The Longer I Live

Chapter 22: Just Remember, Remember I Love You

Stiles remembered the hidden rural road leading to the Aeiwa reservation. Crossing off the main highway and turning left at the half moon shaped rock, he sped the Lexus down the bumpy path finally driving toward the lake where the cabins and trailers were located at.

Parking near the main cabin with a generator, he noticed Adrian Harris dressed in his Native American attire coming over to greet the young man.

"Stiles Argent!" Adrian welcomed him with open arms. "You finally came!"

"I promise I would," he replied, giving his teacher a friendly hug. "Plus, you still have me on this extra credit project, and I can't afford to repeat history in summer school."

"Good point," nodded his teacher.

"So how do you like being the new shaman of the tribe?" Stiles asked.

"I won't lie. It's a lot of work but it's an important responsibility," answered Adrian. "Derek has been very supportive and very compromising."

"Compromising?" Stiles inquired. "How?"

"Come inside the cabin and see for yourself," said the newly anointed shaman.

Stiles followed the new shaman inside. The interior of the cabin still looked the same as when Laura use to inhabit the place with Native American folk art, sculptures, and paintings decorating the walls but then his eyes directed his attention toward the flat screen television set and laptop computer on the desk by the window.

"Derek is letting the Aeiwa have technology?" Stiles remarked. "That is progressive of him."

"Well he did not want to change the tribe too much from their traditions," explained Peter. "He still wants them to retain their simple way of life so slowly he's introducing them to modern conveniences to them. You and Laura certainly influenced his decision in that."

"He figured he was being a hypocrite by driving around in a jeep and using modern technology outside of the reservation so he's making up for lost time by moving the Aeiwa into the future."

"If you don't mind me asking, where is Derek?" Deep down the young man wanted to know.

"He's up by the hot springs near the mountains," said Adrian. "There's an underground volcano nearby that has few minor eruptions every so often. The magna heats the earth below producing a warm temperature for the mountain springs. It's like a having your own natural Jacuzzi. Derek goes up there every so often to meditate."

"How do I get up there?" Stiles wondered.

"It's not something I suggest," explained the history teacher. "First it's a fifteen-minute hike up a treacherous trail that ramps up near our farming area of the reservation. Then you rock climb a steep hill to get to the top. Only an experienced mountain climber or Spirit Wolf has the skills to take on such a feat. It's far too dangerous. It's better for you to wait until Derek returns."

His mind continued to be inquisitive. "How long will that be?"

"Days, weeks, months. Who knows?" Adrian responded. "At least you won't lose your life over it."

Stiles frowned. "Um...Mr. Harris...there are a couple questions I had regarding the Aeiwa folklore. I was wondering if you could go over again the relationship between Wi and Hanwi. but with the masks depicting their influence over the world."

"Sure," the history teacher offered. Pushing his glasses back, he went over to the wall of mask.

"Damn, I guess Wi's fox mask is in the other room buried under the trunk of other artwork Laura left behind. Stay here, Stiles, while it'll take a few minutes to search for it." He disappeared into the other room.