A Strange Awakening
Overlapped voices are the first they hear. Sound before sight. A symphony privy to eyes susceptible to this new and mysterious beauty laid out before them. “Bana.” Or was it “Peace upon you.” or maybe it was “Welcome.” No, they are sure of what they heard. “Bana.” And yet, it’s comprehendible as more than just gibberish. Sight reveals itself as their eyes open to meet three creatures. Each the same standing in a V formation around them. The beasts are strange and yet familiar, like eating a fruit of which your ancestors ate. They bare the face of a common fox yet are quite tall. Peering over the tall grass to view their fox adjacent bodies, their legs appear to be that of a deer. Long and spindly like they would prance as opposed to run. The one on the right smiles, quite akin to a hyena. Something linked these unusual hybrids at their core. They all embodied the energy of a wolf. “Please, stand with us, Toto.” says the one in the center. Toto? that is not their name, but it seems to mean ‘new one’. Oddly, almost compulsively, they trust this bizarre animal. It seems this one is the leader. “There are no leaders here.” the one on the left says as they follow the stag foxes' direction. Now they are all eye level. Usually, Toto remembers, Awakening is somewhat agony. Neck cracks, head pounds, back stiffened like a poorly jointed piece of woodwork. However, now they were acheless, practically weightless as they stand upon four legs. They conclude that this must be a dream. It wouldn’t be unusual, their dreams tend to be vivid and self-aware. “This is no dream, Toto,” says the one in the center. It’s only now Toto noticed that none of their mouths are open, not even slightly ajar. Toto opens their mouth to speak but all that comes out is a sonorous echo like a lions roar and a dogs’ bark in one. They try simply to think instead. “Where am I?” Toto questions. “That is a brilliant question, there is no doubt you will have many questions.” replies the one the right “You are home.” says the one on the left. It’s astonishingly annoying how they’re not giving any answers especially since they seemed so intelligent. “This is Wanyamanti, the cosmos’ most expansive spiritual plane.” said the one in the center. “How did I get here am I?-” Toto stopped to think about an oddly comforting possibility, “Am I dead?” they asked. “Your human body is deceased, your essence has passed on.” Said the one on the left. “But don’t be frightened! Your safe now.” Said the one on the right. “As for where you came from, look no further than behind you to see her.” Said the one in the center. Toto turned to glance past the three strays, marveling in awe of what stood tall before them. A tree unlike any they had ever seen before. She is too great to take in at once, they must break her down feature by feature. She is a gargantuan timber. Her thick trunk is as tall and wide if not taller and wider than a New York City skyscraper. Turning of the head from side to side does not stop her from filling their line of sight. It is like looking over an ocean horizon, even more so because she is a vibrant electric blue. Her stock is geometric, made up of millions of rhombuses like it is handwoven. Her roots glow from underneath the long grass, like Christmas lights buried under snow. Each branch reaches out abundantly from the base, coming together in the shape of an open fan. They individually twist like varicose veins on a body struck by dynamic lightning. Her leaves cascade like bright white stars against the violescent sky. Toto cannot help but feel infinitesimal compared to her abounding energy. “She is called Maupya. Mother tree of new life. A myriad of human souls are created by her, each branch a life that slowly grows until temporal existence comes to an end ” Said the one in the center. So she is akin to a mother? Toto feels like they should prostrate themself before her as if she is diety. “We worship her vitality but there are no gods here.” Said the one on the left. “I understand your compulsion, she is quite ethereal.” Empathized the one on the right. “Who are all of you? Are you like... spirit guides?” Toto asked. “I am Bahman.” Said the one in the center. They gestured their head to the left “This is Hekima.” They gestured their head towards the right. “This is Huruma.” “I can introduce myself, Bahman, no need to be arrogant.” Said Hekima. “Now, now let’s not bicker in front of our Toto.” Said Huruma. They sounded like a family, Hekima and Bahman being an old married pair and Huruma a child stuck in the middle. “Please, as if I would ever have Hekima as my washa let alone my wala.” said Bahman. Somehow Toto new these words just like before. Washa a platonic soulmate. Wala a romantic soulmate. “Likewise.” said Hekima. “You are not entirely wrong, Toto! You are our waca.” said Huruma. Waca to be family, no, to be apart of a clan. “Bana, Toto, to the Waca of the Maned Wolf.” they all proclaimed in unison.Start writing here…
