by Shane Cogan
Samarth stood up and walked a few steps into the clearing. Still naked, he stopped and looked around at the creatures. ‘Are you not coming with me, we have much work to do? Come, my forest friends. We walk,’ he said. They obliged. All with a different style of walking. They followed him into the depths of the forest.
C H A P T E R 19
Amarron
Aluum’s eyes were focused on one figure that she saw standing out from the crowd. A tall woman in a long flowing yellow garment. She moved towards Aluum, with her blond hair touching the ground. Aluum was hooked on the piercing black spot in the middle of her deep blue eyes. As she approached, the tall woman moved her hands in a clockwork motion around her head, again and again. Her eyes remained on the visitor. The rest of the individuals in the room just bowed as the woman glides towards me. Eighteen, nineteen…maybe twenty, half-male and half-females. Shadows and light mixed with the figures, some standing back in the darkness, and others half in the light. Some are small in size, others really big. But nothing like the woman with the yellow dress and blond hair. Aluum stopped her glancing and counting, as she was now hovering over her. Her facial stare and the eyes transfixed on Aluum. Still no words or anything!
Aluum tried to move her feet and arms, but couldn’t move. Or wherever I am? But I feel so at ease. She smiled as the yellow woman began to dance around her, faster and faster. This is an incredible routine. Her whole body was gliding in sync. Yet, her feet were on the ground. All the entities’ feet were. The woman in yellow stopped and placed her glittering hands on Aluum’s head. She merely smiled and said nothing. Aluum felt an incredible burst of heat and energy from the woman’s hands. I love it. I feel so strong. After some time, the female released her hands. The yellow entity knelt down, with her face horizontal to Aluum’s. She whispered in her ear. ‘My dear Aluum, welcome home. We have missed you,’ she said and straightened her back and returned to an upright position. Aluum’s eyes never left the woman’s movement. She tried to speak, her lips frantically opening and closing. She took a deep breath. ‘Where I am? Who are you? Why…?’ The tall female put a finger to her lips. Aluum heard everyone in the room make a slow hissing sound, in sync.
The woman in yellow walked back towards the rest of the crowd and through their shadows. A small figure stepped into the partial light, his hands partially visible. He did not step forward, but done a small twirl in front of Aluum. He spoke with a crispy, yet firm voice. ‘Aluum, all these questions will be answered in good time. You must have lots to ask. We realise this.’ ‘Yes, I understand. But please tell me where I am. What is this place? And is this real? Am I still dreaming?’ Aluum asked. The male spoke, Aluum felt was the smallest of the group, while rubbing his round belly: ‘Yes. You are still dreaming, but this is real. We are real. And you have merely come back home to connect with us, through your mind.’ Aluum looked around for the lady in yellow. ‘Where is home? This place? What is this place?’ ‘Oh, this place is called Amarron. And you were once…’ He paused, but glances around the room at the other males and females, ‘our leader,’ he said. Everyone else in the room hummed a small word, which developed into Aluum’s name. But in a soft, low, timely manner. The woman in yellow continued her little dance, alone. The only eyes on her were that of Aluum’s.
She tried to collect her thoughts. She inspected her body - her hands, her feet, her face. Is this the real me, or is it a dream? She shrieked and curled into a ball. Tears rolled down her face and down her knees. Aluum rocked to and fro. Her face locked in a grimace. Her body began to spasm frantically. I cannot control my mind. Who am I? What was that place they called Amarron? From the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of shadows in the room and heard their collective chanting. The words muffled to her ears. Closer she came to Aluum. The woman in yellow danced around Aluum, despite her screams; her eyes no longer on the female, but the yellow dress. Its swirling appearing like circles of flames, as it engulfed Aluum. She forced her neck upward, little by little. Aluum could see the yellow dress spinning faster and faster. She saw that the small male, who had uttered the only words and attempted to answer her questions, retreated back into the group. A mere shadow. And now spectator, like the rest of the group. Their chanting rising higher. Aluum held her ears but could not close her eyes. But there was no interfering. I feel totally impaired and hopeless. Her screams dominated the room. Yet, the swirling and chanting continued. Her body rocking to her screams. Her feet tapping in a pool of her bodily fluid.
