The SealEaters, 20,000 BC

by Bonnye Matthews

  For days whether it rained or the sun shone, Reg was tied. He was a very strong willed man, but pain and lack of sleep had broken him down. His arms were sending exquisite pain signals that frightened him. He feared his arms would soon dislocate. He hated his son’s having learned the secret he’d kept all his life. He definitely was undone to be tied up like a helpless girl. They fed him food not fit to eat, such as animal gut, stomach of a beaver, dry grasses. They gave him water, but it was never enough. Reg had concluded they meant to kill him slowly.

  His arms dislocated in a horrible wrenching one night. Reg didn’t know whether he was pulled by many hands or just dreamed it. After some time, he was convinced that even if cut down, he’d never have the use of his arms again. He was certain they wanted to kill him slowly.

  Pi told the chief that Blad learned enough of their language to be able to answer any questions he might have. Chief Xeno told him to bring Blad to him.

  When Blad reached the chief’s place, one look at his father caused him to wretch.

  “Sit here,” the chief told Blad. Blad sat on the rock provided.

  “Where are your people?”

  “They are across the eastern sea. We are the SealEaters.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “The ice moves to our land and mountains hold us in.” He showed ice with one hand and mountains with the other. “We run out of land. Some of us came here to look for a new land.”

  “How many of you came here?”

  “Counting me, there are thirteen.”

  “Isn’t that more than you needed?”

  “We thought some of us would perish at sea,” Blad replied.

  “How did you acquire the scars on your back?”

  Blad looked terribly sad. He nodded towards his father.

  “Did you do terrible things?”

  Blad shook his head negatively.

  “He is an angry man?” the chief asked.

  Blad nodded.

  “For a long time?”

  “As long as I’ve known him.”

  “Why didn’t some people stop him?”

  Blad shrugged.

  “You know why! Why?”

  “They feared him,” Blad admitted.

  “I thought as much.”

  “You cannot leave here. If you try, it’s the last thing you’ll do. Do you want to live here?”

  “I would rather live here than die,” Blad admitted.

  “You know that we will not let your father live.”

  “That’s what I thought. What I don’t understand is why kill him and not me?”

  “It’s your name, Endured Pain. For anyone to have endured that pain and not be as your father is, you may be worth keeping.”

  “May I ask something of you?” Blad said timidly.

  “Ask.”

  “Will you please go ahead and kill my father? I do not like my father because of what he’s done to me. I cannot say I hate him, for I’ve been taught it’s wrong to hate. I have great conflict in my thinking place. I hear him cry out, and it hurts me. What happens here may be justified, but it adds additional pain to me. Will you please end his life now?”

  “You seem to have some manner of forgiveness for him, one who hurt you so badly. What a strange thing.”

  At that point Reg cried out pitifully. He was not fully conscious, but Blad winced as if the pain were his own.

  “Ja and Di,” the chief called out. Both came quickly.

  “End the prisoner’s life,” the chief said.

  The men left, spears in hand.

  “Thank you, Chief Xeno,” Blad said, tears in his eyes.

  “Ye,” the chief said to his wife, “remove the ropes from this man.”

  “Pi,” the chief called, “see to the building of a hut for this man. Have him rest for three days. Then, test him for how well he hunts.”

  “As you say, Chief.”

  “Chief?” Cu spoke up.

  “Before he is tested for hunting, could we use him to teach us how to make the spear points he has? We cannot look at them and learn how he does it.”

  “Of course. Pi, wait to test him until he has taught those who want to learn his spear making technique.”

  Pi nodded and went to secure help to construct a place for Endured Pain.

  A few days after his new place had been built, Blad came rushing out of his home. He almost ran into Pi.

  “What is that noise?” he asked.

  Pi laughed a good natured laugh. “It’s a sloth calling to others of its kind.”

  “What’s a sloth?”

  “It’s an animal that eats plants. It’s as tall as two men one standing atop the other.”

  Blad laughed, “Surely you are teasing me?”

