My bestfriend Africa and I were exploding the cave of our home island one morning.
The Golden Ghild was throwing one of his many parties and we weren't interested.
So Africa and I slipped off for the Cave, to reading the writing upon the wall.
Africa says it tells the story of our land....
But before we could figure out what it said, the wall gave way and we found ourselves falling down the waterfall...

Thankful to be alive, we found ourselves swimming out of a pool.
The land was beautiful! Like our home, but yet not home. Before us stood huts, a full garden and food bin, a clear ocean. A Gong, three-fourths restored.
And a full graveyard.
What has happened here?

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All dead?
No, for suddlenly two men, an old one and a young one came running towards us. excited, they were both crying and laughing and greeted us, as if we were an answer to prayer.

We were.

Later, after Africa and I had bathed, a wonderful meal was set before us and we learned what happen to this village.

The old man was Coral, 62. Ajax, 26 was his only surviving son.
One morning, when Ajax was 12 years old, there was a evil wind that blew through the island. The coconuts fell the trees and the crops in the fields died. They couldn't even catch fish. Many became sick because of disease. Between the famine and illness, many died, icluding Coral's two wives and 10 children. All but the youngest, Ajax.
After several months the crops, fish and coconuts returned, but by then a tribe of 30 strong was wiped out to two.
Coral and his son.
When Ajax was 14, he took over the garden so his father could devote himself to the reseach table.
For years, it was just the two of them.
But one night, Coral cried out to She Who Watches Over us to please send someone. So that when he dies, Ajax would not be alone.
Tears streamed down Coral's face.
"And this morning, she send you."
I couldn't help but cry myself.

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Though I am just 24 and Coral is 62, I am very fond of Coral. He knows he dosn't have long to live.
I assured Coral that Africa and I are just good friends, nothing more.
It is against everything I have been taught, but I also know that for this tribe to survive, I need to have children.

Being a mother wasn't something I wished. Nor marriage. I wished to be a doctor, like my mother and father. I was their only child and that was find with me. having just died, there was no left in South Isola for me to miss.
But it was different for Africa. He came from a very large family and was soon to be married. He had a much harder time adjusting to our new home.
But since there was no way to return to our side of the island, africa slowly began to accept his new life.

Knowing Coral's time was short, I granted his wish.
Little Coral was two when his father died.

But more children are needed. So, I had to make a decision. More children are needed and I am the only woman in the tribe.

So, I now have two sons. Little Coral is 4 years old and Little Ajax is 2. I really hope Little Africa will be a girl.

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Africa felt since the baby girl was my skin colour, he decided to name her Mocha. I like it. It is a sweet name.
Coral and I had another son, I named him, Niger, after the land of my father.
I am hoping the next child will be a girl.
Though Mocha can hold her own with the boys!

I had always heard of men having two or more wives. But never a woman having two husbands.
and it works well. The men work the field and the Rereach table while I raise the children.
Coral, Africa and the children make me happy.
And i never thought I would find such joy in being a wife and Mama.

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My have the years gone by quickly!
My eldest and only son by Coral, Coral Jr. is now 19 years old and is a farmer.
Ajax, son of Ajax is 16 and works at the resereach table and with my only daughter Mocha, daughter of Africa.
I have also younger sons: Niger 12, Africa 9, Chad 7 and four year old Solmon 4. I am hopeful the next child shall be a girl.

I Kissa am now 43 years old. I am a Leader, wife, teacher and mother of a growing team.

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I did indeed have a daughter, named Jax and her father. Another son has also joined our family; Yaha, now two years old.

Ajax has fallen in love with Mocha and has asked for her to be his wife. She has agreed.
I just as I am about to stop having children, Mocha shall begin. For soon, she and Ajax will have their first child.

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Ajax is now 16 years old and a gets her red hair from her father.
Mocha has made me a graandmother; she has one son and three daughters. My last child is also a girl, Prima.

I am 59 years and rejoice that the tribe has been restored. I now that my true love Coral, were he had lived, would be proud to see how his son, Africa and our children have rebuilded the village.

But just the other day we had a tidalwave which washed away our crops. We are now struggling to replenish our food store.

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I, kissa am now 74.
I will not live much longer, but will soon lay next to the man I love, Coral.

We have found the Algae Eating Fish and our ocean is once again pure and we are able to fish. Thrus, the lean times are over.
Sadly, Coral's son Jax died before the Fish was found.

My youngest daughter, Prima is now a young woman and a mother. My grandchildren have made me a great-grandmother. There is now enough food and people for this tribe to go on.

