Samara Nightwalker

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Water. This is an open body that consumed me. Five years ago, I fell off from the cliff and the rushing water beneath it welcomed me in its embrace. The last thing I remember was the day of the feast of Samarde and that too was my birthday that made that day a curse. Our community became a foresaken land where blood shed and lives ended. I am the last living soul of my mother  land – Nantua. The tavolos mercilessly killed everyone and even me – they killed my soul.

I clearly remembered waking up while I squint my eyes when the sun’s rays hit them. I tried to move but I felt my body does not cooperate. I tried harder but I gasped as every part of my body burns like hell. I groaned and a lone tear dropped from my left eye. Raising my right hand, I saw that it was bloody and the blood already dried out, from my left arm was the dagger that almost took my life away. It took me a long time and a lot of effort just to lift up my hand for my shoulder is badly wounded. Only my fingers on my right hand and my head can be moved.

I gave up the thought of being alive. I don’t know where I am and I don’t have any idea of how I can survive in the wilderness. I think I am very far from Nantua and the waters carried my limp body here. Again,  I passed out.  I woke up again days after or so. I could not tell. I was still in the same position but I can move my arms now – though it still hurts like hell every time I move it. I am so hungry now and my body needs food, I know that. I crawled and  winced in pain every time I move my body farther. I saw a big boulder so I tried my best to let my body lean on it. Only did I saw  the place where I am. It was beside the running river still beneath a cliff. And I think I was a bit lucky when I noticed that at the back was a deelom that will be my new home.

My long gown became tattered now, probably from the constant fall. I saw my bloody stomach, it still hurts but I know I can still be alive – and I already am. The wounds were shallow but it still ripped my muscles. I took a glance at my left hand, the bones broke.  I felt something hot on my cheeks. Only did I noticed that I was crying, not with the pain that I am feeling in my body but because of hopelessness in my situation.

My silent cry now is accompanied by sobs and then it turned into shouts. Shouts that echoed in the whole place but no one listened because no one heard. My shouts not because of hopelessness but because of too much anger and frustration. I wiped my tears as I sobbed. I looked around and I guess no one is here. I am in the middle of the jungle, I know that. Slowly, I raised my hand and reached out towards my shoulder. From there, I felt the knot of my long gown and I tried my best to take my gown off my body.

Now naked like the day I was born, the cold winds that blows creeps to my skin. I looked at my stomach where Tavir’s dagger pierced, it looks horrible. I picked up my gown and tried to take a piece from it using my teeth and my hand. Tears after tears, sweat after sweats dropped from my worn out body when I finished taking a strip of cloth that I wrapped around my belly. I leaned again and this time, I looked up at the clear blue sky where wishes and hopes been whispered to. 

I tried to stand up and my legs nearly gave up when I did the act.  But I am determined to live. I am determined to avenge their deaths. Nantua will never fall, and I make that promise this day. Only walking a few meters, I saw a shrub with wild berries on it. I just hope that it was edible when ii ate that and gladly it was.

When the cold night came, I seek shelter on the deelom. It was freezing. It was torturing me to death. It is like another form of cruelty by odds inflicted upon me. I curled like a fetus on the side, trying to conserve my body heat. That time, I never felt any fear that something might cause my death like snakes and poisonous insects that will bite me.

I woke up the next morning and I feel a little bit better than I have felt yesterday. I went to the river to wash off the blood that dried at my skin. I spent a lot of time to tie up the wounds I have. It was near afternoon already when I was finished.  I took some time to gather leaves and stitched them together to make a new dress for me to wear. I gathered small branches of trees that fell on the ground, all of them are dry and I used it to make fire at night. I am glad that Abama taught me how to light up a fire using stones. I dropped my worn out body again on the ground that was matted with dry leaves. Meters away from me was the bonfire that I’ve made.

I stared at the fire and it played in my mind again – how Nantua was burnt to ashes. The intense color of the fire made me think of blood. I can’t sleep a wink because whenever I close my eyes, that memory plagues my mind. I sat down  and tried my best to forget everything and planned for the things that needs to be done tomorrow. Never did I noticed that the night was over if not for the sunlight that shone on the inside of the deelom.