Aluum saw a small female, with barely her face visible in the diminishing light, stepping forward. The bare light in the room caught an oval face with dark brown eyes, the rest of the body cloaked by the light and her dark clothes. Her teeth and lips remained closed. Then a noise came. Aluum heard her clap her hands together. Loudly. Three times. Each clap was louder than the previous one. On the third and final clap, everything stopped. Silence. No more screams. She could see no more yellow, no more light. Just darkness.
******
The barest of light from a half opened window revealed a naked body on a bed. A wet patch in the middle of the white sheets. Dark drapes were moving around in the night breeze. Around the room, various candles were lit, or had gone out with the breeze. Its light criss-crossed to the tune of the faint the window light, that disclosed her slender body, shinning and glistened with sweat. Kassobra was panting. Long breaths at first. Then howls. There were three other bodies, all naked on her bed. Masculine howls greeted her ears. Her panting grew louder, as one of the muscular males on her bed thrust deeper into Kassobra. Another was using his tongue to caress her. She screamed more. The window pane flung open and bright light revealed the third male on top of her. His moans the loudest before he collapsed on the sheets. Kassobra, on hearing his final moan, focused on the other two males. She dominated the activities. A female moan controlled the noise exchanges and the second male collapsed. She grabbed the third male’s genitals. I need more. He pulled away from her. Kassobra reached for his genitals again, but released them. He pulled free from her hand and rolled over on his side. She moved to the other side of the bed. ‘Can you all leave now? I need my space,’ she said, her breathing still panting, but the words firm. The males collected their garments and scurried out of the room. Kassobra was already stepping into the shower, as the final male, half dressed, closed the door behind him.
She closed her eyes as the jet spray hit her face. She watched the hot vapour mix with her sweat, sperm, salvia and bodily fluids and run down her body and swirl in a foam substance under her feet. Kassobra stepped out of the shower and walked past the large mirror, barely looking at it.
Leaving a trail of water behind her, she grabbed a light robe. She sighed as it absorbed the remaining drops on her body and covered her nakedness. She opened the two large doors that led to a terrace. Not a squeak from its hinges. She looked out onto the streets below. Quiet, as ever. And then she looked up into the sky. Right on time, Yunois. Almost a full one. Kassobra removed the robe and placed it on a chair. Her body glistened as the moon beam hit its nakedness. As the moon hit her body, she watched as her skin tone changes. Her pale yellow dilated pupils matching its new colour. Almost sexually satisfied. She sat down, facing Yunois and crossed her legs. She closed her eyes with her hands resting on her knee. She inhaled a long deep breath. After exhaling its stale air, she said: ‘I call upon the deities of the old world. The one true goddess of air and fire has but one request.’
C H A P T E R 20
The Naragas
Tiuus counted the days he was on Glow Mountain. He tapped his seventh finger. The small man who had taken him in on his first day on the mountain had made it very clear. Don’t cause trouble. Rise early. And work late. He counted them again and pinned them into the corner of the building he shared with them. The shoats muttered their language back at him. ‘Yes, yes. It’s almost time for us all to rest,’ he said while yawning. He recalled the first conversation he had with the small man and his family on the f
irst night. We only live here. Nowhere else but on the mountain. They call us the lost tribe of the old people or the old folk. We are the Naragas. The Naragas, the man had explained to Tiuus, were now so small in number, they had protective status in Atis – granted by the King himself. Tiuus admitted he had never heard of them before, nor their language, culture or customs. Tiuus turned as he heard a door being opened. The little mountain man was staring at the Manith. He was muttering some words. ‘The common tongue, please. I cannot speak your language yet. Slowly, little man,’ Tiuus said. ‘You don’t believe about our existence,’ he said in the common tongue.
