Bloodline

     It’s been 20 days since the head of the Reyes family died. The whole family gathered in front of the main house and waited for the successor to share his prophecy of the one who will rule the family after him. Over 120 members gathered to hear the prophecy. Men, women, and children of all ages waited and slept in front of the main house. The only ones allowed in were the shamans who were advisors and holy men and women of the family. It was shortly after midnight when the drums were heard and the new head of the family stepped out onto the balcony. When they saw him, everyone got on their knee and bowed.
“Blood Jaguar, head of the Reyes family,” announced the head shaman. Everyone sat and looked up to hear what they had been waiting for.
“My successor will be the youngest on 0 Pop of this year on the Haab calendar,” The crowd started to whisper and then they fell silent and bowed at their new leader and his prophecy.

     It was a dangerous year for children of the Reyes family. Each household wanted their child to be the successor of Blood Jaguar and tried every effort to have a child near the month of Pop. Families tried to find favor with Blood Jaguar, women fought over their children, and men raped other women to avoid competition. The family was in ruins and disgrace.
     The head shaman, Shaman Sun Rise shared his vision from the Gods to his family. A plague would affect the family and take away many children because the Gods were upset over the family’s disgrace and disloyalty to one another. When winter arrived, Shaman Sun Rise’s vision came true. A terrible disease struck the children and no doctor inside the family or outside could do anything. Women had miscarriages over and over again. None of the Reyes children were safe until the successor was found.
When morning came of 0 Pop, all the shamans went out to find the child of prophecy. Every shaman gathered a mother and her child. Any child that was under the age of 2. That year, only 13 children were born between the month of Wayeb to 0 Pop. But only one was born on 0 Pop and that child was born right when the sun rose, but the moon was still out.
     The shaman took the child to the main house where Shaman Sun Rise and Blood Jaguar waited. Shaman Sun Rise took the child into his hands and presented it to Blood Jaguar who noticed that her eyes were of two different colors. One was brown, while the other was blue.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. Shaman Sun Rise blessed the child with an ancient Mayan blessing and then handed it over to Blood Jaguar.
“It’s a girl,” he said.
“How did you know?” asked Shaman Sun Rise.
“It was in my vision,” and he kissed the child. Blood Jaguar took the child to the balcony where every family member waited to see the heir of the family.
“In my arms is the child who will succeed me when I pass from this world. This child will be given the name, Moon Sun, since the moon and sun are still out, watching over us.” The crowd that gather outside the main house cheered and Shaman Sun Rise looked up into the sky. The moon and sun still high in the sky, as if, welcoming the child to the world.



13 Years Later

“Wake up Moon Sun. It’s time to get up,” said Blood Jaguar. Moon Sun turned over and put her head under the pillow. Blood Jaguar chuckled and took the covers off.
“5 minutes?” asked Moon Sun.
“No, not today. We have to go out today,” replied Blood Jaguar as he pulled back the curtains.
“Okay, I’m up,”
“Get dress. I’ll be back in ten minutes,” and Blood Jaguar left leaving Moon Sun alone to get dress. Moon Sun opened her draws and got out a pair of jeans and a red shirt.
     Moon Sun never had the normal life like the other children who lived on the family property. Blood Jaguar raised her with the help of the shamans. She was home schooled and learned the history of her ancestors, the Mayans, studied math, astronomy, and was also taught to read in English, Spanish, and Mayan hieroglyphs. The shamans also taught her the Mayan religion and whenever there was a festival or a meeting, she was always seated at the right hand of Blood Jaguar. Even though Moon Sun played tricks on the shamans, she was always respectful to Blood Jaguar and looked up to him.
“Ready?” asked Blood Jaguar and Moon Sun went down stairs to get ready for the day.
     The people of the Reyes family were out and ready for the day. Some were in suits and ready to get in their cars and leave for work, some stayed home to work on the farm, and children were getting ready for school. The children either went to the local public school or attended a private academy depending on their parent’s choice. Everyone greeted the two with “good morning” and a slight bow.
“Look over there,” said Blood Jaguar pointed towards a field. Some men and women were setting up for the festival of Hunab Ku. A few more groups gathered to practice for their dance to present to the festival. Some of the dances even included fire and the participants had to practice every chance they got. While practicing, everyone was singing either a Mayan hymn or an English song.
“Can we see?” asked Moon Sun.
“You read my mind,” replied Blood Jaguar and Moon Sun took off towards the open field. She then joined a group of dancers who started to dance in a circle around her. Moon Sun started to dance and move her feet to the beat of the drums and joined in the hymn. Blood Jaguar watched and clapped while watching her. When the dance finished, everyone clapped and Moon Sun took a bowed and then ran back to Blood Jaguar.
“How are the set ups going?” Blood Jaguar asked White Fang, who was in charge of setting up the festival and preparing everything.
“It’s going very well. The only ones not here are the children, but as you know education is important! But everything is going very well and this will be the best festival ever! Praise the Gods! How are you young Moon Sun?”
“I’m good, a bit tired. I’m excited about the festival. Can I dance?”
“Of course, if it’s alright with the head of the family,” and the two stared at Blood Jaguar.
“Of course you can dance. I will participate too,”
“Wonderful,”
“Blood Jaguar! Blood Jaguar! Blood Jaguar!” exclaimed a messenger.
“Yes?”
“The Mayor of the town is here. He wants to meet with you in private,” the messenger said while looking at Moon Sun. Blood Jaguar had a huge sigh before he agreed to meet with the mayor.
“What should I do?” asked Moon Sun.
“Whatever you like. I’ll be busy,” and he started walking off leaving Moon Sun with the messenger.
“Hey what’s that!” exclaimed Moon Sun and the messenger looks up and then Moon Sun kicks him and runs off.
“I will get you! I don’t care if you are the heir to this family! I will teach you how to show respect to your elders!”
“You! An elder? You’re only 5 years older then me! Plus, you started teasing me first! Ha!”
“I’ll tell the head of the family about this!”
“He’ll be on my side! After all, I am the heir to this family!”
     The two ran into the forest and before Moon Sun realized it, she made it to a wall. One of the walls that separates the family’s property to the outside world. Moon Sun has never left the family property and doesn’t know what’s beyond the wall. She’s forbidden to climb it and wants so badly to see what’s out there.
“Just a peak,” she tells herself and she starts climbing a tree and when she gets to the top of the wall she sees a huge city in a valley.
“What is that?” she starts to think and while looking she sees a plane land, an ocean on the other side of the valley, and very tall buildings.
“Moon Sun!” yells an angry voice. Moon Sun turns too sharply that she falls from the wall, but then someone catches her.
“Blood Jaguar!”
“We’re going home,”
“But-
“No buts! We are going home now!” As they are walking, many shamans accompany them, including the messenger who only looks down at the ground.

