BY CASSADER GARDUNA

Migka found himself in the dark. The pain in his leg was the greatest he had ever felt. He reached down to feel and the leg had been broken and the bone was jutting out. His pelvis also felt broken, and it was hard to breathe. He smelled wet earth and could hear the muffled cries of his people all around him.

“I am here!” He called “I’m hurt. Is everyone okay!?

He heard someone reply, but couldn’t make it out. He then heard movement above him and soon the moonlight broke through the wooden casket and he was pulled out of a shallow grave by Nagku the forgetting beast. Nagku stood over him and even in this moment he felt a mix of fear and respect. Nagku said nothing, and instead began to walk away deeper into the dark forest. The Driftwood People were strewn about on the ground most injured and all covered in mud from being buried. He recognized the cemetery. He was back on the island, and took count of the survivors; all were there but Tsula. A light rain came down which only made the mud worse.

“I need help, I can’t stand,” said Migka.

Nishdoa set the bone as best as he could and bandaged Migka’s leg, none of the Driftwood People were surgeons or doctors at all. Migka was handed a tall stick to lean on and Nishdoa went about helping others of their broken lot.

“Where is Tsula, has anyone seen him? Are the children okay?” asked Migka.

“Tegla, Tagi, and Agalisga are fine, just scared, but unharmed. Tsula is missing though,” answered Snalla.

“Does this mean war? We must go back and kill our attacker,” said Heyaka.

“We were not attacked, we were sent home,” answered Migka.

Mim, Myr, and Magi called for the canoes and they also arose from the earth.

“Let’s go home,” said Migka.

By daybreak they were back in the kingdom at the doors of Athlandrun.

“What hell! What terror!” There paced Tsula the Blueberry King on Blueberry Hill, wet and covered in mud.

“What did I tell you! Did I not say it?! For each there is a plate set before them and for each there is a plate for which to sit upon for God has a plan to kill us all!” huffed Tsula.

Migka, tired and wounded, looked up. “Please be quiet, Tsula.”

The End