CHEPI AND A GRIN

Teeth….sharp, crooked brown teeth framed in a mouth twisted into a thin grin. That’s all I saw before I moved.

I imagine the breath escaping that mouth smells just as foul as the teeth look. Where I’m sitting now, resting, trying to regain some semblance of sanity, I try to recall the detail of that awful episode.

Chepi is sitting an arm’s length away from me, trying to catch her breath. If it wasn’t for her scream and warning to escape, I think I might have been in more pain than just my wings and lungs aching right now. “What just happened?” I ask. “What was that thing?” Taking a deep breath, Chepi turns to me and whispers: “That, Alvy, was the trickster god, Loki. And he was making a play for The Book.”

My eyes widen as I try to close my mouth. I can’t help but stare at Chepi. We’re both pixies from the Abla tribe. I look like the average Abla boy, pointy ears, big green eyes with blonde curly hair, tall in stature and wings to match, a pointy brown hat, and evenly coloured brown shirt and shorts. I’m the eldest of my siblings, blessed with an abundance of patience and good sense of humour. Chepi is my best friend and has been since the beginning of our kindergarten years. We’ve passed through our teenage years stuck to each another’s sides, and now we’re facing the challenging times of puberty together.

She’s is a petit little girl, measuring just under 4 inches, with short autumn-red hair pointing in all directions, long sleek wings the colour of silver and a pale green mini-dress made of fairy-silk. She’s also strong willed and very playful, and exactly the reason why I’m in this predicament.

Just two moons ago Chepi and I were playing in the tall grass by the lake, up to our usual mischief. There was a cool breeze to alleviate the hot summer weather, cotton wool clouds forming in the magnificent and clear blue sky. The tall grass rustled in the wind, releasing a soothing sound that carried over the lake, making little ripples on the water. We were in high spirits, teasing and tricking each other, making the other laugh…always our greatest gain.

Chepi abruptly stopped her shenanigans and called down to me, “Did you hear that Alvy?” I was on the ground busy mixing a concoction of mud and leaves, intending to put war smudges on my cheeks and couldn’t hear as clear as Chepi, who was hovering at the top of the tall grass, her wings flapping for stability in the breeze. “No, I didn’t hear anything other than the sounds of nature” I replied.

She moved her head to the right, concentration written in her auburn eyes as she squinted. “Someone is calling from the lake!” she gasped. “Alvy, someone knows we’re here.” I looked up, smiling, “Of course someone knows where we are, this is the place we most often come to play. I’m sure it’s no secret to anyone in the village.” Chepi shook her head, “No Alvy, this isn’t someone we know, or who knows us. I can feel it. My senses are tingling right now.”

I stopped what I was doing and flew up to Chepi, all the while trying to catch the sound that she was talking about. Once I reached her, I also heard a voice from the lake, calling out to us specifically. “You’re right Chepi!” I said with eyes fixed on the water. “I can hear it clearly, but I don’t see anyone.” She put her finger on her lips for me to be quiet, grabbed my arm, and pulled me down into the grass to take cover.

“It sounds like someone’s in trouble” Chepi whispered. “We have to be smart about this.” For some reason my heart began to beat faster, sensing that we might be in danger. “Let’s go back to the village and tell the elders about this” I urged her, thinking that for some reason she would listen to my plea. On cue she shrugged her shoulders, pointing her little index finger under my nose, “Don’t always run away from adventure Alvy, let’s go find out why someone is calling. They might need our help and by the time the elders have decided on the best action to take, it could be too late.”

That’s what Chepi always did. She never thought anything through and by the time things didn’t go as planned, she would scrunch up her nose and say, “You live, you learn.” Luckily, no one has ever been seriously hurt because of her mantra, though they would often end up with faces full of mud, flour, eggs, or whatever was in the mix when Chepi’s tricks went belly-up. And more times than I can remember, I was stuck with helping her clean up the remains of that trick.

