"Congratulations Vin!"
" Haha Thank you"
And that is all I get to hear in the last few days. I'm not sick or tired of it. My fellow villagers are overjoyed that I have joined in marriage at the best year of my life. The folks in my village on every occasion predicted whoever settles a future with me would be a lucky person. The reason being that I have been recognised, idolized and admired for my muscular, powerfully built like body and because of my courage and my confidence which I don't care. Also, I never agreed to what my folks believed about my marriage.
I have looked forward to settle my future with Love however I have come to the conclusion that love is not for everyone owing to the fact that I had to surrender myself to arranged marriage just because I was put on pressure or brainwashed by everyone!
So now my better half or wife is Zivi. Zivi is from the rich and famous upper class member and our marriage was arranged by my uncle. While on the subject, my wife is much more older than me but she looks good for her age. Just a fine wine beauty. I don't know her well because I never met her once before our marriage but she she, at all times have a nice smile on her well aged face.
"Congratulations Zivi. You're very lucky!"
Zivi would turn crimson.
I am not heads over heels in love with her but I will make every effort to be a good husband.
Before sunrise I decided to walk up to the common well to take a cold bath. A very shabby looking well but the water is untarnished and purified naturally from the the top hills of Viswema village. Ever since I was born in Viswema, this well has been solid strong and clean till toady.
"The water is freezing cold!" I yelled foolishly as I splashed the water from running water still untouched by anyone from the village.
"Haha you never change!"
I turned around to see my dearest best buddy Sede cracking a hard smile.
"Hey my brother!"
"Don't act surprised Vin! You know it's my duty in the morning" Sede winks.
Sede is such a good-natured, affectionate and a good humoured man. He has been my trusted friend ever since I could walk and talk. Once in a while I would tease him and tell "Sede I will marry you long time back if you are a girl"
"Haha You're disgusting! You're obsessed with me Vin. I'm afraid you will like me more than your wife in the future" He would tease back.
Sede has been married long back. He is such a loving husband to his wife. Sede and I work for the same thing and that is taking charge of the village water supply and to keep a watch over the lake of Viswema which is at the mountain top. The lake have supplied sufficient water for the village and Sede does his duty at the hours of daylight while I go for night duty.
"Sede! Sede! Sede!"
"Ohh! Sorry I was dreaming"
"It's alright. Your tea is here"
Zivi sets down the tea and warm baked sweet potatoes.
"Thank you."
"Delicious! Zivi you need to teach your husband how to make tea like this" Sede teases
"Haha Thank you brother Sede. I'm glad you liked the tea." Zivi replies nervously "You should bring your wife along with you sometimes" Zivi adds
"Ohh my wife! She is always busy with her beauty pageant. She barely has time for me too!" Sede replies chuckling "But I support her. I don't mind her obsession with beauty. You see beauty also important and she is young and free spirited"
Zivi stops smiling and becomes trouble with what Sede was telling casually.
"I see" she replies softly
To Zivi she is conscious of how she is no longer young and beautiful and it hurts to hear that beauty was important. "Enjoy your tea" Zivi leaves with a fatal smile.
I could see Zivi was cast down with Sede's words but since I don't know her very well I decided to leave her alone.
"Brother Sede are you okay? I saw you carrying a worried face on our way home" I quickly changed the topic. I know if Sede was having a good day or a bad day right away before he could tell me. Maybe it's because I know him too well.
"Am I so predictable to you?" Sede replies but with a disturbed expression.
"Of course! I know you better than your wife"
"I won't deny." Sede laughs "Anyway the problem is I went up to the mountain top and found that the lake was dirty and it's not just yesterday. It has been going on the past few days" Sede informs the horrifying news.
"What is strange is that for years the water from the lake is untouched and crystal clear. I cannot believe I saw the lake so dirty" he adds
"What! That is terrible brother!" I yelled
"I know brother Vin. The water turns scarlet red early morning and by noon the water becomes clear and pure as it has to be. Do you know what can be the reason since you do your night duty? Or could it be some intruders for the other village interfering with the lake?"
"I don't know. I never saw any villagers up at night" I replied. I believe that it must be the work of my neighbouring villages. For centuries they fought for the lake to be their village property.
"I think you must be right brother Sede. Those jerks must have added something into the lake to scare our people"
"This have been going on for many days and supplying such water to our people must be harmful"
I knew this matter is serious and it should be looked after immediately. Sede is of the opinion that this happens as soon as the sun sets and I should be careful enough to catch them red handed.
I was in full preparation for my duty tonight. I decided to carry my spear for self defence ans Zivi packed my dinner as I decided to skip dinner. "This matter should be sorted out immediately because the village cannot function without water" I thought to myself as I put on my shoes.
"Zivi, I shall come back home early as soon as my work is done" I looked up to Zivi from where I was sitting putting on my shoes. I felt uneasy leaving my newly wedded wife alone but I cannot share my emotions.
"Please take care of yourself and don't forget to eat the food I packed for you" Zivi smiles locking her eyes to mine. I am surprised how she understands me so much.
"Alright then see you soon. Good night" I stood up but I could not bring myself to embrace her goodbye
"Come back soon"
I left my house walking the dark Streets but my wife smiling and her anticipation for me to get back home soon charmed and pleased me. I am affected by how she manages to smile the entire day and understand my feelings so much. I could see in her eyes how she had so much respect for me and I'm grateful how she is trying her best to make our marriage work
"Damn she's a charm" I spoke to myself
From my part I should be staying by her side at this hour but I am compelled to work.
I could see bunch of wild flowers and decided to pluck some of them for Zivi "hmm I'm not sure if she would like it but I should make her happy as much as I can form now"
"Ohh this flower smells great! she will live this!" I plucked a bunch of the wild flowers and walks towards the lake.
The night is quite and only my footsteps and the crunch or dry leaves as I walk could be heard only. If someone was to make a move or touch the water from the lake, it can be heard. I prepared my hiding under a naturally carved cav. Not too small or big but I could fit in if I sat down and hugged my body placed my spear besides me for my own safety and decided to remain as quite and possible and to pay attention to any sound.
Time passed yet nobody seemed to appear and I began to catch some sleep. After a while, small crunching of leaves sound woke me up. The stamping got louder. I grabbed my spear with full alert "my goodness! They are not walking. They are running".
I took a look at the lake in the darkness. With shaft of light form the moon I could see that non of the intruders have not arrived yet. They were getting closer but with the voice getting louder, I realised it was not footsteps of humans running.
"Ohh nooooo!"
My heart stopped when the voice came out of the woods. To my disbelief, as the creature jumped from the bushes, through the glitter of the moon light, I could see a pack of wolves rushing to the lake. I was not certain if they were wolves but I hid myself and plain to my eyes from the darkness I saw the pack of wolves drinking water from the lake.
"Those wolves cannot be the reson the water turns scarlet red" I thought to myself.
The night passed but nobody showed up. I began to doubt since nobody will be wandering around the woods so late at night.
The sunlight stroke straight into my face making me wake up.
"What!"
Everything around me is in mess! The flowers I plucked for my wife last night have been shattered to pieces.
"Ohh no the Lake!" I rushed to the see the water from the lake. Angry and confused to see the lake turned scarlet red, I was in disbelief to was I saw!