The sun shone from the vaster sky, feeling unsatisfied as it was draining every form of life out of the desert, and then thirsty for more. The carcass of dead animals decayed, and their bones were crumbling as lions stroll on them.
The lions walked in unison and sat in one zone, beside the pit, yawning. Yawning for meat and blood. They have lost their strength, but back then, on a rainy day, they had enjoyed killing all the animals for food.
But now, there is no more animal left for them. They stood at once as Sophia coughed, seeking the being that coughed, and then they start smelling the body of a human being.
Sophia covered her mouth as the lions rooming around the pit, yelling, yawning, and roaring for food. But they didn’t notice her, as she kept quiet, waiting for Reuben.
And then not long after, those lions fell dead as millions of arrows were thrown at them. And one could see ten arrows on a lion. Some lions darted away while some attack the throwers. And then suddenly, noise unwind.
Sophia shivered, thinking “Is that Reuben? Had he arrived? Does he come with many people?”
She lost her thoughts and screamed as a lion fell into the pit. She closed her eyes, and then open them after a minute and she found out that the lion had already died. And she counts twenty arrows on its ugly body.
The distant noise of people traveled to her ears. “Are they indigenous people?” Her palm was sweating, and she wishes for wings to fly away.
She looked down at the dead lion and was scared of its devilish and ugly teeth. Its eyes stared at her eyes, and her heart starts pounding hard. As if it might wake up anytime.
And outside, at the top, the last angry lion attacked soldiers after being shot with several arrows, and the victim yelled “Owen, Owen, Owen, please saved me.”
“Stay still,” Owen boomed as he throws an arrow at the lion. And the lion fell and breathed its last air.
These indigenous people were living near the desert, and their king, King Archibald had commanded his army to kill all the lions in the environment and then gave Owen, a man of war who is as strong as Goliath, permission to lead them.
All the soldiers hailed him as he sat on the dried grass beside a dead lion. He removed all the arrows from its body and start eating it, and then, drinking its blood. “This is super sweet,” he said.
Graham walked beside him, and says, “Amigo, we make it happen.”
“The king would be happy,” he said, “this is sweet.”
Graham wanted to eat out of the lion which Owen was eating, and Owen grapes his hands and says, “don’t touch it, go and carry your own over there.”
“I see.” Graham walked and sat in front of another lion, removing the arrow from it and then start eating it.
A soldier called from a distance when everyone is busing eating. “Owen. I saw a girl in a hole.”
Owen looked up and stood and as if it is contagious, everyone stood up too. “Where?”
“Here, in the pit.”
“Oh,” he said, looking at Graham, “do you heard that?”
“Yes,” Graham said, “Let’s check it out.”
Graham stood up with blood on his mouth, walking behind Owen to the pit. And all the soldiers were fascinated to hear that and left their meat, to see the strange human being in the pit.
Sophia was shivering, looking down, and was afraid to look up to see those fierce human beings that can kill lions.
Owen widened his eyes ajar as he saw Sophia, and can’t control to take his eyes off her beauties. And lion’s blood was dripping down from his mouth but he licked them in the back. “Little girl . . . Lookup . . . look at me.”
“Her skin is as fresh as the color of flowers,” Graham said.
“Little girl,” Owen said again, “don’t be afraid. We won’t hurt you, look up . . . Look at me.”
Sophia was crying, can’t dare to look up.
Owen looked at the soldiers, and said, “Bring her out with that lion on her side, and don’t let anything happen to her. The king must see her..” he walked away
And the soldiers did as he commanded them.
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Reuben and Ben walked near the pit, looking around, searching for Sophia around the desert. Ben is already thirsty, his lips had dried and all he could do is to swallow his saliva. Titanic flew to them as they came to the spot and landed inside the pit.
Reuben was happy and hurried there, but was widened his eyes when he sees nothing.
“See blood,” Ben said, pointing to arrows.
“Someone people had come here,” Reuben said.
“Hope it is not what am thinking?” Ben sat on the grass and lions’ blood stained his clothes. “Had they killed her?”
“I don’t think so,” Reuben said.
“What should we do now?”
“Haven’t know,” Ruben said, looking down in a sad mood. “Follow me.”
“To where,” Ben said, “I’m thirsty, so badly.”
“Just follow me.” Reuben saw footprints that were left on the roads. “It was Sophia’s shoes.”
Ben looked at it closely. “You get it right.”
“Let traced her footprints,” he said, “we might meet her on the way.”
Titanic flies to the other side, as they follow Sophia’s footprints to the other way.
“I’m tired of everything,” Ben said, “I don’t have peace.”
“You have to practice surrender, and you shall have peace,” Reuben said.
“What do you mean?” Ben looked at him. “Do you mean I should give up and lose? Like surrendering that I don’t see Sophia. That is unfair.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Reuben said.
“What do you mean then?”
“I mean, you have to surrender to this moment alone. Withdraw your attention from the past and future and give it to this moment alone. Always honor the present moment. There is only one thing you can do now. Give it all your attention without imagining that it’s happening in the future.”
“This is hell, I can’t do this.”
“Stop judging the present moment,” he said. “Just surrender and keep quiet and you would be amazed about what would happen next to you.”
“Oh really? he asked, “can you please tell me what would happen to me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You have to find it out for yourself.”
“But-”
“Ssshhh, keep quiet for a while.”
“Okay. Okay, I surrender.” Ben said.
