Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved
#blackeagledream
3.
After closing and locking the door she headed down the darkened sidewalk to the apartment manager to turn in the keys to her dad’s apartment.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford
Chapter 9
Dwayne turned off the light in his office. He had been on the computer checking his mail, and he decided to fix something to eat and watch the local news. He sat in his favorite chair, eating a sandwich. Dwayne was not presently in a relationship, but there was a young lady he was interested in.
He had only been back in Antelope Springs for about two and a half years. Dwayne had attended ASU down in Tempe.
He had grown up around horses and cattle, so cowboying was in his blood. Dwayne chose to go into the field of animal husbandry. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from ASU, he returned home. He had applied for a job with the Navajo Nation after returning to Antelope Springs, but currently they were fully staffed. However, Dwayne received an offer a couple of months later after the unexpected retirement of a long time employee.
Dwayne had a goal to breed horses, and eventually create a small program that would give those Dine’ children interested in horses, an opportunity to learn horsemanship, which would include caring for the horses; and farrier work as well. Dwayne was eager to see Cyrus.
At the same time, he was saddened to learn that Cyrus was not well. He had sat in shock when Cyrus had told him that he had perhaps only a few months left to live. Cyrus dropped an even larger bombshell when he told him about his son, Sonny Ray.
It was shocking because Cyrus was single as far back as Dwayne could remember.
It was a lot to digest in such a short span of time. Cyrus had a few girlfriends in the past, but nothing that resulted in children. Well, as far as Dwayne knew; which was presently not much obviously. The fact that he had kept his son a secret all these years, was a feat in of itself.
Cyrus had told him he would explain everything when he arrived from the big island. Dwayne figured this was going to get interesting. He would also get to meet this Sonny Ray as well.
The hundred year old ponderosa pines towered all around his home. Dwayne searched the tops of the highest trees. He wondered if the black eagle was out there, watching him. In the past whenever Cyrus was coming to visit, the black eagle would always arrive a day or two after Cyrus.
Dwayne found the black eagle unsettling at times.
For example, when it looked at you, you knew it, you felt it. It was as if the black eagle had observed his entire life, knowing more of him than he would like it to.
Yet Dwayne did not suffer an inordinate fear of the black eagle.
Cyrus had explained to Dwayne about the things that had been revealed to him; primarily as the result of decades of observation. The sun faded behind the distant horizon, as a chill began to replace the fading warmth of day in the mountains of northern Arizona. Dwayne gave up his search, knowing it would probably be another two or three days before he would see the life long companion of Cyrus. He decided to watch a movie.
Dwayne placed a couple of pieces of wood into the fireplace before settling in.
The black eagle sat perched in stillness on a large ponderosa pine, looking down at Dwayne.
The fire was emanating radiantly, creating a fiery northern lights dance on the ceiling of his home.
The wind began to blow gently through the trees.
The night hid it’s secrets but the light lay them bare.
Always to be seen;
by the
Black Eagle Dream.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford
Chapter 13
“No, I don’t usted habla espanol shitass,” Whisper growled. “Now get somewhere.” The man stood glaring back at Whisper, as he stood next to his bicycle near where Whisper had parked his camaro.
“Hablas ingles?” “No,no,no,no,” the man replied quickly. “If I had a check for a million dollars with your fucking name on it, I’m thinking your english would be pretty good right about now my friend.”
Whisper had a wicked hangover, and was in no mood for the little dude who he had seen in the neighborhood for the last couple of years. Whisper could barely talk, his throat hoarse. He knew he needed to quit all of it, partying every night, whoring, the drugs. Whisper was relentless in his attempts of daily destruction.
Alcohol was his drug of choice, but cocaine was his baby.
Whisper just wanted to get something to eat, and then get his ass home, and get out of this hot Arizona heat. The man mockingly held two bags of oranges in the direction of Whisper. “Dude, I done told you, I don’t want your sour ass oranges, entiendes?” Whisper waved his arms, encouraging the man to leave.
The man placed his bags of oranges in his side baskets, and rode away on his rickety bike. When he found himself at a safe enough distance he yelled over his shoulder,
“Your momma likes my oranges you fucking gringo,” the man yelled.
Whisper had to smile. He watched the man ride away as he opened the door of his camaro. Not too long ago, Whisper would have run that guy down, and stomped a mud hole in his ass.
