I wrote this a little while back. I still have to edit it, and I plan on presenting it in Creative Writing club.
There once was a man who lived in a faraway land whose name is now forgotten. He was a chief, the chief of his village and as such was tasked with taking care of his people. He lived a happy life and was well respected by his subjects for his kindness and fairness. That ended after his youngest son became feverishly sick. It was slow to come about, with the sun becoming more languid on each hunting trip. Soon, he wasn’t even capable of standing up.
Local medicine and herbs had no effect, and the chief was starting to fear that he would die. So he sought out an old hermit who lived deep in the jungle, an old friend of his father’s said to have been born of the forest when the world was young. With club in hand, the chief braved insects and predators to seek the man out. And on the fourth day, he found him in the shadow of a great ancient tree whose roots must have spread far into the Earth.
“O forest elder, I plead for your assistance,” said the chieftain, weary from travel and weak in will. His eyes shed tears that washed grime from his face.
“What is it that you seek, fellow being?” said the man under the tree. “Why are you so weak as to cry?”
“My son is dying, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Then I will tell you what to do. Deep in the forest, where the trees cloud the sky so that one knows not the difference between night and day, a shadowy specter named Death resides feeding off of the anguish of others. He can destroy those he wishes with magic, but he is no match for an opponent that challenges him face to face and in the face of courage, he loses his powers.”
“Then I shall take up arms and defeat him,” with that, the chief bid the man farewell and went on his way with newfound courage.
Soon, the trees became closer together, and the shadows cast by the canopy grew darker, a sign that the chief was close and perhaps already within the house of Death. And soon, as expected, the chief came upon the shadowy figure known as Death. Death would best be described as a shadow of a man, but one indescribably different from ordinary shadows.
“You’re reign ends now, demon!” said the chief right before he began to charge.
The demon did not react as the chief cleaved it in two. As the shadow fell apart, a shrill scream resounded throughout the forest.
Victorious, the chief found his way back to the village and was met with cheers. There was much mirth and celebration that night as the villagers dropped the weight none as the fear of death. However, the son of the chief did not get better. The chief assumed that it was because he had killed death, but not sickness.
And then, suddenly and without warning, the son died. The chief tried to cry and express grief, but he wasn’t able to. The same with the villagers. Bewildered and somewhat angry, the chief carried the body of his boy to the hermit, seeking answers.
“You told me that I could beat Death, and I did. So why is my son dead?!” he asked.
The hermit roused from an interrupted slumber. “I told you that you could beat death and you did.”
“Then why is he dead?!”
“What you defeated, Death, is nonexistent outside of the head of humans. What you defeated was the fear and negative emotions surrounding the passage of life from one form to another. In actuality, there is no Death, there is only life.”
“Blasphemy.”
“But is it? You could not cry, and you did not worry. And you aren’t afraid anymore, are you?”
“No.”
“Life never ceases. Knowing no owner, it is only borrowed and given. For example, my mother, who lies within this tree behind me. When she was ready to share life with others, I buried her and planted a tree upon her. The tree grew and provided food and shelter to many animals. Within each and every creature she touched lives a part of her. She gave life just as other before her gave her life. And with that, she will live forever. One day, I too hope to join her.”
The chief looked down upon his boy and smiled. “I love you and I always will,” he said.
The boy was buried nearby, and a seed from the great tree was planted over him.
17 Jan 2011, 9:48 am
