Ce Acatl

(The Animal War)

5. City

Bleak our seasons dying sky

But environment is more than weather

                        Miguel sits at the head of the dinner table with Maria, his wife, and Anna, their daughter, watching the nightly news as they eat.   “Today on channel 10 news, several towns and cities in different countries have reported rabid animals wondering and attacking people in parks and fields, ponds and lakes, yards and homes and some house pets have been reported attacking their owners.  There is no official report by any one government on the possible reasons for this behavior.  Many are thinking it is a new disease.  There is no official report of a possible pattern, origin, or extent of contamination.  We would like to tell all citizens to stay calm and not to panic for measures are being taken to quarantine this phenomenon.”  As Miguel thinks of his weapons he says to his family “I have a feeling that this will propagate.  We should prepare to fight it to the end.” “What makes you think it’s so serious?” asked Maria, worried her husband has gone mad.  “The Toltec’s prophesized During the conquest, if Montezuma hadn’t doubted his gods and believed Cortez a god, he would not have been paralyzed by fear and could have overcome.  This may be a test of faith so I will show God that I do not doubt.” Sadie, the family dog, rushes in through the doggy dog alert.  She strolls over to the daughter keeping a solid stare.  As Anna reaches down to pet Sadie, Sadie bites her hand viciously.  As the dog turns to attack Maria, many other dogs swarm the house.  Miguel reached for his gun, still in shock.  He manages to kill two dogs but soon loses to battle.  Domesticated animals everywhere bite the hands that feed.

              An army of men are dispatched into the heart of the quarantined Amazon.  These men wear body armor made to withstand shrap-metal, bulletproof helmets with radio and mics so to be in constant communication, and water proof boots so to penetrate a vicious jungle.  As they enter, silence overwhelms them.  No bird flew or sang.  No bug hummed or played.  No leaf was stirred and no growls were heard.  The sky looked grey and cold and the wind refused to blow.  The deeper they went the more the silence screamed. 

            A tense soldier watches with dilated eyes and sweaty palms as fear consumes his reality.  In the corner of his eye he sees a leaf move and is startled by the possibility of death readying his sickle.  He fires a whole clip into a low reaching tree.  They listen; a child drops out of the tree.  The soldiers rush to her aid in a state of disbelief.  They argue among themselves of what to do, as the child’s tribe rushes over to investigate.  The tribe tells the soldiers they had been performing a silence ritual in which they listen to the jungle sing.  Fear plagued the tribes pale faces and wandering minds.  They said that today the orchestra didn't sing and the sun did not show.  The girl must have wandered off to climb a tree during the ritual.  The soldier’s gun shots broke the silence. 

The ripple in the ocean of balance was now a massive wave waiting to come a' crashen.  The clouds gathered like horses readying for battle.  The wind whispers into ears, “Here you will begin your fall."  The tribe flees into their homes made of straw. 

The soldiers flee hoping to escape the jungle and its wrath; but their doom comes from above.  The furious sky makes it hard to walk and see.  Their path is clouded with debris, pounding rain, and blinding thunder.  The Soldiers carry on in shame, being weighted down by their heavy armor.  The wind makes it seem as though one were pushing a wall; as soldiers are thrown into trees and hit by debris.  Most drown in the sea of oblivion as the rest of the men panic and wait for death's sickle to end their shame.

               Three soldiers survive the excursion.  They awake on the edge of the jungle with no clue to how they got there.  They remove all their useless gear and give thanks for life, in silence, under a red sky.  They hurry to the closest city to give their message to the media.  They say, "We were soldiers for the United Nations sent into the Amazon.  Our objective was to neutralize any animal that looked rabid or infected in any way.  The United Nations believed there was a virus that was causing animals to attack humans around the world.  We were to be the antibody to that virus.

               "Once we entered we found nothing; not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.  Everything stood still as if waiting for an answer.  One of our men was startled and broke the silence with his gun.  What happened next I hold dear to me.  A storm gathered bringing heavy rain and deafening thunder.  The wind soon became an impenetrable wall.  Many good men were lost.  I don't remember from then on but I am thankful to be alive.  I believe God kept us alive to give the world a message, that Earth has awakened and that there is wrath to come."

