Chapter 3: Kito, My Village

The pale light of dawn was trickling in golden rays through the window blinds. Night had given place to day. Rayman was sound asleep when the sound of footsteps awakened him. His mother came in, no doubt to tidy up. But when she saw him, she started.

"Ray!"

"Uh. what." he answered, his eyes half-closed, ready to go back to sleep. "What's - Hey! I'm going to be late!"

He jumped out of bed, kissed his mother, and ran downstairs. He yanked the door open and ran into the little courtyard. He raised his eyes to the sky. There wasn't a cloud, only a few large birds gliding, following the wind. There was a light breeze, and the sun was already shining high in the sky. Everything promised a fine day - except for him. Moving forward, he gave a deep sigh.

"For sure, this is the first and the last time I'll ever arrive late - Griffin will kill me before I have another chance," he thought.

He ran across the little courtyard and hurtled down the path at full speed. Close to the ditch where the river was, he slowed. There were three men, inspecting once again the damage of which they didn't yet know the cause. The little trickle of water was blocked by a large mudslide, and the feeble stalks of mayly were once again crushed and uprooted. Rayman gazed for a moment at the place where the mud was strewn about. Even if he had been there at night, he recognized very well the spot where he had been yesterday. If he had stayed there much longer, no doubt he would have made the acquaintance of nightmarish creatures.

He shook off the thought and continued on his way. He came to a little road with grey cobblestones, surrounded by attractive cottages. Their roofs were of straw and their walls made of stone, all supported by wooden beams. In short, they were all designed around the same general plan, and they spread over the two or three streets that ran through the village of Kito. Kito was a little village of some fifty inhabitants, hardly larger than all the fields surrounding it, and which lived there, in the rhythm of the seasons, tucked into a little rocky cliff. True, it had become rather bedraggled since the unprecedented drought had beaten it down, but it still remained a pleasant little village, and despite the wariness of the villagers towards him, Rayman was very fond of the place. In earlier times, Kito had been much more beautiful, the river flowed gently along its course, the weather was always calm, and food was abundant. But destiny had changed the course of things, for an unknown reason.

Since Kito was built entirely on a hill, the roads went steeply up in some places, and Griffin's factory was located oddly at the very top. Reaching the little streets, Rayman saw some villagers busy painting a peculiar- looking wagon. He turned quickly away to see the entranceway to Griffin's factory. Reaching the great iron door, he gave a profound sigh. But when he pushed on the handle, the door refused to open. He tried the handle again, but nothing happened. Then he heard shouts and laughter.

"Woo, Blondie! Sleep in?"

Rayman whirled around and saw a bunch of kids of his own age, taunting him from a distance.

"No work today, you pathetic retard..."

A huge sense of relief washed over Rayman. What incredible luck! But why wasn't there any work today?

"You forgot everyone's getting ready for Kazae's Return? Oh, man, you're just too dumb, we're getting out of here."

And they went away, laughing.

Rayman felt a rush of hate. His great sense of relief was transformed into a disgust verging on nausea. He'd forgotten it all right, that blasted holiday. He detested it, he detested the holiday and everything that went with it. First of all, all the children had fun - all except him, he was always pushed aside. And then, they had to wear a sort of robe of blue and violet - they did look good, but not on him! His always had to be shortened, he hated those clothes! On top of all that, things were going to be particularly revolting this time. Every year, the village children put on a show, and this time Rayman was of the right age to be in it, he would certainly be required to do some sort of acting... Sure, he liked to watch a performance, but he didn't like to be in one, and then on top of that he would be thrown defenceless into an army of brats all eager for the slightest chance to make a fool of him. No, definitely, it would take a regiment of Griffins to force him get onto a stage where he'd feel so humiliated.

The only thing he did like about this holiday was that for three days he wouldn't have to work; and also, in the evening he would see a sight that he had never yet tired of. Once a year, the setting sun took on a violet colour, the sky became midnight blue, and the stars took on tints of red, pale blue, or green. It was truly a magnificent spectacle. Every year, he watched all the events of the evening from the heights of a tree standing above the village, rooted in the rocky cliff. From there he could see everything - the festivities, the sun, the stars, the sky... and the other children. It wasn't that he envied them, but watching them all grow up in joy made him feel so alone. While he still had hours of work left, the others always found a way to enjoy themselves. Even those who had lost their fathers in the same way as he had refused to speak to him. He wondered why they didn't like him, why the villagers treated him with such wariness, as if they were afraid. What were they afraid of? Rayman might be clumsy, but he had never done any harm to anyone. There had been a time when he had still tried to make some kind of contact with the others, but since then he had received too many insults and remarks to keep trying. He withdrew into his own world, that place where he could dream of another life. So Rayman had become very much a dreamer, and as a result, very much in a daze, which at times led him into mistakes. Everyone who knew him called him an incompetent brat, unable to do anything right. All that, all because of his cursed physique.

So Rayman turned back. Suddenly he felt a tremendous appetite. He was hungry, he had left in such a rush that he'd forgotten to have breakfast - which was how his mornings usually went. He decided to go home and have something to eat.

While going down through the little streets, he saw many decorations. On practically all the walls hung big cloth banners, swelling and flapping in the wind. Passing underneath them, Rayman stood immobile, looking up at those big nets stretching out in the breeze like the large sails of a ship. He continued on his way, passing a group of children flying a kite like the tail of a big dragon floating in the sky. Further down, the villagers were busy stringing big garlands in the trees. Far away, the yellow sun brightened as it rose higher in the clear blue sky. Slowly, Kito was waking up.

When Rayman reached the deep bed of the river, he noticed several farmers replanting the shoots of mayly. Other men were arguing, assessing the damage of the previous night. "Definitely, they must have been fighting over the water," said one.

"You think those creatures drink?" responded another.

It seemed apparently that everyone agreed that the "things" that were destroying the crops at night couldn't be anything other than horrible creatures. But what kind? Rayman was determined to see them. Perhaps they weren't really as bloodthirsty as everyone claimed, or perhaps they really would leap on the first one they saw and devour him. In any case, there had not been a single person injured, and monsters or not, the festival hadn't been cancelled.

Rayman finally arrived at the little path leading to his home. Once he reached the courtyard of his house, he could make out his mother working in one of the nearby fields. He came a little closer and saw other women talking with her. He didn't dare get any closer, for fear of disturbing them. So he went straight up to his bedroom and looked out at her through the window. Even when working hard, she always looked happy, as if she weren't worrying about Kito's problems, or the mysterious disappearance of her husband. In the end, she was like Rayman, attempting to appear to be what she wasn't; for he knew very well that she did suffer a great deal. But unlike him, she had no difficulties in having people around her. And he loved her for that; despite her differences, she always managed to be accepted by others, she always helped those who were in need, and at times did not even hesitate to make sacrifices for them. She was the only person here that he loved, and if anything ever happened to her, he would be on his own against everybody. Then Rayman lifted his gaze to look over Kito, that village that was also like his mother; though it had many problems to endure, it was still there, and no doubt would be there for a long time to come.

Kito, little village in the mountains.