Wamumur remembered his blasphemy when they trekked to avoid the eruption. He felt bad to discipline the child for what he’d so recently done himself. He knew better when he did it. He felt he had to be sure she knew not to blaspheme. He still felt wretched. It ripped his belly.
The girls had seen with horror from the entrance what was happening. Each was so relieved that they were not in Ki’ti’s position. They knew their roles and it was easy to do what was expected of them for the good of the People. They didn’t have the stories in their mind webs and were grateful not to have to change lives as would be required of Ki’ti. They scurried on their way to get out of the cave.
Once out looking for sticks, Liho and Meeka asked about the Wise One and what they had just witnessed meant. The other girls tried to explain it. They answered questions for a very long time because the ways of the People and the ways of Meeka and Liho were so very different. The girls were also afraid that they might anger Wamumur and end up swatted. The other girls reassured them that there was no chance of that. The role of Wise One carried tremendous responsibility and the person designated had to give up a lot of their own wants. Ki’ti was just new at it. She’d be fine but she wouldn’t have a girl’s life from now on. She was young to become a Wise One so it would probably be harder for her, they thought, and it probably wouldn’t help that Ki’ti was really strong willed. They understood that right now, the Wise One would be very strict with her. They also agreed that they were glad they hadn’t been selected by Wisdom.
Manak and Ermi were scouting for meat. Suddenly, Manak thought he heard something. He signed for a quiet stop. Both listened intently and sure enough they both heard the same strange noise. Then Ermi pointed off to the north east. Each one could see the elk. As they watched, they realized that the animal was not covered by the dust but apparently it was blind. They had the location poles but without sharpened ends. Manak motioned for Ermi to remain watching the elk and he would return.
As fast as he could, Manak ran to the home cave to get his spear and his father’s. He didn’t know where Ermi kept his spear. In his haste, he’d forgotten to ask. His father’s spear would suffice. He raced back to where he had left Ermi. The two made quick work of the blind elk. Then they marked it with the poles and raced back to the meat preparation cave. They told the hunters of their find—live meat
All of the hunters gathered and talked. Finally, Manak and Ermi were given new assignments. They were to take gathering poles and make a trail through the ash. They were to try to follow the elk’s path. What they were to do is to follow for a day to see whether they got out of the ashfall. At the end of the day, they were to return home. They were cautioned to watch the sky in case there was more ash to fall. They needed to get food and water from the home cave. Nanichak-na told them to pack the foodstuffs on a dog or two. It was an adventure and both young men looked forward to it. Other men were sent immediately to the elk.
When they got to the home cave, Manak and Ermi were still excited. Women packed foodstuffs for them and included a supply of the blueberry treats. Water bags were filled to the brim and the men left with the dogs and lots of water. Each had a small sleeping cover rolled and tied which they carried on their backs. How exciting it would be to find that a day’s walk would get them out of the ashfall!
Totamu was kneeling beside Enut. She was worried about her granddaughter. Enut’s coughing was more and more rattly, and she appeared weaker and weaker. She had hardly eaten anything that morning.
“Are you using the leaves?” Totamu asked. She tried not to show the alarm she felt.
“Yes. They don’t seem to be helping. I am just so tired.” Enut was lying down.
Totamu put her head gently against Enut’s chest. She listened carefully and scowled. Totamu took some skins and lifted Enut enough to get her lungs elevated. The raspiness of her breathing really concerned Totamu. Enut was warmer than normal but not burning hot. Totamu was beside herself. She concluded that the old age sickness was getting Enut way before her time. Lots of old people died when their lungs filled with water. Granted, Enut did have totally white hair, but she was thirty-three. Her sister, Likichi, had brown hair without a hint of white at thirty. Thirty-three was young to die. She kept racing through her mind web tying to find a remedy for Enut but she could find nothing more than the leaves she was already using. Enut coughed gently.
“Izumo,” she said softly, “don’t worry over me. I’m going to die soon. I know it. I have had a good life. When I die, will you ask Likichi to mother Domur?”
