AJ Hale & The Olympians: Son of Lightning

Chapter Fourteen: I Become Snake Food

My dream started like this.

I was standing inside a village, tucked inside a wooden palisade wall so tall that there were walkways higher up than me to see over them. Long wooden buildings made out of thatch, twigs, and logs stretched out long like giant wooden Twinkies on the ground. I realized I knew what these houses were called without knowing—longhouses. And I knew what they were used for—homes and ceremonies.

Then it hit me: the reason I knew all this was because I was born here. This is the village that I kept dreaming about being on fire. This is where I was born and lived 250 years ago. And from the looks of it, the Redcoats haven't raided it yet. I wanted to look around.

It was quiet, besides random chatter from other tribespeople talking and doing chores. A few kids and men were fishing at a nearby pond. Women were attending a fire, cooking something that smelled delicious and familiar. I went over to the three women making the smell.

They saw me, smiled, and waved me over, "Come over, Odeserundiye! Come test our new batch!"

For some reason, it felt like they were calling me. I looked behind me, but no one was there.

"Come on, cutie!"

They were calling me!

Odeserundiye? Was that my name? I racked my brain. It felt like it meant something; it was right at the tip of my tongue. It had lightning in it; that word was clear. Of Lightning? Born of Lightning? Made of Lightning? Wait... lightning? My name meant something about lightning. Was it my mother? Did she name me after my father?

"Come on, it's getting cold!" the Aunties said.

Aunties? Where did that come from?

Finally, the smell was too much. It had woven through my nostrils and pulled me over. In a bowl lined with thin grease-matted cloth were a dozen fried slices of bread—large bumpy circles perfectly fried to a golden brown.

"Come on, try one before your mother sees!" one of the Aunties held out the largest piece. "Don't tell your mother we let you have Fry Bread before your supper. She might make us into the next batch." The ladies laughed.

I took the warm, soft bread and bit into it. Instantly, I was filled with warmth and an extremely familiar taste. This taste! That's what my Ambrosia tastes like! Fry Bread! I nearly scarfed the whole piece down without swallowing before the Aunties stopped me.

"Slow down; we don't want Kawisenhawe to kill us if we let her only son choke to death."

Kawisenhawe? Something about... holding ice is what I got. Was that my mom's name?

"Do you..." I swallowed a large lump of fried bread. Do you know where my mom is?"

"Kawisenhawe, she is in the last longhouse, talking to the Elders. It is best not to disturb them."

"Here, eat another piece of bread. You are too skinny!"

"A gust of wind might take him away again." the Aunties laughed. For some reason, I felt like she wasn't really joking about the wind taking me away.

"Oh, fry bread! Can I have one?" a young boy ran up, bouncing on his feet.

"Go away, Ratonhnhaké:ton; you already ate three!" one of the Aunties shooed him off.