The Guardian of the Dying Tree

 

Nasha stood solemnly in front of the giant tree. She reached out and touched it tenderly. A joyful smile drawn upon her lips as she felt the vibrating energy coming out of it.

The ritual was a success!

This was Nasha’s 4^th full moon as a guardian of the sacred tree. Ever since she turned 20, she took on that heavy duty succeeding her grandmother after she passed away. She turned around to face the enlightened features of her people, as the magic cool breeze coming out from within the tree, was released to fuel the villagers with strength, the soil with abundant harvest, and the wells with flowing water.

She kneeled on the ground, and thrust her hands in the wet soil. Getting them both filled with mud, she stood clutching them to her chest, and under the villagers rhythmic chanting, she moved slowly around the tree, then walked away heading down to the village. The 37 straw and mud-built houses were all placed in circular rows, with each cabin’s door facing the worshiped tree in the center; it was a way to show respect and pray for mercy. Followed by her people, Nasha marched gracefully, staining each hut she passed with the sacred soil. This marked the end of the monthly ritual.

It was already dark when everyone entered their homes. Nasha waited patiently until the village was cleared from any walking soul, and hurriedly went to visit the village’s chief. The signs of concerns on her face had completely washed away the reassurance she showed earlier during the ritual.

“Come on in!” Said Yohan, a sixty-year-old man with a wrinkled face and dark skin. “The ancestor seems pleased my child. Look at these fresh beans and onions we picked this morning. The lettuce is beautifully blooming in the field, and the wheat is almost ready for harvest”

“That’s good to hear chief” Said Nasha with a distant voice. “Yet, there is something I think you and the villagers should know!” she continued

Yohan’s weary eyes grew wider as he sat on the black wool woven rug.

“It’s about the tree; I think the vibrations are becoming weaker and fainter; a conclusion I drew these past few months.” Explained Nasha

“This isn’t a good signal, not good at all” The chief said as he stood up agitated. “Maybe we should increase the portion of the harvest offered to the great tree.”

“I don’t know, something just doesn’t feel right. The tree seemed like if…” Nasha hesitated for a while, then continued with a troubled voice “Like if it’s dying! We’re not about to be abandoned, are we?”.

“Hush child, how could you utter such nonsense!” Snaped the old man. “The spirit of Ushua, the founder of this place and which tomb lies deep underneath the sacred tree, had promised this land millennia of prosperity as long as we devote ourselves to her. So far, we haven’t seen but goodness, and as her guardian, you should not sow confusion and doubts, rather, inspire hope and devotion amidst the people.” The chief heavily sighed and remarked “Don’t make me believe that you have inherited the infidelity of your wicked mother!”

At this word, Nasha’s grey eyes glared, and her brown skin flushed with anger “I am nothing like my mother!”

“Good, now prove it and please the ancestor! Tell the villagers that the ratio of the offering has increased” Yohan approached and put his heavy hand on Nasha’s small head “Go resume your prayers child! And remember, you vowed to do whatever it takes to serve the holy tree and keep it and this land alive!”

Nasha’s thin body kept shivering as she walked under the silver moon light. She passed the outer circle of the houses and headed toward the outside of the sleeping village. She climbed up the sloping mountainside and made her way through the rocks to her favorite spot. There was a shallow cave where she liked taking shelter in moments like these. From that height, she could clearly see her enclaved village beneath, and the neatly farmed fields, surrounded by the shady mountains. It looked lonely and isolated compared to the dazzling open night sky above it.  She sat on the warm ground; her brown long hair loosely fell on her shoulders as she let her small shin rest on her bent knees. She thoughtfully gazed at the distant sacred tree in the center. Her heart felt heavy inside of her chest as flashbacks of that frightful night kept spinning in her head. She couldn’t dare tell the chief about what she did; he would’ve banished her right away, just like he did to her mother.

Next time the ritual must work, it has to!

The villagers were informed, and on the following ritual, piles of crops were generously presented at the feet of the holy tree. Nasha devotedly performed the ritual, imploring mercy and forgiveness. When the time came for her to touch the tree and release its magic, her heart hammered and her throat dried; she could barely feel any vibration coming from within! She stopped petrified for a while. She started pressing with her both hands the tree trunk desperately looking for that pulse of hope, but nothing came out. She slowly turned around to meet the stirring eyes of her people, her breath accelerating and her heart squeezing.