Totamu knew not to pretend differently when someone said they knew they were dying. She took Enut’s hand in hers, “Of course. You do know that Domur and Manak want to marry?’
“Oh, yes. Then will you mother Domur?” If Likichi had mothered Domur, then Manak and she could not have married because they would have had the same mother. That was considered incest even when one of the brother/sister pair was adopted. It would be prohibited.
“Of course,” Totamu said.
“Thank you, Izumo. I want you to know that I love you very much. I have talked to Hahami-na and he knows all that I’ve said to you. Live long, my Izumo.” Enut shut her eyes and went to sleep. Totamu watched her for a while. She seemed to be doing no worse, no better, so she went to attend to cave affairs. Totamu hoped the condition would improve but she could not shake the feeling that Enut would die soon.
The sleeping mats had been rolled up and were at the edges of the cave, so Totamu began to sweep the floor of the cave to get out any ash or dirt that might be on the floor. She was careful to sweep away from Enut, but otherwise she was vigorous in her method. Wamumur watched her and wondered. He was listening to Ki’ti’s retelling the first story so they could discuss it. He would have to be tough on her until she lost the strong will she seemed bent on showing. He was realizing what Totamu had been fussing about. Teaching was hard.
From time to time, Ki’ti wanted to shed tears from the morning’s time with Wamumur, but she kept her mind on the storytelling and tried to forget her feelings. Her right hand occasionally reached down to touch Ahriku and that reassured her that a tiny part of her world was comforting. Ahriku would lick her hand in return.
Totamu came closer and stopped near them. “Little Girl,” she said, “I was ashamed of you this morning.”
“Izumo, I ask forgiveness. I wronged the People.” She hung her head.
“Very well, Little Girl, but I don’t ever want to see that again. The People depend on you.”
“I will obey, Izumo.” Ki’ti lowered her head. She wanted to weep but dared not. Then she lifted her head and asked permission to go to the privy. Wamumur got up and agreed to accompany her. He winked at Totamu as they left the cave. Totamu swept the place where they had been sitting.
Manak and Ermi had not returned when the evening meal was served or when Wisdom sucked the color from the land. That meant that the ashfall covered some real distance from where they were. Even when Wisdom returned color to the land, the young men had not returned. By high sun, they were back at the home cave returning the dogs and preparing to go to work.
“Did you sleep?” Emaea asked.
“No, we kept going. Hoping,” Ermi said.
“Then you will lie down and sleep,” Emaea said as Totamu joined her.
“But I feel fine,” Manak protested and was joined by Ermi.
“Listen to what I tell you,” Emaea said firmly. “You will lie down and sleep until the evening meal. Do not argue. Do as you are told.” Manak and Ermi could have refused but neither had the temerity to counter Totamu whose silent support of Emaea was unquestioned. They were men, but Manak was still close to childhood and Ermi was trained to accept orders. And the men were tired.
Both young men walked down to the bathing area and washed off and then found their sleeping mats, got a cover, and went to sleep.
Lamk and Sum, eight-year-old boys, had been assigned home cave coal duty. They were provided baskets to fil
l with coal and take to the home cave. Pechki showed them where to store the chunks down in the lower part of the cave. The boys worked tirelessly. They talked haltingly of the ashfall and wondered whether it would continue. They talked of the game that had been found. This was a true adventure to them. Sum was learning the language quickly from Lamk. They had been in the cave at Ki’ti’s tough time and each time they walked by she was mortified. They would look at her with sympathy, which made it worse. Then she would remind herself that even feeling bad about herself when people looked at her with sympathy was pride and she would try to calm her feelings. Why, she wondered, did she just not accept the sympathy? It wasn’t easy! Pride was complicated. Everywhere she looked there was her pride staring back at her. She wondered whether she would ever become Wise One with her deficits. At that moment, Ahriku’s lovely golden eyes looked into hers with adoration. For the first time that day, Ki’ti smiled.
