Their Call, Calico: The Series
Part Sixteen
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Based on Original Published Work by Author
☯ Legend on reading Calico’s Life:
☴ Indicator for dialogue: “ ”
☶ Indicator for thought, and lyrics: Italic Font
☱ Indicator for action: Bold Font or wording with quotations.
☳ Poems and Songs [ are indicated ]
☷ Names : Bold Italics
☵ Setting set inside: Brackets: {SETTING}/{BOLD}
{ The gate closes as Gammina uses her back paw to shut it, while straining to balance Fawsamto on her back. The two gaze upon Calico, who is on his fourth hole digging.}
Kasawbo:
“ Calico, I am at fault, here. You are still a grubby, by my eyes and I had no reason to impose the fate of the village on you. The both of you. You were given the option, and you sought for peace. It was commendable.. Even, I, who have seen wobbly sticks and seemingly innocent lies through Rendemra’s leadership, could never have guessed how layered the corruption and blood-lusting the partnerships have been.
It was wrong of me to place upon you our lives as a trophy. You are young. I know, and you felt it was the right thing to do.
Whether right, the course traverses. It is not what we can do that hints of our wrongdoing, it is what we have done which shapes the will of our way. I see it now before me, that I have been but a spectator to the torture of those who I place, forcefully, my trust in.
Your functions, Calico, are never to be measured by those who put you in their needs. It was wrong that I made you question the tigresses, to the point that you had to imitate their game of seduction.
Calico, I see you now. I see that you have carried pain, our pain, for far too long. Your actions were in reason.
I see all three of you, and it is time I remove your burden.”
Kasawbo, moves Fawsamto’s body from Gammina’s back onto his own, and Gammina responds with a concerned reaction.
Kasawbo:
“ For as long as I am able, Gammina.”
{ Gammina stabilizes her position, and sees that Calico has stopped digging and is sitting down panting looking at the lowering sun in the mountains. }
Gammina:
“ I too, have seen you, and your functions draw me to you every day. It doesn’t matter what a striped whore says, you are my love; and you are both, my reason… my reason to live. ”
Calico:
“ I owe my life to you, but everytime I witness death… ”
Calico, stops in mid-thought and begins to start digging, but stops.
Calico:
“ I don’t know what to hold onto, I want them to live, and I know I am losing them. ”
Kasawbo:
“ You have to know that you’re all the you, you need, to keep going. You have love in your life, Calico. It’s never going to be permanent, even in isolation. There is a reason why we cling to things and comfort objects, to the point of letting go of ourselves. Rendemra knew this all too well. We are afraid of the false nature of life: its fragility.”
Calico:
“ Rendemra told me he lived in a museum.”
Kasawbo:
“ A museum is where the gorilla whore store their objects of permanent value, even though the objects are not in use. It is their way of texts.
He told me, too.
If only, we understood that life is not to be in a state of collected past before us.”
Calico:
“ But, I could never live without Gammina. I would have no purpose. ”
Gammina is about to pour endless love all over Calico’s face, and Kasawbo abruptly gets in her way.
Kasawbo:
“ Gammina, before you…there is something I should have asked my lovers, that I think would be a comfort to you both.
Gammina, if you died, what would you want Calico to do? ”
Gammina’s high spirited response fades back behind her, and she backs her body up. She sits down and starts panting, and stares at Calico and then the sunset.
Kasawbo:
“ As Calico knows this, more than I do, we are all on a new path. One of perils, and one which will reshape who we are…the last of us, that is.
I, for one, would want you both to continue to learn how to help others, and to keep living, and loving as long as you can. So many will tell you lies, but the truth lies… or is told by your perseverance. ”
Calico turns to face Gammina peering into the mural of the sky.
Calico:
“ I would want you to know that you are free, Gammina, that my love for you will carry on, even when you feel there is none. You will be surprised where the journey can take you…That is how I met you, after all. ”
Gammina closes her eyes and reflects on her love for Calico.
