The Removed by Brandon Hobson

Author:Brandon Hobson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Ecco
Published: 2020-11-18T00:00:00+00:00

Tsala

FOR MOST OF MY LIFE I was not an angry man. I never expected to feel such fury, but the earth sent us warnings: there was a drought. The summer solstice had burned up the soil, and one could taste dust in the air. The wind rose up and howled. Beloved, it was crucial we paid attention to these warnings. We knew the time was near.

Our prophets, too, had warned of the soldiers coming to remove us from our land. This was a terrifying time. We were frightened but ready to defend our home. Our people would refuse to leave, even though we had been tricked by the government with their fraudulent treaty. We did not trust them. It was a time, too, for hope. Some of the missionaries introduced us to the Christianity religion and read from the book of Matthew as it had been translated by one of the men from New Echota. We discussed peace and sacrifice. We also talked about the treaty and our humility. During this time, I saw visions of the dying before I understood what it means to die.

VISIONS OF THE COMING SOLDIERS

The night before the soldiers arrived, I looked up to the yonder sky, where I saw visions of the dying. I saw people walking alongside oxcarts, carrying their children and their food while soldiers sat in wagons with their guns. I saw the fighting of warriors and soldiers across the land as my people hid in the bloodstained grass. I saw people dying of starvation and disease. I saw the slaughter of the fattest cattle and the passing of the war pipe while our people mourned for the dead. I saw horses dying and snakes lying in the red dust at night. I saw a deaf boy running through a field while soldiers called for him to stop; when he didn’t, they shot him dead. I saw the burning of ranches and stage stations, and afterward the feasting and dancing. I saw a wind sweeping down into a dead body and giving birth to an eagle, who flew away into a red dawn. I saw bursts of fire in the sky and bodies trailing away like smoke. I saw deer and smaller animals running toward the mountains.

Later in the night I woke to the drumming of spirits, or so I thought. I walked outside to look to the trees. The drumming stopped, but I saw nothing. I looked to the sky: there I saw the great blacksnake, the screech owl, the horned owl, and a group of people walking, all moving toward a giant tree in the sky. The tree was on fire, and burning so fiercely I could feel the stinging in my eyes as I watched. Then smoke began to cover the people, and the ashes fell from the sky like falling stars. I had to cover my eyes and go back inside, where I lay awake until dawn. My wife said this was a strong vision of what was coming our way.

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