The Maiden and The Four Waters

“WALLA! WALLA!” Screamed a man leaving over the boats edge. He tried not to panic as he saw her floating face down. “BELDE!” Rali called out “Reach close” Rali called his friend to the edge of the boat “grab a paddle.”

Belde, a portly man grabbed a paddle as he rushed to what Rali was screaming about. He dropped his jaw as he noticed what his friend saw.

Rali and Belde attempted to reach the paddle to Walla, their attempts lay useless.

Rali jumped over the boat’s edge. Beldi held tight to the boat as it swayed with the splash.

Rali took a few kicks to Walla. He flipped her onto her back “Walla?” He brushed her hair out of her face, he carefully dragged her to the boat. He attempted to lift Walla up as Belde helped hoist Walla on board.

Belde carried Walla to the front of the deck, he kicked away their fishing tools as he rested Walla on top of blankets.

“Belde!”

Belde rushed back to Rali, grabbing each other’s hands as Beldi lifted Rali out of the water.

“Walla” The males cried as they stepped over to her. They ignored her white soaked shirt; they ignored her unconsciousness as they panicked.

“Is she alive?” Belde questioned.

Rali shrugged “She looks like she’s sleeping. We need to get back to shore.”

The two males used the boat paddles to their push their boat towards the shore. They glanced to Walla in between the paddle pushes. They hoped the sun would keep her alive.

Belde dropped his paddle on the boat as he rushed to the thick rope at the back of the boat. He created a circle and threw it out at the wooden jetty, Belde took serval attempts before the rope finally caught the pole. He pulled the rope tight, pulling the boat closer to the jetty.

“Rali, grab her quick” Belde called as he stepped onto the jetty.

Rali slide his arm under Walla, cradling her in his arms as he carried her off the boat.

“Melana. We need her.” Beldi panicked.

“She needs Crowe. She’ll know what to do” Rali admitted.

Rali adjusted the weight of Walla in his arms as the three of them shuffled as fast as they could to Shavill.

Walla’s body began to shake in Rali’s arms as they pushed past the bushes.

“CROWE!” Belde screamed.

“MELANA!” Rali dropped to his knees struggling to keep Walla in his arms.

The villagers rushed over to the three of them.

Crowe pushed through the crowd; Melana trailed behind her. The two women watched as Walla began to cough up water.

“Sit her up!” Crowe cried.

Rali pushed Walla into a sitting position as Crowe knelt down in front of them.

“We found her by the fangs faced down” Belde admitted.

Melana watched as Walla threw up fits of waters into her lap.

“She escaped from the hospital after only waking this morning” Crowe stated.

Walla exhaled the final droplets of water. She turned her attention up at the crowd around her.

“Ma’am” Melana stated.

Walla held up her hand to silence the older woman. She attempted to stand to her feet.

Rali leant his hand to help her up.

“I’m trying to save our town. If you all believe something has taken our men than I believe you” Walla looked at each of the faces gathered around her “I’d rather risk my own life than have any of you die for me.”

“Have you found something?” a male’s voice called out.

“I’m not quite certain. There is something. It clearly knows how to give us the spooks but what exactly.” Walla struggled to remember the king and Mariana “For now, I forbid any sea travels. All must be by land.”

“What about the fish?” called out a voice.

“Until I can for certain say what’s beneath. Fish is off the menu.” Walla watched as the crowd tried to hold back their anger.

The crowd knew better than to go against the governor’s words.

“I pray to heaven’s above that this shall pass by the end of the week.” Walla paused “Please go about the rest of your day.”

The crowd slowly began to dispose leaving Walla with Rali, Belde, Melana and Crowe.

Walla turned to face the two gentlemen “What were you doing on the water?”

Rali and Belde looked at each other as they tried to find a story to tell.

“Truth” Walla crossed her arms.

“We were...” Rali began.

“Yes, that’s what we were doing.” Beldi failed to hear the rest of Rali’s thoughts.

“Scavengers” Walla breathed.

“Us? No. Ma’am. We’d never.” The males chimed together.

“Scavengers. Remember I grew up with the two of you. I know your tricks.” Walla admitted as the males lowered their heads “Did you find anything?”

Rali and Beldi twisted a smirk at each other as they lifted their heads.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

“But we found you, ma’am.” Belde admitted “What’s greater than that?”

Walla scoffed with amusement “Run off. Stay off the water.”

The males ran into the tavern with Walla’s sentence.

Walla turned to see Crowe with her arms folded across her chest “Let’s go back to mine than we can discuss.”

“Walla, we can’t have you…” Crowe began.

“Like my father? I know. Melana reminds me every morning” Walla began walking down the dirt covered path.

Melana trailed behind Walla.

Crowe filled with annoyance as she chased up to Walla. Crowe was the one that the town saw as the wise woman.

An indigenous nurse.

She had been the one to bring Walla from her mother’s womb. The one who nannied Walla from infancy until Walla’s 16th birthday. Crowe held hierarchy amongst the hospital per Walla’s father’s wishes.

The three women stepped at a brick fence line. Melana pushed open the gate, she stepped through first, she stopped four steps in the yard. She turned her attention to a bush filled with ribbons of all colours. Walla stepped behind Melana. Crowe closed the gate behind her. The three women paused in silence in front of the ribbon filled bush.

“This shall not be the last thought we share. This shall be the beating of blood in my veins and the love in my heart. With each breath, their history keeps me alive.” Walla spoke.