Before Death, Part I: Chapter One, The Prophecy--Part IV

Woman

Golden sunrise greeted her warmly when she rose the next morning. I will walk as far as my feet will carry me, she thought. A large black bird squawked in the distance--she could see it circling the sky over something that must be laying there dying, if not already dead, ahead. She did her best to avoid the unfortunately-fated animal, and it proved beneficial. 

By midday she arrived to a body of water and decided to take some time and rest. She was hungry, hot, and grateful for the shade provided by the nearby grove. Palm trees reached down from above as if to pick her up and carry her away in the blowing breeze. Laying down at the river's bank, she scooped up fresh water by the handful, drinking as much as she could swallow until her thirst was quenched. Finally satiated, she closed her eyes for a quick rest. 

Aroused from her restful nap, it was much later in the day than she expected. She paused for a moment to take in the view of the sinking sun. Golden fire dipped itself into the dark violet void. Her first day alone was coming to a close, and she had survived. She wasn't protected by the privileges of the Oasis. There was no "god" looking out for her, managing her diet. She ate what she could get her hands on. She drank whatever fresh water she could get her hands on. She would not take this moment for granted. Twinkling lights above looked close enough to touch, and she bowed on her knees, lowering the front of her head to the ground below.

"Thank you, Mother Earth, for earth is what I am made of, and the provider of all living things. A mother provides safety, nourishment, care and comfort." She kissed the ground gently and rubbed her hands into the earth. The soft gritty texture of the soil crumbled between her fingertips so she dug in farther with her fingers. Eyes closed, she rocked back and forth in a rhythmic motion, a meditative mumble escaped her lips. She was singing, but no actual words were coming out. It was more like an incantation of unwords, guttural sometimes grunt-y sounds that had no meaning whatsoever. Her back bounced in time with the growing tension of her melody, and, without using her hands, lifted her body up onto her knees. She threw her head back at the moon and howled, keeping in time with the motions of her impromptu performance. Never having felt anything remotely close to the pleasure radiating from her very being, she burst out laughing at the insanity of it all. Curling over in fits of laughter, she looked up at the moon, masked with a look of genuine appreciation on her face, and said, "Thank you."

The sound of screeching wails knocked her out of her reverie, causing her to snap up and out of it instantly. At some point throughout her praise dance, predator and prey were facing off, neither electing to back down from the other. A huge brown and white bird spread its wings, silvery moonlight reflecting on its feathers. The bird was gazing down at the world below it, transfixed on the thing it wanted. In a swift motion that was almost too fast for the human eye to register, the bird descended in a treacherous nosedive toward the ground, spinning like a windstorm. A second before smashing headfirst into the ground, it swooped upright and took off toward the sky. Stepping behind a nearby rock to shield herself from the attack, she hid so as not to distract the bird and become its next target. Fear gripped her heart as she watched the commotion, not knowing what exactly the bird was trying to attack.

It was a moment before she realized what was happening. On first glance it looked like the bird had lost its mind and was charging at something reminiscent of a naked branch swaying in the wind. But why would this bird be so aggressive toward a stick? she thought. At that moment the stick curled into itself and darted out of the bird's targeted flight path. She realized what she perceived to be a stick or dead tree branch was actually a reptile. Wanting to get closer to the onslaught, she inched her way through the wood making sure to keep the foliage and beach between herself and the battle taking place in the moonlight's path.

Mesmerized by the dance of battle ensuing on the river's edge, time seemed to stretch out in front of her as she watched. With a slight sway seemingly to hypnotize its opponent, the lizard flared its neck, stretching the skin, appearing larger than it had a moment before. The bird, neither swayed nor intimidated, outstretched its neck and stood on its haunches atop a nearby bush. The clumps of feathers on its crest looked more like horns: sharp, unyielding, and equally as unforgiving. Its head turned at an unnatural angle seeming to announce to the cold-blooded killer its tactics were perceived and hereby considered mundane. The cobalt blue eyes gleamed with the reflection of the moon in the water below. In a gesture of haughtiness, the bird unfurled a long leg adorned by three razor-sharp talons poised to rip a hapless victim apart. Returning its leg to the bush and stretching out the other to for emphasis of this ritualistic display, the bird did the same again on the other side. 

Lowering itself to the ground to reassess its strategy, the snake made way for a nearby cave opposite the water. Taking this moment of vulnerability as an opportunity to attack, the large bird swooped in for a fatal blow, hoping to end the altercation completely. The snake wound up in an instant and struck at the large white mass as it pierced its way to the ground again. Having predicted the attack, the reptile struck out at the bird, but it was already in its grip. The snake opened its mouth as if in a shriek of horror and shock, but no sound came out. Suddenly a herd of snakes darted out from beneath the rocks beside the cave opening where the wounded snake had been headed a moment before. Each serpent striking in tandem, they rejected any opportunity to show mercy. The bird's screams continued for what seemed like an eternity, until the bird finally gave up its fight. Three more snakes were taken out before she could take no more. Once the struggle was over, the victors returned to their shelter in the rocks next to the cave. Paralyzed and dying, the bird took its last shallow breaths. 

