Tasha+J

=__**Hildakoen Baso**__=

**__Chapter 1: Dolls in Water__**
My calloused hands moved swiftly over the recently woven fabrics. Quite quickly, the bodies of dozens of people began to appear, as well as a small aircraft. I obsessively added clothing, facial features, and hair to each individual person, and a logo to the plane. It read “Aviation NZ.” I continued to blindly create the growing group of people. After what seemed like several hours, 58 dolls were lined up in front of me in five neat rows of eleven with three left on the side beside the plane. The two girls were dark haired, and the man was tall and blond, and wearing a military uniform. I dropped all fifty-nine figures into a sack, threw them on my back, and started towards the top of the //Abiega mendi.*// The majestic volcano rose a lofty 1956 feet above the great //polit ura.*// Thick trees and brush covered the sides, only to reveal a smoking, rocky tip. A one-person-wide trail wound its way around the edges in a spiral-like fashion. About halfway up was a secluded cove. That was my home; my //hasiera//.* If you live in a place for ten years, it has to be home. Anyways, when I got to the lookout on //Abiega mendi,// I carefully pulled each doll out of the sack, and placed them on the ground in a way identical to how they were before. Eleven neat rows of five, with three left over. The same three. To all but those three, including the plane, I tied a dense chunk of volcanic rock. Then one by one, I hurled them into //polit ura.// They all sunk. Except for the same three. After my round of catch with the water was complete, I headed back to my //hasiera// with my ankle-length blond hair flailing behind me as I ran. While I sprinted, I watched a plane with a logo reading “Aviation NZ” crash into the endless waters, and I cackled with delight. The aircraft immediately sunk to the bottom of the seas, and I noticed three floating dots (whom I assumed to be people.) As I neared, I saw that there were two females, and one male; the women being dark haired, and the man being blond, and wearing a highly decorated military uniform. Perfect. Stalker-like, I darted from tree to tree, watching as they struggled to stay afloat long enough to reach the shallow beach. Oddly, they didn’t come together, or try to help each other out. They just swam, each of them carrying a load of things with them The blond man was the most agile by far. He reached the beach with a rifle raised above the water, and a package of bullets to accompany it. A knife was also attached to his belt. Dark haired girl #1 had a first aid kit tied to her head, and girl #2 swam with a tarp. It was obvious to me that they didn’t know each other. The only thing that they had in common was the fact that they were on the same plane, and now, the same island. This island was ovular, with a bay washing in from the //polit ura// on the Eastern side. North of the bay was the //Abiega mendi//, and my //hasiera//. The southern half of the island belonged to the forest, called //hildakoen baso//. A river split the land mass in two, and the other side was a forest as well, but with the beautiful //harea// // zuri* // beach on the north. The two women collapsed on the //harea zuri// but the man continued towards the forest, and therefore me. I darted back towards the //Abiega mendi//, unsighted. For now. There was something different about these people than the others. I still don’t know just what it is. Maybe it’s because they had all those supplies. Although I don’t know what they’ll use them for. The tarp and first aid kit, sure, but the gun, bullets, and knife? There are no other animals on this island, so it will serve them no purpose. But for me? Now that’s a different story. Those three things would make my life a whole lot easier. I just needed to take them without being seen. After dusk, I stealthily made my way back towards the //harea zuri,// where I noticed that the group had already managed to set up a large shelter, with the sky blue tarp covering the top. As far away as possible from each other, they slept soundly, tired because of the stress of the day. Those silly kids, they don’t even know what “stress” is. But they will; oh, they will know very well. As I crouched behind a large rock on the border of the beach, I located the gun, and the knife. I wasn’t sure which one to take first. I had never seen a gun like that before, but it would be easier to use than the knife, if I could figure it out. I settled on the freshly sharpened knife, and decided to come back for the gun the next night. I slithered across the sand and slipped the blade from the belt hanging on one of the support beams of the shelter. Seeing as I received not a stir or a sniff or a grunt in return, I stood up and ran the length back to my //hasiera.// In the morning I woke to the delightful sound of adults arguing. The man was accusing the women of stealing his knife, but they claimed they wouldn’t even know what to do with it if they did take it. I giggled happily, and slipped the knife around the braided belt tied around my waist. The man stormed off angrily in the direction of the river. Before he made it ten steps, I was already sprinting my way towards the path that crossed the river to the //hildakoen baso.// I made it just in time. Just as he was about to step over the tiny river, I leaped out from behind a tree and calmly stated, “I wouldn’t go over there if I were you.” Obviously scared for his life, he said, voice wavering, “Why not?” 

