Something seemed to be wrong.
What I mean is that it didn't take long for our tranquility to be interrupted, for some villagers to appear and call us. All three of them stood at the riverbank, murmuring. I could catch a glimpse of their nets and baskets, fishermen it seemed. Perhaps from the village over? We shared the stream with some neighbors to the north after all and we would often cross paths while harvesting wood or fishing. Then during the warmer months we'd see more of them in the marketplace, eagerly showing off their wares and haggling the prices for various things. They're a lively people, those who live at the bottom of the hill. Polite people, yet always so cautious of those they didn't know well, always watching their backs and observing their surroundings in quiet, stoic manners. Could that be why they decided to build their precious village on the side of a practically inaccessible hill?
Maybe there's no real meaning or reason behind it, maybe their village was just where their founders wanted it to be, and they simply grew and flourished around there. Though that doesn't make much sense either. Maybe it was neither. I should ask my cousins from the bottom of the hill when I get to visit them again. Though it might take some prying to get the information from those brats.
The three men continued to call us over, they seemed so intent upon gaining our attention that it would be almost rude if we ignored them any longer. I nudged my friend in the side and nodded, our time of leisure had come to an end it seemed. We trudged through the heavy stream where like always, I almost toppled over backwards into the waters before managing to stay upright. Hyats'i was an expert at that however, his bulky body more than familiar and acquainted with the treacherous pathways. His head is a few inches from the stream when he's like this, standing at his full height.
The villagers seemed almost anxious, exchanging nervous glances before averting their gaze, a tacit request. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, tense, almost stifling. As we approached we could hear their mumbling and fretting about in their usual murmur. One of them fiddled with his hip cloth's hems, anxiously pulling and smoothing them.
The eldest man of the group remained silent throughout. His eyes stayed narrowed, giving away his suspicious mood. And every few seconds, a deep scowl flashed on his face, then disappeared into his previous expression. What a strange bunch, what business did they have in calling us out here? I looked to Hyats'i, gesturing with a nod of my head for him to move and stand to the forefront. But he merely stood beside me, unmoving. He seemed uneasy as well. How odd it was, the overly trusting and friendly oaf, always ready to talk, yet even he remained quiet.
"What is it?" I stiffly asked them. The old man continued to scowl and crossed his arms, scrutinizing me and my companion as though judging every last detail and examining our every twitch, though thankfully didn't say anything to further escalate this already fraught situation.What's with all this silence? If something were really wrong, why not just come out with it? These men were starting to irritate me, there we were happily splashing around the river after a long day's work and these guys ruin it with their strange antics.
The shortest of the trio, seemed almost horrified by something. Just utterly speechless with his eyes all wide and his mouth agape as wishing to speak but though struck mute. He almost resembled a fish gasping for air and twitching pathetically on a chopping block. The other man stared at him incredulously, no doubt taking in this comical picture before him, yet too dignified to say something rude, opting instead to keep a neutral composure and behave as an adult would.
It wasn't too long until their leader was the one to finally step forth and speak, just as equally unnerved as we were.
"Mö’kjä, children." He began then paused for a moment and licked his chapped lips while he gathered his words together. I almost thought he was hesitating but no, he was searching for the right words, being as deliberate as possible in what to say while the men behind him struggled to even hold together their act of normalcy. The taller one gently patted the shorter one's shoulder then nudged him with a whisper that was loud enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, though I couldn't tell what was being said. But what struck me was just how the shorter man kept staring into the distance, not responding at all to the other man's tender voice or gentle taps, just staring forward in a kind of daze, not moving at all except for the tremors in his hands as he struggled with whatever words were stuck within his mind.
"What happened to that one, old man?" I inquired and leaned forward a bit, unable to restrain myself any longer. Had he been affected somehow by an illness or curse, it would be awful if we had somehow caught something just now. What if it was something even Old Cecihuatzin couldn't cure? That would suck.