Slowly rising up from my position, I went outside. I still need to find something for my grumbling stomach.

That went on for weeks until my wounds fully healed up but the marks of cruelty was still there and every night is always a battle for peace whenever nightmares plague my sleep. I am now 12 years old and I am standing on the same spot where I have been five years ago – the spot where I made my vow. I am holding the dagger that nearly killed me. It is still sharp and as the sun cast its glow upon it,  it gives off a shimmer. A shimmer that will make your knees turn jelly-like.

Spanning from me about a hundred meters away is a tree across the river. I looked at it and let all of my emotions flow at once. I raised my hand, the very same hand that I first moved when I came here. I flexed my wrist backward and let all my strength flow to my arm muscles. One fast swish and the dagger propelled in the air. It tumbled in the mid-air several times and it landed on my desired spot – the center of the tree where it was embedded.

I readied myself as I plunged on the cold running water. I felt myself struggle as the current carries my body away. In the end, I still reached the other side of the river. My breathing was labored. I sprinted a few meter towards the tree to get the dagger back. Using the dagger, I made a way up the tree. Each time I use my left hand, it makes me wince in pain. My broken bones are still healing up. I let go and I plummeted down. As my feet touches the Earth, I balanced myself.

“Not bad for a practice,” I softly mumbled. I was about to run when my dress fell off. I never tried to change my dress. I still need to find some hide so that I can have a dress that will not easily be ripped off.

I waited for the right time, I am here above a tree but not as tall as the tree that I used to aim the dagger. The rustling leaves that the wind plays on made me more concealed. I focused on the animal that was below me. A deer who was unsuspecting of my upcoming attack. It was grazing on the grasses, savoring and enjoying the bountiful blessing that will be his last meal. I raised my hand and with expertise, let the dagger flew towards my target. It pierced his skull. The deer stood still and then dropped on the ground. That was the time that I went down to get my reward.

“Tsk! It’s bloody. I still need to practice more. I don’t want the blood of the innocents to drop on the bare Earth because of me – at least not when I attack them.”

I held its leg and pulled it towards the river. I started to cut its head off – collecting the antlers. Slowly, the blade sunk on its skin. I made a straight line from its throat towards its body down to the belly and then cut the skin around the legs. The flowing water washed off the blood that made my work less messy. Hours after, the whole hide of the deer was taken off from its body, I hanged it on the bush nearby and I started to collect the carcasses.

It was after a week when I finally made a new dress out of the deer hide. I made sure that the stitches will be strong enough for it not to easily break. The smell of the smoke that rises up made my stomach churn. I am currently cooking the piece of meat I got from the hunt. Slowly, the fire cooked the meat and the juices ran out from it.

“I’m famished.” I placed the cooked meat on the big leaf. I seasoned it with wild herbs so that it will not taste bland. For years, I am feeding myself with fruits and greens. Today, finally, I can taste meat again.

“I guess this is the tastiest meat I’ve ever eaten in my life so far. A good catch indeed,” I mumbled as I munched the tender food.

I looked at the walls of this place. It was full of engraves – marks that I’ve made when I am bored. I draw the map of my lost home. I draw my mother’s face, my brother and my sister too. I smiled at them as I made myself believe that they are still with me, enjoying the food I made.

I sighed heavily and bit my lower lip. Tears pooled from my eyes again. I thought I was over it. I thought I will never cry whenever I realized that the hurtful truth plays in my memory? But still, I end up crying like a child longing for her mother.  

“You will really pay for this Tavir. Your men will cower when they hear my name. You will fall on your knees to beg me to spare your good for nothing life and I will never show mercy. I will end your life just like how you  ended the lives of everyone that were dear to me. I will slowly let you taste my bitter vengeance until all you can think as an escape is death but I will never allow it. I will torture you until pain becomes overwhelming. I will send your soul to Avhretriz and I will give back the same thing that you did before – Avreneer of your men.”

I wiped my tears harshly and I balled my fists tighter. My long nails dug on my skin until my blood drops again. I am numb. I just let flow and swore to my soul never to she tears again. Never will I cry because of him. And I just hope that I will become stronger as the days passes by.