Drown The Tiger

[Luka Balmore]

Places, Names, and other things.

Hian'tal/Hian'talli': A tribe that is indigenous the region at the foot of Mount Hian. It is believed to mean "Children of the Mountain."

Mount Hian: The tallest mountain in the known world. The locals believe it to be a bridge between this world and the next. Reaching the summit means you have crossed into the next life.

May'okiam: The great and holy god that lives at the summit of the mountain. He watches over the Hian'talli' and if happy will provide a plentiful harvest for his people.

Dian: A small fruit that grows on vines at the base of Mount Hian

Shon: A highly intoxicating and hallucinogenic beverage made from fermented Dians

Diok'mire: The dark god who is set free from his prison to unleash havoc on the Hian'talli' if they have gravely offended May'okiam

THE NIGHT BEFORE FIRST HARVEST

Running through the trees nearly out of breath, Yiam'shay made her way between the low hanging branches with expertise, ducking, and dodging as if she had done this a thousand times before, which of course she had. It was the final days of the summer before her nineteenth harvest. She was the last child born during the second and final harvest of her birth year and she had known what that had meant since she was but an infant.

It was a well established and respected tradition, she had spent her eighteenth harvest collecting Dian by the armful, then taking them home to mother who would help her sort them, rejecting any that were of inferior quality. No blemishes, bugs or other fungi could be present when she began crafting the ceremonial shon that she would drink on the sacred altar in just two days time.

In these final days her time was precious and should have been spent in deep prayer and preparation for what was to come. However she had something else in mind, the boy Mi'ak who had been assigned to stand at the entrance of her hut to ensure she did not wander off had been bribed with a simple kiss. It hadn't taken much, just a quick peck on the lips and that bought her enough time to run off and ensure the final pieces were in place for her ceremony, boys were so easily manipulated. She mused to herself as she stopped at the edge of the tree line and looked and scanned the surrounding area. She whistled quietly to catch Mi'ak's attention.

His head turned and he caught her gaze. She looked back at him and motioned towards her hut. His eyes darted from side to side as the sun began to set and he quickly motioned for her to move. She sprinted with all of her strength from behind the tree line and towards her hut. Mi'ak's eyes widened as an elder poked his head out from his hut, but not quick enough to notice Yiam'shay just barely missing banging her head on the low door as she made it back into the safety of her hut.

The elder retreated back within his own hut and Mi'ak breathed a sigh of relief. As he turned his head to see her kneeling down on her prayer rug in front of the jug of her sacred Shon.

"That was close. What were you doing anyway?"

He said to her rather curtly.

She turned her head and caught the young warriors gaze, she blinked as she began to let her hair down, leaning her head back. She could see gun blushing.

"I had some things I wanted to take care of before the big day tomorrow. I don't think I'll get another chance and I couldn't just leave them."

There was a short pause.

"Your pets?"

She nodded quietly.

"You know them, we grew up together. If I am worthy, I won't be back and they'd starve if I didn't set them free."

He paused, she was of course right but it hardly seemed worth breaking the rules and risk insulting May'okiam.

"I shouldn't have let you go, I should tell the elders....unless."

A chill shot down her spine and she immediately spun completely around.

"Unless what Mi'ak?!"

He grabbed the back of his neck awkwardly...

"Well maybe...you could give me one more kiss?"

She rolled her eyes. Typical stupid boy.

"Oh....I suppose that would be fine."

She leaned in and give him a gentle kiss on the lips, she felt him lean in a bit further this time, but she pulled away and about fell forward.

"There, now you're not going to tell anyone that I was gone are you?"

He smiled, a lovestruck look on his face.

"I wasn't going to anyway, I just wanted to kiss you again.

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Why am I not surprised? Goodnight Mi'ak."

He smiled wryly.

"G'night!"

With that she closed the flap on her hut and retreated off to her warm cozy bed. For hours, she lay there staring at the ceiling. She had seen so many First Harvests in her life, but this was her First Harvest and she just hoped that everything would go according to plan. She remembered one year where things had gone terribly wrong, the Shon had not fermented properly and instead of seeing the face of May'okiam himself the girl saw Diok'mire. The following harvest with filled with what seemed to be a plague of insects that destroyed the crops, there was famine in the village and many of the elders had Reached the Summit that year because of it or so the people of the tribe thought. Yiam'shay on the other was not so convinced that it wasn't a natural phenomenon that had brought the bugs. She had noticed them throughout the summer and finding fresh berries for her pets to eat had been a real challenge and this was all several months before the harvest. Which meant that Diok'mire had nothing to do with the famine...if he even existed in the first place.