“Moon Sun,” says Blood Jaguar when he finds Moon Sun staring at the moon on her balcony.
“I’m sorry. I was just curious. I’m really sorry. I just wanted to see. Why am I not allowed out?”
“When you become head of the family then you can go out and see the world. But not now. It’s too dangerous out there. Climbing that wall is dangerous; no one is allowed to climb it. You almost got hurt! I’ve told you many times not to climb that wall! And you disobeyed me. Someday you will be able to go out, but not now.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not safe. But I promise you; someday you will be able to go outside the wall. You just need to be patience,”
“Why was I chosen? Why did you choose me?” asked Moon Sun. Blood Jaguar looked up at the night sky. He looked at the stars and the moon before answering.
“I didn’t. The Gods, our ancestors did. We were all chosen. The head of the family before me and the one before him and the one before her and so on. It’s been that way for over 100 years. We are not like the other family members, we were favor among our ancestors,”
“Did you know my parents?”
“No. I don’t know who they are. But even though you are not my daughter, I still love you. We have a special bond, it’s more then blood. It’s in our hearts and in our spirit. Our bond will continue in the after life and in the decedents after us. It can not be broken,”
“It can’t?”
“No,”
“Will you always be here?”
“Yes, always. I will always be here to help you. Even after I am gone. I care about you, Moon Sun.”
“I care about you too Blood Jaguar.” Moon Sun gives Blood Jaguar a huge and tells him that she loves him and wish that he could have been her real father.
“What’s that?” asked Moon Sun looking towards the entrance gate of the family’s property. Blood Jaguar stares at it for a moment, until they both realize that it’s fire.
“Stay here, I have to gather the shamans and the family’s army,”

     The smoke and fire started to spread throughout the whole family’s property. Men on horseback entered the property and started shooting at the Reyes family members. Many of the men, women, and older children fought to protect their homes, but many were shot dead. Families with young children ran into the forest and opened the emergency doors into the forest.
“Moon Sun!” yelled Shaman Sun Rise, “you must get out of here. Come with me,”
“Where is Blood Jaguar?”
“He’s out fighting,”
“Then I want to fight too!”
“No, you’re too young and heir to rule this family. We need you! Otherwise there will be no one!”
The two ran outside, where there was chaos and everyone screaming. The two had to get low to escape the smoke. But Moon Sun got separated from Shaman Sun Rise easily and stood up. She watched the flames on people houses burn and people crying over dead bodies of family members. Moon Sun felt a huge rage to fight and grabbed the nearest weapon to fight with. She knocked a man off his horse and grabbed the horse and got on.
“Blood Jaguar!” she yelled and rode the horse as fast as she could to find him. As she passed family members she warned them to leave the dead behind and run into the forest to escape. Then when she found a vacant area, she found Blood Jaguar fighting.
“Blood Jaguar!” she yelled and got off the horse.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be with the shamans and hiding in the forest!”
“I want to fight!”
“No, this is not the time to be brave. You must run! You’re the future. You must hide!”
“Not without you!”
“You must!” Blood Jaguar then picks up Moon Sun and puts her on the horse. He takes off his amulet and puts it around Moon Sun’s neck.
“Don’t forget who you are! You are Moon Sun, heir to the Reyes family. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” The two of them then hear men on horse back riding towards them. Blood Jaguar hits the horse and the horse starts to run with Moon Sun on it. Moon Sun turns around and watches as Blood Jaguar is shot and killed. Moon Sun screams “no” but only the men on horseback hears her. Then they start chasing her, but Moon Star losing them in the smoke of the fire and runs into the forest. When she arrives at the wall, she sees an opening and gets off the horse and runs through it. She runs into the forest alone and she keeps running and running. She makes it to the top of a hill and turns around to see her home in flames.
     The following morning, Moon Sun wasn’t able to sleep. She stares back to what was once her home, but everything turned to ash. Tears roll down her cheeks at the lost of her family and Blood Jaguar. She looks up at the gray sky and prays to the Mayan Gods to be her guidance and restore her family. She looks back at her home one more time and then walks into the forest to begin a new life.

“Shaman Sun Rise?” asked a boy sitting next to him. The shaman opens his eyes and stares at the few who survived the massacre. Children wondering about their homes, women cooking, and men wiping blood from their hands. Shaman Sun Rise looks in his bowl of soup and puts a smile on.
“What is it?” asked the boy and Shaman Sun Rise pats him on the head.
“Moon Sun is alive. Our family will be restore. This was supposed to happen because it is her destiny and we will be greater then ever because of her. She will be the greatest head of the family that this family has ever seen since Pakal the Great,”