The Rising Moon (5 page)

“
Have you ever been to the Rez before?”

“
My foster parents took me there for the Indian Days powwow four years ago. It was amazing.”

“
Has it really been that long since you’ve visited Wind River?”

“
Yea.” I replied, “aren’t there two tribes living at the Rez? The Shoshone and Arapaho tribe right?”

“
Yea, my mother’s Shoshone and my father is Navajo,” he turned his eyes away from me. "I don’t live with my parents though. I live with my aunt and uncle---Denise’s parents.”

“
Why don’t you live with your parents?”

“
They divorced several years ago. My mom lives in

California with her boyfriend and my dad lives in Arizona with his new family."

“
Don’t you miss them?”

"I miss my mom more than I do my dad. My uncle has always been more of a father to me than he ever was.”

“
So why didn’t you move to California with your mom?” I couldn’t understand how anyone having parents would choose not to live with them.

“
I’ve lived at the Rez all my life. I couldn't just leave," he said removing the hat off his head and running his hand through his loose hair. "Besides, if I’d left I wouldn't have met you."

I rolled my eyes even as my heartbeat stuttered. “You’re sweet, but really who am I? I’m no one special.”

He took my hand. “You’re wrong,” he said. “You are special and it’s a shame you don’t see just how special you really are.”

I snatched my hand and placed it in my pocket. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t want to look at him. My gaze strayed to the falling leaves that whirled slowly in the wind. With his eyes still on me, I covered my head with the hood of my sweater.

He tilted his head, and his hair slid across one eye, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable again,” he said.

I nodded, smiling at him. He smiled back at me, his cheeks adorned with dimples. "So, are you going to tell me how you got that bump on your forehead?" he asked.

I grabbed the strings on my hooded sweater and wrapped it around my finger. “I’ll tell you, but only if you promise not to tell anyone.”

He brought his fingers to his chest. “cross my heart.”

I took a deep breath. “Last night, I had a dream. And in my dream, it was a beautiful sunny day. I was smiling and laughing as I ran through the plush meadows when suddenly the sky turned dark,” I paused to look at him. He raised his brow and gently squeezed my hand as though telling me to continue. “My hair began to smack my face as the howling wind pushed me forward. A dark shadow flew above me and when I looked up, I saw a vulture. It grunted and hissed, cheering on the wind as it continued to push me. I fought hard and tough against it, but I was no match for it. It continued to push me forward unto a cliff. With no more strength left inside me to fight, I surrendered and fell to my death. And that is how I woke up on the floor with this." I lowered the hood and pointed to my forehead.

Ryan hopped off the bench and began to pace back and forth. "The vulture wasn’t cheering on the wind,” he paused. “He was trying to warn you.”

“
Warn me?” I gasped. “from what?”

“
My people believe that dreaming of a vulture indicates warning.”

"You know how to interpret dreams?" I asked.

"I don’t but my aunt does. She has a gift for interpreting dreams. She once told me that when we dream our soul enters the spiritual world where our past, present and future exist as one. They take turns imprinting images into our soul. Those images are what we call dreams.” He took his seat beside me, “My aunt’s going to be at the powwow this weekend. Maybe you can tell her your dream and she can help interpret it.”

Was I going to lose someone I loved, again? Was John’s life in danger because of me? Because of my curse? Perhaps it was Ryan. Was our friendship a mistake?
Oh God, what was the vulture trying to warn me about?

Ryan held my face in his hand and gently massaged my forehead.“There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I looked up at him with eyes wide open.

“
Come on, I’ll walk you to your car,” he said.

I slid my hand around his elbow as we walked up the tree lined path back to the parking lot.

∞∞∞∞

That night I was startled by a sudden blast of wind that cracked open the window while I lay in bed. The ivory curtains began to sway wildly. I rushed to shut the window, but stopped a few steps away when a set of small glowing eyes stared at me from behind the glass. I slowly stepped closer to try and get a better look of what was watching me, but the black shadowy figure flew away.

∞
Chapter 7 ∞

THE WEEKEND HAD finally arrived and I nervously spent forty minutes trying to decide what to wear
.
I never spent that much time trying to decide on clothes before, but I was nervous about meeting Ryan's aunt today and I wanted to make a good first impression. I finally decided on a brown crinkled skirt, crème cotton shirt, and my favorite denim jacket. I completed the outfit with a pair of brown slouch leather boots Ramira bought me for my sixteenth birthday. I applied some lip-gloss, tamed my wild curls in a tail and took one final look in the mirror before stepping out of the room.

The thirty-minute drive to Wind River Reservation was breathtaking. In the years I’ve lived here, I never grew tired of the beautiful landscapes of pine and spruce forests and mountains.

Ryan was waiting for me outside the Cultural Center in Fort Washakie. He spotted me from across the lot and quickly made his way over. "Hey! I'm glad you made it," he greeted with a smile.

He was dressed in traditional native regalia with his hair tied in a tight braid underneath a black feather headdress. He wore a matching feathered bustle that trailed down his back, and a breastplate made of beads.

"You look pretty," Ryan said as he stood hovering over me.

"Thanks but you look better." I replied.

He looked at his reflection on the glass doors. "True,” he said with a dashing smile.

I rolled my eyes and we both laughed. "So, where's the rest of the gang?" I asked.

"They're here somewhere," he replied as he looked over the crowd. "Come on, I see Denise and the girls."

We made our way through the crowd. Denise, Lisa and Jen were dressed in traditional long deerskin dresses with a long beaded fringed shawl. Their hair in two braids wrapped in bright colored ribbon and beaded clips.

