CURSED LOVE SHAOWS OF ARA

Kalanje pov

1200 years ago.

The village of Mubaila sits quietly surrounded by forests and a stream whose flowing waters are interrupted by the sound of children running around naked and playing.

And I live here. I was watching the people work from my own workstation as I made bows with our village craftsman whose attention was fixed on a broken string, when we heard the noise of men running towards our village and a band of cattle being chased our way rising steadily from the trees that surrounded us.

First thing I hear is the swish sound of a flying arrow. fly past my face and my legs act on their own, they pull me away to safety into my mother's hut.

I enter and find her on the ground, mama! Mama!!

I call but she does not answer, she lays there still and at peace with an arrow standing on her chest, I run outside to look for my brother and sister but they are nowhere to be found.

Just then someone pulls me from behind and covers my mouth, he points to a direction and says to my ears, run to borrankama, my father's voice rings in my head.

I tried to look at his face but he shouts "run!

And I run, I run and I do not look back, but before me I can see the pile of kids, and thier parents on the floor, the smoke from the burning huts covering my sides as I make my way west from our village into the woods as my father had instructed.

Tears flowing from my eyes as I struggle to keep my pace.

My father, the head of the village, had died.

I wonder what had happened to my brother and sister?

Did they end up like the rest?

"Will I be alone?

If I run to borrankama there will be others, someone will have made it to her cave, someone will be there, maybe some people.

I hear legs running towards me, and I try to speed up.

I try to run away from them but they are just as fast and strong as the wind pulling me back.

Running to the edge of the rock that our home stands on I see a rift before me and I stop and turn to see if they were close, I search for my pursuers and see no one, run backwards and the then turn forward, increasing my speed I make my mind to scale the rift, I leap into the air with my arms aiming for a hold as my body swings to the other end.

But I fall and roll like an amateur, it is my first time making my way across this large rift.

And as I roll I hear the sounds of arrows raining down in pursuit, as one grabs my thigh.

I don't turn back. I limp continuously, not able to recognize my way as my vision blurs and the white and red tattoos of the gbali people come in view.

I am seated on the floor watching my blood trickle and my body grow weaker and weaker, as the colors on their bodies fade gradually.

Am I dying?

Is this the end of me?

I try to move my hand a bit forward but my eyes close finally.

When I opened my eyes I found myself in her cave, the seer of our village had come to save me.

I don't see her but I call out to her in low groans "borrankama?

Borrankama?

I am here the voice of a young lady replies,

Your body is burning up here, take this and don't move she instructs.

I hold my head up a little and drink from the koko(calabash).

After I drink a bit of it, I lie back and then my eyes slowly adjust to the darkness.

I turn to the direction of the light beside me and I see her eyes green and shining.

Like the keku(cats) in the night.

"Your eyes" I say.

Yes I know she replies, you are young?

Yes I know she replies and then she runs her palm on my face and I drift into slumber.

I woke up and the cave was empty, I could see the sun shining through the opening which was from the north, not south.

I look around and my sense of direction is off.

I raise my upper body and roll from the giant flat rock covered on skins which I was sleeping on.

When my left leg touched the ground a sharp pain spread through my body.

The pain jolted me back instantly to the reality of the state I am in.

I carefully stand this time and make my way out of the cave, slowly.

You should not be outside when I hear borankama speak.

I turned and saw her by the side tending to some plants, did not turn to look at me but continued her work and then said your wound is almost healed, the poison is gone.

I swallow hard, as my mind drifts to what had happened between me and the people who had attacked my village and how I had to flee like a deer in hunting season.

"They are all dead,'' I say to her.

I know, but are they really dead if you are alive?

Only I alone cannot make the people, and even if I do they are already gone, these would be new.

Yes, but you can always find a home with new people.

Go back in and rest. You will need all of your strength if you want to make a new home.

I stand there and watch her, as she works.

She has not turned her back since, I haven't seen her face once.

I walk to the side ignoring her warning to rest and I try to see her face.

But her hair which spans long and dark covers her face.

I do not relent, I move forward to face her, and carefully not to step on her plants and then I look at her now.

She is not as old as the stories my people have told about her.

She looks young and I could swear her eyes are still glowing under the sun, the green shone under the hair that stopped around her nose through the front.

What happened to your eyes I ask her?

I am born this way, go back and rest! she says with authority in her tone.

You do not tell me what to do. I shot back.

She smiles and I notice her eyes looking at my injured leg.

I look at my leg and notice it too, my two legs are touching the ground.

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