Suzume:

Sitting quietly I felt all eyes on me that where gathered. At the time I didn’t understand the position I was in. Really none of us did. But still, with my knees folded under me I watched over the ceremony as it commenced. All of which was for me.

With the sun at center, it’s brilliants shining not only on us, but the other landmasses embedded in the oceans of the sky that are all in alignment for this very moment. Even the birds which are usually resounding within the forest that spans around us are silent as preparations are readied. I’m on the cusp of my seventh year. Which I’ll partake in what’s known as the Pitfall.

In clothing of my mother’s making, she sits behind me with father. Both very proud with smiles upon there faces. Of velvet, my gown drapes past my legs and the sleeves just as long, a beautiful homages to butterflies which have been circling around the Pit before and beneath me a ways. Wings upon my back, I feel them flutter here and there. A certain electricity flowing in the air as a humid breeze creases my face and casing the freshly applied make-up to feel colder.

My black hair is almost down to mid back, parted down the middle, I wear a head band to help keep my hair out of my eyes. My eyes a luminescence gold which I have been complement on many instances for. Tanned skin due to being out in the sun near constantly, and a perfect smile as I am oozing happiness to be here. We all are.

A side from the other kids within the tribe, all adults are here, and older children who have already entered the Pit once and passed their own past. I do not know what is meant by that and it’s the woman to my right who has been sitting quietly along side of me who grins at my small self, “Suzume, are you nervous?”

She is quiet, but her words enter my mind, she never open her mouth and when I do turn my head her way, she gives me an even larger grin. No older then my parents, her youthful appearance makes me feel warm inside and at ease. My parents gave me a pep talk before all of this as I was fearful, and frighten and they where sad to see me in such a state. “Suzume, it’s a right of passage for everyone within the tribe.”

“It’s a jump start of your own development to become more of who you truly are.” My mother added and those words alleviated the doubt in my mind and the fear. Everyone is smiling, even those at the Pit’s edge who have been humming a low frequency and I have felt my own heart begin to match that frequency.

As I begin to levitate above where I sat, the Priestess now spreads her arms wide. She begins the hum as well, of higher pitch, my mother and father behind her likewise and soon I feel myself being rocked back and forth with the wind as the Priestess now speaks. “Tara blesses this auspicious occasion. As young Suzume is cast into the Pit to face her first past. She has shown bravery and kindness to those around her. Aiding her parents and overall bringing joyfulness to those around her.”

A laughter leaves my mouth, not quite my own, but all the same I am enjoying all this, the warmth in which I feel from all those around me. I see them all as my eyes are close, friends and family, all of whom are there just for me. For this very moment. A moment of pure bliss.

A males voice calls out from the pit’s edge as he forms a fist with one hand and placing the other atop, “I, Lou, will aid her in this, as a friend during her past.” The man shouts, although very soothing to my ears. The love radiating from his heart as he walks forward, falling into the pit.

Cheers leave the mouths of all. A young woman steps forward, much like the man, “I, Mine, will aid her in this, as an enemy during her past.” Her voice is soothing, but that word, I have never heard it before. A tinge of pain reverberates though me, a few tears breaking the surface as fear enters my mind once again.

“Suzume,” it’s the Priestess thoughts entering my mind again, “You will be fine, we’re all here during this. This is for you, to understand yourself better and to grow you must face that which you once where.”

Her words are soothing to my mind, to calm my thoughts. I am levitated over the Pit as another speaks from the edges, “I, Don, will aid her in this, as a companion during her past.”

Everyone speaking such lovely words as my most prominent feeling which wells inside me is that of bliss. Giggling beyond even my control I am greeted kindness from everyone’s voice in my mind as everyone gives me a blessing.

“Do your best.”

“Have a great time.”

They continue for awhile as everyone around the Pit’s edge give me their own bit of advice. None of which causes my mind to waver, everyone is ecstatic for me and the ceremony taking place.

The deep voice of my father enters my mind. “Don’t loose sight of who you where.”

“Forgive those that do you harm.” My mom’s voice is the last to give me any sort of guidance as everyone and everything falls silent.