“
Where’s Kima? Will she be dancing too?” I didn’t know why I asked, but I did. The words just flew right out of my mouth.

"Yea." answered Lisa.

"She’s going to be performing the crow hop dance. We're doing the group shawl dance." Jen added, as she secured her clip on the end of her long braid.

Kevin and Tyler walked up to us, along with Brandon and Anne. Kevin held up a camera, "Time to pose for Facebook pictures!" He yelled out.

The girls, Ryan and his cousins quickly stroke a pose. I took a few steps back. I never enjoyed taking photos. I always look awkward in pictures somehow my eyes always look red in them.

“
Where you think you’re going?” asked Kevin.

“
Uh…” I nervously began to say. “ You guys go ahead. I don’t want to be in the photos.”

“
Come on,” Lisa whined. “You’re a part of our group now. Come stand with us.”

“
It’s ok, really---” Suddenly Kevin pushed me into the middle and Ryan quickly placed his arm across my shoulders as they all shouted 'cheese!’

The powwow was held in an outside field near the Cultural Center. There were many vender booths set up around the dance circle selling artworks, baskets, music and food.

“
Here you go,” said Tyler handing me an Indian taco.

“
It’s a must to eat these tacos made of fry bread and ground buffalo meat when attending a powwow,” he said with a smile, “just like eating hotdogs and peanuts in a baseball game.”

“
Thanks.” I said as I took the taco.

The ground rumbled to the steady thumps of the hide-covered drums announcing the opening ceremony. A cadence of mixed voices filled the air as the dancers made their way into the dance circle. Kevin pulled out his camera and began to take photos. Ryan led the male feather dancers into the circle. His dance moves mimicked the movements of a bird and the other dancers crouching positions looked as though they were tracking or hunting. His dance moves with every fast-paced leap, thrust, spin and swirl was in tune with the beatings of the drums. He was the first dancer to perform in the powwow. The black and white fringes on his regalia, twirled in the air as he spanned and waved his arms up and down. Ryan dominated the dance circle with style. The crowd watched in awe and cheered as he performed with such speed. He ended his dance with squatting leaps as he twirled the feathered and fringed batons in his hands. After the male feather dancers, the announcer called on the girls traditional shawl dance. The vibrant colors on their dress and shawls mesmerized the crowd as they showed off their fast footwork. They leaped and spanned as they held out their long colorful fringed shawls, looking like flying birds and butterflies.

Finally, it was Kima’s turn to take on the dance circle. The drumming and singing began as she slowly opened and closed her arms, revealing the black bird design on her white shawl. As the music picked up pace she began to twirl, hop and leap high in the air. The black and white fringes on her shawl looked like opened wings when she soared her arms up and down. The crowd began to make crow sounds as she held her hands on her hips and spanned with precise highly controlled movements. Not once did she stop to catch her breath.

"Doesn’t she look amazing?" Ryan said as he joined us on the bench. He never took his eyes off her as she performed her dance. When she finished dancing, he stood up and began to chant her name, then we all followed and did the same. She smiled and waved at us. It was the first time I ever saw her smile.

I watched the vendors clean and close up their booths as I waited for Ryan at the end of the powwow. Everyone had already gone to Ryan’s house where his aunt and uncle were throwing a barbeque.

"Hey,” Ryan called out to me. “Are you ready to meet my aunt?”

“
Sure.”

He insisted I ride with him in his truck so we left my car parked at the Cultural Center. When we arrived at the house, butterflies began to flutter in my stomach, when I saw the crowd of people gathered outside the house. A parade of cars lined the driveway of the white single story house. I noticed Denise and the girls were among the crowd that lounged on the front porch. With no room on the driveway, Ryan parked his massive truck on the front lawn. He beeped the loud, monstrous horn to announce our arrival. My face turned tomato red when everyone turned to look at us. I wrapped my arms across my chest and sank deep into the black leather seat.

“
Lia! We’re so glad you came,” Lisa said as she pulled my hand and led me through the crowd. Denise swooshed some boys off the white wicker couch and Jen handed me an iced coke. Ryan followed close behind. He patted the boy seated beside me on his shoulder and he got up and handed him his seat. Ryan smiled as he made himself comfortable.

Kima stood at the far end of the porch eyeing me with piercing looks, as always. I tried to ignore her, but my eyes kept creeping back to meet her glares. Suddenly Kima stomped off the porch and headed to the back of the house. Denise and the girls went after her. I sat dumbfounded, not knowing what to think. I looked over at Ryan and he instantly knew what I was thinking.

"Would you like to go inside? I can show you my room,” he suggested.

I nodded and quickly got up. I didn't care where we went. I just wanted to get away from the crowd. I followed closely behind as he walked me through the house. Family portraits in mixed matched wooden frames adorned the living room and narrow hall.

"Come, my aunt’s waiting to meet you." He held his hand out. I reached for his hand and gave him an insecure half smile. "Relax. There’s nothing to worry about," he assured.

We walked up to a short full- sized woman who was in the kitchen preparing some hamburgers. Her bright round eyes had a glow to them. It reminded me of the same sparkle Veena had in her eyes when she smiled.

"Lia, this is my aunt Galilani Wahya." Ryan introduced. His aunt rinsed her hands and dried them on her apron.

“
Everyone calls me Ani,” she said as we shook hands. “I’m so glad to finally meet you. Ryan hasn't stopped talking about you since you two became friend." She reached up and lightly patted his blushing cheeks.