by Ann Patty
Atsa introduced Terra to his clan. Two were his brothers, Tahoma and Yiska. The other two, Gad and Shilah, were his cousins. Gad and Shilah were also brothers. All four men reached out with a gracious smile to greet Terra. She apologized for eavesdropping, but they shook their heads that she was not. It was explained that on the third Thursday of the fifth month of the calendar year, they had a ceremony. In years past, clans of the Dine band would come and the halls of the boulders would be filled for days in celebration. At least this was their family tradition. But as the years waned so did the number of participants. This year would find just the six of them in ceremony. Now Terra understood the reason for the timing of Atsa's arrival there. He had come for the ceremony and along the way he had met her.
Since the number of participants was small, they would modify their gathering to their own liking. Traditions of the past asked for a ceremony to give thanks to the spirits of the earth, the water, and the sky for all that they have provided. Typically there was lots of dancing around a huge fire circle, drumming, wind instruments, and a granting of peyote. The celebration would go through the night, and at dawn there would be a feast fit for many kings. This night's version would share the same premise, but scaled down to suit the bounty that each person brought. It was agreed that the new travelers find a room to call their own, get settled and rested, and then reconvene at dusk to begin.
After the sets of brothers scattered, Atsa turned to Terra and asked her if she was okay with the agenda. She was excited about it, and nodded her head strongly, yes. He took her hand and they walked outside the basin of boulders to a spot that Atsa insisted they sit down. Terra felt safe within his reach. They sat and faced the setting sun. A blanket wash of yellow, orange, crimson, and purple covered the sky.
Just then, hauntingly beautiful tunes germinated from the boulders. One of the cousins was playing his flute. Harmonious notes carried a tale of peace filled with sorrow. His song wailed on. It brought tears to Terra's eyes. The score brought memories of theatrical performances of her past life. When the song ended, there was a long pause. The air revitalized with the rhythm of a hand drum. Light hearted, strong, and without care for perfection, the next cousin drummed like a wild card. After a bit, a steady rhythm cycled and the flute took its lead. For the next hour, the cavern of bounders came to know a life of ethereal sounds privy to only the six. “Come here,” Atsa asked as he put his arm around Terra and she laid her head into his neck. Together they listened to the sweet sounds floating across the humming desert.
The call came to gather in the form of a drum roll that had been used eons before. Terra and Atsa rose to their feet. Hand in hand they walked towards the direction of the sounds from the southwest. When they arrived a fire pit had been prepared. A growing glow was spreading out. Everyone took their place. It had been decided that Yiska, Atsa's oldest brother, would steer the night's events. It was fitting as his name Yiska reflected or meant the 'night has passed'. It was known that Yiska's difficult entry into the world fell on two nights and one day. Just as the second night turned to dawn his first cry pierced the sound barrier. 'Night has passed' was an appropriate tribute to Yiska.
Yiska motioned for all to take a comfortable position around the fire. He started with a chant, obviously unknown to Terra. Several others chimed in. It sounded like a blessing, but felt like a thank you to Mother Earth. Thereafter a loaf of bread was passed around the circle. The breaking of bread was something Yiska had instigated. He reasoned it was a decent gesture when starting the circle. Each family adopted their own traditions. Atsa's brothers and their cousins had their own way, but each ceremony differed a bit as well.
The next step began when Yiska pulled out an eagle feather. His free hand blessed it. Nodding towards the sky, Yiska placed it in the fire. His cousin, Gad, sat to his right. Gad pulled out strips of bark and some squashed berries. Gad's name derived from a Juniper Tree. He had always brought something from one. Gad was a nature lover, believing the spiritual qualities of the Juniper helped guide his life decisions. He squatted over the fire and released his finds. He sat back, looking like he had fulfilled his duty to the Juniper.
Next was Terra's turn. She was ill prepared. However, ever since leaving the rock she and Atsa had been seated on, she noticed she had carried something with her. She unfolded a gift from her hand. It was a couple of tiny shells. Where they came from was a mystery. Perhaps from the rock they had been sitting on? Terra believed the shells came off the necklace of another hiker. She bent forward, kissed the shells, and then they cascaded from her hand into the fire.
Atsa had a single strand from his long hair that he offered to the fire. Tahoma, Atsa's younger brother but not by much, took his turn. He presented a bouquet of perfectly pristine wildflowers. Whether he picked them along the way there or gathered them previously was unknown, but it was a feat that they were so intact and vibrant. Tahoma started to pull the bouquet apart. The first flowers being a daisy and a poppy, he handed to Terra. She was touched and smiled at him. Tahoma proceeded to give each brother and cousin some flowers. When he was done he inhaled their scents and tossed the rest into the fire. He sat back with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. He looked an awful lot like Atsa, long hair and all.
Shilah could not top that so he waved his hands to pass. Shilah's name meant brother, which was fitting since everyone regarded him as their own. There was a silent period in contemplation. The fire was redistributed to last the night.
