The Prophecy of Collapse

  My yellow-tinted hand looked orange against her red skin.

  My index finger ran along her jaw gingerly, afraid I would wake her up.

  She looked so pretty, like fresh lava.

  I laid my head on her chest. My sharp hearing picked up the soft thump of her heart beating.

  My eyes fluttered shut…

  Thump. Thump. Thump.

  The beating of her heart put me to rest.

  “Eralla. Eralla. Eralla. Eralla, wake up!”

  My eyes blinked open, a single teardrop left my eye. Was I crying in my sleep?

  Thump. Thump. Thump.

  My heart felt heavy from the dream — the memory I had left behind.

  I quickly sat up, wiping away a tear and looking over at Osamalla, who had woken me up.

  “What is it?”

  I asked, sitting up straight on the satta*.

  “Ma is calling you. Everyone is in Tohthorayn’s hut.”

  My eyebrows raised in curiosity. Why was everyone gathered there?

  “Hmm?”

  I asked, looking up at Osamalla.

  “I don’t know. But Ma is calling for you. Quickly, Eralla.”

  He grabbed my arm, trying to get me off the satta even though I was ten years older than him. Stronger and faster.

  I pushed myself off the touki* and stood up straight on my bare feet. The sudden motion made my head ache from the injury I received yesterday.

  Ougine.

  Was this meeting about him and the other runners?

  My body grew hot at the thought.

  “Come, Eralla. To Tohthorayn’s hut.”

  He grabbed my right arm, pulling me along with him.

  I lifted the arm he was hanging on to, raising him up from the ground until he dangled, and ran straight out of the hut. I sped through the empty streets. Light fog filled the street, which was never an occurrence. Fog never formed here; heat usually burned everything off.

  What happened while I was asleep and lost in dreams?

  As soon as I entered through the front door of Tohthorayn, everyone in the village had gathered inside.

  Ma and Motalla, Koralla, and Soralla. All eleven of my siblings were among the people who joined this… meeting.

  Everyone was here. Even some runners from the other two villages.

  The atmosphere was intense, and scorching. The combined heat from everyone was tickling my skin.

  Tohthorayn sat around the table with other village leaders. One with a similar pointy hat to Tohthorayn. He was Ouubuutt, the leader of Aktoe, capital of Ma-Oktava, while sitting across from him was Donttano, head of Machelte*. The village was roughly the same size as my village, Zantattte*. Unlike the overdressed Tohthorayn, he wore a more modest attire with just a robe.

  Tohthorayn’s entire hut had become crowded.

  “Ma, what is going on?”

  I walked towards her, bringing Osamalla along with me, who had not let go of my arm. I slowly lowered him until his feet touched the ground.

  “Tig-eralla, sit with us.”

  Tohthorayn said, gesturing towards the empty seat.

  I looked at Ma before walking over to the chair and sitting down. Suddenly, everyone’s eyes were on me. My sharp claws dug into the fabric of my pants. Scratching it slightly.

  “Ouubuutt here has felt a shift in the heat of the planet. And he has prophesied that our home will collapse on itself in the following weeks.”

  “Two weeks,” Ouubuutt added.

  My eyes widened, processing the information. I looked around, seeing the nods from others.

  It was true.

  I swallowed.

  “And what do you want me to do?”

  “You said you saw a vision of Aourine in the fog.”

  “Yes… what about it?”

  “We need to find her then. Ma-Oktava has chosen you and shown you the way we can save our people.”

  Ouubuutt said.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Can you find her, Tig-eralla?”

  Donttano asked.

  “No.”

  I said.

  I wanted to forget her, not to be pulled back into her embrace. This is what everyone wanted from me.

  They all wanted me to forget her, but now… they want to find her.

  The thought stung, bitter and sharp.

  “Eralla. You must.”

  Ma yelled.

  Screech.

  My eyes narrowed, and now I abruptly stood up from the chair.

  My hands curled into fists.

  “All of you have pushed her aside, pulled me away from her, and now, when doom awaits us, you want me to go find her.”

  Tohthorayn stood up after me. He stood tall as if he owned everyone here. As if we were his puppets. He towered over me, not with his stature but with arrogance.

  “Exactly. When our people are in trouble, we must do what we can to save ourselves.”

  I scoffed.

  “So now you believe Aourine appeared in the fog. What changed your mind?”

  “Eralla! Behave!”

  Ma shouted, which only pissed me off more. Tohthorayn grabbed my arm, claws digging into my skin.

  I scratched him with my right hand claws.

  Gasp.

  The room erupted with gasp. He stepped back, face growing deep red with anger.

  “Eralla!”

  Ma tugged at my right arm, yanking me back and wrapping her arms around me from behind to hold me down. I could have easily freed myself, but I didn’t.

  I stood in Ma’s embrace, glaring at the village leaders.

  “Tig-eralla. Don’t do it for us, but do it for your family. We will all die if we…”

  Donttano said, taking a step closer.

  Those words calmed my nerves to think about it. If I don't get Aourine, then we will all die. Ma would die. Motalla, Koralla, Soralla, Tiballa, Osamalla, Lylla, Somala, Gibralla, Fattaralla, Quen-alla, and Batharalla: they would die as well.

  “What say you, Tig-eralla…?”

  I felt everyone in the village watching me, waiting for my answer. Holding their loved ones’ hands.

  My eyes flickered over to my younger siblings. Staring up at me while holding each other’s hands.

  Why was I letting thoughts of Aourine come in between my family and I?

  It was my job to protect my family after Fa’s death.

  I was over her…

  I was.

  I told Ma yesterday… Yet…

  No.

  I needed to be a provider, not a fool in love.

  I have to look out for my family and not be burdened by the loss of intimacy.

  I must.

  I was determined to succeed. I failed to protect Ougine, but not my family.

  “Alright.”

  A wave of relief washed over the tension in the hut. They all seemed relaxed, yet my heart remained heavy.

  How would I look at Aourine? Would my heart race near her just like it used to?

  “Then come to Aktoe with Aourine.”

  Ouubuutt said.

  Aktoe. The center of the planet. The main village. Leaders often hold meetings there.

  “Ma, can I go with Eralla?”

  Fattaralla insisted, grabbing Ma’s robe. I closed the lid of the clay pot, which contained freshly cooked tettara.

  “No. You can’t go.”

  I stood up straight, wiping my slimy hand against the fabric of my clothes.

  “But please. Ma. I really wanna go on a fast ride with Eralla.”

  “No, Fattaralla. Eralla needs to go find someone. You can’t go.”

  I walked over to my satta and dug under it, looking for something.

  I pulled it out and quickly shoved it in my pants pocket before standing up straight.

  “Ma, I am leaving now.”

  I said farewell before heading out of the hut. The fog lingered heavily in the atmosphere, blocking my view.

  I didn’t need sight to find her.

  My feet always remembered the way.

  ?

  Txetia Glossary

  Touki (Tok-key) — means “bed”

  Satta (Sat-tah) — means “mattress”

  Zantattte (Zaan-teth-ta-te) — One of the three villages on Valconalla. The village Tigeralla lives on. Has an approximate population of around 416. The elder of the village is Tohthorayn(Toh-tho-rain )

  Machelte (Ma-chel-te) — One of the three villages on Valconalla. It has approximately the same number of population as Zantatte. The elder of the village is Donttano(Donh-th-ta-no).

  Aktoe (Aak-toh) — The capital village of Valconalla. It holds approximately 842 citizens. The elder of the village is Ouubuutt(Oh-bu-th).