Desta-2- Chapter One

Desta woke sometime between the watershed hour and the first cock’s crow. His head felt dull and bruised as if poked with a sharp object, his throat chilled and raw from the cold night air. He listened. Absent were the stomping of hoofs, his father’s nasal rattles, and his mother’s soft, deep breathing. He opened his eyes and the pitch-black face of night gazed back. He cringed. Where was he?

Once Desta reclaimed his senses, he remembered. He was in the town of Yeedib. He had come the day before to attend modern school and begin his search for the second Coin of Magic and Fortune, the identical twin to the one his family owned. He was in the home of his uncle Mekuria and his wife Tru, who were little more than strangers to Desta. His uncle he had met only twice before, the new wife never.

They lived in a circular grass-roofed house, much smaller than his parents’. The grounds were covered with tall eucalyptus trees that blocked much of the sun, sky, and fresh highland air. Bound by a head-height wooden fence, the property was accessed through a shrouded, tunnel-like path that dead-ended in a half-moon earthen courtyard before the house. Desta had winced when he first saw the ominous walkway.

The home had a large circular living room with a rickety table and two chairs in the middle, a small bedroom to one side, and a larder on the other. There were two built-in high earthen seats, one near the door, the second by the bedroom. His hosts had assigned the seat by the bedroom to be Desta’s sleeping quarters. The fireplace and kitchen were next to the larder door.

Desta turned onto his back. He still stared, but he no longer saw the night. His mind had gone out of the room to his mountain-bound country home and the strange chain of events that had led to this dark, cold room. Like a pioneer in uncharted lands seeking his bearings, Desta surveyed the events, circumstances, and fate that brought him here, to make sense of where he was going.

When he was a toddler, one evening his mother had stood outside with him in her arms, leaning on the fence, watching a gargantuan moon rise over the eastern mountains. Desta wanted to touch the silver orb. As he grew, he dreamed of touching the sky and clouds.

Some time later, while Desta tended the animals, his grandfather’s spirit, the Cloud Man, revealed himself, and in their few meetings told Desta of many wondrous things, one being his family’s ancient Coin of Magic and Fortune. It derived from the Bible’s King Solomon nearly three thousand years ago, and it was one of two identical coins the wise ruler of Israel had fashioned for his two daughters to be passed down to their descendants.

The Cloud Man had further revealed that this king had encoded on both sides of the coins important legends in each of their twenty-one visible channels. The spirit explained an ancient prediction that a boy would be born to the family who was destined to unite the two coins, for a very important purpose. He was none other than Desta. The Cloud Man invisibly tattooed the coin’s image above Desta’s heart so that he could readily access its powers.

Then, as if to set the divination in motion, Desta fulfilled his dream to climb the mountains circling his valley to reach the sky with the help of his half-sister, Saba. He couldn’t touch it, but instead discovered a land so much bigger and more enchanting than his valley. After this, Desta traveled to town on market day, where he saw modern-school students march through the crowd with a green, yellow, and red cloth on a stick. And it rekindled Desta’s desire to read and write.

He’d pleaded with his father, even recruited others to lobby on his behalf, and now here he was, finally, pursuing a modern education. He’d registered the day before and had gotten a taste of the classroom afterward.

Desta held his breath for some time, thinking of all that had happened on his journey here. His breathing hissed out slowly; he wondered what had caused the soreness in his head. He recalled his turmoil at bedtime last night.

In this cold, dark room, resting on a thin skin mat and rutted pillow, under this plaid blanket, and wrapped in his small gabi—a thick cotton blanket, Desta had examined the life he had lived at home. Many painful memories—the beatings, neglect, mistreatment—had surfaced, bringing tears. With great exertion, Desta had purged these memories, crying until his eyes stung and his brain was raw and dull. Relieved of his burden, he’d fallen deeply asleep.

How Desta wished the night instead had been a celebration! He had persuaded his father to send him to a modern school and had broken free of his isolation. How he would have loved to stand at the cliff edge on the outskirts of town and blow a big horn three times with all his might—the way those at home announced a death—and declare to the world that Desta Abraham Beshaw was now free! Free to learn his alphabet without fear or reproach, and then come to his new home and celebrate all night long to his heart’s content.