My eyes never open as I begin falling and the butterflies which circled the Pit’s edge follow me as I fall and I am enveloped by darkness. It’s a struggle as I feel myself slipping from that overflowing joy and into depths of sadness and anger and negativity that I have never felt before. It’s all too much and I want to escape, I want go go back to that happiness, that bliss but I can’t and I don’t understand how to.

The butterflies as my guide, even they soon fade as I awake in a barren landscape, no forests, nor grass, All it is is dirt and rock. It’s saddening and I begin crying, but even I don’t understand why I am crying. I’m just sad, but also angry, angry at what though?

Dust clouds start to arise from off in the distances and I look toward the skies, trying to recall what I was doing here in the first place.

“War.” I answer in a deep voice, I look down at my masculine body and the loin cloth that is around my waist. “War with the invaders,” I say again and without much thought I ready myself. As those clouds of dust arrive with a chant that haunts me to my bone. This isn’t something I want to do, I know I don’t want this but my body acts on it’s own, charging the people that are within the dust clouds when a face appears of Mine, reading to swing at me with a sharp weapon from atop a creature.

A horse.

I close my eyes and grit my teeth as all that love and brightness returns to me again, but I am launched out of the Pit only to have the Priestess fly up and catch me, everyone else is in shock below and I feel the tears well up and start bawling into the Priestess shirt.

My mother and farther join us in the air as she brings us back to the ledge we where on before I was dropped into the Pit. There are rumbles among the tribe that I can’t make out, my mind is too clouded but the Priestess tells all that the ceremony is over. Leaving me with her, and my parents.

Still bawling I am passed to my mothers arms as she holds me tight, I can feel her worry, but I don’t understand anything myself. I don’t understand what I just saw. I am afraid and scared.

“Priestess Kayka,” My father speaks as my sobs have become a whimper as my mother coddles me. “What happened to Suzume, I never seen a Pitfall rejected.”

The Priestess kneels down and sits atop her legs, as do we all. “a rejected Pitfall is very rare.” She speaks softly, “but it did happen when I was younger. You two where only kids as Suzume is.” She tells us. “They were as you said, rejected.”

“But why,” My mother asks, Suzume is ready…”

The Priestess shakes her head. “Under the usual circumstances, kids once they are seven years of age are ready. We always start the first memory with ease. Something the kid can learn from. Everything was set for Suzume to face the same.” There is a long pause as the Priestess stares into my eyes and I am afraid. I want to turn away but her eyes have such a depth to them, her soul is calling me to stare at her.

“Then what changed.” Father asks and the Priestess claps a few times. I can feel the heavy energies around is dispersing as she takes a long breath inward and then sighs.

“Suzume is not the usual soul to go and recall her memories. The spirits of Tara where not willing to share with me the details, and now I see why.”

Starting up at my mothers face as she questions the Priestess, I’m having a hard time following anything they are saying, but my mother gently pats my head. “What about her soul?”

There is not softness to the words she speaks now, she is as troubled as my parents are when she speaks. “A long, a very long time ago when Earth was still Earth. It was enveloped in darkness. It was controlled be those that willingly harmed the native population and caused them to feel every instant of fear and hatred. Earth was very dark before it was awakened from within.”

She now points at me, “Suzume is from that period, a very ancient soul and her path going forward is going to be unlike any within the tribe. She’ll face the Burdens and the Worlds End War.”

Both my parents shudder hearing those words, even I do and a fresh batch of tears start flooding down my cheeks.

“Seems even Tara quakes at those words.” The Priestess smiles, although it feels fleeting. “Suzume, I will bring you back here when the spirits have told me you are ready. But this was with reason. So to stir your soul. You will recall everything as everyone does in due time. But your path is far different. I must make preparations for it.”

A wave of the hand, my parents take their leave from Priestess Kayka and my mother adjusts my bottom on her arm as he I bury my head into her chest and let myself hear her heart beat. It’s calming and I don’t want to feel that way again. I don’t want to see or feel what I felt just now, never again.