Capítulo 6: Contraction~5
Nod helped Hue to get some banana leaves for the baby to be put over. As the rain keeps drenching the whole place. Stripe helped the woman to give birth. Not long after, within the shallow muddy water a girl was born. Her cry was heared. It was like the rainbow after her mother's cursing, yelling and weeping. The woman teared up as she planted a forehead kiss.
"What should I name you my darling?" the mother smiled as she held the baby close on her heart.
She looked up to Oak and Stripe and said.
"How about you name her?" she spoke with hope.
Stripe carefully used his index finger to rub his chin and randomly muttured.
"how about banana?"
"Dam... Dam... Dam.." Oak recited.
"Peninnah." Nod stated.
Hue was startled from the suggestion.
"Yes, Peninnah is a good one." The mother weakly hummed.
The team row back to the evacuation area with gentle speed.
"Peninnah means coral or pearl right?" the woman asked.
Nod smiled. Stripe and Oak glanced at Hue who held the paddle and kept his rowing pretending not to hear anything.
"Why would you think of something white when we were surrounded by such waters?" The woman asked before walking away to be sent in a proper hospital.
"Your hair pin." Nod pointed and Hue finally relaxed.
The incident became an alarming issue. The government and official started to check on the constructed dam. The rain dried up as well. The chief village came to announce that the mother and child were safe and are moving out to join their family outside the mountain.
"By the way captain, on the first day of the rain we heared a cry." Nod asked
The captain blinked and started to look serious.
"You did? What did you do then?"
Nod and Stripe look at each other.
"I followed the source of it but found none." Oak spoke.
The captain looked more humourless.
"There is an urban legend here that whoever hears the girl's cry have met the guardian of flood."
Hue and the rest started to get interested and gestured the captain to keep going. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Before whenever it rains in the mountain, ancient people say that it is asking the ghosts to play. Those who hear the cry before the rain will experience the calamity."
"How did it come to this kind of story?" Hue raised.
"Before people get multiplied around here. Mountains are used for damping murder victims or sacrifices for rituals....Is what the old people here spoke. The cry you heared clearly was the guardian of flood and since you are chosen to hear it means you have encountered the woman who died from child birth with her baby. Every flooding occurance she cries out for help and would have those people to help her give birth." The captain explained.
Hue gulped in as Stripe and Nod hugged each other. Oak bowed her head and said.
"As I thought, When I stared at the baby, it was beyond cold for someone that is just born."
"This is also the folk song about it... The rain washes the cry of flood. Those who help to row with pregnant women are blessed but those who names the new born are hunted." The captain sang and eyed the gang.
"You did not name the baby right?"
Nod started to shake furiously. His fright went to it's boiling point.
"...I.. named the.. baby." He answered shaking.
"I see, don't worry it's just a byword. No one truly experienced it." the captain chuckled.
The team laugh awkwardly.
When the captain left, Nod started to fidget. He pace back and forth with fear.
"Do you think she will hunt me?" Nod asked.
"Come on the captain said it was just a tale." Hue stated as he yawn.
"We should get some sleep." Stripe announced.
Nod looked at every one who started walking inside their rooms.
"Wait. I am scared. Can I join anyone's room?"
Hue instantly went inside his room and bolted the door. Stripe did the same way as Hue. Oak sighed and replied.
"Sleep on the floor then and don't try anything fishy." Her warning made Nod happy.
Nod entered Oak's room and was amaze to see that it was refreshing. A pomegranate blossom are put on her ceramic vase. Her bedsheet are in orange and acorn. Oak had a one pattern in her furnitures it was the curving of tears.
"Just fix your own bed. I will lay here by the bed. If you ever try to climb my bed. I will kill you!" Oak warned as she remove her glasses.
Nod stared at her eyes. The pigment were more visible. It was like a bokeh that glitters on the sunset. Her face looked very beautiful when her glasses were down.
"You look more beautiful without those rim glasses." Nod complimented.
Oak turned to her side to hide her blush.
"Why do you wear glasses?" Nod resumed his talking.
Oak ignored his questions and pretended to be asleep.
"People who pretends to sleep always hide their faces. Come on, talk to me or else I will keep hearing what the captain said." Nod sounded desperate.
"What do you want to talk about?" Oak sighed.
Nod grin as he lay flat on the floor with his mat and blanket.
"How old are you?" Nod asked.
"26." Oak shortly replied.
"How did you meet Stripe and Hue?" Nod added.
"Pass, Get to sleep. If you won't rest then you will keep remembering it." Oak diverted.
Nod closed his lashes as he can feel Oak's irritation. The word hunt kept playing in his mind. He toss around to break free from his mind game. He sit up as he breathed in fear.
"Sleep. I will watch you." Oak commanded.
Nod was surprised to know that Oak was still awake. Nod covered himself with the blanket and slept.
The word Peninnah called him to a subconscious journey upon surrendering his consciousness.
Nod stretched himself and was greeted with good mornings. He confirmed that all he needs to do is to organize his thoughts and that the pregnant woman is reel. The guardian of the flood became one of his unpleasant bedtime story. A new daylight approaches them as the mountain gets it's peak on high.
Presentes
-- Presente
recebido Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder