At last, after he had scrambled around town looking for a woman willing to share her bed with him, Madu leaned against the windowsill and drew a puff from his cigarette before allowing himself some time to recover. He darted his eyes around the hut and relaxed when he saw his gear—a bag filled with snuff, bait, ammunition and camping equipment propped up by his Dane gun—which was propped up by the end of the mattress, and he felt double relief that this woman was not a thief like the last one.
As though she had heard his musings, she appeared in the doorway of the hut—a silhouette in the evening sun. She paused before gently sitting on the edge of the bed, near his feet, and helping him fold the clothes that had been tossed about an hour earlier. When she was done, she looked at him intently and, after drawing one more puff, he handed over the cigarette to her. Before taking a drag, she moved to the windowsill and sat beside the mattress and exhaled into the evening air.
His brows furrowed as he wondered why she was averse to her hut smelling of tobacco, but then he considered that others who had, and would, share her bed might not be as enamoured with the smell. This time, as though she could hear his thoughts, she puffed into the hut and then handed back the remaining cigarette to Madu before she closed her eyes and pursed her lips. He looked at her and wondered if she was one herself, a siren that is. After all, there were many rumours and myths about this part of town, including how the sirens had adapted with humans over generations such that it could be difficult to tell them apart. Partly unsure what he would do if she reacted to his thoughts again, he decided to speak up.
Are you one of them? He asked, trying to look as stern as possible.
She opened her eyes, looked at him and broke into a half-grin. He was unsure if she was indeed one of the figures he had come to hunt, but he was more worried because he knew he would not be able to react if she was. She, on the other hand, found it amusing that his fear had only manifested after they had been with each other and not before, when she could have killed him easily, were she an actual siren.
No, she began, before turning her head invitingly and leaning forward till he could make out her face in the light of a candle that was perched by the windowsill. Are you asking because you want to kill me or are you complimenting me for earlier?
He laughed and sat up, gently cupping her face in his hands before he rose and began wearing his clothes. As he dressed, he caught his reflection in the single mirror that was propped opposite the bed and traced the scars on his lean and lithe body. He had lost a lot of weight after an injury hunting Sasabonsams some months prior, which is why he had decided to sell some of his belongings and move down south to hunt for Sirens. They were rumoured to be plentiful here and the scales of their skin made for fantastic fertilizer for farms. But, despite the promise of fortune, sirens were stealthy and had developed a talent for also hunting the hunters. So, while there was still a steady stream of people making their way here to try and hunt, there were not too many hunters in town.
*
After a fairly long walk, and missed directions, he ended up at a small bar, made of zinc sheets, at the edge of a forest, where he saw other men preparing for the night’s hunt. It had a roof and open space where there would have been windows, but luckily there was only a gentle breeze billowing this night. Some of them were there with women, which reaffirmed his earlier desire to deal with his urges before coming out to hunt. Sirens also had a reputation for being phenomenal in bed, which is one reason he wasn’t sure he would have killed the woman he just left, even if she was one. The bar had three long tables with rocks and tyres on either side as seats, with the cook and an assistant behind the bar at the end. He ordered a stiff drink and quietly nursed it to avoid getting too drunk before going out, but bought some for his flask so that the heat would help keep him warm in the cold night ahead. More and more men trooped into the bar, with some clearly coming in hunting packs. He eavesdropped enough to pick out which anecdotal tales could be helpful as he hunted.
Don’t stare too long, keep moving your neck up and down to avoid their gaze.
The winds are usually strong signs of their arrival – if it hits you on the left, bend down and run.
They often break the ankles of their victims and arrange the broken feet in a circular pattern to warn other hunters.
That last part was more unnerving, but he eased up when a few of the other hunters laughed at the storyteller for telling what they believed was a tall tale. Before they started paying and setting out, they began to compare kill counts. The highest in the room was five, by a big bear of a man with one finger missing and a mild but noticeable limp. A clear majority had two or three scalps, while Madu was among five who hadn’t gotten even one yet. People seemed happy that there were few veterans and a handful of men with no skins because of one of the fairly prominent rumours that hunting a siren is never meant to be a long-lasting career or activity.
