1. eclipse

It was said that the eclipse was the most powerful union of the Gods. The day when the worlds came together, putting differences aside. It was a night of celebration, because everything would be fine and something new suggested.

Men played drums, making women join in the rhythm of the music. Dance! Dance has never been a means of seduction or of attracting attention from the world, much less from men. Dancing was everything to them, it wasn't just the swaying of the body in the wind, it was never seduction on the part of women, but rather a way of communicating and expressing themselves. An art that only those who dance and understand the culture respect.

Despite it being night, it was lit by the fire made by the people in the village and colored by the clothes they wore. Men just in colorful pants and women in colorful tops and thongs that followed their curves.

On that night, so bright and celebratory, a girl was born who felt more than others, who saw more than she should and heard the songs of silence.

That night, a woman gave birth. Her name was Lussandra. A lady over forty, with black eyes, mixed race, long dreadlocked hair, very sweet and married to a man called Abelar with white hair from living so much. She was giving birth for the twelfth time, hoping that she would finally have a boy, since she already had eleven girls.

“She's a beautiful girl” Said the midwife, Faytana handing the baby to the mother. Lussandra and her husband were disappointed when they saw a girl in the midwife's hands. Kucaia was next to Lussandra, in the room.

- Again? “ Abelar complained

Lussandra: “ A daughter is always welcome! “ Said Lussandra, sad but moved. She caressed the little girl and was surprised: “But what is this?

He was a very fragile baby, he wouldn't stop crying and he had marks on his hands. No one understood the appearance of those marks on the palms of their hands.

“ What are these marks on my little one’s hands?

“ It can't be a good sign! “ Kucaia with crossed arms, Lussandra's younger sister.

“ Well, I don't know how to explain it! “ Faytana was surprised to see it.

“ Maybe it would be better to call Mrs. Jamaia.” Kucaia suggested

Mr. Abelar sent one of his daughters to call the lady. Minutes later Jamaia was there, a mysterious woman, her blue eyes revealed the life experience she had. A white witch, long dreadlocked hair.

“ Jamaia, please see my baby! ?”Lussandra pleaded, scared.

Jamaia approached the baby and saw the marks on his palms and smiled.

“ Eyes... he's a special girl!

- Eyes!

“ Your little one seems to have eye marks on her hands. Now it is not very visible, but with time it will become more visible.

Everyone was amazed at what Jamaia had said. This had never happened before, not in the family or on the island. It was said that special newborns were unique. Specials were people with peculiar gifts that others called sorcerers.

“ And what does that mean? “ Griao asked, but deep down he knew the answer, just as everyone at home knew.

“ Possibly she is one of us… She is mine! “ Jamaia commented smiling and handed the baby to Lussandra.

- It's not possible! My little one is not a witch! “ Lussandra begged that it wasn't true, holding her little one in her hands.

- Curse! “ Abelar found it strange, feeling repulsed by his own daughter.

“ Maybe it's better to hand over Mrs. Jamaia to care! “ Kucaia said.

- No! She is my daughter. “ Lussandra looked at her sister, not believing her boldness. Griao wanted to give his opinion, but Lussandra interfered. “ Not Abelar! She is our daughter, just like all the others!

“ She is a girl and on top of that a sorceress! “ Abelar

Lussandra:” We don't know yet, there could be a mistake

“ It's obvious that she's a witch, have you ever seen a baby with eye marks on the palms of her hands...

Lussandra refused to give her newborn to Jamaia, letting her go.

Since that day everything changed. Mr. Abelar moved away from his wife, he was no longer the same father he always was, he became a less friendly and malicious man. He looked at his newborn daughter in a despicable way, seeing his wife holding her so much he started to have contempt for her too. Other daughters of his said that the newborn baby was the reason for their father's bad behavior. They blamed the little girl for the family's desolation. Countless nights, Lussandra spent alone with her daughter in her hands, fearing the fate of the little girl who was rejected by her own family. Lussandra loved her newborn daughter, just like everyone else. She preferred not to see the contempt for her family, she preferred to close her eyes and hug her little girl tightly. Acting normally, even though she knew that one day she would have to be separated from her little girl.

Kataleya, was the name that Lussandra gave to her little girl, when she was holding her on her lap on the porch of her house. She was sitting in a rocking chair, holding her baby tightly, with tenderness and tears on her face. She named it after one of the Goddesses of her village. Kataleya means respectful and powerful woman.

One beautiful night Kucaia approached Abelar, lifted her cotton dress so he could see her legs. It was that night that what Lussandra never expected from her husband happened and it was from then on that Abelar forgot that he had a wife and daughters.

Everyone blamed the little girl Kataleya for the bad events. Abelar threatened his wife several times, telling her that one day he would send her away from his home.

Four years passed when the eclipse occurred. Everyone gathered together in the evening. They made a flame and sat around the flame. They sang, danced, played. Every time there were these ceremonies Kataleya danced, she heard the sounds of birds, trees and the sea.

At that time Kataleya was 4 years old, always happy despite the prejudice she suffered for being different. The marks on her palms became increasingly visible, which left Lussandra with some complex about her daughter. Since the birth of the rare girl, everything has changed in her family, it has never been the same. Years and years passed, while Kataleya saw her mother being despised and attacked by her father. Kataleya had no love from anyone other than her mother and her two older sisters, Fanua and Kilaila. The other nine sisters were more distant and most of them were older and married. Of the nine, only three still lived with their mother, Maarifa, Fanua and Kilaila.

Maarifa was 15 years old. Fanua was 12 years old and Kilaila was ten years old. With three long dreadlocks, she had her mother's attention, but no more than Kataleya. Lusaandra wasted a moment of her day braiding the little girl's hair.

Kataleya, despite still being a girl, had a body that was too developed for her age, which attracted attention. In addition to being beautiful, her braided hair made her more charming. Many men thought that Kataleya was already a big girl ready to get married, Lussandra and Abelar always had to scare away Kataleya's suitors. Fanua was afraid that she would never get married because of Kataleya's beauty, which attracted the attention of any boy in the village.

Lussandra never let Kataleya go to the market or places where there were a lot of people, as she feared her daughter would be harassed and the marks on her palms would be seen. As a result, Kataleya, spending most of her time at home or playing on the balcony, often felt very alone. She looked at the marks on her hands and didn't understand what they were, she couldn't see why she was different from her sisters. There was an eye mark on each palm of her hand, it looked like a tattoo. One night, Lussandra saw her little girl hurting herself with a stone, trying to erase the marks on her hands.

“ Badirinwa! “ Lussandra stopped her by taking the stone from her hands.

“ I want them to leave “ Kataleya cried over the holidays, but what hurt her most was the fact that she felt different from everyone. She wanted to be like the other children in her village.

Lussandra tried to calm her down by saying that over time the marks would disappear, she lied to try to calm her down even though she knew that with the marks they were increasingly visible and more striking. Maybe she lied because deep down she believed it and wanted it to happen.