"Si gi na!"
Warriors scattered in all directions and those who didn't stared hard at Tavi. The old one armed woman hobbled back gasping as her unbroken stick fell to the ground. Whispers traveled among the Beaver People making them shift back and forth. But no one turned a head away from Tavi.
"Si yu." Tavi spoke only a salutation then stopped. She couldn't understand anything that was happening. "I am tired, so tired. Can I rest here tonight."
At the sound of her voice, a brave walked forward a step and put his palm up. "Tla no, A si gi na!"
Tavi was astonished and gasped at his accusations. "I am no devil. I am trying to get home." Tavi's little face scrunched up and she began to cry. Her heart was breaking more and more ; she just wanted to go home to mother and Tovi.
The further she walked into the village, the deeper the throng pushed back into the heart of the plaza. Tavi glanced from side to side at the crazed people. No one told her that disease had spread this far. These people were very sick, Tavi hurt for them. Tavi noticed that the hurt was strange. It felt like a memory instead of a physical pain. She stopped suddenly, her trek towards the people. The moon moved from behind the clouds and awakened the village in ribbons of day stolen light.
People began to scream as the moon shone its light upon the scene. Women snatched children and ran dropping bowls into the mud. Curs started to bark and back away. Braves lifted their weapons but stepped backwards. Some tripped over fires falling and burning her legs. Then the screams grew louder. Tavi's eyes widened then but stepped toward the people. "Please...Please."
Her hope became her panic. She dropped her head into her hands and continued to cry. When she peered between her fingers she could see her reflection in the water which had pooled upon the ground. The moon shone down into the shining liquid freshly spilled from the stone pot. Tavi stopped crying abruptly and gazed at her reflection. Her eyes were sunken, pale flesh covered her face tightly like a mask and when she opened her mouth, she fell backwards onto the ground. "AAAAhhhh A si gi na!" Tavi fell backwards pushing her little hands down into the mud. She sat for a moment rolling the words over and over against her tongue...her cold and dry tongue.
As Tavi pronounced herself the devil, she crawled back to the water and peered in. She opened her mouth and pulled her lips back against her gums. One hand went up and touched a pointed canine.
"Si gi na...oh, si gi na." Tavi raised up upon her knees to see more and noticed the blood on her dress. Her little hand went down to touch the blood on her chest and a gaping hole sucked her hand right in where her heart would be.
Tavi screamed and the whole village came alive in terror.
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