“The four captors in my case, they were spies?”
“Yes.” Huthang leaned against a wall and continued, “Tai Oh has other learning: he knows the workings of the stars, the sun, and the moon. He can predict the change of seasons, and he does way more than count with numbers. He assures peace in this land.”
“He rules with a very strong hand, Akla. You have been abducted. Normally, when one has arrived here resulting from an abductrion, one of three things happens to him. He may be asked to be an assistant to someone, he may be sent to labor for this place, or he may be destroyed.”
“What do you mean destroyed?” Akla asked.
“Killed,” Huthang said without any emotion whatever.
“Well, now that Tai Oh has the information he wanted from me, what will become of me? Will I be killed?”
“Not so fast, Akla. First of all, Tai Oh lacks some information he wants from you. It seems the master of weapons wants to learn to make spear points like the one your spear has. He is very interested in it.”
“So, I live until he learns to make spear points like mine?”
“Akla, you thinking from fear not reason. You will not be killed or put to hard labor. You are now one of my assistants. I already asked for and received permission from Tai Oh. Now, I realize you will want to return to your people. For your life to continue, Akla, listen carefully. If you leave the walled place, you will die. People will be sent to find you and kill you, bringing only your head to prove you are dead. Your body would be left to the beasts to eat. Like it or not you cannot leave here.”
“You mean ever. There is no way I can earn freedom?” Akla was becoming claustrophobic at the thought of being a prisoner for the rest of his life.
“That is what happened when you were abducted. You now belong to Tai Oh or me, depending on how you view it. That is simply how your life changed at the moment of capture. The good part is that you will be given more and more freedom here as you show that it is warranted. I warn you, however, not to consider escape. Escape will bring on certain death. You saw how far from the rest of life in this land you are. Do not for a moment think that you can fool people who’ve lived here their entire lives. You would be found, and your death would be so horrible you don’t want to think of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Huthang sighed. “Returned escapees are beaten and their arms and legs are broken. They are staked to the ground. People may do to them whatever they like. When they die, they are fed to the dogs. We have some women who think it quite the thing to peel the skin from these people while they live. Believe me, it’s terribly painful. They do it for many days. Bugs find peeled skin attractive. Eventually, the escapee’s body stinks horribly, yet the body remains for all to see—as a warning. You’ll probably see some of these during your life here. I tell you these things to warn you. Do not try to be heroic for your SealEaters. Others stronger than you have tried. You have no chance of having any success if you try. Just don’t. Accept what has happened to you and make the best of it. You’ll find that you can spend the rest of your life trying to learn what there is to learn here, and never reach all the information. There is much here to keep someone like you with good ability to reason busy for a lifetime or two. Give yourself over to learning. You’ll find answers to questions here that you’ve thought could not be answered. You’ll find answers to questions you’ve never known to ask. Learn everything you can learn. It’s something you can do to make the best of what has happened to you.”
Huthang decided not to drag out the information. “It’s now time for you to go back to your place to continue your memory work. Have you ever taught anyone to make spear points like yours?”
“Yes,” Akla replied.
“Then prepare yourself for tomorrow. Be certain your thoughts are in order. People here come prepared to learn. They learn quickly. They will expect you to keep up with them.”
Akla followed the man into the descending stairway in the big structure. It was there, under the ground, where the people who were Huthang’s assistants lived and learned. Akla took a brief look over the wall at the forests beyond before entering the stone building. He sighed. He descended the steps with a heaviness of spirit. He sighed again. “At least,” he murmured, “I will not be destroyed.”
A moon after Akla had taught the spear point technique to the weapons makers, Huthang called him after the morning meal. They went outside to the lower part of the hill.
“I want you to see the construction down there,” Huthang said, pointing to a place at some distance from them inside the wall. Much dirt had been moved to a pile. From the second level of the large building, it was easy to see.
“What are they building?” Akla asked.
“A well.”
“What’s a well?” Akla replied.
“It’s a like a tunnel that goes straight down to water. It keeps us from having to walk to the river. We can lower containers to the bottom to fill them with water. It’s a great convenience. I want you to see how it’s made and to hear your thoughts.”
Akla began to move toward the large steps.
“No, not there, Akla,” Huthang said with a wisp of a smile. “Follow me.”
They descended the narrow steps to the interior of the great stone structure. Huthang led Akla through a corridor that somehow he’d never noticed because of the construction. They followed the tunnel from which other tunnels branched. Akla was confused. Suddenly, Akla could see a slash of light, and then it widened. They were on the ground level. Akla was startled, but he realized there was purpose in the great stairs, but for those familiar with the maze of tunnels, the effort required by the great steps was not necessary. Akla quickly reasoned that the great steps must be designed to intimidate, to raise the inaccessibility of Tai Oh. Akla began to realize these people thought in ways he never imagined. He looked back. The tunnel exited to a place where no one would normally go. It was close to the wall and well designed to look like a solid wall, designed as were moths to look like tree bark. Akla knew these people were filled with knowledge his people had never known. The difference was becoming more and more evident, and it was far wider than he would have guessed from the early days at Uhurkamakono.