“Getting mellow in your old age, did that little prick call me a gringo?”
Whisper muttered to himself. He had spent the evening partying with two of his stripper girlfriends.
He was a bouncer, and entrepreneur of all things illegal.
Whisper had dubbed himself a broker for the broken.
Whisper was a damn drug dealer.
He had branched out into gun sales as of late, cash only, no background checks. Whisper had once told Sonny Ray that he was diversifying his portfolio. Whisper had been a professional painter at one time. Residential Houses, lots of commercial buildings.
A severe back injury off the job prevented him from painting. It involved a homeless woman and a shopping cart. Dealing drugs wasn’t as physically taxing, and Whisper enjoyed the rush and risk of it all. Not to mention he enjoyed the residuals of his craft.
He had a butt load of cash, jewelry, clothes, and more ass than he knew what to do with.
Walter was his oldest brother. Whisper and Walter really didn’t get along, never had. Even as kids they argued constantly. However, despite their personal differences the one constant of growing up in Arizona was that they were consistently asked by white people if they were Mexican.
Sonny Ray and Whisper both had curly wavy hair, but Sonny Ray was about four shades darker than everyone in his family.
The neighborhood kids would often tell on their parents by revealing what they would say in private. Their neighbor Irene revealed that her dad once told her, “We like Walter, and Whisper, but that Sonny Ray is as dark as a nigger.”
Whisper pulled out onto Speedway Blvd. He headed west, bound for Barrio Hollywood. Whisper had a craving for some of Pat’s spicy chili dogs, and some curly fries with lots of ketchup, and a large sun tea.
Although he had tried hard to curtail his temper Whisper had a propensity for violence. He had used drugs and alcohol daily for years. Cocaine, and alcohol seemed to be his catalyst; which would often propel him into acts of violence, for one reason or another.
In the 70’s, bonfire parties in the desert on Friday night was the thing most teenagers did, especially during football season. Whisper was no exception. One Friday night after the Santa Rita football game, Whisper was on the east side of Houghton road partying with his friends from high school. In the 70’s the desert in Arizona was vast, and wide open.
Whisper left the desert party about 3am. He headed back in town to get something to eat. Whisper sat in traffic, a few cars back from the red light. A couple of dancers he had recently met at the strip club pulled up alongside him and sat next to him in their convertible, talking back and forth.
Of course being inebriated, Whisper hadn’t been paying attention to his spacing, and he ended up tapping the bumper of the car directly in front of him.
This big guy, who was with a woman, presumably his girlfriend, jumped out of his car. He began yelling and cursing at Whisper as he approached his vehicle. Whisper, as was mentioned earlier, was half in the bag.
However, his only thought was to get to Jack in the crack before he perished from hunger. At this time of the morning all he had on his mind was a double order of two greasy tacos and a large Coke. Whisper smirked at the guy with muscles, and quietly told him to get back in his car before he said something he was going to regret. Mr. muscles persisted, and made the grievous error of wagging his finger in the face of the now silent Whisper.
The big man had misinterpreted his quiet demeanor.
Whisper slowly opened his car door, his eyes fixed intensely on his antagonist, as he exited his vehicle. After locking eyes with Whisper for the first time it left the big man unsettled. He decided that retreating back to his vehicle was in his best interests. Although Whisper was only six foot, and two hundred and fifteen pounds; it was his menacing eyes that kept people from getting overly familiar. Whisper now approached the obnoxious muscle head.
In so many words Whisper informed him that he had let his alligator mouth overload his hummingbird ass.
Faster than you could say: whisperwillbeatyourass.com
Whisper shot an arm to the guy’s crotch, grabbed the man’s shoulder with his free arm, and slammed him down hard on the hot Arizona asphalt.
Without a word Whisper turned back to his car, as the concussed man lay quietly on the pavement. All Whisper wanted to do now was to get the hell out of there before the cops showed up. He reached for his car handle when he felt a sharp pain across his lower back. He turned to face his attacker, and lo and behold, it was a woman perhaps five foot four.
Whisper had no misconceptions about what a woman was capable of.
She was defending her man. Whisper was cool with that. Nevertheless, the fact remained she should have not put hands on Whisper. She had smacked him good with that short piece of chain.
Truth was, it hurt like hell.
