𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 | neteyam

nineteen 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒

LIFE WAS GOOD. It really was. Neteyam's mother was so kind when we met two days ago. I exchanged a few words with his dad too, and he is really a nice guy. It is a bit weird to think about the fact that he was born on a completely different planet. I wonder what he looked like back then or how it was there. I mean, there had to be a reason why he went here!

I spent most hours with Neteyam. He made me so, so happy. But I missed my friends too. I tried to hang out with Tsireya and Roxto more often and also spoke a few words with Ao'nung. But he was a bit weird. Was it because of me and Neteyam? I pretty much ignored that, to be honest.

The sky went darker. It would rain soon. Usually, the sun was always shining here, but it seemed like that would change soon.

Raindrops were slowly falling down the sky as I sat down under the roof of my Marui. I knew that the rain would be here for one or two days. A few other villagers were walking around the beach, gathering their stuff so it wouldn't get wet.

Ronal, Tonowari, a few other hunters, and Neteyam's parents, too, left a few hours ago. I don't know why, but it must have been important. Ever since then, there was a stressed aura on this island.

Neteyam was sitting next to me, looking at the beach. The sand was slowly darkening since rain was falling on it.

"Come on, let's go inside," I said to him. My brother wasn't home, I don't really know where he was, so it was just Neteyam and me.

Neteyam was sitting on my mattress while I was walking around in the Marui. I had a weird feeling inside of me all day, but I couldn't describe why.

"What is it?", Neteyam asked me, and I looked at him. I stopped walking.

"I don't know. It's just-", I started and put my hand on my forehead. "Do you ever feel like something bad is about to happen. Like, you just have this feeling, and you can't, you can't really describe it", I said to him, and he stood up and smiled at me.

"Maybe I'm just being weird, I don't know-" I said, but Neteyam interrupted me. "You're not weird!", he said and put his fingers on my chin to lift my face up. He softly placed his cold lips on mine, and my body immediately calmed down. He was calming to me.

"Everyone is fine. You don't have to worry", he said, and for some reason, I believed him.

-

In the afternoon, it was definitely raining harder. Suddenly, I heard voices from outside. They are back! Neteyam and I walked out of the ilu in speed. The village was gathering in a crowd in front of the Marui of the Tsahik and Olo'eyktan.

We approached them, and I could hear Ronal's voice.

"My spirit sister and her baby", she started. She definitely spoke to Jake, who was standing in front of her. Everyone listened to her.

"They have been murdered by the Sky People", she ended her sentence and I put my hand on my mouth in shock. No. It couldn't be. Why are they here? How did they find us?

The Sky People. I heard their stories. They are scary people. I never thought that they would come here, to our home on day.

They murdered two of our family members. I felt tears filling my eyes. Everyone else was in shock, too. A few people were letting out shouts, and others started to cry.

"This war has come to us!", Tonowari said in anger, and the people let out louder shouts, expressing their fury. Tears were slipping down my cheeks.

"We knew about this hunting of our tulkun people", he went on, but I didn't really listen to him anymore. My heart was beating so fast and my cheeks were so wet. I felt Neteyam's hand taking mine.

Everyone was shouting so loud. They wanted revenge. The Sky People took away two of our dearest things.

Suddenly Jake started to speak. "You gotta understand how the Sky People think", he said, and everyone went more quiet. "They don't care about the Great Balance!", he went on.

"WE DON'T ANSWER THE SKY PEOPLE", a guy shouted very loudly. Everyone agreed on him and the shouts got louder again.

Neteyam was now walking to the center. "Listen! Listen to him!", he said but no one was listening except for me.

"The Sky People are not gonna stop! This is only the beginning! You gotta tell your tulkun to leave", Jake said and to him everyone was listening. He was the expert. "You gotta tell them to go far away!".

They have to leave? No, no it couldn't be.

"Leave? You live among us, yet you have learned nothing!", Ronal said, sadness in her voice.

"We will fight to protect our brothers and sisters", Meakat screamed. I couldn't look at him.

"IF YOU ATTACK, IF YOU FIGHT, THEN THEY WILL DESTROY YOU! THEY WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT YOU LOVE!", Jake shouted even louder, but the people didn't seem to understand. I kept quiet. I was still in shock.

"HEAR MY WORDS!", he shouted again. So, so loud. Neteyam tried to calm him and the crowd down. "Stay calm. Stay calm! Listen to my father!", he said and I focused on him.

"Damn it!", Jake said and suddenly held high an unfamiliar object. What was that?

Suddenly everyone was quiet. All eyes went on the object that none of us knew.

"You tell the tulkun, that if they're hit by one of these, they marked for death", he said with a raspy voice. My eyes widened.

"You'll calm for me, I'll silence it", he went on. "Saving their lives, that's all that matters, right? Saving your family", he said and I nodded. They had to warn Suhanna! Right now!

-

I saw my brother. Lekxyo was by the water, calling for an ilu. I quickly got up, running towards him.

"Where are you going? These are dangerous times!", I said to him in worry.

He turned around to look at me. "I have to warn Orikew. He is probably near Ro'a and her baby", he said to me but I shook my head.

"Are you going alone?", I asked him quietly. I didn't want him to go.

He nodded. "Yes, the others are busy. But I have to be quick. Orikew could be in serious danger.

"But you have to take Jake with you! Only he knows how the remove the weapon!", I said to him.

"I can handle it myself. I know what the weapon looks like. It's easy to remove it, I know it!", he said to me.

This all felt so wrong. "Lekxyo please. Don't do this! It's too dangerous!", I said to him but he didn't listen.

"Aylikhi listen, I have to fo this! Otherwise he will die!", he said and got on his ilu.

"I will he back sooner than you know it", he said to me and rode away from me.

"Lekxyo, no! Wait-", I said but it was too late.

"You are so stupid!", I shouted, but I don't think he heard me.

-

Hehehehe