What's gone?

?? Teleportation to another world??

This is exactly like one of those mysterious articles published online where people share their otherworldly experiences.

Is that even possible in the first place?

I already went through the umpteen possibilities to justify my current situation - memory loss, black magic, hallucination, and afterlife.

The blazing fire memory is crisp enough to cross out memory loss. Indeed, there was fire and then- I closed my eyes - I somehow ended up in that lake.

His hot breath touched my nape; he was real, not my hallucination or black magic. We have already crossed the maze-like forest. The horse has been running for hours in that one particular direction, now, where the majestic mountain. It almost reflected silver under the moonlight.

It didn’t last long. The moon hid under the dark clouds, and the wind twirled.

Soon the thunder danced, echoing across the sky. ‘It’s dangerous out there, and you seem too stupid to be left alone,’ a consolation he gave me on the way, which made me cooperate with him. I was safe at least for now.

-I need to find out what’s going on. The answers to my why and how.

The horse finally came to a halt when we were at the foot of the mountain, at the gate carved out of rock. Two young boys stood there. The short one who was slouching got up and smacked the other sleepy guy.

‘ Kimoro, ’ he came closer to the horse.

- Kimoro.

‘ Why are you even on patrol duty?’ Kimoro said, getting down. His left arm went around my waist, and just like before, I flung around in the air, this time landing on earth.

I could have made three of them deaf with my scream. Fortunately, that ability has been ripped from my throat.

‘ You bought someone?’ A head-to-toe to toe peek followed the question, ‘ a girl.’

The other quickly squeaked, ‘Did you elope with her?’

Smack. A very painful one.

‘ She’s an acquaintance….’ Kimoro stopped and breathed a sigh. The two boys tried approaching me with curiosity.

‘Under my care,’ he pulled me, making my body collide with his.

‘ We just wanted to know her name.’

Humidity in the air reached its limit. His eyebrows furrowed, and his brown eyes stared through my soul. ‘Who are you, woman?’ A thunder followed by the earthy smell of raindrops touching the soil.

‘What is your name?’

I mouthed - ‘ Ray - ne’. No sound. Warm tears camouflaged with the cold rainwater. I didn’t realise I was holding it back. My throat hurt.

‘ Arghhh’

‘Let’s go already,’ he matched my pace as I stumbled on the rocks while bawling.

Houses were made of wood, and narrow paths interconnected to each other. It was a small village in the mountains.

- This is where Kimoro lives.

We entered the biggest house in the village, where guards stood at the entrance.

‘You are all drenched. You’ll catch a cold,’ a middle-aged woman came with a towel and handed it to

Kimoro.

‘Oh my! You bought someone?’ she said as she watched him pass the towel to me. Her eyes were an exact copy of Kimoro, or it was the other way round. She has to be his mother.

‘Hmm.’

‘Let’s get you changed,’ she guided me to another room and handed me some clothes.

‘These are mine. You can wear these.’ It was a long red skirt with a tunic and a wrap-around overall top.

‘ Let’s get you some food.’

Kimoro was already eating when I entered the dining room. I was also given a huge portion of rice, fish and pickles. I was not in a position to get shy. I was hungry, really hungry.

After that, the tiredness set in as I fell into slumber.

The sun shone brightly as the rays scattered through the window. I sat with my head down. Parallel to me was an old man, and beside him sat Kimoro, folding his hands and waiting with equal curiosity.

‘ You can’t speak?’ the old man asked, and I nodded.

‘ Where are you from?’ I shook my head.

‘You don’t remember?’ I nodded.

He looked at Kimoro and again turned to me, ‘What were you doing at the lake?’

Silence. Not that I could answer if I wanted to.

‘It wasn’t an attempt to end your life, was it?’ I shook my head aggressively.

‘ I see. Then you shall remain under our care until you regain your memory,’ the old man who was also grandfather of Kimoro and chief of the village announced, ‘Kimoro will make you familiar to the villagers.’

‘Why me?’ he protested.

- Because you’re the only one I know.