‘They are the oldest tribes on the planet. Thousands of millennia old. Estimates put the Naraga population at around 100 people or so. And some are here in this house,’ the small man said. Tiuus nodded that he understood. ‘You tell me that same story each and every morning,’ he laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. ‘We, the Naragas, believe that Glow Mountain was….’ ‘Yes, the creator of life for all Atisians and that the universe was created here on this mountain by the ancient gods that only you worshipped. I’ve heard that one too,’ Tiuus said louder this time. ‘And you have told me all about the strange creatures, rare plant life and nocturnal noises that dominate the mountain and the Naraga,’ he pointed at the small man, ‘believe that the mountain has a special power and has to be protected and respected,’ Tiuus said. The small man frowned at Tiuus, but as he walked away he grinned back at him. Tiuus acknowledged him with another slap on the back. Gentler this time. ‘But you are neither Naraga nor Yarra nor Tarra…cullen something. But you are a good worker,’ he said. ‘Almost correct on the names. But it’s not important,’ Tiuus said. The Naraga male turned and eyed him from head to toe. ‘Indeed. But tonight you will eat with us. Come, big man,’ he said as his words floated backwards towards the Manith as he led the way from the shed to the dwelling house.
Tiuus turned to lock the shoats in for the night. He was tired from all the trekking up and down large slopes. He looked at the creatures as they settled down for the night. Tomorrow we shall find a plain rich in grazing. And, in return, I can sleep. He knew the animals well now, even after a week. Their habits. Their patterns. He turned around as the little man called out his name again. ‘I’ll be there shortly, good man. Thank you, Tobo.’ He went to wash up and walked through to the house to join the family. He handed the woman of the house a large bag of fruit he collected from his treks that day. ‘The mountain is awash with wild fruits, berries and multi-coloured stuff I have never even seen before, Gobo,’ he said. She gleamed with delight as he handed her the fruit but gave him a confused look to his words. Tiuus smiled as he thought of the family. They were simple people, but kind. They had taken me in without asking many questions. He could see that Tobo was getting older now and struggled to walk far to the good grazing lands. His children had other chores around the house and on the land. So he was happy to help the family.
Gobo had prepared a large meal. Tiuus could see that all the children were running around playing with each other in the family home. The youngest ran to Tiuus. He lifted the little girl up in the air and onto his shoulders. She yelped with delight. ‘I’m higher than the mighty Glow Mountain. I’m on the shoulders of a giant. He has come from the skies to help us,’ she screamed out, giggling. The whole family laughed. ‘Now come down from the shoulders of our lovely giant, if you want some food young woman.’ She came down with a yelp, a giggle and a hug to Tiuus knees as she landed on the floor. These Naragas are so small yet powerful.
Tiuus glanced at the table before him. He couldn’t believe the display in front of him. Large portions of freshly slaughtered shoats, root vegetables, beans and some leafy greens were spread out on the table. Tobo pointed at the leafy ones. ‘My wife can tell that you are hungry, as you have not had our big weekly feast yet. She does not speak the common tongue very well but she understands you. These leafy greens are the Naragas’ diet of a spiky grass vegetables that grow everywhere on the mountain. You might have seen the animals eat it too. And the people,’ Tobo said and asked him to start eating. Tiuus tucked into the meat. He tried to eat the grass-like vegetable but it tasted lifeless. He did not touch the beans. He forced a smile when he ate. ‘Delicious, as ever,’ he said. Gobo smiled. The children were quiet as they ate while keeping an eye on the Manith man. He nodded as Gobo gave him a larger plate than the rest of the family. You always serve me extra food. ‘So you come from the capital, big man?’ Tobo asked. Tiuus coughed. ’Yes, my family are a mix of Yarracullan and Tarracullan blood. I know … rare,’ Tiuus laughed, but the family remained silent. ‘But I lost both of my parents when I was very young.’ ‘How?’ Gobo asked. ‘They died in an air accident. I was very young.’ I have practised and learned this story by heart with my teacher. It’s a watertight story. And so far it has worked. ‘Ever since then, I have drifted between families, friends and homes,’ ‘Oh,’ said both Gobo and Tobo at the same time. ‘We have never left this mountain, nor any of our family, but I think I know what you mean by drifting,’ Tobo said. They continued to munch on the food, with small talk every so often. They have little concerns or interest on what was happening outside of Glow Mountain. For them, this was their world and the only one that mattered. Tiuus took some more meat.
He continued to stay with the mountain family. The days turned into weeks and longer. He lost track of time. Samarth has given me some months, but I need to stay here longer to understand these mountain people; learn about their habits, their ways, their customs. But more than anything, I need to learn more about the passageways and tracks that riddled the mountain and the secrets behind each of them. This is critical research. It was another late evening and Tiuus was tired. It had been a long day. The mountain people normally went to sleep a few hours after the sun went down, which was normally the fifteenth hour of the day. But tonight he was restless. Tobo had cautioned him over the past few days that there was something sinister at work on the mountain. ‘Sheer evil,’ he had told him on several occasions. I wonder if the little people were beginning to sense something about Zirva. Do they know more that they are letting on? Somehow I doubt it… These people were merely superstitious. He tried to sleep, but could not. So he decided to get up and go for a walk. It was dry out and still warm.
