the Promise

A bright light appeared in front of the moon, at first the Chief thought it was a shooting star. It zigzagged across the sky erratically then shot high into the atmosphere, almost disappearing from sight. The villagers noticed their Chief staring upward and looked to see what had caught his eye. As they all watched the star, it danced across the Heavens. It darted back and forth and up and down in a frenzy of motion. The villagers watched in amusement with the Chief as the star performed it's strange antics. The Shaman was the only one not captivated by the sight.

      “This is bad medicine, my Chief and his people need to return to the longhouses.” He told those around him.

Murmurs of unease rippled through the crowd as they watched the star move downward toward the island.

      “The stars are falling from the sky!” someone cried out, causing several villagers to run for the shelter.

The star rapidly descended and stopped about 100 feet above the people of the village. Before the Chief could utter a word a blinding light engulfed the whole area.

When the light dissipated, absolute quiet enveloped the village and surrounding area. There were no sounds of insects, no chirping of birds, no dogs barking and no voices of people. Because every living thing, from the tiniest cricket to the Chief himself were gone.

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Lannai and Sweyku sat at the opening of the grotto; they had captured many night crawlers for their morning fish. It had been muddy work, but well worth the effort. In the morning they would get up early and go down to the river. They were hoping for a large catch to surprise the village. Usually the men of the village would go out into the ocean to catch fish; however Lannai liked the taste of the freshwater fish better. They also planned on digging up some truffles as a treat, if the wild boars hadn’t already eaten them.

     “Lannai! Look over there at that light; Do you think it is a fire?” Even as he spoke the light died away.

      “I don’t know what that was Sweyku, but it definitely wasn’t a fire.”

      “That was near the village should we go home.”

      Lannai scanned the horizon, from where they were on the mountain everything seemed normal. “No, whatever it was is gone and do you really want to waste all the night crawlers we caught?”

      “No I don’t. We will stay and fish in the morning then take our great catch home, “He chuckled as he went into the grotto and snuggled into his bed of otter skins.

Lannai followed her brother inside. She ruffled is hair then crawled into her own pile of otter skins. Sweyku was asleep within minutes, but Lannai couldn’t find rest, unease tickled her mind. What had caused such a bright light? No fire could do it, only lightning came close. However, since there were no storms raging, she ruled it out.

Maybe she should head home. She considered the idea for about 5 minutes, and decided, no. Traipsing through a dark jungle with a 10 year old in tow was not an idea she wanted to think of. They would go home tomorrow as planned. Her mind made up, she finally drifted off into a fitful slumber.

       “Wake up sleepy head!” Sweyku yelled as he pulled off her pelts.

Groggily she sat up and had to grin at her brother, he was a ball of energy. He already had all his things packed and ready to go. He was so full of energy that Lannai encouraged him to go ahead to the river while she got ready; He was gone before she finished speaking. Also gone were her worries over the previous nights mysterious light.

        “So, have you caught anything?” Lannai asked as she sat down beside her brother.

        “No nothing. I haven’t even had a nibble. Usually by this time I should have caught at least a dozen.” Frowning he pulled his line in to check the worm, seeing it still there, he tossed the line out again.

Lannai tied her bait onto the hook she’d carved herself and tossed it into the water. They sat in silence, waiting. A couple hours passed before Sweyku got a bite, he rapidly pulled in his line and at the end he saw a tiny bluegill. Disgusted he tossed it back in.

         “I think we should leave, if we didn’t catch anything during the early morning hours we won’t catch anything now.” Lannai sighed.

         “Let’s just go to the cove and check our pots, we'll just have crabs for dinner.”

        “Ok, but on the way down I want to search for some truffles, hopefully it won’t be a total loss. I don’t want to go home empty handed, after I nagged our parents to let us come and catch a feast for the village.”

The truffle search was amazingly a huge success. They both had their pouches full. Lannai was a little surprised that the boars hadn’t beaten them to the treats; a matter of fact, she hadn’t even seen any boars today. She also noted that she hadn’t seen any other creatures either, strange because her island home had an abundancy of animals.

When they got to the cove, they were shocked to find no crabs in their pots. Actually nothing was in their pots; they always found little fish and other crustaceans among the crab. Today however they found nothing.

The unease from the night before was back, stronger than ever. Lannai noticed as they walked home the absence of sounds. The path hollowly echoed with each step they took. There were no birds chattering in the trees, no creatures scurrying through the brush, even the sound of crickets was absent.  They came to the plateau where the village sat overlooking the cove and the ocean beyond. Nobody was in sight.