The truth of the manner was she had been questioning for a long time whether even May'okiam existed. It all seemed so senseless and random, there were good harvests, there were okay harvests, and there was the occasional bad harvest. While the tribal elders had tried to find a scapegoat for the bad harvests, it certainly seemed to her that the Hian'tal had done nothing overtly different than in years where the harvest was so abundant food went bad as they could not possibly eat or store it all.

She doubted there was a god, she doubted there was an evil god who was released upon the village for the sake of vengeance over some perceived offense. She doubted everything about their traditions, especially the one that involved her being sacrificed to a god she did not believe existed to ensure a plentiful harvest....

Finally, sleep came and before she knew it light was creeping in through the cracks in the wall and shining on her eyes. Slowly they fluttered open and she heard the drums playing. She stood up quickly and knelt before her jug of shon on her prayer rug. The elders made their way into the hut and greeted her warmly.

"Sacred child, they day has come for you to fulfill your duty are you ready?"

She took a breath deep in through her nose.

"I have purged myself of fear and am ready to perform may sacred duty in honor of the great May'okiam so that our tribe my continue thrive long after I have reached the summit."

The elder nodded and placed a necklace of multicolored beads around her neck.

"So it will be done. We shall forever be grateful for your service."

There was a long pause and she bowed her head.

"Sacred child, state thy name."

"I am Yiam'shay of the Hian'talli."

She said quietly.

"Yiam'shay of the Hian'talli, retrieve your sacred beverage and march with us to the altar at the base of Mount Hian."

Silently she retrieved her sacred jug, and held it close to her torso as she had practiced a thousand times before. She fell in line between them and they exited the hut. Morning dew had turned the ground soft and she felt the dirt between her toes for what could be the last time. As the rest of the tribe laid eyes on her they bowed their heads in respect. She was flanked now on both sides by two children a boy and a girl who through flower petals at her feet as she walked, as tradition dictated. As they approached the tree line both of her parents prostrated themselves before her, tears present in both of her their eyes. In unison they spoke to her.

"Yiam'shay, our sacred blessing..to...today we give you to May'okiam with the sincere hope that your great and noble sacrifice will bring forth a bountiful harvest and will ensure the future of our tribe. Toda....today....you are no longer our....our...."

They paused holding back tears.

"OUR child but the child of all Hian'talli who should be honored to have known you."

As tradition dictated, Yiam'shay placed one hand on her mother and one on her father.

"When I reach the summit, I will inform May'okiam that you have been faithful parents who have raised me in his honor."

The tribal elders blessed both parents and the march into the trees continued. It didn't take long before they were at the base of the great altar. All members of the party bowed at the steps and Yiam'shay opened her sacred jug.

"Sacred child before you may cross the threshold, you must drink your sacred beverage"

Yiam'shay brought the mouth of the jug to her lips.

"I do this for all Hian'talli and their children, and their children's children for a thousand harvests to come."

With that she poured the liquid into her mouth, it was smooth brought with it a cooling sensation that felt like a long drink of water on a hot summer's day. In fact, Yiam'shay had a secret, it was in fact water. Her sacred Shon had been repurposed for something else.

"Sacred child, ascend the steps and take your place at the altar."

Yiam'shay, climbed the steps, she could feel her heart beating in her throat, she knew she had to sway and appear as if the shon was having it's effect. She walked around the sacrificial altar and knelt down lowing her head and pressing her lips to the altar.

"I....I can....I can feel him! The great May'okiam, he is here!"

She shouted, just as the other girls had done prior to her.

One of the elders ascended the stairs with his ornamental and sacred sword. He approached Yiam'shay and raised the sword.

Her head shot up and her eyes widened.

"SOMETHING IS WRONG! HE IS ANGRY!!!!! I...I CAN FEEL HIM....HE'S TAKING OVER ME!!!! I....I UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

She spun around and grabbed her hair and pulled out clumps of it and throwing it to the ground. She narrowed her eyes to slits and lowered her head and stared at the stunned members of the tribe.