Gammina:
“ Calico, oh, Calico, always with your words… I guess what kept me alive when I felt like everyone was against me, and I know Kasawbo- it was not your fault…I kept yearning for a connection to understand and support how I… someone who I could talk to. If you lose me, Calico, I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to find…(Gammina begins to cry). ”
Calico, gets up and shakes off the dirt and debris. He goes over to Gammina, and then gives her a kiss on her cheek.
Calico:
“ Found. ”
{ The three walk to the entrance of the cavern tunnel, and Gibansa is sleeping next to Kanzoko and Arima. Her wound has dried, but her tears have not.
The other pure kinds are also resting, while some are trying out the bamboo.}
Kasawbo:
“ I have an announcement to all of you. ”
Gibansa’s weary eyes open in the twilight.
Gibansa:
“ Fawsamto?…Fawsamto! Why are you carrying him, Kasawbobo? You are too weak! ”
Kasawbo:
“ Yes, I am old. It is true. But, I have to tell all of you, on the sake of our lives… that I will be our leader. ”
Calico:
“ I have agreed to this. ”
Gibansa:
“ Of course, you have agreed! Of course, you chose the easy way, you didn’t lose anything! You should have been the one who was murdered in that hut! And now look, Calico- just look! There is a grubby without a fatta or a maffa. Of course! Just give up and hide behind my fatta! ”
Kasawbo:
“ That is enough, Gibansa! I can only speculate on the pain you feel, I was in sorrow for my loves, and I lost a grubby. But, I still have you. ”
Gibansa:
“ How do I even know that you are really Gammina’s unculla and this is not a power play as one of the brottos, which I know you have been all this time? Lassuria, why have you never mentioned of a sitta? What dark deeds do I see before me? Oh, but celebrate; all hail Kasawbo, Leader of the pure kinds… going to their graves! Oh Chlorestigon, find us, find us! ”
Kasawbo roars, and Gibansa roars back. Immediately, Fawsamto slides off Kasawbo’s back and his broken neck cracks on the ground.
Gibansa:
“ My grubby! I told you- you were weak, Kasawbobo! Weak and old enough to die! ”
Gibansa goes over to Fawsamto’s corpse and starts cleaning it. Kasawbo is affected by the pain, but continues to walk towards the other pure kinds.
Kasawbo:
“ And this is why I must lead. I am the oldest, and I know… I know my death is in the antiwonians to come… I have put a great burden on all of you. I put us where we are, and Calico, and Gammina will learn by my side. As, I hope, all of you will, too.
We are all suffering, in ways that we might not know of entirely, but we will need to learn how to help with our needs. Like Calico said, we are now a family. And we will live in this great unknown ahead of us. There is no turning back.
We will have days of suffering and conflict like today, and there will be days worth celebrating; those days may feel like ages ago, but there will be more in the days and stories to behold — in the journey that lies ahead.
Now, I won’t be ignorant to not express that almost all of you have experienced death for the first time, of times. But we were all sheltered in a false tale of romance and perfection. Maybe, to us, it was a tranquil peace.
But, Calico, had the courage to find the truth to our living state. Yes, maybe if he had not inquired to see what was forbidden, our situation would have been different. But we are here, and we have learned that our former Emperor had destroyed the world beyond ourselves and our needs. His corruption had no bounds. And whether we want to believe it or not, his reign would have ended just a few antiwonians ahead.
We are here, we are not a false tale, and we are ready to discover what it is like to be a kind; to be more than what Rendemra made us to be.”
{ Night is beginning to fall, and Kasawbo informs the pure kind it is time to move into the cavern despite the darkness setting in.
As Calico is the last one to enter the cavern, making sure all the pure kinds have gotten through, he hears what he thinks is the gate in the distance, and his heart hits him. }
If, I warn the others, will we break further apart, and if I don’t, will the slaughter continue?
{ Calico walks into the cavern and it is dark and doesn’t know how far apart the group is, and remembers about the stairway.}
Calico:
“ Gammina, Kasawbo! ”
{ Calico doesn’t know, how far ahead they are, or if there is an ambush waiting for them.}
Think: last one in.
