A Texas girl finds herself admiring a light in the sky only to find out it is indeed an alien, which transports her to another time long long ago in Africa and pairs her with a Neanderthal population in hopes that her descendants will populate Nort...
While Kamrasi traveled south, Riangi and Ujiji took council with the clan elders as they watched the River drift slowly by. The young children were trying to catch enough fish to feed the entire Mirumbura village while the adults discussed their growing problems. It had not rained since two seasons ago. There should have been more, much more.
They sat about the ash pit, its old cinders longing to be rekindled, the ash long ago used by the men to paint their bodies with, for the spirits feared such markings on people. The dryness allowed the old fire pits to remain. Lightning was ever a daily occurrence, but that was far away lightning. Lightning without rain. The Spirits were angry.
Dada, said Riangi, you should have sent me instead of Kamrasi, I am more skilled in survival.
But your brother is better at trading. Enough said, said Ujiji.
All of a sudden, Ujiji stopped talking. He cocked his head and looked up into the trees. (I paused my story as the gathered looked with knowing anticipation into the sky, some pointing).
Listen, Riangi said. Everyone else stopped. They could see the children in the river standing still silently holding their paltry speared fish in their hands. Riangi broke the silence.
What is it, Dada? He said.
Nothing, said Ujiji, it's too quiet.
The birds, shouted his old friend Sinomi, where are the birds?
And then everything went silent. People spoke but no sounds breached their mouths. The children and the women made no noise. The river stopped flowing or seemed to.
Just then, the trees began to shake, silently, swaying almost to the ground, and great winds came from the sky. Dust and cinders flew into their eyes. Blackness fell on them like night had fallen. A blinding light flashed and in that instant, the wind stopped, and all was as it was, and the light had returned.
The children dropped what fish they had gathered back into the river and ran to the elders. People screamed for one another and the women and children cried. Amidst it all Uiji stood still. His eyes were still fixed on Riangi, but Riangi had disappeared. He stared unmoving, his jaw agape, his arms outstretched reaching for his son. The other clan members slowly came out from behind the bushes and trees. The children still clung to their mothers - crying. The men crept closer, cautiously.
Ujiji looked down to the hollow pit between where he and Riangi had stood just moments ago. All that was left of Riangi were his talisman necklace and his favorite knife, a fine black obsidian blade his father had given him upon reaching puberty. It was made from a stone somewhere near the Valley of Death. In Riangi's place was a three-point marking, like a burn mark on the ground. He bent down to touch Riangi's things. It smelled of rain.
Stop, said Sinomi, Ujiji's long-time friend and confidante, if you touch it you will share his fate. The others backed away from him and the tokens of his now missing son. Ujiji weighed the options carefully. Was it better to suffer his son's fate or to remain empty-handed, and alone? In the end, he stood empty-handed, trembling.
You have evil spirits within you now Ujiji, said Sinomi. The other members of the clan who were gathered grunted their collective agreement. The council is over, he continued, Go home, everyone.
Sinomi waited for the others to go and then spoke to his friend, They are all gone Ujiji. You must not show weakness in front of them.
Ujiji walked over to the center of the area and pissed onto the soil creating a dark paste that he gathered into his hands and smeared over his face and arms. He dipped his hands into the mixture. He spread his fingers and streaked them across his chest. Let no evil enter me now, he said. Sinomi spat into the strange marking.
Riangi, he is gone. Now I have only Kamrasi to carry on my legacy, to take over the clan for me, and he is away upriver. Where did he go? Ujiji searched the surrounding area. He checked behind every bush and rock. He went to the river and stood in the middle staring down into the water passing by. He called out his son's name.
He is gone Sinomi. What am I to do? As he was talking a wind scuttled past and the leaves rustled. They both stepped back and looked into the trees, at the sky, then at each other. The day had started warm and Sunny, the clouds had blown off and now the sky was a deep blue. A flock of White Stork flew overhead returning from their summer roost in Europe, their number so great they created a shadow below blocking the Sun.
See, said Sinomi, it is only the birds returning upriver from their long journey. They are returning in time for the rains.
What rain, said Ujiji. It is a bad sign. What could they possibly know that I don't? The rain will not come. See the river is already half of what it used to be. Yet I think the Storks bring evil. They should have stayed where they were. Do you remember Sinomi when our friendship began? You were there. That same day the storks flew overhead just as they do now.
These are evil times my friend, said Sinomi.
Ujiji turned to leave. With Sinomi in tow, he walked back to the village.
They should find life less kind, he said, than before. He walked on and looked for the last time over his shoulder at that very spot and they walked back to the village side by side
You are going to have to make some decisions when we get back, did you see the looks everyone gave you?
Yes, I'm sure I will be challenged now especially since I am not even from this clan. I just hope the challenge doesn't come from you, my friend.
If the dragon had never taken my hand, perhaps I would, said Sinomi touching the crocodile-toothed necklace he wore.
Ujiji smiled at his old friend and stopped walking. Patting him on the back he said, I know but I wonder who among them would dare to challenge me. I am still strong though I have lived these many rains.
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