Ce Acatl

(The Animal War)

III. The Awakening

Universal mind

            Zumii slowly regains consciousness in a rattling cage. He looks around to find cages jumping around with the truck over rocks and across dips.  The animals around him mutter noises as if talking to themselves. Zumii asks, “Brothers, where are we going?”  An Eagle, who looked hardened by time spent in cages, responds from across the truck, “We don’t know.  Many masked men loaded our cages onto this machine in a rush.  Why do you call us brothers?”  Zumii responds, “Brothers and sisters, I have been given a message by the life we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the sun we bath in and the body we live in.”  An interested silence consumes the truck.  “Although we all wish to be kings of our territories, there are more urgent matters.  We are all brothers on this withering Earth and must work together to preserve it.  For ages our kinds have been slaughtered and worn as trophies.  Our lands have been taken and our families caged so they know not the meaning of freedom.  The two legged beast has roamed a path of destruction for far too long.  We must fight this cancer and restore balance to this body we live in.”

            The truck slows to a smooth stop.  Two men unload and liberate the primates and birds.  Zumii screams, “If you make it out spread the word, there will be a meeting at dawn at the foot of the highest mountain.”  Zumii spreads his message on the way back to the heart of the jungle that gave him birth.  He arrives home just after dusk to find his clan lost in the world of dreams.  He climbs his family tree to sleep on the spot his father once claimed.  Tomorrow I will wake early to ready the troops, he thought.

            Zumii reaches the mountain with his troops just after dawn.  His sight is overwhelmed by the sea of animals waiting for his words.  The avian called in their flocks, the carnivores rallied their squads, the herbivores gathered their herds and the insects their swarms.  “Brothers and sisters, I gather you here today to an assembly of diversity.  In all the colors of the Earth, all the textures and possibilities of life, there has never been a force that outdoes us all.  The sky no longer belongs to the avian or insects but rather to the iron dragon that spews poison into our lungs.  The savannahs and wet lands no longer belongs to the herbivores, carnivores, insects or plants; they belong to the iron beast that plows through out sacred lands and spews poison into our mouths.  The jungle and trees no longer belong to the trees or primates, the insects or avian, the herbivores or carnivores.  They belong to the iron teeth that gnaw through our homes and food and spew poison into our ears.  The seas no longer belong to the fish, plants, insects, avian, herbivores, or carnivores.  They belong to the iron whale that robs the sea of life and spews poison into their watery being.  Our own skins, bones, and muscles are no longer our own but rather belong to the two legged beasts who believe life a commodity.    The two legged beast has us corralled and here we are killing each other.  Comrades, the two legged beast has made our homes a cage. 

“The beasts believe themselves owners of GOD’S body; but that will be their downfall.  Brothers and sisters, GOD has planted his seed in me and I am here to bare fruit.    I am not here to lead, but to give birth to the idea that, as cells and organs in GOD’S body, we must unite to fight the cancer known as man.  We are not each others enemies; we are each others eyes. Our manna is now man and his lands; until the balance has been restored.  GOD is ultimate balance and will lead our way.  My troops and I must stay here to be the ‘Keepers of Beat’.  We are responsible for keeping GOD’S heart beat steady among all the turmoil.” 

            A thunderous cloud of excitement awakens the jungle.  Baboon waits for the animals to settle down before expressing his worries.  “How do I know the jaguar won’t eat me when I turn my back?”  The jaguar responses, “I am willing to go hungry for HE has fed me before.  Baboon and the rest of my prey fear no more for I have found new prey.”  Baboon says, “I honor your sacrifice.  I too am willing to go hungry.  I will scavenge the beast’s land to allow this body to regenerate.”  The rest of the animals agree among themselves to use the humans as manna and their lands as territory.

            Red hawk (had been helped by Mocte) says, “Zumii, I will take your words around the world so your seed can begin a forest.”

“Thank you for your dedication.  Let it be known that the struggle will begin at dawn.  Ready your wings and sharpen your teeth.  Gather your troops and trust in GOD.  Comrades, never forget that we are many and we are one.  Go will your destiny!” Zumii then retired with the “Keepers of Beat” to the oldest tree in the jungle.  A new heart beat awakens the jungle.