"I AM THE GREAT GOD MAY'OKIAM! I GROW TIRED OF YOUR PATHETIC SACRIFICES AND DEMAND SOMETHING FAR GREATER! I COMMAND YOU THE HIAN'TALLI PEOPLE TO GIVE ME UNTO ME A TIGER IF YOU WISH FOR ME NOT TO WIPE YOUR TRIBE OF THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!!"

There was shushed silence as the elders and members of the tribe fell to their knees in fear, the clanging of the sacrificial sword could be heard as it hit the ground.

"A tiger great lord?

Said a terrified elder.

"YES A TIGER! I DO NOT WANT HIS GORGEOUS FUR DESTROYED SO YOU MUST HELP HIM REACH THE SUMMIT BY DROWNING HIM. I COMMAND YOU DO THIS ON THIS DAY BEFORE EVERY FIRST HARVEST FOR THE REST OF TIME!"

"Yes my lord...only...great May'okiam where can we find a tiger?"

The same elder dared to ask.

"I HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH YOUR FIRST, HE IS TIED UP BEHIND THE ALTAR AND READY FOR YOU, TAKE HIM TO THE SACRED RIVER AND HOLD HIS HEAD UNDER WATER IN MY NAME."

With that Yiam'shay collapsed to the ground and fell still. The elders rushed to her side and confirmed she was still breathing. Another leapt off the back of the altar and there in a shon induced coma was a large male tiger tied to a tree. Quickly he motioned for the other elders and they gathered around the beast. One of them waved to Mi'ak and another young warrior who rushed to the side of the tiger. Together the elders and the two young men hoisted the tiger and carried it to the river. They struggled getting the comatose beast into the water, they slid on the muddy banks of the river but after several minutes they were able to immerse the beast into the water. The tribe gathered around and they chanted the sacred prayers long said by the Hian'talli and the tiger's head was submerged in the muddy water. The tiger began to twitch his tail flailed wildly but after several moments he fell still and was let go, carried away by the current presumably to the great May'okiam. The crowd rejoiced, Yiam'shay had heard them in the distance....her plan had worked.

WINTER

Nothing had fully sat right with Mi'ak about that day many months ago, but he wasn't sure that he cared exactly. He liked having Yiam'shay around and the harvest had been better than ever, a true record setter, so the situation was a win as far as he could tell, but that wasn't going to stop him from asking the question. He approached her hut and tapped gently on the flap.

"It's Mi'ak, can we....can I come in?"

Yiam'shay had been prepping dinner when she heard the knock, she stood up when she heard his voice and turned to face the door.

"Of course."

He grabbed the back of his neck awkwardly and gave her a impish smile.

"I uh...it was all fake wasn't it?"

Stunned she put her finger to his mouth.

"Not so loud...how...how did you know?"

Feeling a mix of vindication and outright relief he relaxed his shoulders a bit, it was of course nice having her this close to him.

"You snuck out and you were scheming, you left with a big water skin but when you came back, you didn't have it. The shon was in it and you tricked the tiger into drinking it somehow...was that Samu?"

She sighed hearing the name of her favorite pet.

"Yes, that was him....I didn't want to do it, but he didn't feel any pain and...his sacrifice means that no more girls will have to die for stupid tradition that doesn't do anything...."

Mi'ak should have been shaken, but he wasn't. He had had time to think about all of this and the fact that everything was fake to him indicated that the sacrifice had been pointless all along. He wasn't sure what that meant about his belief in May'okiam, but it was definitely on thin ice.

"I get it....and honestly....I am glad you're still here. I was wondering something..."

She smiled at him feeling a bit relieved.

"I'm glad you do Mi'ak. Thank you....and what were you wondering about?"

He smiled wryly at her.

"Do you think I could have another kiss?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes of course you can..."

The two kissed once more, this time however Yiam'shay thought she may have wanted to kiss him just as much as he wanted her to kiss him. She pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you for being cool about this."

He smiled.

"Yeah...maybe next harvest, I....uhhh am...supposed to take a wife....would you?"

They smiled at each other and she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"I will."

At the next harvest Yim'shay and Mi'ak were wed, they had a large family that continued the yearly tradition of drowning a tiger in the river, but for them it was not for a bountiful harvest. It was part of a symbol of all the lives Yim'shay had saved and of course it was what allowed them to be together for the rest of their lives.