E P I O N E
I was born on a warm night. Things were peaceful. Even the trees seemed to lower their branches and spread their roots in deep sleep. That's what my father said.
But my mother. She always claimed to feel something utterly eerie about my birth night. She believed that it was unlucky.
I pay her no mind. She's way too superstitious. Even for me.
"Now kneel in prayer"
The mass shuffled simultaneously.
A big bowl of gold liquid on a raised pillar in the room, high above any human reach, started to overflow as prayer started.
My Ma told me it was the goddesses. They all put themselves in that one bowl to bless us all and free us from the darkness.
At a young age, when I heard this for the first time I inquired "what goddesses?" and was greeted with a stiff slap to my mouth. I learned not to ever ask again not long after.
They do horrible things to the ones they believe have no faith.
It was believed children should be born with the knowledge of the goddesses. No one was allowed to teach them. Well, no one really knew how, for the adults also bore the same expectation when they were born. And their parents did, and their parents before them.
I understand only because I was raised to. And often racked my brain for information that couldn't have possibly been there.
No one was born with this knowledge, if that wasn't already clear. It was forbidden to speak of it so no one cared to challenge the logic any way. It sat at the back of everyone's head and no one spoke of it.
Thousands of people gathered here everyday. On the dark, coal black floors of the building that held the gold bowl.
The sunlight shone on the floors, making them look like bright well arranged black tiles sprinkled with millions of tiny pieces of glass.
No matter how many people came in there was always enough space. The building didn't look that large from outside.
There was a pillar made of bright glass, it stood out starkly against everything else. On top of it was positioned a bowl made of the same glass, always tilted over as if it was about to fall but never falling, it was filled halfway with a gold liquid that no one ever dreamed of asking the origin of for fear of being singled out as someone without faith.
Ma told me what they do to the ones without faith. Horrible things.
I never understood this word faith fully, but I was raised to accept it and be willing to follow and yern for the gold liquid.
We weren't allowed to touch it or be too near it. But Ma said just looking at it is enough to grant us protection against the darkness.
What darkness? Don't ask.
Only the priests were allowed. They feared no darkness. They were celestial. Elevated and blessed.
Their faces and bodies were always covered, shrouded in colorful materials and robes. One time though, I managed to see the wrist of one who was careless for a moment. I consider myself very lucky.
Never have I seen skin the sparkled like crushed opal. That image is continously burned into my head. I hope I never grow old enough for it to leave.
"May the ones above protect us and guide us"
They all spoke simultaneously not overlapping by a single second as if it was one voice. One by one all 7 reached their hand above their heads. Golden liquid dripping from the overflowing bowl onto their heads and palms.
"May all block their sight for reverence"
People used to die at this part. But in time there came great obedience and dedication to prevent this.
Blocking the sight, covering your eyes. Fighting the curiosity. Or end up a chared black corpse.
No one knew why for obvious reasons. The dead couldn't speak. And those who weren't dead had kept their eyes closed.
Though curiosity was human nature. It was thought from birth to know better and all were tied to the lock and were strong enough to resist.
My Ma told me that we weren't allowed to touch the corpes. They would stay there and slowly disintegrate and become apart of the floor.
Imagine the pain of not only loosing a loved one but not being able to bury their body. Having to come into this building everyday and watch as they slowly faded away.
"You may all rise"
It's over. We'll be protected now.
Outside, they said the sky was once blue. Like the color of my favorite shawl.
My Ma told me that the sky is probably still there underneath those silver clouds.
I doubt it. This reflective surface we see now is the sky. It will never be blue again.
Speaking of the sky.
"RAIN"
"Get back inside"
The quick moving people weren't in a panic. This is something they've done many a time before.
Rain wasn't rare. It was a regular occurrence and it was usually just regular water too.
Unfortunately we can't tell the difference.
You'd have to catch it in pail and observe to realize the water was actually almost opaque. Tinted black.
Plants had already adapted, most of the animal life too. Black Water wasn't a threat to them.
However, for us humans. It would take only getting soaked to begin a horrible process of metamorphosis.
I've never seen it completely through. I believe the warnings only because I could have fallen to it myself.
I raise up a sleve and stare at the glittery mark. The whole area was hard underneath my skin, this piece of skin was touched by a good amount of the black water and dissolved revealing something underneath. A glimmering layer of platinum.
My Ma told me to hide it. And I do. I ask no questions.
Black Water that already fell to the ground lost its power, it only produced bad properties while falling. Like a arrow given great momentum. It would loose it and fall. No longer being a threat.
"Home?" I asked softy as soon as the rain stopped.
It was regular water this time.
"Home." My Ma replied.
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