Imani stood on a tree stump addressing the crowds. She was here to discuss the unfair treatment of “untouched” children and ways to rectify this. She was taking a stand for the rights of the outcasts but few took her seriously. Only those who had children who were taken because they were “untouched” listened and only those who hadn’t had more children sympathized with the cause.
Many of the people were there to berate Imani and throw fresh fruit at her. Her fungus had a hard time growing and was pale in comparison because of this barrage. Rumors would float around about her father being “untouched” but Imani didn’t know since she’d never met her father.
Today Imani stood on her stump, like any other day, but today was different. Hate was a foreign concept to the swamp because survival was too much struggle to allow time for animosity. Outside the swamp, however, hate was as common as it is our world today. One man from outside the swamp, one well acquainted with the concept, had decided to sow the seeds of discord this day among the swamp people. Once a crowd had gathered around Imani’s stump the interloper crawled out of the muck and moaned piteously. When the people asked him what was wrong he claimed that Imani had made him “untouched”
“I knew something was wrong with that girl!” one man shouted.
“She should have been banished as a child.” A woman replied.
“This is madness.” Imani reasoned “It’s not possible to make someone untouched. It’s a condition you’re born into.”
“What does she know? She’s just a little girl!” the foreigner interrupted.
“Well, an elderly and well respected man calmly intoned, “Just don’t do it again.”
“I didn’t do it!” Imani pleaded.
“See…see how she lies? She can’t be trusted.” The sower of discord insisted.
“Lies? What does that mean?” The elder inquired.
“It means she’s not telling the truth, she’s trying to deceive you so she can make you all untouched like she did me!”
“That’s perposter-“
“Quiet Imani, why would she want to make us all untouched?”
“Sympathy of course, you’d all stop sending away the untouched children.”
“Hmmm…” the elder frowned, “Those are some very serious charges. Are you prepared to support your claims?” The elder turned and beckoned two burly men. “Take them to the courthouse.”
“No!” the foreigner interjected, “ a trial?! By then it will be too late. She must be taken care of now or you’ll all become untouched!!” A murmur went through the crowd. He knew he had them now. It was time for the coup-de-grace. He stealthily took a vial out of a pocket inside his shirt and threw it at the ground near Imani. A greenish cloud enveloped a half-dozen people and when it cleared they were all “untouched”. “See… she’s already started!” There was a general panic and Imani and the new untouched were seized by her neighbors.
“Calm down people, there must still be a trial!” the elder roared trying to restore peace. Someone had gotten rope and began to tie up Imani and her “victims”. The man was cackling madly at his success until someone noticed and mentioned he should be seized too. Fearing death, the man fled the village to the west, deeper into the swamp. “Please stop this madness,” the elder plead but his supplications were met only with anger and fear as they tied him up as well. Once all the victims were tied they tied together several of the rafts for the untouched children and sent them all off. As they drifted off to the east Imani shouted out in protest, “This is unjust! You’ve all gone mad!!”
***