They decided to go in together and break into groups after they reached the first clearing, which was after a twenty-minute walk into the forest. But, before they started moving, someone pointed to a figure making its way towards the bar from the hill that separated the town from the forest. When the figure reached the small clearing where the moon shone between the trees, they could see that he moved slowly but deliberately, with his own bag and his gun slung over his left shoulder. Madu saw one of the larger hunters move towards the entrance quickly and begin waving a finger sternly before waving his hands, as if telling the newcomer to go back. They met halfway between the forest and the bar, before the large hunter came back, leaving the other man began pacing in the dark.
He won’t come in till we’re ten minutes in, the man said and then shook his head as he added, I don’t understand why some people just don’t consider others. The others gasped when they heard it was Azu, the legendary hunter, who had decided to take part in tonight’s hunt. Initial excitement gave way to worry, because Azu’s heroics and fame had come at the cost of further success. Everyone in town knew that four months back, when nearly hundred men had journeyed into the forest, only the unassuming, stocky man in the distance returned. When those at the mouth of the forest saw the sole survivor up close, his eyes were bloodshot, he had bruises all over his arms and he had a cut across his left cheek, but he also had a full-length siren in the bag he slowly pulled across his shoulder as he left the forest. That particular story was repeated and many men were in awe. This was not just because he had survived what appeared to be a bloody hunt, but because the farmer, who bought Azu’s scales, surmised that it was the ninth time they had conducted business.
Yet, the gasps soon turned to fear and muted anger when the hunters realised what this meant. For all the legendary hunters who had come before, none had been able to achieve a tenth. Some said that after successfully hunting Sirens, one’s scent became so strong that the newer Sirens actively sought the hunter to kill, which made the hunting party vulnerable. Hence the quote that to achieve a ninth was glorious, but to seek a tenth was to tempt fate. One of the attendants shared that Azu’s family had been preparing to move south and they speculated that perhaps the old hand wanted to get one last rush before moving to parts without Sirens.
*
There were different maps of the forest, from different hunting parties, but they all agreed on some defined features. One, this path was the quickest way to the first clearing of the forest, but it could only be seen with the aid of moonlight. Two, along this path were different lakes, ravines and rivers that came from the sea—and these were the routes where sirens were usually found. Three, and probably most telling, while it was easy to see the path when going in, it was harder to find it once one’s eyes adjusted to the night of the forest. That was why most people chose to either complete the hunt or hide, before hurrying back at the first sign of dawn, when the light showed the route back. Madu was near the back of the pack, trying to make conversation with some of the other hunters so he would be invited to join their group. However, most of the old heads were worried about carrying a fresh shot along with them, and gently deferring, they offered him a spot in future hunts. By the time the last group got to the clearing, most of the hunters had dispersed between the trees and, soon enough, Madu was alone. Before his fears got the better of him and forced him back, he turned and saw Azu standing at the edge of the clearing, looking around and gently feeling the soil. Up close, he wasn’t impressive physically, but he had an aura that was difficult to place. Unlike the other hunters who seemed either cautious or outright scared, he seemed at ease and instead worried about the ground being firm.
Azu noticed Madu looking at him as he pressed the forest floor.
The ground is not as soft here. Means that there hasn’t been much water going through the forest. That means that there are fewer sirens around to hunt tonight.
Madu nodded and looked at the height of the trees, which went for a couple of metres and formed a fairly thick canopy over the forest. By the time he turned back to Azu, he saw that the older man had found a slightly dusty patch and was trying to redraw a map from memory with his stick. He moved closer to get a better look, and felt more comfortable when the old man didn’t seem annoyed or distracted.
There are four ravines from the sea to the other edge of the forest. There are also two lakes – one at the heart of the forest and the other further in. There are usually a pair of sirens in the lake, come let us see if there will be some tonight.
The tacit invitation was all Madu needed and he nodded and followed Azu into the night. As they walked, he used the chance to try and get more information about the forest and about the creatures they were trying to hunt. Unexpectedly, for someone who had such a storied legend around him, Azu was patient and forthcoming with answers as they made their way through the different trees, and followed the faint, but sure sound of a lake in the distance.