* Abiega mendi – might mountain ; polit ura – pretty water ; hasiera – home ; harea zuri – white sand

**__Chaper 2: Secrets in the Trees__**
The man, whose name was Columbus (which I determined by reading his name tag), stood dumbfoundedly as he watched me vanish with keen, but watchful blue eyes. I was not hesitant to leave, because for an unknown reason I trusted that he would not cross the creek. But the girls, they are a different story. I would have to watch them a little more carefully. A few days passed, all of which I observed closely. Columbus and the two girls, which I heard him call Hannah and Brielle, even created jobs, and a routine for themselves. Every morning, Columbus would get up first, and collect a variety of the island’s plentiful fruits – this required walking near the //hildakoen baso// to get the best stuff – and returned to the girls who were still sleeping. He collected firewood and made them a hot breakfast for when they woke up. Once they had finished the meal, they went for a swim as he cleaned up around the camp. After that, it was a free-for-all. They would swim, pick more fruit, or just go for a walk. But every time either of the girls went to get fruit, Columbus would walk alongside them. I noticed that Columbus and the girl named Brielle spent lots of time together. They walked hand in hand down the beach, and sat together watching the sunset. It was then that I realized I was incredibly envious of Brielle. I did not actually want to hold Columbus’ hand, but I did not want her to either. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Because Columbus and Brielle were always together, I found Hannah walking several dozen meters behind them, like a lost puppy. She was definitely an odd ball, but so dependant on others that she was not a threat, and never would be. She was weak, and I could use that to my advantage. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">After about a week, Columbus still had not told the girls of the //hildakoen baso,// or myself, and I doubt he ever would have if they had not found out on their own. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">One afternoon, as Columbus was taking a nap, Hannah and Brielle went to gather some fruit. When they got to the creek, they leisurely stepped over, and ventured farther in to see what the trees were bearing for them. But, I was not aware of this, for I was enticed by the sleeping god. His gentle snores calmed me in a way I had never felt before. I did not know what was happening to me! My trance (and his sleep) were broken by two harmonious shrieks. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">I knew exactly what had happened, as I ran towards the //hildakoen baso//. Following behind was Columbus, for he suspected the same as I did, and he did not even bother to ask why I was in their camp. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">When we reached the girls, we saw that Brielle was crouching beside a passed-out Hannah. When Brielle saw me standing beside Columbus, her eyes filled simultaneously with fear and rage. The look in her eyes revealed to me that she felt the same way I did about Columbus. I do not know what it is called, but I know it’s good. For the most part. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">“Who is __that__?” demanded Brielle, pointing a disgusted finger in my face, while maintaining her ‘safe’ distance. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">“She – “ <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">“I’m Tasha. I don’t believe we’ve met. How do you do?” I chatted in a fake friendly manner, interrupting Columbus before he could continue. “I have lived on this island for ten years. My family was with me for the first four years, but they are no longer with us.” <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">“What happened?” urged Hannah, who had woken up. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">“Well,” I whispered, evil tone returning to my voice, “did you not just see for yourself?” <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">Memories flooded the girls’ minds. They relived the horrid images of hundreds of fully dressed skeletons hanging from the trees, every trace of skin eaten away by maggots and decay, revealing the perfect, wind-worn bones. The fabrics of the clothing were moth-eaten and ragged, but left there as a symbol of the way in which they died. With dignity, and having done nothing wrong. As the girls described the morbid scene - in which I wander through every day - to Columbus, who had obvious fright in his eyes, I snuck away to plot my next move.

