The Empty Hammock by Barrett Brenda

Author:Barrett, Brenda [Barrett, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Jamaica Treasures
Published: 2011-10-31T00:00:00+00:00

******

Oromico, Orocobix, the Behique and ten elders were in the council hall. It was a hut with many stools that the elders used for meetings; it was in close proximity to the Chief’s family house.

Ana could smell the tobacco smoke before she reached the brow of the hill. They believed in the spiritual powers of the tobacco and it was an essential part of their dances and their meetings—one day she would give a lecture about the effects of tobacco on their health. It was amazing, how the Spaniards came to the Caribbean and adopted the bad habit from the Arawaks.

The effect of smoking was known in modern times as a major killer, but could it be that the adaptation of this one vice was payback for the thousands of Arawaks that died by the hands of the explorers?—the Arawaks were enslaved but they introduced their masters to another form of slavery. She shook her head at the fanciful thoughts.

The Behique appeared at the door of the meetinghouse as Ana climbed the hill. He gestured for her to come to him. She headed toward the old man slowly, his expression was stern and he held himself straight. Probably she was going to be reprimanded for interrupting the sacred naming ceremony.

She felt herself getting unaccountably nervous. She was going to face the Cacique and his men officially. Then she shook herself. She had chaired staff meetings before and made presentations to leading men in Jamaica’s corporate world, why was she nervous about standing before naked men who were long dead?

The Behique stepped aside as she entered the dim interior of the meetinghouse. He went to sit down at his place in the circle, he indicated a stool near the center that was empty and she sat down hard, underestimating the height of the stool, her buttocks screamed in pain. She silently winced and glanced at Orocobix who had a half smile on his face.

“We have been discussing your revelations,” Oromico said quietly.

The elders nodded. “Your husband made a good case for you Ana.”

Ana stared at them bemusedly, through the smoky air she could see their expressions, one elder who seemed to be the oldest was regarding her with paternal pride.

“You were always a dreamer, my father used to listen to you keenly, as will I now.” Oromico looked at her and grimaced, “I do not like this vision.”

“It does not matter if you like it,” Ana said, clearing her throat. “It will happen. This world, as you know it, is coming swiftly to an end. History records that you greeted these men with joy and peace. Well, I’m asking you to go against your nature and arm yourselves. Do not make it easy for them. Kill them when they come here.”

There was a collective gasp in the hut.

“We are the good people,” one elder said, Ana recognized him as Guam, the husband of Agita the foreigner.

“The good people are the dead people,” Ana said forcefully, “this will be a war that cannot be solved by offering food.

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