Azaria (6 page)

His eyes eventually drifted upward to the two full mounds bouncing up and down at the top of her legs, first one and then the other. Although considered rude, he couldn’t keep himself from staring at them and didn’t realize he was running with an open mouth. He caught himself and reverted back to the practiced breathing pattern all runners were taught. Breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Again and again. Over and over the same pattern, never faltering. That was the way to provide ample breathe to the lungs and prevent premature dehydration.

His breathing under control, his thoughts turned again to the woman in front of him and his eyes inevitably returned to her perfectly shaped humps, beating rhythmically to their own dance. She looked amazing. He couldn't remember ever getting so excited during a run. But he couldn't help it. She was right there in front of him. And what was the harm really? It was keeping his mind off the exhaustion. No one knew where his eyes were.

He couldn’t help comparing her with Azaria, the only other girl he'd ever found as captivating.
Azaria is so beautiful I get excited just thinking about her. Yumineh’s cute too, though. But her eyes... Her eyes are weird, slightly off. But I kind of like them. They make her special. She's beautiful too.

Dogahn’s focus again turned to Yumineh’s midsection. Her back was glistening.
I'd like to make her glisten like that.
He had visions of himself on top of her in his furs. Her long, slender, bare body underneath his, the two of them gyrating in rhythm. He was staring at her backside again, and then at her back and her silky, long, dark hair.
I like how the Fox Camp girls wear their hair like that, with braided strands wrapped around their heads.
Again his eyes made their way down her back and paused at her bobbing backside. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and press himself up against those exquisitely plump mounds.

Suddenly, Dogahn realized how excited he’d become and struggled to think of something else. In his distraction, he’d fall behind. Yumineh was farther ahead now, still behind Azaria. He heard a thrashing behind him and to the right. As he looked back one of the male runners glided past, breathing hard, perspiration flying off his arms as he pushed forward.

Dismayed, Dogahn thought to recapture his place. But he was breathing hard. It was a struggle just to maintain the distance between himself and the young man in front of him. He questioned if he had the stamina to win.

Two positions ahead, Yumineh was fully unaware of the psychological battle Dogahn was waging. Things were going perfectly for her. She was right behind Azaria. The pace wasn't overly taxing. She felt great. Plenty of energy for the swim, although she wasn’t sure how far until the main river crossing. She guessed it wouldn't be long. On the way to Boar Camp she'd asked Izyl if they could camp at the river so she could strategize. Fox Camp was almost a full sun’s walk northeast of the Temple, very near the crossing. It was a natural place to stop, but Izyl was also happy to oblige her. She was proud of the young orphan runner, sure she'd place highly in the race.

Azaria could see Bat Cave up ahead. They’d reach it in moments. The trail would soon open and then they'd be close to the crossing. Feeling supremely confident, she sped up, hoping to pass a few of the runners ahead of her first.

As she accelerated, she saw the front runners begin to pull ahead and knew the crossing was imminent. Azaria took a deep breath and exhaled. High grasses gave way to sand as she sped up again to catch those in front of her. Some of the runners turned to follow the river farther southeast. She instead sprinted straight for the water. She passed the older boy in front of her and then a girl around her age she didn't know. Azaria was almost there, anticipating the plunge into the cool waters. She took a short step to adjust her stride and accelerated to full speed. A couple of bounding steps and she dove head first. Beneath the river’s surface, she reached far, fully extending her arms as she kicked her legs violently. Her long stroke propelled her forward and back up to fresh air. Another stroke and another and she cocked her head to the side to take a breath. She repeated the stroke, sneaking a glance to find the far bank.

Suddenly something brushed her arm, interrupting her stroke. Another swimmer? Azaria looked to her side, only to find Yumineh passing her in the middle of the river. Shocked, she increased her stroke, struggling to match the Fox Camp girl. But Yumineh was uncatchable. She was too fast.
Who is this girl?
Azaria wondered. She swam her heart out, but Yumineh was a full length in front of her now. As she approached the shore, her rival was exiting the water.

Azaria felt dirt at the nadir of her downstroke. With the next, her arm plunged into sand and she pulled her body out of the river. She looked up and saw Yumineh heading for the incline, a few paces ahead.

When she reached the top, Azaria glanced back and saw runners in the distance behind her. She was ahead of them for now, but they were coming on strong. She looked forward and saw three runners. An older boy from Fox Camp led, who she knew to be very fast. He’d come in second the previous summer. Right behind him was Yumineh, making no indications she wanted to pass. A boy she recognized as being from Swan Camp was in third, right in front of her, but several paces behind Yumineh.

It was not far to the Temple now. Through cedar and oak, Azaria could see the enormous structure looming over the surrounding forest. Atop its shallow mound, no other feature rivaled it. There was no reason to scale the gentle incline on which it sat. The energy required would just sap her strength. She would run around the small hill as would the rest of the competitors. Azaria looked up at it though, marveling at its immensity.
Only the Natu are capable of such a feat,
she thought.
Only my people, blessed by the Ta'ar, have the knowledge, skill and organization required.
In the First Temple, huge T-shaped stones formed a circle, connected together by a high wall made of small brick sized stones layered one on top another. The ring stood protectively around two more truly massive T-shaped structures set side by side. She'd seen the Great Temple before, but always felt insignificant in the presence of the giant stones. Beyond them in the distance a covey of vultures headed for what she assumed was some unfortunate beast. She didn't know the vultures had learned to expect an easy meal when the funny two-legged creatures came.

As Azaria completed the wide turn around the magnificent complex, it disappeared behind her field of vision and she was drawn back to her primary focus. Nothing had changed. Yumineh was still in second and she in fourth.

