As a young neela, I was only known because of my father. I was the herd leader’s son – filled to the brim with expectation and early judgements. I knew most of the other neelas found me arrogant and privileged, and honestly, I’m sure I was to a degree. But I always knew there was more to me, and I found it within Navie. When Navie and I first met, my tongue would often stumble over my words and my hooves seemed to tripped over air. Without even trying, she deflated my arrogance. She was so refreshing. Over time, we became close; talking often and about everything. I quickly knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my natural life protecting Navie, staying by her side, offering unwavering and unconditional love. My life soon became quite unnatural, though.
In the fall, when the sun was bright and low, and the leaves were crisp, Navie had begun spending a lot of time with her cousin. I was never too fond of her cousin – she was always rude and snarky towards me, often trying to make me feel dumb or inadequate – and I tried to warn Navie. One evening as we were watching the sunset, and I asked where she’d been the night before, she told me of the pumpkin patch.
The pumpkin patch was the work of an older man with a younger wife and a few small children. Our entire herd knew of the patch, but as fawns we were told not to enter it. A large dog guarded the patch, and the man would not hesitate to run intruders out with force. None of us knew, though, that the force would be deadly.
The night sky was clear with the exception of a few stray clouds as I was grazing in the valley. The rest of the herd was preparing for sleep – laying down in bunches across the meadow. Soon I joined them, my head nodding against my knees as I laid folded in the grasses. Barely tucked in the first layers of sleep, a loud sound awoke me. Confused, I rose, trying to decipher the sound from my dreams. Loud, angry barking made me understand. The sound was a gunshot – the barking from the farmer’s dog.
My immediate thoughts went to Navie. Every ounce of my soul poured into the hope that she was not injured – not even allowing myself to think of anything worse. I rushed to the hilltop to get a better view of the pumpkin patch from which the shot came.
Heat rushed over me as I saw her – her body limp and helpless, like a new born fawn, still trapped in afterbirth. I rushed to the patch to save her. Her pulse had slowed dramatically when I arrived and I could do nothing to strengthen it. I rested my head against hers. I soon felt as I was being watch and raised my head.A figure stood before me, large and all encompassing.
“I will.” I stood from beside her body. The figure enveloped me, sucking me into a void. From a distance, I saw Navie rising, her body black and glowing with vines. “I’ll return to you!” I tried to shout through the surrounding fog of its grasp, but no sound was heard.“I’ll return.” I told myself. I must return.
I entered the chamber – dark and damp, filling my nostrils with the stench of death, and vaguely illuminated by flames. My feet moved across a tattered carpet, mindlessly. Death sat in front of me – on his large throne – made of mortal bones.
“You performed well on your last mission Litch. Do you feel satisfied?”“Never sir, hunger always fuels me.”We laughed together. I felt numb. I returned to the barracks – my soldiers filling the halls with banter. At my desk, I reached for my journal of requisitions. Soon his words filled the page and my heart – what was left of it – dropped to the empty pit within me.
It is time to return home, Litch. Your father belongs to me now.It had been a year since I was in the meadow of my homeland. The moon was full and the boundaries were thin. The smog hanging over the fjord of souls had lifted and travel would be easy.
Choice-less, I would make the voyage through the tar-like waters of the fjord to enter the living world. The remnants of mortals would grasp at me but they would not touch me. I would take the soul of my father. Death would rejoice in my actions. I would act independently for the first time in a year. I would spend my night with Navie. I would not return to the underworld until morning. Perhaps I would be punished, but all of it would be worth it. Still, I would do anything for her.