Whisper advanced on the woman. He side stepped her as she swung the chain overhead. He crotch shot her as well, and delivered her unceremoniously hard on her back.
She lay still, chain in hand. She was unconscious, lying on the road not too far from her semi-conscious, and moaning boyfriend. It was time to go now.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford
Chapter 27
Sonny Ray sat at the little dinette table trying to make sense of the last week or so. The thought of being a marlin flashed through his mind, hooked but still fighting to get away. Sonny Ray dove deeply into the ocean of his memory, shaking left, then right trying his best to arrange, rearrange, analyze and recall the entirety of his life, or the way he thought it was, up until about a week ago.
Like the marlin, every so often he would come up out of the water trying desperately, instinctively, to shake loose the one thing that reeled him ever closer to the boat. For Sonny Ray, the boat symbolized the terror filled memories of his childhood.
The sound of the screen door opening broke the line, and for the time being Sonny Ray was free.
Dwayne pulled the screen door shut, and walked into the kitchen. “Morning,” Sonny Ray offered. Dwayne nodded, somber as he poured some coffee. “So where is Cyrus?” Sonny Ray asked, trying to sound casual like he had known the old man his whole life. “Cyrus is not doing too well today,” Dwayne replied. “What do you mean?” Dwayne paused. He was about to say out loud what he had attempted to push from his thoughts for the last two months.
“Sonny Ray, Cyrus is dying.”
Sonny Ray heard the words but his mind was sufficiently obligated. “I didn’t want to drop this on you until you and Cyrus talked first, but, he’s looking pretty rough today.” Sonny Ray sat staring at his coffee swirling in his cup. He put down his spoon, and looked up at Dwayne. “So what does he want from me?” Sonny Ray asked plainly.
“He wants you to claim responsibility for the black eagle,” Dwayne said straight away.
“Did I miss something? Black eagle? Oh I get it. Are you talking about that gigantic black whatever it was that was sitting on the windowsill the other day?” Dwayne nodded, knowing how it must have sounded. “Does he want me to feed it or something? Well if that’s the favor, sure why not.”
Sonny Ray was rambling. He was beginning to feel like a retread on a tractor trailer tire that had just blown out. He was disintegrating, leaving shards of his brittle and rubber like emotions; up and down the highway of his mind.
Sonny Ray sat alone, quietly drinking another cup of coffee. Dwayne had walked out back to the hogan to give the old man some coffee, and a piece of toast so he could take his medication.
As little Raye lay sleeping, Nikko slipped out of bed. After putting on her robe and slippers she found her way to the kitchen. “Hey,” she offered. “Morning sweetie, how’d you sleep?” “Really good Sonny Ray, and you?”
“So, so.”
After pouring a cup of coffee Nikko sat down across from Sonny Ray at the little table. “I think it would be best if Raye and I flew back to Vegas. I have to be back to work not to mention my American Literature final is on Friday.” Sonny Ray did not immediately respond.
“I just think you should stay and give Dwayne a hand with Cyrus.” Sonny Ray leaned over the table and kissed his wife slowly on the lips. After breakfast Nikko would book a flight. Sonny Ray would talk to Dwayne about getting his family to the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. Nikko and Sonny Ray talked for a bit.
Nikko related her walk with Cyrus, and how she first saw the black eagle. She also related to her husband about seeing the large eagle when she and little Raye had left the Tucson Mall, the day before the funeral.
What really freaked her out was the dream that Cyrus had related to them; the details about their trip to the mall before they had even met him.
Lastly, she related Cyrus’ last wish to have his ashes spread near Shiprock Mountain, New Mexico. Even though Nikko had some reservations about the situation as a whole, considering everything that had transpired, she felt it was important that her husband should help Dwayne get Cyrus where he needed to go.
It was going to be a busy day. Dwayne cleared the breakfast dishes from the table before heading out to pick up a few things for the trip.
Cyrus stood up from the table. He motioned to Sonny Ray with his eyes. Cyrus lead them down a narrow trail that opened into a small field that had an ample supply of wild grass that the deer would come to feed upon.
He had Sonny Ray stand in the widest section of the field. as Cyrus walked another fifty feet further into the clearing facing his son. Cyrus placed his large falconry glove onto his left hand. Cyrus began to call to his companion. Cyrus made a variety of sounds. Sonny Ray stood keenly watching the old man, while scanning the tree line.
