by Kurtz, Timna
“I’ll be alright!” she replied with determination, overcoming her pain. “But you! What about you? Did you succeed in cleansing yourself? Did you fight the demons? Did the blue eagle fulfill its role? And what happened to the black bird?” she asked thrilling questions, filled with innuendoes meant for me alone, but obvious enough to arouse Eddie’s curiosity.
“Mother! It is hardly the time or place for all these questions!” I signaled carefully and quietly of Eddie’s proximity.
“I happen to think it is an excellent time!” Eddie approached, his face showing a clear sense of distrust. The suspecting tone in his voice sounded angry and demanding. “Why don’t you tell us what really happened to the black bird and the blue eagle?” he repeated Rebecca’s words in a loud and ridiculing tone, more than hinting his wish to get to the bottom of things. He crossed his arms over his chest, making it clear to me, with his condescending body movements, that he was impatiently waiting for my answer. “Well! Grace. Please do share!” he urged me again, becoming increasingly agitated the longer I kept my mouth shut. I looked at Rebecca, begging her with my eyes to get me out of this awkward situation she had placed me in. Curiosity had peaked with some of the other tribe members as well, and they were getting closer to hear me too.
“I have to agree with Eddie for once!” Rebecca’s reply surprised me even more. “But not due to his curiosity or that he deserved an answer, but because the whole tribe needs to gather. Everyone should hear your answers and know what you saw in the cave and all that happened there!
There are some answers that are bigger and more important than Eddie’s personal curiosity,” Rebecca spoke out loud, well aware of our audience, pushing me into a corner, leaving me no alternative.
“Rebecca! You know very well where this is leading to!” I made sure she knew the fatal consequences this assembly was facing.
“I know—and so do you! We cannot wait any longer!” she made her position clear. “It doesn’t matter what happens—I am here for you, right behind you, supporting you and standing by you with much love! Don’t be afraid, my child. It is time to claim your place!” She laid her warm hands on my shoulders as a sign of encouragement and support, her eyes expressing the exact same sentiment. I closed my eyes. I was on the brink of despair. This was the end of the line, and I had no choice. All the escape routes were now permanently blocked, and I was pushed into a corner with my back to the wall. What else was there for me to do? Rebecca’s gentle hand caressed my face.
“This is not the end, my dear. This is a new beginning!” She whispered with her eyes gleaming, holding my face in her hands.
“Come! Let’s go inside!” Roan’s voice thundered. He understood well, reading the delicate situation with precision, confirming with his eyes, that he too will stood by me.
I stood there for a while with Rebecca when the tribe members entered the cave. We held hands and with our eyes closed we transferred energy from one to another. I felt Rebecca’s strength flowing in me through the palms of her hands, pouring into me all of her knowledge and love.
We opened our eyes at the same time, looking at each other, clearly knowing what was to come. I took a deep breath and without letting go of her hand, supporting her, we walked into the cave together to join the rest of the tribe. I helped her get seated in her honorary spot. I could sense in her movements that her strength diminished a great deal after giving me her energy. I kissed her on her forehead and stood up, addressing my tribe, taking my rightful place as a leader, as a wise woman.
“My dear friends! It has been only a week since we last gathered here. A long stressful week, in which the group was to decide on a most important matter. A matter that will determine the tribe’s essence and identity. Will we walk in the footsteps of our forefathers– or shall we stick to the social norms we know, and preserve them? We all witnessed the downfall of the marriage institute even before the world washed away. Who knows? Maybe this horrible flood came upon us because humanity had reached a dead end? Maybe, we were given the opportunity to try and re-examine the familiar, traditional family structure that had lost its values and assets?
