She Who Runs...

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In the quaint farming village of Arobiola, the orange sun began its gentle descent into the horizon, signaling the impending end to another day on the farm. Some farmers were rounding up for the day, nice and mouthwatering aroma was already wafting through the air from the open windows of the small huts dotted across the landscape. From all corners of the village, one could hear the happy screams of children as they played.

It was in the air, the happy mood. It was one of the beauties of Arobiola, one of the reasons people visited and refused to leave. However, they never stayed for long, because they always learned the dark secret that held the village captive for so long.

Meanwhile, not everyone was at the farm or in the kitchen preparing the night’s meal. Abike, the fourteen-year-old daughter of Zik was walking through the bush paths. One of her elbows was holding a container to her side while her other hand was holding on tightly to Ada, her baby sister. Ada was chattering non-stop, everything seemed to catch her attention and it was all Abike could do to keep her in check.

She was already regretting bringing the toddler along, but then, the minute Ada realized she was coming to the stream she had begged and begged and Abike didn’t have it in her to refuse. Of all her siblings, Ada was by far her favorite and the little girl knew it.

As they walked further down the bush path, they began to hear the sounds of the flowing stream. Excited, Ada wrenched her hand from Abike’s grip and ran towards it.

“Ada! Come back here!!” Abike cried as she ran after her.

With the toddler shrieking at the top of her voice, both of them ran out of the bush path and into the shores of the flowing stream. The water was so clean that they could see the bottom of it, it was covered I cobbles stones, just like every inch of the shore. Ada knew better than to try going into the water, she only stayed on the edge and dipped her tiny toes in, laughing loudly when she felt the cold.

“No swimming today,” Abike told her. “You hear me?”

Ada simply nodded and continued as her elder sister began to fetch water into her container. Abike watched the little girl play and laugh, it was a sight for sore eyes. Everything about her was a sight for sore eyes. No matter what she went through in her father’s house, one look at Ada made it all go away like the wind. Ada seemed to make it easier to endure the sufferings meted out to her out of sheer cruelty.

Finally done, Abike called Ada over so they could return home. She was about to carry the container and place it on her head when she heard the shrill sound pierce through the entire village. As if a heavy stone had fallen on her chest, she felt her heart gallop fiercely. Her head whipped up as she looked at the far end of the stream where a bell was ringing incessantly!

“No!” She groaned, “Not now!” They were too far away from the village!

Ada looked terrified as she ran over to Abike, her eyes welling up already. Just as terrified, Abike looked around and saw a rock sitting close to a tree. That had to do.

“Wait here,” she told Ada as she immediately picked up the container and carried it all the way over to the tree, hiding it behind the rock. Ada didn’t wait though, she followed her sister, grabbing the tails of her wrapper as the bells kept ringing shrilly.

Once Abike was satisfied that the container was properly hidden, she turned to her baby sister, “Ada, you know how it is. We need to run home, now! As fast as you can, come on!”

Holding her hand, Abike led the way and the two of them broke into a run! Ada was going as fast as her legs could carry her, but in no time at all, Abike realized that she was slowing her down. All around them, the bells were ringing furiously, and the wind was beginning to pick up speed. They needed to get home as soon as possible!

She then carried Ada in her arms and began to run full out. With every step she took, the wind became stronger. Soon, leaves were floating in the air and the grass blades around her were dancing maniacally. But she paid no mind as she continued running, going as fast as she could even with Ada’s weight slowing her down.

This was all Abike had ever known. Right from when she was born, she and every other person in Arobiola had been running. At random times, the spirits invaded their land leaving behind nothing but waste and chaos. However, those who ran and hid themselves well always survived. All through the years, the instructions have been passed down through generations.

“When you hear the bell, run.”

So they run, and run, so they can live to run another day.

And now, with her sister in her arms, she kept running but she realized she was running against the gale of wind that was growing stronger. She knew then that they would never make it home. Ada was crying profusely. Abike was on the verge of crying as well, but she was hanging on just by a thread. Ahead of her, she saw a figure dart across the path. It was so fast, it seemed to travel on the wind itself. She immediately turned around and ran into the bush, holding Ada close to her as she fought against the tough grass.

She didn’t run for long though, the wind was getting too strong and she could barely see in the bush. When she looked up again, she saw the figure dart past again. It was colorful, and for the second she laid eyes on it, she saw it had a human form but its eyes were glowing. She almost dropped her sister out of fright.

Breathing hard, she knelt down and lowered Ada to the ground, when she spoke, she almost had to shout to be heard over the strong winds, “We can’t make it home. I need you to stay right here, okay?”

“Please, don’t leave me.”

Abike wiped the tears off her face, “I would never leave you. Now, lie down on the grass and take cover.”

Abike picked a rock that was on the ground, it was heavy and had weight which meant it could be used as a weapon. She was not running anymore. She was going to stand and fight to protect her baby sister. She stepped slowly away from Ada, gripping the rock hard as she looked around her.

The figure appeared again as the wind kept blowing hard, buffeting her from all sides. Her fingers tightened on the stone as the figure stopped in front of her. The ensuing gust of wind blew against her, almost causing her to lose her balance but she held her ground.

Just then, the hand reached out towards her and she immediately threw the rock. It sailed through the air, against the wind, and smacked into the figure’s face. It fell backward, the glow in its eyes was snuffed out at once as it fell to the ground. The minute its back touched the earth, a heavy gust of wind blew, launching Abike into the air.

She passed out before her body hit the ground.

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Slowly, Abike came to. She heard her father’s worried voice and her eyes sprang open as she sat up from the ground. The wind was gone and calm had returned, it seemed everyone in the village was gathered around her.

“Where’s Ada?” She tried to get up but Zik gently pushed her back down.

“She’s fine,” he said softly.

“Keep her away from my daughter!” Nika, Abike’s stepmother cried furiously. “Zik, you better keep her away or I swear, you won’t like what I’d do to her! I don’t care if she’s your daughter!”

As Abike watched, Nika was cradling the weeping Ada to her chest, trying to console her.

That was when she noticed the body in the middle of the field. She recognized it at once, it was the figure she had struck down.

“What were you thinking, Abike?”

“Father,” she gasped, “it was coming for me and Ada. I had to do something.”

“You had to run! You’re supposed to run! You shouldn’t fight! Why would you fight?!”

“I had no choice! I couldn’t allow him to hurt me or Ada.”

“Well… and now, you’ve doomed us all.”

Abike’s mouth fell open in shock as she stared at her father. She felt a tremor go through her as she realized that there was a consequence for fighting back. And in that moment, she knew she was in trouble. Way worse trouble than she had ever been with Nika.

To be continued…

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When I first joined Hive, I used to write short stories. I actually wrote them a lot. One of my goals this year is to resume my short story writing. It’s been too long and I guess I’ve been a bit rusty, which is why this story didn’t end in one post. I’ll see if I can finish it in the continuation.

Thank you for reading.