The black eagle had heard Cyrus calling, and glided silently over the whispering ponderosa pines. After locating Cyrus the large predator began its descent. Sonny Ray had to smile. The black eagle landed without fanfare, as this was old hat to Cyrus and his winged companion. As it feasted on elk meat Cyrus stroked the eagle gently, speaking to it in low inaudible sounds.
Without warning Cyrus pushed the black eagle upward, causing it to instinctively take to flight. Cyrus took off his falconry glove, perhaps for the last time. He motioned Sonny Ray over. “Put this on.” Sonny Ray complied. Cyrus turned the young man in the direction he should stand. “You stand still. I will call to it from behind you. Keep your hand up, it will come.”
The old man spoke with a reassuring tone. Sonny Ray nodded. The young man tried to pretend he was relaxed, but he wasn’t. Sonny Ray spotted the large eagle perched in a tree. Sonny Ray half way hoped it wouldn’t come. Cyrus began to call.
For what seemed like an eternity, the black eagle sat, unmoved by the familial calls. It’s attention was divided.
Initially to the old man who called but did not wear the aged glove. The black eagle shifted its attention to the young man who now wore the falconry glove. Cyrus called out again. The large bird leapt from its perch, and began a slow circular observation of the two men.
As it originated from a higher realm above mankind; it had ascertained that their blood flowed from the same stream.
Sonny Ray admired the smooth fluid motion of this silent predator. It flew in the direction of Cyrus, preparing to land. As the black eagle prepared to land, it could not see the familiar glove.
For the first time ever, Cyrus waved off his old friend.
The black eagle turned and circled back again, screeching loudly in confused response.
This scene was repeated several times. Finally, it circled once more, and began its descent in the direction of Sonny Ray.
It was at eye level now, bearing down on Sonny Ray. He held his gloved hand chest high. The black eagle dropped its landing gear. The large yellow claws seemed hungry for the weathered glove. It was twenty feet away and closing fast. Sonny Ray tried not to, but began to squint just a little.
The large black eagle appeared to defy gravity, as it landed swiftly but firmly onto the gloved hand of this young Hawaiian. The transference of kinetic energy that was exchanged between these two beings surged back and forth as it successfully paired their two worlds as one.
Sonny Ray was not sure what just had occurred, his face felt frozen in amazement. He could feel the strength of the black eagle; from the tip of its claws to the aquiline point of its beak. Sonny Ray slowly made eye contact with the unmoving but curious black eagle.
The large eyes of the eagle were watching, searching. The old man walked up to Sonny Ray slowly. Cyrus began to chuckle. “Scared yeah?” Sonny Ray nodded sheepishly.
“In time you will be more afraid without him than you are right now with him.”
Sonny Ray was all over the board now emotionally, and didn’t have the courage to ask the old man what he meant.
Cyrus stood quietly looking at this heavenly creature sitting on the hand of his son. Sonny Ray thought he detected hurt in the old man’s eyes.
“This eagle will always belong to you,” Sonny Ray said, at a loss for words.
The old man smiled slightly, shaking his head.
“No my son, you are mistaken. The Black Eagle Dream belongs to the Creator.
Now today, you have been properly introduced. You must be sensitive to its leading, for it is to you that it will come now, all the days that you walk upon the earth.”
The two men walked back slowly to the house. Dwayne continued to load the truck with various supplies, as the three men would soon depart for Shiprock Mountain, on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford
Chapter 31
Dwayne had only to tie down the old man’s longboard on the luggage rack of his old suburban, and the three men would be good to go. Dwayne had taken out the two rows of seats in order to make a comfortable pallet for his friend to rest upon. Cyrus was very weak now, so sitting for the entire journey would be impossible for the once powerful man. Dwayne phoned his friend Nadia Titla.
She was the managing editor and owner operator of a local native quarterly newspaper. Nadia had named it, ‘You Are On Indian Land’.
Her phone went to voicemail, so Dwayne let her know they were heading out to Shiprock, and also where he left the spare key. He had given her the alarm code, so she was prepared. Nadia, and her coworker Natalia were going to house sit while he was out of town. They also agreed to feed and water his horses.
Dwayne also told Nadia he had something important he wanted her to see.