Ce Acatl

(The Animal War)

IV. The Seed Sprouts

Red hawk rallies three of his brethren to help him spread Zumii’s seed across the four corners of the world.  Brown hawk was to spread the message in the outskirts of the Brazilian Amazon, to those who hadn’t already heard it word of mouth, and head south.  Black hawk was sent west to alert the coast and to head north. White hawk was sent east across the Atlantic Ocean to give the message to Southern Africa, heading north.  Red hawk went northeast across Europe heading towards Asia.  The hawks gave the message through songs.  Theirs was none sung before, with authority.  It sang “Birds of all feathers come together and free your souls of guilt.  We have been conned to bleed, for a treacherous plan unseen, and eat dirtiest silt.  But no more shall we bleed, for our path is now seen, and together, we will proceed with no guilt.  Animals of all colors join our battle, for together will all renew.  Mother Earth sends us to cleanse and renew, and our battle righteous and true.  You shall now eat from the two legged beast, and enjoy the first feast, but don’t overfill for you will defiantly burst.  Spread the word and keep it true, spread the seed and watch it bloom.” Thanks to the hawks, the first dawn brings animal insurgencies around the world. 

The Birds reclaim a bleeding sky.  They fly through smoggy cites to feed on waste and human flesh.  They fly to airports to confront The Iron Dragon and his poisonous kind.  They pace the sky, filling the calm before the storm, as the vultures watch for the peace to be broken so they can gorge the flesh of man.  The Eagles' battered species flies strong in the face of desolation.  A sky of feathers soothes the eye.

            The Jaguars signal for war waving their black coats.  They strike the first blow in a farm on the outskirts of the jungle.  Submitting the landowners with ease, for no one expects the first strike.  The farm is returned to a time of open fields and the jaguars go back into the shadow from which they came.

The mighty lion and his golden pride enter a small town from the south heading north.  The towns’ people did not expect an ocean of hungry eyes to flood their town for it was outside of their imagination; like Cortez for the Aztec.  As the lions feast in the first supper, people arm themselves with sticks, hoes, shovels, and machetes.  They try fending off the lions as many tigers arrive from the west.  The town falls within an hour.

Reeds sway in the wind moving their bodies to a blaring new tune.  Greener grass grew everywhere Zumii's seed was sown.  Monkeys, apes, and primates of all kinds descended from their trees and hills.  They find their manna in abundance in the land of the beast.  As they pass they see caged chickens, goats, sheep, cows, and livestock of all kinds.  Man had used the tool that God gave them as a weapon, but the animals use it as a gift.  They open the cages to spread the gift of brotherhood.  As the chimps and baboons raid the harvest, a group of armed men arrive from the east.  They unleash a fusillade of lead on the heavily willed animals.  As the animals scatter, a deafening hum is heard in the distance.  The hum becomes so loud it overwhelms the senses.  The men’s teeth grind from the sound.  Soon, clouds of locusts and insects swarm so thick that the men begin dropping from suffocation.  Some try fleeing but could not even see their feet.  The ants march their lines of war to fill the lungs of man and use their bodies as nests.

String ray soars in the sea with thick skin and a blood thirsty stinger.  He was told by the hawks to head towards the coast where men go to leisure.  There he finds a group of humans playing in the water.  As the humans swim in Sting rays direction, he buries himself to avoid detection.  He hears their hearts beating as they approach, with the speed of a bullet and will of a warrior, he silences one mans heart and retreats in victory.

Every hour brought another animal attack somewhere around the world.  Noon saw Zumii’s seed delivered to every continent.  Dusk saw Zumii’s seed be sown in every country.  The night signaled the completion of the sowing of seeds.  The next dawn was to bring the forest of rebellion.

Ce Acatl

(Animal Wars)

By: Sergio Jimenez

II. HE

We are many and we are one.

Zumii hears stirring outside his cage.  He sees a scientist carry in another caged animal and immediately erupts into a vessel of rage.  He throws his body around his cage like a madman in a padded room. The scientists quickly sedate him with tranquilizers.  Anger swells in every thought that make it past the drugs.  At any point when Zumii regains consciousness around a human, he rages on with all his will.  The scientists catch on and keep him sedated constantly. 

Zumii eventually goes into a trance from so much sedation.  He sees himself walking through a huge foreign tunnel made of leaves, bark, skin, and dirt.  He sees a red watery substance climbing slowly from his ankles to his chest and over his head.  Zumii closes his eyes hoping to drown, but when he opens them again he is back in the jungle in his family tree.  Everything is in its place but visually seems alien.  The trees expanded and retracted like lungs in a body, clouds slither by like flying dragons, and the sky looked as a protective skin shielding Earth from outside danger.

He sees the tree’s roots moving away from the tree so he asks the roots, “Where are you going?”   They respond, “We are many and we are one.  We are her and she is us.  Our fruits are our dreams and our goal is to feed.  We do not leave for we are constantly here.  We are not we, we are HE.  HE whose body we feed.” 

