The Medicine Horse by Ulrike Dietmann

Author:Ulrike Dietmann [Dietmann, Ulrike]
Language: deu
Format: epub
Publisher: spiritbooks
Published: 2015-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

13

Her face was framed by a fur hood, beneath which two dark eyes glowed, set off from her white skin like black crystals. She was not an Indian and did not seem to belong to any other definable ethnic group. The pr oportions of her face reminded one of a Chinese jade doll but her lips and nose were European. Her age—hard to say.

“I am Valerie.”

“My name is Salik,” th e stranger answered and smiled.

“Valerie Rosenstein.”

“Salik Noor.”

“What does your name mean?” Salik asked.

Valerie translated: “Roses and stone. What does your name mean?”

“Salik is Arabic and means freedom. My surname, Noor, is also Arabic and means light.”

“Salik Noor.”

Salik’s hands were hidden in gloves but she offered to shake Valerie’s hand anyway.

“Welcome.”

“Why are you here?” Valerie asked.

“For the same reason as you.”

“Were you also … summoned?” Valerie said, unce rtain whether she had gone too far.

“Yes,” said Salik.

Valerie, who so far had been crouching, balanced on tiptoes, sat down next to Salik on the flat rock. Moo nlight still illuminated the valley and Valerie felt as if she was wrapped in a coat of light. She liked Salik straight away. She thought she smelled of peaches although there were certainly no peaches in this area. The whole environment seemed to adopt a different character because of Salik’s presence. As if the hills and mou ntains, the valley and the animals were only now revea ling their true nature. Valerie wanted to say something, felt it on the tip of her tongue, but as soon as she tried to open her mouth, the words fled, she forgot what she wanted to say and the forgotten words made way for a deeper perception. Without wanting to Valerie sank into Salik’s world which suffused everything with mild, delicate light.

Valerie did not know how long she had been sitting there but as it slowly grew lighter she noticed that the night was ending. A red wall of light rose beyond the mountain ridge.

“Can you see her?” Salik pointed to the peak of the mountain.

“Incredible,” gasped Valerie. The figure of a sleeping woman was etched in the rock. It was the same one Valerie had unearthed while researching on the Inte rnet.

Wright Peak.

“The Medicine Woman,” Salik said.

“The Medicine Woman.”

“This is her sacred land. The Apaches once lived here.”

Salik turned to Valerie and looked at her with jet black eyes. Valerie scratched in the dust with her shoe, seized a stone lying there and absent-mindedly drew circles on the ground at her feet as if wanting to lure something from the depths of her memory with this movement.

“You are a member of the tribe,” said Valerie.

“Me and seven other men and women,” Salik a nswered.

“Tom included.”

Salik nodded.

“Who are the others?”

“You met them yesterday afternoon.”

“That—forgive me—that sorry lot?”

“Do not judge them. They are the descendants of a great people.”

Valerie sighed. “Do you know where Tom has disa ppeared to?”

“He is still getting a few things we need for the ce remony.”

“I’ve been feeling very lost this afternoon,” Valerie said.

“You will understand.

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