“Our prayers have not been heard, and our offering not accepted” She mumbled

To these shocking words, despair and fear quickly creeped into the devoted. The villagers fell on their knees; some chanting prayers while others lamenting their wicked fate. Nasha stood motionless in front of such a hysterical agitation, unable to find other words to say. This was a catastrophe; without the power of the tree, drought, sickness, and death would quickly follow and ravage every living soul. Absorbed in her own dread, Nasha failed to notice the shadow of the grand chief standing tall besides her.

“Silence!” He loudly spoke, with a heavy voice “This is a test and we shall not fail it. For hundreds of years the goodwill of the esteemed Ushua has granted this holy place with clear water to drink, and plenty of food to eat. Nothing was asked from you in exchange but faith and worship. Now it’s time to prove your worth. The ancients have predicted that this day would come. Let us show more gratitude and generosity. The ancestor will hear the prayers, and will accept the sacrifice of her devote subjects” He then kneeled facing the tree, he took a large handful of dirt and spread it on his naked chest: “Ô Purge our souls from sins. We obey and We surrender our fate to the merciful, Ô sublime Ushua!”. Everyone dutifully followed his example, and the imploring prayers rose high resonating across the deaf mountains.

  In the following weeks, the village had witnessed its worst days. The level of water in the wells awfully decreased, the soil dried up, and the glowing green of the plants was replaced by a pale yellowish shade. It was midday when Yohan urgently called for Nasha. She was in the field inspecting the dying lettuce, and fruitlessly looking for sighs of improvements. All the forlorn and begging eyes of the farmers were fixed on her. Those poignant stares grew heavier at each passing day; she had the obligation as the tree guardian to solve this problem and restore life and magic to the giant tree. A cold quiver run through her body as the thought of confronting her unspoken secret came haunting her again. She walked away from the field under the scorching sun, determination mixed with fear shone in her glaring eyes. 

  “Any good news?” Asked Yohan as Nasha stood respectfully before him.

“I’m afraid our intensive prayers this month are still unheard by the ancestor” She cleared her throat and forced herself to continue “I believe that something other than increasing the offering must be done!”

“You are right!” he instantly replied.

“Does he already know?” Nasha thought, shocked and alerted by his attitude.

With an impassable expression, Yohan said: “It’s exactly how the ancients have predicted it. In times of need, if pure sacrifice is not made, death would follow!” He stood up and slowly got closer to Nasha, his grave look pierced into her soul as he spoke “You are our faithful guardian, you must carry this burden, and bring back hope. The sacrifice must be made during the next ritual, there is no other way.”

Perplexed Nasha asked “What sacrifice do you mean?”

“Only a pure soul could water the thirsty soil above which rise the holy tree”

“You couldn’t possibly mean it!” She said with a troubled voice

“You dare to question the will of the ancestor?” He threw a furious look at her “It falls on you to do what it’s right by this village. We are tested, you are tested. The ancestor is watching” He squeezed her shoulders with his weighty heavy hands as he sharply continued: “The ritual is a week away, pick a child and show your devotion! I’ll inform the villagers; they too shall obey.”

 Left in her bewilderment, Nasha couldn’t believe that their sincere and innocent worship could come to this; killing a blameless infant! She refused to even consider it. She couldn’t publicly object Yohan, he had the people’s support, and she was the daughter of a deserter; a sinner who didn’t believe in the tree’s magic, something that was never expressed in the whole history of the village.

That evening, as Nasha walked through the village, she recognized that the place was no longer the same. By that time, everyone was surely informed about the upcoming sacrifice.  The atmosphere felt heavy and agonizing, yet when Nasha looked at the eyes of her people, what she saw frightened her; there was nothing but calmness, and surrender. Ever since she violated the village sacred code by approaching the holy tree out of the ritual time, she couldn’t stop but thinking of the meaning of the unexpected and terrible shaking she had felt that night. The ancestor was supposed to unleash her power at a specific time and according to the known ritual. But now as she witnessed the absolute despair, and the outraging decision of sacrificing an innocent child, everything made a perfect sense. Those vibrations were simply a warning! The village was crawling to its doom, and only one person could make things right.

“My mother” Nasha bitterly thought “She must be the pure soul the ancients were talking about. I have to bring her back and persuade her to repent before the great tree, and clear her soul. Although this would mean another violation of the holy code, but I have to go to the abyss and find her!”

By nightfall, Nasha took some provisions, and secretly sneaked out of the village towards the forbidden gate. Over that exit that was overloaded with talismans, prayers and curses carved on the stones, a huge sign indicated that this was the entrance of the infernal abyss; a dreadful place no one even dared to imagine. Only lost souls wondered beyond it; an infinity of barren mountains lied behind those doors where the very few sinners and disbelievers throughout the village history were expelled to meet their peril and punishment.