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I had gotten Hannah and Brielle to forget about me as much as they could. That was a necessary step. I had to make sure those obnoxious intruders were not thinking about me to the extent that they were when they first met me. I had to be able to sneak up on them without them always looking over their shoulder for me. ======

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But I was still worried about Columbus. I do not know why, but I felt different about him. I felt that I would not be able to kill him like I would the others. I felt like I should keep him around for company. I had never felt that way before. I trusted him, you could say. ======

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I would need to make sure that the girls were alone, and terminate them. One at a time. I still had not decided how I would kill Columbus. I could torture him, causing him to die slowly for all the things he made me feel. Things that I never wanted to feel again. Or I could eliminate him quickly and easily. Both had their perks. ======

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My tribe had been living on the island for forty years. But they were all different from me. I did not want to be like them. I wanted to be like the white people who had invaded us. Because of that, my friends and family exiled me. They forced me to live in the cave I now inhabit. My //hasiera.// ======

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I was furious with them, so I started eliminating them one by one. Starting with the oldest and working my way down the lineages. I had gotten rid of all but eight of them; one white man was left as well. ====== I had loved that white man. I named him Luena, Lu for short, which means ‘gentle’ in my native language of Basque. He looked quite like Columbus, from the blond hair to the military uniform. But Lu didn’t feel the same way for me. He was in with my mutinous family. (I had left them for last so that they could see all their friends die at my hand.) When I was with him one afternoon, my brother snuck up behind me and Lu grabbed my hands and held them behind my back. My brother held a gun to my head and screamed words in my face that I had never heard before. But I had gotten stronger over the weeks of my murders. I kicked my brother in the gut, and wretched free from Lu’s grasp. I snatched the gun free from my brother’s hand and aimed and shot at his heart. Then I bent down beside the trembling man I used to call //luena// (not so accurate anymore) and whispered “I’m sorry” in his ear and rested the gun on his sweating forehead. But something was telling me that Columbus would be different. This time would be different, no matter which way it ended up, for he had nobody to back him up. So Hannah would be first. She was the easiest target. After all, she was always alone while Columbus and Brielle were together. One afternoon while the two disgustingly-in-love characters were sitting on the beach, Hannah went to collect fruit in the woods. I tip-toed up behind her while she ate an apple, and plunged my stolen knife into her heart, killing her instantly. I was on the move. Next was Brielle. She would be more challenging, for she was never seen without Columbus, especially since I just killed her friend. Because of that, she knew she would be next. I hated her for keeping Columbus from me. But when Columbus went off to use their harshly made facilities, I took advantage of the opportunity. I swiftly snuck up to Brielle, covered her mouth with my hand and carried her deeper into the trees and away from Columbus. Once we had gotten to a cleared spot, I threw Brielle to the ground and grabbed the rusted dagger from my belt. I grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, then brought the knife up towards her throat. Through her weeping I heard her plead, “You can have him! Just don’t kill me! Please!” “Why shouldn’t I?” I shouted in her ear. “You haven’t done anything for me not to do the same to you as I did Han – “ “Hey!” I turned around to see Columbus standing at the edge of the clearing, pointing his gun at me. “What do you think you’re doing?” I spoke softly to him. “Stopping you from killing my girl!” he countered. “//Your girl?!”// I shrieked. “Yes, my girl! I love her! That makes her my girl!” “Well ‘your girl’ just told me I could have you if I didn’t kill her. Is that what a lover should do?” I shuddered at the recollection of my past. For the first time during the confrontation, Columbus took his eyes off me, but just for a second, and looked at Brielle, who was hiding her face. “I’m the one who loves you! I was going to keep you! We would have lived happily.” “I would never be able to live with a person who killed my first true love,” Columbus explained harshly. “True love? TRUE LOVE?!! Ha!” I said through a laugh. “Maybe I __should__ kill you! Because true love obviously doesn’t exist!” At that, I started towards the man I never really knew, but didn’t get very far. A resounding echo sounded across the island, and Brielle fell to the ground. Columbus placed the gun at his own head next and spoke his last words in a raspy voice. “It’s better to die at the hands of somebody who loves you, than to die by someone who hates you.” And I was alone once again.