Dream || Neteyam

Thirteen

Nia

As soon as I return home, I set up my hammock and lay down.

My body is hurt, my mind is hurt. There is nothing more that I want to do than to sleep and avoid my family.

I cant exactly avoid them completely when I have no where to go in the cold rain either.

"Ni'awtu." My mother brushes her hand against my shoulder.

I keep my eyes clothes and sigh. "Yes?" Despite everything, my voice is calm.

"Youre fine?"

"Yes."

She brushes her hand against my shoulder once more and then stands, leaving me.

~

However, the day after I leave early in the morning, go for a swim, and then on a hike to the rock where I sleep on it the whole day.

The day after that I do the same thing too.

And the third day, Tsireya follows me.

"What are you doing here sister?"

My body jumps at the sound of her voice. Normally, everything is silent up here.

We used to talk about our love for the silence. It's like only us exist.

Now, my thoughts are the only thing that disturb me.

Sitting up slowly, I look down to her. "Been feeling like I should be here."

Tsireya gives me an empathetic look before climbing up here. She knows that sitting here is not okay.

I've never been here with anyone besides him.

"Have you been coming here often?" Tsireya is careful with her tone and voice, like normal, but especially now.

Just because it is sad, I don't want her thinking I'm too weak.

"Since the day of the rain. That's where I was yesterday." I say, looking out to the water. I can't look at her anymore.

"I see." I grab my legs and pull my thighs to my chest, holding them close.

"It's been a year since I've come here."

"I remember." Of course she remembers.

Tsireya, my cousin, and mother went out along this trail.

I didnt want to, but I had to. There was pressure on me because our clan relied on it.

So I did. And when we reached the rock, we were only meant to walk past it. But I couldn't.

Tsireya held me. That was one of the last times we hugged until now.

"What made you come here?"

I blow the air inbetween my lips as I think.

"I felt like I had to," The sun is almost all the way up. "The night before wasn't very good. I went for a walk in the rain because it always makes me feel better and ended up here."