Skalkaho Chapter 8: A Jungle Pilgrimage

Mauli knew a way to the secluded mountain and plateau region. His new best friend, Frank, seemed impatient to start the trek. Little did Mauli know Frank had a void in his heart for Maria's attention. Months had passed since he last saw her in a fleeting moment losing a chance for any kind of farewell. The two Marine escorts showed "Frank" the way to Pendleton tore his heart wide open. He loved Marias and now he was tortured by the thought of John Charbonneau manipulating her in spite of Skalkaho. This motivation would push him far into the jungle abyss. He needed sanctuary, he needed to live in order to save Marias from danger and for his own love of her. 

Mauli was in it for the adventure and possible profit. He had nothing going on until Frank showed up the day before. This Prescott person had big potential, Mauli thought. He saw a weakness in him but didn't understand that his weakness lived on the other side of the world. The way ahead was through Frank Prescott even with his poor French speaking ability. 

The offer was simple coming from Frank if Mauli could take him deep enough into the oblivion of nature he would share what they find on the journey. Little did both know what they would find? It would change everything once again and turn the world upside down.

In a trip plan, debriefing the journey would begin at first light. Food packed on was good for two weeks of rationing. They would have to return to the rice paddies if the food level dropped to a five day supply. Mauli would set the course of finding the center of the jungle void. He would only give advice but never be in command of the trip.

It was a simple pack between two strangers holding secret pasts. No questions were ever to be asked for each other's purposes. It was agreed that only survival will be the ultimate guide. The next morning came early as the usual culprits began squawking and chirping awakening the rising sun. A sluggish response came from Mauli's riverside hut. Two strangers now friends were about risking everything as they slipped into the river with a packed boat. The short river passage was just the first stage crossing over to a trailhead on the other side. Mauli's boat would be left behind in about a half hour.

After landing on river's west flank, Mauli quickly found the starting point that they would take them heading Northwest into the Jungle. The long trail penetrating the unknown was just a forty mile journey but it started around the world conquest of P&M. 

A full day in the jungle made the trekkers exhausted. Not far from the trail's path a meadow opened up and an abandoned temple provided a beautiful setting, but no one was appreciating the beauty that day but it provided the desired cover from looters for Frank and Mauli. It was time to camp and the way forward was up a climbing set of steps melting into the jungle. 

The goal was to gain elevation while taking the two into the upper reaches of the jungle. The long looted temple grounds would provide a safe repose until tomorrow. So goes the journey, first going undiscovered and secondly keeping a safe position each evening from all intruders on their journey. No food was found on day one as the trail pulled them farther away from the Xe Khong river and the bigger animals stayed hidden away as the two pushed through brush areas.

Laotian Temple In A World Heritage Site near Skalkaho's eventual escape

The next day up those temple stairs brought them to a plateau area that was hiding from last night's camp below. Frank felt he was at home and achieving his own goals of staying alive. He was a week away from Vietnam and those who held his life in their hands were preoccupied with war. Frank Prescott was looking at the stairway removing him from the known planet. 

Day two brought them five miles traveling on the newly discovered high plateau. the trail passed by a small river which probably rushed toward the Mekong River or at least the Xe Khong river 10- 15 miles back near Mauli's hut. The river was about 30 yards across and exhibited some current strength and within a few minutes, a roar pierced through the jungle indicating a large waterfall was near. The plateau was ending and a 100 ft high escarpment appeared as the sound of water grew and just out of nowhere it broke into view. It was near noontime and the trekkers took a break. No one was following as the jungle stop emitted sounds of birds chirping during lunch as they rested. The food and ration status was noted as agreed upon when they started. Each day they would look at the food supply and how far they've traveled The had about two more days on the trail before they had to turn back unless food was found. 

Dong Hua Sao National Bio-Diversity Laos Water Fall

The challenge became finding a way up the escarpment and past the waterfall. It was assumed by going up and past this escarpment would make following impossible because they would truly become lost even unto their own travel. About a half mile from the waterfall adjacent to the escarpment a small animal path traversing the rock face in loose shale allowed Frank and Mauli a faint path up to the next level. First, they made sure all tracking on this trail would be made difficult by covering any traces of their passing. They were entering the object of this journey. No one could find them after the next quarter mile upward.