  “Not at all. Bring your spears and come with me,” Pi told him.

  Blad reached inside the entry to his home and grabbed his spears.

  “This way,” Pi said.

  They jogged down a path and around a bend in the river. There standing incredibly tall was the oddest creature Blad had ever seen. It was eating leaves on a tree that grew out of the river bank. The creature was a little over two times the height of a man. It called again and Blad could feel the vibration in his chest. He was horrified at the claws on the animal.

  “Do you want to take it, Pi?” Blad asked.

  “No. Sloth is extremely tough meat, Endured Pain. It’s not very tasty even when you add flavor to it. We just leave them alone and they don’t bother us. How much longer do you think the spear making will take?”

  “Probably two more days.”

  “I want to see how well you hunt. Two more days is fine.”

  “I guess I’d better return, so I can eat something before we start again.”

  “Let’s go.”

  “What’s the meat in this stew?” Blad asked. “We’ve had it for two days now, and I don’t know what it is.”

  Ub looked at him over the food serving log. “It’s tough bird,” she replied smoothly with a crooked smile embracing her oddly overlapped teeth. “Just tough, old bird. We’ve almost finished it.”

  “Thank you,” Blad replied. He took his bowl of stew and stood against a tree to eat it. He looked at Hei and said with a shudder of discomfort, “I don’t think I ever ate meat like this.”

  “Having just come to this place, I’m sure you haven’t,” Hei replied. “You become used to it over time.”

  “I’m sure I will.”

  Above the din of the Alu’s eating and finishing their evening meal, there was life—unobserved life, if you could call it that—above. It had hovered over Alu-a for three days.

  A mist hung over the tree against which Blad leaned. The mist, being thin and intermingled among the branches of the tree, remained unseen by the people below. The mist held thoughts that were painful, labored, regretful, tied to place for want of a finishing.

  ‘I was born Reg; I died as One Nut. In an instant after death, my eyes were open to truth. I could not stop truth from flooding me. The pain of that was worse than the pain I endured at the hands of the Alu. What a horrible mess I made of life for myself and my family, even my people. I let my own personal lack lead me, blind me to all that’s important, change me into a person without compassion—all for the singular reason that I could never become chief, not being fully male. What a fool I was! I can blame no one but myself. Ah, the pain I caused others! I ache for the pain I caused others. I can offer no apology now. It’s too late. I cannot tell my son how great is my gratitude that he caused the end of my pain at the hands of these people. He gave me good for all the bad I gave him.’

  ‘These Alu are not right in their thinking places. They are cursed. They curse. Not with words—but rather with deeds. Even now my son, Blad, eats tough bird. Little does he know what he is doing. Little does Blad know that not one of these people is to be trusted. Oh, Blad! All have lost their sense of what is humanly acceptable. Alu are empty shells, trying all day every day to fill what’s empty i
nside and, being unable, they become emptier the more they eat. On the outside, they appear normal, but they are not! I have been as they are, but not for the same cause. I do not pity them, but I pity Blad among them. To him these people must look like a relief from me. He seems happy enough to be where he is. I know he’d rather be back at the Cove with some girl. I never knew which one he found appealing.’

  ‘How can I show him that he needs to be exceptionally canny to escape these wretched people? People? I am too kind. Alu are worse than snakes. They deserve to be eradicated from the earth. But while I do all this condemnation of them, I must include myself with them.’

  ‘Maber. Maber. Blad, my son, you need to acquire the courage of your brother, Maber. You need to break free of these people even as he broke free from me. You must learn this, my son. You are not like these people. You must learn to see the truth about these people. I cannot reach you in this world where I find myself. I must let go of this place and leave. I’ve tried everything I know to reach you.’

  ‘Mother Earth, Father Sky, I cursed you. I blasphemed you. You have no reason to listen to me. I call to you at this time, not for me, but for my son, Blad. Let him see soon the true nature of these people, so that he may know the need to break away. Then, Mother Earth and Father Sky, please show him the way. I deserve whatever you have planned to do with me, but he is a good man. Please protect him. Remove him from here, and let him find joy in this life while he lives. Is he not deserving?’

