Suddenly Serious

To be free from fear, One should be Free from Desire First.

To be Free from fear, one should be free from Desire.

The words echoes in Zara's head. How can one live without Desire? After all she desires to get rid of the virus so bad, that's why she's in this mess. Zara continues to pound the seeds she was instructed to, by the Shaman. The Shaman speaks in parables, she can't understand or put it into practice. Six days left before the full moon and Zara is sure of nothing. The Sun is now setting on day seven, while the rest of clan is setting up for the Shadowing Ceremony. The normal laughter and cheer is replaced by an icy cold silence, its more like their preparing for their own funeral.

Back at the Royal hut, the Council agree to postpone their meeting for tomorrow. Finga and his side kick Monasha walk side by side as they observe the people placing their offerings in front of the Shaman temple. Flowers of all sorts, fruits from the vine, gold, baskets filled with ointments and herbs. It is quite a beautiful sight. "These people don't stand a chance against our enemies. Look at them aimlessly moving around" Finga was born from a different tribe that was executed by the leading tribe called Thakaka tribe, they raided most of the neighbouring villages, now they wait to destroy Namania village. Finga knows the mind of the enemy by heart, they killed his whole family leaving him alone. Namania people took him in after he managed to escape from the s*****y of the Thakaka, and immediately included him into the Council. He is smart, strategic and he knows all there is to know about Thakaka clan. And one thing he knows for sure is that once Tonga's dream dies with him, The Thakaka people will easily destroy them.

Walking up right, with his hands behind his back, Finga continues. " The Chief sees The Fullmoon Dreams as a window for destruction, but I see it as an opportunity for power" Monasha chokes on his pipe, "How ?" Monasha is a very gullible individual, he prefers to drink and smoke his sorrows away. He is from a royal family , so he has never had to think for himself. Finga found him wondering around the mountains after he escaped. Monasha was banished from his village for stealing his father's gold and selling it for traditional bear. Ever since he met Finga he has never left his side.

Finga laughs at his drunken friend. And stops him in his tracks. "Look!" he says with his hand placed firmly on Monasha's shoulder. "One thing we all forget is that, in our own dreams we are star of the show, its impossible to die, with this power we can eliminate everyone else that has this virus and remain the only gods in the land, bringing forth whatever we want to, in this life" an evil grin grows on both their faces.

Back at the Royal hut, The Chief and his second wife eat the feast prepared by their seven daughters. They have been praying for a boy for many years but no luck yet. The Chief has two beautiful wives, his third one died during child birth, the child that happen to be a boy unfortunately. The Chief believes its a sign the gods are pushing him. So he trys by all means to follow the rituals and ceremonial traditions by all cost.

Sitting across his second wife he trys not to bring up the discussion from the meeting. But he knows that's all his wife wants to hear. Chewing the bones of the wild goose cooked with rich herbs, the silence continues.

The last thing he wants is to worry his wife, she's pregnant again so explaining to her about Finga's mad plan is not a good idea. Just after Zara and Bizingo left the meeting, the Chief assured the rest of the elders that No one is going to be killed, to prevent the virus from spreading. Finga must have been talking from panic to come up with that idea. He expected more from Finga. Finga was was quiet for the rest of meeting, so they agreed to talk to the Shaman after the Shadowing ceremony was complete.

The knock on his door snaps him back to reality. Saved by the guests he anxiously shouts" Enter"

Bizingo walks in, "The ceremony preparations are almost complete my Chief, I can come back later to take you through the program"

"No come in, we are done here" the Chief responds. His wife looks at him with an annoyed eye. She knows he is trying get rid of her. She gathers her food and bows before Bizingo then leaves the room.

"Sit, my friend eat, I'm not your Chief when no one is around."

They laugh in great relief. Bizingo sits on the hard ground facing the wooden table filled with a variety of Namania cuisines. Thats why the Chief is so fat and plum, he gets to eat a feast everyday. "Listen I'm sorry about Zara" the Chief adds, "ha! " laughs Bizingo," I should be the sorry one, she has never acted like that, ofcourse she's stubborn and outspoken, but I never thought she was foolish enough to do that!" The Cheif looks at his best friend. "Maybe if you spent more time with her you would know" A guilty silence washes over Bizingo's face. "You are right, she deserves more" dense air of sadness feels the air.

