บท 3: Chapter 2 - Surviving

It's been about a month since I arrived in this damned place or, rather, in this damned time. My appearance has changed a lot since the first days I arrived. Now my malnutrition has disappeared and my skin color has improved; my body manages to acquire more firmness with some muscles.

Let's recap a month ago.

After having escaped from the bear several times, I managed to observe it more closely and, remembering a bit of natural sciences, I discovered that it was a spectacled bear or Andean bear. An omnivorous bear, which was rarely a danger to humans, but as a precaution I decided to move away from the place where it lived. There may even be more of them or other dangers in this forest.

Grabbing some leaves from trees, branches, grasses and after several trials and errors, I managed to make a natural basket. Once I finished the basket, I placed it on the ground under the tree, then began to climb and harvest several granadillas with some blackberries that I found. After filling the basket, I put my arms in, ready to carry it, only to be unable to lift it. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I had to pull out several, as I couldn't carry that many. "I should have exercised more when I could, damn it."

After finishing my food harvest, I grabbed some more branches and with the help of rocks, I managed to make improvised bottles to carry water. Although they were misshapen and leaked water. "Damn, how I hate fucking crafts." With my basket full of fruits and bottles filled with water from the stream, I began my journey to safety or, perhaps, back home.

...

I walked and carefully explored the forest where I was. I came across several types of animals: an animal that is shaped like a pig but with the difference of having a trunk and being smaller with black fur. Then there are some black turkeys that look like birds. Also some sloths, toucans, different birds and monkeys with which I had conflicts, leading to an unnecessary fight, where I did not lose; I only made a tactical retreat… I also encountered several vicuñas, alpacas and wild llamas on my way out of the forest… Some of them spat on me; miserable, they eat alfalfa.

After a long journey of almost a week, with sore and blistered feet, thirsty, hungry, tired. Even with all that, I had to hide or run from jaguars, pumas and other predators. After all that, I managed to find a town… The happiness I felt was immense; maybe, just maybe, they could help me get back home, to my country or my city, but first I laid down on the ground and took a little nap. After all, there was no way the town would disappear, right?

...

"This has to be a fucking joke, what the fuck does this mean?"

After waking up from my nap, I started walking towards the town and with a bewildered look, I was greeted by a backwater town. It was a huge town, with houses made of stones and thatched roofs made of sticks. The people who lived there wore tunics and dresses; both men and women, in addition to not wearing sandals, flip-flops or shoes, were completely barefoot.

As I approached and entered the town, everyone looked at me strangely and suspiciously, after all my clothing was very different from theirs. I could not explore the town much, as I was stopped by what seemed to be the guards of the place with weapons that looked like spears.

Their clothing was different from that of the other men who walked through this place. They wore tunics and cloaks decorated with geometric drawings and mythical figures such as felines, snakes and birds. On their faces they wore wooden touches with images of animals. They also wore metal necklaces and pectorals, adorned with religious symbols of animals.

"Hey... Do you want something, gentlemen?"

"Pitaq kanki? Hinallataq, imaraykutaq chay mana riqsisqa p'achakunata churakunki? Huk llaqtakunamantachu hamunki?" (Who are you? Also, why are you wearing such strange clothes? Are you from somewhere else?)

'Huh? What the fuck did he say? ... Wait, I think I've heard that language before, but it sounds really weird… Of course, that's how my grandmother sometimes spoke, so was she speaking in Quechua or some mutation of that language? Shit, I should have asked my grandmother to teach me, I'm screwed, no, more like, I'm dead.'

At my bewildered look and silence, the "guard" again blurted out words that I didn't understand, not even by hitting me, and then turned to his companion. After a long discussion between them, they turned their attention back to me and then pointed to a huge house in the center of the village and began walking towards it.

I watched them in silent bewilderment as they walked away, and then they both stopped and turned toward me, motioning for me to follow them. Without hesitation, I began to follow him towards the huge house; Maybe, just maybe, the mayor or leader of this town could help me connect with civilization and return home.

...

"Chhaynaqa, chay qaylla llaqtamantachu kanki? Hinaspapas, chhayna kaqtinqa, imaraykutaq p'achaykiqa mana reqsisqachu? Hinallataq, p'achaykipiqa, manan mayqen diosniykutapas rikunichu. Qanqa qarqosqachu kanki icha ayqekuqchu?" (So, are you from some nearby village? And if so, why are your clothes so strange? Also, I don't see any of our deities on your clothes. Are you an exile or a fugitive?)

"This has to be a fucking joke, dammit"

I whispered resignedly; in front of me was an old man of almost seventy years or maybe more. His robe was long, decorated with symbols that looked like felines, birds and snakes. In addition, he also had a gold necklace, earrings and nose rings. He also had headdresses like the guards, but these were made of metal and in his hand rested a very strange scepter.

The old man spoke for a while and at times he even began to shout at me and point his scepter at me. I could only remain silent. and tried to make signs, pointing at my mouth and making an "X" with my arms. After a long time and an attempted murder by the guards, the old man managed to understand, according to my signs, that I was mute or that I could not talk.