“There is a good reason we are now using the term “tribe.” We found ourselves in a situation that took us back millions of years, as if in a time machine. We are back at the most basic starting point, where our survival needs have surpassed the fleeting priorities of the ethical and moral codes of society, that now, in our current situation, are meaningless and even redundant and dangerous. What good will the marriage institute do us now—if most of us are without partners and some of the women are unable to bear a child? What good will come out of couple’s exclusivity—if it will lead to frustration and violence by those who are left alone? And what good can come out of the traditional family structure, when we are all one big family now, supported by each other, dealing with loss and grief, lending each other a hand, coping with harsh survival conditions and famine, especially dealing with the uncertainty. This huge question that hovers over our heads—what will happen to us when we run out of food?
“All these questions strengthen and prove, and especially belittle, right now—the standing of the monogamy concept. Maybe later down the line, when our survival is not threatened, we will be able to enjoy the privilege of re-examining the situation, and set new rules, but as it is right now, when we are facing our demise every day, when we find ourselves starving, without a moral compass, we will act like animals searching for food at all cost.
“I personally experienced firsthand the social statistics of divorce in Western society. Almost fifty percent of married couples got divorced. Isn’t that a clear enough sign that, in this situation, the marriage institute will fail miserably? And let me give you something else to think about: The establishment of the marriage institute came from long periods of time when people were starving, poor and plagued. The Catholic Church understood the situation and searched for a solution to this difficult predicament that existed throughout Europe. During medieval times, the Church recommended the men to marry one woman only and provide for her and her children to ease the burden of life in this manner. Another factor was the transition to urban living. The more people settled in cities, the more the tribal way of life was abandoned.
“The tribe acted as an extended family unit, a multi-aged society where everyone supported all. Little children were raised next to adults and elders, witnessing the customs, learning and mimicking them as they grew up. In the tribal society, children were never left alone. There was always someone there to watch over them, a parent or another adult, and even older children that were already part of the working force and shared the responsibilities of the tribe.
“The emphasis in this type of society is on the co-operation and togetherness. In it, if one should wish to seclude himself and retire from the tribe for a while in order to strengthen or learn important life lessons, it was an individual decision. But, most of the time, people lived together, sharing all they had. It is also written in the Bible in the book of Genesis: “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone,” but with the modern way of life—we have become very lonely! We had strayed so far away from the original form of a tribe, far away from the human togetherness, when most of the newlywed couples had to follow the herd that dictated that they should distance themselves from their parents, as getting married was testimony to their adulthood and independence. Couples who were forced to live by or with their parents were considered weak and in need of support. It is not like that in the tribal way of life. On the contrary! In this case, the young ones stayed close to the wise and experienced adults, learning and acquiring life skills from them.
“The romantic perception of a relationship creates big expectations from our partner, to give an immediate response to all our needs: stability, provision, safety, support, and containment. These expectations create, in turn, a severe dependency on one person, having him take all the responsibility of fulfilling our every need at any giv
en moment. This is impossible! The likelihood that two people will share the same needs at the same time is nonexistent! On the other hand, in a tribal community each member contributes their share of abilities, wants, and needs, and so the individual’s needs are met by the entire tribe. Only a tribal community can fulfill the entire network of human needs at the same time by a large number of people. Only in a tribal society will there always be someone that is able to provide a timely and accurate response to an immediate need of someone else.
“None of us at this point, have the option of living on our own. We do not have the possibility to divide our little island, so each of us will live in little plots as was customary before the flood. Even if we wish for it very hard, the world will never be as it was. We are unable to predict when the waters will continue to descend, how much further the levels will retreat, or if there are any more survivors in the world. We now have a one-time opportunity that every man aspires to at least once in his life, to erase the past and start all over again, to have a clean slate!
“It is now that I am raising the question: there, we received the opportunity—what are we going to do with it? Will we build a completely brand new world? Will we rebuilt it on its wreckage and try to reconstruct it exactly the way it was before? Or, will we learn from past mistakes and try to create a much wiser new world that is healthier, and true? This is the question that each of us needs to ask themselves.
