Someplace Called Home

“Do you want another one, James? We’re doing last call.”

“No thanks, Duke. I think I’m gonna pack it up for the night.”

“Alright, bud. See you tomorrow.”

James left coins on the counter, then got up from his bar stool and walked out of the saloon without noticing the woman in the corner who’d had her eyes trained on him for over an hour.

Outside, James paused for a minute, breathing in the cool night air, wondering where to go next. He heard the door open and shut behind him but paid no mind to it.

“You look a little lost.”

James turned to see a woman with untamed, black curls framing an attractive face.

“You talkin’ to me, darlin’? You have the wrong guy. I was born and raised here in the Snake’s Den. But you, you’re new.”

“You might know your way around these parts, but I’m not convinced you know which direction to go.”

“You don’t seem like one of us. Where are you from?”

“You don’t seem like one of the “us” either.”

Her words provoked anger in James. It didn’t feel like she was attacking him, in fact, her tone was cavalier. That irritated him more. How dare this stranger be so presumptuous about things she knew nothing about.

Anger must have been written on his face because the woman smiled, it was warm and comforting,

“I’m Mya.”

She stretched her arm forward; her sleeve rose to reveal a simple monkey’s face tattooed on her wrist.

James laughed,

“A Howler? I thought you guys tended not to stray too far from home?”

Mya’s face contorted into a grimace,

“Howler monkeys don’t represent us all. We’re not all as surly as those creatures.” She smiled again, “In fact, my camp takes a much more jovial outlook on life.”

“Ahuh. Well, what’re you doing in our town, sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, monkey-girl?”

James’ callous attitude didn’t seem to affect Mya’s easygoing disposition.

“Well, usually, we do stay close to home. We’re big on the whole family thing. Which is why I travel to close-by areas, looking for lost monkeys, born in the wrong place.”

James was stupefied,

“Are you trying to say I’m one of your ‘lost monkeys’, because again, lady, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

“I was watching you in there…James, is it? You move differently than the others. You hide it well, after years of practice, I’m sure. Maybe you’re not one of ours, but I don’t think you belong here either.”

Mya’s words struck a chord within him, but he wasn’t keen to admit it to this woman who’d appeared from nowhere. Maybe it scared him, that if she could see it, then everyone else could, too.

“The Great Snake’s spirit flowed through the veins of my Mother and my Father and I was born from them. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“That’s a persistent myth, isn’t it? That just because we’re born somewhere, that’s where we belong. Your path is not set by your lineage, James. My very brother left to go find his own way, I believe he found a nest with the Ravens.”

The saloon door opened behind the pair, but this time, both heads turned towards the noise.

Duke shimmied his keys in the door and locked it, then turned to go home. He stopped when he saw James with a woman. His face pulled an inquisitive expression.

“It looks as though I’ve interrupted something.”

Mya piped up first,

“You’re fine. I was just telling James that I didn’t think he was made from the Great Snake.”

James gasped. Mya’s words surprised the bartender, but he didn’t seem confused,

“Ma’am, I don’t see how that’s any of your business. James is one of ours, born and bred. Don’t act like you know the man because you ordered two rum drinks in a Snake’s saloon.”

Mya’s eyes sparkled with excitement,

“Ah, I wondered about you, bartender. Aren’t Snakes usually an ‘every man for themselves’ type? You’re taking up awfully hard for your ‘brethren’. Anyway, I’m not out here trying to insult anyone, just sharing observations.”

“Your observations are likely to get people exiled. Who are you to rip a man from his home based on a flimsy guess?”

“Enough!” came from James. “This is absurd.”

“Just because this town is all you fellas know, doesn’t make it home. Come with me back to my camp, see another way of living, then make your call.”

Duke cast a glace in James’ direction, James met his eye contact.

Although they’d been pushing back against Mya’s accusations, both were curious. Excitement usually didn’t travel into the Snake’s Den. Mya caught onto the men wavering,

“Join me for a night, or a couple of days out in the forest. It’s likely no one will question where you’ve been when and if you return.”

The men’s silence persisted for a moment, then,

“Alright,” James whispered.

Duke was caught off guard,

“Alright? James, buddy. Maybe you had one-too-many in there, tonight, yeah?”

“Duke, you’ve got your saloon. I’ve got nothin’ in this town. It’s the same thing day in and day out. If this lady’s wrong, no harm no foul. But, I might as well see some sights before I die.”

“Well maybe it’s time I close shop for a while. Folks can go back to their moonshine for a bit.”

James’ eyes widened,

“Duke you don’t hafta-“

“Who’s gonna keep you outa trouble?”

Mya interjected,

“I don’t think you guys will regret this.”

“What do we need?” Duke asked.

“Comfortable walking shoes and as much water as you can carry, it’s about a three-day trek back to my camp.”

“Alright. You stay here, we’ll go get ready,” James replied.

The three parted ways and rejoined again within half an hour.

“Ready?” Mya asked.

The men nodded and followed her lead towards the edge of town.

The wood’s terrain was mostly mild, the walk would be easy.

Three days later, the trio came upon a clearing.