Years ago, She Who Watches Over Us send Africa and I to this side of Isola.
Here, we found a dying tribe, with only two men, a father and son. The only woman, it was upon me to both rebuild and store this tribe.
I can honstly say, I am the mother of the tribe of Coral.
Soon, I am lay with my ancesters.
I hope I have done them proud.
Go well.

http://www.ldwforums.com/attach/4312-Mourningofkissa.jpg
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It has been many years since Mama kissa has passed on.

The tribe she birth is still going stronge and in fact growing.

I, Jax am now 63 years old, still very much in love with my beloved Ajax.
We have several children of our own, including a set of twin girls; Chai and Chi. Both wives and mothers themselves.
Our eldest daughter was named after her grandmother, Kissa.
Kissa was ten when Mama died.
Kissa married Polo and they too named their first daughter Kissa.
Kissa and Polo are about to be parnets for the last time, to twins. Just as their eldest child, Kissa. now 18, is about to marry Xas.
http://www.ldwforums.com/attach/4354-Kissa%27sNmaesakes.jpg
We are finally able to remove the vine covering the Cave Wall and the mesh covering a mosic floor. Plus, Mama's dreamof a hosptial is about to come true.

Ajax and I are so excited! We just learned that our grand daughter Kissa and her husband Xas are having twins!
http://www.ldwforums.com/attach/4355-Kissa%2CJaxandtheirbabies.jpg

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Mama Kissa would be pleased.
Both the hosptial has been builded and the vines removed from the Wall, revealing more of the secrets of this place we call home, and yet leaving us with more questions.

Our daughter Kissa and her husband Polo have twin sons; Van and Vin who look just like Jax.

Our granddaughter Kissa and Xas have twins girls; Jade and Amber, who everyone says looks like me.

The work removing the mesh remains on going.

And to everyone surprise, just when we all thought kissa had passed the age of having children, she and Polo are now having triples!
My granddaughter kissa is also having another baby. And gets a giggle out of the fact that her youngest siblings are the same age as her children.

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The years have been filled with joy and sorrow.

Kissa and Polo have triple girls; Lala, Lele and Lolo. Her doaughter Kissa had a son, Ash.
One day, while wworking at the Research table, Polo found a wild child, srcating himself with a tool. He was able to draw the child away from the table with food.
No one knew how he had arrived to our shores. The only life he knew was in the woods. Kissa and Polo have taken him into thier home and quickly, Joop became part of our family.

But there is also saddness. My beloved Jax is now at rest. As wellas my brothers, Niger, Africa and Chad.
I am now 70 years old and not far behind them.
I hope to atleast to live long enough to see the Gong retsored.

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I, Jax am now 70.
We just buried my brother Solomon. His young wife, Pinky is 47 and still young enough to remarry. But given how much they loved each other, I would be surprised if she did.

A year later Pinky did remarry, Coral's son, Ace. They will have a child soon.

My youngest sibling is Prima and she is now 64 years old. We, the children of Kissa, Afrcia, Corl and Coral are dying off. That is why it is so important that our children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren know their history. How our peope arrived to Isola in the first place, how we arrived to the West side of the island and that there are other parts of Isola that need to be exploded.

At 90 souls, we have reached the limit that our land can hold. Maybe it is time to think about setting out a party to explode the uncharted parts of our island and start a new village.

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Sadly, the young wife of my grandson Tobi, Tallie died, giving birth to their third child. We lost both mother and child. Tallie was just 24 years old and none of us knew she was even sick.

We finished removing the mesh off the mosic floor, revealing the most beautiful of artwork. Clearly, this was the remains of a great hall.
I thought to move Mama Kissa's Totem Pole to the floor's center and suddenly the floor shifted, revealing the final piece of the Gong!
I was given the honour of setting it into its place. And then, the honour of ringing it.
The Gong glowed and then somewhere passed onto all in the village wisdom.
My last survining siblings, Noble and Prima were to witness all that our parnets had spoken to us all of our lives.
And now that the Gong has been restored, it was now time to foreful their last wish.
To explode the rest of Isola.
At 90 souls, we were already too many for the land.
It was now time to have a talk with our children.
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[color:#000099][i][b]It has been two years since the ringing of the Gong. It doesn't glow and despite several tries, it has not sounded. It appears that the Gong lets us know when it is time to sound.
After much discussion, the village has indeed agreed that we are crowed and it is time to do something about it.
Besides, we know of two inhabited parts of the island, but we knew there was much, much more. The secrets we have discovered have led to more questions than answers.
My grandson Tobi had always been a adventious boy. It is he who is ready to get out and discover more of Isola, along with his new bride, Fair. He will also take his two children, given to him by his late wife, Tallie.
I know Tobi will do will. But Fair? A beautiful, honey-blonde girl, smart, but slight in build. I can only hope she is strong in spirit.
It has been decided. In one year's time, Tobi and Fair will leave us.
May the Guilding Hand lead them well.