       “Hello!” Sweyku yelled afraid to continue on. “Where is everyone?” “Lannai! Where is everyone?”

Lannai didn’t answer; the sight of the empty village frightened her. It was never empty. Over a hundred people lived here. Five longhouses were built around a common area. It was where they held meetings, enjoyed celebrations and worked together for the good of the community. Even night saw a steady stream of activity. Lannai studied the common area, a fire burned low in the center. The smell of burned food permeated the air. Pelts still hung from the cleaning frames and fish were laid on the drying racks. Dishes sat around the fire pit as if just put aside for the moment. It was as eerie as it was normal. It was a scene she could have witnessed every day except for the lack of people and smell of burning food.

         “Lannai?” The fright in Sweyku’s voice brought her out of her shock. 

         “Don’t worry, they have to be somewhere on the island, we will wait, you will see they will come back.” She assured Sweyku. Fear made her doubt her own words though. She chided herself, she would not let fright turn her into a babbling child, she was the elder by 3 years, it was her responsibility to take charge. 

She led her brother to the longhouse to change their clothes, once done they quickly fled from the silence. She decided to gathered some berries to go with their truffles as Sweyku built the fire back up. Then they sat silently and waited. When evening came they were still alone, but rather than go into the longhouse they decided to sleep before the fire.

The next morning still no one had came back so they set out searching the coastline. It took them well into the evening to walk the perimeter of the island and all they found were the boats. Exhausted and disheartened they lit up the fire again and slept beside it. Over the next week they searched the inland jungle, they traveled every hunting trail, explored every cavern. They did see and hear signs that some animals were still there, but her people were no longer on their island. 

        “Lannai, we’ve looked every where. I’m tired and I’m sick of only having berries and truffles to eat. I need to hunt, to bring home game. I am the man now, it is my duty.”

        “We will set traps for small game; you are too young to go on a hunt.”

        “You will not disrespect me; I am the only male here, so I am Chief! I will hunt.”

        “We will discuss this in the morning.” She tried to conjole him, “Please Sweyku, I am tired, let’s go to sleep now.”

Sweyku frowned and grunted, but he did lie down on the pelts and went to sleep. Slumber once again evaded Lannai. How could all the people have left the island? The boats were all tied in the cove; they were the only way off the island. If another ship had come, like the one that had visited years ago with the missionaries wouldn’t they have waited for her brother and herself? Her parents would never have left them. And all the people’s processions were still in the longhouses. She had seen that when they searched the village. Anxiety plagued her for hours, what had happened and could it happen again?

Right before slumber over took her, she thought of the light they’d seen from the grotto. Could a bright light have something to do with the disappearance of her family and people?

Brightness burned through her eyelids. Startled she leapt from the pelts and frantically looked around. “Ahh, it’s only the Sun.” she waited for her heart to slow its rapid thumping. Pieces of a dream floated through her mind. Visions of a bright light and her people screaming. She was letting her imagination run wild and it needed to stop. She gathered some supplies for breakfast and started cooking, absently she called out for Sweyku and received no answer. When he hadn’t returned by the time breakfast was ready she went to the cove. Maybe he was retrieving the pots, but he wasn’t there either. Panic started to step in, was he gone like the others? Had Kaho’ali’l the God of sorcery done something horrible to him?

           “Oh great and powerful Kaho’ali’l, return my brother, return my people. Papa goddess of the Earth and Rangi god of the Sky, stop Kaho’ali’l from this mischief. Return my people and we will pay homage to you.” Lannai remembered all the Gods she was suppose to pray to: Kane, Lono, Kanaloa, Hi’laka, Hina and Rongo. She cried out in desperation, but heard nothing, saw nothing, felt nothing…

 She started searching for her brother. For hours she combed the trails until she found a broken arrow. She picked it up and clutched it to her chest. He hadn’t disappeared, he’d gone hunting! Anger blazed in the heart. How dare he disobey here? When she found him, he would be sorry for scaring her so bad.

        “Sweyku! Sweyku! Where are you?” she yelled stomping up the path. 

About 10 yards higher up, she found a dead boar. It had the other half of the broken arrow in its chest and blood covered its tusk. Fear gripped her heart.

        “NO, No, Hine*nui*te-po you may not have my brother... please don’t take my brother from me.” She fell to her knees sobbing. “Sweyku!”

She found her brother further up the trail; his leg had been laid open from knee to groin. How long had he laid up here bleeding out before she had found him? Anguish filled her soul. She gathered him in her arms and started rocking and humming the song of mourning.