They walked in silence, giving Sophia’s footprints all their attention as they were following it carefully.
And after thirty minutes, they find themselves in the village again, before a house.
“Goddam,” Ben said, “where are we again?”
“Accept the present moment. Stop complaining. Or else you would waste precious time.”
Ben sighed. “Okay.”
“Let’s knock at the house first,” Reuben said
They walked to the door, and then knock.
In the room, the teens were planning what to do to find Sophia. “Who is there,” Anabelle called, “Is it, Sophia?”
They all exchanged glances as Annabelle hurried to open the door.
“Oh my God,” Anabelle screamed.
“Who is there?” Alice asked.
“Reuben and Ben,” Anabelle said.
Jackson and John looked at themselves and then hugged. And John said, “I thought Alice lied that my father is alive.”
And then, he hurried to meet their father outside.
John jumped out as Anabelle opened the door and hugged him.
Reuben was surprised to see his children and Jackson walked out of the room, shedding tears.
“Jack?” Ruben asked, “Thank you,” He hugged John and Jackson, “thank you for being alive. I miss you guys.”
“Miss you too,” John said, crying.
Ben sighed. He remembered Reuben warned him not to complain about anything again. “I’m thirsty.”
“Come in,” Lucy said, “I miss you. I thought you won’t come back.”
“Me too,” Bella said.
“Just give me water first,” Ben said as he walked in with Lucy.
Reuben cleaned his tears. “I thought a wild animal had killed you guys.”
“Dad, why do you stay so far? Have worried a lot about you,” John said.
“Santiago would have killed me if I don’t run away from the battle,” Reuben said.
“You mean, I don’t understand you?” Jackson asked, “how did it happen?”
“He betrayed us and killed two out of us.”
Alice burst out in tears. “I’m Alice. The daughter of Romeo.”
“Oh dear,” Reuben said, “come over here. Where’s your mother?”
“Dead.”
“I’m sorry that I can’t save father that day,” Reuben said as he hugged her. “You see, I can’t save my wife too.”
“I understand,” Alice said, “you would be thirsty right?”
“Oh yeah,” Reuben snapped.
“Let’s everyone gets in before I count one to ten or else . . . ” Bella said, “I will close the door. And each person would have to pay before getting in.”
Everyone laughed except Bella who is busy counting the numbers. And when she is about to reach number nine, everyone rushed in.
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SOPHIA’S POV
I was brought to their village. And before their king.
“Your highness,” Bowen said, bowing down.
“Who is this girl?” The king asked
“We meet her in the pit, your highness.”
“I see,” The King looked at me and I looked down. And for a while, my eyes were free of the half-naked body, their woman only covers their breast and buttock with a wrapper While there, only wrapped only their buttock.
“Where did you come from?” The King asked me.
“Your highness,” Bowen said, “she hasn’t spoken since. I adjure you to let her rest for some moments, she might have lost her mind.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah, your highness.”
“Father,” the prince said.
“Tell me,”
“I like this girl, I want to marry her.”
And everyone exchange glances, I guessed.
I looked up and saw his face, he was so ugly. I breathe out, am scared, and I don’t know what to say or what to do. Did titanic saw Reuben? I thoughts. What took him too long?
“If that is what you want,” The King said, “You will wed her tomorrow.”
“Thank you, father.”
“And you,” The King said, facing Bowen, “I promoted you and I reward you with half of my land for providing us many food and water.”
“I’m honored my king,” Bowen said as he knee, and as he bent his head.
“And you,” The king face the maid, “take my son’s wife to the chamber and offer her what she wants.”
“Your highness,” The maid bowed and walked to me. “Follow me.”
I followed her to the smelling rooms. Here, the bed was made of bamboo trees. The roof has shattered and I take a glance at the dormer window.
“Your highness,” The maid said, “off your clothes.”
“I’m okay like this,” I said at last.
“Why? your highness, you need to dress to charmed the prince more.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I said.
“Alright, your highness.”
She hurried out and in with covered plates on a tray. “Your highness, this is your food.”
I looked down as she opened it. It was uncooked meat with blood.
“What is this?” I asked in shocked
“Your highness,” It is the sweetest food in this palace.”
“Oh my God,” I sighed. “Take it back, I’m not hungry.”
“Your highness, If I should take it back, your husband would not happy. Even if it is just a little, please eat.”
I sighed, looking everywhere. She even said, my husband. What the hell is happening right now. “Don worry, what is your name?”
“Amara.”
“Amara, don’t worry, have you eaten?”
“No,” she said.
“Can you eat this?”
“Yes, your highness.”
“You can eat it?”
“Yeah, your highness,” she said, smiling.
I sighed. “Eat it then.”
“Wow!” she said, “thanks for your kindness, your highness.”
I was surprised as she was eating it. I closed my eyes. “Can you please eat it outside?”
“Okay, your highness,” she said and then carry it outside.
I breathe out deeply, depressed. I need to do something. I was scared of everything. I can’t believe I find myself here. If only I have listened to Anabelle, all this wouldn’t have happened.
I wondered if someone would help me. I don’t think I can help myself, I stood up, glancing out of the window and I saw some girls dancing while some men were drumming calabashes.
I glanced around, maybe there would be a way for me to escaped. But I saw nothing.
I’m scared of the future. Scared of when that ugly prince would wed me. I don’t want to think of what would happen that night. Tears darted out of my eyes.
I closed my eyes and I sat back, thinking of what to do. I will have to run away, but the question remains how?