Chapter 21: Hunger

"The belly is an ungrateful wretch, it never remembers past favors, it always wants more tomorrow." —Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist." —Dom Helder Camara, Dom Helder Camara: Essential Writings

"If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great." —John Piper, A Hunger For God

"I saw the world I had walked since my birth, and I understood how fragile it was, that the reality was a thin layer of icing on a great dark birthday cake writhing with grubs and nightmares and hunger." —Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane

***

Dealing with all of the people outside their houses, and trying to satiate their desire was impossible for two families. And these two families dealt with it differently, receiving disproportionate results but still dissatisfied with the outcome of their actions.

And receiving threats from people that did not receive anything from them was inevitable. Both sides of the coin were bound to flip, and there was no helping it.

Even after all that had happened, the killer among the Balmackians still found the courage to slaughter a poor victim in the woods, leaving her torso behind with all of her limbs scattered around five points of the mountain. It was soon discovered that the lady has no family after they all died in the fire while trying to salvage valuable things from their house.

"How ruthless! The damn monster did not even let a damn night pass without killing someone!"

Some of them were just grateful enough that it was not them or their family that was killed. However, few people seemed to have a death wish. They found no more reason to live after losing everything they have. For these people, life does not feel the same anymore. It was empty and pointless.

But to some, this turn of events became their driving force to further progress in life, having found meaning in giving value to all that has worth.

"Mom, I'm hungry!"

Cries for food irked some parents, and others could not do anything but gave their children false hope of having something to eat for their growling stomachs. Windows from both the Gordon's and Austere's houses were shattered by rocks thrown at them when people's needs were not given.

"We can't stay here and wait for a miracle to happen. Let's go further in the forest and hunt for food. If needed, we would be going inside the mountains."

And that would be their last resort. Sulten Tribe were known for being aggressive when it comes to their land. This possessive tribe would resort to violence once they caught wind of people trying to invade their land, much less hunt for food.

The Sulten Tribe has always been an independent group, growing crops and cultivating lands, and raising livestock for their daily necessities. It was thanks to their solitude and great leadership that kept them unified and dependent on none.

"Soon, people will start marching inside the mountain with blunt objects as weapons due to desperation for food. And we will not let them sully our holy land just for their selfish desires. Once they manage to completely invade our homeland, chaos and famine will spread throughout the mountains, thus destroying the hundreds of years of solitude and greatness built within this island!"

Spiteful words came out of the tribesmen's mouths, cursing every Balmackian with all their might and hyping themselves up, for a skirmish was about to happen.

It was still daylight with the sun finished reaching its highest peak in the sky, slowly setting as Balmackians trespassed while the Sulten's tribesmen steeled themselves and were trying to protect their beloved homeland.

"I know how greedy these people are! They won't stop at the first sight of food! Until there is nothing left, they won't stop eating and wasting food!"

Sulten Tribe trains each other every day with separate grueling jobs that hone the body and mind of someone through labor. Their way of living might be something like from the stone age, but this tribe is something that should not be underestimated.

They still rely on herbal medicines and have supernatural beliefs that were passed on from generation to generation.

All of the tribe, men and women have been mobilized for the incoming pandemonium on the way to the door. Children and elders' requiem was peace and security while authority shall be laid upon the Balmack Island and teach the Balmackians a lifelong lesson.

"Lakambini, why can't we kill these people?"

Although everybody was equipped with a weapon and a shield to protect themselves, their princess, the Lakambini wished for these people's safety. All of them were aware of the prophecies that were starting to happen a lot recently, and they did not question their Lakambini any further.

"So that the prophecies progress to go smoothly and for the emergence to occur!"

Hierarchy in the tribe matters, and not just anyone can become the Lakambini. However, group leaders or the so-called generals of a squad can be chosen based on their skills and if the Lakambini decides to put them in the position.

"Emergency! People have already started their movement! About two hundred people are marching towards our land!"

Many were surprised, gasping after they heard the news while it sounded like the perfect time for egoistic and self-centered tribesmen to test out their skills in real combat against the desperate mass. While they always train themselves for such a threatening event as today, most of the Balmackians do not know how to fight.

The island has always been peaceful and safe from all the threats of the outside world with little to no crime rate. However, it was all turned around when Myla was murdered. Security and peace disappeared in an instant, further losing integrity as hunger strikes the homeless and suffering Balmackians.

"Bad news! Lakambini, your highness! I just received news that one of our fellow fighters had fallen into the hands of the monstrous Balmackians!"

The death of one of their own triggered a switch inside everyone's head while the Lakambini tried to maintain her cool through the rageful events happening right now.

"It will be our tribe that will be wiped out if we don't kill those bastards! It's either kill or be killed, Lakambini!"

"Decide now, your highness! Your fighters are waiting for your word!"

Pressured by the overwhelming desire of her people for blood, the Lakambini sorted her thoughts, clinging to the written scriptures passed down to her by her ancestors.

"I must remain calm, for all of this is happening just as our prophet predicted!"

Contrary to what she believes, her people yearn for blood to be shed. The only way to pay for the life that was lost was through taking the lives of the others that killed a person. Otherwise, not even the afterlife can pull them away from exacting revenge.

"My decisions remain the same! Fend off every Balmackian but do not kill them, although everybody is allowed to resort to violence! If I ever receive news about any of you taking the life of someone, I will punish them through our worst torture!"

No one can defy Lakambini's decisions nor go against her actions, for every Sultenian respects and treat her as their holy princess. Disobeying her orders means disrupting the hierarchy and patriotism of their tribe. The order among them must never be broken because when it does it means that their end is about to happen.

"All of it was written in the book of prophecies. Every little detail that is happening right now was written down by the prophet, for his disciples to execute and obey. Additionally, the reason was to keep their eyes awake from reality and what was going to happen."

And those who seek blood in exchange for life will never find blood but lose their lives. The sacredness of their teachings and beliefs magnifies the characteristics of the person that survived to tell the tale and stories that were about to be told.

"Disperse, all of you! And always remember my words! Don't die, and don't kill!"

Two hundred Balmackians against the indomitable force of the Sulten Tribe, their number half of the enemy forces, would be nothing against them. Men and women both have the same role when it comes to fighting for peace and security. They don't discriminate, and equality could be perceived in them as women squad generals exist in the tribe. They were not just holes that needed to produce babies and serve their husbands. Women of the Sulten Tribe also serve a better purpose in their land.

"Desperation over peace and security against desires for food! Which one weighs heavier than the other? Is it the convictions of the independent tribe or the greedy minds of the townspeople? If all goes according to the prophecy, chaos, and bloodshed will open the path to emergence after starvation began to prove that life isn't all about peace and love!"

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