Dark Day Coming

   Dark Day Coming

Suzanne Marsh

“The day is coming I tell you when our people will eat demons! We must make human

sacrifices to our gods now,” cried Tupa high priest of the Aztec nation. His dark brown eyes piercing the people standing before him. “

“We must have fair skinned people, for sacrifice, you my people must find those and bring

and bring them here to the temple of sacrifice. Do this and the gods will spare us once

again.” Tupa stalked off the pyramid, toward a door, there he took off his priest’s robes. He then began his titular for the flower war. The flower war would supply him with prisoners that he would kill to please the gods. He would also need to sacrifice a maiden fair, to Huirzilopochtlis, the sun god.

Moments later Chimalli, his friend and second high priest ran up to him, out of breath:

“Tupa, we must go to Cholua, a flower war is needed for sacrifices to the gods> Tupa, stood tall, his bronzed body muscular yet lean. His black hair shoulder length, his white tunic wrapped around his body. He was the most magnificent man in the Aztec nation. He counted the thirty warriors, the same amount of warriors from Cholua would fight the flower war. The line formed, as Tupa led them out the stone passageway. They marched single file toward the battlefield. Tupa, knew he had to win this war, he desperately needed warriors to sacrifice, especially with the dark day coming so soon.

The column of men marched through the high grass, hoping to gain the advantage of surprise, on the Cholua forces. They crept quietly, they sprang up on the enemy, the flower war was going well. The captives were marched unceremoniously toward the Templo, and their doom. The captives already knew their fate, fear was in their every step. The tall grasses kept the captives as well as the captors well hidden until they reached the Templo. The very fairest skinned were put in one large group, Tupa, was already preparing himself for the task at hand. Tupa sent for Chimalli, his assistant priest:

“Chimalli, I wish you to bring me Malachi, she is to be sacrificed to Huitzilopotchli on

the dark day coming. Go now, bring her to the temple to be prepared.”

Chimalli, stood silently for a moment:

“Tupa, you know she is my sister, I can’t do this.”

Tupa, spun around, anger in his dark brown eyes:

“You will do as you are told or you will be sacrificed along with her.”

Chimalli, slunk out of Tupa’s quarters, eyes flowing from his eyes. He walked to the hut where his sister was singing, she heard him enter:

“Chimalli?” She said quietly: “Why have you been crying, what is wrong?”

Chimalli, took a deep gasping breath:

“Chimala, you are to be sacrificed to Huitzilopochtlis, Tupa, has sent me.”

Chimala, smiled:

“If it is to be then I will come with you, to be sacrificed is a great honor to us.”

Together, they returned to the temple. Tupa met them, quietly showing Chimala where she was to be prepared as the fairest of sacrifices. Chimalli slowly turned and walked away, tears forming in his eyes once again. Tupa, sent for the women to prepare Chimala, he then returned to his room in the temple where he cut himself in preparation for the sacrifices to take place.

The following morning dawned with the sun a huge red ball in the sky. Tupa took that as a good omen, all was well with the gods. He sent for the four priest that would aid him in the ritual of sacrifice. The ritual would begin as the day of darkness began. Tupa, hated the thought the Chimalli would be taking part in the sacrifice of his sister but that could not be helped. He sent for Chimalli who appeared quickly. Tupa turned as Chimalli entered dressed as a priest for the ceremony:

“Chimalli, Chimala is ready?”

Chimalli shrugged:

“Yes, Tupa she is readied.”

Tupa, picked up the obisian blade, tucked it into the side pocket, together the men went out of the temple. It was time, Tupa noted the change in the sun, the day of darkness was beginning.

Five priests were required for sacrifices, the chosen five were ready. They awaited the victims, most showed no fear as they strode up the steps of the temple to their deaths. The first victim for sacrifice was a fair skinned warrior, his body sliced open, then his beating heart removed as Tupa began the ritual:

“By them the gods we kill the ground, we bleed. We pay our debts to the gods

offer incense and make human sacrifces...We live by the grace of the gods.”

Time seemed to stand still as each of the forty warriors captured were sacrificed. When the last beating heart was held high and the last body tossed down the bloody steps of the temple, the last and most precious sacrifice began her climb up the steep steps of the temple. Dressed in white to note her purity for the sacrifice, came Chimala. Voices hushed, knives appeared the town square awaited the sign. The darkness covered the sun, Tupa prayed out loud to Huitzilopochtlis to return the sun to the Aztec lands. Chimala reached the top step, she stumbled but Tupa caught her. He aided her as she demurely laid down upon the stone slab used for sacrifice. Tupa, gave Chimala a reassuring look as he raised the obsidian blade. He quickly sliced her abdomen open, blood flowed freely as he next cut through the diaphragm. Below the temple the crowd began to cut themselves to show they were accordance with the ritual sacrifice taking place. Chimala remained silent even though her pain was intense, her life would have a glorious happy ending.

Tupa, cupped her beating heart showing it to the crowd in the plaza. The sun reappeared moments later. Suddenly the sky darkened again, thunder rolled and lightening struck the ground. The wind began to blow. The crowd dispersed screaming in terror as the thunder rolled once again. Tupa, felt the tinge of excitement as he placed Chimala’s heart in the stone slot that held the hearts of all who gave their lives to Huitzilopochtlis, god of the sun.