Language Barrier

• Cassandra Farthing, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2015

Today will be the day. Today will be the day that I am finally accepted by those similar to me. Today will be the day that they embrace me with open arms ... you know once I get past the ever so slight language barrier. But today will be the day that I do exactly that ... maybe.

The village seems eerily silent as I wonder through it, hoping to encounter its inhabitants. Well, silent aside from the sound of the dead deer that I’m dragging behind me. Now that I think about it, the village seems almost too quiet. I mean it’s the middle of the night, why aren’t there any people out and about enjoying the darkness?

Soon enough I encounter those that I was searching for, huddled together near an open furnace in order to keep warm. Seriously, it’s not even that cold; the frostbite has barely set in yet. It takes a moment for the village folk to notice me. When they do, they begin their usual routine that has become all too familiar to me. Once again they screech in their outlandish language. Once again I fail to understand them. Once again they begin to cower back in terror. Do I have a spider on me or something? That must be it.

Failing to understand anything they say, I sigh before dragging the deer carcass in front of them as gift to show that I mean no harm. A small villager’s eyes widen before it begins a rather loud screaming that makes me want to rip my own ears out. I cannot comprehend how these people are able to understand each other! Let alone why they won’t accept my gift. It took me hours to track and kill that deer! Yet all they do in response is create loud noises that hurt my ears! Someone needs an extensive lesson in manners.

As my annoyance increases, several armed villagers materialise from nowhere and begin to shout at me in angry voices. It is not until they raise their stone swords at me, that I understand. I am no longer welcome. Running is suddenly the best course for action. So I run, leaving the deer behind as it’ll only slow me down.

The guards fail to keep pace as I come across a decorative fountain. Peering inside, I see my face reflected in the water. It’s a peculiar sensation, seeing oneself mirrored before them; however that is not what I care for. I cannot comprehend how, when I look so similar to them, the villagers reject me. It couldn’t possibly be the language barrier; that wouldn’t make sense. Perhaps we’re not so similar after all. Mother was right, our tribe was never meant to interact with the villagers.