The Other Side

Two stone carved pillars about twelve cubits high and twelve cubits apart mark the entrance to a field which lies between the lake and the village at the base of a small mountain range. Etched in the pillars are various inscriptions from the ancient tongue. Only the high priests can interpret the symbols, but the people have been told for generations that the pillars serve as a warning that those who desecrate the land will surely die.

Everyone refers to it as the “Land of the Gods” but no one can agree why. Some say it is written in the ancient scrolls that the gods designated the land for themselves before returning to the skies. The stories of the carvings have been passed down through songs before the time of writings. Dissenters of the ancient teachings mock the believers and say it is nothing more than tales told to children. Others say the prophecy carved by their forefathers inside of the sacred caves tells of the return of the gods to the land. The carvings etched in the walls show stick figures which are supposed to represent the ancient villagers. Above the stick figures are several larger figures with what looks to be sky lights around them. Other carvings show the sky lights in different arrangements and is supposed to depict the time when the gods will return. The non-believers say the sky lights never change so the prophecy has to be false. It has been over three thousand moons since the first written stories of the gods. The predicted return of the gods is long over due. Some of the believers have started to doubt the prophecies are even true. Regardless, no one dares to farm or build on the Land of the Gods.

Bright yellow and orange light beams from the east, a signal to the boys to start getting ready. Aga awakes to the sound of a chirping bird outside. He gets up and nudges Els who is still snoring softly. Els yawns and starts to talk. Aga places his hand over Els mouth to keep quiet. Els eyes widen and suddenly remembers they are leaving early and nods his head. Aga removes his hand and Els slowly gets out of his bed when they hear grumbling. It’s Els’s father talking in his sleep. They instantly stop and remain motionless until they hear snoring, then resume getting dressed for their trip. The boys usually pack enough water and food to stay out all day, but this time they had to be home by midday. In their leather sack they pack some nuts, dried fruit and a few pieces of bread with a pouch of water. Quietly the boys creep out of the prona and softly shut the door. Once outside, they look around for any elders. A small group of women are talking near the village well and pointing to the pillars across the square. The boys walk past the harvest bins and slip away before anyone notices they are walking toward the field west of the village. Today everyone is busy getting ready for the festival, so the boys won’t be missed for a while. Last week’s harvest had been plentiful and the village leaders decided to give thanks by sharing their excess food with the two neighboring settlements, Z’ev and Me’ir. Z’ev lies to the north closer to the rock lands. The people spend their days making tools along with other metal works and mining for ore. To the east is Me’ir, where the locals raise smaller animals like goats and sheep and weave oranate cloths, rugs and sew leather goods. The village Ptola is still the largest settlement and is where the boys live. Ptola is more agrarian and raise crops and some cattle. Long ago the three groups had lived as one but later generations slowly began moving out to explore their own interests. As the new colonies grew, each was named after the original leader. Although the settlements are about a half day journey apart, some families from all three settlements are closely related and still come together when two people join together in bond for life and to say goodbye to those who have departed on their journey to the after world. “Blood binds us together in the now and after” the family patrons say.

Els sings aloud as the boys approach the edge of the fields. Over the next hill lies the land of the gods. Glistening rays from the sun bounce off the glasslike surface of the water. The stillness is interrupted when ripples fan out as one of the boys throws palm-sized rocks from the shoreline. Small rocks make a “thunk” sound when diving to the bottom of the small lake. Els is standing at the edge of the water with a handful of smooth pebbles he found in the water.

“Aga! Look I see a fish!” exclaims Els, smiling as he looks down around his feet.

Aga takes a sip of water after eating some nuts. He walks over to his friend, then down at Els’s feet and laughs. “No Els that’s not a fish! It’s just water plants.” laughs Aga as he dips his hand in the water and pulls out a fist full of slimy blue and green knotted plants.

The aroma of algae and salty water waft through the air, reminding the boys they are close to the sea. When standing on one of the taller hilltops, the crashing waves can be seen in the distance. There was once a small fishing village, but the sea swept away the people one night during a storm. The land is safer where the boys live, higher up and away from the grasp of the sea. Aga’s father sits on the village council and knows many stories about the lands nearby.