Looking at the gigantesque entrance, Nasha’s heart hammered; She was about to step out of a secured and blessed land. A consecrated ground beneath which the great Ushua herself was buried. This was a wretched idea! She turned around to throw a last glance at the dim hushed village, and with slow and reluctant steps, she crossed the gate and advanced towards the narrow passage. The place was pitch black, the faint light of the moon barely enabled Nasha to pierce her way through. The exploration of this unknown area made the young guardian feel utterly uncomfortable at first, but as she marched deeper into the valley, her eyes and spirit progressively got used to the present situation.

A soft twilight broke into the sky as Nasha paused to rest after hours of walking. She let her weight pull her down and sat on the rocky ground. Something sharp poked her back, she searched with her hand to remove the unpleasant object when she found out that it was a broken bone, a human bone! Horror and fright took hold of her. She gathered her courage and examined the place further. There were the remains of two people, probably villagers who were expelled long time ago, and who decided to surrender their doomed fate to the ancestor. Nasha sighed with relief; at least it wasn’t her mother’s.

At daybreak, the guardian resumed her journey, crossing miles between the lifeless rocks. Another day flew by, and the scarce food and water in her pouch were alarmingly decreasing. Fatigue and uncertainty were showing clearly on her features, and the stretching way ahead of her was discouraging. On the third day, Nasha's frail body was craving food and water, and her powers persistently failed her; she wasn’t accustomed to travel for such a lengthy distance. She desperately looked for a shadow to shelter herself from the scorching sun. She laid behind a rock on the burning ground, and gave up to the strong urge of closing her eyes and sleep.                        

The smell of wet grass tickling her nose gently snatched Nasha from her nap. For a moment, she lost the notion of time and space. But as she slowly recalled the purpose of her trip, and that she stopped resting between the hard rocks, she stared astonished at her breathtaking surrounding.

Am I in the heavenly underneath?

A marvelous landscape unfolded before her dazzled eyes. A massif number of trees were aligned behind a vast area filled with water, Nasha never saw anything like it before. Ahead of her was a troop of grazing cattle freely roaming on the lush greenery. On her left, she easily recognized the mountain range that encircled her village. For hundreds of years, it was believed that the ancestor granted life to only their village thanks to the ritual they faithfully performed. Why was there life beyond the mountains, and abundantly?

A young man, who seemed to be the cowherd, turned glancing her way. Seeing her awake, he hurried running towards her. He talked to her in incomprehensible language; his clothes and features were so unfamiliar to the guardian that she remained speechless for a while. Then she realized that the man was pointing towards the pot of water, some bread, and wrapped cheese put besides her. Her trembling hands quickly picked the jar, gulped down the refreshing water, and devoured the flavorful food. Life and strength gradually filled her body. The cowherd helped her to stood up, and he tried to communicate with her through gestures. She understood that he bought her here on the back of his horse. He showed her a bunch of mushrooms he was apparently collecting from the mountains; that was how he accidently found her laying unconscious. He put his hand on his chest and proudly said “Herray”. “That must be your name! I’m Nasha” she smiled. He then invited to her to mount the horse with him, she hesitated for a moment, but the curiosity she unexpectedly felt to explore this new outside world compelled her to accept the offer. 

While Herray herded the cattle, Nasha rode in silence. She was completely consumed by the wide variety of plants and animals, the huge amount of flowing water, and the unusual cool breeze. This wasn’t supposed to exist here in this life. They were promised such a heaven only in the afterlife, and as true believers. The guardian squeezed here hands checking if this was real; she was alive witnessing paradise out of her enclaved village.    

It took them less than half a day to arrive to what it seemed to be Harray’s village; Myre. People were dressed in brightly colored long robes, and used some intriguing accessories to ornament their heads. Their skin was fair and they had a more relaxed feature than the Ushua’s people. The houses looked sturdy and were built differently. The walls were made of nicely shaped brown stones. The wooden doors and windows were perfectly fixed, some were painted in blue, others in green. Some buildings were taller, and some were wider, and they were all aligned and neatly positioned in multiple rows. As the cowherd and Nasha approached the center of the town, a startling view drew the young girl’s attention. There was a vast space where some sort of gathering was hold. Some people were displaying a wide diversity of unknown vegetables and other kinds of food and goods, and they seemed to exchange it with a handful of curious coins given by the interested villagers. Everyone seemed glowing and well nourished.

