2026-09-25 08:04:56
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The blood trail
Ukaria I kept grinning as memory of yesterday continued to dance in my mind like fireflies even after I had woken up, stretched, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. It was a crazy and exciting day of a lifetime. I felt as though I should have heard this story from someone else. However, I was present, I witnessed it and I inhaled it. The sound of drums reverberated throughout the clearing, the smell of smoke from the roasted meat, and the excited shouts of boys who now walked like warriors. And we were all taken aback by John.To tell the truth, I still didn't think it was real. The John I knew was cliched, cunning and always talking big while doing little. A boy who relied on his sister to organize activities for him and his friends to execute, and who required assistance tying his hunting belt. John is lazy, he is funny and definitely not a leader. Nevertheless, in some way, he had entered the forest and emerged triumphant. The warthog was seen by all and everyone applauded him.
It was not my Victory
JohnAfter Dad's motivational speech the previous evening, I never imagined that I would still be afraid when hunting. He had filled me with tales of bravery and purpose, speaking to me like a true warrior. Amelia had even weighed in, advising me to remember who I was and to have faith in myself. I felt ten feet tall when I went to sleep. I therefore took the lead like a true alpha in training when we ventured into the woods that morning. I reassured my friends that there was nothing to fear. I sounded like a leader like Dad, shoulders back and chest out.Then I noticed it, the warthog it was more muscular and menacing than any I had ever seen and stood between two towering trees like a demon on duty. I told them to go, that I could manage on my own. I had called it a "Piece of cake," and I think that was the dumbest thing I've ever done. Like a fool attempting to start a fire with his bare hands, I chased it at full speed. The warthog kicked up dirt and leaves as it darted thr
The betrayal
AaronThat night, I did not get much sleep. My mind wouldn't stop racing even though my body was motionless. My father's words played in loops, his pain, his regrets and the betrayal that broke our family. I kept playing back everything he said, imagining it as if I had experienced it firsthand. My dreams were troubled when I eventually fell asleep. In slow motion, I witnessed my grandfather's fall with blood in his throat. Once strong and proud, I saw my father kneeling in shame and and Jason untouchable, crowned by betrayal, standing above it all and My jaw was clenched when I woke up. The sun had barely risen, but I got to work; cleaning the cabin, preparing food and boiling herbs for Dad's pain. Instinctively, my hands moved but my thoughts were elsewhere.After finishing, I grabbed my bow and went into the forest. Hunting for food and possibly gathering herbs for Dad's medication was the original plan but I had a storm in my head. I wasn't paying attention and I had no idea whe
My one in a million
PeteLife has not been good to me. For years, I told myself that the only way to move forward was to fight for what was mine. But now, as I lie here in pain and regret, I know that fighting Jason was a bad idea. I am not the same person I used to be, and now I am just a burden to my fifteen-year-old son Aaron. Aaron is a boy with the strength and will of a thousand men, but his body is too young to handle so much weight. It breaks my heart to see him take on responsibilities that no child should have to deal with.Sometimes I feel sorry for him because he's out there in the cold, fighting beasts and dangers with only a spear and his own instincts. But feeling sorry for us would not feed us, and feeling bad about what happened won't fix my legs. So, I do the only thing I can which is I pray to our ancestors and ask them to take care of him. Just as I finished my last silent prayer, the door creaked open. Aaron's voice rang out in the shack. "Hey Dad, I'm back."He came into my ro
A beautiful mess
JasonWhen John knocked on my door that night, something stirred inside me, it was something warm and heavy at the same time. I was happy to see him of course but the timing made me uneasy because it was really late besides, was not the type to come knocking unless something had gone truly wrong.Still, I did not rush him with questions because I didn't need to rather, I made him feel as if I was pleased by seeing him.I opened the door then I stepped aside and let my son in like it was the most natural thing in the world."Make yourself at home," I said as I was already settling to play the role I knew he needed me to play at the moment.I didn't play the role as the clan's elder neither did I play the role as a warrior rather I played that of a father.He stood for a moment before sitting. It was as if he was caught somewhere between trying to be strong and not falling apart. He looked like someone who was carrying a storm inside him so, I did what any father would do, I went ahea
Prepare for the Hunt
JohnIn my imagination, I was a hero and he crowd's cheers was so loud as I lifted the warthog above my shoulders. My parents were standing proud and the entire pack bowed before me and acknowledging my greatness. My hunting crew where also happy and part of the victory. It was epic but then reality knocked because in truth, I hadn't hunted anything, I had not even stepped outside yet. I was still in bed, under my blanket like frightened and staring up at the ceiling as though it could give me an answer to my questions. The Hunt was tomorrow and I was far from prepared. My stomach was tight and mind would not slow down even sleeping was impossible.All I thought about was negative and I was just asking myself questions. "What if I mess up, what if I get lost, what if I get eaten and what if I am one of those who needs rescuing?"No matter how I tried to calm myself down, nothing seemed to work. The panic was real and loud that nothing I did could calm it down.I got out of bed as