“Now, Akla, they have been digging far down. Once they are down to a certain level, they can no longer throw the dirt to the ground, so they transport it out in buckets. Eventually, the collection of water from the well reverses that process. People will lower buckets to the water and let the bucket drop to fill with water. Then they haul it up.”
Akla was amazed at the wonder of making water available. He knew they had water available inside the great stone building all the time, but he had not thought of its source.
“You can see they have just reached water, for the earth is very wet at the bottom. Notice over here they have rectangle forms. What do you think the rectangle forms’ use will be?”
“I have no idea, Huthang.”
“They will mix this dirt with cut grasses to make a mud-grass mixture. Then they will put the mud-grass mixture into these forms. The mud in the forms will dry in the sun until finally, the rectangular shapes can be removed from the forms where they retain the shape of the rectangle. Can you imagine what use they might have?”
“I should think you could use them to build things,” Akla replied.
“That’s right. Build what?”
“I don’t know. Homes, maybe?”
“Akla, this is a well, focus on the well.”
Akla studied the well. He thought for a long time. He considered it for its purpose. Then he began to consider other things such as the environment of the well. Water needed to be clean. An open dig like this would make it possible for things to fall into the water and contaminate it. Rain or snow could carry dirt inside the well. Suddenly, Akla realized that the rectangular shapes could be used to hold the earth back so as to keep the dirt from contaminating the water.
“I think I finally have it,” he said quie
tly.
“What then is the purpose of the rectangular structures made of mud?”
“I think they will make a wall within the well to keep dirt on the sides from contaminating the water.”
“Is that all?”
“Well, I think the rectangular structures should go higher than the ground, so that dirt from the ground doesn’t go into the well. What I cannot imagine is how to keep the water clean from things falling in a walled well.”
“You have not observed while spending your time out here. Look over there by that big tree.”
“Am I supposed to see the stone wall with the lean-to built over it?”
“Yes. And what might that be?”
“Is that another well?”
“Yes. You haven’t observed anyone using it?”
“Huthang, I have only rarely been outside the huge stone building. When I entered Uhurkamakono, I was frightened and angry, and I didn’t look around to learn from what I could see.”
“That is something you should learn. Despite fright and anger, it is always wise to examine your surroundings very carefully to make note of anything you do not understand.”
“I shall heed your words.”
“Good. Now, go to the well under the tree and pull me up some water to drink.”
Akla did as he was told. He carried a small gourd to Huthang, who drank it dry.
“Have some yourself, if you’re thirsty,” he told Akla, who was and did.
“Now, let’s go measure the ice encroachment,” he said and turned. It wasn’t an option.
Akla followed him through the narrow place where the lower tunnel entryway was to the huge building. They went up a ramp between the wall and the huge structure. The ramp was steep and there was a rope laid on it so that a climber could use it to assist in the climb up or let themselves down with greater ease. Some men walked up with their feet parallel to the top and bottom, but most used the rope to assist with ascent and descent.
At the top there was a horizontal plane, a little like the terraces, about two by six man-lengths. Huthang walked over to the center of the flat terrace and looked down.
“That is completely unpredicted!” he exclaimed. “This will have to be reported. Let’s go down quickly.”
“Huthang, can you at least tell me what you’ve seen?” Akla had never seen Huthang become excited about anything. He was curious what had set off the response.
“Come here quickly. Look straight over the wall. Look down. What do you see?”
“The ice has pushed in a few of the stones below this wall.”
“Yes. At the rate of the current advance, it’ll be into the building in a matter of moons. Follow me.”
Instead of going down the way they’d come up, Huthang went around an oddly shaped rock and behind it there was another tunnel. He followed Huthang who was moving quickly. They went to the big room where Tai Oh spent the day in the mammoth seating place. Huthang went to the far right of the entryway and lowered himself to his knees. He folded his hands. Akla did the same thing. They waited.
Tai Oh said, “Huthang and Akla, forward.” They moved forward, and Tai Oh said, “Huthang, speak.”
Still standing, Huthang said, “The ice has advanced more rapidly than predicted. It has moved stones in the wall.” Huthang bowed. Akla didn’t know what to do, so he made a slight bow.
“All leave but Huthang and Akla,” Tai Oh ordered.
The few people who remained in the room left. When Tai Oh felt the area sufficiently cleared, he said in a quiet voice, “Be seated on the pillows.” Both Huthang and Akla sat. Tai Oh asked with a sense of urgency, “How well are things going in the south?”
“The main building is completely ready. The wall remains to be finished. By the time we could reach it, all should be finished.”
“Then, I will order that we move out in three days. We will go to our river, following it to the great river and from there to the sea. From the sea we can reach the old land. How I hate the heat down there, but it must be.”
“Is there anything special you want me to oversee or provide for you or your harem?” Huthang asked.
Akla observed that with all the others gone, Tai Oh and Huthang acted like good friends. He was fascinated.
