Elia Sully and The Prophecy

Let's Try Harder Together

I ran as fast as I could through the bushes and into the forest, scaling over the large roots of the trees. I ran to the place where I could find comfort...on a high rock, overlooking the village. That was where the sun would hit for hours, even if it was nearing an eclipse or disappearing into the horizon.

I found that spot on one of my early morning walks.

A few hours before the sun peeked its head out from the horizon, I would wake myself up and go on a walk. The others were still asleep at those times, so it would be only me by myself. That was the one thing I liked about the Hallelujah Mountains back home. They reached far up in the sky, as far as they could, to touch the sun.

And I would climb up those mountains everyday, just to see the sun rising and setting, as I carved little drawings on my bow. I loved the sun. I was drawn to it.

Any chance I could sneak away, I would go there, basking in the sun like a lizard or a cat. It was like meditation. It helped me clear my thoughts.

When I arrived, I was panting rapidly to find air into my lungs. It was still so hard to breathe. My heart was beating so fast. I couldn't control it. My whole body started trembling, and my legs gave away. I fell on my knees, looking down at my hands, and started crying. I could no longer hold back my tears. They were too hard to control.

I could not control my tears just like I had no control when I watched Ao'nung throw my bracelet into the ocean. It was lost by now...gone with the sea. My connection to my mother...my connection to my father...it was lost now. I could not bring them back. That reality hit me on the beach. 

It was clear that Eywa was telling me that I'd never see my mother, or father again. I repositioned myself, hunching over, hugging my legs tightly and hiding my face as I continued to cry.

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I heard the bushes rustling behind me, grabbing my attention. Someone must have come here. I lifted my head up slightly. The sun's light was still hitting me, but I must have been gone from the village for a few hours by now. I turned my head around to see who it was. For all I knew, it could have been a starving thanator. But my heart began to relax, once I saw who it was. It was Neteyam.

"Hey..." He spoke up in a soft tone. "Hey..." I mumbled back, turning my head back to face the sea. I could hear his footsteps approaching closer to me until he stopped. He was standing on my left before he sat down next to me. His legs were dangling over the edge. 

I heard tiny pieces of rocks crumbling and falling down below into the jungle. It was so silent. The only sounds we heard was the chattering of animals and the rustling of leaves as they were dancing thanks to the wind.

"Are you alright, Baby Sister?" I shrugged my shoulders at his question. "I...could be better..." I replied. "And please don't call me, "Baby Sister". I'm older than you." I continued as he began to chuckle lightly. I rolled my eyes, annoyingly as he placed his hand over my head. 

If he wanted to, he could just lift me up, only holding me from my head while the rest of my body just dangled in the air, helplessly. Of course he wouldn't do that. "You're so tiny." He commented. "You're like a child." I scoffed, hearing his description. "Don't remind me...Even Tuk's taller than me. And she's only seven." I whined.

"And how did you find me, anyway?" I asked, confused. I hadn't told anyone about this spot on the island. Neteyam began to laugh, shrugging his shoulders. "I couldn't sleep one night, and I saw you wandering off into the woods. I sometimes follow you around when you're not looking." He told me with a toothy smile. I chuckled lightly.

"Feeling a little better?" Neteyam asked me. "A little bit..." I responded. Just hearing his voice was able to relax me. 

"Where's Lo'ak?" I ended up asking. "Oh..." Neteyam started. "Dad told him to apologize to Ao'nung." He hesitantly told me. At that moment, I noticed that Neteyam was holding something back from me. I furrowed my brows. 

"What is wrong, Teyam? Come on, spill it." I began tugging on his arm as he stayed silent.

Eventually, he gave in. "I'm...I'm sorry." He stuttered out an apology. I became confused. He did nothing wrong. Why was he apologizing to me? "What are you sorry about? You did nothing wrong." I replied. "No, no." He shook his head. 

"Kiri told me what Ao'nung did...I'm sorry I couldn't come any sooner..." He admitted out sadly. His mouth was wavering, evident that he was trying to hold back tears. I looked down, letting out a deep sigh, holding his hands and squeezing them gently. "That was not your fault, Teyam..." I frowned. "Don't apologize for something you didn't do." I told him.

"But that bracelet meant everything to you, didn't it?" His question made me tear up again. I was hesitant to respond and looked away. "Yeah..." I mumbled, admitting it. "It was the only connection I had to my biological parents. Just having it gone...feels...different..." I couldn't explain it in the right words.

"You never took it off..." He mumbled, raising my hand, where my bracelet would have been. My wrist was now bleeding. I cut was the only thing that remained there from when one of Ao'nung's friends forcefully yanked it off. "Does it hurt, will it leave a scar?" He asked, beginning to trace the wound. He whipped off some of the blood without direcly touching the cut with his thumb. "It stings a bit. I don't know if it will leave a scar or not." I replied.

"You know..." Neteyam started off softly. "I didn't tell Mom or Dad, but...I want to go home, too." He admitted to me. "Teyam..." I started sadly. "We'll go home after this situation is over...give it time." I managed to pull him into a side hug. My arm went to his back, rubbing circles on it.

"How can you be so sure, Eli? What if we never go back home?" Neteyam asked me. I took a deep breath.

"Nothing is permanent, Teyam. Everything has to go back to their place of origin eventually. I like to think of this change as a...long vacation." 

A slight smile appeared on my face. "I'm with you...we'll get through this. Just like Dad said." I reminded him. "Right..." He nodded.

"Life isn't fair. None of us can expect everything to go our way. Whether you're happy or not is up to you. The important thing is the present. So let's look ahead. Let's try harder together, okay?" 

I repositioned myself again so that now, my feet were dangling off the ledge, like Neteyam's. And I leaned my head on his side. 

I dozed off not long after...