Unusual Ethnic Customs
This had the feeling of a book report to me so, given the option, I went for something fictional versus factual. It definitely could be a very short snippet of a much larger world/story. There is some hidden meaning to things in here, but I’ll leave that for the readers.
Enghiptyre (en-jip-ter)
An eerie silence. The fauna, from the smallest invertebrate to the most dangerous of snarling beasts, went into hiding. They understood, not by some commonality in language, but from the gathering of knowledge passed down through the generations of their respective species, that now was the time to make themselves scarce. Hibernation, for those who could survive it, was a luxury.
The normally docile world of Moret Gnni (moray knee) was thrust into chaos. Gurre Smohs Tewsin and his son Cave (ka-vay) Eeplo were running through the dark and ominous Forbidden Forest in search of somewhere to rest, if ever so briefly. Cave had finally reached the critical age for Enghiptyre. It was a right of passage. Many males of his kind had been subjected to it, and there was simply no escaping it, especially him.
“But Father, why must we escape? We’ve done nothing wrong,” a confused Cave wheezed as he leaned on a centuries old rock formation, the foreboding darkened skies barely visible through the canopy.
“Must live. Prove worth,” Gurre proudly replied, sounding more the neanderthal than the advanced, intelligent being he was.
“This is barbaric nonsense, Father, and you know it. We’re an advanced society. One that has conquered famine and disease. This stupid ritual has festered in our world for over 200 quantum now. When will it ever end? What practical purpose does it serve?”
Gurre grew frustrated at Cave. The boy was bright and had a future unlike any his forebearers could have dreamed, but he still didn’t understand why things were done this way. He was smart, yes, but at the price of a weak and puny body that would never withstand the rigors of adult life on this planet. Enghiptyre was the great equalizer; it weeded out the strong from the feeble. It didn’t matter if Cave was the smartest. His perceived physical weakness would never be accepted moving forward unless he completed Enghiptyre successfully.
The task seemed simple enough. Enter the Forbidden Forest, and survive for one quantum. A lone, single item could be brought with a pledge to assist them. Cave opted for his own father, a rare occurrence, but not unprecedented. It was doubly dangerous, however, as both of their lives would now be at risk. He’d heard stories from both friends and family of the great Gurre Smohs Tewsin and all he’d done while in the midst of his own Enghiptyre. Who better to offer assistance in such a contest?
Despite his hulking, muscular frame of the present, Gurre was not much larger than Cave when he last walked this place. Cave often asked his father how he did it; how did he survive this grueling ordeal all alone. He was rebuffed each time, Gurre growing more angry with each successive question. Perhaps he didn’t want to help his son. Did he think he was too weak to go on? Or was there something he was hiding from his youngest and most promising offspring.
I think I surprised everyone with the short story I wrote. The group’s reaction was one of intrigue and wanting to know more. I will admit, I think if I sat down with this I could probably come up with a full-fledged novel, or at the least a short science fiction story. Maybe in the future I’ll come back to this and want to pick it up again. For now, though, I’ll leave it be.