“Thank you!” she said with enthusiasm.
“For what?” Wamumur asked, puzzled.
“Wise One, I was thanking Wisdom for giving me a dog to help me go through this learning.”
“Then, Little Girl, today you have learned at least one thing. Gratitude to Wisdom is good.” Wamumur put his hand on her shoulder.
“Wise One, do you love me?” she asked boldly.
“Yes, Little Girl, I do. This responsibility would be a lot easier if I didn’t,” he admitted. “Do you love me?”
“Yes. It rips my belly when I feel that I have disappointed you.” She looked deep into his eyes and he knew her words were truthful.
“Then, obey me.”
“Wise One, I am really trying.” Again he saw truth in her words.
Wamumur said nothing else. He was miles away wondering in his secret mind web what their offspring would have been like if he and Emaea had been able to have children. If he could have had children with her, he would have liked them to be just like Ki’ti. He shook himself from the daydream and got up to go outside. He signed to Ki’ti and she joined him.
When they returned, he told her that she could go to be with the younger people. She felt awkward after the morning but realized that she had to interact with those in the cave so she might as well do it. Let her pride die.
She went to sit near Minagle. Minagle put her arm around Ki’ti’s shoulder and told her she loved her.
“I love you too, Minagle, and I am sorry to shame our family so.”
“It was no shame to me, Sister. I am happy that you will be the Wise One but I know that the learning will be hard for you. It would be hard for anyone. You are very young. Mother says that Wise Ones aren’t usually found until they are almost” and she flashed two tens. “So your childhood just got cut short. But then all of us have a childhood cut short in this ashfall. Is your bottom sore?”
“Yes,” she replied softly, “very sore.”
“You’ll get over that soon. I am sorry for you but you do have a strong will and a mouth quick to speak.” Minagle smiled at her sister. She covered her sister’s hand with her larger one.
“I wish Wisdom had chosen you,” Ki’ti whispered.
At those words, Minagle shuddered inwardly, knowing she would have shared her sister’s feelings if she’d been selected. She said, “I wouldn’t say that aloud, if I were you. Actually, you should never say that out loud or think it. Wisdom chooses whoever Wisdom will. We are not to question Wisdom. Saying that makes you look like an infant. That’s probably why you were treated as one.”
“That’s what Wise One said, but see, you already know that. I didn’t.”
“Sister, you do know it now and you just said what you said. That is your danger. You have to control your mouth. I don’t have all those stories in my mind web. You have them for a reason, to show that Wisdom chose you. Now you have to learn all the other information that Wise Ones have to know.”
Ki’ti realized that she should be silent.
“I’ll always be your sister and love you,” Minagle tried to reassure her.
“Thank you, Minagle.” Ki’ti lowered her head.
“What’s the dog as your friend all about?” Minagle asked.
Ki’ti’s visage brightened. “I think Wisdom gave me the dog to comfort me through this time. Ahriku is my dog’s name. Ahriku is my friend.”
“I see,” Minagle said, but she didn’t really.
Liho came over to where Minagle and Ki’ti were sitting. She was fascinated with the dog. “Can I touch the dog?” she asked, searching Ki’ti’s eyes.
“Try it,” Ki’ti replied.
Ahriku looked questioningly at Ki’ti as Liho extended her hand toward him. She told him that it was okay. Ahriku permitted himself to be stroked. Liho then stood back and watched the dog. She was fascinated but would not have wanted to try to have a dog herself.
Sum and Lamk were returning to the cave. Lamk turned off to the privy. Before going in the cave, Sum met Keptu. He said to Keptu very quietly in the language of the Minguat, “We used to think the People were really dumb. They aren’t dumb at all, do you think?”
Keptu looked startled that Sum had used their language and had asked the question he had. “I don’t really think about it much,” she replied in her own language in a whisper. “Do you think all our Minguat could be so wrong? But I really like Lamk. He’s smart.”
