by Billy Miner
“How are the ant bites healing?” a man behind her says.
“They seem to be okay,” an older woman says. “Hello, young man. Can you understand what I am saying?”
It takes a while for Stefan to come up with the words he studies in college, the language of a distant tribe he knew he might encounter in this hills.
“Y-yes. I understand,” Stefan stammers.
The eyes of the girl glimmer in the light as Stefan discovers a certain shy enthusiasm in her demeanor.
“He understands our language! Wow! Where did you learn to speak like us?” she asks.
“I learned it in college,” Stefan says. “I don’t speak it fluently, but if you speak slowly, I will be able to understand.”
“Amazing,” she answers. “What is your name?”
“My name is Stefan. And yours?”
“My name is Quanah. This is my dad, Ayawamat and my mom, Mapiyah.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Stefan says.
“It’s good to see you alive, young man,” Ayawamat says. “You nearly died of dehydration and fatigue. What are you doing out here anyway?”
“I am an archeologist. I was looking for precious stones to take home, but I was too stubborn. I ignored the advice of the guide to head back to our starting point, and that’s why I got overwhelmed by the dangers of the jungle.”
“Well, you’re safe here,” Quanah says happily. “These pile dwellings provide the perfect shelter against the heavy rains. We only go outside when the floods have disappeared, which is about every day. After the rain, it takes a few hours for the stream to vanish down the hill. In case you haven’t noticed, we are on the top of a giant hill.”
“Fascinating,” Stefan says. “How many of you live here?”
“We just have a small village. There are 54 people here. We never get to go anywhere,” Quanah says.
“Quanah,” her dad says, rebuking her. “That’s enough.”
“I shall let you rest now,” Quanah says. “Please trust us and take this medicine. It will help against the ant bites.”
Stefan accepts the medicine. He receives the cup, lifts it up and drinks the whole thing. Gross! His face expresses disgust and he coughs a little. The other ones in the room chuckle.
“It’s not tasty,” Quanah says. “I know. But it’s really healthy. You’ll thank us later.”
Chapter 3: Jungle Secrets
Stefan wakes up again. He has fallen asleep after drinking the medicine. He opens his eyes and sees Quanah sitting at his bedside. She smiles when she sees that he is awake.
“Good morning,” she says.
“Morning? Did I sleep through the night?”
“Yes, you did. And as far as I’m concerned, you’re all better. Are you ready to go for a walk in the village?”
“Yes, I think I am,” Stefan answers.
He gets up and follows Quanah outside the pile house. After he steps out, he descends down a ladder and looks around him. The entire village is made of pile houses, high above the ground where the water cannot reach them. Various inhabitants of the village stare at him, especially the children. Some of them have never seen a Caucasian person before. They look at him with big eyes, waiting for Stefan to do something interesting or spontaneous. He waves at them.
“They like you because you’re new,” Quanah comments.
“I can tell,” Stefan says as he smiles at the curious, little kids.
Stefan notices the primitive, simple lifestyle these people have, but in a way, he thinks it’s rather charming. He can tell that their simplicity is sufficient to make them happy. Their homes are tidy and well taken care off. Their clothes are not extravagant but reflect a degree of purity and respect towards other. The family-oriented atmosphere is omnipresent in this little hill tribe town.
“Follow me,” Quanah says. “My father is the chief of the village. He will tell you what we can do from here on.”
“Sounds good to me,” Stefan says.
They walk past a dozen houses and arrive at the chief’s home. After climbing up the ladder, they meet Ayawamat again.
“Greetings,” he says.
“Excuse me, chief,” Stefan says. “I didn’t know you were leading this tribe.”
“Never mind that,” the chief says. “We are happy to have you here, Stefan, and you are welcome to stay for as long as you want.”
“Thank you,” Stefan replies.
“But there is more,” the chief says. “If you are willing to listen, I can explain the dilemma we’ve been facing.”
“Of course,” Stefan says.
“Here is the thing: There has been lots of tension between our village and the tribe beyond the far hill in the north. They claim we have stolen their purple pearl. It’s a hidden gem that they value so much that they even worship it. According to them, it has secret powers, but we already had the stone in our hands and think it’s nonsense. However, they insist on getting it back.”
“So where is it?” Stefan asks.
“That is just it! We don’t have it. We never had it in the first place. One of their scouts said he saw something shining when we were walking by, but we think he might have seen something else just reflecting the sunlight. We don’t have it, because we would never dare getting it.”
“Why?”
“The purple pearl is beautiful. It was created by an ancient tribe who found a resource from which they sharpened and polished the valuable gem. They thought it was so important that they hid it and made sure nobody would ever come near it. It has been in the Big Jungle Temple for ages. I know, because I have been inside it and have seen it with my own eyes. But I didn’t go farther, because several of my men died in the process of fetching it. Everybody here knows that whoever enters the temple, has little chance of returning safely. The place is full of traps, pitfalls, and dangerous obstacles. The reason why I called you here, is to suggest that you go there and see if you can find a way to get the pearl and restore peace among the tribes.”