First of all, people make the mistake of assuming that Sirens are just mamiwatas and nothing more. That is what gets half of the people into the hunt – and that is also what gets them killed. Azu began, pausing to rummage within his bag for what looked like a foam sponge till he tore small pieces, handed some over to Madu, and then placed two pieces in his ears. He stopped and made a sudden clap that caught the younger hunter unawares. Azu began with a wry shake of his head as he shared a lesson he had learned on his first hunt, that Sirens also hunted humans to prove their worthiness to their groups or tribes. Most Siren communities were much farther from the forest and away from shore but, at a certain age, they were led out by more seasoned members to prove their value by hunting men. The wiser and experienced hunters interacted with this awareness—this was not just a simple hunting expedition, this was as risky as war.
Earlier on, I clapped suddenly because sirens sing very well, and their unique tunes are hypnotic and captivating.
But, as Azu stressed clearly, tunes only really work on one human at a time. As a result, the Siren needs to finish their hunt or else they are unable to use their power to hypnotise another hunter before killing them.
It is more than a hunt; it is really a dance between two people. The Hunter and the Siren. But only the chosen hunter can hear the song that is being sung. It starts off faint, but then it gets louder the closer they get to you.
As they approached the clearing where the lake was nestled, Madu caught his first glimpse of a Siren. He saw the bright, long blonde hair that seemed to reflect the moonlight and he was amazed at how ethereal the body looked as it gently bathed in the quiet lake. Slowly, and gracefully, the Siren turned towards them but they were well hidden in the trees. Madu was astonished at how beautiful it looked. He imagined it was a woman, simply because of how full her breasts were and how gentle her face looked. He was also surprised that she did not have a tail, but used her two feet to paddle in the lake. She looked shy and demure, but seemed to be waiting for something. Madu felt his feet dragging him towards the clearing, willing him to move forward and touch her or just see her clearer. However, before he passed the last tree, he felt a heavy pull and he landed on his back as Azu pulled him and covered his mouth. After a couple of seconds, the elder hunter pointed with his other hand at another man who seemed to be walking out into the clearing. The Siren opened her mouth and started swaying her body from side to side, but Madu could not hear anything other than the rustling of the leaves and the rush of the water. As the man reached the edge of the lake, the Siren stood out and held out her hand for him to take it and come in. In one single fluid movement, she grabbed him with one hand and used the other to turn him round as she placed him in a headlock and descended into the depths of the lake. Madu glared in horror as bubbles reached the surface, then he turned to Azu who, evidently familiar with such a scene, started drawing the map on a small patch of sand in front of him. After a couple of minutes, the Siren appeared and arranged the hunter’s clothes on the floor beside the lake. Then, with what seemed like minimal effort, she broke off his ankles with her bare hands and placed his feet by the clothes, before she took the rest of the body and swam away towards the open sea.
The broken feet are a warning to the other Hunters who come. It is also proof that it was a human, because Sirens can’t break off their own feet.
Madu nodded at the older man, grateful for the knowledge and being saved. He tutted and stared again at the lake, now calm and still, and wondered if that was a warning or a foreshadowing of how his night would go. He was jolted back to reality by the sound of snapped twigs and realised that Azu was moving, and he scampered after him. He asked if the lake was a dead end for tonight and the elder hunter nodded before adding that even if there would be another Siren here, it would likely be hours after. Before that landed, they reached a ravine and saw six pairs of ankles on the other side. Madu recognised a blue cap that had once covered the sturdy man from before and momentarily stopped breathing. Azu skipped across well placed stones to the other side and gently felt the different clothes before inspecting, but not touching, the ankles. The younger hunter sat down and brought out his flask to try and steady himself. When he was done, Azu threw another flask towards him so he could take some more.
The clothes are barely damp. This was a while ago, which means we should move because the ravine will become fresh again soon. If there are six pairs here, it must mean that there are a lot of hunters on either side tonight.
Madu steeled himself and crossed over, turning back to look at a reflection of himself in the now still water. Ahead of him, Azu had started moving up some rocks to get to higher ground and hopefully see more of the forest from a prime vantage point. It was just after midnight, but since a number of Sirens had gotten their kills, it could be an early night if they didn’t make a move quickly.
*
They reached a large boulder that oversaw another lake by the edge of the forest. They could also see the sea from this position and Azu decided they should pause, dry off and plan their next steps strategically. Madu was just happy to avoid water for the meantime and subconsciously kept massaging his ankles. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see the older man once more handing him pieces of foam for his ears, to avoid the singing. As he accepted it, he noticed for the first time, the famed scar across his left cheek, which cut into his salt-and-pepper beard. He also saw that, despite him being well covered, he could make out scars on his neck and around his wrists. He couldn’t understand why someone who knew enough about the hunt, and could even afford to avoid it, would be here tonight when he could be in a warm bed with a warm person.
Why does a man, who has fortune, family and folklore risk it all on tempting fate?
Azu did not seem taken aback by the question, he almost seemed surprised it hadn’t come sooner. He was previously crouched on his legs, but he sat down now and crossed his legs as he looked the younger hunter intently in the eyes.
My last hunt was several moons back. In that time, my wife has convinced my children that we need to move further south. I have been successful at farming, but there are always thieves coming to try to steal and that is half my work. People look at me and won’t even talk to me because they worry that by just stepping foot near this forest, I could get them or their husbands killed because they are worried about that stupid curse of the tenth. You ask why a man who has all that will risk tempting fate? Because he still has fire. Fire that must burn…
Azu paused as he noticed Madu look around furtively and then quickly. He saw the younger hunter stand up and start looking across his shoulder at the base of the ravine and move slowly in that direction. It was then he realised he didn’t really know the young man’s name and he tried to shake him awake before he realised that the small foam pieces were now perched on the boy’s shoulder, and not in his ear where he needed them to be. Azu immediately realised that the inexperienced one had been called, and began clapping loudly by his ears. After a while, a subtle note started filtering through his own ears. It was faint, but definitely a pattern he had heard before. He reached for more foam and plugged his ears, allowing him to still hear but become less entranced. Madu made his way down the boulder and Azu followed, with his knife holstered beside his right thigh, his bow in his left hand and arrows in a pouch slung on his back. He had thought of the Dane gun, but decided that it would be too loud for what he was planning.
Madu led the way, while Azu walked quietly behind, pausing to pick some leaves from a tree nearby. After checking that they were not poisonous, he started chewing them to add another sound to his hearing and reduce the control that the song could have on him. This call must have been very strong, because they had crossed the lake they were monitoring and were approaching a ravine close to a waterfall. Before moving past the last tree, Azu clapped one more time and, in the seconds that he could speak to Madu, gave him the knife. Before he set him free, he looked at the Siren calling and saw an imposing brunette who was at the pool. He debated if his plan was plausible, especially since this new hunter was not aware, but decided to trust his instincts. Madu continued walking towards the brunette Siren, who started sashaying back and forth as though to further entrance her target. However, seconds before he reached her grasp, Azu clapped again, which momentarily snapped Madu’s attention, but also alerted the Siren to his presence. She reached forward to grab him, stumbling out of the pool, and giving Azu enough time to shoot an arrow at her. Madu dove out of the way before it pierced the Siren, who shrieked in pain, a guttural, throaty sound that seemed to go beyond the recesses of the forest. Soon enough, a blonde Siren appeared at the other end of the ravine and began charging towards Azu. Despite his quick movement, she tackled him, and pinned him down with her left hand and moved for his neck with her right hand.
Suddenly aware of a weapon on him, Madu felt for his knife and aimed at the brunette Siren’s neck, but she ducked just in time. As she tried to pull the arrow from her shoulder, he ran back towards the bow and arrow set that lay some distance from where Azu had been tackled, and aimed another one at the back of the blonde Siren that was attacking his partner. That Siren also shrieked and let go of Azu to reach for the arrow on her back, staggering a couple of feet back. The older hunter used his legs to grapple with the blonde siren, yelling with a strained voice—Don’t let yours get to the water—they are way stronger when they are in!
Madu turned and saw the brunette Siren pulling herself towards the water, steadied his aim with Azu’s knife, which lay near his remaining arrows, and this time, aimed for the Siren’s legs. The knife pierced her left thigh, and she started shrieking again. In the split second that she reached down to nurse her leg; he reached again for the bow and aimed one more arrow at her neck. A thick light blue liquid oozed out, and he saw her eyes roll back and turn yellow as she lay still. Within seconds, her lower body turned into that of a mermaid, with a tail and yellow-green scales that glistened in the moonlight. Azu’s yell for reinforcement brought him back from his daze, and he turned to see the blonde Siren stop attacking the older hunter and yell, moving towards the brunette’s dead body. Madu reached his dead Siren, pulled the knife and threw it towards Azu.
