Emma & Malcom Peabody

Chapter 6: America

The machine stopped in a kind of jungle. It was at afternoon and it didn't seem to be any person around.

-I think I found a way to solve our "clothes' problem"-said Emma.-Come here-she said pointing a kind of marked circle on the WABAC's floor. The both stood there and two transparent tubes came down from the roof and in a few seconds, the twins were dressed as the way they actually should. Emma was dressed as a Spanish, wearing a white and grey simple dress and Malcom as an indigenous, wearing a loincloth and nothing on his up part.

-Wow! This machine even has clothes included!-screamed Malcom.-Ha! You're dressed as an old lady!-he said laughing

-And you're an indigenous… well, more than before-she laughed back

After being some minutes making fun of each other they decided to go out of the machine and explored the place. They started walking through that kind of jungle when suddenly they felt something on their feet as if something caught them. The both looked down before they went suddenly up, hanging from a tree. They have felt on a trap.

-Great! Now how are we going to come down?-asked Malcom angrily.-Any idea, smarty?-

-Shut up! I'm thinking…-answered Emma

-Finally, we caught something!-said someone coming closer

Two indigenous stared at the kids.-Who are you?-said one of them

-I am… Manuel-said the red-haired boy while his sister snapped her forehead

-Manuel isn't a name from this place!-she screamed telling him off

-I asked who are you?!-screamed the man again

-I'm Malcom, she's Emma-he said giving up. The men started to look at them carefully.-And we're not animals…-said the boy again.-Could you let us go?-

-Why is she dressed like that?-asked the second man

-She's… well… her…-he tried to explain it, but he couldn't

-I found these stuff on the beach-explained Emma

-The beach?-asked the first man again.-What's a beach?-

-It's the place where there is sea and sand…-she explained

-And why does your hair have that color?-he asked again, but this time a bit scared

-My hair is like that… I was born with it… I know it's weird but…-

-She has the sun in her head-said the second one.-Is she…?-

-I don't know… let's take her with the Bohiti-

The indigenous freed her, cutting the rope which was holding her. They even helped her to come down… but forgot about Malcom.

-Wait, free him too!-she said

-As you wish, "natiao-güey"-

-"Natiao-güey"?-asked Emma completely surprised while they were putting her brother down.

-Thank you!-said the boy walking closer to the blonde girl.-What are they talking about? Why they called you like that?-

-I don't know!-she said shutting his questions up.-You must know… I don't know EVERYTHING!-

The indigenous guided them inside the jungle. The kids weren't really sure, but they were scared of being killed if they didn't do what they wanted them to do. Indigenous didn't know how to solve things in a different way… or that's what they thought.

-By the way, I'm Carib, which means strong man-said the first man

-And I'm Mucaro, it means owl-added the second one

In the half of the jungle there were many circular houses made of leaves, woods of trees and cinnamon. One of the simple houses caught the twins' attention: one which was really bigger and, instead of being circular, was triangular. Moreover, it had windows.

Emma and Malcom got in one of the simple houses. It was full of sculptures made of cotton, bones, stones and other materials.

-Emma… Can you please explain this?-whispered Malcom to her

-Well… we're inside the Tainos' tribe. They were the ones who Columbus found in his first trip-

-Columbus?-

-Yeah, Christopher Columbus, the person who discovered America-

-Uh! Yeah… that Columbus …-he said laughing and then looked down.-No, I don't get it-

-We found this strange young girl in the outsides of the jungle-said Carib to a woman who was sat up focused in a bonfire that was on the ground. She didn't even looked up to see Emma.-Her hair is yellow like the sun and she was dressed in a strange way. Moreover, she has circles on her eyes-

-Circles?-she asked confused.-You mean my glasses?-

-What are the "glasses"?-asked Mucaro

-Is she the "natiao-güey"?-finished the indigenous

The woman finally looked up. Her eyes were completely white, she was blind. The children were a bit afraid of the stranger. She was old and her eyes were like a vulture's eyes. Her dark and long hair was as long as her dress.

-What's your name, girl?-she asked

-I… I'm Emma-

-Oh, don't be scared, Emma. We won't hurt you; neither you nor your twin-she said looking at Malcom

-And… who are you?-

-I'm the tribe's shaman, the Bohiti-

-You mean, you're a kind of witch who says the future, tells legends, read hands and all that stuff?-asked Malcom

-Something like that… why do you ask?-

The boy started laughing.

-What's so funny?-asked the woman again

-Oh, sorry, sorry-he said stopping his laugh.-It's just that I don't believe in this kind of stuff, like fortune-tellers or God, or saints, less in a thousands of years old woman which tell legends…-

-Well, you should believe Malcom-she answered

-Wait, how do you know my name?-

-But you shouldn't believe in those kind of stuff… no, no, no. You should believe in people… but in people who loves you, even though you think the otherwise-she said making him shut up and start wondering what she really meant.

-Excuse me, Mrs. Bohiti…-interrupted the blonde girl

-Sure?-

-Why are they calling me "Natiausi-güey"?-

The Bohiti laughed.-It's "natiao-güey", it means "the sister sun"-

-And… can you explain it?-

-Sure! I was wondering when you were going to ask me that…-she looked at the indigenous.-Carib, