by A. Mani
“So how did my sister learned about the sun stealer story?” I frightened Sia with a sudden question. Seven days had passed and I was ready. She did not tell me where to find her and for some reason, she did not have to. I found her. I was ready. I could not say the same about Sia.
“Oh, I do not know what they teach you on Eygra- Rama, my child”. she answered and bowed her head to the ground, as she was looking for something.
“How did the sky turned dark?” I asked with no expression on face.
“Eclipse” she said “when the moon hides the sun from the human eye. It happens every 370 years. I guess your sister is an excellent student. They do teach that in Eygra- Rama”.
I stayed still. Nothing could surprise me anymore. I did not know what was true and what was a lie. I did not care. I was a young girl, who everything she knew, was taken away from her. I had hit rock bottom and from that spot, I could only go up.
“Show me the way out” I asked Sia.
I could see she was a little surprised by my approach, as if she was facing a different person.
“You are not ready” she said quietly.
“Get me out of here!” I yelled at her.
“And where would you go? Back to your kingdom? It is not yours anymore. Once someone noticed you, you would be killed. They do not know you have survived Didam valley.” she said loudly “Let me help you!”.
“I do not trust you!” I said angrily.
“I can not blame you. But right now, you have no choice. I am your only way out.”
Sia was right, what else could I have done, so I listened to her plan.
“You would learn everything I know about the wild zone.”
“Really? And why is that?” I asked
“So you can become one of them.” she said. “I will teach you everything: from clothing to way of living. From wild dancing to playing the forbidden rhythm. I will teach you how to mark stories over your body like we do and how to prepare potions.”
“Why would I want to become one of them?” I asked her with a weak voice.
“When your family becomes your enemy, your enemy becomes your family.” she answered. “You have to bring back, what was stolen from you and you will do it with the help of the wild ones.”
“How would I bring back my kingdom? I thought you said, it was not mine anymore. What makes you think, I can do it?” I asked with tears in my eyes.
“When somebody steals something, that belongs to another, ones will never own it, only keeps it safe, until the original owner is ready to take it back.” Sia answered quietly. “Ko-Ey-Nor’s kingdom is yours. Your father intended to give it to you. Your sister took something that was not hers to begin with. Your sister is a stealer. But no worry, my child. she is just keeping it safe for you to get it back. when it is time.”
From that moment I did not ask any more questions. From that moment I became a student. A soldier. A hunter. A Wild One.
Sia started by teaching the meaning of all marks and symbols that existed on Didam valley’s walls. I understood almost every sign. What it meant and what was the story behind it. The symbol, I was most drawn to, was the one with the cat’s pack. Wild cats, especially tigers, did not live in packs. Tigers were lonely animals and on that symbol, they were all together, creating a circle with their faces heading center. In the middle of the circle there was another mark, I could not recognized. I asked Sia what it was, but she refused to tell me.
Sia realized, she did not have to teach me a lot about the wild dance. I had my experience of dancing from my performances with Shadea. She asked me to think about the valley’s snakes, every time I was dancing. To keep my movements smooth just like a snake motion. What she did teach me was the wild call. This was how the wild ones expressed their happiness, excitement or even a near danger. They made it with their tongues, moving up and down and making a funny loud sound. I had to practice a lot before I could make the right sound.
As for marked stories over the skin and potions, I was fascinated by Sia’s knowledge and just wanted to learn more and more about it. The wild ones used to mark stories on their bodies with henna. The purpose of these marks was to remind themselves the legacy of their ancestors. It was their way to tell a story. Every full moon, they would mark back the parts that were erased by sweat and rain. The art of telling stories was allowed in the wild zone. Everybody was free to tell his own story, in any way he wished to: body marks, sand marks, dancing, playing…
Potions were prepared in the wild zone just like we used to prepare them in the civilized zone. only they had some dangerous ones, I did not know of. We used to make potions for illness and for that purpose only. The wild ones also prepared potions for the purpose of love, lust and even death.
“Now, my child. It is time for you to learn how to face your biggest enemy.” Sia said.
“My biggest enemy?”
“Your fears” she said and put her hand on her heart.
“If you wish to enjoy the good, you’ll have to take the bad with it. I can not keep on teaching you if you have fear in your heart. You will have to release it. Make room for some courage. Are you willing to do so?‘
“What do I have to do?” I asked.
“Face the dark demons.” she answered. and by demons, she meant the dark cats. Cats from the wild zone were named demons because of their dark color, yellow eyes and brutal nature. Sia knew about my acquaintance with two of the demons. She also knew, I was avoiding them.
Before I faced my fears, Sia and I discussed the blind mice, that lived in Didam valley- The bats.
“bats are blind mammals, they find their ways and avoid obstacles through the sense of hearing. Humans can learn a lot from bats”. she said ’just by observing them”.
The following days I stopped hiding every time, the ray of light was gone, and started exploring my pit. Yes, it was my pit now, my tunnel, my Didam valley. I watched bats behavior and tried to imitate them. From their reverse position to their orientation.