“We’re here!” Mya sang and then started skipping towards the camp.

The men were surprised to see an old, rundown barn in the center, next to a rusted silo. There were holes in the walls, and some boards even completely gone. However, the barn’s upper half had been preserved fairly well and in the center was a beautiful stained-glass window. It was a stark contrast to the graffiti that covered the rest of the faded walls. The silo had a graffiti image of a monkey’s face on it and “Welcome” scrawled underneath. It was a friendly atmosphere.

James and Duke approached more slowly than Mya, taking it all in. The two had never seen anything like this. It was rugged and…warm. It felt as though the sun was smiling on this clearing alone.

“What do you think?” Mya asked the men.

“It’s…different,” Duke answered.

James nodded his agreement.

A man walked out from behind the barn,

“Welcome!” he spread his arms wide and to the sky. “I’m Garret, I’m the ‘Pastor’ around these parts.”

“Pastor?” Duke questioned.

“In a way. I guide the gatherings that take place in the barn.”

“What do you do at the gatherings?” James asked.

“Oh, we spend some time thanking the Great Monkey for breathing life into his children and allowing us to enjoy this beautiful Earth. We also use the barn for silent reflections of self.”

Duke visibly shuttered.

Garret laughed,

“I can see that makes you a little uncomfortable, eh, brother?”

“I’m not your brother, Garret. But I thank you for your momentary hospitality.”

Garret nodded,

“Of course. What are your names?”

Mya went to stand beside Garret, he lifted his arm and placed it over her shoulder.

“I’m James. This is Duke. We’re from Snake’s Den.”

“Oh-ho-ho. That explains the trust issues I’m sensing here.”

“Are you always so straight forward?” James asked.

“Of course, what other way is there to be? We have no ill intentions,” the Pastor replied. “We’re about to have lunch, why don’t you guys join us at the table?”

Both men were starving, and they agreed.

Lunch was more of a feast, with foods neither Duke nor James had ever seen before. But both agreed it was delicious. The group all seemed so comfortable with each other. They were joking and laughing, everyone just seemed so happy. After dinner, some of the group met in the barn with Garret for a gathering. However, some just lazed about in hammocks or out by the river behind the barn.

“Gatherings aren’t mandatory?” James asked Mya, who was one of the people that opted out.

She laughed,

“Of course not. We understand the whole religious thing isn’t everyone’s bag. We’re just a love-based community, not a cult. Some people find it comforting, others don’t. It’s simple, as are most things.”

James was finding that he actually liked what Mya was saying. It provided him a warm feeling in his heart that he’d never felt before. By dinner time, Duke still wasn’t coming around.

After dinner, Mya led the men to a spot in the trees where hammocks had been set up for them.

“You want us to sleep outside like barbarians?” Duke scoffed.

James put his hand on the hammock, testing how sturdy it was.

“I don’t know man; it doesn’t seem all that bad. Kind of freeing.”

Mya smiled.

“Duke, you can try it for tonight, if you’d like. If not, we do have beds set up in the barn for guests.”

James was already hopping up into his,

“It’s more comfortable than it looks.”

Duke shook his head,

“Fine. I’ll try it.”

“Goodnight, boys,” Mya said. Then she went off to her hammock for the night, too.

James laid, looking at the stars between the tree leaves. He’d never felt a feeling like this before. He felt…content. One of the things he hated most was going back home at night, in his stuffy hut, alone. But it was so open out here, he felt like he could breathe. He was really starting to like the Monkey Camp.

The men awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. James felt well rested and woke up with a sense of calm. Duke on the other hand…he was in a much more irritable mood than the night before.

“How can anyone live like this?” he asked.

“I dunno, I actually really liked it,” James replied.

Duke stared at him. He could see what was happening and he didn’t think he’d be leaving this compound with his friend.

The pair joined the group for breakfast. James smiled when they sat down.

“Good morning, fellas,” Garret greeted them. “How’d you sleep?”

Duke grumbled something inaudible, put his head down and started eating.

James was more enthusiastic,

“It was the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had.”

There were laughs around the table, a male member of the group, sitting to James’ left patted him on the back,

“Maybe Mya found a lost monkey in the Snake’s Den, after all!”

James smiled sheepishly,

“Maybe.”

Duke spoke up,

“James, I’m glad you may have found a home here, but I don’t think I can stay. It’s just not for me.”

“That’s okay,” Garret said. “You’ve been uncomfortable since you first set foot in our clearing. For James, the more time he spends, the more comfortable he appears. But that doesn’t seem to be the case for you.”

“I assure you, it’s not. Once again, I thank you for your hospitality, but I’ll be leaving after breakfast.”

“It took courage leaving,” Mya said. “Will you go home?”

Duke shook his head, “No. I’ve learned that while the Snake’s Den was familiar…it wasn’t for me either.”

Mya nodded. Garret spoke,

“You’re welcome to use our barn for self-reflection to find what Great Spirit you come from.”

“No, thank you.”

“There’s an Elephant Town out west, you could start there,” Mya suggested.

Duke nodded thanks, he then hugged James and set off to find his own home.