Homemade Myth Pt. 1: El Gran Cañón

The Unveiling

I was too out of it to comprehend what I had seen. A 20' cliff appeared out of nowhere, not even the tribe could explain it. The chief told a story of a giant snake roaming the land and it's belly caused the crater. But the people couldn't wrap their mind around it, they swore they would've seen a giant snake roaming around. The cliff was almost 200 yards wide and 20' deep. I still don't understand how it happened.

I went back home with Javier and we walked through the farm and the orchard and we tried to explain what we had seen. We stopped under a tree and Javier said those ever so sweet words "As long as we are together mi amor, there will be nothing that hurts me." I knew in an instant that I was safe and I began to live a new life. I knew I needed other people in my life to help me feel more alive and Doba became a sister to me, though she was younger than me she was wiser and I learned from her attitude and speech every day. 

Tragedy doesn't have a filter. It doesn't know when to stop or when we need a ten minute break. It's only intent is to hurt others around it, to crush their souls. Doba became very sick and at the young age of 16, she breathed her last. The chief hid away for many weeks and the whole tribe mourned. The very earth in the farm quaked with agony. My heart was filled with anger, to no one in specific, but rage ate up my insides like a poison in a rat. Doba was too young to die, she had a life to live, and a family to raise.

It had been months since I had walked the land last. I had decided to go see that cliff again, maybe there was something there I could find to take away from my heartbreak. I only found a larger cliff, one ten times as large as last time. It looked like it had taken ages to crumble but it was taking months. It was growing rapidly, maybe growing isn't the right word.

The tribe believed the recent decay was caused by the giant snake they called him "Naʼashǫ́ʼii" It was what brought them peace and I chose to believe it as well. Naʼashǫ́ʼii doesn't want to harm people he just wants to roam around. I prayed that slithering around was all this snake wanted. We began to focus on our farm, we wanted to be able to care for families in a crisis.

Atsidi grew tall and he continued to care for the farm, he tamed horses and brought them to the farm to help in the fields. Javier taught the boy how to read and how to work in carpentry. Atsidi grew stronger than any of the other boys and he began to work harder and harder. Soon the farm was large enough to support ten other families. We let the families of those who worked on the farm to live there and we gave Atsidi's family the best house. A choice we will never change but may always regret.