The Birth

The new recruits had formed a file at the very base of the smooth hill that jutted at the very center of the island. Yuae looked to her sides from the corner of her eyes and tried to find the captain. I miss home already. She glanced at her feet and found the sand unsettling. Yuae missed the hard, moss-covered grounds of her village, Everything is so different here. She looked up at the sky, The stars aren’t moving either.

“Yuae, Daughter of Mai and Mako, are you prepared to protect the island of Turtis with your life?” the captain– a woman in her middle years and with greying hair asked in a firm voice.

Am I prepared to die? Yuae thought as she meekly answered, “Yes!”

“Are you prepared to protect the island of Turtis with your life?” the captain asked again.

Yuae heard her mother’s soft voice echo somewhere deep in her mind, Yuae, Turtis is a sacred place. Serving as a soldier to protect it is the greatest honor anyone can receive. “Yes!” she mustered courage, For you mother.

“Welcome to the order of the Foster.” the captain handed Yuae a small, curving dagger and moved on to the next soldier.

After an exhausting first day of training in the glaring heat of the sun, Yuae was Back in the barracks. She lay quietly in her bed missing the moving island that she had called home for all her adult life. Mom, she thought and a teardrop rolled down her cheeks, I miss you.

“Hi.” the soldier in the upper bunk peeked, “Are you awake? Never mind, you are. I’m Cana.”

“Hi Cana, I’m Yuae.”

“You aren’t from Turtis?”

“No.” Why would anyone want to be here? she thought. Cana’s lips curled wide and she quickly jumped out of the bunk bed.

“Come with me.” Cana said offering her hand, “I wanna show you something really cool.”

“We aren’t supposed to wander.” She itched to get out of bed and feel the fresh breeze. But the captain had said, “Your curfew time is 2 hours past sundown.” and had glared at her.

“Oh don’t worry.” Cana said coaxing her, “We’ll be back before anyone misses us.”

Yuae thought for a moment and then grabbed Cana’s hand and pulled herself out of the bunk bed. She looked around her and found her fellow comrades snoring loudly after an excruciating drill the captain had put them through. She gulped air and followed Cana out of the wooden doors of the barracks and prepared herself to be battered by heat. Instead, a gentle breeze greeted her into the night and the cool sand between her toes washed fatigue out of her.

Cana skipped in circles a few feet away and waved at her, “Let’s keep moving.” she started towards the smooth, lonely hill that sat at the center of the island. That hill… Yuae couldn’t place what was wrong with the hill.

“Cana,” she called, “Why’s that hill so smooth?”

“I don’t know,” Cana said as she carved a way for them through the trees and bushes in their way.

“Where are you taking me?”

“At the base of that hill.” Cana used the dagger to cut a loose vine out her way, “Let this be a nice surprise.”

After a soothing walk in the moonlight, they reached the base of the hill, “It’s so barren. Like it is devoid of life.” Yuae noted as she examined it. Yuae looked a little closer and found the sand suddenly gave way to the smooth hill. The cool breeze had warmed up around the hill and Yuae found herself sweating, I hate the sun. she missed the tall trees that had covered her village in the cool shade.

“Listen,” Cana called her to put her ears on the sand. Yuae kneeled next to her and placed her ears on the warm sand.

Thump. she heard something low, Thump. As if a giant bass drum was hit, Thump. The sound was evenly placed. Thump.

“It’s like a heartbeat.” Yuae exclaimed, “It’s like the hill has a life of its own.”

Cana smiled widely, “Isn’t it wonderful?”

Thump. Yuae let the deep sound fill the void her village had left in her heart, Thump. she allowed the sound to soothe the dull ache she felt. Crack.

“What was that?” Yuae asked.

Cana’s eyes widened as she pulled back from the warm sand, “I don’t know.” The hill moved, vibrating gently in its place, “We should probably get back.”

The cracking sound continued as Cana and Yuae dashed back towards the barracks. “What did we do?” Yuae asked but Cana continued to retrace the path they had taken from the barracks. Yuae paused to look back and saw a crack appearing from the top of the hill to the base. What is going on? she thought as she saw the hill tumble in its place.

“Yuae.” Cana called from a distance, “Let’s go before someone finds out we are out of bed.”

“Cana!” Yuae called her, “Look!” she pointed at the peak of the hill.

A giant eye glistened the moonlight, “It is not a hill Cana.” Yuae exclaimed as she saw a flat head with giant eyes peeking through the cracked peak, “It’s turtle egg.” she smiled at the wonderful miracle she was witnessing. “We weren’t protecting the island Cana. We were protecting the egg– the baby.”