It was a rather small village with tainted history. The villagers were descendants of Ira. Thousands of years ago, Gods and humans spoke the same language. Then so humans could actually pray, and the Gods understood them. But a vicious witch named Ira deceived God’s messenger. A curse was veiled upon humans; their tongue could no longer spell those prayers.

‘ That’s why we live here, isolated. Far from other tribes,’ Kataya said. She is the daughter of the old man, the only person in the village who can pray to God. We were wandering the area together since dusk like two little school girls bunking their classes.

‘When the matter reached God’s, they felt pity for the future generation and gave us, the descendants of Ira, a boon. And that is how our tribe can connect directly with God without any messenger. Through the sacred dance,’ Kataya could become a great tour guide.

Her father is the last person who can dance to Hukuru. Kataya is flat-footed and hence cannot carry forward his inheritance. My eyebrows furrowed, and I tilted my head. She partially understood my expressions.

She halted and her face dropped, ‘ The villagers, especially newer generations, think that it’s a myth and don’t want to learn the ‘stupid dance’. Other tribes have forgotten about God a long time ago. My father thinks that once he gets old, old enough to not stand on his own feet, God will be forgotten and he will no longer protect us.’

‘Kataya?’ I mouthed as I held her hand.

‘Hmm.’

‘You should watch my father tonight. He’s going to perform near the waterfall,’ she smiled. The sun stood above our heads, and our shadows disappeared. We sat under the pine tree, and she went to fetch water for us.

‘You are not a spy,’ a voice came from above. My eyes widened as I froze in my place.

Kimoro jumped down from one of the branches, leaving me flabbergasted. My face was full of question marks. I got up, hands on my hips and then pointed my finger at him.

‘Calm down, woman,’ he dusted his clothes, ‘ you should be glad you are free from suspicion now.’

‘Why?’ my hands gestured.

‘I should have known anyway. You walk around the village so carelessly - far from a spy - you are just a lost girl,’

I get it now. He must have been following me the whole time. His grandfather must need more confirmation on me. I am proven innocent, but what happens now?

He swung his hand around my shoulder, and I felt his weight, ‘You are a runway, aren’t you?’

I shook my head rigorously.

‘You can tell me. I won’t send you back there,’ I sighed in defeat.

‘I know you must have your reasons.’

I wish I knew. Why was I here, somewhere completely different, in a place never heard of? We headed back. Just before dawn, Katara came snobbing. She was furious and latched onto Kimoro for taking me with him without informing her. She told me how she was about to cry, thinking she had lost me.

‘Anyways, you’re coming right?’ she asked with bright hazel eyes.

‘Old man’s gonna dance today?’ Kimoro snorted, and his mother gave him a flank.

‘You should go,’ she said, ‘It’s like a small village festival. You will love it.’ Katara helped me get ready. I wasn’t used to these clothes.

The waterfall was located on the other end of the village, so it was a long walk. On the way, we met various people. Some of which I remember from the morning. It was like a fair. The open area near the waterfall was decorated, and stalls were set up.

The waterfall diverged into two streams, meeting again, leaving a small piece of land in between. Katara’s father was going to dance there.

‘It’s going to start,’ she pointed at a middle-aged man. He was wearing bright red clothes with tassels and golden braided cords. His anklets clinked against each other. He held a sceptre with bells on both ends and lit them with fire. The barrel drummer started making beats.

Left arm in the air, rotating the sceptre, while the right leg touched the periphery of the water. The wind put the fire ablaze, and the earth absorbed the melody of his rhythmic movements.

I get it now. He wasn’t just dancing, he was using a sign language translated by the wind, the water, the fire and the earth. Something inside me flipped. I felt in that moment the air whispering in my ear. Even the flowing water and fire spoke to me things which only my soul could hear.

I was spellbound.

'They are telling me stories,’

‘What did you say?’ Katara stood horrified. ‘What?’ I turned my head.

‘Did I just hear your voice?’

That’s right. I was mute a moment ago. I stood there, awestruck by the dance and the surprising realisation, unaware that an equally amazed Kimoro stood behind me.

‘Ki-moro, ’ I heard myself saying. He heard my voice.

‘Say it again.’