All hail Robertson!

Friday's Journal: Entry 3

2009-09-14T23:05:00.007-04:00

One day, I had gone to find a turtle nest when I saw three canoes filled with warriors from my former village. I was overcome with fear as I remembered what it was like when they dragged me to the sand and almost cut me into pieces. The memories of me running for my life came back to me, and I ran back to the safety of Master. I was so panicked I could barely remember the right words to tell him, but he easily understood what I meant. He asked me if I was willing to fight and I told him “Me die when you bid die, Master.” So we gathered our weapons and Master had me drink some of his special water. I thought about how many innocent people the savages have killed over time; how they had no idea about the truth of God and being good people. And I decided they deserved to die. Master had taught me so much. He had taught me to be a person, a man of God. These savages did not deserve the privilege of learning all the things I have learned, as I myself am not worthy either. I was no longer scared about fighting the savages as Master and I marched down to where they were and hid ourselves behind trees.

Master and I easily won the battle. And even though Master has had more experience with guns my hunting skills made shooting them dead very easy for me. During the battle we freed two of the prisoners. One of them a bearded man like Master also had experience with guns so he helped us defeat the savages. After the battle was over, Master lifted one of the prisoners out of a canoe and told me to give him some of his special water and to tell him he was now free. I went to the man, and my chest swelled with happiness because I realized when I looked at his face that it was taechlo. I could not express in words how happy I was when tears fell from my eyes and I danced and sang and took him in my arms. I was so happy I had forgotten about Master, and when he asked me who the man was I told him it was my father.

Friday's journal: Entry 2

2009-09-14T15:30:00.000-04:00

When I woke up I found that I was bound up with my hands behind my back sitting in the bottom of the canoe. The ropes were tied so tight I could feel them digging into my skin. I could not see the top of the canoe, but I saw the feet of the other warriors and could hear them murmuring to each other as they rowed. I dared not move, because I was too terrified to know what would happen if they realized I had woken up.

Finally, when the boat stopped rocking, the warriors stepped out of the boats. A hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and jerked my head back. Two of the warriors grabbed me by both my arms and pulled me out of the boat, tossing me on the shore.

Nearby a group of the warriors danced the Nethuna dance around a large growing fire. Next to me was another man who I had seen in the village before. I remembered hearing something about this man trying to go up to the sacred mountain to talk to the Binamuke himself. I thought it was not true though. They untied him first and one of the warriors struck him with thick rod over his head so hard I could hear the sound of his cracking skull. I watched in horror as more of the warriors swarmed over his body, slicing open his chest and chopping off his arms and legs. I knew I was going to die next.

I did not know what to do, but I did not want to die. Suddenly, I was running even though my hands were still tied. I did not try to make myself run. It wasn’t until I looked back and saw three of the warriors chasing after me that I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I was faster than all three of the warriors because soon after I began running they were already very far away from me. By then I had managed to pull my hands free of the rope they used to tie me. I came to a small river which I had to swim across. The warriors went in the water after me, but the next time I looked behind me, only two were there. I couldn’t see where the third one was but after that I didn’t look back again until I heard a strange voice shouting from behind me. I stopped and turned around to see another man in front of the two warriors.

He was covered in hair, and at first I could not decide whether he was a person or some strange sort of beast I had never seen. The beast man reached his hand toward me and made a motion. In his other hand was a strange rod with a point attached on the end. He turned back to the warriors and stabbed the one closest to him with the end of his rod. The second warrior took a bow and arrow from the quiver on his back to shoot but the man-beast pointed his rod at the warrior and suddenly there was a loud crack that shook my ears, like when the sky is dark and light splits the darkness. I jumped in fright at the sound but the second warrior fell to the ground and did not get up. I then realized that the man-beast had killed the warriors to save my life.

I came closer to him, kneeling down every few steps in gratitude. When I finally reached him I dropped to the ground and put his foot on my head the way prisoners are supposed to do if they wish to express loyalty. I was so thankful of the man-beast I would be forever in his debt. The man-beast pulled me of the ground, and I finally got a good look at him and realized he was a man. He looked similar to some the prisoners I have seen before. His face was very, very pale and hair grew not only on the top of his head but all the way around his face. The hair that covered the rest of him was from other animal skins that he and made to fit the shape of his body. The man smiled at me and at that moment, I knew everything was going to be alright.

Friday's journal: Entry 1

2009-09-13T19:42:00.000-04:00

I never really knew what they did with the prisoners, until I became one myself. Whenever I saw those prisoners brought to the boats, I didn't dwell much on the thought that they never came back, and the (gekashi, the shamed ones) shared the same fate. I always figured, the prisoners and gekashi deserved the punishment. I never knew what it actually was. Only one thing was certain: prisoners and gekashi who were sentenced during (Nethuna the sacrificial time) were sent on those boats, and never came back.

I do not know why I was called as gekashi. I was one of the best hunters. I have a very good eye and it is helpful for catching game. I am one of the fastest runners. I was training to be an icilo warrior. My father was so proud of me. I know my mother would have been as well if she was still alive. At first when the other icilo warriors came to me I thought it was about me beginning my training. But the tallest one said, you have been named gekashi. Before I could ask why, or say anything, a sharp pain that hit me in the back of the head, and then the world went dark.

Passage Rewrite - Defoe Style

2009-09-10T03:02:00.001-04:00

My Bookshelves agleam are lined with glistening Treasures. Cans reside upon the top shelf, their contents are emptied, their Labels strip'd, their undulated iron Skins burnish’d with silver Polish. I would have preferred they were Gold. I possess Rings there, which I came to acquire from our Voyage to Mexico when I was merely five years old. Moreover, on the ledges reside the following: Photographs of Jewelry cut from Magazines, pasted to Cardboard and positioned as to stand upright; one particular Spoon of brighter sheen from a collection of sterling Silver given by Grandmother to my Parents when they were married; this aforementioned Silver for which my Mother bears a deep hatred; and a small accumulation of various coins, each of which has been boil’d, scour’d and polish’d so they may shine lustrously.