“Kill the man who has created life, and he dies a happy man, knowing he sacrificed his life to protect them...but kill the things he has created, then he has nothing left to live for...”

The day was calm, and the river flowed smoothly. As a feather drifting in the wind, trees in every direction. Only the soothing sound of the river heading downstream. SWOOSH,

“ARGHH!” As Nakoma let out a grunt missing a fish with her spear. Her attire was very cave man like. She wore the fur of animals and hide shoes. Her hair decorated with braids and hair bands that kept her hair in place.

“That's the third time with that stupid fish! And what are you trying to do Ezhno?” She sees her brother kneeling down on the edge of the riverbank with his hands in the water holding a piece of bread.

“I'm trying to let the fish come to me. Now shush. I'm trying to concentrate.”

Nakoma rolled her eyes and threw a rock at him. He flinched and in doing so he dropped his bread.

“Nakoma! I needed that, why do you always have to mess with me…” Nakoma, seeing him adorable when he’s frustrated, kneels beside him.

“Listen Ezhno, I know I mess around but that’s what siblings do, plus it will toughen you up, you’ll see.” She ruffled his hair and went to the river to retrieve her spear.

“C'mon, let’s go back before it gets late.”

Soon after as they were heading back, they heard a twig snap, Ezhno and Nakoma immediately stopped

“What was that?”

“Shh quiet Ezhno.” slowly Nakoma reaches for her bow and Ezhno readying his spear and slowly both of them move forward. They head up a few steps and soon Nakoma halts. She kneeled down Ezhno following her move,

“What is it Na-,” she raised her finger to her lip, just a few feet behind a bush, was a deer.

Nakoma prepares her bow as she draws back pointing at the body of the young deer. She holds her breath trying to keep her aim steady. Within seconds, she lets go, the deer being hit in its upper body letting out a loud screech and immediately runs off. Nakoma chased after the deer yelling to Ezhno,

“C’mon we can’t lose it!”

Both of them running after the deer, Nakoma heard Ezhno say something but couldn’t figure out what he said. All she could make out was, “we can’t”, she turned around and yelled “What?” Ezhno pointed straight ahead, Nakoma turned and immediately stopped, the trees ended and in view, a beautiful green meadow.

In sight was the deer still running, Nakoma just in awe stared ahead. Why she couldn't go was what was blocking her path. In a row, logs staked into the ground as the tips where sharpened, some metal bars as thick as a human’s body, all of them in a single row from left to right. In between each section wires run through all of the pillars creating a wire like fence.

“Nakoma…you know we can’t go over there, it's forbidden,” Nakoma still in gaze looking into and beyond the meadow. She slowly comes back from her state of trance.

“Yeah, I know… c'mon...let's go.” They soon headed back to their village, when they arrived, they were greeted by their fellow tribe members “Nakoma, Ezhno, c'mon we just started the bonfire!” they celebrated and danced till the day was dark. This particular celebration was for Nakoma as she has finally reached the age of adult hood. It was an important culture custom to celebrate one's rite of passage from youngling to member of the tribe. This tribe celebrated on the ground for they lived up in the trees, tree houses and bridges connecting to each other. Nakoma climbed up to her tree and climbed straight to the top. There was a makeshift floor for her to view the treetops. She took in the view seeing the night sky and the stars that glowed immensely.

“Hey Nakoma, is everything alright?” It was Hakan, the son of the tribe's weapons maker.

“Oh...hey Hakan, I'm just a bit frustrated,” she huddled up, “Don’t worry about me Hakan I'll be down shortly.”

Hakan knew something was wrong but was afraid to push her feelings. “Look you can tell me if something is wrong, I'm here for you.” she sighed “Okay...I... really got close to the discord barrier...” Hakan looked shocked,

“Did you.. you know…?”

“No I didn't cross over, but I wanted to...I mean look Hakan, all this view, all of it. There has to be more out there. We can't be the only ones here!” Hakan was confused, he didn't know how to tackle this kind of situation,

“Nakoma the gods put us here to live in peace and be one with the forest, if the gods didn't create the barrier to keep us safe, then what did they create it for?”

“I don't know Hakan, but there’s always an answer...always.”

Further into the night the bonfire was big and tall as ever, the chief Nadie was the “mother” of the tribe, but her real family bloodline was with Nakoma and Ezhno. The tribe gathered in front of the fire to hear what their chief had prepared.

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“Tonight...is a special night...for which my granddaughter has reached the age of adulthood.”

The tribe chanted in hoorah, “I am pleased to see my granddaughter become the beautiful woman she has become, it brings joy in my heart, Nakoma will you come up?”

Nakoma was confused on what she was doing, “Here, my gift to you, it has been passed down our family for generations and my time will soon come to an end and now, you, will wear it.” She wraps a bracelet around her wrist, it's made of strong string and in the center is a small rectangular disk that's engraved with a marking. It looked unusual to her as it was marked with three lines top and bottom and they both lead to the center of the disk. It almost looks like a type of bug.

She was starstruck. She didn't know what to say, “Thank you, it’s an honor to have this.”

She kneels down and bows. Then one of the tribe members blew a horn, alerting them that something was caught, something they had never seen. They brought a net that was moving furiously, they threw a rope to a branch and hung the net. “What is it, Makya?”