The older hunter, already running towards the blonde Siren, caught the knife midair and quickly pulled the blade out of his palm before aiming it at his Siren’s neck. Her golden hair lost its sheen; she turned and tried to choke him as he buried the knife even further till the blue blood became too sticky. After a couple of seconds, she gave up, and he saw her scales start appearing as she died. Azu could feel how sore his neck was from the Siren’s death grip. He saw the younger hunter studying his kill and decided to let him have his moment while he caught his breath.
Minutes after, Azu showed Madu how to try and close the wound so that other Sirens would not smell the blood and trace them. He also showed him how to fold the body so that the sirens could fit in the bags that they would use to carry them out. They started making their way towards the exit. Before they got to the first clearing, Madu beckoned to swap bags and let Azu take the bigger catch. He felt as though he owed the man for helping him out, but the older man chuckled and reminded him that the Siren had chosen him, any swap would not be a worthy hunt. Azu led the way to the path out of the forest, before gesturing for Madu to walk out first—a good omen from a first hunt.
Madu walked into the bright sunrise and headed straight for the shack, amidst the gazes of those who peered behind him to see if their loved ones were around. As he sat down, the patrons looked at him curiously. He smiled and asked for a hot meal and an even hotter drink, before gently revealing the tail at the top of the bag to one of the younger patrons who kept looking from the table across. Soon they all gathered to hear the story, some offering to pay for his food. As he cleared his throat, he looked back and saw the old man quietly making his way up the hill and away from the scene. He wondered if Azu would ever truly move, or if he was fated to die at the hands of a Siren. He questioned if he would ever become as renowned or famous as Agu, or if he would even hunt again. But those were issues for another time. Right now, he needed to get some energy and find a farmer to sell his scales to. As his food arrived, he sat back and prepared to regale his sponsors with a wonderful tale.
This story is about ankles, a first timer and a beaten curse.
*
Azu saw his wife cooking through the windows in the kitchen before he began up the small bridge that went over the moat to his house. The dried Siren blood smelt like iron and was a strong scent, but he fought the smell with that of breakfast coming from the kitchen. He first went to his shed and dropped the body—his wife did not approve of him bringing them into the house. After he washed his hands and gently daubed his body with a herbal remedy to reduce the pain, he walked into the kitchen and joined his wife at the table with food in front of them.
Did it need to be that messy? She began, looking at his hands and noticing the slight trace of blue under his nails.
He sighed and made for the bread before telling her that it wasn’t so much his fault, but more so the new guy he had taken onboard while going on the hunt. She glowered at him, before he reminded her that she had told him that Sirens found it harder to maintain the smell of seasoned veterans when there were new hunters around. His wife stood up quietly, picked up a tablespoon of salt and went to the back, gently closing the door to the kitchen behind her. Azu kept eating but he knew what was happening. It was the same thing that had happened since his second hunt—his wife would go and check if she knew the Siren, cry for a bit and then use the salt for a small part of a mourning ritual. When she returned, she gently inspected his neck and held his hand as she sat across the table.
Your neck will heal in three days, she must have been in a lot of pain because she didn’t break any cords or bones.
Azu rubbed her fingers and looked at her intently. He wondered if he would ever be able to let go of the thrill of the hunt or the adrenaline that came when that iron smell dried on his hands during a kill. He worried that this move south, where some of his wife’s relatives would be close by, could be dangerous, especially if they could smell the many other kills on his body. But, perhaps ironically, he also considered if he could count this as him beating the curse of the tenth.
He stood up and led his wife to the bedroom so she could gently massage him before he went to bed. Before they left the kitchen, he gently held his wife and kissed her shoulder, around the area with a healed scar from an arrow—his first actual hit. Then, it had taken almost all night, but he had nursed the wound to show his regret. As he looked at the healed scar, he decided that he could live with nine, or ten depending on who was telling the story or counting the successful returns. After all, tempting fate was a game for younger men.