Calico:
“ Kanzoko! ”
{ Kanzoko’s small paws fall to a hault in the echo of the cave.}
Kanzoko:
“ Yes… Fatta! Fatta! ”
Gibansa:
“ Calico! Look, what you did? This grubby lost everything.”
Calico:
“ Stop! Gammina, everyone stop! ”
{ The pure kinds begin calling for each other in the darkness to get closer to one another. }
Gammina:
“ What is it, my love? ”
Calico:
“ Kasawbo! ”
{ It is silent. }
Calico:
“ Lemur! ”
{ Suddenly, paw steps bound back.}
Lemur:
“ Calico? ”
Calico:
“ Kasawbo, has moved ahead. Everyone, try to smell to find each other. ”
Gammina:
“ What is it, Calico? Calico? ”
{ Calico feels a nudge of a nose on his side. }
Gammina:
“ Is this you, Calico? ”
Calico:
“ Remember, the stairway, Lemur? To where you used to be? ”
Lemur:
“ Yes, is this you? ”
{ Calico feels another nudge.}
Calico:
“ Yes. ”
{ Suddenly, a swarm of noses rub against Calico and Lemur.}
Calico:
“ It appears we have been found. ”
Gibansa:
“ If this is a cruel joke, Calico, I will rip you shred by shred. The only thing keeping me is carrying my Fawsamto. What is it? ”
Calico:
“ ( he pauses to be succinct) I heard the gate. ”
{ The cave is silent. Suddenly, the grubbies start wailing.}
Another Maffa Pure Kind:
“ What do we do, Calico? ”
Gammina:
“ The clannars… they can see us in the dark. What do we do, now? ”
Gibansa:
“ Perfect timing to bail on the leadership of my Kasawbobo.”
Calico:
“ Gibansa, I am not your leader, I need to still protect all of you because I am your family. ”
Gibansa:
“ Not of my blood. ”
{ Calico takes a deep breath to collect himself.}
Calico:
“ Lemur and I were in these caverns, before. This is where Lemur was imprisoned by Rendemra for most of her life.
You will all need to put your noses against each other’s body, or be near one another, and I will lead you to the stairs. I hear the water, and I know that it is close.
I know many of you are too young to swim, so we will stop down the stairs. Then, when you are down the stairs, be as quiet as you can. After, I will go upstairs and find Kasawbo.
If I am not back, wait until morning. Lemur can guide all of you up the stairs, and follow to the end of the cavern tunnel. There will be a waterfall, just like the ones mentioned in the texts, go passed it and out the tunnel. There will be the tower of graves, and the hut will be in the distance behind it. Do not go in the vine-covered tower.”
Gammina:
“ If you are not back, Calico?- ”
Calico:
“ If I am not back, remember what we said. ”
Gammina:
“ I will. ”
Calico:
“ Everyone connected? ”
The Pure Kind:
“ Yes. ”
Calico:
“ Walk silently, and try to stay as close as possible. You will bump into each other, but, it is a sign that we are together. Let’s go. ”
{ Calico slowly brings the pack to the separate tunnel with the stairs. He stops so he can feel the metal stairway, and it is there! }
Calico:
“ The stairs are very cold, and they go downwards. Try to brace as they are slippery. Go slowly. ”
{ Calico is nearing the end, but suddenly a tumble occurs on the stairs and Gammina’s weight pushes Calico forward. }
Gibansa:
“ Fawsamto! He fell off my back! My grubby! ”
Gammina:
“ Hush, Gibansa! ”
Calico:
“ If you feel another body, all of you, try walking around it. ”
{ Arima, suddenly, trips over Fawsamto’s body and rolls forward down the stairs and pushes Gammina over. }
Calico:
“ Go very slowly. Remember, I am at the bottom of the stairs. ”
Another Pure Kind Maffa:
“ Oh, what’s the use? We can’t see. ”
Gammina:
“ But, we can’t turn back. ”
Calico:
“ Slowly, one paw at a time. ”
{ After about a minute, the assembly line gets to the bottom of the stairs. }
Calico:
“ There is a stream nearby to drink. But, and most importantly, wait until the morning when the light has returned in these walls. Stay close to each other. I will return. ”
Gammina:
“ Calico.”
