Ekewane - The Sorceress Page 9
Chapter Nine.
The Hidden Lake
Inland brackish-water lake
All night the rain poured down. The noise was so deafening that they could not sleep. At one stage the hut started to sway with the force of the wind, and they thought that they would be blown away.
Ekewane and Eiru huddled together afraid of the loud noises the wind and rain were making. There had been bad storms on their island, but they could not remember them this bad. So the three lay there awake, listening. Ekewane did not know why, it may have been the memory of her mother in times of danger, and without realising she started chanting the same song as her mother often did. Eiru and Emarr lay there listening to the soothing notes and they too felt braver.
The sun was high in the sky when they awoke. The storm had passed and they had fallen asleep during the long night. The sun felt familiar on their skin as they ate the night’s leftovers. Ekewane and Eiru then walked towards the lake and followed it around until they came to a small inlet. They then took off their grass skirts and glided into the water. They bathed in the beautiful clear water; it was the first time since they had left their island that they were able to bathe in fresh sweet water instead of the seawater.
The girls felt happy and free as they swam and splashed around.
After a while they got out. Since they landed on the island their skins had returned to a beautiful golden bronze, they had lost that sallow orange tinge the long months at sea had caused. Their long black wavy hair glittered, as the sun caught the drops of water, as they ran their fingers through it.
As they reached their makeshift camp, Emarr was sitting there smiling. He too had bathed in the lake. As they sat down beside him he shyly took two frangipanis from behind his back and handed them to the two girls. The two girls happily placed them in their hair.
“I wish we could stay here,” Emarr said wistfully.
“We can’t, our families will worry about us, but we will come back again,” smiled Ekewane.
She slowly got up first and the other two followed. They looked around one more time and started walking towards the undergrowth. The descent was steep and they would often slipped on the wet ground.
It was only later on that day when they sat down hot and tired, that they listened attentively. In the distance they could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. They looked at each other, soon they would reach the sea and then they would follow the coast until they found their families.
They got up excitedly, forgetting how tired and hot they were and hurried as fast as the bushes would allow them. Ekewane noticed that as they came closer to the sea, Emarr was becoming more somber, and wondered why?
“Oh!” screamed Eiru.
She had not seen the large rock and fell over it. Ekewane walked back to help her up, but she stopped and looked alarmed.
“Emarr!” she shouted.
Emarr ran back as fast as he could. Ekewane pointed to what at first sight looked like one of the many large rocks.
“I-it’s not a r-rock, i-it’s a large bone,” she stuttered.
Emarr examined the rock carefully. “You are right, but I have never seen such a big bone, I don’t know what it belongs to.” He looked worried, what sort of monsters lived on this island?
Eiru still on the ground started to cry again. She was exhausted and afraid yet again.
“We will keep going, the sea is getting closer, and don’t be afraid Eiru.” Emarr declared more courageously than he felt.
So the three continued walking. They did not dare speak, and would often glance around looking for any animal that could come out from behind a tree, or pinnacle, and attack them.
The sound of the ocean became louder and louder until they finally stepped out of the forest, and there, in front of them, was the great expansion of blue. They gazed up and down the reef in order to see if their tribe was anywhere near, but could see only the deserted shoreline. They did not know where they were, but felt safer, and would follow the reef until they found their tribe.
The three walked all morning. When the sun was high in the sky, Emarr looked at the high coconut trees close to the shore.
“I will get some coconuts for us.” He then walked towards the tree and the girls followed.
They watched him skillfully climb a tall tree and cut the coconuts, balancing only on his feet as he reached up above his head. Once he had thrown down a few, he slowly climbed down.
The girls found a sharp limestone pinnacle and cut the thick husk. They handed the first coconut to Emarr and smiled, then set about opening their own. They drank the sweet coconut water and then proceeded to scrape out the soft flesh. They were not in any hurry, the day was hot and they were tired so lay back under the shade and rested.
A cool breeze woke them up. They felt better after their short sleep and were now ready to continue their walk. The three friends kept walking silently each in their own thoughts, until in the distance they could see a large group of people spread along the shoreline. They knew that finally they had found their tribe.
Ekewane was concerned that her parents and other adults would have now become aware of their disappearance and be very angry. It was her fault that Eiru and Emarr had left the encampment, so they would be angrier at her than the other two. She sighed and prepared herself.
She knew she would not be physically punished, because children were never punished that way, but be made to stay on the reef, and not even be allowed to go fetch the water only a short distance away.
As they came closer, the children ran towards them excitedly. The adults also noticed them. Ekewane could distinguish the tall figure amongst the other adults; it was her father.