On top, it became level with an upward tilt consistent for a stream heading over the falls they had just worked around. An obvious trail leads them forward. Frank wanted to cut back to the river feeding the falls. The river bank indented the terrain and could be seen from Frank's current position. They would follow the course of this unnamed river for the balance of the day. The day on the trail was a wondrous adventure with all that was experienced in scenery and what was about to be stumbled upon. After about eight more miles following the river, there became a valley opening with a very old building at the center. It was time to make camp. This marks the place of the Tamil culture had once set up. it was a culture having a known history for thousands of years. It looked as though some activity had occurred in the last ten years at this temple. Mauli spoke in French to Frank letting him know this would be a safe place to camp. The religion was known for its arts and sciences. There are many more mysteries worthy of exploration at this time, but it was better to bed down before dark came upon them. 




The night came quickly as the walls of this valley closed the light. Obviously, they were camped in the middle of an ancient pathway. Over the next ridge would take them to the Mekong River which seemed to be only about 10 miles west of there position. Frank thought they would move further back in jungle tomorrow. It was lights out and a deep sleep came on very fast. Aroused early before light, it seemed a strange and different situation was occurring without any clues to the circumstance. He called for Mauli. No answer came his way. Skalkaho/Frank saw Mauli's empty bedding. He was truly alone in this word. 

However, several robed men appeared out the foliage. They signaled in his direction to come and he moved cautiously towards them. Skalkaho had left Frank's name behind. There was no fear he was in danger from the men. These were a lost group of the Tamil people no longer bothered about modern times. In fact, they were far different than the known Tamil people of the region. Their existence was for several millennia in the past. Skalkaho was invited over because there were no weapons on his person. Mauli was standing behind them with two more Tamil people standing on either side of him.

Before Skalkaho could even speak, Mauli uttered out, "he is Frank Prescott, my friend" and it was in perfect French. Skalkaho understood the words and the reaction given by the group, all was good. They would spend some time with this group until everything would be worked out. Trust had to be established before they would be let go. No harm would come to them as long as the trust was not broken.

The evening came quickly after the excitement of meeting this lost group of people. They were taken further into the jungle away from the temple they had spent the night from the prior night. It could be said, they walked all day and never noticed the journey as difficult. The language was an easy flow of French even Skalkaho understood with great ease. Everything seemed so natural as if the trail they were following was made for people to walk on. It did not appear near the temple but emerged as they slide through the underbrush. The trail started about 150 feet after the bushes were entered by the group.

This seemed like it was not accidental but more intended as fulfilling a purpose. The journey may be short but the destination is long far away. They were very interested in Skalkaho as they kept looking at him during the walk back to a reclusive village. The ended on the arrival. The village has a stone plaza at its center and small temple at the central head of the plaza. Both Mauli and Skalkaho were led to a hut nearest to the plaza for the evening's rest. 

There was a flower at the edge of the jungle. It was the most remarkable flower Skalkaho had ever seen. All red on the edge of the bloom and the top looked woody forming a clamshell encasement making the flower as the most prominent feature of the village. There two robed priests always standing within a few feet of this flower. His curiosity grew the longer Skalkaho stared at it. Something about this flower was indeed special.

The morning came on the fifth day of this journey. Mauli was not very informative of their situation. He only remained quiet all night. This caused Skalkaho uneasiness. Had his partner already betrayed him in exchange for his own life? The leader of the group came for the two but only insisted on Skalkaho to follow. The village leaders and Skalkaho sat down as the priest pointed to the ground. The villagers all sat in one immense circle surrounding the proceedings. Skalkaho looked over where he had noticed the giant Red flower last evening. It was missing! He certainly not going to take the blame for its disappearance!

The leader of the inner circle began to speak in French for Skalkaho's own convenience. It was the universal language of this jungle. He called himself, Samarn Viyaket.

In perfect French the priest like leader began speaking," we are very curious about your sudden appearance. Very few outsiders ever make it to this little valley. Why have you come here?"

It was time for a long story that he perceived they wouldn't understand anyway.  Skalkaho began his big story; "I came to escape the power that was strangling my life. I have lost everything from my former place. It is in a land across the ocean. My neighbor was my enemy and he removed me to this land east of this village joining a war where he had hoped I would die. I escaped maybe six days ago and found my new friend Mauli".

He pointed towards Mauli on that comment.

Samarn Viyaket, the leader of the group asked one more question, "What do you want?"

