Pocahontas

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

POCAHONTAS

I sink to my knees at the edge of the woods as I watch John Smith get dragged from the conoe full of warriors. He's bound once more and this time led into a guarded tent.

I sit and think about how I could help. The battle is supposed to take place tommorow morning. I've already shamed my father and now I wont even try to reason with him. He wouldn't listen.

Nakoma walks up, and after a few seconds of alkward silence I remember what I promised to John Smith as he tried to escape. I'm supposed to tell what happened.

"Kocoum was just coming to protect me," I say. I start to tell the story but I see that look of guilt on Nakoma's face.

"Pocahontas, I sent Kocoum after you," She says sinking to her knees in front of me," I was worried about you, I thought I was doing the right thing,"

I can barely contain my anger at her and I feel like slapping her, my best friend, and storming away, but then again, I knew I never should have followed John Smith in the first place.

"All of this happened because of me," I say.

Tears threaten to spill over my eyes.

"And now I'll never see John Smith again,"

"Come with me," Nakoma says grabbing my wrist and pulling me up.

She leads me back into the village and around the once more celebrating crowd to the tent where John Smith is tied up. Four of the men from my tribe guard the entrance. I know another escape attempt would be pointless.

"Pocahontas wants to look into the eyes of the man who killed Kocoum," says Nakoma.

The guards look at each other for aproval before the largest of the group responds, "Be quick,"

I step up to the flap in the wigwam and push it aside to see John Smith tied up to the pole in the middle of the room. This time his feet are tied too and It appears they've checked him for weapons. His chestplate and helmet are gone. He's looking down and facing away from the doorway. They've st him on his knees, one of the most uncomfortable positions to be in for to long.I walk over to him and lift his chin gently. They better not have harmed him.

"Pocahontas," he says. His voice has something I've never heard in it before. I think the proper word in his language would be hopelessness.

I stare into his eyes and lean against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"For what? This?" he says," I've gotten out of worse scrapes than this, can't think of any right now though,"

I lift my head from his shoulders and I'm afraid to look him in the eye.

"It would have been better if we'd never met, none of this would have happened,"

"Pocahontas, look at me," he says.

I turn my head cautiouly to meet his gaze,

"I'd rather die tommorow than live a hundred years without knowing you,"

He then starts singing in one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard,

"If I never knew you, if I never felt this love, I would have no inkling of how precious life can be. If I never held you, I would never have a clue, how at last I'd find in you, the missing part of me,"

I decide we're safe enough so I lean my head against his chest and hold him tight.

Suddeny I notice light coming into the tent other thant the smoke hole in the top of the wigwa,. We trun around to see the flap disturbed and I know we'll be caught, but it turns out to only be Flit, Meeko, and Percy, the dog.

"In this world so full of fear," continues John Smith,"Full of rage and lies, I can see the truth so clear, in your eyes, so dry your eyes. And I'm so gratefull to you, I'd have lived my whole life through, lost forever if I never knew you,"

I reposition myself leaning against John Smith's shoulder and we stare at the stars through the hole in the wigwam. That's when I begin to tell him how I feel. It's one thing to share a kiss in secret, but to say it is more relieving.

"I thought our love would be so beautiful, " I sing,"Somehow we'd make the whole world bright. I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong, all they'd leave us where these whispers in the night, but stil my heart is saying we were right, for if I never knew you, if I never felt this love, I would have no inkling of, how precious life can be,"

I hold the last note almost until Nakoma pokes her head into the wigwam.

"Pocahontas?" she asks.

The fear hits me with the most pressure than it ever has before. I know this will be the last time I ever see John Smith.

"I can't leave you," I say.

"You never will," He replies," No matter what happens to me, I'll always be with you, forever,"

With that, I leave him alone in the darkness. The tears finaly stream down my cheeks as I paddle away in my canoe alone. I'm about ninety yards down the river when I begin to hear things. I look down into the water to find the reflection of John Smith next to me, and he's still singing.

"I'm so gratefull to you, I'd have lived my whole life through, empty as the sky,"

I know the what comes next and say it for him, or his reflection.

"Never knowing why,"

His reflection takes my reflections hands and we finish the song together.

"Lost forever, if I never knew You,"

He kisses my hand, and then vanishes back into the waves, and I see me there by myself. I begin rowing. To where I don't know.