He did not elaborate but promised to fill her in when he got back to town.
Nadia had recently received the news regarding officer Bob and his alleged assault of a native american college student, Jesse Coyote. After interviewing Jesse, Nadia had asked Jesse if wanted to be a part of her first exposé highlighting his assault by an Antelope Springs police officer.
He agreed, and promised to provide pictures that had not been previously released by law enforcement.
Nadia had her mocs on the ground, in an attempt to get a statement.
Right now local law enforcement appeared to be in damage control mode, which means they were avoiding her like small pox laden blankets.
She was the proverbial thorn in local law enforcement officials side in this part of Arizona. Nadia was relentless in reporting the numerous violations of indigenous peoples civil liberties. She had been hounding Chief Edwards for the last few years, but thus far he had been able to manipulate the system, circumventing the law and the truth at every turn.
She though was undeterred, as she felt that eventually something was going to have to give.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford
Chapter 39
The two men sat in a booth drinking their first cup of coffee. Dwayne had been coming to this restaurant in Shiprock. since he was very young.
It was called, the Nataani Nez Restaurant.
They had ordered breakfast, and sat quietly. They had stayed up half the night talking, and were still hyped over the sparrows. “You know growing up around Cyrus I often observed how birds of prey always seemed to find him no matter where he might be. There were eagles, falcons, hawks, sometimes an owl here and there, and many ravens too. But I can never recall him ever having sparrows land on him like they did you,” Dwayne said.
“That makes two of us,”
Sonny Ray replied, smiling.
“Okay boys who ordered the scrambled eggs, fry bread, with a steak well done?” Dwayne raised his hand. Sonny Ray had ordered an omelette, a double order of fry bread, and two steaks medium well.
After giving the men their breakfast, the two men began to feast. “So after we go see Daniel then what?” Sonny Ray asked with a mouthful of steak. “Well, Cyrus asked me to return him to the area where we camped near Shiprock mountain. He wants his ashes placed in a small pile.
He asked me not to spread them.
Before he died he asked me to give you a portion of his ashes with a special request.”
Sonny Ray looked up at Dwayne. He put his fork down. “What might that be Dwayne?”
“He originally wanted all of his ashes spread at Shiprock, but after he met you, he wanted you to take him back home to the big island. Cyrus said he wanted you to take him to the river in Waipi’o Valley. Cyrus said you would know. A comfortable silence ensued as both men began to shut down gradually.
“Cyrus left you a letter, and a few personal effects he wanted you to have. I left it in my office at the house.”
“Okay,” was all Sonny Ray could manage. The two men finished their breakfast, and after thanking the waitress for her hospitality they paid for breakfast and left the waitress a nice tip. Fifteen minutes later Dwayne was pulling in the dirt parking lot of Daniel Falls. Dwayne turned off the ignition. “Can I ask you a question?” Sonny Ray said. “Sure, what is it?” Dwayne looked at Sonny Ray in earnest.
“Why does Cyrus want to be cremated, and left on the ground?” Sonny Ray asked.
“The way he explained it to me, was that if he was buried and not cremated the black eagle would not leave Cyrus.”
Sonny Ray raised an eyebrow in the direction of Dwayne. “Before we left Arizona Cyrus shared a story with me about a man he had come across while conducting a covert reconnaissance during World War II.
Cyrus met a man named Altair Ali in the jungles of North Africa. He told me what he knew about this man, and how he came to be connected with this storied black eagle. Altair, who was from Morocco, told Cyrus about his family, and their long history with the Black Eagle Dream.
After his grandfather died, the family noticed the black eagle sat perched near where his grandfather had been buried. They became concerned because the black eagle had not moved, nor had it eaten or drank in days.
Altair began to have dreams. Dreams about his grandfather, and this imperishable black eagle.
He dreamed of a hungry fire.
After relating to the older men of his village about his dreams, they came to the consensus that they should dig up his grandfather and cremate him. They built a funeral pyre and cremated his grandfather right away.”
“Dwayne that’s quite a story.” Dwayne nodded in the affirmative.
“Cyrus said after Altair and his family cremated his grandfather the black eagle not only took food, but became the constant companion of Altair.
Cyrus had built a small scaffolding in the large pit where Altair had died. After wrapping Altair’s body in a colorful blanket he had found in the dead man’s pack, he placed his lifeless body upon the pyre.