Zumii looks at the tree as it releases vapors from each leaf.  The vapor slowly becomes a cloud that consumes the jungle.  The cloud is so thick Zumii has no choice but to breathe it in.  He feels the vapor fill his lungs; no pain is felt, but rather, relief, like a baby learning to breathe.  The tree says, “We are not strangers for we are of the same seed.  I sprout from this body to provide you with air as your lungs sprout from your body to provide me with dioxide.  Together we are one body.”

            Zumii feels great heat on his back.  He turns to see the Sun grow in magnitude and emit a white light that pierces his ear.  It says, “Zumii, we are many and we are one.  I am HE and HE is you.  I once believed myself alone and hid my light, for fear of shinning out too bright and shinning paths in vain.  But I burned my fear away and expressed my radiant way, and I found you startled by the day.  I realized that WE were the heart beating for the brain.  My path is to shine paths, while you are the pathfinder, following paths to preserve ways.”

            Zumii feels a vain push out of his body onto the ground and into a river.  The river turns rose red and says, “I am the blood of life that flows in HIS body to connect bodies to bodies.  I am that which completes.  I represent complexity with simplicity.  I am one with the Sun.  We are the yin and yang; he is here to shine and dry and I am here to reflect and fill.  Together we are HE and HE is eternal balance.”

            Zumii looks around and sees Earth teeming with life; like cells in a body working in concert to preserve the being.  Ants march as veins to feed their nests and birds soar like a wondering mind as the worms keep the land pure.

            He feels the ground gathering up skin, rumbling and trembling to form high mountains, and ascending to caress the sky.  He is paralyzed by a thunderous voice, “I am this house that HE has turned into a home, the pool that HE has turned into an ocean, and the seed that HE has turned into a forest.  You are one of my many organs.  My body digests what my organs process.  Water falls from the sky like thoughts fall into a mind.  The air blows winds of expression.  Fire purifies into ash like death is rebirth. 

 “Plants are the hand of GOD handing you life.  It is the best example of GOD’S order.  The roots are like many beings digging into the soils nutrition to support the society of the plant.  The wood and bark are the biodegradable homes of the plant’s will.  Branches are like fingers pointing to the heavens.  Leaves are the roots’ outward exposure of internal satisfaction.  Fruits are the roots giving more nutrition back to the land than it took. Fruits are a gift of thanks for life.  Magnitude of plant is due to balanced management in all aspects.  Success of plant is determined by how well its fruits nourish life.

“The animal organ is the tapestry of possibilities on which GOD expresses his colors.  They play out life’s dualism by adapting mind and body.  They branch out to create a colorful moving and thinking tree.

“The Human organ is the ultimate manifestation of GOD on Earth.  Humans are the moving plant, the thinking ape, the savage wolf, the communist ant, and the free bird.  Man was to play out life’s dualism with the addition of the ability to produce fruits with his hands and mind.  He was to stand guard at the gates of creation.  Man has abandoned his post.  He has lost the beat of GOD’S heart and turned cancerous.  Their blood now diminishes forests.  Their laziness clouds the sky and rains acid on their crops.  Their hands no longer produce, but leach like weeds that succeed in creating destruction.  They are the shark plaguing the sea; the lion claiming the savannah.  They are now on the edge of a cliff and a storm is on the horizon.

Man claimed GOD’S body and divided it amongst them.  Nature and Life were conquered.  GOD created everything equal so struggle could give purpose to life, survival.  HE tried to get man to change his cancerous ways by warning them with disease, natural disaster, and signs in the fields and sky. But Man persisted in creating destruction. 

“God is the body of knowledge.  All eyes are GOD’S eyes.  All minds are GOD’S mind.  All bodies are GOD’S body.  Knowledge lies within us if GOD is working through us.  Knowledge is the fruit of life that GOD harvests in us.  Man betrayed GOD and himself like cells killing a body.  Like a starving soul, GOD was forced to come as a thief.  HE came as disease; man bottled HIM up and dropped HIM on enemies.  He came as storms warning cities; man covered his ears and built stronger homes.  HE came as fire offering rebirth; man extinguished HIM and used the wood as lumber.  HE shook cities to wake the sleeping; man kept sleeping in broken cities.  HE spoke through prophets and man refused to listen.  Man declared war on GOD and GOD was forced to declare war on man.

“Zumii, the scales have been tipped.  The peace is broken.  You must restore the balance in HIS body.  You must awaken the organs to fight the cancer known as man.”