Life's Circle, The Origin of Heath

Life’s Circle

The Origin of Heath

One dark and sinister night the moon was full all the beasts howled sending chills down the backs of all who were good. The forest became alive from the pale worms in the earth to the swaying arms of the trees above.

Many deaths would occur tonight in the shadow of the bush but one life was meant to live under the glow of the moon and floating clouds.

Inside this small, rickety and non-rain proof, hut there was chaos. The bedroom was humid and hot from the long day in the sun and the many frantic women, dressed in clothes they had worn for the past ten years, squirming around. Of course, the blazing fire did not much help either but it did help all the women to calm the screaming mother who was now due to have her baby.

“We have to hurry; she’s been pushing too long. If we wait much longer the child will die,” said a frazzled old woman, who some may call a witch and others may call the medicine woman, either way she was the person to call upon when you were ill, giving birth, or were practicing spells and witchcraft. A younger lady, though no less experienced looking, wiped her stringy sweat drenched hair out of her eye sight. She was the dark skinned and heavy one. These two may have looked like complete opposites but they were similar in one area and that was that they could get their work done well.

She shook her head gravely and replied, “I do not know what else to do. You and I have both seen many births in our days but I have never experienced one so difficult,” she paused and leaned in towards the older woman whispering, “We must be prepared for the worst and most likely thing to happen, death. She used much of her strength last night staying up, who knows how much longer she can hold out before permanent sleep overwhelms her fragile body?”

The wrinkly old woman nodded towards a small wooden cup filled with herbs sitting on a rickety, simply made, wooden table. “Please hold the cup while I pour, Lantha,” the witch paused to poor the steaming hot water but soon Lantha relieved her pale and lanky hands from the weight of the heavy metal pot. As Lantha poured the rest of the water into the half-filled cup and then a few other cups for her and the others to enjoy, the elderly woman sat down in a chair next to the bed where the struggling mother lay currently trying to relax and sip the medicine that the Witch was now giving to her. Suddenly she started to scream again and writhe in pain. Her face turned red in seconds.

This had happened a couple times before so no one panicked but quickly and efficiently did what was needed to be done. After such a long night no one expected the baby to come out now, but it did. Right before their eyes out came the tiniest baby any of them had seen.

As fast as the new mother’s face went from calm to panic it changed again, this time from panic to joy; absolute joy and relief. Smiles grew across the room as the women realized the struggle was over and had ended well.

Everyone took deep breaths and relaxed the tension out of their worn bodies. Lantha disappeared into adjacent room and returned with the father who had been waiting very impatiently for what had just now come.

Dougal came in into the room looking happier than ever; a big grin stretched across his face.

“What are we going to call her, Kira?” said Dougal as he walked to the side of the bed. “I like the name Heath,” Kira thought for a moment, “Yes, Heath meaning wasteland for our daughter was born into a wasteland,” Kira, the happy mother, looked up to her husband’s strong face admiringly and he looked back nodding. “Heath she will called,” Dougal agreed, “We will now proceed with our blessing. Lantha, you and the women must leave now. Take your things with you.Witch, you will stay and set the stones.” Lantha bowed her head, “Of course. I will return tomorrow in the morning to check the mother and her child.”

Once Lantha and the few other women had gone with all of their possessions the Witch began to lay black round shaped stones in a circular form on the floor with a small thud from the wood in response. Kira rose from her bed and tied back her brown tangled hair out of her face. Helping Kira with one large rough hand and holding the baby with the other, Dougal walked the short distance to the circle.

There Dougal laid the child, all wrapped in rags, in the center of the rocks and sat down with his wife across from him. “That is all, Witch. We will see you tomorrow also?” The Witch nodded, “Yes, of course. The child’s health must be checked often. I will come by in the morning with Lantha.” She said goodbye and walked out of the room closing the door behind.

A quiet hum went through the dimly lit room the second the Witch was gone. This mysterious sound came from the mouths of Kira and Dougal. Their eyes were closed and their legs crisscrossed in front of them; hands resting on their knees. Little Heath, new to the world, lay quiet as if knowing something important was about to happen.

Then, everywhere but coming from nowhere, voices started to whisper in the dimly lit room. You could not understand what they were saying but you heard them in the air, you felt the tickle in your ear and the chills down you back. Something else was in the room with them.

Dougal started talking as if in reply but you also could not hear him unless you put your ear to his lips. But as he got louder you would realize that he was saying a rather strange chant; strange and frightening.

Gars no pasaules zemāk
Spirit from the world bellow

Nāc un aizpildiet mūsu meitas dvēsele

Come and fill our daughter’s soul

Satumst, ņemot vērā One Evil

Darken the light of the Evil One

Nāc, nāc, nāc!

Come, come, come!

Dēmons no uguns dziļumā

Demon from the depths of fire

Nāc un darīt mūsu sirdis vēlas.

Come and do our hearts desires.

Slēpt savas acis no citiem veidiem

Hide her eyes from others ways

Redzot tikai ar sātana žēlastību

Seeing only by Satan’s grace

Valdnieks dēmonu nosūtīt tālāk jūsu kalps.

Ruler of demons, send forth your servant.

Rādīt patiesību mūsu bērns, ak gudrs Serpent.

Show truth to our child, oh wise Serpent.

Nosūtīt tālāk dēmons, sūtīt viņu tālāk.

Send forth the demon, send him forth.

Dot savu otro dzimšanas.

Give to her a second birth.

As he went on the voices in the room got louder and louder. Screeching sounds like a birds call of distress. Then, silence; everything and everyone were still for what seemed like forever. Dougal and Kira then opened their dark and tired eyes, looking at each other. “The sacrifice we choose to make.” a tear slipped down Kira’s flushed cheek, “Goodbye.”

Fire filled the room in a flash burning everything. Darkness was all that was in the small room now, except for the small bit of color coming from the baby girl. Her skin was somehow changed making it hard to see her with no source of light but the small puzzling light that was, but wasn’t. Green were her eyes, glowing like a thirsty animal’s in the shadows.

Alone she lay on nothing, in a room filled with nothing; there was emptiness. Alone was her love; for there was no one for her to love and no one to love her. And alone she would be in her life to come.

Now was the beginning of her circle, unknown was the end.

THIS IS MINE, DO NOT TAKE! haha No, seriously, I'm not kidding. Don't steel. B-|

Hope you enjoyed!

God Bless,

Sheilla Kiwi

Side Note From The Author: The language I used for the chant thingy is called Latvian. I just went ahead and used an already existing language since I am short on time.
If I ever put this into a book or something I would for sure write my own language or just do it in English. But for the class I am taking I wanted something more so
I just used a language I thought most people might now know. lol Just so ya know... :)