I SEE YOU | AVATAR

11

HI! DON'T FORGET THAT ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE, SO DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU NOTICE ANY MISTAKES

"The decision is made. The boy will live among us." Father announces as he stands up.

All those present stand up. The blond boy hugs Toruk. The first ray of sunlight falls on them. The disappointed warrior woman grunts before leaving the Marui. The other three warriors greet Father and Mother before leaving as well. Toruk greets Mother, walks over to Father and offers his hand. The Chief shakes it and they exchange a look.

"Thank you" says the Omatikaya.

Father simply nods but does not respond. The blond boy greets my parents without approaching them. Toruk finally turns to him and beckons him to follow. They leave the Marui.

"Why?" I ask, addressing Mother.

"Because it's a fair choice. I thought like a Mother." She replies as she watches her husband exit the Marui.

"You tell me that excuse every time. He is not her son. What consequences might his life here have on the other villages' view of ours? They will say that Father is weak. That he is corrupt."

Mother makes sure Father is far enough away and then approaches me. She puts her hands on my shoulders. I frown, surprised at her behaviour.

"Listen to me carefully." She whispers. "You will kill that boy. You will push him off a cliff, drown him or put an arrow through his heart. Do as you please but get rid of him."

My features relax. I don't understand.

"I don't understand. Didn't you want him to live among us?"

The Tsahik puts her hand on my cheek and strokes it gently. I step back, she lets her arms fall to her sides.

"Tonowari wants." She lifts her chin and touches her rounded belly. "Get rid of him before the other villages know he's here.

— What? You're so strange right now... Are you asking me to go against the decision of a council?" My jaw twitches. "It's forbidden." I say firmly.

"Do you know what is forbidden?" She says, wrinkling her nose and hissing. "To bribe council members.

— What do you mean?" I ask, curious.

"Tonowari consulted the warriors before the council. He asked them to show mercy to the boy. He even offered them..." She says, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "Privileges.

— Father wouldn't do that.

— He did." She says firmly. "If everyone else is breaking the rules why can't you? I left the boy alive to please him, make him die. I could tell Tonowari that he should've listened to me. There is no place for humans here. Don't pretend that the boy's life matters. Isn't it his fault that the elder Sully's died?

— Neteyam is not dead yet." I mumble.

"He won't wake up. Kill the child." She stands behind me. "I know you can do it.

— What if they know I killed him?" I ask hesitantly.

"You will be the pride of the village." She whispers in my ear.

"Oh..Really?" I ask.

"The Metkayina clan will praise you. You will be the one who killed the last human on our land.

— I will be-" I start to speak.

"You will become the greatest chief the clan has ever known. You could expand our territory far beyond the horizon. North, south, east and west."