Every night, while I was studying the valley, I used to take a break and lie down on the ground, just to stare at the top of the valley. Sometimes I thought I saw the moon. There was this small round of light coming out of the valley’s wall. Until one night, I discovered the small, yellow round, I had thought was the moon, turned into two rounds of light. That could not be the moon, I thought to myself. From that night, I used to look up every night, Searching for my rounds of light. It was as if someone was looking at me, taking care of me, following my progress. Proud of me. I amused myself. I was enjoying that feeling.
My training period with Sia was coming to it’s end. I had to face Sapron and Narnegi at the last battle before I go handle the biggest battle of my life.
Sia took care of my wild outfit. It was a tribal bottom and a tight top, which covered only my breast. A very revealing outfit as opposed to the cloths I was wearing in the civilized zone. I was celebrating eighteen springs and could see my curves very clearly. I was a woman with a mind of a child. Sia marked my body with traditional symbols. She also wore dark stripes to both of my arms, the major sign of a wild one. I was ordered to cover any exposed part of my body with dark mud, so that the wild ones would not recognize my white skin and acknowledged, I was not one of them. She ordered me to loose my long hair down. This was how the wild women acted. Wild and free.
Sapron and Narnegi came into the valley, looking for me.
“I am ready” I said to Sia and showed her my hand.
“What are those?” she asked, referring to the sharp stones I had in my hand.
“I made those” I told her with pride “These are sharp enough to harm a big cat”.
“Put them away” Sia ordered me “You will not need them. Not today. Save those for the right time.”
I looked at the big cats. They were looking straight at me. Eager to jump, as if they had so much to tell me. I knew, I was about to receive, everything I was avoiding for so long.
“Fight the dark demon
s!” Sia shouted “fight them!”
I did not know how to begin the battle, so I started with what I knew. With what was familiar to me. I started taking big steps of a cat, like I used to do with Shadea. Sapron and Narnegi started to imitate me at first, or maybe it was me imitating them. And then, a roar was made.
I noticed the first roar was made by Sapron and he jumped at me. I got my first cut on my right arm. It was painful but it did not stop me. I remembered the bleeding boy, I met on top of that valley, and I knew this was a way for them to express themselves. This was the only way, they knew and they walked that way with no limits.
I also remembered, I was the Sun Stealer. I believed it and on that moment, that was my truth.
Sapron and Narnegi took turns and jumped at me one after the other. Every jump accompanied with a big roar. Every loud roar lead to another cut on the skin, another bruise on the body. More of the same bleeding. More of the same pain.
Suddenly it all stopped. The cats were exhausted and slowed down. I did not mind the cuts anymore and got used to the pain. Sapron and Narnegi were making quiet moans as they were walking towards me with their forehead facing down. This was an act of surrender along with respect.
“Now what?” I asked Sia, trying to catch my breath.
“Sometimes you need to fight the dark demons. And sometimes… You just need to embrace them”. she said with a quiet voice. “Use them, my child.”
“Help me.” I whispered a cry.
“With pleasure, my child. Only, you do not need my help anymore”
She was right.
My eyes were closed. I was breathing freedom into my lungs, right through my veins. I felt it in every bit of my body and every piece of my soul. I made my first pace out side of Didam valley. Like an infant, taking it’s first step in life. Suddenly, every breath mattered and Every sight moved. The sunbeam on my face felt like a sweet, old memory. That familiar warmth made me drown in the sea of pleasure and guilt. I had found my way, now it was time for me to walk that way fearless, targeted and unrestrained. I would never look back.
My two dark demons were walking right beside me. They were now my companion, my protection, my salvation. It was the embracement that released me. The embracement that set me free. I knew they were strong enough to climb the valley’s walls. I just did not believe, they were my ride out. All I had to do was overcome my fears, confront what scared me the most and see what was really in front of me. And then, just embrace it. embrace the good and the bad. The hurt and the healing. Now, that I have embraced them, they have become part of me. A part, I was never letting go.
“Stop it! You are hurting me!” the little voice cried.
I looked around, trying to understand where it came from.
“Stop it!” I rushed my steps, following the little voice. It came from behind the trees, where the grass was tall enough to hide what was happening. I moved the grass with my hands and found where the voice came from.
It was a little wild girl harassed by two wild men. I grabbed the little girl with my hands and took her away.
“You know your way home?” I asked her quietly. The girl looked straight into my eyes and nodded.
“Run that way and never look back” I whispered in her ear.
The girl ran fast down the road, as I kept looking her way. Both men got up from the ground and walked toward me. I could feel their eyes on my back, just like the blind mouse could feel any obstacle on it’s way.
“Sweet girl… we’ve never seen you before …who are you?” asked one of them, while the other one was scanning my body with his eyes.
“I am lost.” I answered and kept looking forward.
“lost…?” They started laughing. “Well, we just found you, so it must be your lucky day… and ours…” they kept moving closer and closer to me, like an animal following it’s prey.
“Where are you from?” the second man asked.
