The
birds were singing before dawn as usual. The boughs of the trees danced quietly
and bowed carefully to the sweet movement of the morning breeze. The morning
rose from the dust and settled in the sky, gazing down at the
As
the birds paraded through treetops, making a life out of nothingness, Nihu
stretched on the wooden bed. He was alive again. Alive to face the Herculean
task that now hung around his thin neck. He sat up; exposing a bare chest that
had yet to grow hair, although one could count a few. They stood like a
monument in a vast land. His dark face was still covered in grime and sweat
from the day before.
Nihu
buried his head in his hands. His thin legs were not too good to look at. He
was not a fellow of fine physical attributes, scrawny with large innocent eyes
stuck in the sockets of his skull. Yet his brain worked quickly and there had
never been a streak of meanness in him. Nihu was ready to cope with whatever
situation the world threw at him.
He
sat on the edge of the cot with his old boots as his gaze fell upon the stone
that he must cast into the pit of fire. It seemed as if a slow luminescence
came over it. It was as beautiful as the eye of evening thunder. Nihu studied
the stone for a long time. The boy was convinced that surviving in the
He
lifted up the stone and placed it near the battle-axe that was before him. A
long sigh left his body. There is nothing to fear, nowhere to fall, when one
has done nothing wrong. Nihu folded his arms, closed his eyes, and raised his
face, as if praying to the first messiah of the morning. Lost in meditation, he
was without words for some time. Eventually, he rose from the cot and threw on
Phil’s old animal skin coat that was hanging by the doorway of the hut. It
suited him well—a good look for a boy that was about to embark on an unknown
adventure.
Nihu
took up the stone and battle-axe. First, he strapped the battle-axe at his side
and put the stone in the pouch on a belt that held up his shorts. The stone
would be safe there. He slung his rucksack on his back and left the hut. He
went to the river to wash himself. When he was through, he set off in the
direction that Magonda had pointed.
Just
as it was on the first day when he set out for the
The
sun was well up and Nihu had covered a considerable distance. He had filled his
bottle in the river near the hut, but that was long ago. His steps were
starting to fade like those of a starved camel that has journeyed too long and
needs full humps of fat to put him back to rights.
Nihu
was looking desperately for water to quench his thirst. At last, his eyes fell
on a flowing stream down a steep slope, just off the path. With a hoot of relief,
he hurried down to get some liquids before his parched lips cracked. When he
got to the stream, he drank in a hurry like a hungry dog that finds a meal
after days of starvation. He filled his water bottle once again and returned to
the path that he felt sure led to the mountains.
He
had barely trotted a few steps when the ground began to shake. As he tried to
run, the ground gave way beneath his feet and he fell into a hole. Calling out
the names of his ancestors “Ukeme” and “Edinko” as if he was reciting a line in
a super story. Nihu fell and fell as if in a dream. Finally, he crashed through
the roof of a compartment deep in the abyss. Nihu groaned in pain, gnashing his
teeth as he rolled on the floor. He held himself to check for fractures. His body
seemed to hurt everywhere.
Catching
a breath, Nihu lifted his head and looked around to see where he was. A room
full of treasures met his gaze. Almost instantly, he forgot his pain and lay
quiet. The revival was overwhelming. Many precious stones were within easy
reach—diamonds like seas of bird heads. They glittered like a million stars
shining in a beautiful night sky. Seeing the goodness
that was before him, Nihu threw his sack to one side and got up. It was as if
he had never fallen.
He looked to every side in
wonder. The room was like a dungeon with a small barred window cut into the
stonewall directly opposite where he lay. A finely wrought table and chair
stood under it. Beautiful artifacts, holy statues, prayer bowls, iconic
figurines, as well as chests filled with jewels lay piled on the floor and on
shelves along the walls. Slowly, Nihu approached one of the treasure chests
that was made of fine gold and touched it. Whose
treasure trove is this? Is this the beginning of providence in my life?
Nihu pondered. The god of my ancestors
must have remembered and decided to free me from the affliction that I have
gone through. This is my chance for the riches as Old Phil had mentioned. These
things are beautiful indeed.
He
stole a glance around the room to assure himself of solitude. Nodding as one
that has discovered a long time fact that has been well hidden; he set his
hands on the chest and tried to open it. The top lifted easily and the sparkle
of diamonds almost blinded him. He jumped
backwards as if dodging the spit of a black mamba. He returned swiftly to the
box to admire the beautiful things, shiny like the evening stars. Staring at the precious stones an idea stuck him
with such emotion that it overwhelmed his senses. He hurried to his rucksack
and returned immediately with it. He intended to empty the whole luxury into
the sack and as much of the rest as there was room for—human desire is
sometimes boundless.
As
he poured the stones into his sack, a shadow shape extended onto the wall
behind him. Menacing laughter erupted and
Nihu’s heart jumped into mouth. Testing his courage, he turned around to see
whom he had disturbed. His sack dropped to the floor as he looked in agony at a
wildcat of a man that stood with skeletal arms akimbo. The form was silent,
glaring at the boy through hollow, almond eyes, yet with a hint of amusement on
his angular face. Terrified, Nihu stood as a
stone. It dawned on him that he had fallen into the den of yet another devil. His life, his freedom was paramount, he could not
endanger that, yet indeed, and he had. His breath began to come very fast, in
and out like tiny bellows. His heart banged hard on the roof of his chest.