“You want me to risk my life to get a purple pearl?” Stefan asks. “I mean, I would love to help out, and I would love to see that valuable pearl, but what makes you so sure I can do it when some of your men already died?”
“Because you are well-educated. You’ve studied the ancient languages, customs, and manuscripts or our lands. There must be something you know that we don’t. All we have, is traditions and word of mouth tales, but you had the written word and spent hours studying it.”
“I guess so. Sure, I am willing to help,” Stefan says. “You are making me very curious about that pearl. It must be a pretty sight.”
“It sure is. And to not leave you empty-handed, I offer you my daughter’s hand in marriage upon your return.”
“Oh…” Stefan says shyly. It’s going a little fast. He glances at Quanah, who flirtatiously waves at him from the corner of the room with three fingers and a beautiful smile.
Stefan isn’t used to this kind of forwardness. He thinks Quanah is gorgeous, exotic, friendly, and sweet, but he doesn’t know her very well. He is honored by the chief’s offer. He loves the village. He would be okay with living here. Their customs and lifestyle have a sense of serenity to them, and he understands their language, something he has intensely studied for months.
“I am not sure whether or not it would be the best choice for me to stay here, but I accept your request to go after the pearl.”
Quanah’s smile vanishes. She looks a little disappointed. The chief raises his eyebrows.
“Do you not think she’s beautiful?” he asks.
“Oh, that’s not it,” Stefan says. “She is very beautiful. But marrying here would mean I have to decide to stay. And I just have to think about that for a little while. I hope you understand.”
“Of course,” Ayawamat says. “You have two days to think about it.”
“Two days? Why two days?” Stefan asks.
“The secret temple is two days walking from here. My brave warriors shall esc
ort you there.”
“Dad,” Quanah says. “Can I please go with them?”
“You do not have endanger your life, my daughter,” Ayawamat says.
“I know, but if he is going to do so much for us, the least I can do is accompany him, especially if we will marry each other.”
“You have my permission,” the chief agrees.
Chapter 4: Booby Traps
That afternoon, Stefan leaves the village, as well as three guards with spears and machetes, and the chief’s daughter, Quanah. A few dozen children are standing at the village border to wave at the five travelers and wish them good luck. Stefan senses their warm, welcoming attitude and almost feels at home already.
Chopping away jungle plants, the village guards clear the way and create a path towards the infamous jungle temple. They don’t talk much. Their mission is to lead Stefan there. Quanah, however, has a lot to say.
“Tell me more about where you are from. What’s it like?”
“Well, there are lots of other people. I come from a city, where people are always in a hurry. They don’t know each other and don’t greet each other like in your village.”
“Do you have a special someone waiting at home, or are you completely single?” she asks.
Stefan’s face gets red. This beautiful girl has already captured his heart with her exciting, flattering charm. At home, Stefan was always the loner, the one girls despised; the ugly boy in the corner with the awkward lack of social skills. He would have never dreamt he would meet a girl this gorgeous who is actually interested in him. And now that he thinks about it, he doesn’t really see a reason why he wouldn’t want to marry her.
The two days go quickly. Stefan and Quanah talk for hours every day. She is amazed at his knowledge and experience, and he is feeling the butterflies in his stomach each time he looks at her elegant figure and friendly smile. The two are really getting to know each other.
Fortunately, the guards are a hundred times better than Stefan at sensing the jungle dangers and surviving. Each time there is a monsoon, they fix a place to hide; every time a predator comes near, they scare it off with their weapons; and Stefan only has to say he is a little hungry for them to leave them alone for a few minutes and come back with something edible they caught. Stefan has gained a lot more respect for these tribe people, who don’t know much about culture or books but who obviously learned how to survive in the wild.
It is evening. The sun is about to set.
“Halt,” one of the guards suddenly says. “Look. There it is.”
He points at a few ruins, carved into the rocky hill in front of them. Ancient remains of a temple stand out and show long neglect of humans at the same time.
“It is too dark now,” the guard says. “We shall camp here. Tomorrow, you may go inside and enlighten us with your magnificent learning.”
They all get ready for the night. After a half hour, they all fall asleep, but Stefan is restless. He knows he has to figure out puzzles of ancient origin tomorrow, and that it will be risky.
He isn’t too certain that he can help the villagers. They believe in him, but perhaps they believe in him more than he believes in himself.
After dreaming for about an hour, Stefan wakes up. He smiles when he sees that Quanah moved over to his side, as if she unconsciously wanted to snuggle a little in her sleep. A peaceful smile ornaments his face, until….
“Watch out!”
A guard jumps in front of him, waking them both.
“What’s going on?!” Quanah asks.
“Be careful! Don’t come any closer,” the guard says.
