A Short Story - Part 1: Tragedy

     The night--cold, dark, starless.  The house of Namada was cold, dark, and desolate.  The fire on the hearth was exhausted.  For five day the fire was exhausted--for five days the house of Namada was cold, dark, and desolate.

     Across from Namada sat Eliju, her only friend on this cold night.  Eliju's long brown hair sat still and silent.  And big was she, like a horse of the barn.  She had a mouth, yes, but she did not speak.  She could only listen to the weeping Namada and feel deep pity.

     "Why, oh why?", Namada asked herself over and over.  Why had he, Hamelic, left her with a heavy heart--a heart filled with sorrow?  "I could not have failed, or could I have?  No, it was all his wrong.  We had fulfilled our wildest dreams.  I gave to him new lives.  But then she came along, that wretched bitch.  She lured him to her cave and made him forget me little by little.  Yes, it was Semalis, ugly and squat as she was.  She took him away from me."

     Yes, the day was cold, gray, meaningless.  The house of Namada was cold, dark, and, as previously mentioned, painfully desolate.  The fire, not being revived, was six day ash and soot.  As the hours grew darker, in her heart Namada decided she must start a new life for herself, but how?!  She had no one, only Eliju, who sat across from her, big-hipped, silent.  But then, she thought of Mot, who lived miles away.  How now brown cow?  Could he help her?

     Will Namada allow herself to rot to old age?  Will she throw herself to the Dragon of Suicide, or will there be a renaissance, a NEW Namada???????

     Tune in for the next exciting chapter in the life of Namada!!!

SHORT QUICK QUIZ

1. Did you read this dramatically?

2. If you answered "no" to question 1, re-read the story.  Perhaps you will find new meaning in in!!  Then again, you may not.

3. Do you know how to start a fire?  In a related query, what is a hearth?

4. Was this story too desolate for you?

5. Did you watch The Cosby Show last night?


[1987]