The Long Journey of Life
I walked and walked, I am no superhuman. I need food, I'm starving and scared since it's that time of year. I heard a baby cry, I suddenly had a burst of energy. I climbed the closest tree and saw a man run away leaving bloody footprints behind and a grieving family.
I was the only one closest to him at this moment, the only one who'd been this close to him ever. I was terrified.
Suddenly I’m brought back into my present circumstances as I rub my swollen belly and look out of my igloo, as I wear my warm clothes, at the beautiful tribe I built from scratch. When I saw those bloody footprints all those years ago, I ran as fast as I could and ended up in the middle of nowhere.
Later, I ended up going to an abandoned house and I found a young boy around my age with a few other kids. That’s how I made my tribe. That young boy and I got married not long after meeting each other. We were about fourteen when we met and by sixteen we were married. The other kids got married when they reached the same age but their was no age limit on marriage and still isn’t.
“Hey Storm! How’s the tribe doing?”I ask politely as I watch my husband make his way into the igloo. “A storm is coming so we have to get everyone into their igloo’s and go into a lockdown until it subsides,”Storm says seriously. I frown as I watch the children, as well as my own, playing happily outside. I nod and say, “Let us get to it then.” I smile and he nods encouragingly.
We ring the gong and wait for everyone to gather, but I notice the wind is picking up and that means the storm isn’t far away.
“Attention everyone! We will be going into a lockdown so close your igloo’s and gather your children as well as supplies for the next few days since we won’t be able to live our homes. Be quick about it,”I say finally and everyone disperses. Storm grabs our three children and rushes towards the igloo. We always have a stash of food, clothing and essentials just in case a storm comes.
”Don’t worry children, everything’s going to be ok,”I say encouragingly and they all nod. My oldest at the age of seven huddles with me and the twins. My seven-year-old, Aspen, looks at me with fear in his eyes. I sigh and say, “It’s just a little storm. It will pass and we will get to go outside and play in the snow again along with the others.” Snow and Blaze look at me with admiration as they believe I’m always right when it comes to their safety. At the age of four, they have no worries in the world. My oldest son was born in August but since he’s a boy it didn’t matter. Snow and Blaze were born in December.
When I was sixteen and having my first child in August, I was terrified. I knew if it’s a girl then our whole tribe will have to fight and then move for her safety but when a little boy came out I sighed in relief. Storm was terrified of being a father but he knew he could because he had cared for all the current members of our tribe. I smile as I recall the memories. Snow and Blaze being born was a happy occasion because I didn’t have to worry about some evil man with bloody footprints coming to my doorstep to kill my children.
Over the year, though, we have had to move many times after fighting for the life of a baby girl born in those dreadful months and then we would just start over. We never resented the girl for being born because we saved her and that’s what my tribe is all about. No one will ever take the life of a baby girl during those months in my tribe. If anyone dares then they won’t live to see another day.
I sigh as days pass with a raging storm. I know this means that the dreadful months of August and September are coming closer so they can grab the life of my child. I shudder at the thought. I know my poor child will be born in these months and I hope it’s not a young girl who will have to live in fear for the rest of her days like me.
Everyday I wonder if he will come and just kill me. If he will leave those bloody footprints and not bother looking back at my mourning family. If one day he will come and take a knife to the lives I’ve painstakingly preserved from his wrath, from his revenge.
One day. Maybe one day.
The storm finally subsides and I look at Storm, Blaze, Aspen and Snow smiling that we made it through another dreadful storm with many more to come. My child will face these storms and I will face them as well. I just hope they are the winter storms and not the deadly storm of death that takes me from all I’ve achieved before I can tell my story.
Storm opens the igloo and heads out to alert the families that they can come out. My young children run outside without any fear and go to play with their young companions. A smile spreads itself across my pale face as I come to realize that none of my children hold my white hair as a feature. All of my young children either got my eyes or their fathers but all of them got his black hair. Black hair is rare just as white hair is. My oldest son has black hair with black eyes like his father. Blaze has black hair and blue eyes while Snow has blue eyes with brown hair. I smile as I watch them play about.
I wonder what it would’ve been like to be so clueless and be so happy like them. A family that loves you and no one chasing you. Such bliss. Bliss that will never be mine as I have worried for their lives all my life until now.