LEGEND - A Story

I thought I'd switch to fiction this week. Here is the winning version of a story which I entered in the Talkback Writers Forum flash fiction competition a few years ago. A longer version of this story was also published on the CafeLit website. 

LEGEND

The finger bone was ancient.

‘Where did you find it?’

Sela pointed inland.

‘Show me.’

Red Footed Booby

The track wove interminably. A light wind ghosted through the hardwoods, carrying the cries of sea birds and the ammonia tang of guano.

Frigate Bird

Through the mosaic of virgin forest I could discern ruins, although many stones had tumbled over time.

‘Here,’ Sela said.

I knelt, fingertips probing. Gently, gently. I felt the unmistakable curve of a cranium.

‘Ah.’ I uncovered the skull.

‘Who?’

‘This is old, Sela. This is Lapita.’

‘The spirit people?’ He was wide-eyed.

‘The Lapita were as human as you and me.’ I scraped and cleared.

‘You will release the devil.’

I knew the legend: disturbance of Lapita remains would free the ensnared spirit. But I was no shaman. And this skeleton was human, not devil. No juju to fear here.

‘I will release a piece of your history, nothing more.’

The wind danced in synchrony to my dance through the layers of time as I laid bare a three thousand year old secret.

The excavation was complete. The wind strengthened and the sky turned sulphurous.

‘I think we should brace ourselves,’ I said.

Sela whimpered. 
The skeleton’s feet were cloven.

*******************************

The inspiration for this story came from an article I wrote about Lapita remains in Fiji. The legend of the spirit people is pure fiction. 

I took all these photos in Fiji. The one with the rocks are the remains of Lapita ring fortifications. The skeleton was found by workmen who were digging a trench in my little town: it is not Lapita.


I hope you enjoyed this week's post. I'll be taking you to South East Asia next week.