I still had reservations about going to investigate the calling. However, I knew that Chepi wouldn’t let it go and I would never let her go on her own. As a sigh escaped from my mouth, I started towards the lake, “C’mon then, we haven’t got all day. But please be careful, and let’s remain together.” With a giggle and a cheer Chepi quickly followed me.

The calling became louder as we got closer to the lake. We looked around carefully, approaching slowly. And then suddenly there it was, hanging upside down from a majestic Willow’s branch. I didn’t know what to make of the creature at first, whether it was human or animal, reptile, bird, or fish. It had a peculiar form and even more peculiar was the way in which the colours on its coat seemed to move. Like a whirlpool of shades, from orange to blue, then yellow to brown to red and purple, all the colours of the rainbow flowing then ebbing inwards and outwards.

“Wow” Chepi gasped, “That’s beautiful.” I caught her eye, “I agree Chepi, but let’s remain together until we know what it is and what it wants” I once again pleaded. “Don’t worry your little head Alvy” Chepi said, “I told you I’d be careful.” With that reassurance, she swooped towards this hanging thing.

“Hi there!” she greeted it, “We heard you calling, is something the matter?” The creature seemed to move slightly. “Oh, thank you so much for answering my call, I’m in need of your help,” it replied. And that’s where it all began.

Being stuck in the tree and hanging upside down as a result of being tricked, the creature had called out for help. It couldn’t tell us who had tricked it, only how the spell brought along could be broken. It was up to us whether we wanted to save the poor creature, or leave it to an unmentionable end. All we had to do was dig up an old book, called The Book, bring it to the willow, and read a few lines from a specific passage out loud….easy enough.

I didn’t have to look at Chepi to tell she was intrigued, because I was too, to be honest. “Where would we find The Book?” I asked. The creature was quiet for a while, its colours still morphing into other colours. When it spoke, it was with a sense of urgency and something that sounded like sadness. “Dig under the big throne in the elders’ gathering hall. Look for a white, cotton-weaved pouch wrapped with a red ribbon. But be careful not to do it when the elders are around, and also not at sunrise or sunset.”

Chepi and I were baffled. It was kind of obvious why it had to be done in the absence of any elders, but why the specific times? I wanted to ask, but the creature continued, “I am truly sorry, I cannot divulge why it should be done the way I’ve requested, because it would influence the way I change back into my original form. Neither can I answer any more questions about this task. All I can do is to put my trust in your help. Please!”

It was Chepi who answered, “We’ll do what you ask, but it won’t be easy and might take some time. Will you be alright until we can come back with The Book?” “Don’t worry about me, I’ve been like this since the seasons started to change.” I knew it was a long time, because we were enjoying the last summer month. “Hold on tight, we will do our best to help you,” Chepi once again reassured the creature.

As we flew back to the village, the sun began to set, placing a golden glow on the valley in which the village lay. Summer was a beautiful time of year but also the busiest. This was the time when all inhabitants of the valley would gather enough food to last during autumn and winter, when the lake would be frozen and flowers lay buried beneath layers of snow. We already had a plan in place, formed during our flight home.

Both of us would arrange with our parents to get up earlier than usual to get a head start with the activities of the day. Since the learning centre was closed for summer, we didn’t have to attend any school and would be free to look for The Book before our day of gathering food would begin and after it ended. Our parents knew each other and have become family friends as a result of our friendship. They trusted us enough to allow this change in schedule which would ultimately also help the village.

For almost the next two moons Chepi and I got up before sunrise to attempt this task, returning home only after sunset, exhausted and dirty from tip-toeing around the elders and their gathering hall. Our lucky break came when the elders were called to a council meeting in a village one valley over. It was raining during the week, causing the elders to pack up and leave just after sunset one evening. They didn’t dare be late or not show up on account of the weather, so they decided to not travel by air but take a leafy boat on a stream flowing past the village where they needed to be.