"Here, taste my wife's new beer, you won't regret it" laughs the Chief trying to lighten up the mood. " Ah the famous shebuku" Bizingo exclaims.

" After all this might be our last Shadowing Ceremony" sighs the Chief. " Let's not get our spirits down, I spoke to the Shaman, we may be able to conquer The Thakaka if we move further up the mountains"

The Chief fixes his eyes on his friend with desperation, " We all know the higher up the mountain we go, the more of our people will die, my wife is with Child, she won't make it"

" it will just be temporary, while we study the Thakaka clans strategy, we will spy on them the whole time" The Chief just shrugs in disapproval. "

" If we come within ten feet of our enemies, we risk spreading the chuke virus" he adds

" That's why we should stay on higher land to be able to monitor their movements, if we can find away to eliminate them, we can become the superior tribe" Bizingo concludes with an air of confidence. " We have to announce this to our people before the end of the ceremony, right of the Shaman perform Wingani dance"

"Let me speak with the rest of the elders first" " No need, the Shaman already spoke with six of the council members, I'm informing the other four, including you." assures Bizingo.

"It's going to work, our men have been training for so long, I think they are ready" The Two friends continue in their feast with small chatter and gossip.

Zara is seaving thr crashed seeds, while ignoring the eyes staring at her direction. Her best friend Pinkie waves at her frantically. Pinkie is an albino, they cold her Pinkie cause of the colour of her pale skin. Even though she has the pigment deficiency she is forever smiling with a positive mindset. That's why Zara is close to her. They are young women now, and soon they will have to announced for marriage to the nearing village to create ties.

Zara mindlessly waves back, and returns in the temple. No can enter the temple without the permission from the council, its forbidden. So Zara can just see her friend from a distance. The Shaman has been gone for a while now, so Zara trys her luck again, she has to communicate with Tonga, maybe he offer more insight dreams.

She slowly leans over his head, and whispers again. " Oh mighty Hero, please provide some understanding on dreams, where do they come from, do we all have the same dreams, can fear be eliminated with eliminating desire?" She drifts of in thought not even considering whether Tonga listening. " Is this how we leave the earth.?" her left wrist starts to itch, the symbol of the virus is a burnt round scare, it can appear one of three places once you contract it, on your arm, leg, or behind the kneck.It almost looks like a shape of the moon, as the full moon draws closer it becomes more and more itchy. Zara stares at the scare with resentment. She begins to search Tonga for his Tattoo, maybe its Itchy as well. She searches his leg first, then soft picks up his arm, then his neck. She finds nothing. What's going on here, maybe its too dark, she lights a stick dipped in animal fat on fire, then uses it outline Tonga's body as he lays unconscious. He is heavier than he looks she thinks to herself.

While trying to lift up his heavy right leg she burns Tonga by mistake, causing her to drop the flame near a basket of hatched grass. Tonga mourns in pain. The flame begins to erode the grass so quickly Zara loses her balance out of shock! She quickly begins to throw sand on top of the growing flame, shacking in fear, she sobbs alittle. "Papa is going to kill me" The smoke blankets the room like a mist. Tonga coughs frantically while gasping for air. The room fills up a dark smoke, blinding Zara from her mission to turn off the fire. The fire continues to crawl up the walls as if it has a mind of its own.

Frantically coughing Zara falls to ground. Suddenly a choir of screaming fills the Air, as she hears three footprints enter the Hut. They immediately grab hold of her, while she begs them to "Carry Tonga!"

Finally freed into the soothing fresh air, Zara stares back at the disaster she just created. Tears rolling down her chick's, she is speechless, her only concern is Tonga's safety.

Two men run in the flaming Hut.

Pinkie Is by Zara's side, she hugs and embraces her in relief. "Are you okay!?" She asks. Zara"s eyes are swollen with tears, she burst out in anguish, did she kill Tonga, will she be banished from the Village..

Moments later the brave men exit the Hut with a body figure. Is it Tonga's?

A couple of Villagers rush to help turn of the fire. Grabing the offerings displayed as well. The fire has a mind of its own! it's builds more momentum and some how begins to devour a bush that's attached to one of the massive trees.

More help arrives, but it's too late, the tree is flaming up. Hut crumbles to the ground, while the 18 strong men use sand and water to settle the fire.

While Zara witnesses this, a loud scream announces, "Tonga is not breathing! " Zara closes her eyes in despair, "This is my first nightmare " she whispers.