Desta shook his head. What good was celebrating his success without his beloved sister Hibist, and half-sister Saba; his devoted dog, Kooli, now gone; or the vervets, his monkey friends who had vanished from Desta’s life when their trees were cut down? Here, he had no one to share his happiness and sorrows with. He pressed his lips and stared blankly, fighting with the feelings that surged anew. He shook his head to dispatch them and let out a long, deep sigh.

There would be lots to get used to in this new place, including the tunneled, dark home of his hosts. He would have to learn to live with the hum and noise of the crowd. Step by step, this ten-year-old Desta would learn everything he needed to know about this new life.

First, Desta had to find the strength within to endure, no matter what. To focus on his education, and the ancient coin. He couldn’t afford to be emotional about his new situation. He couldn’t collapse under the weight of any hardship or trial he might face. And for his own good and his goals, he must uncouple his feelings from his birthplace and everyone at home—anyone or thing that might interfere with his efforts.

A rooster’s crow interrupted Desta’s thoughts; it sounded just like his parents’ rooster. He chided himself. With fingers on forehead and cheek, he directed his thoughts to present concerns. To make his life easier in this new world, he must study people, their eyes and expressions, and relate to them accordingly. After all, the only people he knew well were his family and the animals he once tended. He had no experience living in a world of strangers.

The rooster crowed again, and Desta pulled away from his thoughts. Strangely, he felt closer to the bird than his new hosts. “Why do all roosters sound alike?” he asked aloud, surprised by his sudden kinship with an unseen animal. He didn’t know the answer.

Thoughts of home suddenly filled him with fear. For the chance to read and write, he had foregone the life of a shepherd and farmer. Now he was on a journey that no one from his valley had ever made. He had no idea how long it would take or what awaited him at its end. And there was the gold shekel, the sister coin to his family’s, that Desta sought.

He tried to visualize the size of his new world. How do I go about finding that coin? Desta’s fears shook him like a swift gust of wind. His heart raced. His temples throbbed. He gasped as if fleeing an enemy. He wanted to scream, but his voice failed him. He listened hard, hoping for a sign to save him from collapsing beneath his fears.

All he heard was the wind and his pounding heart.

Desta slipped an arm under the blanket and pressed it to his chest, trying to steady the pounding beneath his ribs. Unthinking, Desta firmly pressed his thumb against the spot where the invisible tattoo of the coin lay. Instantly his heart tamed and his nerves eased; the air felt warm and soothing.

Whew! He was relieved and surprised. What was all that? The unexpected storm inside him and its passing bewildered him.

“This will remind you that you’re not alone,” said a voice from behind. Desta turned his head toward the sound, but there was no one. “The coin’s image you just touched is your protector and companion for life. Trust it!

“What is more,” the voice continued, “the Coin of Magic and Fortune was tattooed on your chest to unlock the vast resources deep inside of you. These are unavailable to most humans; ordinarily it takes long and dedicated training, as with magicians, to learn how to use them. Common folk cannot tap into these magical powers.

“As you were told before you came to live here, the first step to achieving any success is to unclutter your mind of the past. With the help of the magical channels of the coin, you can align your mind and accomplish deeds that far exceed those of professional magicians. Think of the mark on your chest as what connects your conscious self to your inner magic.

“It will take discipline and concentration to perfect this connection. Unlike most who try, you will achieve the outcome you seek in a short time. Here is what you do: press on the coin’s image and concentrate on the result you desire, using all of your senses. You will realize the outcome you seek in short order.

“Remember that in many respects, you’re no different from others; only you have been given this extra privilege. Be humble. Honor your gift. Don’t let anyone know about the coin or your capabilities. Lastly, be watchful of false friends with wicked motives.”

“Pardon?” Desta asked. “False friends?”

“Yes, there are those who roam the earth who appear to do good, but their intention is anything but. And some will seek your friendship solely for their own gain.”

“How am I to know who is who?”

“Pay attention,” said the voice.

“Who are you that gives me all this advice?”

“It matters not who I am. Good luck and good-bye.” Desta heard the voice no more.

Desta kept his hand over his chest, and a moment later he fell asleep.