The Longer I Live

Chapter 4: I'm a Nerd by Association!

Approximately three miles east of Beacon Canyon, a stretch of rural road stretches off the main highway. Spanning two hundred acres, the mountainous terrain of the Aeiwa Reservation can be easily overlooked by an ordinary driver, if they forget to make a left turn on the first pointed rock shaped like a half moon.

Stiles Argent drove his little Honda Civic down the hidden pathway leading up to the Native American residence. Following the directions sent to his e-mail by Adrian Harris, he found the oddly shaped boulder and explored the concealed winding road that had been kept secret from the town.

Coming to a beautiful lake, he noticed several tenement houses set up along with a few trailers situated near the water's edge. The quiet, nervous inhabitants, along with their children, darted back into their dwellings as they saw the strange vehicle driving past them. Stiles felt uncomfortable being the only stranger in town but reassured himself the importance of this school project. Setting his fears aside, his brown eyes glanced at the rest of the Aeiwa within his view and became shocked at their appearances.

Dressed in traditional, outdated clothing, the Aeiwa lived simply. From his perspective, he could see the area where the tribe took advantage of the fertile farmland. There was no running water or electricity. Food was either harvested or hunted and fresh water had been extracted from the lake. It seemed that the Aeiwa were California's version of the Amish community. However, that was not the most surprising thing he had witnessed.

The biggest shock was seeing the various tribe members not looking Native American in appearance, but exhibiting Asian, Latin, Anglo, and African features. Stiles squinted his eyes a few times to get a better view as he pulled the Honda Civic in front of a big, log cabin building with an electrical light bulb at the front.

A gray-haired woman in her late fifties and wearing a traditional woven dress and silver jewelry greeted the young man as he got out of his car. Pulling out a notebook and pen, Stiles nervously walked up to the older woman and extended his hand.

"Laura Hale?"

Green eyes perused the skinny teenager slowly before smiling. She gracefully accepted his hand. "I see that Adrian was right about you, Mr. Stiles Argent. Your aura exudes brilliance and compassion. He made the right choice in sending you to interview our people."

Stiles kicked the dirt shyly as he cast his eyes down. "I guess...yeah...um thanks."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside the cabin. "Come. You have much to learn." Stiles looked behind him to soak in the quiet atmosphere of the reservation. Slowly making his way up the steps, he crossed through the doorway.

"As you know, the Aeiwa live simply," Laura Hale explained. "We have no electricity, except for this cabin which runs on a generator, and no running water. We fetch fresh water from the lake and grow our own crops. This is the way it has been for years with my people."

Pulling on a metal chain, Stiles heard a click and the room brightened with light. His hazel eyes widened with excitement as he gazed around the room to see cultural folk art displayed across the walls and on the ceilings in the form of animal pelts, pottery, jewelry, and paintings. Crossing over to a coyote mask on the wall, his fingers slid down the pointed nose of the animal mask as the young man examined it intently.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Laura asked.

Stiles nodded. "It's amazing, so wonderfully detailed. What is it?"

"The Coyote Man." She informed him. "Our Creator. O-let-te. The one the Aeiwa honor and pray to." The older woman watched the young man intently as he admired the artwork. "Tell me Stiles, what did you think of our people when you drove in here?"