       “Tofa mi Sweyku, u samoa e ne’i galo atu.”

How long Lannai held him she didn't know but it was getting dark and she needed to take him home. She made a litter; she gently placed Sweyku on it and drug him back to the village. Once there she built a platform over the fire pit, she stripped him of his torn clothing and washed his body. Then she dressed him in his best tunic. After placing Sweyku on the platform, she gathered her belongings. She went into the Chiefs long house and brought out his ceremonial robe and ornaments. She also gathered every carving, totem and any representation of their gods she could find and threw them into the pit. She had no use for her people’s gods, they were useless to her. She draped the Chief's robe over her brother, kissing his forehead before covering his face.

     “Now you are Chief Sweyku, farewell my brother.”

Lastly she lit the communal fire for the last time and left the village, vowing never to return.

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The days rolled into weeks, weeks into months as she mourned. Weak from not eating, Lannai lay on her pelts in the mountain grotto, only leaving her bed to get water from the river. She was haunted by her memories of Sweyku and drowning in despair and loneliness. Numb and empty, her tears had dried up long ago, leaving a vacuum of desolation.

As she lay there wanting to die, she remembered her life, her family, her people, then an odd memory flickered in her mind. It was of the missionary from so long ago. He told her of his God, he called him the one true God. He told her, how God sent his son into the world to save it. He told her many wonderful stories from his bible, but what she really couldn’t get out of her mind was that, he told her Jesus loved her and if she believed in him, he would never leave her. She would never be alone.

Though anguish dragged at her spirit, she forced herself out of her bed and crawled to the opening of the grotto. Gazing into the Heavens she cried out,

           “God, I don’t know your name but I want to know you. I want to meet your son; I don’t want to be alone. I’ve been taught of many gods, but I feel nothing for them. I don’t believe they are real. I pray you are the true God. Already I feel like a heavy stone has been lifted from my heart. God please send your son Jesus to be with me, to teach me and be my God.”

Lannai went back into the grotto and immediately fell asleep. She dreamed of walking through fields of green with someone by her side, she dreamed of sipping refreshing waters. And she knew that she was loved and not alone. 

That morning she woke refreshed, she went out and gathered berries, dug up some truffles and fished. She thanked God for the bounty he provided, then she ate all her food. She didn’t remember anything ever tasting so good. 

Now that she felt like living again she knew she needed to make herself a home, so she went out in search of branches and vines. As she traveled through the jungle she started a conversation with Jesus. She asked him about his home and what it was like and if he thought this branch and that branch was sturdy enough. Though she never actually heard his voice, she felt his companionship.

………………………………………………………………………………

Through the years she would occasionally visit the village to get supplies. She buried the remains of her brother and asked Jesus to watch over him. Then she returned to her home in the grotto. She spent her days tending to her home and speaking to Jesus. She would tell him of her people and of her family. She would laugh as she recalled the antics of Sweyku. She was content.

…………………………………………………………………………………

       “Jesus, my mind is willing but my body is not. I have no strength to get up any more. My eyes are clouded and my joints all ache. I think it’s about time for me to finally leave my island home. I just need a moment to rest..."

        “Come Lannai, I am here to take you home.”

        “Jesus, I am home. I want to go with you.” She let out a little sob as she reached up and grabbed the hand he held out.

        “This was never your home; this was just where you lived. Now you are coming home with me.” 

Lannai gazed into his eyes and saw the love he had for her. She realized she could see his face clearly, her body didn’t hurt anymore and she felt wonderful. In awe She looked around at the beauty before her. She looked down into the still waters before her and saw she had a new body, no longer old and dying.”

         "Oh Thank you Jesus, God has blessed me so, will you tell him how grateful I am?” 

    “You have just told him yourself.” Jesus laughed lovingly at her child like wonder.

         “Lannai, Lannai.” A voice shouted.

          “Go and see your brother," the told her, she hesitated. "Go, I promised I would never leave you. "

 Lannai hugged Jesus then ran to her brother sweeping him off his feet and twirling him around.

         “Lannai, I’m sorry I disobeyed you and left you alone.”

          “Sweyku, I was never alone.”

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Honolulu Herald

-Scientist have discovered a previously uncharted island. An ancient village, dating back to the 1400's was found, with its dwellings and possessions undisturbed. Mysteriously though, only two bodies have been found of the hundreds that must have lived there: the Chief, who was a young boy and was buried in the village. And an elderly woman found in a grotto in the mountains...