004: Bones

I wake up in the morning around the time when the first ray of the sunlight comes out. By habit, I hate waking up early the most, but thinking about the host of the cabin who wakes up as early as dawn to farm and hunts wild animals, I forced myself to wake up as soon as I heard a movement in the house.

Luisea usually serves some hot soup and bread in the morning before she went to the farm. Griff, on the other hand always goes out of the village and only comes back at dusk. I try not to be a busybody and ask about his private affair.

'Today is this sixth day.'

I stare at the six knots I make from a string I found outside at the farm.

'I wonder if anyone misses me. Did Ted found out that I've been missing? Did anyone file a missing person's report yet? Sigh…'

Six days without any internet connection. It was a miracle that I survived up to this day.

I wash my mouth with some plants that I found a few days before. It smells a bit like mint. After confirming with Luisea that it's not poisonous, I've been using it every day to rinse my mouth.

'I really miss my toothbrush and toothpaste.'

I wash my face in the river and stare at my own reflections. Truthfully, these past few days, I've been wondering about the ears on top of my head. I couldn't figure out what species these ears belongs to, and what sorcery or plastic surgery does it take to make a pair of ears appear on top of my head. Even my human-like ears are gone. And the most mysterious thing of all is that none of the villagers ever ask or wonder about my fluffy ears.

"Someone, wake me up from this nightmare!!!"

I sit alone by the river and start yelling out loud.

"Lumi, are you okay?" Luisea, who was busy farming a few meters away shouted at me.

I pretend that I didn't hear her as I continue throwing rocks inside the river.

'I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.'

I brush my hair with my fingers for a couple of hours, braiding and styling it in many styles as I wait for Luisea to finish her work. In the end, I decided to tie it in a ponytail.

***

Its almost noontime, Luisea and I walk back home from the farm. These past few days, I have grown accustomed to her and her temperament. She rarely talks, just like the other villagers in this village. Once in a while, she talks a word or two. I guess they just have nothing much to say, living in a secluded village, there's nothing to gossip about.

"Lumi, you've gotten fatter these few days. Look at the meat on your buttock." She patted my buttock as she laughs.

I rub my belly and laugh, "You've been fattening me a lot these few days. I think I gained a few pounds here and there."

"If you're made into stew or steak, your buttock must be the most delicious part of all." She looks at me, half-jokingly.

"I would rather be roasted meat." My mind starts drifting away, thinking about roasted pork and grilled chicken.

"Hmmm… Delicious…"

"….So tasty…"

At this point, we're both thinking about meat.

"Tomorrow is the Day of the Lord," Luisea speaks as she glances at me.

"What kind of day is that?" I look over at her.

"It's a big day where we celebrate and thanks to the Lord who blessed us with good harvest all year round. We offer the Lord with lots of offering and sacrifices as gratitude."

"Is the Lord your god?"

"Yes. The Lord is our King."

"So, how do you usually celebrate the Day of the Lord?" Surprisingly, she talks more words today than previous days all combined. I was feeling rather glad to hold a simple conversation with someone other than myself.

"We offer a sacrifice, wild prey that we caught. Set up a big fire, drink wine, and eat good meat and then we sing and dance all night."

"I can't wait! It must be fun!"

"It is. Everyone has been looking forward to it, especially with good meat."

Thinking about the big feast and the foods tomorrow, I'm starting to feel excited. It's been a long time since I last join such gathering. I wonder if they have good wine. Maybe I can drink a bit, get drunk, and bang my head hard again. Who knows, I might wake up in my own bed again.

***

Living in the middle of the forest of nowhere is really hard for a city girl like me.

I wake up around midnight, my stomach hurts badly and I really need to relieve myself. The villagers here don't have a proper toilet. They just squat behind the bush, dig a pit, and relieve their selves. I was constipated for the first three days since I arrived here. On the fourth day, I totally let go of my dignity and buried them along inside the pit that I dig.

It was raining lightly outside. I take out a lamp and open the door, ready to go to my usual spot. I walk as slow as usual, not wanting to wake up Griff and his wife.

"Where are you going?" A man speaks with a hoarse voice behind me.

I freeze for a second before I turned back.

"Ah… It's you. You scared me," I look at Griff who was sitting under the lamp as he sharpened his knife.

"I need to…err… Do business…"

"Business?" He looks at me with a confused look.

"I need to relieve myself. My stomach hurts."

"Ah… I see. Be careful, it's raining outside. The road is slippery. Don't wander too far from the village or you'll be caught by the wild beast. They will skin you and eat you alive." He speaks as he continues sharpening his knife.

"I know…"

I went out to my pit to do my business.

Just when I was about to finish, the rain starts pouring heavily.

"Shit! Not when I'm shitting outside!"

I quickly settle my business and run back to the cabin as soon as possible. I took the shortcut back, passing by some shrubs and trees as I run. The path was slippery and pools of water are everywhere. As a result, I tripped on the muddy soil and fall into a pit and the lamp that I was holding on was thrown a few feet away from me. The heavy rains put off the fire on the lamp.

'Damn it.'

I straighten myself a bit and use both of my arms to support my body as I try to stand up. I feel something hard on the ground and picked it up, guessing that its probably my lamp.

'Huh? What is this?'

With the help of the dim moonlight, I stare at the white, cold, hard thing in my hand.

'Bone?'

I look down where I was stepping, there were few more bones buried beneath the soil.

'Animal bones? No. It's too big to be animal bone.'

I look again at the bone in my hand.

"Oh shit! Dear ancestors, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It was an accident!"

I throw the bone inside the pit and sloppily buried it again as I run back to the cabin, forgetting to pick up my lamp on the ground.