CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR #2
“Is it true what Hani said about the fighting men wanting war?” I finally asked, breaking the silence. “Do you think things could get even worse between the tribes?”
He didn’t answer me right away. I could tell he was thinking, brooding over the devastation of the southern village, trying to determine what to tell me. I didn’t want to start another argument.
“War is always on the mind of a warrior. They want what can’t be given.”
“What do they want?”
He turned back toward me, meeting my eyes.
“They want their loved ones back.”
I let the force of his words hit me, and allowed the truth of it to break my heart.
How I knew this pain. After Jonathan died, people from the church came every night to bring food.
They always said, “Is there anything we can do?” I remember thinking, “Yeah! Bring my brother back!” The rage and utter hopelessness left a gaping hole in the pit of my stomach that could never be filled, no matter how much food they brought.
We continued in silence.
Jahnu stopped to look back at me. Sweat dappled his forehead and bare chest. I felt the same on my face, and wiped a hand across my forehead.
He turned into the jungle, shimmied up a palm with absolutely no effort, cut off two coconuts, and dropped them near me on the path.
He climbed down and making quick work with his machete, opened the fruit, pulled away the husk, and bored a small hole into one. He handed it to me.
“Drink. You are red-faced.” I took the fruit gladly and drank deeply of the tepid, slightly sweet and nutty liquid, grateful for the ways he seemed to always watch out for my well-being.
I didn’t realize how thirsty I’d become in the heat, and felt the water revive my sluggish brain and body.
As we continued to walk, Jahnu shared stories from his boyhood, all at my urging.
I wanted to distract him from the devastation of the fire and the pain of loss that still seemed so obviously fresh.
He acquiesced, and slowly the light-hearted kid in him emerged again as he recounted his personal history—in the very woods we now explored.
Jahnu was right. The excursion proved to be a needed distraction for both of us.
Caught up in his presence, I didn’t think of my impending departure, or what it would be like when we had to say goodbye.
I was quizzical with excitement for where he was taking me, sharing the same reverberations the jungle offered us.
When we came to our destination, quite possibly the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen was laid out before us.
A pool of crystal-clear, bright blue water settled amongst flourishing emerald forest. Rocks protruded from the basin like the fingers of a hand grasping the cerulean reservoir.
The center of the pool shimmered in an inky blue, indicating a continual deepness.
Surely, this was a vestige of Eden, itself.
Jahnu took my hand and escorted me closer. “Beautiful, yes?” I stood dumbfounded, half expecting to see fairies flit in and out of the private paradise.
So taken by the beauty, I had not yet registered the smell, but as Jahnu traversed the rocks ahead, I wrinkled my nose—sulfur.
That rotten-egg stench floating on the breeze reminded me that though glimpses of Eden might still persist, I was never too far from the reminder that the world was still fallen, and perfection just did not exist.
“You will get used to it,” he said, as he slipped beneath the surface. “The water is like ice.” His half-clad body, agile as a fish,swam out, his head popping up from the center.
“Come,” he gestured. I slipped off my sandals and gingerly tested the water with my toes. It was like ice, probably less than fifty degrees.
I sat on the rocks, “Let me get used to it first.”
He rolled his eyes dramatically, making me laugh. “You will not get used to it, but it will cool you off.” He swam to the edge and climbed out, shook water on me purposefully and playfully. I shrilled my protest, Jahnu just laughed—a deep-hearted, opened mouth laugh that elevated my heart.
“That is what I wanted to-day.”
“What is?” not sure what he meant.
“To see you smile. Your tears the other day…they rip at my heart.”
I looked down, blushing under his gaze, but Jahnu squatted next to me and reached his hand to lift my face. My heart pounded as he held my gaze. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but seemed to think better of it and dropped his hand, walking behind me.
He climbed half way up a tree and pulled at several thick vines growing against the trunk. These, he released and swung down on them, testing their strength.
“There. Now we have some fun.” He took a running leap and swung out from the rock, releasing the vines at the perfect moment. The splash sent waves and droplets spraying in all directions. I waited for his head to pop above the water, but it didn’t.
“Jahnu?” I looked around the pool, frantically. “Jahnu? This isn’t funny. Jahnu!” Standing, I waded out—icy cold water pricked my shins and the back of my knees. It reached my thighs and took my breath away. I spun around wildly looking for some sign of him.
“Dammit, Jahnu, answer me!” Had he hit his head and gone into the deep? My mind began to race at how I was going to save him and carry him back to the village when I didn’t even know the way back.
Dark shapes like wavy eels wrapped around my legs and pulled them out from under me. The water enveloped me in a frigid embrace and when I came up for air, I could hear that same guttural laugh from before.
“That’s not funny!” I punched at him and splashed the water in his face. He dodged my beatings with more laughter, and despite myself, I wasn’t really mad—just relieved he wasn’t hurt.
“I’m only sorry because your smile is now gone. But you are in the water, no?”
“Why did you do that?” I hit at him again, angry with my fear at the practical joke.
“To have fun. You like to have fun, don’t you?” Jahnu laughed as my irritation slowly melted into giggles.
“You have a mischievous side, don’t you?” I splashed him. The water play reminded me of childhood with Jonathan, and for a moment I was fourteen again.
The water, both life giving and treacherous, engulfed us into its liquid realm. My senses immediately skyrocketed. There, we bobbed up and down, rivulets cascading down each of our faces, as we stared at one another in silence.