“No, that is all arranged. I had hoped that the glacier would retreat, but it seems it has to grow more yet. When we set up this place, it was so far from the great ice. My hope is now dashed. It is probably past time to make this long trip. I do so hate the heat down there, but we will have no fear of ice sheets invading, only bugs and snakes.”
Akla observed that Tai Oh was not nearly as old as he thought the old man to be. He was exceedingly thin and his skin hung on him loosely. His face gave Akla an estimated age of somewhere between thirty and forty years.
“Do you wish to leave a remnant here?” Huthang asked.
“There is no need. From time to time, I’ll send spies here to check. Perhaps in my lifetime the ice will turn, but if it melts, can you imagine the swamp this land will be until it is absorbed? Horrible even to consider. Akla,” Tai Oh said.
Akla jumped. He hadn’t expected to be addressed by Tai Oh. He felt out of place even being there. He had been wishing he could make himself invisible.
“Akla, I have good reports from all who have met you. I think you can see that Huthang is not only a well trusted member of my council, but also he is and has been a special friend. I charge you, as one of his assistants, to look after him well, for I should be undone if anything happened to Huthang.”
“I shall do my best,” Akla said quietly with sincerity.
“That is all I can ask,” Tai Oh replied.
Akla had no knowledge of what was expected of anyone who met with Tai Oh, so he continued to try to be as invisible as possible.
“Thank you for your report, Huthang. Three days. Let the word go out.”
Huthang stood and Akla, seeing the movement, also stood.
“I go to prepare.”
Tai Oh said, “Three days.”
“Three days,” Huthang repeated.
They left the great room. When they were well outside the room, men with spears who stood at the entrance returned to their posts.
Huthang said nothing until they were descending the narrow steps to the lower level.
“Tell the other assistants that we leave in three days. Akla give them no more information than that. Tell them to make themselves ready to leave when I call for them.”
“I will,” Akla said. He went quickly to carry out Huthang’s order.
Akla wondered about the message. He knew they were to go south, but he did not know what was involved. Akla just learned two rivers would take them to the sea. He realized that Huthang and Tai Oh knew of another place to locate, a place he’d never known existed. Akla learned that the place might have been used long ago and they had prepared it for the present as an alternative to where they lived. Akla never ceased to be amazed at these people and their knowledge and planning. One day they were building a well and the next they were leaving a place where many hundreds of people lived, all because ice had moved faster than expected, moving some rocks in the wall. Akla knew there was more to it than that, but he didn’t have the information that would have made sense of it all. Suddenly, Akla heard loud cracks and groans from the ice sheet. He tried to ignore it and carry out Huthang’s orders. He was determined to do what he’d been told, but it was hard. Gut came racing through the tunnel and stopped when he saw Akla.
“What is the noise?” he asked, obviously frightened.
Akla tried to remain calm. “It’s the ice sheet. It may be preparing to drop a chunk of ice.”
Gut turned to go back to the room where they practiced their memory work.
“Wait, Gut,” Akla called out. “Huthang told me to tell you to be prepared to leave here when he calls you three days from now.”
“Where are we going? Will it be for a long time?” he asked.
“I know no more
than I’ve told you,” Akla said convincingly.
“Very well,” Gut said and turned into the room.
Akla followed him into the room where the remaining assistants were busily engaged in their memory work. He delivered the message to the others as a group. The same questions were raised, and then there was acceptance and quiet as they resumed their work. Another crack from the ice sheet and then all remained quiet.
Three days passed faster than Akla could have imagined. The third day Akla was astonished to see Tai Oh not actually walking but rather being transported on a platform made on two spear shafts that four men carried. He was at the forefront of the procession to the river. Behind him were women in a large group. Tai Oh’s council members and their assistants came next. Then men many of whom Akla had never seen. Then more women with children. Then more men and women and children. Along the line were the men Huthang called spies. These were well trained people who had hunter and warrior skills that were superior to any Akla could imagine. They had after all captured him. Some of the spies led the line, and a number of them were positioned at the end of the line.
Despite the huge number of people, it was very quiet along the way. From time to time a child would make a noise, but it was quickly silenced. They walked for quite a long time, but they reached the river and Akla was astonished. The boats were like nothing he’d ever seen. They had rooms built atop them. Tai Oh made a speedy entry onto the largest of the boats. His carrying device was placed on the boat and tied to it. The boats were made in a manner that Akla could not determine from a quick glance. They were not rafts, nor dugouts. He would have to study them as they traveled. Apparently there were places for rowers to sit on either side of these boats. There were places for people to sleep. There was even a special place for Tai Oh. They had supplies and many, many people.
Huthang came over to Akla. “You must go on this boat,” he told Akla. “That small room is for you and the rest of my assistants. My place is at the very front of that space. See that our things are placed in there and tell the others.” Akla quickly found the other assistants and told them what Huthang had said. He carried his backpack and spear and Huthang’s possessions for the trip and placed them on the sleeping skins already provided in the room. Once all boarded, they began the river trip. People were hungry and it was time for the evening meal. Each boat was provisioned, so the evening meal was distributed. Most of the food was jerky, but some dried fruit was shared among some of the travelers.
The SealEaters, 20,000 BC Page 22
