Uma stopped playing his flute and came to sit next to me at the entrance of the cave and we watched the birds fly in circles together. "Did you like the song?"I nodded. "You play really well.""My father taught me to play. And in turn I taught Yoké.""How did you two become such good friends anyway?"He smiled, as if he could see the whole memory playing out before him."We first met at the farm. I was with my father and he was with his. And our parents were assigned to work on the corn together. And they began to speak. As a result, Yoké and myself spent a lot of time together that day as well. And you know kids, it didn't take us long to start talking like we knew each other for years.""What happened to Yoké's father?" "You didn't ask him?" "I did but his answer was not clear.""What did he say?" "He said that the God's were watching over him somewhere. I didn't want to insist because he was already sad that time." "His father was banished about 3 years after Yoké and I became

Next morning we were woken up by someone calling Yoké's name. I jerked awake, which in turn woke Yoké up. Standing before us was a little child, a girl. She was topless and wearing a little skirt."Yoké are you sleeping?" she asked him. Her voice was soft and pure.I looked around, it was broad daylight there was no one else around besides this child.I got out of Yoké's arms quickly. "It's morning Yoké.""I hope no one saw us here." Yoké said. "Beki where is your mother?""She's coming." The child responded."Let's go Genesis." He took my hand and we went the other way quickly.***Yoké took me back to the cave and we stood against its walls and waited for Gamu."When will you go see your father again?""Maybe tomorrow morning.""I want to come with you.""Uma told you about their princess. I don't want her to get upset seeing you with me. My father's life is actually in her hands. Those people never keep their prisoners locked up for more than a year. If the prisoner doesn't die in t

When we got to the great bamboo wall that separates our village from theirs, Yoké moved a few loose bamboos to one side and told me to crawl under to the other side. When I was through I held them to the side for him too. When I looked around, I noticed the forest continued from our village into theirs, it was just separated by a line of green bamboo sticks. And there was no difference between their forestry and ours.“Now we are in Kuja village.” “So what’s so different between the Kuja villagers and the Toko people?”“Just the believes. They allowed foreigners into their land to lead them astray from the Gods.” “Which foreigners?” I asked him. “By the way, the people here also speak Loke and Kwali like us and a bit of English. So don’t think you can talk to me about them in Loke or English and they won’t understand you.” Yoké told me. “Why would I speak to you in Loke? I can’t even speak it.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Come to think of it,” Yoké stopped and smiled at me. “You nev

We sat around the wooden table and ate. Gamu cooked green beans today. I was now used to her food and enjoyed every one of the different food she cooked. “Tomorrow morning there’s a ceremony.” The chief told Furah and I. He avoided my eyes as usual. “Before the sun rises. Furah tell your servant to get Rena ready in time. We can’t be late.”“Who is it?” Furah asked the chief.“Someone we wouldn’t have believed could do anything like that.” I did not understand what they were talking about. I looked towards Gamu. She shook her head slowly and I understood her. This ceremony tomorrow was not something we would be happy about. There was trouble. That morning we woke up before the cock crowed. Gamu and I hurried to the river. “What do you think the ceremony is about?” I asked Gamu. “There’s only one ceremony that takes place before the sun rises.”“And what is that?” “This is bad, Rena.” She said.“Gamu, which ceremony is it?” “It’s the beheading ceremony.” I gasped. “What? Why? Wh

When we got to the hut he went to the side and put me down on the bench and then stood before me with his hands on his waist. I looked up at him with a scowl.“I don’t even know where to start.” He said biting his bottom lip like he always did. I didn’t say anything.“Okay, first of all why did you just leave Kuja without me? I thought you were supposed to wait for me.”I didn’t say anything. “Did you remember your way back?” “No I didn’t, I’m still lost there.” I said sarcastically. He smiled shortly. “Anyway, about the Princess, you spoke to her. I was so scared when you made a scene in front of her but I should have trusted you. Because of everything you told her she said that she would ask her father to free my father and let him take refuge in their village. She said it wouldn’t be easy because the whole village could question that act but she would try her best. Thank you, Genesis.”“There’s nothing to thank me for. It’s only human. If you claim you love somebody, how can you