Nimbus 2056 Part 11 Take 1

She’d began to lose consciousness. She was dragged for God knows how long. Her feet the only thing in contact with the ground. Her head grasped firmly by Nuck Nuck’s driving fingers. To fade away, to drift into the world of darkness was a better alternative to the pain of where she was now.

When she came back into her senses, smokey campfire filled her nostrils. The world was still dark save for the flickering of a mighty flame. There was a thunderous argument between unfamiliar voices echoing somewhere close. Her hands bound together by coarse binds, same for her feet.

She laid face up, in a shelter made of leaves and branches. Anastasia rolled to her stomach and crawled out towards the fire. The roaring flames illuminated five people standing around a single platform, on which platform a body wrapped in cloth rested. Two of the five were men, towering above an older man, and two women. Their voices synchronized in wailing about the recently departed. The wailing sounded like a song. When all of them started clapping in unison rhythmically. It became apparent what they were doing.

“Oh my God, It is a funeral!” Anastasia whispered to herself.

The light, the sound, the dance of these people entrapped Anastasia’s attention. She watched unaware of time. When the world went from dark to blue she knew that these people prayed and mourned all night.

She was mesmerized by it, instead of using their bereavement as a chance to escape, she watched on. It wasn’t until Nuck Nuck stopped and started walking towards her she realized how much time she wasted.

He stood over her, his broad shoulders, long hair, and massive hands made Nuck Nuck seem like a giant to Anastasia.

He knelt down and cut her binds loose. It was the first nice thing that he had done for her. The feeling of sympathy vanished when he lead her to the middle of the group.

All of their eyes were on her. Every sense of privacy eroded as she was the center of attention.

There was tension in the air. Anastasia felt it. She couldn’t define it, because she couldn’t understand what these people were saying. She did however pick up on the emotional turmoil these barbaric people displayed.

Their words short and emphasized by the volume of which they spoke. All Anastasia knew was the strange man she followed. Nuck Nuck as Stuckey described him. Nuck Nuck was brutish, but curious. She felt his tears when he cried over his lost lover. Anastasia could sense that this man had some compassion. He brought Stuckey to the Nimbus also removed her bindings.

As she knelt down in the center of the circle, her eyes darted from face to face. Watching every word that was said, trying to piece together what her outcome would be.

“What do you want from me?!” Anastasia interrupted their conversation.

The man opposite of Nuck Nuck, slapped her.

“Nahuwapi!” He chided her.

“Nanuni Issawaoh!” he reached back for another slap.

Nuck Nuck grabbed the arm of the assaulting man.

“Manewo Tetanko!” Nuck Nuck answered, pointing to the sky.

“Manewo Tetanko?” The elder man of the group questioned.

“E’a!” Nuck Nuck said.

“Please, let me go!” Anastasia said, rubbing her cheek.

Her plea was greeted by confused looks. Similar to how her face contorted in confusion about what these people said.

The man who slapped her again reached for another assault. Again Nuck Nuck caught it. This time he retaliated against him with a punch.

“Innie Inne Took Took!” Nuck Nuck’s fist crashed against the other man’s skull as he said this.

The two men were descending into a full brawl when the elderly man, spoke loud and firm.

“Anlapono! Manewo Lilipena!”

Nuck Nuck and Took Took, stopped their violence against each other and listened.

“E’a Niata.” The two men said.

The two women of the group disappeared from Anastasia’s peripheries. Her focus was on the men fighting. When the women reappeared they had a headdress made of formed twigs and flowers. They placed it before Anastasia. At least Anastasia thought it was a headdress because the women mimed placing the ornament on each other’s head.

Anastasia looked at the rudimentary crown with bewilderment. When she extended her hands to pick up the new head peace she could see her action was greeted by a rising smiles from the women.

“God this is confusing!’ Anastasia said behind a forced smile.

Once more her words, meant nothing to the company she was in.

“Awapi Kanino e Tetanko Nuck Nuck.” The older man said.

“E’a Niata. Yahanue.” Nuck Nuck said pointing towards the direction of the Nimbus.

Anastasia assumed it was the Nimbus because she could see smoke rising from the other side of the valley. With what was said, the group split up and started assembling random things, save for one girl who looked at Anastasia with adornment.

“Ka tonka Illeyape?” She asked followed by “Maia Allona.” as she pointed towards herself.

“Allona?” Anastasia responded, pointing towards the girl.

“Innie Innie. Maia Allona.” the girl responded.

“Oh, I think I get it. Maia?” Anastasia answered.

“E’a!” Maia smiled.

“Anastasia.” Anastasia replied, pointing to herself.

The two just stared at each other now aware of each other’s identities. No words could be shared. Everyone else had returned garbed and ready to move.

“Anastasia Allona!” Maia said facing the others.

“Anastasia?” Nuck Nuck’s attention peaked and looked towards Anastasia.

“Oh God, why is he looking at me that way?” Anastasia thought.

Nuck Nuck, walked over and crouched next to Anastasia. He pointed to himself and said “Nuck Nuck Allona.”

“Anastasia” she replied pointing towards herself.

“E’a” Nuck Nuck said and extended his hand.

Reluctantly she reached out to grab his. He pulled her up, and they both stood together.

“Awapi” Nuck Nuck said pointing again towards the Nimbus.

“Great! We are going back to the ship!” Anastasia delighted.

“Maybe Stuckey can tell me what these people want.” She only spoke to herself.

The group followed the trail left by Nuck Nuck and Anastasia the night before. His foot prints were freshly printed in the forest floor. Their progress was slow, as they had everyone in tow including the elderly man. Nuck Nuck was the leader, Anastasia behind him, the two women after then Took Took helped Niata.

Nuck Nuck confidently retraced his steps the night before. Anastasia was looking to find anything she might have found familiar. As her eyes raced from point to point, she gasped when she saw the bush she hid under.

“Is this where my life changed?”