I am Prima, the lasting survivin child of Kissa, All of my siblings and many of their children who were older than I, are now gone to Paradise.

I often look into the night sky, my thoughts with Tobi and Fair as they travel to parts unknown. For Fair is my daughter and carrying her first child. I wish there was a way to keep in touch with them. I can only trust them all in the Hand of the One Who Watches Us all.

I am Thea, second daughter of Prima.
Thankfully Mama had died before the news came to us.
One day, the remains of a raft floated upon our shores. Exmaining it, we knew it was the one we had builded and send Tobi and his party set over several weeks ago.
Sadly, we all knew what this meant....

We had a special service to say goodbye to Tobi, Fair and the children, knowing they were in Paradise with our forefathers.

It has been two years and after much discuion, we decicded to try again.
Unmarried and a Builder, I would lead the new tribe.
This way, I may honour the memory of my late sister Fair and her family.

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It took three months to finally arrive to our new home.

But it wasn't without danger.
I believe we encounter the same power, life-threatening storm that took the life of my sister Fair and her family. Yet, due to another mighty wind that blew in, we were driven to the shore of a ruin city, the raft lost.

But we were alive. Save one.
Hunter, one of the Builders was tossed off the raft and lost to us. His young widow, Deer remains amoung us with her two young children, Hunter and Agate.
Then there is Cassia and her older brother Wisdom. Cassia at once took over the Lab and Wisom is also a builder. Watu is Cassia's husband and as yet no children.

During the months on the raft, I found myself falling in love with Wisdom. Tall, dark hair and eyes and quite handsome, the name Wisdom suited him.
He became a second father to Agate and Hunter, and I knew he would be a good father.
My heart hunt at the thought that Wisdom could, after a decent time ask Deer to be his wife. He was a good man, a handsome man. Any woman would be blessed to have him as husband.
I worked hard not to allow my feelings to show, to even try to talk myself out of loving Wisdom.
Why love someone who cares for another?
Rather silly, really.

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[font:Century Gothic]The next several years have been filled with hard work, struggle and yet a measure of joy.

We found amoung the ruins a beuatiful Robe. A Cheif's Robe. We each tried it on and found that Watu would be our Chief.
The Robe came with unusal powers.
One of them was to refill the food bin once a day.
And we needed that! For there are sharks in the waters and we cannot fish.
A fruit seed has been found and we quickly planted it.
And as the tree grew, I would learn the truth.

To my shock, I would learn that since Cassia has not had children, Watu would marry Deer, adopting Hunter and Agate as his own.
Second wives are allowed. And in this case, since Deer is without a husband, Watu took her and her family into his home.

I had long given up hope in Wisdom.
But that was foolish on my part.
For just as the Mango Tree began to grow, Wisdom would ask me to walk the fields with him.
Sometimes he would place roses in my hair.
And then, one day, he was bold enough to kiss me.
I felt dizzy. My dream was coming true.
Wisdom loved me.
I named our daughter, after my sister Fair. May my sister's spirit live on in my little girl.
Soon we will have another child.
I am hoping for a boy.

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The Guilding Hand knows better and we have another daughter. Wisdom named her after me.
As much as we would love to have another child, Wisdom wishes to wait until crops are better.

To Cassia's dismay, Deer is having a baby with Watu. I can see the pain in her eyes.
I plead with the Guilding Hand that Cassia too would know the joy of being a mother.
Wisdom is such a good father. He adores his girls. And they do look like their Papa.
Hunter is now 14 years old and able to help restore the City.
If we can get him from staring at the clouds long enough to work.

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Hunter is now 18 years old and has taken Cassia as his wife.

There was an Lab accident, Watu was working on a portion to improve the health of the tribe.
The portion blew up and killed our Chief.
Deer had Watu's son, Yaka. Yaka, now age three is now the village Chief.
Since the Food bin was empty, Yaka quickly refilled it. Deer tried the portion again and this time the portion worked.
Now the tribe is once again healthly.
I now see why Wisdom wishes to wait for more children. We barely have enough to feed the nine of us.

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The whole Tribe was wiped away. May they all Rest in Peace.
.


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Edited by LadyCFII (08/09/08 03:55 AM)
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Life is hard. So put on your big girl panties and deal with it.