Why the ancestor took the wealth from Ushua and gave it to these strangers?

A familiar voice snatched Nasha out of her bewilderment. She turned around searching for the source of the call.

“Shannon?” The guardian exclaimed addressing a woman who seemed to be in her forties, dressed in an elegant long blue garment, and carrying a bunch of thin sheets upon which unrecognizable signs and drawings were inscribed. The cowherd, recognizing the woman, showed her a sign of curtsy and respect.

“Nasha, my dear daughter!” Said Shannon approaching the guardian, her free hand seeking to caress Nasha’s cheek.  

The guardian stepped back avoiding her touch in disgust: “I see that you are living lavishly after you deserted your people, and leaving behind your own daughter!”

“I was banished, and threatened to death if I ever dared to return!” Hurt, the woman replied promptly. 

“Yes! after outrageously insulting your ancestor, and insisting that we were such fools to worship mere mud! How could you be so…” Nasha throw a glance at all the harvest exhibited around her and furiously continued “ungrateful! You should come back and repent for your sins, Ushua is dying! It’s your fault, and it’s your duty to make things right!”

Noticing that Herray was feeling uneasy about the tension, Shannon exchanged some words with him, he saluted both women, and politely walked away. The mother invited then her daughter to finish their conversation in a private place. Nasha reluctantly accepted. Shannon’s house was situated not far from the center of the village, it had a bright blue door and was nicely polished from the outside. The inside on the other hand, was crammed with piles of rolled sheets, pots filled with different types of dirt, and other queer tools scattered on the floor. Nasha curiously examined some of the objects.

“What have you become?” she asked, confused.

Pleased to see the interest in her daughter’s eyes, Shannon smiled: “I’m what they virtually call: a scholar. I study earth phenomenon and natural resources; I’m still a beginner though. But here in Myre, there is a gathering that is held, like it was today, where people like me, studying different areas, come together from distant towns to share their work and knowledge”

“What knowledge” snapped Nasha interrupting her mother’s enthusiasm “This is a complete waste of time. You shouldn’t be here; your people need you! They’re about to sacrifice children!”

“What? Why?”

“I told you” Cried Nasha “To resurrect the holy soil, everything is dying; there is no food, no water. The ancestor is angry. She sent me a warning, I sensed it. The tree was vibrating constantly” She continued, her panicked voice filled with guilt “I, I touched it, out of the ritual time!”

“Good!” Shannon calmly said, after a brief moment of silence “You’ll make things easier for me to explain then.”

Nasha’s puzzled eyes opened widely as her mother took her hand and guided her to sit with her on a comfortable pouf. She resumed with a serious tone: “Listen my child, there is more to this world than what you’ve been told. The first People of Ushua settled there 240 years ago. They were fleeing a ravaging war between two tribes, and when they found that large enclaved space, they decided to take refuge there until the storm passes. But as the years flew by, they grew fonder of the peaceful isolation provided by the mountains, and the painful memories of the bloodshed spurred the separation between the infernal outside and the heavenly inside. Stories and myth were thus told, like the magic tree, and a system was established to secure the union and collaboration of the people”

Nasha shook her head “I know you don’t believe in the great Ushua, but her magic is so powerful that you could feel it through the holy tree! Your obstinate faithless soul has crippled all your senses. How could you deny the vibrations, the refreshing breeze, and the flowing water under our feet?

“Ushua’s blessing is simply the groundwater beneath it! It is so common in those types of low areas to contain important underground reservoirs” explained Shannon

“And where do you think this water came from, if not the ancestor who produced it for us?” Nasha retorted scornfully.

“There is something called rain! Since the mountains blocked the clouds from moving in, you have never seen water drops falling from the sky. But it does in places not far from Ushua, and that's how the reservoir got filled throughout the time.”

“Water falling from the emptiness above? How is it possible?” The guardian exclaimed. “And what about the vibrations and the breeze?”

“Every month, the water underneath moves significantly due to the moon influence; it creates pressure that blows the air out through the pores near the tree, that’s when you feel that strong gust. But the groundwater is almost always moving, though at variant force, and that explains why you felt the vibration out of the ritual time. I think they forbid such an act to make that moment of touching the tree, after the offering, so special and meaningful…” She paused as she saw sadness and disappointment on her daughter’s face, and concernedly remarked “This can be hard for you to digest all at once. It was for me…”

“Liar!” The guardian broke into tear “This is all nonsense; it can’t be true! Ushua exists, she just needs you to repent and she will show us mercy. You must answer her!”