The Woman walked over to the bird and examined the remains. She squatted down next to the water and touched the red liquid that had spilled onto the sand at her feet. Rubbing it between her fingers, the cold and sticky liquid stuck to her face where she rubbed it. The water was refreshing on her skin after she noticed her reflection in the water. She grabbed one of the snake skins and squeezed the insides of the corpse between her fingers, mesmerized as the rubbery meat came out of it, leaving behind an intact sack. In a dry spot on the beach she built a pyre out of dead sticks she found left on the ground, probably remnants of a recent tropical storm. The big white ball of light shone on the rapidly cresting waves, creating an optical illusion that it was coming up out of the chaos. She grabbed two rocks from the riverbed and began banging them into one another.

Over and over they collided, but nothing happened. Her grunts sometimes growls and screeches of rage as she lost patience. When she gave up on the banging and started rubbing them against one another in frustration, she realized she was having a bit more luck with her results. The rocks were moving so fast she  closed her eyes concentrating on the feel of it, losing herself in the building friction. The heat between her hands built as she rubbed the rocks back and forth. Heat felt like it was bursting from her fingertips. As if she willed it so, a spark leapt from the rocks to the pyre, finally catching and growing with bright orange-red light. Smoke rose from the heat billowing up toward the sky. She grabbed some leaves and wrapped them around the leftover insides of the now sacrificed snakes. She pierced the leaves with a sharp stick she had beaten with one of her rocks and laid the stick on top of the pyre to rest in the flame. 

With the skins she walked into the river, rinsing them over and over, checking to ensure she removed any blood or entrails that may have been overlooked before. As she dipped them in the water to rinse clean she noticed the skins held tight to the liquid inside, refusing to release a precious wet drop. It was as if it was completely informed and quite aware that all forms of life depended on its existence. Fascinated, she put two of the empty skins over her feet and used the other six halves to store water for her journey. Braiding together multiple vines she was able to assemble a sort of carrying band and shoulder bag so she wouldn't have to hold onto all six of the skins full of water by hand. This method would leave her hands free and invulnerable to oncoming predators--without a delay in preparation or response time. No matter what attacked she would be ready to defend herself, weapon in hand. From the bird's skin and feathers she fashioned a covering for her body. It was cool and would protect her skin against the journey ahead's sun- and heat-filled days. She wrapped its wings around her neck and used the body to cover above her torso. Around her chest and waist she wore a wrap and skirt of palm leaves. This would serve as her protective covering for now until she was able to find something that would accommodate her more comfortably. Satisfied for the time being, she ventured for one last stick, and, having found the perfect one, pierced the bird carcass and laid it across the pyre. 

Wrapping the fully-cooked bird in leaves for meals ahead, she packed the remains into her carrying bag. Snakeskins comfortably tied around her feet with long strands of vine protected them from the heat of the blazing sun both on top of and underneath her feet. The wings covered her shoulders, protecting them from the unforgiving air so hot it danced in front of dry, watery eyes; wispy fingers beckoning a soul closer to the edge of darkness. 

Once clothed, she checked the leaves that contained the snake meat and gave it a taste. Her stomach turned in knots having been empty since the night before so she was grateful for the day's bounty, especially because she didn't have to do anything to catch it. The gift was literally laid at her feet. When she finished eating, she crawled into the cave and laid down. She thanked the Mother again for a bountiful day and slipped away not long after closing her eyes. 

The expanse of desert stretched before her for miles. The only light was that of the moon, reflected on the  rolling hills and scarce vegetation. The stars danced with the planets above, celebrating in some sort of unmentioned choreographed initiation rite, welcoming her to their depths. She turned and bowed to the moon, thanking her for her guiding light and grace. The pull of intense magnetism drew her closer to the space above. As she turned to face the stars, a soft warm light enveloped her, wrapping her inside its ribbon-like embrace. There was singing, but there were no words. It was as if joy had filled every molecule in the air with all of its energy, and there was more to go around. She smiled as she looked down at the ground beneath her free-floating feet, allowing herself to be carried away. She closed her eyes and felt the spin of the earth, choosing not to focus on the recurrent revolutions and instead on the weightlessness of her own being. Although no words were spoken, she felt their acceptance. They called out to her, hoping for the opportunity to fill her with their divine light. Without having to think about it she accepted, and the heavens bowed to her, thanking her for accepting their light and named her the Mother Goddess, Queen of the Heavens and Earth.

After a few days of rest and gathering supplies, she decided the fifth morning she would get back on her way. Disregarding her anxiety for the unknown, she decided she was ready to get the day started. The carrying bag and snakeskin bottle band over her shoulder, she looked well-prepared for a long trip across the unexplored expanse of desert. There were braided flowers in her dense, long curly hair. They resembled something like a fairy crown, casting an ethereal glow over her face. Braided up and wrapped in two side buns so as to not get caught on anything she may come across, her hair would not serve as a liability. Having gotten caught a few times while she was scavenging for supplies, when she saw her reflection in the river with sticks, twigs and leaves sticking out of it like a forest monster, she got to work at once on her mane. She was grateful for the opportunity to have braided the unicorns' manes and tails while in the Oasis. They were such beautiful beings she felt a pang in her heart, realizing she missed them.

All packed up and ready for the journey ahead, she decided to get started on her path. While gathering supplies she decided to walk to the largest open body of water she could find. Since she had nothing requiring her to stay in one place permanently, she decided it was only right she discover where her curiosity would take her.