Once all of the elders boarded the boat, Chepi and I made a beeline for the gathering hall. We wouldn’t get this opportunity again. Digging with the tools we had retrieved from where they were buried in close proximity to the hall, our veins were pumped up with frustration and energy, our hearts beating fast as we tried to do it in silence. It was more difficult than we had initially thought. The big throne stood on ground that was there since the village was built. It was like digging into stone, but when we made the first dent, there was no stopping. It had to be done that night.

After hours of digging we found the pouch containing The Book. It looked old and thick, its pages yellow stained from age. The book itself was covered in dark brown leather and the inscription on the front looked ominous and was unreadable.

It was only then that saw the damage we’ve done to the surrounding earth. If we didn’t want to get into trouble, as we both knew we would if we were discovered, we had to leave the place as we found it. Another couple of hours went by as we started with reparations. Finally, drenched in our own sweat and probably some tears, we went home for a well deserved rest. We agreed to meet at sunrise the following day to get to the willow by the lake.

“Good morning Alvy,” Chepi greeted. “I hope you had a good night’s rest!” I eyed Chepi with a body full of aches. “Mornin’ Chepi, I could’ve done with some more,” I replied. She laughed, teasing me, “You’ll be so happy once we’ve helped the creature, you wouldn’t feel the hurt anymore!” And with that, we set of to keep our word to the creature.

When we arrived, the creature was still hanging on the branch, just as we had left it two moons ago. “Hello there,” Chepi greeted. The creature stirred and answered in a low and tired voice, “Greetings to you my friends. It is nice to see you again.” I didn’t feel the need to greet and slightly nodded my head, “Let’s get down to business shall we. I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck in the tree longer than need be.”

Chepi took The Book from the pouch, opening it very carefully as the pages seemed stuck to each other from all those years just lying buried in the ground. Before she could turn to a specific page the creature had moved across the branch and lunged towards us. The sudden movement startled us and with a cry we jumped back. Then the creature changed shape, becoming something with more substance, becoming human-like.

The last thing I saw before we fled from it was a wide grin, displaying its teeth…horrible, horrible teeth. It laughed in a way that chilled the blood in my veins, sending a ringing through my ears. I saw Chepi flying off with The Book and went after her. We moved until we were sure nothing was following us anymore and came to a halt at an old tree covered with bright green moss.

Gasping for air, I cast an eye towards Chepi, “Are you okay, did he hurt you anywhere?” Chepi’s eyes are big and frightened, “I’m fine, are you okay?” I nod my head, too out of breath to really answer, too tired and scared to let myself enjoy the clean fresh air filling my lungs.

Chepi points at The Book, “I had a look at it last night, after I got home. It’s not an average book and I now understand why it was buried underneath the big throne in the elders’ gathering hall. It’s a book with magic spells, especially useful to a trickster god. It was buried to protect our tribe.” I knew something was up the moment we saw the creature! “Why didn’t you say something this morning?” I ask Chepi with an angry voice. I was really terrified and too tired to hide it from her. “I honestly thought we were doing something good” she whispers, her bright green eyes filling with tears.

As I take The Book from Chepi and start turning the pages, cautious not to make a sound, it all begins to make sense. The creature hanging on the branch was the trickster god, Loki. Loki knew the book contained magic spells and with him being a trickster, it would have been detrimental if we had lost it. At least, that is what I can deduct from notes scribbled in the margins of some of the pages. Luckily, in our haste to escape, Chepi clenched The Book under her arm and fled to where we are now.

I close The Book and glance at Chepi, “I hope you’ve learnt your lesson young lady. Loki tricked us into believing that he was a helpless creature in need of our help.” Chepi giggles and gives her signature shrug again, followed by the words so familiar to me, “You live, you learn.” I can’t imagine what our fate would’ve been, had Loki been able to snatch the book from us. But for now, we still live to trick another day.