Nadie asserted herself, Makya was one of the warriors in their tribe, he was the most fearsome warrior in their tribe, but the look he had was fear.

“Nadie, we captured a demon…”

“A demon?!?” Nadie shouted,

“Yes, madam it came from the discord barrier, the forbidden place…”

Nakoma in disbelief never expected to see a living creature to come from beyond.

“CAN SOMEONE CUT ME DOWN, I'M NOT A DEMON!” everyone pointed their spears at the dangling net, “It speaks!” one of the tribe members yelled out.

“Yes, yes I can speak, if you let me go, I can explain myself.”

Nakoma pleads to Nadie, “Grandmother please, it means no harm, we must see it!”

“To risk only to be killed by curiosity?”

“I'm starting to get dizzy, I'm still upside down…”

Nakoma, unable to control herself, reached for her knife and cut the rope in a single swing. The net immediately dropped and soon the creature appeared. They couldn't believe what they were seeing, it was a human but the clothes he was wearing were different to the tribe, he had jeans with some black boots and a grey jacket. He looked as if he was beaten down,

“You're...you're human…” Nakoma said happily,

“Well of course I'm human, what the hell did you expect?” Nadie walked towards the man; he appeared as if he was still in his mid twenties “Who are you?”

“My name is James, nice to meet you.”

He reaches for a handshake only to be stared down as he was some kind of monster.

“Alright then, I didn't mean to cause a ruckus or anything I was just passing through,” Nakoma approached James, “Where did you come from?”

“Well I'm from California, the city of Los Angeles.” Everyone was stumped on what he said. “That's south of here?” They all looked at each other waiting for the first person to speak.

“So you people don't know what's out there?”

“No, we have been here for generations. The gods placed the barrier to keep the danger away from us and gave us land to thrive on.”

Nadie preached out; James was trying to comprehend the situation.

“So let me get this straight, that fence made of wood and junk is the “Barrier” and you've been in this forest for generations and never left?!?”

Nadie bowed. He was in disbelief. He slicks his hair back and takes a deep breath, “Okay look, remember how I came from Los Angeles? Well, I'm looking for people to help us out. We tried to find help where I am from, but we had no luck. So, we resorted to looking for outside help. That's how I ended up here. If you have anyone willing to help us back home, please, I'm begging you.” He bowed his head hoping to hear a yes from the chief. Nakoma gazed with excitement, and she yelled out at the top of her lungs, “I CAN GO!” The whole tribe turned towards her.

“No! Unacceptable!” Nadie yelled,

“But why can I not go?”

“It’s dangerous, we have no way of knowing what’s out there!” Nakoma refused her answer.

She stood beside James, “Grandmother, this is my chance to see the outside world! A chance to see what lies beyond!” Nadie scolded Nakoma,

“Nakoma that’s enough, you will do as you're told!”

“Wait! If I may speak…” Hakan stepped out of the crowd. “She should be allowed to leave; she is a woman not a kid anymore you said so yourself.”

Nakoma was starstruck to see Hakan say those words. “Ma'am, if I may say, I would like to go with her. As long as you know a warrior is with her then there is no reason to have any fear of any harm coming toward her. Not as long as I'm protecting her.” Makya said. Nadie was shocked to hear this.

“You feel this way, Makya?” he bowed, “And you Hakan?”

“It will be an honor to go with them.”

She stared at the two supporting Nakoma and soon stared back at the foreign man, she exhales in great frustration, "Very well, Nakoma, it may seem that you have a well-fitted group. I know it's my instinct to protect you, but with a group and this James fellow, I’m certain you will be safe.” Nakoma was filled with enthusiasm and rushed towards her for a hug.

“So… will they be able to come to Los Angeles?” Nadie strolled to James,

“You will keep them safe, won’t you?” James looked uneasy, but swallowed his fear,

“Don’t worry, they will be safe I promise you that.” Nadie, skittish of the idea of her granddaughter leaving the safety of her tribe to the great beyond, frightens her. “Grandma, can I go with them please, please!” Everyone looked at Ezhno as he tugged on her fur cloak begging as well. Nakoma kneels in front of Ezhno,

“Look Ezhno, I won’t be back for a while to this los… James, what place are you from?”

“Los Angeles.”

“Right, Los Angeles, so I want you to take care around here and help out with the tribe, can you do that for me?” Ezhno was disappointed, but he understood what she was doing. The next day, the whole tribe was at the fence of the discord barrier looking anxiously. Nakoma, Hakan, Makya, all alongside James, taking their first step on the other side.

James held down the wire with his foot and lifted the other over his head, the three of them in line squeezing through the wire. Nakoma stopped, her breathing was rapid, as if her heart was about to burst out of her chest. Slowly she goes through the fence following James behind her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in and slowly opened her eyes while she exhaled. She couldn’t believe where she was, she couldn’t fathom what she was doing.

“You better keep my granddaughter safe!” she yelled from the horizon,

“Don’t worry ms. Nadie, your granddaughter and the rest will be perfect out of harm's way I assure you!” The group all waved to them a safe farewell to their journey which was the beginning to a dreaded nightmare of reality.