My eyes searched the man infront of me, his deep-set wrinkled eyes and his greying unkempt beard, greasy with dried fruits juice and whatever else he had consumed recently. He tried to hold my gaze, he really tried but whatever had happened to the group seems to have affected the trio as a whole. Even then, that wasn't an excuse to rope Hyats'i and I into their mess! Either they spit it out already or I'm out of here!
My hand itched to pull at the old man's whiskers until he gave me a decent answer but alas, the oaf beside me, unaware or uncaring, beat me to the punch with a calm but strong grip upon my forearm. He gave me a sharp tug. "Leave them be." His expression seemed hard. And uncharacteristic, as he eyed the men across us. "Show some patience."
His voice was firm and didn't have the usual melodic ring to it that I found oddly comforting. That had me surprised, though admittedly also intrigued. I couldn't remember the last time I'd heard him sounding so serious, and the new tone fit him. The only thing I disliked is that his smile was gone.
"You two are from Bönjü, yes?" The old man's eyes took on a melancholic expression that was quickly hidden away under the façade of his usual gruff countenance. A thick line had formed between his eyebrows, creating an almost perfect arch. His whole posture was rigid as a board yet his knees tremble lightly.
"You boys are local to this area." He uttered. Why didn't they say something, what did it matter if we lived in the same area or not? Were they asking for directions back to their home or something? That's not going to happen anytime soon, not when this lot can't even get to the point.
"Yes, did you need something?" Hyats'i answered.
"I sent my two sons to harvest wood for our bonfire some time ago and only one returned."
The old man said with a faraway look and a wistful expression on his face. There was no anger, not even fear, just sadness. The older man held back tears from his eyes, refusing to look directly into ours, instead staring up at the tree branches hanging over us and holding tightly on to his sides as he spoke. My eyes glanced over to the shorter man from before. His eyed glazed over and utterly empty, it all made sense now. He had made it out of the forest and his brother had not. Who knows what horrors he saw in those woods.
Hyats'i and I being locals knew which paths to take and which ones to avoid lest we wish to fall upon our death or face the many terrors dwelling therein. Our survival depended upon us remembering that. But most of the population never got that far in their journey. We were a lucky lot.But these three weren't from the area, they weren't even from this side of the river. I only wonder what sort of monstrosity they came across this time.
Lately there have been rumors going around about these noises that could be heard all the way from the village, but I never paid the gossip any mind. Something about rumbling followed by the noise of trees being knocked over all at once. Monsters in every shape and form, tearing everything apart in their path. Nothing survived against these things, we all heard about them growing up and everyone swore their lives upon the sacred bark of trees that to venture into those woods was to certain death. The tales were endless, no-one knew much about the area around here and none of the folks who had been to the outskirts came back ever again.
Even Old Cecihuatzin, as fearless and stubborn as she was had never dared venture past the forests that marked the boundaries of the village. And when on occasion like other curious kids from the village, I showed interest in going deeper in, the old woman would take a long, thin piece of wood, usually the handle of a club or paddle and whip me with it. This way of teaching is not meant to cause any serious injuries. But just enough to be painful, just enough that the welt would heal in time. Just enough that it would scar a little and you would quickly forget those thoughts of exploring. Then, the moment you start to forget, another swing will land to remind you. And thus, the cycle would repeat itself. She's a strong lady for her age, that one.
So maybe I do pay the rumors some mind. Enough to know this much atleast. But those were all just a bunch of rumors. No apparitions or beasts, probably just snakes or wild cats looking to make a meal out of the foolish souls who wandered through, and got lost. Still, these grown men were trembling and asking them for help. As much as I wished to fool around in the river again, it would be wrong to ignore them.
What if the rumors were true? Why should I help some strangers out if it meant I might not make it out? Everyone is convinced that the forest is full of evil monsters that eat human flesh, so why should I? No one would fault me for simply being realistic. Not even Hyats'i or my mom would fault me. But gods is my curiosity oozing off the sides, I can't just ignore these three. They want us to go rescue this 'lost' person? Fine.