Peyote
The moment of contemplation passed then Yiska brought out and presented a baggie full of white strips. He generously passed the baggie around. Some took two pieces and popped them into their mouths. When the baggie got to Terra, she was puzzled. She didn't even know what it was. Atsa gently removed the baggie from her hand. He then took one slice of peyote out. His hand lowered Terra's jaw to open her mouth. With his fingers, Atsa slid the root into the pouch of her cheek. With a hand gesture he indicated to close her mouth. He patted her cheek and held a finger on her throat. Atsa then fingered an outline down her esophagus. “Just suck on it gently, just like you do to me,” Atsa whispered then flared his nostrils as he smiled. Terra winked that she understood. She was to gently absorb the peyote letting the combined juices of her saliva and the peyote in unison slip down her throat.
This ceremony was one of a magical high. There was plenty of peyote to share and some delved into the world of wonder quite fast and hard. Over the course of the night, Terra consumed four pieces of peyote. She shifted inside herself to a quiet place that she did not recognize. Peyote comes on with a silent dispatch then takes its guest on a subtle journey, well-traveled. One could become wiped out, high, or experience nothing at all. Terra opened then expanded and became one with nature and all the cosmos offered. She became the red dirt beneath her feet. The stars beckoned her home. The waters of streams ran inside her veins. Time ceased to exist. She closed her eyes and laid back in a trance. All existence flowed within her, and through her. Atsa lay back as well, sharing the other half of his blanket with Terra. Atsa's knees were bent, arms folded across his chest, as his body lay motionless. He stared blindly into the galaxy. Atsa's thoughts were lost to another dimension. His brothers and cousins took various restful positions around the fire. The band of kinsmen plus one lover had slipped into a submissive conscious state.
Through the night, they lived in the palm of nirvana. Several in the group tranced out and went into a REM sleep state with their eyes wide open. Soft song notes of the flute filled the atmosphere. A haunting melody that expressed the passage of time echoed eerily in the rock chambers. Occasionally the drums beat. Cadenced melodic steps in beats of four then six led a patterned sense of moving along. At times, the flute and drum merged to make music. Mostly each had their own agenda. The random music gave a gentle delivery which was softened by the peyote spell.
By dawn, everyone came down from their mental tree houses and began to stir. Yiska, the proverbial leader, was already chanting
over the group. It appeared that he was bestowing blessings upon each person. His energy was expansive, calm, and directive. Within the new hour of dawn each person had come back to be earthbound. Sitting around the dim coals of the firewood, small chatter began. The two cousins, Shilah and Gad, got up and began preparing the food. Slowly a feast formed on top of a makeshift table of rock forms. The cousins turned to the group and waved their hands that the chow was ready.
The men politely yielded to Terra. She stepped to the table and gasped in surprise. It was beautifully laid out with flowers, wood, and rocks as creative adornments. The food was bountiful. Terra was trying to imagine their backpacks when they first came. None seemed to be burgeoning with the likes of what was spread before her. Several whole melons had been sliced. There were various berries, fruit juices, hard boiled eggs, pickles, and olives. There were also different meats, cheeses, and breads. In addition, there were some dainty truffles, fancy cookies, and teas. The only thing missing were waffles and pancakes, but Terra dared not crack such a joke. She was so grateful and overwhelmed at the abundance. Terra took a paper plate. Before they all plunged in, Yiska gave the food a blessing. Atsa was right beside Terra and they heaped the nourishment several plates high. The rest of the brothers did not hold back either.
They sat on rocks or blankets on the ground. Some talked of their deep peyote experience. They were all aware that the effects were still present. However, nutrition was more pressing at this point. So they ate. The remainder of the day was for relaxing, swimming in the various waterholes, and exploring. Possibly more peyote and definitely more feasting on food would happen later. The plan was to spend at least one more night under the guidance of these warrior rocks.
Terra got up then bent over and whispered into Atsa's ear, “I feel a need to explore. I won't be long.” Atsa nodded his head in understanding. She turned towards their rock den suite complete with its own private pool. There, Terra put on her hiking shoes. She intended on scouting around the outside of the boulder city. The day was sunny yet held a slight breeze. It was perfect for walking. She would not need to take anything with her since she wasn't going far, so this afternoon's walk would be unencumbered. She stretched her muscles out a bit from last's night's vigil. Then, she drank a full bottle of water to hydrate and set off to the outside world.
The peyote continued to play subtly with Terra's perception. It took hold and captivated her brain long after it was ingested. In the wake of the morning the peyote high hung on quietly. Terra didn't feel affected, but the oneness with nature continued to wrap around her. Terra's senses were heightened and she could feel her aura expanding into the others. As she trekked out into the desert she felt safe because she was at peace with herself and her surroundings.
Soul Repose
The boulders' stature remained imposing even at a distance. There was much to explore out of their reach such as wildflowers, remains of trees, some live ones even, and more rocks of all sizes. Terra wondered how this landscape grew into being what it was. She meandered, kicking stones and bending over to study the flowers. Terra wandered for what seemed hours. The distance grew between where she stood and the boulder hotel. The floor of the parched desert was cracked from lack of moisture. The cracks were fissures, some were wide and deep. Terra preoccupied herself by throwing small stones into the gaps. She wondered if some were bottomless. At least they appeared to go deep into the dark. Like a kid experimenting, Terra toyed with throwing all sorts of debris into the holes. She even thought: A person would not want to use this terrace as a running track. Some of these crevices were virtual ankle breakers.