The silence was a friendly place for Skalkaho's answer. He would now be measured by even the sounds he uttered and not just the words spoken. This had become a trial for whatever purpose these people wanted of him. Therefore, his skill as a storyteller was on the spot. Somewhere in his ancestry was a master storyteller that would help him out of this dire situation. Long ago he had heard of a flamboyant trapper named Benjamin Skalkaho. He was from the Hudson Bay Company back in 1838 Montana. He had married a warrior princess named Running Eagle. It was time to tell that story of his great-great-grandfather to these people, hoping they would not make any sense of it and then let him and his friend go on their journey.

"It all began a long time ago when my father's father hunted in a vast land without an end in sight, I came from that beginning. Time passed and my enemies grew by each year's worth of my success. It seemed envy and greed possessed my enemy’s very existence. My own safety is only assured by your good graces".

Skalkaho ran out of things to say to this mysterious people. He became frozen to the unknown. 

Samarn Viyaket, somehow knew his story before he told it!

The response was to the point," we want you for a friend as well."

It stunned Skalkaho even when spoken in French. It was a big turn of circumstances. The elders had weighed him and found him exceedingly worthy of their trust. Speaking was an afterthought and not the main process of extracting information. The next part for Skalkaho would change him forever. 

A ceremony began immediately. Music was played and dancing began always keeping the elders in the center. Samarn halted the festivity with one Laotian/French command,:"nous arretons".

The music stopped immediately a bowl full of reddish liquid was brought forward. Samarn commanded Skalkaho to drink. Without hesitation and full of his bravado he drank it all in one huge swallow. Within a moment, Skalkaho became dizzy and then he fell into a heap.

Skalkaho Chapter 9: The Beginning Of The End

Barely moving, Skalkaho rolled on his floor mat. A cloud occupying his brain brought immense pain, it felt as if he had been bludgeoned almost to his death. The only thought he had was just hanging tight to the floor mat. His mind was a whirl and a putrid convulsion was about to begin in his stomach. Skalkaho was about to find out how fast he would dehydrate from whatever Red juice he had just drunk earlier.  Moaning is not disrespectful in his current condition and moaning seemed to help. A brief moment of conscientious turned into a delirious dreamlike state. Everything he had ever learned or had experienced flashed before in his thoughts. In fact, some thoughts came forward without any reference or origin of its nature. It's almost as if he were being recreated by every ounce of his being. 

The delirious stage lasted for many hours perhaps days, if possible. The villagers came in from time to time and left a jug of spring water from somewhere nearby. He also remembered they lifted his head and forced water down his throat with a bamboo tube during the initial part of his delirium. It felt like he was drowning. The villagers knew the drill and they kept up the water dowsing for hours or until he stopped his convulsions. He was rolled onto a stretcher and was taken out to the nearby stream and unceremoniously dumped into a pool. Skalkaho needed it, as he was wearing what came from his insides during the ordeal. After about 10 minutes soaking, he was pulled out to dry on the grass patch near the village center. Something indeed happened and Mauli was nowhere nearby to explain what had happened. The whole process made him ready for learning how he would recover his world.

Samarn the chief, or whoever he is, came to the grassy spot where he was resting and talked in low tones so no other of the villagers would hear what was being spoken.

He learned over Skalkaho and whispered," the flower essence you drank, has released every part of whom you are as a human, you must use those skills and knowledge transferred from your ancestors out of the past in order for achieving balance in your own world with this world. A great wrong has happened and everything released from your being is for your restoration. Wealth and power will be yours, but only if you will do well for others. If used for revenge or harm you will be punished far more than can be imagined."

That great wrong was the war raging east of here as a means of even the score. Those who were in charge used the war as a purging of all things distasteful to their own makings. Skalkaho felt fully purged at this moment. The Vietnam war had long served its purpose and now it was a killing field for expending unused military weapons and equipment. 1971 began the long journey back to settling old scores and renewing a new life. Revenge is for the enemy and a restoration is for those who drink from this center of the garden, a precious flower.

Time loses its form and purpose when a transformation occurs. About a week had past when Skalkaho began feeling strong again. he understood everything around him with such clarity. The language, customs, and people were like his own neighbors at home, only this time it all came to his mind from somewhere distant in his memory. The French language was a pure thought. English became as if passing breath. The world had opened its doors to his soul. He knew everything before it happened. Speaking any language was just thinking followed by uttering words sounding just like the person he was talking with. The knowledge of the universe was confined only to this world but it was far more than this world has "gifts" at his disposal for any occasion. Every day from this time forward would multiple his mental power by tenfold in a never-ending flowering of thoughts.

