SWNOVELS Chapter CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Banishment!
After the evening meal, eaten this night in the great hall that dominated the village, there was a solemn ceremony. The prisoners, Abdul and Tyrone, were again tied, legs bound, and sat against the log wall on the far side of the building. A plate of food and a jug of water sat also next to them, and in spite of himself and his raging anger Abdul’s hunger finally got the best of him. He tasted the smoking pork with disbelieving relish, since as a devout muslim it was forbidden, and yet it was succulent beyond belief. He was sure Allah would forgive him, since he was a devout terrorist that always put his god before all else.
Tyrone had no such qualms, and had gobbled down a huge amount of meat and vegetables, even crying out “Hey, man, can’t a brother even get some bread with his meal? You f—’in honkeys gotta starve us??” This said as he literally stuffed himself with pork and vegetables, talking as he ate. The natives utterly ignored both of them as the meal continued, just as they paid no attention when their dogs barked without reason.
After all had carried their own platters to the rudimentary kitchen and resumed their places at the long, communal tables that ran the width of the hall, Akula stood before them. A blazing fire of huge logs roared in the stone fireplace, and a nimbus of light played about the medicine man’s silver hair. His aquiline profile showed plainly to Abdul, and the only word even he could think of to describe it was regal.
Raising his hands, he spoke: “We have been unjustly attacked, not from just one quarter upon our brother Wulf,” here he looked to his immediate right where the large form of that youth was seated, “but also a sneaking attack from our western borders, by two groups of very evil men.” His eyes turned and bored into those of Abdul. Tyrone kept on eating, not even really paying attention. In all of his chaotic life in the city of Chicago, never had anything really happened to him because of his bad actions. In grade school, when he bullied other students and acted up in class, he was just passed upwards, year after year. Same in high school, when he actually committed real crimes, both within and without the school building, nothing ever happened. Maybe a little ‘slap on the wrist’, but that was just something to laugh about with his buddies! He just assumed that this was how life worked, and this was just one more of those times- no big deal, and a good laugh later.
Abdul knew differently. From a strict desert people, he knew what would happen to one of these native people if they had done a small fraction of what he and his band of rogues, both black and white, had done to this tribe. And there was no mistaking the stern, almost fanatical look of this religious man before him! He braced himself for the verdict.
“These are two faces of evil- I have looked into their souls and found them gravely wanting in humanity. The dusky one is of an evil faith, but one he sincerely believes. He shall find his misplaced faith to be sadly mistaken this very night! And the other, the black remainder of the group that attacked us unjustly under the leadership of this other, will come to realize that while justice may pass one by for a time, in the end each man gets precisely what he deserves, under the watchful eyes of the Great Spirit!”
“And now, Wulf and Nikan, my sons, escort these dogs from this hall of equal men and women, for their faith has been placed in a false god in one case, and in things unworthy in the other- set them free into Nature, and let them war with the creatures of the wild!”
The people in the hall cheered loudly, and watched as Wulf and Nikan went to the prisoners and pulled them up to a standing posture. Nikan bent down and cut their leg bonds with his knife, and led them away through the hall, and down the wooden steps in front. Both somewhat staggered from lack of circulation as before, but quickly recovered. Abdul looked about him, hoping to see some means of escape, but there was none.
Finally, they had come to the edge of the thick forest. Wulf produced two small packs, and two well-made knives. “I give you both one day’s rations, as pronounced by Akula, and a knife. Any man, aye, any woman of our tribe could easily forge their way to the border of our lands with what I give you. If you are worthy, have courage, and work together as men- why, then you are free!” He tossed the packs into the woods, and then turned to go, speaking as he walked: “If you lurk about like coyotes, hoping to attack us again, we will cut you down like the dogs you truly are- so go! Either way, I shall be rid of you.” With that, his broad back, and that of his brother Nikan slowly retreated back to the Hall of the Great Spirit. Neither looked back.
The two freed prisoners watched them go, thoughts whirling in their heads. Should they really just go, were they really being set free? Abdul, much quicker witted, came to a conclusion first. “Go, and pick up our bags. We must be off, before the fools change their minds. We have food, and a weapon each- we shall be fine, and live to fight another day!” His confidence was returning; these compassionate weaklings had made a mistake in releasing him. He would return with an army, and then-”
“Whadya’ mean- pick up our bags? Yo’ ain’t a real honkey, but yo be some white, and yo don’ go tellin me what ta do!” He looked at Abdul with mean, squinty black eyes, like he looked at fools before he hit them in the knockout game.
Abdul, seeing quickly the lay of the land, backtracked deftly. “Oh, all right, I will pick up the bags, all right?” And, walking swiftly ahead, he picked up both bags. As he did so, he surreptitiously palmed the knife from the bag he handed Tyrone, and slipped it up his voluminous sleeve. Grudgingly, Tryone took the bag, and tied it about his waist, as the Arab did the same. And so, the two “companions” set off down a dim woodland trail, in a roughly western direction.