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."
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.
Comments
Post a Comment