“Look around you Nasha!” Shannon snaped, squeezing her daughter’s shoulders “What you have seen coming here is real! Our people are imprisoning themselves between the mountains and denying that there is life beyond, but you saw it with your own eyes!” She took Nasha, who couldn’t stop sobbing, into her arms and tenderly murmured “I’m sorry my dear, I really am!”  

It took the guardian a while to recollect herself. The harsh truth she had to face was utterly devastating. She wholeheartedly believed in magic; it was a simple and beautiful way to live. What her mother had told her however, although sore to admit, had made everything fall into place. This only fueled her with determination to save her people. If what Shannon had said was right, and the water table was actually draining out, then the only solution is to make them leave the place, and show them the beauty of the flourishing outside as she witnessed it. Disregarding the warnings of her mother, the young girl persisted to go back to the village, taking with her two large bags full of all the vegetables, fruits, and grains the horse could carry. On Shannon’s request, Herray guided the guardian to the place where he first found her. He accompanied her a little further, but getting closer to the village, she dismounted the horse and asked him to wait there; strangers would certainly not be welcomed.

It was almost noon when Nasha put her feet back in the village. The sight of the giant tree in the center ignited disappointment and sadness. Her whole life was nothing but a lie, and she was about to tell her people that! As she approached the circle of houses, her heart squeezed and her stomach got disturbed. She had a mixture of thrill to show them the way out of their misery, but also fear of what their reaction might be. Like herself, the people of Ushua venerated this place for as long as they could remember. Telling them to leave it was akin to ask them to give up their core identity. The guardian played all the possible scenarios over and over in her head, preparing herself to efficiently argue and smoothly convince them to venture for a better place.

Faint chanting combined with mourning urged Nasha to promptly run towards the source of the noise. There were the villagers sitting at the foot of the tree, looking feeble and agonized, their hands deeply thrust in the dry soil, repeating their prayers and imploring their ancestor.

The sound of her hurried steps drew the attention of the crowd to the guardian. Whispers rose high and looks loaded with reproach were fiercely thrown at her. Nasha put down the heavy bag of goods she carried on her back. Curiously, Yohan, the grand chief, got up and walked towards her, the others followed his lead. Realizing that there was food inside, the hesitant slow walk suddenly morphed into a wild racing. Everyone fought to brutally snatch the food and voraciously tuck it in, while crying loudly: “Our prayers have been heard, our sacrifice accepted!”

Alerted, the guardian asked: “What do you mean? What sacrifice?”

Yohan rose and abruptly seized Nasha by her arms: “Where did you get this, where is the rest?”

“What sacrifice? Answer me!” 

“You already know what sacrifice” He coldly replied “How do you think this food was produced? The pure blood of our youngest child pumped life into the holy tree, and the merciful Ushua has answered our prayers. Now go ahead and show us the spot where bestowal of the great ancestor has bloomed!”

“You don’t understand! This isn’t a miracle, nor an answer for such a hideous sacrifice!” Nasha growled making all the confused eyes fixed on her. “I… I brought this food from outside the mountains! There are other places out there that thrive with plenty of food and water, I swear I saw it with my own…”

Before she could finish, Yohan strong hand pulled her hair down making her scream with pain: “You deserted your duty, you ran away, and now, when the ancestor granted us mercy, you claim that it’s not her doing? You want to take the credit for it? You ungrateful and cursed garbage! You shameless wretch! Tie her up to a stake outside the village! May the punishment of Ushua redeem her sins”

Nasha was ruthlessly dragged to the forbidden gates, her arms and legs fastened against a large wooden post, and left alone under the scorching sun. She miserably stood there for hours, too shocked to move, to thirsty to speak, and too sad to fight back.

At midnight, shortly after the distant crying and praying in the village had ceased, a shadow with stealthy footsteps came near the guardian, and with a sharp knife detached her enchaining rope. Nasha’s strength failed to hold her up right, she crumbled to the ground and peered at her releaser, it was no other than the cowherd; Herray. He gently took her hand to help her to stand up, and headed towards the exit indicating that they must leave now.

“No! I can’t leave just yet; we must help them! They’re going to sacrifice more children; I can’t let this happen!” She firmly said.

