The Abyss of Lumberwitch by Dom Cutrupi

Author:Dom Cutrupi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lumberwitch Films
Published: 2016-06-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Vivid Dreams

The structure built on the sacred land resembled a giant birdcage.

Ten long thin lathes were arranged in circle, the bottoms inserted into the ground, the tops bent to form a dome. Threads decorated with beads were intertwined with colorful feathers on the lathes. A sequence of thinner sticks curved all around the dome, exponentially reducing in size as they went up, eventually curling on the capstone in the shape of a nest. Crossing the bent lathes, the sticks divided the dome into several trapezoidal spaces. Webs made of strings, adorned by pearls, had been pulled to decorate each of those spaces. Not all of them had webs as decorations. Deerskins, with signs of maroon paint on them, were stretched to cover some of the spaces.

Under the vault of the dome, on the ground, a pile of stones formed a pyramid. A man leaned against one of the lathes, his legs crossed and a drum between them. Keeping an eye on us, and an ear a few inches away from the skin of the instrument, he listened to the vibrations of his fingers tapping the drum.

Sadzya was carrying a long wooden stick, carved with bas-reliefs of animals. Strips of leather were wrapped around it in different sections, almost to divide the animals on its surface into vignettes. Gray feathers stuck out of the leather and bounced against Sadzya’s hands as she walked toward the giant cage—what she called “the temple.”

She gestured to Henry and Jimmy to keep their distance from the structure.

“Only me, buben, and Jonathan inside.” The buben, she had told us, was the drum.

She called me by my name, an uncommon custom in and around Lumberwitch, even for Henry and Jimmy, whose acquaintance with me already had crossed the line into a deep friendship. Not being punctilious myself about etiquette, I’d never complained about such infringement of manners.

Behind me, a group of people arranged Twyla’s throne, surrounding it with pillows and covering it with layers of thin cushions.

Having finished the arrangement, four of the natives sat on the pillows, clearly serving as guards of an untouchable queen. Twyla entered the sacred hut, escorted by four ladies. One of them indicated the throne to her, and she, for a moment, exchanged a glance with me. Those big eyes didn’t miss my smile.

“Jonathan, your seat,” said Sadzya, pointing out a portion of bare ground beside the stone pyramid.

I sat down and observed the people outside the structure. A not-so-committed smile rose on my face.

“Take painting of girl,” she whispered.

I grabbed the canvas from the handmade pocket inside my jacket, unrolled it, and placed it on the ground.

The drummer beat his fingers on the skin of the drum. A low-pitch rhythm filled the air and seemed to overwhelm the temple with its sound. The vibrations tickled my ears. As the sensation grew stronger under my skin, I turned my head to Twyla, and then to Henry and Jimmy, to see if they were feeling it. Apparently the shape of the cage and the distance from my spectators allowed only me to enjoy the vibrating sound of the buben.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.