Shadows on Water
"I'm going to have a look," you whisper.
"No!" the others whisper as one.
But you're already making your way down, as silently as you can. Tough thick plants tangle with your feet, the way down is treacherous and silence is impossible. With every breath the gong chimes again. Whether your breaths are in step with the chimes, or the chimes are somehow counting out your breaths, is disturbingly unclear.
You are close enough now to see a clearing, with two figures swaying, in a slow dance around a fire. There are animal skins on the ground and other mysterious objects. The chiming has stopped. You catch the scent of something, a strong wild smell, that at once panics and emboldens you. As the figures turn to face you, you step forward into the clearing.
"Huan Tan."
It is an old woman's voice. A figure steps forward. Her clothing has been torn a thousand times by thorns,the skin on her arms looks like soft bark. On her face is a mask made of animal skin and fur, it looks like the face of a bear, but it is studded with four golden eyes. The figure behind her is identically dressed, and now she speaks, in a harrowing voice;
"The rains will fall,"
And the other: "What do you seek?"
"And the rains fall,"
"You may search the world,"
"And the rains will still fall,"
"I cannot disagree."
"But no man can stop them,"
"Some will seek you."
"And none can stop them,"
"The patchwork of field and town will undo."
"The seas shall invade the shore"
"And when they do,"
"What shall they want of you?"
In turn they speak, but as if with a single voice. One woman points to a large basin of water on the ground,
"Look into the water, Huan Tan."
"No!" the others whisper as one.
But you're already making your way down, as silently as you can. Tough thick plants tangle with your feet, the way down is treacherous and silence is impossible. With every breath the gong chimes again. Whether your breaths are in step with the chimes, or the chimes are somehow counting out your breaths, is disturbingly unclear.
You are close enough now to see a clearing, with two figures swaying, in a slow dance around a fire. There are animal skins on the ground and other mysterious objects. The chiming has stopped. You catch the scent of something, a strong wild smell, that at once panics and emboldens you. As the figures turn to face you, you step forward into the clearing.
"Huan Tan."
It is an old woman's voice. A figure steps forward. Her clothing has been torn a thousand times by thorns,the skin on her arms looks like soft bark. On her face is a mask made of animal skin and fur, it looks like the face of a bear, but it is studded with four golden eyes. The figure behind her is identically dressed, and now she speaks, in a harrowing voice;
"The rains will fall,"
And the other: "What do you seek?"
"And the rains fall,"
"You may search the world,"
"And the rains will still fall,"
"I cannot disagree."
"But no man can stop them,"
"Some will seek you."
"And none can stop them,"
"The patchwork of field and town will undo."
"The seas shall invade the shore"
"And when they do,"
"What shall they want of you?"
In turn they speak, but as if with a single voice. One woman points to a large basin of water on the ground,
"Look into the water, Huan Tan."