The old man, finally understanding my signals, calmed down and stopped the guard who was pointing his spear or whatever he had in his hands at me; then he looked at the makeshift basket I was carrying. Pointing to my basket, I had to show him its contents; I didn't want to feel the "guards'" gun pointed at my neck again.

The pair of guards and the old man looked at the passion fruit, the blackberries and my "bottles" of water, earning a mocking smile from the old man… Damn old man. His attention was so low from my bottles to the passion fruit. Seeing this, I took one, and breaking the shell began to eat it. Seeing this, the old man followed my example, breaking the shell and eating the contents, then nodding in satisfaction.

Bringing his hand to his chin, he looked at the granadillas in silence, and after meditating for a few minutes in silence, he spoke to one of the guards, who listened in silence and, saying some affirmative phrase, left the stone house, to return in time. Then with some tunics, blankets and a stone-tipped spear.

I raised an eyebrow at what he was carrying, but the old man called my attention and began to point at the granadillas and then at the things the guard was carrying. It was a matter of minutes before to understand that I wanted to exchange the granadillas for the clothes and the gun.

'They don't give me money, but they do things. They do, right? Well, I don't expect them to give me money for these fruits either; after all, they are easy to get, Of course, with a week's journey on foot.'

I thought silently for a few seconds and decided to ignore that for now and accept the offer; after all, clothes and a weapon are important. I nodded, accepted the things, and in exchange the "guards" took the fruits with all my bottles and my improvised basket.

'Well, there went all my effort and dedication... At least I exchanged it for something that would take me a lifetime to make. ; after all, even with all my effort and dedication I would not be able to make something like that'

I remained absorbed in my thoughts, watching as the old man or chief of the place made signs and spoke to the "guards", who then approached me and They easily lifted me off the ground. Without time to speak or signal, they dragged me to the entrance of the village and threw me out like a sack of potatoes.

Cough cough cough "What the hell is wrong with you two?! I thought we were in good terms!"

I yelled at the guards after coughing and wiping my dusty face, only to be greeted with some strange gestures and some words I think my grandmother would say to me when I tried to enter the bathroom when she was using it. After a long conversation with signs, I managed to understand that I am forbidden to enter the village, unless I have goods to exchange or some offering for that old man.

"Sure, as it suits you," I said as I stood up and cleaned my dirt. "I hope you catch the plague!" I shouted at both of them, who only raised an eyebrow. "I'll laugh at you, you bunch of bastards."

Current Event:

"Well, let's see if this pleases that decrepit old man and his obsession. "for the felines."

I muttered to myself as I dragged a cage reinforced with various branches, grass, mud and stones. Inside the cage rested a feline much larger than a cat, its head bulging with a not very prominent snout, large, sharp-looking eyes and short, wide ears with rounded margins. The neck is short but muscular, the limbs are strong and end in five-fingered hands and four-fingered feet, all with strong claws. The tail is thick and cylindrical. The color of its fur and markings are very similar to the leopard, with a yellow background and large black spots. A jaguar

When they saw me arrive, the "guards" greeted me. I suppose they had already become accustomed to my presence and my stupidity; but upon seeing the jaguar in the cage, they raised their weapons and pointed them at me. After a few moments of arguing with signs and lightly hitting the sleeping jaguar, I managed to convince them to let me pass and even to carry the cage reinforced by me.

"Well, I hope I have a knack for business; after all, capturing this bastard cost me too much."

...

After a long discussion with the old man and being impressed by the jaguar living in the "garbage" cage, as the damned old man called it, I managed to get a house within the town, he even gave me some clothes and food included in the house.

"You were a good place to live, I valued you, I built you with great care and dedication, I was cold and even got sick many times, but you were my first home and I will carry you deep in my heart."

I was saying goodbye to my "house", of course, if you can call it that to the small hut of wood and straw, which I had made on the outskirts of the city. Where I lived all this time and made many essential things for the reinforced cage, and even the drug to numb the jaguar, made of a silver with long petals, simple tendrils, greenish to whitish flowers, with three styles, divided below the flower.

Taking all my things and with the help of the "guards", my move was quick, although I did not have many things to take, apart from some tools, fruits and poorly made things like the basket, the wooden bottles, boards and a container for water.

"Finally a roof to sleep under and with those big blankets you can sleep without getting cold."

From a nearby window I could see the town where I would begin to live, with the moonlight shining in all its splendor. Looking away, looking at the ceiling, I processed everything that had happened this month and all the events in that short period of time.

"First I appear in an unknown forest, then I find a backwater village that turned out to be a Chavin culture village, which takes me," I covered my eyes with my forearm, resigning myself to the idea. "I'm three thousand years in the past or close to it. At least history classes were of some use."

I looked into the distance with a melancholic and sad expression. "I miss them, I want to see them again, but now," I looked at the ceiling and raised my fist. "Tomorrow is a long road ahead of me, see you tomorrow, family." With those words, I closed my eyes, letting myself be consumed by the land of dreams and rest, hoping for greatness tomorrow, not knowing that everything would get worse.

EXPLOSION! EXPLOSION!

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Well, I've edited this chapter as much as I can. If there is a mistake in the words, blame the translator, since as I said in the description of the novel, I don't know English.

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