The After-End -#4

The moon changed to orange and hid among the cloud, he adjusted his sister's body on his back. The more steps he took, the heavier she became. As the pains on his back and arms proved unbearable,  he decided to discard her body secretly in a nearby bush. He made a prayer in second bracing himself, he saw a path in the bush and continued.

Along the path he trudged, there were hundreds of huge bare shadowed trees deprived of leaves and fruits. The trees could be assumed dead but the black hard trunks puttered with cracks that released some brown slimy substance. He walked through and came across a stream, it extended further into the land to its opposite side like a delta. The land had mountains of its own, it was vast and dense. Suddenly, a herd of catamount strode towards the creek. Their heads were round and their bodies were covered in tiny black spots leaving the tops of their ears, long tails, and their noses bare-skinned. The alpha that led the pack went first to the river. He stepped into the water and drank while the others joined him later. 

Their ears stood erect and they stopped drinking. They raised their heads and turned to look at him. The leaders of the pack made a screeching sound that sounded like a lady screaming for help hysterically. Seeing their reactions and having no idea of what the big cougar had communicated because the rest of them stood transfixed. Deliberately, he gently retraced his steps backward with his eyes on them. When he had gotten to a far distance, he turned and fled.

As soon as he turned he heard water splashing, he knew it was going to be a matter of time before they would get to him. He took a detour and wandered away at a fast pace. He went through a narrow winding bend of a path though attached to the mountain, the path was amply marked with small stones. A route clever animals will never take. He hiked carefully as the path was very slim and any misstep on his path could lead to his death.

Soon after that, he noticed the atmosphere had shifted, he felt the hot air become cool. He stepped on the last stone that was left of the narrow corner and carefully moved to the path that led to many trees that looked like brown walnut trees and surprisingly they had fruits on them. He wondered at his surroundings. As he continued through, cold air began to hit his face harshly. He looked ahead and discovered that the path he had taken had finally led to the frosty mountains. He climbed on a Wild Black Walnut tree to check his navigation.

The trees were endowed with lots of fruits. They were spherical with brownish-green husk and fleshy fruit. His stomach grumbled loudly as he climbed to its peak and he plucked a fruit along the way. 

He noticed that the mountains were larger than when he had viewed it from the ground although no snow was falling. He looked back to where he was running from and saw some fast movement in the trees, he assumed that the cougars had followed but later concluded that the men that had killed his sister were the ones that pursued him. Weighing his options, he decided to stay on the tree at least for a while before continuing on his journey. His habit made the perfect camouflage he needed. He clambered more in heights until he was convinced of his safety.

A mountain wolf howling at a distance did nothing to calm him. Once again, he wondered where he was. The cold air he feels after several days of hot heat. He gazed at the dark sky from where he sat, and for the first time in forever, he spotted a lone star falling from the sky. It was twinkling very dimly.

A star, the only star?

You are all alone. The voice said

Just like that star in the sky, you are all alone 

No, I'm not, I can't be. He replied with conviction.

"I have my daughter and my brother, I will find them"

His father's words crept into his mind.

It's no use going after them, there's nothing you can do

You don't have what it takes to save them.

His wife's words echoed in his head

Are you so weak that you lost your right to think?

His sister's words followed.

It's too late, I wish you could find me sooner but it's too late

You are all alone now  The voice repeated.

"Keep quiet!" He yelled out and his voice echoed into the night.

"I am not alone, I still have my brother"

"I have my daughter" he repeated trying to control his senses.

And I will die trying to save her.

She's all I have left. He concluded.

Everywhere became silent except for his breathing. Shutting the voices out, he reaffirmed his determination and proposed in his mind never to give up. After a moment, he got down from the tree and continued his journey towards the frosty mountains.

The trees were cold and looked lifeless, dead twigs and fallen trunks spiked up from the surface of the white flaked ground. There was no path to tread on, everywhere was covered in snow, he took in a deep breath and stepped into the sleet and it covered up his shoes. As he moved forward, the snow had surged to his knees. He saw a log of wood covered in snow across the path obstructing the path he was to take, he went over and continued his journey. Suddenly, his legs gave way, the icing floor below his feet broke and he slipped into the hole that led to a cold river. He tried to get hold of the log of wood which was quite far from where he sank but couldn't. Even the broken ice sheets felt slippery on his hands. He struggled to hold on to the broken iceberg but he slipped into the freezing water. He had taken in so much water that his body could barely keep him afloat. His garb was completely soaked and it became heavy pulling him downwards. He could feel his hands grow heavy and he was drowning.