After starting a fire with the many punji sticks that remained in this pit, Cyrus climbed out and stood watching as the flames of the funeral pyre gradually consumed the Moroccan soldier.
From that day onward Cyrus and the black eagle were inseparable. Did you want to go inside?” Dwayne asked.
“If it’s all the same to you I’ll wait,” Sonny Ray replied. “No problem I should only be a few minutes,” Dwayne closed the truck door as he headed inside to retrieve his dear friend.
Sonny Ray decided to step down, and stretch his legs for a few moments. Sonny Ray could see the smoke from the forest fires in the distance. It was all over the news. Out of the corner of his eye the silent black eagle came into view. He reached for the large falconry glove on the front seat of the suburban. He slowly walked out to a alfalfa field across the way. Sonny Ray attempted to call to the black eagle.
It was not sounding so pretty, but he was slowly improving. The black eagle continued to circle. Sonny Ray did his best not to move around unnecessarily. His left arm shook slightly as he held his arm high to give the black eagle a target to land. The black eagle circled a few more times, and without notice swiftly landed upon the outstretched glove. As a few trucks drove by, several navajo families began to slow down to see what all the commotion was about.
Sonny Ray could hear his heart pounding. If he smiled any harder he might have broken his face. The black eagle stared intently at Sonny Ray.
He did not yet have the courage to even touch the large predator. As his breathing returned to normal Sonny Ray felt a great sadness come over him.
It occurred to him that in order for this magnificent eagle to rest on his hand, Cyrus would have to be absent.
Sonny Ray stood alone.
The sound of a door opening and closing could be heard. Dwayne walked out of the door. He walked down the steps carefully with the urn. He saw Sonny Ray in the field. The closer he came to Sonny Ray the black eagle appeared to become agitated. Dwayne, who had spent some time with the black eagle, wisely stopped short.
A small crowd began to gather near to where the men stood. Sonny Ray whispered something to the black eagle. He pushed his gloved hand upward, cueing the black eagle to take flight. They stood watching the large eagle until it disappeared from their sight. Sonny Ray walked over to Dwayne. Dwayne stood holding the urn.
He had such a pitiful look on his face. “Hey, listen it’s gonna be alright bruh,” Sonny Ray said. Dwayne nodded, finally looking up at Sonny Ray.
“Thanks for coming on this trip with me, I…. I would not have wanted to do this by myself,” Dwayne said.
“I’m glad to have come along, thank you for asking me to,” Sonny Ray said, breaking eye contact with Dwayne. They loaded up and headed back to town. Dwayne wanted a few snacks, and water before heading back to Shiprock mountain. He needed to fill up on gas as well.
“Hey Sonny Ray remind me to call my friend Nadia before we leave okay?”
“Sure. So who is this Nadia, your girlfriend?” Dwayne stiffened slightly. “No, not exactly, I mean I do like her, but I haven’t asked her out or anything.” Sonny Ray smiled at his now uneasy friend. “Hey, don’t sweat that man, things happen in their own good time.” The two men continued to travel down the road together, forging their friendship one mile at a time.
Later that day the two men located the narrow dirt road that ran adjacent to Shiprock Dike.
After a slow dusty journey they located their campsite. Dwayne parked, and the two men stepped down. Dwayne handed the urn to Sonny Ray. They hiked a short distance from their camp, near the end of the Dike, closest to Shiprock peak. They came to a small dirt trail that lead through a small out cropping of rocks, and boulders.
They began a short hike up a fairly steep incline. Both men struggled a bit. They wore cowboy boots, so it was a little slippery, but they managed. Dwayne finally reached the top of the dike.
Sonny Ray handed the urn to Dwayne. They stood listening to the wind blow. It was a warm but pleasant day. The sky was blue with a few whispery white clouds passing by. They stood gazing at the monument that was aptly named; ‘the rock with wings.’
Each man stood alone sharing their own ceremony of condolence, offering up their prayers like the sweet smell of sage.
After a few moments of quiet reflection, the men proceeded with Cyrus’ last request. Dwayne took the top of the urn and placed it on a small boulder. He slowly poured a goodly amount of the ashes into a pile on the ground. They stepped back to take in the entire moment.
The view was panoramic.