Calico:
“ Gammi, my love, I will return.”
{ Calico manages to get up the stairs and to carefully scale over Fawsamto’s body.
He listens as he can still hear Gammina’s heartbeat in his head from being so close to her. The beat silences into darkness as he, carefully, exits the tunnel section towards the main cavern, and begins to follow the cave through smelling for Kasawbo’s scent.
A familiar sound appears as he hears the streaming waterfall of Komiak’s death.
Suddenly, behind him, he hears an echo of a heavier animal walking. }
Whispering Voice:
“ Coveetra Makuhefee Kerfos Kindus ( breathes out a low growl) .”
{ Calico’s eyes widen, and he takes off ahead.
There is more than one, as the echoes of paws hitting the pebbles and vines against the cavern floor grow behind his running.
Calico makes it to the cavern’s exit at the Forbidden tower area.
The sound behind him increases. Calico runs forward and suddenly, an animal pins him down.}
Kasawbo:
“ Calico, they’re already here. Come, this way.”
{ Kasawbo nudges Calico under some nearby vines. Calico, still panting, tries to silence himself as the claws of the tigress rake out from the shadows of the dark and into this forested valley.
Leobeubang and Joukostos pan outside of the cave low to the ground. Their seductive eyes are now menacing in the lunar lit vegetation encompassed by the murmuring insects of the night. }
Joukostos:
“ Estsa brimmitz, Calico… estsa, estsa.”
Leobeubang:
“ Estsa, estsa. ”
{ Kasawbo directs Calico’s eyes behind the vines, as there are six other clannars wandering through the valley near the Forbidden tower.
Out of the intensity, a wild boar settles down to sleep near the hut in the distance.}
Joukostos sprints, and then slows her running to a statuesque state near the boar. Her tail suspends, and before a second after thought, she pounces on the wild boar with her jaws interlocked with its throat. The boar doesn’t even squeal. The joints solidify as rest is no longer an option, and its existence freezes in time.
Joukostos lies down on with her arms outstretched nearly bordering the body until the boar’s blood runs down.
She begins to ferociously feed on the boar, and then indicates to Leobeubang to feed after her.
Following this meal, Joukostos catches up with the other six clannars, and Leobeubang goes and enjoys the rest of the wild boar.
Kasawbo’s eyes turn to Calico.
Calico:
“(whispers) They’re safe, in a separate tunnel.”
{ Relief mists against Kasawbo’s anxiety, but his concentration stems out through a vigilant unforgiving state. }
Calico:
“ We lead them into the tower. ”
Kasawbo:
“ Barricade? ”
Calico looks around for a chain of sorts, and realizes that he should have collected his cuffs from the fields before.
If we leave them in the tower, they will find a way to hunt us down. They could leave the tower in an instant.
The tower is dark and morbid, but the clannars will see through to our presence. Even if I hide under the guts, bones and fly-drenched decay, a hungry clannar will devour me whole. The dead and the living both crush under the same weight of destruction.
Calico remembers the clannar fight before Rendemra, on the Labyrinth Circle, when he was searching for a persimmon for the acts.
His strategy is clear and grounded, and he wants to make sure Kasawbo stays alive.
This is it, and Kasawbo might disagree. If then… but I must be forthright, I saved the others did I not?
{ Kasawbo eyes up ahead and sees that the six clannars, and Joukostos, have stealthily snuck closer to Leobeubang. They then lie down in the moonlight. }
Joukostos:
“ Kerfo kindos, Calico? Calico, nomalkos estsa. Gammina? Gibansa? Estsa kerfomanzos. ”
Leobeubang, lifts up her head from Joukostos’ hunt, and then releases heavy gas.
Leobeubang:
“ Kerfomanzos (she bursts into laughter)!”
The six clannars and Joukostos react with a similar manner of chuckles.