In front of him, a giant cobra snake is challenging him, feeling threatened by the humans’ presence.
“Don’t worry,” he says. “We got this.”
Stefan watches as one of the warriors dances in front of the serpent, distracting it with sounds and movements. The other two sneak up behind the reptile and wait for the opportune moment.
“Tsyaaack!”
Both warriors stab their spears through the cobra within a split of a second, catching it off guard.
“Looks like snake for breakfast, boys. Ha-ha-ha!” one of them says.
“The chief’s guards are excellent survivors,” Quanah adds. “They know how to remove the venom and prepare a lovely meal with it.”
“Impressive,” Stefan admits.
That night, there are no more disturbances. The real adventure will start in the morning. For now, they are safe and sound, gaining their strength to complete their mission the next day.
Chapter 5: Purple Pearl
The next morning, the sun is shining brightly. Signs of a storm are still far away, although it doesn’t always mean much in this climate.
Stefan is standing in front of the temple. Everyone have just eaten breakfast and are about to lead him to the front entrance.
“In order to get the purple pearl, you have to be able to read and solve puzzles,” Quanah says. “We wish you good look on your efforts in the temple. May the gods aid you in your quest.”
She leans forward and kisses him on the cheek. Stefan melts away at the thought of being together with her and having their own place.
“Good luck,” she says again, slowly letting go of his hand. “Be careful.”
Stefan looks back for a few seconds. Then he regains his focus. He moves forward… slowly… slowly… He notices the skeletons on the floor. They don’t put him at ease. Something has happened here; something isn’t right. How did these people die?
Suddenly… Tsyaaaack!
Spikes appear from all walls, barely scraping the surface of Stefan shirt. He steps back and pants more heavily than he ever has in his whole life. That was close.
Then he sees it.
One of the tiles is loose.
It’s wobbly and triggers the spikes from the walls when stepped on.
“Let’s see if this works,” he says, thinking out loud.
He grabs a huge boulder and rolls it towards the tile.
Tsyaaaack!
There go the spikes again. But this time they aren’t being pulled back. The boulder triggered the mechanism but keeps it in place by staying on the tile.
That was that.
The booby trap has been disarmed. Stefan can move on. As he carefully treads the hallway of the ancient temple, he can’t help but notice several symbols on the walls. They look like arrows pointing down.
He doesn’t trust it.
Perhaps he should duck.
The hunch is too strong. He decides to crawl on and stop walking.
Tsyaaak!
Another mechanism, this time with a blade slashing the air above his head. Stefan looks at a skull adjacent to him on the floor. Obviously the previous trespasser didn’t understand to stay low.
As he crawls on, he enters a different room. The room is like a palace hall but in ruins. In the middle, there is a structure showing water going from one bucket to the next. The buckets are attached to a well-designed brick round object, circling around it, filling up and dropping water like a water wheel. The subscription beneath it is clear but mysterious. However, Stefan recognizes the symbols.
“Oh, what was that again?” he asks himself. “I had it in history class. The ancient artifacts of the aboriginal gods had a certain meaning, but what?”
He ponders the symbols for a few more minutes. There are three symbols: A tooth, water waves, and a rock.
“Let’s see here,” he says. “The three have to balance each other and counter each other at the same time. The tooth stands for power and aggression; the water for tolerance and kindness, and the rock for solidity and sturdiness. In other words, one must push, the other must give in and bend, and the last must be firm and unyielding.”
He looks at the buckets made of thin stony material and reads the symbols on them.
“Aha! This one must be pushed back, because it has the tooth. That one must go the same way, and this one must be held still.”
He looks over his shoulder and sees a convenient branch he can use for leverage. He walks to it and grabs it, after which he holds it near the buckets on the water wheel.
“One… two… three!” he says as he lifts one bucket up, leaves another one as it is, and holds the last one in its place with his other hand. For three seconds, he holds this position.
“What the…?”
Splaaaaaash!
A heavy stream of water emerges from the ceiling, which has just been broken by the correct application of the secret formula. Stefan is being swept away by the strong current but manages to keep his eyes open. On his left side, he sees a shining object brighter than the sun.
“That must be it,” he thinks. “If only I could swim over there.”
He grabs onto a rock in the temple, which is now being flooded with water that was just waiting there above it. Some of the water is disappearing and the current is weakening.
This is his chance.
It’s now or never.
Stefan swims as fast as he towards the glimmering object and his eyes light up when he sees it is a purple pearl. It looks amazing, glittering, and beautiful. At the same time, it looks like it hasn’t been touched in decades. Stefan rips the pearl from its place and holds onto it firmly, after which the current pushes him into the river.
Finally able to move his arms and legs again, Stefan spits out some water and looks around him for the best place to go ashore. But then he sees something he didn’t expect: Crocodiles!
Slowly but certainly, three large crocodiles dive into the water, happy to see their lunch float away helplessly.