Sagonige and the End

Sagonige and the End

“Again, I have failed. They won’t listen to me and the FBI has a warrant out for me that I’m a terrorist and the Homelands Cops intend  to put me in jail.” Sagonige sat in in the Circle of Elders. They had put up the healing smoke, prayed, sang the sacred songs, and were now ready to hear from her.

Grandmother Bushyhead moved her chair closer to Sagonige and wrapped her arms around the tearful young woman. “This is not your fault, Granddaughter. They are too far gone. They have distanced themselves from the Earth Mother too long and are isolated orphans without songs, love, values. Not your fault.”

“But why should their feckless ways destroy all who dwell here? Who gave them that power?” Sagonige sank deeper into her chair and deeper into despair. “By my predictions, which my team has rechecked and rechecked and agrees with, the planet will implode in days. There will be tsunamis, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, cave-ins, mud slides, fires, floods, famine, drought and more!   Two years ago, we may have had a chance to turn it around, but they wouldn’t listen to us then and now…. they are getting violent.  They have killed a third of my department. The rest are hiding out here, but we don’t want to hide, we want people to listen to us!”

“Granddaughter, “Chief Thunder leaned forward. “You have been educated in the ways of our people, filled full of the prophesies and remedies to heal our world. They didn’t listen. Then we sent you to school to get a PhD in Environmental Health, reasoning that a diploma from a prestigious white school would get their attention. They didn’t listen. Then the young people of the world, from all races and backgrounds, began to hear you and support your attempt to wind the world well. Again, the THEY didn’t listen. Not even to their own profits, scientists, young, elders and all those who remember our true purpose on this Earth and the instructions of our Creator. Those in power, those who lost their humanity did not listen. And Granddaughter, it doesn’t look like they will ever listen. But all is not dead yet.

Sagonige, you are destined to be part of the new life. We may not be there to support you. None of us is really sure. But I know you will not only survive, but the people need you. You must go back to your home in the City. “

“I don’t want to leave you, my parents and family, my tribe, my lands, my plants, my rocks, my mountains and my waters! I want to stay here until the end!” Sagonige looked from one wrinkled face to the other. She saw tears, compassion, empathy and …… resolve. The Council had spoken. She would return to the City. She accepted their kisses, hugs and loving words. Then when no more could be said, or cried, or questioned or embraced, she left this safe room in one of the country’s last forests and joined her comrades, hiding in the basement of her brother’s house.

Her brother Wesa, was the best tracker in the country and he led the little group of scientists to the next state, out of site from the helicopter searchlights that grew more intense the closer they got to the metro area.  At the beginning of the water tunnels, Wesa said goodbye to his sister and her friends. As he held Sagonige in a tight embrace, he instructed them how to negotiate the tunnels and where and how to exit. The tunnels were dry as it had been months since water had flowed into the City. He had made them each a map as they could not stay together – it was important that at least one survive. All over the world, there were similar scenes taking place. Those who knew and tried to protect were being hunted by those who didn’t believe and were trying to hide the awful truth that indeed the world was ending.  Wesa kissed Sagonige one last time and was gone, as if he had never been there.

The dozen scholars and activists entered the bone-dry water system, thousands of enormous pipes spread out for miles in every direction. For a while they held hands and followed the maps together. Then one by one, each exited by climbing a rusty ladder and disappeared through a man hole. The only water in these echoing and arid tunnels were tears shed as the group bade each other goodbye.

Finally, Sagonige was the only one left and jogged to her exit. She sprinted up the ladder and opened the manhole gingerly. The dark street seemed as lifeless as the tunnels and she ran quickly to her little house. Although no one seemed to be around, she proceeded with caution and entered through a secret shaft which had been excavated beneath the tiny garden. Minutes later, she was in her dark house, not needing a light as she had practiced for any kind of disaster including black-outs. Sagonige grabbed some blankets and pillows, made a bed in the tub and settled down praying, meditating and singing silently. She fell asleep until….