When Aga was younger, his father would take him to the same lake, point to the mountains and say, “This lake is filled by the melted snow in the mountains. Our High Priest might say it’s comes from the tears the gods wept when they had to leave our people, but now we know better.” Aga would ask why the green fields sparkled like the night sky and his father would reply, “The water shimmers to guide us back to the water which gives us life (Aga’s father pointing). Beyond the lake at the edge of the world, the water narrows to a stream that travels down the hills and empties into the vast blue sea.” Aga’s father would smile and give his son a side hug. Aga smiles to himself missing the days when his father had the time to spend with him as he picks up a muddy stone and tries to skip it across the water.

The sunshine warms Els’s tanned face as the wind blows a sudden chilly gust from the mountains across the water. His dark wavy hair blows wildly and his earth colored tunic whips in the wind as he stands looking out over the water. Els loves the water and someday says he will sail across the water like their ancestors who came from the lands across the sea. Aga hops along some rocks at the edge of the shoreline, looking for frogs to catch before the sun rises above the mountain peaks. He bends down close to the ground when he sees movement in the thick bluish green grass.

“Psst….Els” Aga waves at Els to come toward him.

Aga puts his muck covered fingers flat against his lips to signal Els to be quiet. Els creeps as silently over to where Aga is stooping. Aga carefully parts the grass with both hands and a frog leaps toward his face. Els giggles as Aga jumps back. Els calls to the frog and begins to chase his new playmate away from the water’s edge. Smiling, knowing the frog will turn back away from the rocks ahead, the boy continues his pursuit. Aga follows zig-zagging through the brush. Els and Aga continue chasing the frog for a few moments. The frog croaks periodically almost calling to them. The frog leaps and pauses as it seems to turn away from the boys. A distant sound, almost like a faint whistling redirects Aga’s attention. The noises from the frog grow quiet and there’s a stillness in the air.

He looks around to see where the sound is coming from. Birds begin squawking and frantically fly away in unison from the water toward the village. The boys turn around to look up and see a large dark shape which quickly stretches across the sky leaving a trail of glowing smoke. Thunder booms while the sky is lit with bright green and purple colors. Aga and Els feel the deep noise travel from their ears down to their bellies. A distant screaming like thousands of birds fills the air. The boys cup their hands instinctively over their ears as the sound crescendos.

“Aaa-ughhh” Aga cries out, as he squeezes his eyes shut, pressing his hands tightly over his ears.

Els whimpers and shakes his head while squinting his eyes, the sound is so intense yet he resists the urge to close them shut. Els’s vision blurs by the wetness in his eyes. He struggles to see the shape leaving the thick blanket of smoke in its wake. The ground shakes beneath their feet. Aga falls to his knees and bends forward touching his elbows together reciting a prayer for the earth tremors to stop. Els stumbles and falls back landing on his back. It feels like the world is ending for both boys. The shaking begins to subside. Aga, opening his eyes, still breathing heavily tries to stand up. His hands still shaking as he turns to see Els on the ground tucked into a ball. The sound fades and doesn’t seem to be as high pitched. Slowly Aga lifts his hands away from his head. The sound no longer hurts his ears, but the wind carries a strange burning smell causing Aga to wrinkle his nose. He steps toward Els and shakes his shoulder with one hand.

“Els! Els! The sound is gone!”, he shouts to his friend.

Slowly Els opens his eyes and rolls over. He sits up and looks to the horizon toward the smoke. A bright red glow reflects off of the snow covered side of the mountain range. Els begins walking in the direction of the glow. Aga doesn’t speak and follows behind. The boys hike up a hill, scrambling up a dirt trail to get a better view of the valley on the other side. Aga and Els begin to cough as faint smoke drifts through the air. Els makes it to the top of a ridge first. Aga is lagging behind still trying to figure out what is happening. The smoke clouds Els’s vision. Aga finally makes it to the ridge and sits down. They see fire and can feel the faint heat from the wind. Something burns brightly near the center of a twisted and gnarled shape, like an old tree with limbs pointing out in random directions. Els climbs down from the ridge and begins to run toward the heat. As he descends the hill, the smoke thins and the boy is able to see better. Aga slowly makes his way down the hill, his eyes still watering from the smoke. He rubs them with the short sleeves of his tunic. As his vision clears, he stops walking and stares. His mouth falls open and tries to utter a sound but nothing comes out. The wind changes direction and the air begins to clear. Els is a few cubits ahead and falls to his knees and slowly raises his arm. He points with a single shaking finger with tears streaming down his face.

“The gods have come!” whispers Els before he shakily falls down on all fours in the worship position.