The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

seth · 2019-07-24 04:31:32

This all really just happened.

I was born in the forest - my mom picked me up and brought me home.

We walked in there were two fresh graves, and one guy who had been stabbed. "Who did this to you? What was his name?" My mom cried.

"I don't know" the man gasped, and fell to the floor.

My mom had another kid, and then ran out the door. When she came back, we knew something was wrong.
"There's no food.." She said with resignation, and moments later, she too fell down dead.

My brother and I looked at each other in despair and huddled by the fire, hoping on the chance someone would come save us. But no one came. Because no one was there. The town was quiet. My brother died from starvation.

Just then I became of age - I immediately ran outside, and sure enough, all the berry bushes were dried up.
I ran east through the forest, and came upon wild berries. Enough to survive.

I set about restoring the farm - trying to save some of the dying bushes. Soil was plentiful, but the well in the center of town was broken, and I had no idea how to fix it, so I set about carrying bowls of water from a nearby watering hole.

A strange man showed up, and I couldn't understand him.
"Py" he said. "Py" I responded.

We didn't understand.

Time passed. I had a son named Guadalupe. I told him the story of his people.

He was born bilingual, and he could partially understand what the stranger was saying. They spoke back and forth.

My son translated his words - the stranger's village was to the north, and would we like to travel with him?

"Yes" I said. My son told the stranger, and he was pleased.

We began the journey north. I was nervous, but excited. How would we be received in this new town? Would they treat us well?

The jungle stretched endlessly. It seemed to grow thicker and thicker, and the mosquitoes more numerous.

That's when my son came down with the fever, and then our guide. I grabbed a banana and fed the stranger, and went to feed my son.

Too late. He died right there in the jungle.

I tried to feed the stranger, who only could say "L!" "L!"
I got the idea. I fed him, but not fast enough, and he too died.

Right then, I had a new baby. I picked her up, and dodged the mosquitoes as we fought our way out of the jungle.

When we had some space to breathe, I named her "Miracle" and we ate berries in the middle of no where while I told her my story, which was hers too.

I decided it did not make sense to proceed to the town - the jungle was too dangerous, and our guide was dead. Instead I would take Miracle to her homeland back south.

We traveled a very long distance, and finally broke through to the edge of the jungle... just to be lost in a nameless wetland I did not recognize.
We wandered and wandered, and I was beginning to believe we would be forced to wander the wildness for the rest of our lives.

But then miracle said "Over here" and she ran to the left. She had spotted signs of life!
..But in her excitement, she had lost her caution - a rattlesnake bit her in the belly.

"Miracle!" I shouted, "Noo.."

There was nothing I could do. I walked with her into town, and we saw the bushes, bursting with berries.

Suddenly my grief was alleviated by wonder.
"You led us home. I'm glad you to see it."
She seemed happy, as the life faded from her cheeks.
"Maybe this is the miracle."
She left me - in the same town again. Alone.

I ate berries in somber reflection, pondering the irony of this existence. Miracle had found our way, but could not survive to live out her life.

In the midst of my wondering, I heard a voice - "Py"
I turned, it was another stranger, from the same town! He indicated he was traveling north, as if he was inviting me to travel.

For the sake of my son, I couldn't turn down that invitation.

So I went back to the endless jungle, dodging trees, and mosquitoes. My guide was very attentive, turning back to check on me frequently, and when I was bit by mosquitoes, he was by my side, feeding me back into good health. Showing me how one is fed back to health.

We moved forward, and we came upon a sight I was not ready for. My dead son lay under a banana tree, our previous guide beside him.

I grieved over my son's grave, with the shameful realization that I could have saved him, if I only I had known how back then. But our guide was insistent that we proceed on.

We escaped the jungle, and finally came upon the town and made our way to the center. I rested on a bearskin rug, and felt the fire warm my pock marked skin.

I was old now. An old woman.

The village was full of friendly strangers whose words I could not understand. They smiled at me, and I smiled back. Part relieved, part exhausted from my journey, and just grateful to have finally made it, after so much despair.

A mother of the village had a baby, and placed him down next to me. I remembered my own son, with his quick mind and ability to pick up strange tongues. And I began to tell my tale. The whole thing, about the murder, my mother, the farm, the stranger, my son, the jungle, my daughter, the rattlesnake - everything. The little child listened on intently - signaling his emotion at the right moments. Letting me know he was listening without interrupting my memory.

When I got to the end, I knew that my life was truly at an end, and I could tell he was moved. I asked him to pass on the story. He said he would.

And after that, with my journey complete, with my tale all told, I laid back on the bearskin rug, felt the warmth of the roaring blaze, and thought of my mother who had fed a fire once, which gave me a chance at this life, so many years ago.

http://lineage.onehouronelife.com/serve … id=5017417

Last edited by seth (2019-07-24 05:57:21)

AmberA · 2019-07-24 05:08:04

That's beautiful!

ollj · 2019-07-24 08:28:15

nice story.

that town likely raided amd nurdered your grandparents 2 genertations earlier.

Bob 101 · 2019-07-24 08:55:57

ollj wrote:

nice story.
that town likely raided amd nurdered your grandparents 2 genertations earlier.

You can always check for yourself.

Looks like just internal conflicts and lack of upkeep. You are wrong once again.

Tea · 2019-07-24 11:12:11

Oh I think I've met you ! Was it a women who brought you to the other town ? I saw one of my cousins coming to the fire and introducing us to a stranger, an old woman with curly brown hair. "I brought a guest", she said.

I could hardly understand you but it was sweet seeing all the people gathered near the fire to listen to you.

seth · 2019-07-24 11:37:14

Tea wrote:

Oh I think I've met you ! Was it a women who brought you to the other town ? I saw one of my cousins coming to the fire and introducing us to a stranger, an old woman with curly brown hair. "I brought a guest", she said.
I could hardly understand you but it was sweet seeing all the people gathered near the fire to listen to you.

Yep, that was probably me! Good people in that village

Karrots · 2019-07-24 17:09:08

This is lovely. Hope it makes it to the stories forum

seth · 2019-07-25 12:04:24

Karrots wrote:

This is lovely. Hope it makes it to the stories forum

Thanks!

Last edited by seth (2019-07-25 12:04:51)

One Hour One Life Forums

#1 2019-07-24 04:31:32

The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#2 2019-07-24 05:08:04

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#3 2019-07-24 08:28:15

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#4 2019-07-24 08:55:57

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#5 2019-07-24 11:12:11

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#6 2019-07-24 11:37:14

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#7 2019-07-24 17:09:08

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

#8 2019-07-25 12:04:24

Re: The Greatest Life I Ever Lived

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