{ A gust weaves through the ivy and the ripping of organs from a skeletal structural frame. A cloud covers over the lunar presence, and the valley is overcome by a call to what cannot be seen, but only felt: life’s stake, and those who have the tools to lift it or force it into a far-too early completion.
Kasawbo is in deep thought about luring the clannars outside, but realizes that he must have a warrior’s edge to win this battle. After all, there could be more clannars in the outskirts.
Kasawbo feels a prick by his ear and looks up to see black and white spiny spiders crawling overhead. Several start to crawl down his nose.}
Calico:
“ Not a sound (he eyes Kasawbo). I have a strategy. ”
Kasawbo swallows, and closes his eyes.
Calico looks around and finds two stones up ahead. He hopes they’re strong enough.
Calico:
“ Kasawbo, I will speak to the tower. You will hear me say many names, your name, too, then I will walk in.
I will hide, and they will come ready to reap my flesh. Kasawbo, you have the most important role. ”
Kasawbo:
“ Aw (he spits out a spider), experience speaks of roles. ”
Calico:
“ Once all the clannars enter, open it and close it lightly, but not completely, as if the wind is holding it in place. This way, I have a way to get out, and I know they will be approaching me.
I will carry the most putrid of scents, but I will be recognizable. As soon as I get out, we will need to close the door.
Understood?”
Kasawbo:
“ I trust you. I understand. But, they’re may be others on their way, Calico. ”
Calico:
“ We have to work with what we can in the moment we have.
Ready? ”
Kasawbo nods, and several spiders fall off of him.
{ Calico, slowly lifts some of the vines and peers over to see Leobeubang and the clannars enjoying the last of the wild boar. Joukostos has gone to a nearby birch and begins to rub her back against the tree. She lies down. }
Joukostos:
“ Kerfo..manzos (she laughs to herself). ”
Calico stays low to the ground, imitating the movement of the clannars hunting.
Kasawbo:
“ (whispering to himself watching) Clever Calico. ”
He stealthily gets to the front of the tower and he collects the two stones. Calico looks at the night sky one more time and back towards Kasawbo.
This is it, for my life and the life of my family.
Calico:
“ My love, Gammina! Kasawbo, Lemur! I have made it from the cavern. We are safe! ”
The clannars start to run towards the tower on hearing and recognizing ‘Lemur’.
{ Calico, quickly, pushes the door and rushes into the darkness, and closes the door behind himself while taking a moment to recognize where the stairs are. And just like one is to hold their breath before taking a deep plunge, Calico takes in the stairs and the last bit of night’s beam as his view is blanketed by imminent danger from all sides.
Calico, holds his breath and ascends the stairs. The flies and the bath of death vapors reimmerse Calico into Rendemra’s torture once again. He walks upon limbs, maggots and cracked skulls.
Calico is more at ease, thankfully, as there are no chains to drag, and he knows Gammina no longer has to suffer by his paws. Then, terror strikes him from the fumes, and the door reopening below.}
They are here, keep going.
Calico, starts the third stairway set, and feels for the broken stairs.
Unfortunately, he cuts his leg on the stair he desires to find.
This might be all over now. Blood loss or not…I have to live.
Calico makes it to the floor, but feels the itching pain of blood leaking from his leg.
If they can see in the dark, then I must be quick to wipe my blood on the other corpses before I hide. Calico claws into his cut, and inhales the death air by the mouthful from pain. No time to react.
He takes what he can, and smears it on skulls and the flesh in the dark. He possibly feels other decaying bodies as well- smudge! Skulls on the ground — drip, drip, wipe! A crusty dried up organ — splash! His pain is too immense.
{ The stairs creak.}
Hide.
{ Calico remembers the torn open tusk kind skull with the flesh and hides inside of it as best as he can, pulling its ear like a curtain. Unfortunately, the ear pulls off. It is now, Calico’s shield.
A vein of light beams into the tower, and Calico sees that three of the clannars are already on this floor.}
The blood misdirection seems to be working for now.
{ The light vein is sealed with the shutter of the dark.}
They are all in. Any movement will lead me to my death. The real battle begins.