It was dark. He could see that clouds were covering whatever partial light there was from the partial moon. There are no lights of any description. Not even insects. Odd. He felt uneasy, but nevertheless continued to stretch his legs. He grabbed his torch, but left it in his pocket. He heard the shoats’ noises in the shed. They seemed restless, so he decided to look in on them. It is part of my work. I hoped my presence will settle them. He opened the door to the shed and looked in, but using his torch on the lower beam. The eyes of the shoats greeted him and his torch. Some bleated at him. Some stamped. Some began to wail louder. He shone the torch closer to the ground and saw blood. At first, just a few specs. Then a patch and then a pool of blood. And then he shone the light upwards. He took a step backwards at what he saw. Large red eyes. Then he heard its snarl. And then the torch caught its teeth, as silver as the moon itself. Hairless. The creature was resting on one of the roof beams of the shed and was devouring one of the shoats. Tiuus stood still. Show no fear to the creature, or whatever it is. Tiuus was still holding the torch, aiming at the creature. Holding his breath, he moved forward; slowly. If I back away, the creature will see this as a sign of weakness. He held his ground.
He shone the light at the creature more confidently. It was huge. Its body was almost transparent. Could these be the ice dogs that Tobo had warned me about? He could make out that the creature was three times the size of a shoat. The creature leapt to the ground, but held its stance as it stared at the Manith. The shoats’ screams increased and with it their claws scraped on the wooden floor. They ran everywhere. I cannot let them out. They will be gone forever. The creature was now some two metres away from Tiuus and had locked his red eyes onto the big man
. It slowly dropped his head. Tiuus could see that its tail had a spark to it, almost a faint light. The tail set off a sparking sound. Tiuus slid his hand into his jacket pocked and grasped the blade. It was there and he felt relieved. This is a standoff. Manith against beast, or whatever this creature was, if it was indeed an animal. Tiuus heard screams coming from the house. This foul creature was not alone, but came in a pack. I need to get to the kids, but first I have to deal with this one. Before the creature knew it, Tiuus had sprung with the knife in his right hand. With a simultaneous scream, his arm leapt out and with the full might of his body; he managed to plunge the blade into the side of the animal’s neck. But the beast was only partially hurt. In return he sank its teeth into Tiuus’s lower leg. He screamed. But his strength showed no sign of diminishing. Both animal and man rolled over on the ground.
Tiuus plunged the knife deeper into the animal’s chest, just below its rip cage. This must be where its organs are, if it is alive!! The animal screamed one last time, but not before its electric tail had caught Tiuus in the face. He fell back and screamed as his face burnt. He grabbed some mud from the floor to kill the flames on his face. He had no time to inspect if the animal had died. He ran outside. I have to see if the kids and family are ok. Blood was seeping from his leg. Yet he ran, but with a heavy limp. He reached the house and saw that everything was scattered everywhere. There has been a huge struggle.
Tiuus saw Tobo on the ground. His left arm was bleeding. He was holding an axe and was screaming ‘ice dogs’ at his wife and kids to run upstairs. Tiuus then saw it. A larger ice dog had pinned in the youngest of the kids in a corner of the room. The animal wants its prey and wants to eat. But it swung around just as Tiuus had entered. Its red eyes set upon the big man and the blood. It sniffed the air and let out a piercing howl. Everyone in the room held their ears. It knows I have killed its companion. Without warning, it leapt at its victim. But not at Tiuus, but at the child. Tiuus had anticipated its move and was faster than the creature. He had jumped onto the back of the creature, where he tried to plunge his blood dripping knife into his back. He missed and they rolled over. He moved quicker on his next move and before the creature could land on the young girl, Tiuus had slit the throat of the animal. The blood hit the small girl in the face and covered Tiuus’s hand and arm. The blade was covered in the blood. Tiuus grabbed the girl and carried her to her parents.