Papa, Papa! Wake up!. His daughter's voice crept into his mind.

His eyes opened instantly. He noticed he was still in the cold water. He looked up and spotted an opened surface a few feet above his head. He swam to the exit with all his might.

I need to save her, she needs me!

Getting to the surface, he stretched out his hand and he miraculously caught on the extended branch of the log. He pulled on the log and shouted for help.

"Somebody, anybody, help me!" He held onto the branch.

After a while, his strength began to fail him. He knew that he will soon die at any moment. 

"Help me please!" He gave the last outcry.

Who can help you, no one can? You expect so much after only giving so little. Your life is a joke, just release those tiny lanky fingers yours. Slip into the quietness you've always craved. What's the essence? You are a joke. The voice once crept into his mind.

"Help me please, I don't want to die"His eyelids felt heavy as he murmured softly

As his hands slipped off, he felt strong calloused hands grab him and pull him out of the water. His vision became blurry, he could barely see the person looming over him. He turned on his side and vomited the water from his lungs. It tasted salty in his mouth. 

"I hope you can stand on your feet, we need to leave before nightfall, this place is not safe," the man said.

He could barely understand what he was saying. As he stood to his feet, he felt dizzy and slumped to the floor releasing a word that sounded like "brother".

Slightly awake from his slumber, he felt his nakedness against the warm rocky floor. When he opened his eyes he realized that he was in a brightly lighted cave, he saw a bunch of twigs splintered in a blazing fire almost touching the stalactite of the cave. As his eyes roamed he noticed his garb on a wooden staff hanged in a corner, he quickly puts it on. He could hear the soft snore coming from the man sleeping by the fire who wore the Grandmaster uniform. He shuddered when he remembered his last predicament.

He must have dried my clothes. His eyes lit up in appreciation. 

But as the man turned on his side, his face came down in a frown for he saw his Norman craftsman dagger attached to a sash on the man's waist. Then he believed that it was a trap and needed to act fast as it was stirring awake. 

"Who are you?" He pointed the dagger on his back. "What do you mean, who am I? a few moments ago you called me your brother, now you say otherwise it seems the time you spent away from home has caused you to lose your memory". The man sounded unfazed. 

Lose my memory? 

"I woke up in a battle, I don't remember fighting in. When I got home, mother had died then father too," he paused and swallowed. 

"My wife and sister-."

"Yes, now you're looking for my niece".  The man cuts him off.

"How did you -." 

"How did I know, for crying out loud, I am your brother. The one you forgot to take home leaving him at the mercy of a crocodile. Can you recall when we made a trip together to the stream? Just because I slept off while waiting for you to complete your glorious swim. You left me at the mercy of the crocodile. I'm also the one you allowed your friends to bully because I limp with a stick even though the source of my injury was your fault. I'm the one who gifted you a beautiful satchel full of juicy red apples that you love and this dagger you are threatening me with, all this I gave you when you decided to join the monks at the Temple. I was so happy you had turned a new leaf. But it was your plan all along you scheming freak! He yelled at him

"What the hell are you saying? I am not that person I can't be so cruel" He stood in front of him puzzled at his declaration. 

"Oh You are, you stole from the grandmaster now we all have to pay for it." 

"Stole? I can never, why would I go against my belief. This is just too ambidextrous" In a blind rage, he held the dagger firmly in his fist.l

"Oh please, save me the speech. You didn't steal? then why are his men looking for you? Why are our parents dead? Do you think you can save us when you can't even save yourself? all this you're doing is all an act. I know you, you are nothing but a coward."

In a blink of an eye, he pounced on the man and swung his fist stabbing him on his chest with the dagger. Down he went with blood gushing out. As the anger he had earlier felt began to clear off, his memory with his brother came back in forceful heavy jolts that sent him sprawled against the wall. He clenched his head wallowing in pain.

All of a sudden, the light in the room began to fade.

"What have I done?" He gazed at his blood-stained hand holding the dagger.

"Why does this feel like have done it before"

I killed my father, my brother too. Despite all the monk's teaching instilled in me. I erupted in a wave of intense anger I didn't know I had.

What did I tell you, you are a joke, a crazy one at that. The voice mocked him once again.

The burning twigs had turned wet cold leaving the smoke to rise in dark misty fumes that seemed to form the shrouded figure. Seeing this, he leaped to his feet and left the cave immediately the dagger with him.