Totem (31 page)

I turn in my seat to face the door behind me. There standing in the door frame is an older gentleman. His face, crinkled by the passing of time, houses two coal colored eyes. His brow furrows down over them. He walks in with the slow, steady pace of a man his age. The room grows quiet as he approaches the center. Sarah gives him her hand to greet him. He squeezes it in passing as he moves to the opposite side of the fire. Across his body is a strap that leads down to a pouch. The man digs through the pouch pulling out three small, brown leather sacks and places them on the stone edge of the fire pit. Slowly he pulls open the first one. I glance around to see everyone staring intently at the man in front of them and do the same.

With pouch open, the old man looks at the many faces in this small crowd. Nearest to him is the group of children eager to hear the tale. The women I met earlier and a few others whom I did not meet are scattered around the room in various groups. He continues to scan the crowd until his eyes finally rest on Ty. Ty looks back at him and gives him a nod.  With that, the old man reaches into the pouch and pulls out a handful of dust. Quickly he throws it into the fire and brilliant blue sparkles in the fire as red smoke begins billowing up. The man keeps eye contact with Ty as he begins to speak.

                                                        “
The Legend

              The pale faces rode in on the water with low hanging clouds. The air caught their sails thrusting them forward to our land. When the pale faces came, we started dying. Tirelessly we reached to the skies crying out for help, but no answers would come. Slowly our numbers grew smaller and the tribes began to pull together, but still no answer came. Our tears fell on mother earth as our hope dwindled.

              Eventually, our people scattered to the four winds as more friends and loved ones entered the spirit world. Our unanswered cries caused some to turn to darkness. These dark ones took up weapons killing the pale faces and taking what they could as trophy. It was a world in chaos. It wasn’t until the palest of the pale came that all hope was lost. The palest ones came swiftly in the night. Their red eyes glowing as they preyed upon us, they took from us mercilessly. Their movements were quicker than any animal. Their strength unmatched and their thirst…they left a trail of bloodless bodies wherever they went.

              It wasn’t until THEM that mother earth answered our prayers…

              It happened one night in the swamps of Louisiana. Some surviving members of one of the tribes had sought refuge in the uninhabited wetlands of south Louisiana. It was a land the pale faces could not build on. It was a harsh land.

              It was late one night when the warriors saw the bird perched among the branches of the cypress tree. Across the swamp glowing more brilliantly than the moon was a golden eagle.  So vivid and bright, it shined down upon them, reflecting in the bayou below.

              The brave eagle stared at the warriors as they slowly canoed toward its tree. It was a sign from the spirits. It was a sign from mother earth. The eagle let out a cry and lifted into the air, traveling a hundred feet then landing on the branch of another cypress tree beckoning the men to follow. The three warriors followed the golden eagle to the other tree. Each time they grew closer, the eagle would let out a cry, take off, and land on another tree leading the men into an unknown direction.

              They followed the eagle through the murky, teaming water of the swamp until they hit land. The eagle disappeared in the brush. The only evidence of its presence was its glow emulating through the tall grass.

              The brave warriors rose from their canoe and followed the light. In the middle of the swamp lands was a solid island. Tall grass licked the legs of the men as they grew closer to the light. Finally they found the eagle perched at the edge of the water of a small pond in the middle of the island. Its center gurgled up like a natural spring. He was slowly sipping on the water. As soon as he saw the warriors, the eagle let out one last cry and then rocketed into the sky. He circled the pond three times then plummeted into the center of the lake disappearing under the water all the light radiating from the eagle quickly flowed into the pond and grew. The bird was no more yet its light remained.

              The gurgling spring began to grow brighter and brighter as wisps of water began to steadily rise and fall. A hissing sound rose from the liquid and a controlled flow of watery wisps began to encompass the warriors. Their strength faltered as fear of the unknown rose up in them. It wasn’t until the waters hit them and went through them that their fear subsided. A voice only audible with in each of the three warriors began to speak to them.

              “We have heard your cries,” whispered the voice, “as the balance of power has shifted.”

              Faces of loved ones in the pond began to rise and fall. Faces of the familiar were different to each warrior, yet they rose and fell in the cool waters, igniting emotions in each individual. Eventually all the faces ascended into the spirit world. The last face to rise was the palest of the pale; the vampires. It smiled its pointed smile as the surreal voice spoke again.

              “Earth is no longer able to maintain her circular form with the introduction of them. Everything in balance has fallen out of balance,” whispered the voice. Dramatically the water shot up in one infinite column into the sky. “We must regain balance!” The voice hissed with a new power.

              With those words rose the totems; the deer from the woods, the buffalo from the plains, the raven from the sky, and the dolphin from the sea. Each animal rose and circled around the warriors. One by one, more animals rose until there were fifteen in all, dancing around the men with the last one being the familiar eagle that led them to this sacred place.

              “Fifteen tribes have joined in their cries and fifteen spirits have risen. The fifteen Totem animals of the tribes are gifts to help restore the balance lost by the vampires The fifteen animals will become you and you will become the animals.”

              The lion closest to the third warrior entered into his body. The warrior let out a cry and quickly transformed into a lion. His cries turned into roars. The eagle entered into the middle one and he morphed while the wolf entered into the last warrior causing him to shift.

              Just as quickly as the animals entered the warriors’ bodies, they left them changing them back into human form. One by one, the fifteen spirits entered each warrior and one by one the men took the forms of the beasts until all fifteen animals had passed through the three soldiers.

              When the last animal left the very last warrior, all three of them shifted back into their human form.