After a considerable time, the two men thought it would be good to take their leave. They started down the narrow trail. After a few minutes the men realized they had left the top of the urn. Returning to the top of the small plateau, neither man could envision what would happen next.
As Dwayne walked toward Cyrus’ remains to retrieve the top of the urn, the large black eagle approached flying low from the other side of the dike. It landed directly on top of the remnants of his old friend Cyrus. It startled Dwayne and Sonny Ray. The black eagle was highly agitated. With its pinions spread wide, the black eagle screeched in a high pitch.
The remains of Cyrus covered the legs, and the lower part of the black eagle.
It stood its ground in this sacred place, preparing to take Cyrus to a place to that which the two men were not able.
The eyes of the black eagle seemed filled with fury. It continued to cry out, as the two men made no attempt to come any closer. Without warning, the black eagle flew right at them. As it flew over them the ashes of Cyrus dispersed as a fine ashy mist.
The black eagle banked hard left in the direction of Shiprock mountain. The large predator continued to climb the sky, higher and higher it went. The two great rock wings seemed to be its destination. As both men continued to watch, the Black Eagle Dream flew right through the middle of the ancient wings. For a moment it appeared that it had continued on. However, in a short time the black eagle reappeared.
It landed upon one of the rock wings.
Both men spontaneously raised a clenched fist. Dwayne and Sonny Ray stood for a long time, watching, appreciating. Now it was time to leave. With hearts both heavy yet satisfied, the two men headed back down the narrow trail. The hushed winds of the desert began to swirl. Dwayne left the dirt road, and started down the highway.
Sonny Ray looked back to where they had left Cyrus. He watched until he could watch no more, as the landscape faded into another. The song of the winds continued to swirl in an ancient melody known only to the lonely; and the forgotten ones.
Little dust devils whirled around on the earth, that was Navajo country. In time, a large desert tornado came, and took Cyrus Keali’iwahamana away, to the four corners of the earth.
He would rest now.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
The indigenous foursome stood among the throngs of people who had gathered at the bottom of the stairs. The media was as thick as thieves, as they stood at the ready; waiting for the show to begin. The police had set up barricades, and posted up officers at all exits. The Mayor posted two officers on the roof with long rifles to ensure they would not get caught unawares. The Mayor was due to speak anytime now. Many in the crowd looked around nervously.
Non native folks in the crowd started looking around for the exits, as did many of those in the indigenous community with their older ones, and children.
Bob blinked once, and pulled the trigger.
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford
Chapter 53
Three weeks had passed.
Sonny Ray sat on the couch watching an animated movie with his now sleeping daughter. The phone rang. Nikko, who was upstairs packing a few boxes, answered the phone. She looked over the railing and signaled to her husband that he had a call. Sonny Ray gently laid his daughter on the couch. After placing pillows strategically next to his little girl, he quietly slipped upstairs to take the call. “Who is it?” Sonny Ray whispered. Nikko smiled at her husband. “Dwayne.” Sonny Ray’s eyes lit up. “Dwayne how are you?” “Hey Sonny Ray, I’m fine, how are you doing?”
“Everything is coming along. We received an amazing offer for the house. Some couple from California paying cash, so we’ve been packing. “I’m glad to hear that,” Dwayne replied.
“So how is everything in Antelope Springs?” Sonny Ray asked quietly. “Things are settling down. The Mayor is going to begin recruiting, I hear he is looking for a new Police Chief and perhaps another officer. Oh, and by the way, Bob is still sitting in jail at the moment,” Dwayne said.
“Really? How did he manage that?” Sonny Ray asked. “Well if he had kept his big mouth shut the judge would have allowed him to post bail. But he kept getting louder, and belligerent so the judge held him in contempt.”
“Wow, well good for him,”
Sonny Ray said sarcastically. “So how is the black eagle doing in sin city?” Dwayne asked. “Well it has all the birds in my area shook up, that’s for sure. Not to mention all the cats and dogs in my neighborhood.”
“Well please keep me posted Sonny Ray, and say hello to your family for me,” Dwayne said.
“No worries bruh, I will. Likewise Dwayne. Give my best to Nadia, and Natalia okay? And your cousin Greg too; if not for him we might not have made it out of there.Oh, and I cannot forget about your grandmother.”
“I will,” Dwayne replied.
