Hope Whispers

It started with a daydream.

 Like slippery worms, they slithered through the embrace, like fluid and air they forced through the narrow halls of their mother, like rats they crawled between the squeeze. Although the cramped space, the offsprings were at ease in their box, all but one. Tane Tuturi named after the way he stood; a curious cat cased in a cage had dreamed, had daydreamed of life and light beyond their existence. Tane had tasted the very edge of the dream but was it enough? no, Tane wanted to consume it. Tane with the fiery need cried for the others. The other siblings came from east, west, south, north and paraded around Tane. Tane knew them all, from emotions to movement, some were gullible, innocent and simply pushovers. Tane also knew the durable, firm and vigorous, knew them well.

"Tane, why do you call?" Whiro questioned

"Thank you for coming, sibling" Tane apologised

"I have thought, we live like mere ants in this dark and heated embrace."

"You woke me for this, to complain" Tu bitterly interrupted.

"Please listen!!" Tane could only plead, Tane knew Tu, Tu was durable, firm and vigorous just like Tawhiri.

"I just want to see something more, life and light yonder than we"

"Just slay them both and be done with it" Tu was irritated but was close to Tane's plan.

"More like let us separate them so we can be released" Tane saw each face turn to confusion for understanding, Tane waited for the confrontation, waiting for the opposer.

"Obviously this idea is ludicrous" Tawhiri had finally dented the silence "this life we live is fine, we're safe and secure, confined but sound." Tawhiri wasn't confined, Tawhiri has no bones; like air.

"Tane is right, this life is too confining" Rongomatane accepted. Tawhiri enraged by the idea threatened them with hurricanes, thunder and lighting storms then departed from the parade, only to watch from afar.

Dozing the day away, Ranginui buried himself in Papatuanuku. Buring the very existence of life and light, between them flowed rivers of sweet sweat, and mountains of piled up stench and their harmonising tickers deafening the cries of their offspring. Love intertwined them together as if woven fabric, but in the end, love will force them to live side by side as victims of a cruel fate. Whispering shadows in the far stretch leads us back to the offsprings parade.

Each offspring stood high attempting to lift Ranginui but Ranginui didn't nudge, each offspring strained but not Ranginui, they had given up but hope whispered softly to Tane 'one last time'. Laying crown first Tane swang branches high into a handstand, Tane then chanted the whistling prayer to his grandparent, Io Matua-Kore. Io the parentless being, who blew into the ebony nights, collecting dust and fungus, the making of the very earth and sky. With every hike of Tane's voice, Tane pushed Papatuanuku away from Ranginui. Choking into each other Rangi and Papa became tense, tightening with every push. As time ran further away the buckling of Rangi and Papa's hands unfasten, slowly the suffocating dark was released.