  ‘Aunt Gemu? Is that you? I hear your call.’

  ‘Come, Reg, it’s past time,’ his aunt called to him. ‘Turn loose the hold this world has on you. It’s time.’

  ‘Aunt Gemu—is it really you?’

  ‘Yes, my boy, come now.’

  Reg could see her, not as mist but as she used to look before she became sick. Mist rose like a lightning bolt from the tree and flew upward, not to return.

  The Alu and Blad never knew of the presence of the mist that had just been hovering above them.

  Pi, Ga, Cu, and Endured Pain left one morning early to test Endured Pain’s hunting skills. They traveled south to what Endured Pain thought to be the way he had come from the trail as prisoners. He was certain it was the same way, but they took a different trail about half way to the place. They went farther to the west.

  In an open space they saw several white tailed deer. The four of them became very still. They watched the animals who were upwind and hadn’t detected the presence of danger. Pi told Endured Pain to lead. Endured Pain signed to each where to move. He moved to the place he expected the deer to run once they detected danger. All the men were soon in place. Endured Pain from the cover of an old tree tossed a rock behind the deer. The deer began to leap away in the path Endured Pain expected. His was the first kill, then Cu and Pi each speared one. Ga’s was trying to escape, so Pi had to spear that one.

  “Excellent!” Pi told Endured Pain. “We likely need do no more testing.”

  The men removed the entrails and then returned home.

  There was a great feast when they returned. Endured Pain was thanked and congratulated in excess. It made him slightly uncomfortable. Hunting for meat was something expected of his people.

  The feast continued for a few days and then it was time to hunt again. There was a feast–hunt cycle. No one seemed to pre-plan by making jerky. Endured Pain did not understand. He began to hunt more and to set up a smoke hut to make jerky. He made it, but as soon as he made it, the people consumed it. Clearly, he did not understand their ways.

  Endured Pain was not accustomed to sharing his thoughts with anyone. He simply observed and kept his own counsel.

  After living among the Alu through two full changes of seasons, Endured Pain became restless. He felt a sense of flatness among these people. Pi called for him to join the hunt and he gathered his spears and joined Pi and Ga. They headed this time towards the exact place where he had been captured. He understood that they were to hunt humans, not animals for meat. He remembered the time he had been on the other side. He had mixed feelings, though he knew how important to the Alu it was that others not enter their lands. Endured Pain prepared to join the others. He worked his senses to their best keenness. He became one with the environment. He would help these Alu protect their land against entry from strangers.

  They positioned themselves just inside the narrow passage along the path the men followed. They remained still and quiet. The first man passed through and was hit in the back of the head with the end of a spear shaft. The second one, was wrestled to the ground and bound, just as he had been. They tied up the first one and waited for him to regain consciousness. Both were gagged. As soon as the older man became conscious, they began the walk to the main village some seven days away. When they reached the village, the two men were tied to the trees and stripped of all clothing. There were no questions asked, Endured Pain noted. This was what he observed numbers of times when men were brought to the village.

  Returning from a hunt a few days later, Endured Pain realized the men had been killed. That night, Endured Pain ate tough bird stew. After his evening meal, he walked to a high point overlooking the low land. As clear as the night sky became, Endured Pain realized that the tough bird stew followed the deaths of the captives. He knew with a clarity that only comes with considerable certainty—he’d just eaten human flesh. Tough bird stew must be made of the bodies of those who were captured and killed. Endured Pain rose and ran to the forest where he vomited up the contents of his stomach. He returned to the rock and sat there dazed. How could he have missed it for so long? he wondered. He also realized he had eaten his father’s flesh. He began to shiver. Endured Pain wanted to scream and shout obscenities in the acknowledement of his understanding. That would, however, avail nothing but bring the Alu people to add him to those killed and eaten. Sitting alone on the hillside, he realized he had to escape or he might become an Alu. No longer would he think of himself as Endured Pain. It was time to return to Blad and do what his younger brother had done, take the courage to leave this place.