Leobeubang:
“ Aw, I see you do have quite the kink, Calico. Please come out and let me share with… oh, is that pure kind blood I smell? ”
Joukostos:
“ Well, it is not boar. That was delicious. I bet you are hungry, Gammina...
These stairs are sharp. You remember, when Rendemra spent three days in here after we tore his Lassuria apart, on his accord? The fattas provided the bodies, and we had to gut them.”
Leobeubang:
“ Yes, this piece is quite sharp. Have none of you found anything?”
One of the Six Clannars:
“ We have not, Leobeubang.”
Joukostos:
“ The pure kind must be deep in that pile, clannars, we’re going to have to dig.”
Leobeubang:
“ And that is not something I was born to do. I will manage you, maybe partake in tasting these fresh juice splatters. Mmm. ”
{ Calico hears the digging, and feels bones and gunk hit the tissued elephant skull. }
It is time, they are all on one side.
{ As more decaying body parts hit the floor boards, Calico paces with each landing. He gets as close as he can to the stairs. Another wave of decomposing debris hits him and the flooring as he hits together the rocks. He waits again for the next debris, and it occurs.
A spark ignites the corpses and the debris in the room. }
Calico:
“ You have been found! ”
Calico hits the rocks again, and the gasses of the room carry to the clannars who are covered in the fallen flesh, now of which has begun to melt to their own.
The blaze explodes in the room, and Calico falls down the stairs.
The flames begin to spread right behind him, and Calico runs through the human villager remains, and down to the next level.
The roars and shrieks of the clannars echo as the flames ignite the air with the maggots, the crumbling tissues, and the blood Calico left behind. }
Calico rushes down the last flight and sees that the paint and oil cans have now erupted in flames. The crawling fire stretches along the ceiling of the utility floor as Calico sees the doorway in view.
Calico gets out.
{ Calico is covered in guts and other bone debris; Kasawbo is terrified. }
Calico:
“ Close the door! ”
Kasawbo quickly closes his eyes, and slams the door.
Calico bites Kasawbo to get his attention in the moment.
Calico:
“ Run towards the cave! ”
{ Calico and Kasawbo sprint away from the rumbling tower. As they get near the cave, the top of the tower caves inwards as a gigantic flume of smoke exhales upwards.
The tower begins to crumble open and the action contorts the structure’s frame, crushing it down upon the doorway. }
Calico:
“ We are not safe yet. ”
Kasawbo:
“ That smoke must have carried out above the village. But you defeated those clannars. Quite the hero! ”
Calico:
“ The clannars might come from all directions, but the only direction we can go is back… into the darkness. Stay close, Kasawbo. ”
Kasawbo:
“ You will be a great leader.”
Calico:
“ One day at a time, I have much to learn.”
{ Kasawbo and Calico move quickly into the cavern’s darkness and stumble over several vines and pebbles.
As they get to the moonlit view of the waterfall, a rumbling emerges ahead of them in the darkness. The clannars are coming!}
Calico examines the area quickly and notices a ledge off of the trail leading to just under the waterfall.
Calico:
“ There, Kasawbo, on that ledge now, and be quiet with me.”
Kasawbo:
“ I will go with you. ”
{ The moment Kasawbo joins Calico behind the waterfall, the pack of clannars stampede through the cave.}
Neomumanhi:
“ Leobeu! Leobeu! Let us celebrate the slaughter together! Leobeu! Estsa kerfo kindus oblimdons! ”
It must be all of the clannars in the village!
Kasawbo and Calico wait till the clannar train has completely passed by. Carefully, they leave the ledge, and re-enter the cavern.
Calico:
“ Stay close. There could be more. ”
Kasawbo and Calico manage the silent cavern and make their way down the metal stairs.
Gammina:
“ What is that awful smell?”
Calico:
“ We have returned, my love.”
END OF PART SIXTEEN
Including Content from the original story published in the author’s work
The Trails To Attrition © 2007, Wasteland Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 9781600471520© 2024, Their Call, Calico: the Series
Wasteland PressAdam Mullin (a.k.a. Good Day, Adam)