It occurred to him at this time the flower had released everything that was found in his historic being. His DNA recorded every experience and thought from all his previous generations coming from even Adam. The "gift" he had received had to be controlled or otherwise the bad from the past would dominate his character. That is where he needed to stay with these village elders until he could master what good was imbued him from all his prior generations. Otaki had his heart and it was apparent the first Benjamin Skalkaho had given him his head for adventure. However, it remained for this Skalkaho to discover who had become.

The village became alive with his appearance. The chief Samarn appeared please with Skalkaho's presence at the big celebration. 

Samarn spoke, " Welcome back from the past."

The village collectively laughed at that line. 

The village all-nighter wore on Skalkaho's already spent body but his mind continued to race as if he watched bits and pieces of memories being tossed about in some kind of churning drum. This was just the beginning of ending those who would do him harm.

The nighttime ended without any great revelation. Only the quiet of the morning awoke his sensibilities. Mauli finally showed up on his "doorstep". He spoke in a fluent language for which Skalkaho had never spoken before. Skalkaho responded in a likewise same greeting talking in fluent Laotian. Muali was shocked at the greeting's response. Skalkaho now expressed himself in three languages and English wasn't necessarily his first tongue ever spoken.

The essence of the flower brought out everything a person was exposed to from the past and the present. Skalkaho did not know how much his DNA would provide but he had to trust in it as it gave him the advantage over others as he needed. There seemed to be nothing he couldn't handle in any situation. Another side benefit of what flower's juice gave him was a severe intuition. He could sense what would happen in the next moments without fail. Mauli was to be his lifelong friend without any question. His heart was full of trust as it was exposed by the mere presence of a man.

There was a pause in the plan. The two did not know what to do next until Samarn could reveal what has occurred and what would occur from his village. Skalkaho at least owed an allegiance to the village and its leaders. The days passed as a blur, but each day brought a gradual clarity to Skalkaho's thinking. A great deal had been learned of himself with each passing hour. Samarn noticed too that he had become more instinctive and acutely aware of everything happening in the village. It was known that a party of "traders" were approaching the high plateau. Except for the trade they would make is with weapons. A time had come for a council making a quick decision what everyone should do as the visitors grew closer to the village. Samarn turned to Skalkaho and wanted his advice. This was a total surprise he would be considered a valued member of the group, however, he felt the trust coming through as the villagers needed help.

Samarn turned to Skalkaho and asked, "what do you see of these travelers coming up to our grounds?"

The question alone implied a great bonding had occurred over the last several weeks. Skalkaho only felt a great mistrust is coming this way which would endanger everyone. He must act not as a leader but as an ally. 

He replied to the chief, "I see them coming looking for something and they pose great harm to everyone here. The purpose of this incursion into this land is for me and my elimination. It is time for Mauli and myself to go!"

Skalkaho had about two hours to clear the area and make a plan that would serve as both his escape and continue his long-range goal of taking down his nemesis, John Charbonneau. The change of nature added a new challenge one not using his gifts for evil but for good. His only thought was for bad toward the Charbonneau clan and getting Marias back for his own life.

The urgency was obvious in the village as its members were running back and forth packing belongings for the trip to a new secret place. The two would leave within the hour as reports came back that a fast-moving group of armed men began encircling the area from about a mile out. 

Benjamin told Mauli, "let's roll", an old tank commanders call into battle. With that, they melted into the foliage away from the village. The winding trail going off the plateau was intended for the Mekong river valley. The river is quite long reaching from the North in China, running south and turning eastward out to sea in South Vietnam. The goal was Thailand to the west eliminating any chance of being found in this hot zone.

The travel party had a way to go for the Pasak river into Thailand. If traveling west of Mekong in the valley a map showed a way to this river which turned towards Bangkok, Thailand. It was this goal that promised a chance for freedom and a return to the states. The Pasak river was at least three hundred and fifty miles from the Mekong River and many hardships lay ahead.

Mauli and Skalkaho traveled off the plateau with little notice except for the near-by animals either growing quiet or making an uproar as they pressed through the dense jungle. The rogue group of men first spotted approaching up to the village had long since been bypassed by several hours. Now they were really alone and only any mishap could stop them from the mighty Mekong River.