Myth Land (unedited)

XIX

Human Lord! What was it that I saw?

I could barely see one animal without humongous ornaments on their bodies! A flower crown on their heads, a lotus covering their buttocks, fir leaves on their claws, coconut shells covering their chests—well breasts for mammals. Some of them painted their faces or bodies with fruits' juices. Some painted their lips to be as red as blood. Some painted their whole body parts.

If the previous side of this circle island the animals became smaller for bending their necks, animals are standing on their back feet. Their backs are as straight as poles, but some were struggling too much to keep their balance that they almost let their heads fell to the back.

The fireflies were dancing in the air, sparkling tiniest amount of light that was enough for you to recognize who were standing three steps around you. Other animals, at the same time, were swaying their bodies. Twirling. Waltzing. Moving their bodies, feet, arms, and heads to the melodic sound which I didn't know was there. Most of the animals who danced were females animals, and surround them were male helpers. They kept on throwing gold leaves as those females danced. Shouting the language I failed to understand. Laughing so hard that their tummies trembled.

Some other animals were busy serving food and drink for whom I assumed their helpers, and some of the others were cleaning the ground with their skin as it got messier and dirtier by all of the leftovers and crumbs that the helpers refused to eat.

There were also other animals, regardless whether they were males or females, voluntarily being dragged into dark caves looked like hobbit houses with different sizes of entrance. I narrowed my eyes to those caves but could see nothing. A part of me wanted to go inside too feed my curiosity. Another part of me whispered that I should not intrude. Before I could even make my decision, from one cave very close to the Christmas tree which I thought was unoccupied came out an anorexic female monkey hugging perhaps hundreds of gold leaves in her arms.

But with her head down low.

And tears shyly ran down her cheeks.

That time I thought I had enough of watching and getting more and more confused, so I planned to see Sphynx and report what I got from my observation.

Yet it was not my lucky day indeed. A familiar creature whose eyes I had the urge to stab blocked my way from the pathway to the other side. I couldn't recognize this animal at first. The face was covered in a dead white paint, and the teeth were pinked by the red juice transferred from the lips.

"Peal, Pearl, Pearl...' The animal shook its head. Saying my names three times as if this creature was to give me a long lecture, 'what the human hell are you doing here?'

I shrugged my shoulders, "Walking around.'

"I can see that you are alone. Nobody wants to be your helper, I may guessss?"

'Back off, Insulsus. I have to leave. Now.'

'Leave?!' she zoomed her face into my eyesight, 'I bet you just came out from the secret room and thought that you've had enough gold for today. Ahh... let me tell you, people like you go into that room at least seven times a day. Tired? Yes. Embarassed? Yes. Hurt? Oooh—yes. But that's what unskilled and untalented people do, I guess. Just like you.'

'I don't know what you're talking about. I must leave. Besides, what you yourself doing in a place like this?'

She leered.

'Well I'm glad you asked. I'm here to make people feel more beautiful. Setting the standaaards, making them feeling worthleeess, and so they want me to paint their skin and decorate their bodies. Both helpers and our friends are in love with my artsy-artistic talent. You know, I can give you a hand with your... you know, that eye of yours.'