Even in a darkness that was mildly brightened with moon light, Herray could clearly see the spark of determination in Nasha’s eyes, and knew that he didn’t have another choice but to assist her. Despite the language barrier, the guardian succeeded to explain her plan to the cowherd. He therefore waited outside the gates at dawn, while she sneaked into the village to the abandoned well. She fastened the rope around her, and carefully went down. Reaching the dry bottom of it, she crouched and carefully moved in the direction of the sacred tree. She patiently waited until she sensed the march of her people in the early morning, gathering to plead and implore. Hoping that her trick would work, she took in a deep breath, and spoke as loudly as she could; calling the villagers from underneath. The echoes of her voice went vibrating all through the pores to the cracks of the tree, making the forlorn listeners shiver with fear.

“Ô faithful servants, my mercy is near, your sacrifices accepted, but the soil needs more. Tie all the children near the forbidden exit and let the mountains take them! They will bring me their pure soul and I will reward you with abundant harvest and flowing water. Leave the children and wait till dusk, on my command, your soil will thrive, and you will never go hungry again!”

Agitation and panic were distinctly felt even from underground. Nasha was almost holding her breath when she heard the hurried footsteps of the villagers, and the cries of the children beneath her. She couldn’t risk to get out so soon. For the time being, she only had to calm her exploding anxiety, contain the loud uncertainty in her head, and wait. The protection of the children and the continuity of the plan relied entirely on Herray now.

 At midday, when everyone took refuge in their homes from the unbearable heat of the sun, the guardian cautiously slipped out of the well, and swiftly made her way to the gates. There, the children were already freed, and offered water and cheese. Seeing a familiar face eased their perturbed little hearts. They attentively listened as Nasha gently instructed them to follow the cowherd, and reassured them that their parents would soon join them.

Having the youngsters moved to safety, Nasha could confidently carry on the last part of her plan. She took the extra bag of food they brought with them, and randomly scattered half of it near the entrance. The other half was put deliberately outside the gate, forming a trail to follow further towards the valley. She then found refuge behind a rock, and hid herself for the rest of the day.

Exactly near dusk, the villagers approached the entrance. They loudly expressed a mixture of horror and happiness at the sight of the absence of the children, and the presence of food. It didn’t take them long to notice that the aliment was way passed the forbidden exit. They hesitated at first, but instinctively followed the track and picked the goods. Realizing that the trail was leading them further, Yohan acutely barked:

“This is a test from the ancestor, we are not leaving the sacred land! This is a test and we must not fail it. Ushua will make this land thrive, and there is nothing but death and misery beyond it.”

The villagers stopped looking at the distant dispersed food with craving eyes, sorrowful throats, and empty bellies. Some ventured to take a step or two forward, but the furious curses and menacing threats hindered them to go any further. The faithful crowed fell back, and returned to the village imploring Ushua’s generosity, and putting their very survival wholly on her righteous hand. Nasha silently watched her people’s self-inflicted misery. She waited all night long wishing to witness a wiser decision, but in vain. She reluctantly began her journey back to Myre; her heart aching of agony. She wanted so bad to show her people the great beyond, the heaven on earth, and that everything they ever prayed for was just brave steps away. It only required from them the genuine will to live!

While she was wistfully consumed in her thoughts, Herray’s galloping horse brought her back to the exciting reality ahead of her. When he noticed that she was unaccompanied, disappointment spontaneously took over his cheerful expression. He understood, however, that she didn’t want to stay in this barren valley any longer. So they speedily rode back to his town.

When they arrived, the former guardian rushed to meet the children at Shannon’s house. She was delighted to see them well-nourished, and that life visibly crept back to their frail bodies. They were still under the utter astonishment of the abundancy of food and water, and their puzzled shiny eyes reflected the great number of unanswered questions rising in their thirsty minds. One of the oldest kids ran towards Nasha as soon as he noticed her:

“Where are my parents?” He promptly asked

Nasha got down to his height and held him tightly against her: “Sorry kid, but maybe they’ll join us later, I hope!”

His face grew sadder, and bravingly holding back his tears he said: “What are these people sacrificing to get all of this? We sacrificed our little brother, and we got but little! they don’t even have the big sacred tree?”

Nasha's hands trembled on the little boy's bony shoulders, and her lips bitterly pressed againsed each other : “They didn’t have to sacrifice anyone!” She answered “Their ancestor is not laying under a giant tree. They have a different one! And some ancestors answer better than others!” She looked at the wonderous eyes of the children; they were fully loaded with curiosity and hope. Nasha sighed and smiled; she stood up, and with a steadier hand, she carressed the boy's head: “There is a large world beyond the mountains waiting for us to explore it. And whatever ancestor brought us here, they want us to live and flourish, not die and disappear. Come on kids! Let me show you a few things I learned here; do you know what rain is?”  

The end.