“Take care my friend.” Sonny Ray hung up the phone. He was happy to be leaving Las Vegas. He felt a twinge of regret in regards his new friend Dwayne. Sonny Ray was friendly with most everyone, but he didn’t make friends easily. The fact of the matter is, his wife was his only friend.It was a trust factor, one that had been seared from his psychological profile.
In his heart however, he knew he had found a friend in Dwayne. And that was the hard part. He had to go, wanted to go, dreamed about returning home to the big island for many years.
This was the story of his life.
Sonny Ray headed down the stairs to check on little Raye. He sat down to resume the movie. As he reached for the remote, the phone rang.
Sonny Ray stopped short, as he looked upward waiting for his wife to appear. She smiled down at him. He sighed but quickly headed upstairs. “It’s not my mom is it?” Sonny Ray asked, whispering. Nikko had placed her hand over the receiver.
“It’s a Dr. Campbell, from Tucson. He needs to speak with you about, well I’ll let him tell you,” Nikko said, handing him the phone.
He took the phone from her hand, and sat quietly at the top of the stairs. He paused for a moment to gather himself. “Hi, this is Sonny Ray.”
“Hello young man, I imagine you remember who I am.”
“Yes sir, I do,” Sonny Ray replied.
“The reason I called Sonny Ray was to let you know something that your father had whispered to me before he slipped into a coma.
I apologize for not telling you sooner. I only remembered because i was finalizing your Dad’s medical report, and I came across it in my notes.”“Dr. Campbell it’s okay, please, there’s no need to apologize really,” Sonny Ray said, reassurance in his tone.
Sonny Ray leaned back against the wall. “I have it written down somewhere here in your Dad’s file.” There was a long pause of silence. Sonny Ray could hear the sound of papers being shuffled.
“Oh yes, here it is. Your father said, and I quote, he said,“‘Tell my son, tell Sonny Ray, I have seen the black eagle dream,’”
end of quote,” Dr. Campbell said firmly.
Sonny Ray was speechless.“Does that ring a bell, or make any kind of sense to you?” Dr. Campbell asked.
Sonny Ray was too stunned to reply.
“Young man are you there?”
“Uh yeah doc I’m right here,” Sonny Ray was reeling.“You know I have no idea what he meant by that,” Sonny Ray said,
telling a little cream colored lie.
“Well, I wanted you to know his last words,” Dr. Campbell said gently.
“I appreciate you for taking the time to call me doc, thank you. Take care Doctor Campbell.”
Sonny Ray hung up. He sat there quietly for several moments with his eyes closed.He said his father’s last words aloud, in the hope that it might provide a spontaneous epiphany. He thought about his Dad. He thought of Cyrus. Sonny Ray wondered if his mom had told his father about Cyrus. He was doubtful.
Sonny Ray began to recall what Cyrus had asked him, that night in the hogan. Cyrus had asked him if he had seen the black eagle.
The old man had asked him twice. He had given Cyrus the correct answer when he had finally understood the question; and acknowledged seeing the black eagle in his dreams.
“Tell my son, tell Sonny Ray I have seen the black eagle dream.”
His father’s last words reverberated in his mind.
Sonny Ray’s eyes began to well up. He blinked, as warm tears rolled slowly down his face. Sonny Ray whispered his father’s last words again,
“‘Tell my son, tell Sonny Ray; I have seen the Black Eagle Dream.’”
“I Love you Dad,” said Kawika.
END
Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
IN
my face,
I
dare
see,
a lifetime
etched
in
glassy
blue
misery.
How
it
is reverberant
this loss,
this gain,
living
a
life
of
unfiltered
pain.
Down
I
do
go,
to the unmarked
place;
striving
for
things
that
have
no
face.
Happiness
and
Joy
I
have
met
once
or
twice,
hollow
words;
they seem real nice.
My
smile feigned,
sheltering
the
torrent
of
my
tears,
nicely
done
down
through
the
years.
With
my
mind
I
do
see,
everything
and
everyone
that
has
been
lost
to
me.
Ah,
the
unfolding
of
my
vanity.
Chasing
the
wind
in a
desperate
place,
happiness
itself
it
does
escape;
leaving
me
to
grasp
for
shards
of
solace;
in
a
life
of
unfulfilled
dreams.
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved #blackeagledream
Black Eagle Dream 