“I believe that in the past few days we were all going around with these questions inside. I truly hope that you have taken everything into serious consideration and have given the matter much thought. I believe that all that is left for us to do now is to conduct the vote, accepting whatever outcome will determine the tribe’s decision.”
When I concluded my speech, the cave was silent.
“Grace, with your permission—” Rebecca’s weak voice broke the silence— “I want to ask you, even before the vote, will you tell the tribe members what happened in the cave last night. It is most significant, and in my humble opinion, it will shed light on your vision, even for the last of the members who still harbor doubt.”
Although weak, Rebecca’s voice sounded well throughout the cave. I took a deep breath again. I was troubled by Rebecca’s condition, but I was even more worried about Eddie’s reaction when he finally hears the truth…
* * *
Chapter 20
“We all know by now that there are special powers at play in the sacred cave. The sweet, clear waters induced my visions, and yesterday I realized their healing powers as well when they helped me heal from the strange fever that ailed me. But they healed more than my body temperature. Something happened yesterday in the holy cave. Something dark and terrible that might have ended in the vandalizing and desecration of the cave, violating its sanctity; but fortunately, the same wondrous powers that flow through the waters, guarded and protected the place, me and the continued existence of the tribe,” I said, readying the group for the more difficult aspects of my story, that were sure to invoke some agitated reactions. “As I was soaking in the sacred basin, invested solely in healing and dreaming—Cole attacked me and dragged me by force out of the water!” Mumbles of anger and protest were immediately sounded.
“Let me continue, please! It is important that you hear the whole story before you react. It is crucial that you stay calm and patient until I finish what I have to say—and please, understand that it is not easy for me to share this information. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, to say the least, but Rebecca is right, I have to tell you the whole truth, otherwise we will soon find ourselves in unbearable times when we will regret the fact we didn’t die in the ocean too!” I raised my voice to top the protesting members’ rustle, exercising the new authority I was given to calm everyone down.
“Cole was a foreign element. A spawn of evil. But at the same time, it could have been anyone else. After pulling me out of the water, he tried to whip me and subdue me by force—but I did not give in to him. I struggled, even though he wounded me with his belt that left bleeding cuts on my arm and back…” I showed them the marks that were still visual.
“It is with thanks to these wounds that I discovered the miraculous healing powers of the water! These cuts could not have healed on their own. It is a miracle, a miracle that happened after I bathed in the waters once more.”
Eyes widened in surprise, and people started voicing their astonishment.
“But my story doesn’t end here. After he had managed to tear my skin, I had no strength to resist anymore. I was sure he would take advantage of the situation, rape me and totally humiliate me. It was clear to me that if he succeeded in beating and breaking me, every other woman in the tribe would no longer be safe from him, and we would all be in a constant state of danger, which would in turn change the nature of this tribe. Very quickly his actions would have become known to us all, forcing us to stand up against him and lynching him, becoming judge, jury and executioners.
This kind of violence will only bring more violence, which in turn will lead to other acts of horror. Dear friends, this cave is truly sacred! Because the same wondrous forces that healed me, sent help and salvation at just the right time! The blue eagle that was entrusted to protect me and the tribe came to my assistance at the last possible minute, before Cole’s sharp claws managed to tear me apart. Cole is the black bird. You can now possibly understand some of Rebecca’s clues. The blue eagle is Jack—and in my vision, I saw he was selected to protect us. And thank God for it—because thanks to his alertness since the first incident with Cole, right here in this cave, he kept a watchful eye on Cole and tracked his every move. Thanks to Jack, Cole will not be bothering us anymore, and no woman will be forced to live under a threat!” Again, calls of support came from the tribe interrupting my speech. They were expressing their full support of Jack’s actions and acceptance of what he did. Although I never disclosed explicitly Cole’s fate, the hint was clear and people sighed in relief.
During the exchange of words amongst the members of the tribe, I quickly scanned the audience in the cave. Jack wasn’t there. He kept his promise and stayed away, fully understanding that after this assembly, Eddie would go looking to confront him.