The mild morning gave way to a stifling heat, as each of the runners struggled to maintain their respective positions. Atop the high cliffs, the dirt was soft, and scattered stone lay all over, requiring careful diligence in where one stepped. There were no longer any refreshing jaunts through the branching streams of the spry river. Weariness gave way to exhaustion and dehydration. They’d reached the toughest part of the course, just when the sun's intensity was multiplying.

Azaria pushed herself hard, determined to keep up with Yumineh, her practiced breathing turning to more erratic, irregular gasps. She saw Yumineh pass the front runner effortlessly and pick up a few paces of distance.
She's amazing,
Azaria admitted.
She's a better runner than I am. She’s better than everyone. Yumineh will win this race.

Unless
...

It was all Azaria could do to keep Yumineh within sight. The other girl continued to distance herself from the rest of the runners. She knew it would take an exceptional amount of courage if she had any chance of catching up.

The brilliant, harsh globe above them poured its burning energy down upon them now. Azaria looked over the cliffs standing above the river, the landscape finally becoming more familiar as they neared Boar Camp. Her side ached, knotting up from lack of water. She took several deep breaths to counteract the cramping. Sweat was stinging her eyes. She couldn't wipe it away fast enough. Her chest wrap was rubbing the sides of her rib cage raw.

Near the back of the group, Dogahn had long lost hope. He struggled to keep his current position, but the fight wasn't going well. His despair grew as each runner passed him. It was all he could do to keep from stopping and walking the final stretch above the cliffs. He just didn't want to come in last. He couldn't. He wouldn't let himself.

Azaria watched three runners ahead of her, concentrating only on Yumineh. Her Fox Camp rival had stopped gaining distance and was holding her current position twenty paces or so ahead of the Swan Camp boy. Azaria wondered if she’d spent herself too early. The thought gave her an unexpected boost of energy. Then, almost as if Azaria's contemplation had willed it, Yumineh slowed. She slowed a lot. The older Fox Camp boy passed her. She was losing ground rapidly. The Swan Camp boy passed her also. Azaria was catching up with her, realizing Yumineh had misjudged her pace. The insight electrified her, although somewhat ashamedly. She sped up, ready to pass.

A couple of strides and she was upon her.
It takes brains to win a Long Run,
she told herself,
and this Fox Camp girl is clearly lacking.
Behind her though, Yumineh had sped up and was suddenly next to her again, matching her stride for stride.
She's taking this personally. Well, sorry Yumineh. This isn't personal. I'm just better.
She increased her pace, gaining on the boy in front of her.

Yumineh matched her stride for stride.

"Azaria, how’re you doing?"

Azaria was astonished. No one talked at this point in a race. "Guud," she grunted. It was all she could do to keep this pace, how could Yumineh expect her to converse?

"Good, you look strong," Yumineh said. "I'm gonna pass the two ahead. You want to race to see who takes them first?"

Azaria was confounded.
She's not spent at all. Is she playing with me?

Azaria couldn’t answer that question, but it brought her to a momentous decision, one she’d been unable to come to earlier.
If you want to win, you're going to have to earn it,
she silently told her rival.

Far ahead of him, Dogahn saw a figure break off from the regular path, headed for the top of High Cliff. A half-moment later he realized it was Azaria.
Where’s she going?
Then he saw a second figure break off too.
Is that Yumineh? What are they doing? They're headed straight for High Cliff. They couldn't be...? They'll kill themselves.

Dogahn and his friends often strayed at the top of the same intimidating cliff, daring each other to jump into the pool of water far below. But it was always in jest. No one was crazy enough to actually do it. Irizahner, his father, had told him once he and his friends had done the same thing when they were young. He'd told him all young men boasted about jumping. But it was certain death. No one could survive the impact, even if they did manage to clear Vulture Rock, an outjutting about one-third of the way down where the carrion birds nested.

The two front runners didn’t see Azaria and Yumineh veer off course, but everyone behind them slowed as they watched the two girls running up the incline, utterly confused as to their intent.

Dogahn watched helplessly as Azaria charged toward the top. Convinced now she planned to make the suicidal leap, he stopped and yelled, "Azaria!! No!" But he didn't have the breath to yell loud enough and she wouldn't have been able to hear him anyway - he was too far behind. There was nothing he could do but wait to see what she did. His mind racing, he thought maybe she'd found a way down the cliffs and had been planning this all along. Dogahn convinced himself she'd stop at the last moment.

He watched as she approached the edge of the cliff, without slowing, and then plunged off it head first.

"Azaria!!!"

Great Mother! She's killed herself... She'll be lost in the spirit world forever.

From a great distance Dogahn stood, too nauseous to move. Then he watched horrified as Yumineh made to follow Azaria. At the last moment though, she stopped just short. She stood on top of the cliff edge looking down.

As Dogahn forgot his weariness and sprinted toward her, he imagined the gruesome scene she was looking down upon. Azaria's bloody body smashed atop Vulture Rock, the carrion birds already returning from their fright to pick her bones clean.

He watched as Yumineh started back down the hill, to take the route that led down to the river. But suddenly she stopped again and turned around. Dogahn could only watch, thoroughly confused. Yumineh planted her back foot and raced to the top, lunging to her death just as Azaria had done.

Sacred Mother! They're both dead! And I didn't even get a chance to kiss either of them.

And then a new thought hit him.
Yumineh jumped because she saw Azaria had survived. Could it be? Could they be safe?
With a glimmer of hope he raced up the incline, as several of the other runners were also doing.

Azaria had meditated on the jump for moons. She'd secretly tested the pool of water where she thought she would land. She'd swum as far down as her lungs would allow and had never been able to reach bottom. It was her last resort. She’d told herself she’d only do it if she thought she had a chance to win and only if it was absolutely necessary. Even then she wasn't sure she'd be able to muster the courage. Only Yumineh's taunting had driven her off the edge.