a Serpentian warrior and you’ve killed hundreds of people when you were much younger. Lead us! Or at least teach us! We’re farmers, not warriors; but you, you’re different! You know how to fight! How to kill! Teach us so that we can get some justice! Please help us, Oak, because you’re one of us; and we need your expertise,” pleaded Venom, turning to look at Oak.
Oak’s face went pale and sweaty. He was frozen as stiff as a log. His jaw dropped and his mouth was opened wide.
“How did… how… how did you know?” asked Oak.
“Like I said, I’ve heard the rumours,” answered Venom.
Oak just sat silent. He was lost in his own thought. Everyone was staring at him, anticipating his answer.
“Really boys, I think we’re all overreacting!” reasoned Eclipse, breaking the tension of the moment, and allowing Oak some time to recompose him
self.
“I hope so, although I know it not to be so!” said Venom soberly.
The 15 representatives sat silently once again, engrossed in deep thought. Each of them knew that they were facing a forked road, with options that were radical and that led to extreme consequences. On one hand, they could just sit quietly and accept whatever that was going to happen to them. In this case they would be cheated of justice, and of their rights and benefits. It would also mean certain bankruptcy or even incarceration. On the other hand, they could make a stand. But how firm should their stand be? How far could they go? How far should they go? How far is too far!? Whatever their final choice would be, each of them knew that their lives would never be the same again. The hope and dream that was the Kingdom of Free Falls was dead, or at least dead to them!
Three weeks later, Root and Bud Swerrell sat down with a faint smile on their faces. It was their first smile since the tragedy. The midday sun shone brightly, as if rejoicing in their little victory. The pile of burning rubbish signified the end of three weeks of hard work. The debris that had ‘decorated’ their home had been cleared off. The walls and roof had been repaired, or to be more precise, ‘rebuilt’. Just then, they heard sounds of galloping horses. A stream of Provincial Guards rode up to the Swerrell brothers’ front porch.
“By order of Deputy Governor Greel, your land and home are confiscated due to failure to pay the correct amount of tax! Pack up your things and leave at once, or you will be arrested! You have exactly one hour to comply!” said the stream commander, a suvian by rank, before he turned around and galloped off, with the rest of the stream following behind.