October 30, 2011

• Hawk – Flight of fear

  Hawk – Flight of fear

  Short story

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  @bmojsilo requested that I participate in his #Winnetou writing #contest where I have to write a short story that is a Western. I do not have much passion for Western but in the spirit of things, decided to play along. So this entry contains my story of how and Indian called Little Hawk’s discovery the first European settlement in America who founded the colony of San Miguel de Gualdape, at what is present-day Georgetown, South Carolina. I do not know if this will measure up to the expectation but this is basically all I could come up with. I do not consider myself a good story teller…or writer but if one never tries one will never learn.

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  Little hawk, the shaman of the tribe of Tsenacommacah,  could not dispel the image from his mind. A goddess appeared unlike any other he had seen during all his journeys in the spirit world.  She stood with golden hair floating in the wind and he eyes blue like he had not seen before.  His call to the ancestors for clarification and insight remained unanswered. For twenty years he led his people through the mysteries.  When they doubted he took led them to water and found the values where the hunt was plentiful. But now, haunted by this goddess of beauty,  he is without answers. The Great Spirit left the image in his mind, burning his inner eye. He could no longer lead his people. Driven.  The  smile of a Goddess clothed in a way he has never seen was slowly stealing his sanity. Nothing seemed to make sense. At first he threw himself into rituals…ate more of the mushrooms in a desperate hope to go further and deeper into the world of spirit to discover the who this strange apparition was that controlled his mind. When the Chieff of the tribe had a problem they consulted with him … he was the one with all the answers. He consulted the Spirit …but who will he consult if the Spirit does not answer?

  At last he made a final choice. He requested from the king to leave on a quest for insight. The bones he threw indicated that he had to go to the great water at the end of the earth. There at the confluence of the three great rivers of the Pee dee, Wacamaw and Sampit  he will find his answer. He prepared well for the long journey. His horse was young but a trustworthy steed that would help him to make the long journey. The Chieff of the clan however cautioned him to take two extra horses with him….and so he did. Mountain Bear the most famous warrior of the clan was a child of adventure and requested to come with him.  He agreed and the two set off on the journey.  The journey spelled doom for the brave warrior.

  Mountain Bear fought many battles but the journey was his last. When they crossed a mountain Mountain Bear’s horse slipped. The warrior fell down the cliff and was badly hurt. Little Hawk hoped to save his loyal friend but had to look how his friend slipped without ceremony from his hands into the spirit world.  He stayed a few days at the spot, chanting the songs of his father to help his friend depart fully into the spirit world. He left the body of this brave fighter but continued onwards knowing that his spirit will be with him throughout the journey.  He knew the warrior will not be fully released to continue to the next world until the journey is completed. The loss of a friend was a big price to pay for a journey inspired only by a vision. Maybe….maybe he was mad as some of the tribe members accused…..but he had to continue…he had to know what the vision meant..

  Now finally he is close to the big bay… He erred. In his haste he fell into a world of fantasy and suddenly he found him surrounded by a strange tribe holding up sticks with threatening looks. He was a shaman…not a warrior…a man seeking peace before war. The group of men was very excited but also looked afraid…he looked at them as if they were ants but cooperated. With difficulty he followed there strange language.  He felt confident in himself for  he knew the power he had with the Spirits.  The only time his glare made him look more aggressive than peaceful was when one of the men tried to touch his head feathers. Never before did anybody dared to touch his head feathers.  All knew it was sacred.

  They lead him to their dwelling place.  A strange camp…where they forced him to sit down beneath a tree. They took his horse and his spear….but fortunately not his medicine bag, hanging on his side. He dipped his hand in to get the mixture which helped him out of difficulty before. He was ready but wanted to see more.  They brought him to their leader who called himself  Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón. But he did not approach with respect but more like a man coming to inspect a wild horse. Little hawk looked into his eyes, firm without fear…and then he heard a voice…a voice different from anything he ever heard. Then he saw her…the goddess from his dreams but here among these men in human form.  He jumped up to stand before her ….but all went black….

  He found himself before the Great SPIRIT and the spirit told him that it will be his burden to tell the clan that these people will destroy the fields and the beasts. The image of the goddess was to call him and drive him so that he can see these people himself. A great fear filled little Hawk and his body shook as images of a future, yet to happen, gripped him. He woke up underneath the tree with three guards, his hands tied. It was night and the moon was full. He felt her protection covering his body. He slipped his hand in his boot to extract a small hidden knife and cut the rope.  From his medicine bag he extracted the fire smoke roots ground into sand.

  With a warrior shout he called to the spirits of the world to cloud his body. The fire smoke root burst into smoke and before the guards could react he disappeared into the darkness. Like a shadow he vanished. By the times shouts rang up in the camp he was gone with his horse. His lungs filled with fresh air as he felt the power of his horse moving beneath him. He felt the rush of victory…never before was an escape so sweet. Yet, there was a dark burden on his shoulders. He had to go and warn all the chiefs that a great, great tragedy is on the way.  The life they knew will one day change and be replaced by strange customs.  If only they would listen, they would prepare to face the danger. But he knows the great Spirit does not lie…the great spirit has made him a messenger of warning… Never again will he feel peace in his heart, for the images he had seen will drive him further and further to warn them that the time of destruction is near.

   

  • 1:35 pm
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