"Show me where you sent your boy." I spoke without hesitation. A young lad had gone into those woods to perform his duty. Something went wrong and his family was in too much shock to save him. Whatever had happened, was beyond what they could control, and it pained them dearly. So instead, they seek the help of a local, of us.
"Come. I'll help you find your boy, but leave behind that one in your care, old man.” I pointed to the shorter man, still completely oblivious to the rest of the world. It would do them no good if they left such a broken soul in the midst of battle or a dangerous forest. A liability through and through, no matter how much it hurt his family, they couldn't leave him unsupervised and the elder wouldn’t be much help either if he was unable to protect himself, let alone someone else.
“Walk straight ahead until you see a blue banner to your left. Follow the banners until you reach a shoddy hut with a garden in front of it.” I placed a hand on the old man’s shoulder, doing my best to look him straight in his eyes and giving him my fiercest face. My eyes burned as my gaze met his and a small part of me pitied the old man. He was trying his hardest not to seem weak but it was plain to see the weight upon his shoulders.
“Before the old crone whips you with that long stick of hers tell her that I sent you. That Yolotl sent you.” I gave the man another pat. The old man simply nodded then swallowed the lump in his throat before he turned to his son. He moved the poor fellow to the riverside and started a one sided conversation as they waited for us to set off.
Only when Hyats’i and the taller man from before stare at me expectantly did I realized what had just happened. Had I really promised to help these men? Had I really sent us to bring a kid back, not knowing what dangers lie ahead? Not to mention going into unmapped areas in a place of legends where people do not return, never to be seen again.
How reckless could I be? Did all this talk about freedom and my family stirr something inside of me to the point I'm no longer able to think straight. If so, then what were we to do next? We would have to work together, cooperate if we wished to make it back alive, then what? If it came to it, could we bring a complete stranger with us back home. Was Hyats'i even okay with all of this, did he know what we had agreed to when he stayed so quiet?
“Hyats’i.” I began to say, he shouldn’t feel the need to come along. This is me giving him an out, he can take it and leave alive or he can come and share the same fate as me, but if the last one was his choice then I wouldn’t stop him. After all, I could never turn my back on my old friend. But when his eyes found mine the uncertainty was clear as crystal. He wasn’t sure. This isn't what he signed up for and he didn’t seem eager for our supposed adventure either, which I could understand, this was reckless, insane even. Not to mention that while I was brave enough to face the prospect, my legs shook at the idea of venturing beyond the limits into unknown.
So he smacked up the side of my head. Ouch. But man did that help with the nerves.
The light slap had snapped me from the doubt, letting all those fears and doubts tumble away. Hyats'i took a firm step forward as his mouth twisted into a thin grimace as the doubts of what we had just done started to settle in. Then another. And then another. Until his face looked just like his father's in a rare occasion. Stern, a stern and focused gaze like the men he aspired to emulate.
"You're selfish," he mumbled. "So reckless and too damn much!"
My head hung low. His eyes glared at me, a disapproving glower but not the kind of disgusted grimace or loathful stare I expected after that stunt I'd just pulled. More of a deep burning that refused to leave the surface.
"But I'll be damned if I let you walk off into those woods on your own." He kept his tone firm and curt, his gaze averted and his hands gripped into tight balls at his sides. When his words finally hit me and I'd stopped processing his anger, it finally began to click.
It seemed no matter where the two of us were going, the outcome was always the same. One could run in and the other could easily chase after him. Whether that meant diving into cold river water in the dead of winter, jumping to avoid being seen by prying adults or rushing to meet Hyats'i for a mid-morning run through the town while people sluggishly woke up and the morning market was settling down. It didn't matter what kind of stupid nonsense, the both of us always followed one another, whatever kind of plan. And while I had assumed he wouldn't do it, seeing my face. Hearing his voice filled with a hesitant tremble. Knowing he was suffering through every second. But he stayed. By my side.
We'll make it out of there, both of us. We have no other choice but to.
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