Category: Stories

It was a stormy night. The sky thundered.

It wasn’t clear to Boxida if she was swimming upstream, downstream, or across the river.

At times she lifted her head up to gasp for air with a loud noise. At times she felt suffocated with her head down in the water. Sometimes she found fun in blowing bubbles at fish, raising her head up fast to gasp for air before going back under.

It was a sunny morning. The sky was clear.

It wasn’t clear to Boxida if she was swimming upstream, downstream, or across the river.

The sky thundered on a stormy night.

Boxida lifted her head up to gasp for air with a loud noise of exhaustion. Big wooden logs and tiny islands passed, touching her.

Boxida put her head down and swam.

​”Why do crows caw?” asked Boxida.

​”Why do hills stand still?” asked Bruhi.

​”Why does the lion roar?” asked Boxida.

​”Why do I ask?” asked Bruhi.

​”Why do I ask?” asked Boxida.

Boxida sat under the tree, watching the mouth of the cave. In the mild wind, the leaves rustled.

Bruhi stepped out of the cave.

…

“What are you up to?” Boxida asked.

“To eat,” Bruhi said.

…

She ate.

…

And went back inside.

…

A while later, Bruhi stepped out again.

“What are you up to?”

“To play.”

…

She played.

…

And went back inside.

…

She stepped out.

“What are you up to?”

“It’s suffocating inside.”

…

She gasped for air.

…

And went back inside.

…

Night fell.

…

Bruhi stepped out.

“What are you up to?”

“It’s dark and frightening inside.”

…

“Why do you go in then?”

…

“I do not know.”

…

She walked.

…

And went back inside.

…

Boxida waited.

…

She stood up.

…

In the mild wind, the leaves rustled.

…

Boxida walked inside the cave.

…

The cave was empty.

…

Boxida sat under the tree, watching the mouth of the cave. In the mild wind, the leaves rustled.

Bruhi stepped out of the cave.

“What are you up to?” Boxida asked.

“To eat,” Bruhi said.

“Bruhi… Life seems to be halcuri-less.”

​”What is halcuri?”

​”I don’t know.”

The pond was surrounded by rocks. Boxida sat on one. The water wasn’t still. She watched the fish swimming. Some reached the shores faster than others. Some were more colourful than others. It was cold.

​She stood up and plunged into the pond. The water was still. She watched the fish swimming. Some were fast. Some touched the shores. Some were colourful. It was warm.

​”Look at the parrot on the branch there, Boxida,” said Bruhi, tugging her hand.

​They watched the parrot and its movements for a while in silence.

​”Did you show me the parrot because it’s rare to see one, or because it’s more beautiful than most other birds?”

​”I think it’s because it’s beautiful and… rare.”

​”Are you sure?”

​”No.”

​”How did you answer that, then?”

​”No idea. Do you know?”

​”No.”

​They watched the parrot and its movements for a while in silence.

At Halculecti, there appeared one day a being that looked like a girl. The children of Halculecti asked her, “Who are you? What is your name? Where are you from?”

“I do not know.”

“Then join us, Boxida.”

The girl walked behind the children with an arrangement of lips that resembled a faint smile.

​Boxida walked — the path was muddy. The mud and the breeze — felt cool. She heard a cry. Pausing, she walked toward the cry and found a trapped tiger. She freed it. The tiger ran away.

​Boxida walked — the path was muddy. The mud and the breeze — felt cool. She heard a cry. Pausing, she walked toward the cry and found a trapped tiger. She freed it. The tiger consumed Boxida.

​The path was muddy. The mud and the breeze — stayed cool..