9) Pōtiki
The Fearful
9
Pōtiki sighs as the fire goes from a smouldering pile to a tiny flickering flame once more. Relief rushes over him as flames leap to life. Nearby, Raukura wanders past. “Hey Pōtiki. Have you gone out looking for wood yet? I got a spot I am going to check out if you want to join.”
“Sure Raukura.” Pōtiki mutters, going bright red.
Raukura doesn’t even notice. “Come on daydreamer, that fire of yours won’t burn forever.” She calls without looking back.
Together, they wander deeper into the forest city centre. Pōtiki, following close behind Raukura, past forgotten apartment blocks and hotels over taken by trees, vines and ferns. What were once roadways, now grassy trails. Raukura looks behind to make sure the less sure-footed Pōtiki isn’t falling too far behind. Then vaults over a rusted wire fence.
“Need some help, little man?” She asks, landing on the other side.
“I got it.” He says, climbing to the top of the shaky fence. Limbs trembling, he looks down at the ground on the other side, palms sweating and tightening his grip on the way down. Willing himself to not fall in front of Raukura. On the ground, he turns to smile, only to find she has already progressed further ahead. Pīwaiwaka, tiny insect-eating birds, flutter behind the pair. Chirping as they linger near the two humans tread, hoping to snap up any biting insects in the tread soil.
Raukura stands before a concrete wall covered in moss and graffiti. “Ok, we are here.”
Pōtiki takes in his surroundings. “Where is here? I don’t see any trees or anything?” When he looks back to where Raukura was, she is nowhere to be found.
Raukura laughs from above. “Up here!” Holding onto a nearby drain pipe, she scales up to a hole in the wall high above. “There is a bunch of old furniture up here, that’s great for puoro making. As the village carver, it’s my duty to make sure we always have music.” She looks down at him from the hole. “You coming?”
Pōtiki stares up at the pipe and a wave of vertigo hits him. “I think that’s a little high for me.” He says in a small voice, knowing he came all this way for nothing.
“Don’t worry about it, little man. I will throw you down some wood so we both have something for carving and firewood. If you can carry it back to the village for us, ok?”
“Sure.”
“Great. Now Heads up!” Raukura throws a piece of furniture out from the hole in the wall. As the furniture hits the ground, Pōtiki and Raukura laugh and cheer at the destruction. Soon the pair head back to the village, Pōtiki struggling with the heavy load of wood. Back at the community fire, Raukura, taking her share of the wood, says, “I appreciate you, little man. You made a pretty boring trip fun.” Pōtiki flushes bright red once again. “Thanks.” As she leaves, Pōtiki places another piece of wood on the fire. Wondering if the village slave was going to be his fate after all.