native+people

This is my story about an aboriginal girl which was the assignment for the theme native people in english speaking countries.

=Kaya=

The sky is dark, and the stars shine like they have been there for thousands of years, superiorly, while we stare helplessly looking for answers when all else has failed. They make me feel lonely, like something is missing in my life. Like I don’t belong here.

I am brutally dragged back to reality by my mother’s sharp and accusatory voice. “Kaya! You are such a dreamer, I never know where your thoughts flow,” said my mother, and for the thousandth time shook her head, mashing some herbs for my little brothers cut. “If you would only have your mind on one thing for a minute you might be able to watch your brother so he doesn’t hurt himself!” she continued. “You are fifteen now, and almost old enough to get married!” my father concluded and marked the end of the discussion.

I took the dirty clothes that my mother had ordered me to wash, and marched angrily towards the creek, clutching the basket of clothes so hard that my knuckles turned white.” My little brother can manage on his own, like I had to when I was his age,” I mumbled to myself. Walking through the village occupied with angry thoughts, I walked into a wall, or rather a person. No other than Corab, who was weirdly enough my father’s first choice of marrying material. I was disgusted by the thought, he was the last person I would ever even think of spending the rest of my life with. I can never really decide if he has one or two eyebrows. He kind of reminds me of a stupid animal. He is tall, and kind of chubby, with a loud voice and a bad temper. Paying no heed to him, I quickly picked myself up and hurried away, trying hard not to think of what my life with Corab would be like.

Still I could not get rid of the picture in my head: Get up early in the morning, wash his dirty clothes, make breakfast for him, and serve it with a smile, hope he would be pleased. If not I would most likely get hit for the first, and not the only time that day. Embroider beautiful clothes for him, and watch them get spoiled. Wait for him with a warm fire, while he is out hunting, to see him come home empty handed. Go to bed hungry, and tired with a man I disgust.

I shook the terrible thoughts out of my system thinking of Dheran. There is no one quite like him. His calm nature, and kind eyes tells me it is him I want to marry. Whenever he is around I feel a tickle down my spine and a nervous tension in my chest. Every night we meet under a eucalyptus tree by the river. We can sit there for hours and hours just talking. Sometimes he dares to hold his arm around me. But never kiss me, in case of someone seeing us.

He is all I ever think about. All I want, and all I need, he makes me the happiest person on earth, but also one of the most miserable. My father would kill me if he knew. But love is unpredictable. You don’t always fall in love with the person you should. I think the fact that it’s not allowed makes it even more attracting. The tension between us is touchable. It’s like a stream of electricity, every time he touches me it sparkles, and I am waiting for a stroke.

One night Dehran and me were sitting under the tree on the riverbank. He turned quietly and stared straight into my eyes. I was sure he was just about to kiss me when we heard a crack, like from a dry stick or something that breaks. My heart was in my throat as he took my hand and dragged me away from the river into the forest, we ran towards the village, towards our homes, hoping no one saw us, with the adrenalin pumping.

At home my mother was sitting with a worried look on her face. Where have you been? We have been looking for you all night!” What was happening? What did they know? What did they suspect? There where a thousand questions in my head at one time.

“Your father and I have been talking about you” Dunk, dunk, dunk! My pulse was increasing; I could hear it in my head, with my mother in the background. “We have noticed a kind of displeasure with our decisions concerning your future.” Finally I felt the salty tears streaming down my face. They where going to make me marry Corab! And let him kill me if I ever displeased him! I saw no other option, no light. All this time I had been fooling myself, lying. Derhan and I would never be together.

In my dark thoughts I didn’t notice my father coming into the house. “Kaya, there you are! You have to know I never wanted to make you hurt or make you do something you didn’t want to.” The confusion was complete in me now. What did he mean? Was there a possibility I might not have to marry Corab? The thought was just too good to be true, I didn’t even dare to think it.

And then it came, like cleansing rainfall in the desert! “I know you don’t want to marry Corab and I don’t want to force my daughter into doing something she doesn’t want to.” I could not believe my own ears, was it true? Sheer madness, every wish I ever sent to the stars.

I ran as quickly I possibly could out into the summer night, looking for him. I found him once again by the river, under “our tree” which I have called it lately. I sat down beside him, and started telling him everything. I was nervous, it might be too much, but I was so full of words and questions formally fell out of my mouth. When I finished he once again stared calmly into my eyes, and moved closer. This was it! Finally it was happening. I closed my eyes and took a breath, waiting for the stroke of lightning….

All that came was a short sensation of falling, and a cold awakening on the floor.