The roar came howling out of the west and then two minutes later, the winds struck the house, lifting it off the foundation and slamming it back down. The almost indestructible sink and toilet cracked, water gushing out over the splintered tiles. But if Sagonige hadn't been in the bathroom when the tornado hit, she wouldn't have survived. She instinctively filled up the sink with water before turning off the water valve. Only the outside of the sink was damaged. The cheap plexiglass window in the shower held up, better than glass would have she thought. Sagonige climbed back into the tub bed carefully, afraid to look out of the shaking window, but scared not to. Gone. As far as she could see west, south and north, there was nothing. Not earth nor trees nor buildings nor people. Just sky...and nothing. 

Sagonige realized with a sick feeling in her gut that the rest of the house was gone, too. She used to be able to look out of the window and see the outside walls of the bedroom, hall and kitchen. She could also see the garage beneath the kitchen and the driveway leading to it. Not now. Sagonige finally had the tiny house she'd always wanted to live in; one that would reduce her carbon footprint, but not like this!

But what was holding up the bathroom? How could this one room survive when the five-room house was gone? Was it because the upper part of the house was at the top of a slope? And where's the the park that used to be at the bottom of the hill? Damn! The lake is missing, too! Just the bathroom exists. The bathroom and Sagonige! Sounds like the beginning of a five-year-old boy's "hiney peepie" joke.

Sagonige felt the familiar and dreaded beginning of a panic attack. But this was warranted panic, not some leftover unresolved childhood trauma messing with her neurotransmitters. No, this was reason to panic. She ransacked the medicine cabinet looking for Ativan. None, but she found Rescue Remedy, a double pack and took four times the suggested amount. Calm. Be calm. Be calm.

She looked in the mirror and caught a glimpse of something dart by. The window was reflected in the mirror and something was out there. Sagonige climbed back into the tub and pressed her nose against the window, waiting, hoping and fearing all at the same time. She saw the tail end of some kind of huge bird just floating on the wind in the endless sky. Rainbow colored feathers, it looked like a float leading the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, but it was real she thought. But what was it leading?

A second later, a line of goddesses floated past! They were all magnificently dressed and drifted regally and casually by the tiny window. They all smiled at Sagonige, each bowing her head as she passed the startled awe-struck woman. Sagonige didn't know them all but recognized quite a few:

Tia, the Haida Goddess of peaceful death

Angwusnasomtaka, the Hopi Kachina Crow Mother

Atabey, the Taino goddess of fresh water and fertility

Pinga, the Inuit Goddess of the hunt, fertility, and medicine

Ishtar, the Mesopotamian Goddess of sex, power, fertility, love and war

Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of volcanoes, fire and creator of the Hawaiian Islands

Tokapcup-kamuy , the Ainu solar goddess

Selu, the Cherokee Corn Mother

Papatūānuku, the Māori Earth Mother

Izanami-no-Mikoto, the Japanese goddess of both death and creation

Morrigan, the Celtic Goddess of war, fate, and death

Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of compassion

Shakti, the Hindu Earth Mother

Bast, the Egyptian goddess of warfare

Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of sexual love and procreation

Mazu/Tin Hau, the Chinese goddess of seafarers

Ixcacao (Cacao Woman) Mayan goddess of fertility and agriculture (and, of course, chocolate)

Oya, Yoruba goddess of winds, lightning, violent storms, death, and rebirth, rides by on her water buffalo. She is the last of the deity parade and Sagonige is filled with bliss.

Oya destroys old harmful societies and makes way for the new by sending cyclones, tornadoes, and hurricanes to destroy everything in their paths, forcing humankind to rebuild.  She has the power to obliterate cities and fields, reverting them back to their original pure state. From her little bathroom, Sagonige's fear vanishes and she is filled with joyfulness and purpose.

"OYA!!!!!!!" Sagonige screams.

Oya smiles and gestures at her and in a second, Sagonige is riding behind Oya on the water buffalo.