CHAPTER-1 “GHOSTS AROUND US”

It was a dark everywhere…some tentacle like structures bound me.The ground underneath was very cold and may be I was tied to a obelisk.The obelisk had an engraved inscription on it .I couldn’t see them but could feel the carvings on my body .I was naked,the riordan blew on my body bringing shivers in my body. I thought it was my doomsday but suddenly an enchanting figure in shadows appeared to me.She called my name…….light came out from all the directions…..

Háava…háava ..wake up..wake up… Açhaávi called on.I was in state of illusion ,drém which we called,it was very enchanting a figure in shadows was waiting for me to come..until Achaávi my mate hit with rooboda to wake me.I felt asleep due to fatigue or so I thought.

Suddenly I remembered that were in middle of suroban jungles of urmesa. Yes ur’mesa you heard it right.A planet.It was a mysterious planet,to look at though.Nights were always blissful with black stars in amethyst sky and mornings very exciting with chartreuse backgrounds and azure sky. Day-glo,would rise at start of morning and helped us in morning activities while riordan blew everywhere.

Our ancestors said that ur’mesa had a life force and was watched over by our guardian Noa‘.She helped us to lead a peaceful life. She was invisible but only her voice would be heard when anyone was in trouble.

We were the only humanoid form beings present on ur’mesa. Our kind was called urmesians. Our kind was divided into clans.These clans divided the land of ur’mesa into four zones i.e Ashkalon,Avaddon,Rison,Shalom.There is a fifth zone called Cerus but it is an resticted area.

So lets begin our journey………

We were going to meet our cousins meráahi and meedóni who lived in Israeli which was  near the  kingdom of Ashkalon. It was the greatest kingdom ur’mesa had ever known.It was called Zion of ur’mesa. To go to Israeli we had to pass through suroban jungles which  had dangers within.There lived a species called brain jackers in jungles. These species would take over host’s body and inject oneirophobia (fear in dreams) into them.I was attacked by one of them. We tried to defend ourselves with our roobodas. These roobodas were guard sticks to be taken with us when travelling.These sticks were made from Mei’dva tree,which contained some medicinal and magical powers. Unfortunately my stick broke while defending and the ‘brija’,(brain jacker for short) bite me.My mates drove them away but i fell into the ill effects of oneirophobia. After some time my mate Achaávi  brought me out of the illusion through her rooboda. After the incident we decided to stay there as it was dangerous to travel at night through a jungle full of dangers. We saw some Yu’jjwali trees near by.These trees had long hanging branches and were interlocked with each other.We thought they could become our sleeping chambers for the night.These trees where ever found ,were always in group and intertwined with each.Some thought the trees talked among themselves and were like family. Some said, they were cursed trees and had souls within them.I climbed on one of the trees. I was not sleepy and had a habit of counting the black stars before sleeping. I was counting the stars unús ..duo ..trés ..quattour …..and drifted into sleep.

It was  grey weather and there was mist everywhere I was standing in middle of tall grass fields, looked around but found no being so I cleared the mist and went forward.In front there was a lake and something was strange about it. The lake did not seem to fit  into that location but  I was mesmerized by the beauty of lake.It looked so clear as mirror.  I was attracted to lake and was being drawn towards it.I moved forward and looked into the river and after a very long time I was seeing myself like that.My four eyes were blinking  like gold bursts and lips were like sona flowers found in Shalom zone, my claret colored hair was in curls and was up to my midriff. “May be you look so beautiful but destiny has something else for you.Something you cannot imagine..Something which will change the future of Ur-mesa…….”, I was shocked  as I heard this voice in my head.”Be ready my girl for it “, and then the voice left my head. I suddenly got up from my sleep in shock and looked around,it was morning and Day-glo was up.I was sweating like anything. I had many questions.What was that voice?..What was my destiny?..I woke my mates and told them about my drém. They told “it was a drém ,just leave it”.Even I thought to leave the thought but the place in it looked real. .May be the soul of Yu’jjwali tree was talking to me? or may be not but after some time I stopped thinking about it.

The riordan was blowing and we started fresh in the morning.First we had to find some water to refresh ourselves .Then I had to make my new guard stick for that we had to find a tree similar to Mei’dva tree cause Mei’dva trees were only found in Shalom.The finally task was to leave the jungle as soon as possible and reach Israeli. We were in search of water in jungle and I was enjoying the morning view of jungle as it was for the first time that I was out of Shalom on pretext of meeting my cousins..I was enthralled by  beauty and diversity of the jungle. I saw many different creatures like Beast Folks, Colony Beetles, Emerald Monsters, Giant Insects, Horned Beasts. While walking we were hungry so my mates Neni and Reni plucked some Ballon Mushrooms and Wild Veggies nearby  for us to eat. I was eating one of the Ballon Mushroom and it really tasted nice,it contained a juice. After few minutes of walking we found a lake.But.. I was Shocked cause it was the same which I saw in my drém. I told my friends about it but they told its just coincidence. I was afraid to go near it but my friends took me and pushed me into it.I submerged ,but after sometime it felt were relieving and soothing. During bath in lake all of us played and had a water splash. After the bath we all dried ourselves and our feminine structures were glowing like first ray of Day-glo hitting the sky in early morning. May be the lake contained some magical powers, we thought. Near that lake was a tree which was similar to Mei’dva tree but it had darker shades.The roobodas were made, only using Mei’dva tree until now. I was in a doubt whether to make my stick using this tree.But my mate Açhaávi  suggested to try as it was necessary for travel.My rooboda was made by my grandmother,who was one of the finest rooboda makers in Shalom.I was her apprentice and learned  to make roobodas. So I cut the branches of the the dark tree and started making my rooboda. First the base or handle to hold the stick.It must not be smooth or rough but must have an excellent grip so I removed the outer skin of branch and polished it.Then  made carvings on it in criss-cross manner.Second, the head which must be pointy and narrow cut in broad pentagon shape. I took another layer from the tree trunk and shaped the head.To fix both the head and handle together I took gum from trunk of tree and attached them. To get its healing abilities, the rooboda must be dipped in mixture of Acai leaves, Vulgaris berries,charantia leaves, racemosa leaves,vinifera roots. So I started to search for these medicinal plants.After some time roaming here and there .I finally found all required herbs. Then I made the mixture and dipped my rooboda in it.To give it a finish I dipped it in the lake , which I thought was holy.

Was it?..