The Peacock

The Peacock

Year of the Lilies

Torrid Season

The Hut

Altsas

Mavli

I'M USED TO THE HEADACHE NOW. I'm used to the rhythm of the throbs. The familiar throbbing and aching reminds me that I'm human. It reminds me that I'm alive. It reminds me that I still have a chance. Yesterday's events are just a blurry memory in my psyche. I don't try to recall, I don't want to. So I push all of them to the back of my head and lock them up in there.

All I know is that I'm sitting at a corner in a tiny hut that is half the size of our hut back at home. Nine other people are lying or sitting here with me. None of them are sleeping though I'm sure sleeping is what we are expected to do with our night. 

A young man, about Isla's age is sitting a few feet away from me. I feel him staring at me but I don't look at him. I'm sure I must have seen him before in Kintil. I'm sure if we speak, we might realize that we had actually known each other. But Kintil was another life; Kintil was when I was engaged, Kintil was when I was in love, Kintil was when I had a family, Kintil was when Isla was my sister. Kintil is a dream.

When we first got here, our taskmaster led us to a streamlet to have our baths because he said we smell like 'shit'. The feel of the cold water on my skin felt ethereal, I felt clean like all my sins were washed away. I felt renew. I scrubbed my body twice over and washed my hair aggressively till I felt my scalp might bleed. After bathing and we had drank from a spring, we were led to this hut. The hut smells like mildew and dust, the cobwebs are large enough to trap a full grown human being but it's enough for me, for now. 

I catch a glimpse of the onyx ring sitting on my finger, laughing at me, taunting me. It is a painful reminder of the life that was never mine. I tear my eyes away from it.

The taskmaster threw tough loaves of bread at us and snarled as he said goodnight. At that moment, I didn't want to think about what the next day holds for us. I tore at my loaf and chewed slowly. The bread tasted bland, I struggled to sink my teeth into it but I ate till I was full and I slept.

Waking up, I realize that I was the only one sleeping. So I'm now sitting at a corner and waiting for the day to break. 

When I was much younger, my father had told me that the day is like a chick. When it breaks, it hatches from its egg and fills us all with awe. I wasn't listening to him after that, he had said some other things that I didn't catch because I was busy staring at a peacock. 

I still remember that peacock; its majestic blue-green feathers and it's regal fan of a tail. I still remember the sound it made as it strutted like a Queen, kee-o kee-o kee-o.

And then, Isla had broken the beautiful spell by running at it like a warrior, imitating its cat-like cry and holding her arms out and made a dive for it. She stood up laughing and my father laughed with her. I was angry with her, how dare she chase away my peacock? 

But now I'm not angry, on the contrary, I realize how fun it was to see try to catch the bird.

~•~•~

I'm sitting on Father's lap outside our hut and playing with his fingers. Something rustles in the tall grasses and I raise my head to see what it is. A small head peeps out of the bush and then and elegant neck comes to view. I gasp as I watch the beautiful bird emerge from the grasses and walks right in front of our hut just a few metres away from us.

"Look Father." I tug at my father's fingers and cup his face in my little palms turning it to see the bird. His beard prickles my palm. " A peacock!"

Father smiles, he smiles so often when he is with me. "Ah, so beautiful like you Mavy."

I giggle but cover my mouth with my palms to muffle the sound, I don't want to chase the bird away. But my joy is short lived as Isla emerges from the hut and sees the bird. She screams in delight and runs after it imitating its cry.

What is she doing? I jump from father's lap and make to run to her. I want to grab her by the wrist and stop her from scaring my peacock away. But it's too late, Isla dives towards my peacock but it escapes back into the bushes and she slams her body on the hard ground.

I'm pleased. That serves her right for trying to scare my peacock away. I hope she bleeds.

Isla helps herself to her feet and dusts her dress. My father holds still and watches for her reaction. To our surprise, she throws her head back and laughs, a giggly laughter that is highly infectious. 

My father throws his head back and laughs with her. Their laughter is like a ringing melody, I watch them chorus it together and something fury and hot races through me. Why did she chase the peacock away? Is she insane? 

Isla walks towards us with a wide grin on her face. She touches my hair gently. "Don't worry, Mavy. I'll get you another one."

My eyes burn as tears well up them blurring my vision. Isla wanted to get the peacock for me. She saw I liked it and wanted it and she was trying to catch it for me.