              “Inside of each of you are now the fifteen Totems of the fifteen tribes. Along with the Totems comes the knowledge of each animal; the flight of the eagle, the glide of the deer and the swim of the dolphin will become as natural to you as breathing. Use your powers well for you have become the answer to your people’s cries. The power to help restore balance is in each one of you. You are Totems,” the voice hissed.

              The trio of warriors stared at the white light as it flickered around them. The fifteen totems all rose from the water once more.

              “Your counsel will be called upon and at the rise of the next full moon will meet on this spot,” the voice hissed its last instruction.

              The light slowly faded into the deep of the spring. The warriors were the only things left glowing.

              And so the fifteen tribes of the counsel ascended upon the spring during the next full moon. For ten nights and ten days, the counsel delegated and a series of rules were created. It was a code and a law bestowed upon the tribes ending lifelong feuds that once rose and changed like the wind. All were united in one common cause. The cause was to bring balance. In each generation, there will arise three warriors to fulfill the prophecy. It is a promise from mother earth to always maintain balance.”

             
With those last words, the elder threw the contents of the remaining two bags into the fire. Golden hues glow in the fire as red smoke rises lapping the ceiling. I am left in a daze and filled with so many questions as I watch the red smoke dissipate.  The old story teller collects his belongings. Everyone sits in reverent silence as the old man makes his way towards the door.

Before he leaves, he stops behind Ty’s chair. As if to say thank you, he places his hand on Ty’s shoulder. Ty touches his hand back and nods his head. A smile creeps over the elder’s face before he turns and walks out the door. One by one, people begin silently leaving the pavilion. No words are spoken. It reminds me of leaving church after Sunday service. Each person seems filled with some unexplained energy. To my surprise, each person who leaves approaches Ty first. One by one, they touch Ty’s right shoulder before leaving. They do not break the silence with words. It is as if they were paying their respects to him.

              I watch in amazement at all the people who touch Ty. Slowly, I come to realize how much Ty means to them. To them, he is their protector. He is their Batman in Gotham City; always behind the scenes of society, hiding in the shadows watching. Warmth begins to fill me. Here is a man who is not only letting me know all his secrets but actually be a part of them. I feel like the woman in love with a super hero. He is my Superman and I am his Lois Lane.

              My thoughts shoot back to the present as one person in particular catches my eye. It is the woman with the cane. Slowly, resting her weight on the cane, she gets up from her seat. There is a smile on her face as she walks towards Ty. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ty straighten up. I would have looked over at him had my eyes not been locked on the woman coming our way. Her face creased with the passing of time has even more creases when she smiles. What move me most, besides the smile, are the tears streaking down from her face. More join as she makes her way towards Ty. 

              I look closely at this woman as my heart fills even more. Somehow, and I don’t know how, I know that this means more to her than to anyone else in the room. Perhaps Ty had saved her. Perhaps she has lived a full life and is able to see the affect these supernatural Totems have on her people. Either way, she is filled with so much joy at the words of the legend that the only escape for hey joy is through her eyes in the form of happy tears.  with the effort set forth by age, she makes her way to Ty.

              As soon as Ty is in her reach, she places her free hand on him. Her bent back and small frame bring her close to Ty’s ear. She takes a step closer whispering in his ear. I watch Ty’s face. Like a true warrior, no emotion crosses it. Not even from the words of the old lady. Ty’s hand reaches up and rests on the back of the woman’s hand. Her smile grows larger and she withdraws her hand releasing the physical connection between the two. Slowly she turns and makes her way out the door.

              With most of the adults gone, the children begin to talk freely amongst themselves. Their little voices carrying over the fire and to us. The two women who stay begin talking amongst themselves as they start cleaning up the food. To the casual onlooker, it is as if the tale had never been told. This is just a group of people who are out at their camp for the weekend. I however, will forever and always be changed. Not just by the tale, but by seeing Ty change with my own eyes.

              Moved, I reach over and touch the back of Ty’s hand lying lazily on his lap. He looks over at me and smiles. I cannot help but smile back at my hero.

              “Are you ready to head out?” Ty whispers in my ear.

              I nod. Although the room is buzzing with words, speaking still seems inappropriate. Slowly we get up and make our way to the door. Ty waves good bye to Sarah as he opens the screen escorting me out. I step into the cool air. The temperature has dropped dramatically with the sun. It is an all too constant reminder that the last days of winter still bitterly hang on.

             
Under the cover of the oak trees
, we walk back to Ty’s little studio cabin. The walk is quiet. The only sound piercing the night is that of faint cricket chirps that sound every so often. The cold must have dampened their spirit to sing.

              “So what did you think?” Asks Ty as we walk.

              “That was… amazing,” I reply.

              Amazing is a silly word that encompasses all, but it is the only word that best fits. I had an idea of what I thought the story would be from bits and pieces that Ty told me, but it was nothing like the real thing. The way the story was told, the reaction of the people and the belief it instills in them was far beyond anything I could fathom. Just being there in that place listening with the very people Ty is fighting for sent a flush of pride through me. I am moved and forever changed because each individual in that room tonight was moved. Amazing is the only word to describe it.

              Ty looks at me quizzically. I know I need to elaborate on my response.

              “It’s just amazing,” I state again. “To hear the story, it answered so many questions…” I let out a sigh. “But it also left so many questions, too.”

              I pause again as my thoughts drift. Ty had held back so much from me. I know he had to for reasons out of his control. Tonight was a giant step forward. Everything in the story was more than Ty had ever told me in the past five months, but it still is not enough. There are still so many unanswered questions I have. Ty grabs my hand and holds on as we keep walking.