Suddenly,
the lithe body turned as if he had no business with the scrawny boy that had
fallen through his roof. He strode to the chair, graceful as a cat, and seated
himself regally. He threw a frightening look at Nihu, furrowing his forehead.
His eyes shone crimson in his dark face. Once again, he burst into laughter. Again,
the room began to heave and a large crack appeared in the floor under Nihu’s
feet. Nihu’s legs shook and he struggled to keep his footing. As the quake
subsided, Nihu sought to flee. He abandoned his rucksack with the diamonds and
raced to the opposite side of the room. He reached to climb the mountain of
items piled to the ceiling in an attempt to leave the scene through the hole
from which he came.
The
shadow-creature reached for a rock at his feet and threw it, hitting Nihu in
the lower part of the leg. He lost his footing and crashed to the ground. As
Nihu looked around wildly for another exit, the eruption came alive again.
Everything quaked harder than before. Rocks and molten lava rolled and flowed
into the room through the many cracks in the ceiling.
The
menacing form in the chair was still coolly laughing at the comedy of sport
taking place before him. Realizing that no escape would be possible, Nihu faced
his new adversary.
“Who are you?” he asked, “What do you want?” His nostrils flared
and his knees knocked, but despite this, he strode towards the being and took
hold of his rucksack. “I say who are you?”
“All
who inhabit the inside of this mountain call me Argon.” A gravelly voice seemed
to echo from all sides. “And you are Nihu. Yes, there are no secrets that this
mountain keeps from me. There is a toll to pay for traveling over my land. I
brought you down here to pay it.” Argon pushed forward and grasped the front
edge of the old table with long bony fingers. The large almond eyes glowed
crimson both frightening and beautiful at the same time.
“I
can’t serve you. I can’t!” Nihu shouted at Argon.
“But
you have no choice. As we speak, lava and molten rock are moving into the
crevices and burying my treasure room once again. Not much will exist in here
very soon. You cannot get out and you cannot survive in this little room. I
have the power to protect myself, my treasures and whatever is under my care.”
Nihu
looked around at the stonewalls that were gradually giving way and swallowed
very hard. “Are you saying you can save my life?”
“I
can. However, I have a journey to make. I intend to keep you under my shadow
until I return.”
“A
journey? How would you be able to leave?”
Argon
chuckled and said, “Silly boy, don’t you understand how different we are. I am
not made of flesh and blood. I can walk on the wheels of fire.”
“Where am I to stay?”
Argon
pointed at a black box on the shelf and said, “I will cast you into that fair
stone on the black box. You will find a lot of comfort in there as you waits
for my return.” He was yet to end his words when the volcano raged once again.
Nihu was swept off his feet immediately. Argon laughed and said, “If you were
under my care, this would never happen to you. You would find much comfort in
all your days with me. Time is running out, Nihu. Make your decision quickly. I
must be gone right away. Would you have me cast you into the stone, or try your
luck with death that will surely swallow you in any moment.” Argon rose to feet
and stood close to the stone on the black box.
“How
long will you be gone?” Nihu felt for the axe at his side and the stone in the
pouch at his waist.
“Boy,
I can not tell you. But it will take me some time.”
“Can
you not take me with you?” An unknown adventure with the shadowy Argon somehow
seemed a better choice than being left alone for who knew how long inside a
stone.
“You
could not cope where I am going. It is not meant for people of flesh and blood.
Nevertheless, you can see that I am very generous. I did not require your neck
for payment for intruding into my home. If I had no compassion, I would have
cast you into the hottest part of the volcano. That would have meant your quick
exit from this world.”
Nihu
contemplated the small obelisk on top of the box. It was growing very hot in
the room and he was sweating profusely. Outside he could hear the fall of
mountain rock, and the roar of the lava flow while the little room continued to
give way.
“I leave you to your fate. I am on my way.” All of a
sudden, Argon was at the little barred window. Nihu stopped him.
“Wait,
I have one more question.”
“Ask,
but be brief, I haven’t time for your indecisiveness.” Argon folded his arms,
completely unconcerned.
“Will
you set me free when you return?”
“Yes.
Of course, your freedom will depend on what you can do for me. Simply awaiting
my return is not payment for this disturbance.”
As
Nihu stood at the crossroad of his decision, part of the little room finally
gave way. The lava started pouring in like a flood. The walks on every side
began to crack when he looked at them and molten rock was filling in as fast as
they opened. From trembling lips, he finally nodded to the erect figure under
the window.
“Do
as you say. I will wait in the stone.”
Argon’s
long arm reached out, took Nihu around the waist, and shoved him close to the
face of the fair stone on top of the black box. Immediately, Nihu felt himself
shrinking as he watched the stone appear to grow larger. He soon was completely
swallowed up as the roar of the crashing room became deafening and faded from
sight behind him.
Fake news around the dinner table
Where the Lilacs Bloom once again
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