Sum and Keptu shrugged as if the question were too difficult to understand. They went into the cave hoping to find some food. Sometimes food was available between meals.
Totamu went to Hahami-na and said quietly, “Enut has spoken to me.”
“Did you agree?” he asked.
“Well, first I reminded her that Domur and Manak want to join. I approve of joining them. Enut asked me to mother Domur so that the two young People can be together as husband and wife.”
“I should have thought of that,” Hahami-na said with his head lowered.
“My friend,” Totamu said, “there is too much in the Winds of Change for all of us right now. The only one who seems to have a solid, coherent memory right now is Ki’ti.”
“Poor Little One. To be chosen so young. She is trying so hard and keeps blundering.” He ran his hand over his bald pate.
“Wamumur is being harder on her than he might be if it had been someone that he didn’t love so much. I think he is also being hard on her because she will be woman. She is a strong willed little girl right now. She keeps saying things that should not be spoken against Wisdom.”
“I bet his calling her Little Girl rankles her.” Hahami-na smiled.
“Oh, yes. Until she controls that part of her pride and learns to keep her mouth shut, she may find it hard to sit.” The two shared a laugh at Ki’ti’s expense. They felt for her but each had run up against Ki’ti’s strong will more than once.
Before the people in the cave settled for sleep, Totamu had completed all of the women’s hair and had shaved the heads and beards of more than half of the men. She was relentless and seemingly tireless in her delousing effort.
Soon, all the members of the cave were settled for the night. Little shadows from the fire played against the ceiling and walls. Tiny sparks rose and vanished. Ahriku snuggled next to Ki’ti but seemed restless. He’d get up to make a circle and then settle back down. The single guard, Neamu-na, at the entryway looked out at the night sky and hoped that the ash had finished falling. He remembered that Manak had said that the ashfall as far as he went was only lower by a few fingers than at the cave. He worked at making a hammer stone. He was not as good a toolmaker as Ermol-na but he worked at it knowing that he had a responsibility to his tools whether he was very skilled or not. North seemed a good way to go when they left, he reasoned. It was opposite the direction of Baambas, but he wondered whether there were other mountains to the north that might explode. He heard a person make a strange sound late in the night. He looked around but saw nothing unusual.
Chapter 3
Totamu was awakened by a horribly loud, high pitched sound th
at seemed only vaguely familiar. She shook herself trying to slough off slumber. What was that noise? Others in the cave who had not already awakened were raised from sleep at the sound that pierced the space. Totamu realized the sound was coming from Domur and that clued her in immediately to the cause. She crawled across the mats to Enut and, yes, Enut was entering the next world and was with them no longer. Hahami-na was trying to comfort his daughter, who seemed inconsolable, while his own belly was torn with grief.
Totamu noticed that Hahami-na had failed to shut Enut’s eyes, so Totamu gently closed the eyes, never again to see those beautiful blue eyes that had sparkled with life. She had been expecting Enut’s death, but even when expected, she always found death was never easy to accept. Tears flowed silently from her eyes. She put her arms around Hahami-na and Domur. Then she saw Slamika. He, too, was weeping but in silence. Domur was making enough noise for them all, she supposed, as she kneeled, sitting on her feet before Enut’s body.
Nanichak-na and Mootmu-na ratted around in the tools and found some strong bone digging tools. Each had taken a short broom, which was stiffer than a long broom, and a digging stick that was pointed and a tool of bone that scooped and they had gone to the cave entrance to put on their booted garments even before they ate. Nanichak-na had noticed what once had been a small glade before the ashfall turned the world into a monochrome landscape. He knew that Enut would not last long with the cough she had, and he had thought that the glade would be a good place for her burial. He had already discussed it with Hahami-na, who was pleased with the site. Consequently, he and Mootmu-na were ready when the time came to do the work needed to make the place in the ground for Enut’s journey to the next world. In the overcrowded cave, the burial would have to be done immediately. They left and headed toward the glade.
Ki'ti's Story, 75,000 BC Page 10