My eyes stumbled on Eddie’s eyes. His almond brown eyes, that used to look at me with tenderness and love, were now blackened with rage. His nostrils were widened and fluttering, and then he lashed at me: “Why didn’t you call me, Grace?!” All at once everyone became silent again when they were taken by surprise by Eddie’s sudden reaction–which came as no surprise to me. “Am I not good enough to protect you?” He came closer, looking like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
“Eddie! Up until two hours ago your leg was broken and splinted and you were walking on crutches. How exactly did you plan to protect me? Odds are that Cole would have hurt or killed you and then come back to rape me! Besides, it is exactly as I saw in my vision. Jack was chosen to be this tribe’s protector!”
“Why didn’t you call for me or Roan to protect you?” He continued—ignoring my words. “Roan would have overpowered him for sure!!” He was now standing close to me, his angry look towering over me, trying to make me feel small and weak.
“Eddie! I didn’t call anyone! I didn’t call Jack either. He arrived on his own because that is what he felt he should do. It wasn’t me who told him of his calling or asked him to guard and protect me. Maybe if you were a little more attentive to what’s going on here and not so preoccupied with yourself and the attempt to hold on to what’s yours, you might have heard or felt your new calling. You are holding on to things from a past that drowned together with everything else you had. You don’t want to accept the changes that befall on us all, you only fight them, fight me, and my love!” I finally dared to tell him my opinion about his conservatism, then and now.
“Love?! What love are you talking about?? What you are encouraging us to do is pure decadence and immoral—now you tell me that once Jack was done saving you and el
iminated Cole from the picture, he returned to collect his merit badge and received your body and graces, as a token of appreciation for his good deed?!?” He guessed with contempt, still unaware of how right he was.
I kept silent. Weighing carefully the next words that would come out of my mouth, and then I said them slowly and clearly, fully aware that from here onwards, there would be no turning back.
“Jack didn’t need to ‘win my graces’ or receive a ‘merit badge’ from me,” I repeated Eddie’s insults. “Jack and I had united as early as the first time I went up to the cave! Unlike you, Jack accepts the vision of the tribe–and more so, he accepts my love for you, my relationship with you, and did not complain when I preferred your jealous, conservative company over his!” I too was distraught by now, unleashing the truth straight at his stunned face. “Instead of thanking him for saving my life and defending all of us—you have the nerve to judge us!” All the frustration from the past week came gushing out, shot back at his outburst.
“Jealous?! Conservative?! You… you… promiscuous slut!!!” He lost his temper and was shaking with rage. “You are lucky you are a woman, which means I will never lay a hand on you, but your lover—he will not be spared!! I hope you are satisfied with yourself. There is no need for a vote! It is clear to all that the tribe has spoken—I and am the only idiot who thought otherwise!” His voice thundered through the cave. “This time, the joke is on me! But don’t you think this will go over quietly!” Furious and upset he cleared his way out, rudely pushing anyone who stood in his way trying to stop him and talk some sense in him.
“Let him go!” My authoritative voice turned the attention back to me. Even Eddie stopped in his tracks right at the entrance to the cave, surprised by the intensity of my voice. “It’s o.k. You do not scare me, Eddie,” I talked to him with the same decisive and determined tone, but my words were aimed at the whole tribe. “You were comfortable as long as I was in your shadow, now that your leadership is threatened by me, you don’t know what ‘to do’ with me. It was convenient then too, when I shrunk in your presence, and it allowed you to show everyone you were too good for me. No, I will not say that it is the other way around. I don’t think that I am too good for you, and I shall not try to displace you or overshadow you. I am offering for you to join me and the rest of the tribe members that still cherish you and recognize your exceptional leadership abilities! Despite your objections and your behavior, I am positive that everyone here would be very happy, should you decide to embrace the resolutions and take your natural place in leading the tribe, where you are really needed.”