Lost in thought, Terra wasn't attentive to her path. She was now approaching an area where the rock size was increasing. Scanning the distance, she spied something reddish on the ground next to a boulder. Terra's expedition to that spot completed her vision. Yes, there were the feet wearing red city sneakers. The rock concealed the rest. Approaching slowly, Terra followed the feet up. They were still attached to a very decayed body. In fact the sneakers were really the only thing left intact. The bones inside were just propping up the shoes. The head and body had only bones left. The desert animals had picked the carcass clean. The clothes this person wore were in tatters, yet remnants of color and pattern were still evident. An intact pocket was still in place on the victim's chest. A brass belt buckle sewn to a dried, cracked, and dust caked leather belt was still sitting at the belt line. A medical examiner could tell this person's story from the partial sum total of the remains.
Looking on this frightening sight, Terra, somehow, was not shocked in the least. When she had the vision she had also felt that the red shoes were void of life. She did believe that the spirit who inhabited this body needed its wasted body to be acknowledged. Being Terra of the earth, she was the most likely recipient for a soul to reach out to. She said a prayer over the body and set her GPS before heading back to the boulder palace. Certainly, the guys would want to know about this discovery.
Taking a half hour to return, Terra realized distance in the desert was deceiving. When she entered the main room, she found the guys slumming, eating, and sleeping. She had a far more eventful last few hours than this scene offered. She wanted the guys to feel some excitement so as she nonchalantly passed through the room, Terra mentioned casually, “I found a dead body wearing red sneakers.” She pointed hastily in the general direction. That woke the guys up. Then she went over and helped herself to some melon slices, as she held her grin underneath her lips.
“What? What you say?”
“Dead body?”
“Red sneakers … out here?”
Chattering, each man echoed off their brother. And five men made a big echo in the chamber. With a mouthful, Terra nodded her head like it was no big deal. But it was a very big deal to the guys. They all were going to charge out to nowhere to solve the mystery of nothing. “It's about a half hour walk from here, so you all might consider what provisions you need to take, if any,” Terra spoke pragmatically. The guys circled around, Atsa included, and began a discussion. Atsa looked back over his shoulder at Terra and beamed. She knew that he knew of her vision and remembered it. From peyote let down to a revival and purpose, the men went about gathering up what they thought they might need.
It was apparent that Terra would need to guide them back to the spot, but she had just returned and needed a break. She told them to take their time because she needed an hour to rejuvenate. There was no discussion, as it was a stated fact. The guys liked her, more importantly they respected her, so her word was gold. Terra walked off toward her pool room. Atsa followed. Terra stripped, stepped into the pool, and submerged. The water washed away her sweat and she relaxed into a backstroke. Atsa sat on the ledge and watched her glide back and forth, as if she had no cares in the world. Several minutes later, he also disrobed and climbed into the pool. He swam the breaststroke alongside Terra. Neither spoke. They swam for many laps as if accustoming to the news of the dead body. It was a profound find and the group wanted to make sense of it. A dead body was on reservation land and the consequences could be detrimental to the tribes living there.
Within the hour, everyone was heading out into the afternoon's arid wind. Each with their own thoughts. Their pace was steady and silent. Terra thought about the red tennis shoes, which was another distinct vision that had been bestowed upon her, and why. The five guys looked to Terra for direction so she carefully retraced her path. The desert terrain was unforgiving. For as much as it seemed to not change, time, the wind, and the seasons eroded new landscapes. About fifteen minutes into their journey, Terra got disoriented with the simple task of reconstructing her tracks. Pulling out her GPS and studying it didn't help, as it made no sense. Perhaps it was the tail end let down of peyote, or the adrenaline of her find. Terra got overwhelmed, shook her head, and then handed off the GPS to Atsa and his brother Tahoma saying, “Here you two can figure it out”. Together they studied the information, talked it over, pointed to the north,
and everyone set off. Terra was relieved to be a follower.
The late afternoon was beginning to settle in. The desert wind was kicking up. The intensity of the sun was diminishing as it slipped closer to the horizon. Shadows of boulders and trees stretched long, as did the shadows of the group walking. Finally they reached the spot. All eyes were primed, yet no body appeared. Everyone scattered taking a different direction. It was imperative that this mystery uncover itself. The possibility of sand burying it was quite high. Shifting sands were just a fact. It was fitting that Terra literally tripped across her own previous discovery. For some reason this spirit was including her in its plan, whatever that was to be.
Terra raised her hand and waved overhead without taking her eyes off the red shoes. Within seconds, the men were circled around Terra. Silence held them as they studied the skeleton. Shilah had been in medical school before he dropped out to be a pilot. One area that interested him was forensic science. He had previously studied forensics for a couple of semesters. He was keen on the human body and loved that the remains of people could tell a story. Shilah scanned the barren body from head to toe without touching. The tribe of four remained standing, respecting Shilah's authority and gave him room.
