When Darkness Falls Read Free Page A

into their camp and demanded to speak with the Elders. Everyone gathered around to listen; after much yelling and screaming, with tempers flaring on either side, Dani himself ended the arguments by coming forward. He stood before the Elders to take whatever punishment they thought fit to give him.
    When the old man to whom Nunjupuni was promised saw how big and strong, how young and handsome Dani was, he could understand why the girl had fallen for the stranger. His anger became intense, and hate hurled from his mouth. He grabbed his spear and would have run Dani through where he stood, but Nunjupuni’s brothers, stood between them. The oldest brother faced Dani and told him of the pact that they had made with their sister. He warned him that they had no wish to lose their only sister to death because of the actions of a man who was no better than a dingo, sneaking around their camp and singing her to his bed.
    Dani reacted as if he had been slapped in the face. He challenged the brothers to fight to the death. If he should lose, he lost his life and they lost their sister. If he won, he won his woman, but they could very well lose their own lives. He was prepared to do whatever they thought fit. The brothers laughed loud and long. They had no need to accept his challenge. It was their right. If Dani wanted to act like theman they believed him to be, he should abide by the Laws. He had despoiled their beautiful young sister. He had jeopardised her marriage; it was only the fact that the old man loved and cherished her, they said, that he was prepared to still take her as his wife.
    His only need for her was as a worker, and a cook, Dani scoffed, as a slave to look after the old man and his old wife in their old age and for nothing more ... He couldn’t even give her a child.
    â€œDon’t you believe it!” screeched the old man.
    â€œQuiet!” yelled the older brother. “We demand payback.”
    â€œSo it shall be,” the tribal Elders decided.
    â€œI am ready,” Dani told them.
    â€œThen by the Laws of the Land, since you have offended both the close family of the bride, and her husband-to-be, both of whom have demanded payback stand here to take punishment. The Law requires two wounds, one from each party. Let this be a lesson to one and all that we must abide by the Laws of the Land in all issues if we are to live in peace, harmony and safety with one another.
    â€œDanaranni, if you die from the spearing, it will be by the will of the Spirits. If you stand and take your punishment like a man, the act you have committed will be negated by your actions, and people will look favourably upon you. Now run. They have the right to hunt you and kill you like the cowardly dog that people would judge you to be...”
    â€œI won’t run. I place my life in the hands of the Spirits of my Ancestors. So let’s get on with it,” Dani replied.
    He stood out in the open and awaited his fate. Each of his accusers would throw their spears, until finally one of the family put a spear through Dani. How or when was up to the men seeking revenge. They could throw their spears from anywhere at anytime. The closer the miss, the better to putfear into the victim, and the greater pleasure they gave the onlookers. The more fear the victim suffered, the deeper the lesson burnt into the memories of those onlookers. It was the one way to keep the Laws of the Land sacred to young and old, and this incident could not have come at a better time or place, with tribes from all over the land still gathered after the ceremonies.
    Meanwhile, an argument had broken out between the old man and the brothers. The younger brother had seen the glint in the old man’s eye as the Elders had granted him his right to wound, and had noted his smirk of satisfaction when they warned the boy that the wounds inflicted could cause his death. The younger brother knew then that the old man had every intention of