The beast on the island

We sat on this island, with the wet sand sticking to our butts. 

It's been two years since Father and I sat together, he made promises about how bright the future was. 

Father smiled as I pointed to the line where the sky meets the sea. For a second, I thought it was the end of the world, but we came from there.

   Miles and miles across the seas, running from those who wanted our heads on spikes and those who wanted us dead just so to drink our blood from a gourd.

   Father used to say, there is no mystery great as an island. I believed when I could no longer hear the chants of our enemies and their deadly cries.

    The island stayed a mystery until the day we saw the sails of their ships coming from the end with no beginning. The sails of fire and hell, coming to draw us back into the darkness we came from. I pointed at them and Father was terrified,

He said, 'God be with us' but God was not with us and the island wasn't a mystery. 

They said I have powers, powers to part the oceans and bring down the clouds. But my future, the present and the past, were all encircled in survival.

How do I  take a stand, when death was constantly chasing me?

   Unlike the others on the mainland, I was the outcast, the ticking time bomb.

Mother died protecting me from them. We were on the other side when we spread her ashes in the ocean, hoping she'd become a bigger one somewhere.

  I'd never have let the ashes go if I knew Father was going to lose a part of himself.

Anyways, Our enemies came, singing and chanting. Father in despair, his hollow eyes helpless and sad. And I was screaming with a sad face, wondering what they'd do to us. 

They said there are three beasts in me. One for friend , One for family, and one for foe.

I wondered where they were. I knelt in front of the flames, father too, only difference was there was a sword to his neck. In a moment, his body would be without a head, his head would be on the sandy beach with a fear-filled but frozen stare. And he'd be dead.

When would the beast wake?

And in one, two, three, the sword went down, there was blood, much blood. His body was without his head, I looked around but his head was nowhere near.

Morning came and there was still no beast, Maybe it's true what they say. God knows best, He gives and take.

But enemies wanted me dead, is that God's plan? Is that what He knows best?

Through the night, there was laughter, much laughter as my enemies triumphed over me, singing songs of victories God said they never would if He be with me.

Where was he?

Father's body was without his head and mother's was in the ocean somewhere and I was tied to a tree trying to stop my tears from falling.

God save me before I die, I whispered.

And in one, two, three. There was blood, much blood. This time, not mine but of my enemies'. I rained death on them, every beast went for the foe. I had the power and the beasts were awaken, I made the ocean sweep them all away, in a moment I turned the ocean red with the blood and cries of my enemies until the island was a mystery again.

They woke the snoozing beast.

                               ************

The mainland is safe to go now, but my anger is greater than my losses.

I am afraid wherever I go, this beast follows, I'm afraid it might not go back to sleep. Now I've become the outcast everybody wanted to kill.

I decided to stay on the island, far away from people, far away from sight.

The trees, the moon, the sun, the stars being my friend, and God, a best one because he put my enemies in the ocean.

I hope he puts this beast to sleep again, till then the island remains a sad mystery. 

And if they ask, what's on the island that kills people?

Shh! Do not tell a soul about the beast on the island.