“Hell”. I whispered and stabbed one of my sharp stones into his throat. The blood kept flowing like a giant water fall, as I kept looking straight into his eyes. Finally, he fell to my feet, stealing his last breath. I did not notice what happened to the second man. I guess, the sight of his friend becoming a prey, was unbearable for him. But not for me. I was no longer a victim, no longer a prey. No longer a civilized one. I was the hunter. I was the wild one. I was the stealer. The sun stealer.
At that moment, as I was standing next to the dead wild one, my hand covered with blood, my two demons staring proudly at their new trophy, I felt something coming close to me. I felt this vibe before. I looked up and saw a big owl flying straight at me, lying on my shoulder. I looked into his big yellow eyes and knew: these were the yellow, small circles of light, I used to see every night on top of Didam Valley’s walls. Those far away eyes were now breath away. We kept looking into each other eyes and only one thought came into my mind:
‘Humans… They just don’t understand.’
The road to the wild zone was long and exhausting. We were walking on a bare soil and the sun, I was so yearning to feel again, started to burn my exposed skin and turned into a constant drag. My demons were exhausted and thirsty. I had to find a water source for them or at least a shady place for them to rest.
“They look tired” said the familiar voice “You better water them soon before they will dry!”
I turned my head and there he was. He was no longer the bleeding boy from the top of Didam Valley. He was a young man, well built, as a real wild one should be. His long black hair was blowing in the wind. I could see his skin was traditionally marked. I could understand all symbols. I could see they were trying to cover not only his exposed bruises but his hidden pain.
“We are heading to the wild zone, I believe there is a lake of sweet water over there” I said.
“I am heading the same way” he said with a big smile, I could see he did not recognize me, as the little civilized girl with the white tiger. I was now a dark wild woman, with two dark demons by her side.
“Where are you coming from?” he asked, handing me the opening shot to my cover story.
“Bira Amikta” I said and kept walking ahead of him.
“Bira Amikta?” he asked and stopped for a moment “I thought that village was completely destroyed. Nobody survived the last bloody battle against the civilized zone.”
“Well… somebody did” I said and turned to him. “I need a place for me and my cats, just to gather some strength before we move on our way.”
He came close to me and lifted his hand toward his chest, where his heart was.
“The wild zone is your home now. The wild ones are your family. It would be our honor to accommodate the last survival of Bira Amikta’s village. Stay as much as you need.” he said with a soft voice, trying to express sympathy for my loss.
“I believe you had a family…”
“There are all gone” I cut him off and turned our way.
“I am sorry to hear that…” he rushed after me “I am kujo” he introduced himself, hoping I would do the same. But I didn’t. Not until we got to the wild zone.
We arrived at the wild zone, when the ground was slightly kissed by the sun. There was still enough light to see, what I could only imagine as the wild zone.
I remembered my father used to talk about, burned ground, dark bleeding people and demons cats. The resemblance between the least, I managed to see and my father’s stories was remarkable.
There were not enough trees on the ground, just large areas of bare soil. There was a small lake at the north part of the zone. Sapron and Narnegi did not wait for my sign and ran fast to water their thirst. On every corner, I could see a little fire, the wild ones lighted in order to make themselves warm, when the sun would leave for the night.
I saw wild women, half naked. I saw barefoot children walking around freely, dancing their childhood to it’s fully. And I saw demons, thousands of wild dark cats.
The center of the wild zone was named ’Shab Square‘
. That was where all the wild leaders sat together every night around a big fire. When kujo and I arrived, they were getting ready to their traditional gathering.
“I brought a guest” kujo shouted and made all wild men at Shab Square look at me. They were all tall, built, dark skin men. But all the darkness in the world could not cover their cuts and bruises. They did not live in peace with their demons. I had a feeling they did not met anyone new, outside their zone, for a very long time.
“A guest …?” asked the deep voice.
I could not see who was speaking until everybody moved to the sides, making a way for him, to walk right at me.
“And who is your guest…?” he asked while his eyes glided along my entire body.
“I met her on my way back, she is from Bira Amikta, the only survival!” kujo said with pride.
The big wild one, did not take his eyes off me, as kujo kept talking and telling everybody, what he knew about the last battle over my village.
“Does your guest have a name?” the big man asked.
“Everybody has a name…” kujo answered with a slight of embarrassment, since he did not know mine.
“It’s Almas” I said with a sharp voice “The name is Almas”. That was my new name.
“Almas…What a beautiful name” said the big wild man “but not as beautiful as it’s owner.”
Everybody laughed, and I sensed kujo was a little uneasy.
“Almas” kujo said “Meet our leader, Dark beast” he pointed the big wild one.
“It is so nice of you to let me and my cats stay at your zone” I said to the dark beast.
“I never said you can stay here” he answered and kept looking into my eyes with an evil smile. He kept chewing something in his mouth while speaking to me. Chewing and spiting as a sign of disrespect. He was about twice my size. Bald head, dark beard and big dark eyes. His dark body was huge and well built. It was traditionally marked, just like kujo’s and every other wild man’s bodies. But his symbols were different, I could not understand all of them. They covered his big wide chest, his big arms, his back, all the way down to his waste line and into his hidden low area, like a never ending story. I could not help but stare at his symbols.