2 A.M. #Wattys2017#specialawardwinner#iceaward2017

Chapter 10

I have grown weak. To decide if it's physically or mentally is hard. Recent events have caused extreme stress, my life being lonesome and meaningless has turned towards strange side. Strange wouldn't be a right word, because its left me in middle of a maze which I am not able to decode.

Clutching the book tight I swagger through dense forest. My body aches in potential pain with every step I walk. Calling for help is not an option for sure. There is no human habitat anywhere around here, except for those mythical tribes I had heard about from Kate. None had seen them walk out of their reservation but, people noticed fire fumes rising from canopies of tall trees sometimes. They were dense enough to indicate tribal habitat. Sadly I couldn't see any such thing when I was in utter need of it right now.

After an hour long of struggle crossing the  logs, rumpled leafy paths under the roof of Mahogany stretches, my knees drop down and I lean on the nearby tree closing my eyes for rest. My body is alert for any sign of help. Kate must have called upon police force. They must be here now, screaming my name out, which was probably hushed up by these thickets of greenery. Time or day was far fetching analysis in here. It felt like being in one time of no zones and day without daylight.

I woke up with my ears straining out with high pitched voices. My eyes spilt open when bright light plunged over it. Damn! I have no idea of where I am.

I pull myself up from the twig tightened bed. The hardness and tiredness had caused a catch in my lower back. How long have I been dozed off here?.

The room didn't exactly look like a room. It had nothing more than a dirty bed on muddy floor. The mud was more like a moss. A small table like stone structure was next to the bed. A coconut shell with sand brown liquid rested on the edge of the slanting stone table top. The roof was similar to that of a hut but, it had two window kind of structures. I could see bright blue sky through it. But, I had no idea of where I was and how I had come here.

I walk out of the room literally pulling my strained body. My eyes train around to swallow the strangeness. It was all in all a different era. Women moved around in Vega sways with soft fibre blouse and short skirt of what looked like banyan leaves. Men and kids wearing only a piece of blue whale skin stood in front of a huge rock, chanting what sounded like a prayer. The rock was not only huge, it was tall and sculpted as well. My curiosity made me walk towards it's front.

Weird population around gave me a look of disdain, some hosted with a bow, but none spoke a word. Chanting stopped and they all stood dead still staring at me. It seemed pretty dramatic, I am the prey of the jungle lot now.

I reach the spot of interest, right in front of the rock. I gasped in shock at the sight in front of me. The rock was a dark owl, the same owl which I had seen inside our crashed car. But, it was a sculpture. Still it's stare horrified me.

"What's all this?", was my first question.

" This is making vows. If you are asking about yourself, we bought you here yesterday night when you were unconscious. Wildlife here is very dangerous for human beings.", answered a man who was stout and commanding of the lot. He must be the head of the tribe. Yes, now I realize the scenario here. These people are the tribe I thought of as dangerous beasts of this forest. But, they have helped me by bringing me under a safe shelter. Second thought that halted me here was the owl, I don't know if they treat it as divine entity but, they certainly make vows to it and the truth I have been searching for involves this bird in it. It all seems like destiny to me.

" Thank you for helping me. I presume this is the reservation of tribes towns around gossip about? ", I try to sound convincing enough to avoid any forefront danger. They might have saved me but, they live in forest and are not civilized.

" Yes, modern men dare less to speak of us. We are legends of history. We are protective of our land and families. So, our methods of taking care is bleeding. But, you need not get scared about that. We will send you back if you tell us where you are from?", the chief's high tone reaches me straight and clear.

" I am from Rosefield. Glad you agreed to send me back but, I have a few questions to ask before leaving, may I? ", my voice is feeble with expectance and deny at the same time. My curiosity is popping acidic burns to my thinking.

" Wanderers shouldn't know about us! ", his words show harshness in them and annoyance building in him.

" I am not! Please, me and my friend were coming back from library yesterday. The cabman crashed the car and dragged my friend towards the town. Later I saw that owl..", I point towards the rock statue,"..it took the timepiece and flew away. Something in it's eyes warned me. I want to know about the owl and most importantly if there is anything you can tell me about Earl mansion?", I heave loud after putting all my energy into this. I conceal the critical details of yesterday's events because I cannot trust these people.

Whole crowd starts murmuring at the end of my sentence. The chief plops his eye out in what I would call a horror struck emotion.

" Earl mansion? Our men never speak of it. The dark secrets of it is not known to us. The black beak is protecting us from centuries. Legend says the owl knows the dread the mansion holds and henceforth it's signs and warnings protect us. Our ancestors were the civilians of early Rosefield but, they say things that happened 150 years ago changed everything. The civilians turned tribes and never saw the sun light of those beautiful fields.", with these words he looks upon into the canopies of trees searching for the rays which had stolen their hope.

" So this owl is like a guardian? ", my voice shows no sign of containment. I need to draft as much information as possible.

" Yes. It came to you yesterday for warning you. But, seems like it was too late.", a deep sigh leaves his lips. This reminds me of how badly Rohan got hurt and was dragged dead and those last words of wicked cabman rings in.

" Why does it have to be a guardian? ", a mere owl being a protector is little difficult fact to sustain.

" Because we are the descendants of men who lived in Lord Earlson's rule, the proclaimer of lands beyond imagination, the protector of his people. The owl was the only living being close to him. It was his pet and he loved him. Stories say Earlson's last word for it was to be a messenger of danger. Only the owl black beak lived! ", he declares.

My throat dries out, my body starts shivering when my last name was mentioned. Sunlight was to be seen and felt soon enough.