  Blad lay on the rock which still retained some warmth of the day. He remembered hunting one day to the west. Far in the distance he saw a river. He wondered how he could reach a river. That river or any other swift moving river would become his goal. As he lay there he heard steps. He sat up.

  “Endured Pain, I wondered where you were.”

  “I came up here to look at the stars this night,” Blad said, trying to sound normal. “The rock stays warm for a while after sunset, and I enjoy the warmth of it.”

  Pi sat next to Endured Pain.

  “Aren’t they spectacular tonight?” Blad asked.

  “I just see stars,” Pi replied.

  Blad didn’t pursue it.

  “I came up here to ask whether you want to join a hunting group. We leave for the west tomorrow at sunrise.”

  “That sounds interesting,” Blad replied.

  “Then you better have some rest,” Pi said, standing. He was glad Endured Pain would join them. The man was a skilled hunter.

  Blad stood and walked down the hill to his place. He went black well that night, for he was convinced that he’d never return to this place. He’d find a way out.

  The hunters, Pi, Ja, Di, and Endured Pain left at sunrise. They walked briskly to a path Blad had never seen. They had to walk one behind the other, for the path was narrow. They walked for days, camping overnight and on the go the next morning. At the end of ten days they reached a lake. The grayish turquoise-colored lake was fed by melt water from glaciers in the mountains. In the distance there was a roaring noise.

  “What’s that noise?” Blad asked Pi. He noticed Pi was growing a lot of gray hair.

  “There’s a waterfall down there,” he said pointing.

  “I want to see it!” Blad said with partially feigned enthusiasm. He knew Pi thought his joy in seeing beautiful things in nature was strange, but it gave him a freedom. He’d use it.

  “If you go th
ere now, you’ll be putting your shelter together in the dark.”

  “I’ll run there and run back,” Blad said, leaving.

  “Be careful,” Pi warned, not the least surprised that Endured Pain wanted to see the waterfall. Turning to the others, he said, “Sometimes I think beauty feeds him more than meat.”

  “What’s this beauty? He sees things I don’t see,” Ja said.

  “Me too,” Pi replied.

  “I agree with you. This beauty thing is strange,” Di said to assure his part in the group’s comments.

  Blad ran with every bit of energy he had. It was, he was convinced, now or never. Never had he been given such an opportunity. He reached the falls. It was in fact beautiful. It was also impossible to descend to the river. And it was a big river. A swift river. Just the river he hoped for. The sides were steep and that steepness went on for as far as he could see. There was no easy way to reach the river—except jump.

  “Mother Earth, Father Sky, help me,” he shouted and jumped. The descent was faster than trying to climb, but it also took a lot of time to reach the bottom The water was very cold. At least Blad felt it took a long time. At the bottom, he fell into a deep water hole from which he ascended to the surface. Blad gulped air while the pressure of the falling water pushed him under again. He swam underwater as far from where the water entered as he could. Suddenly the rushing current of freed water caught him and began to carry him downstream. He had no time to think. Blad just followed along with the current, trying to keep his head above water. At one point he saw a small log and he grabbed it. He rested atop the log after several attempts at climbing up on it. He didn’t care where he went as long as he could evade the Alu.

  Through the night he rode the log. Blad was cold, but he did not want to leave the water until he was well clear of the Alu. At sunrise, he thought he might be free of them, but he was uncertain. He knew he needed to warm up, for he was shivering. He had no weapons, tools, or backpack. He did, however, have himself. For the first time in his life, he felt truly free.

  The log snagged on the side of the riverbank and Blad pulled it to shore and headed to the few trees that grew along the river bank. He had to create a fire starter, make a fire, dry himself and his clothing, and decide what to do. The walls that rose on either side of the river remained steep. The little group of trees gave him hope. He examined them. They were flexible trees that would bend easily. Blad was hungry, but he knew he should start a fire first.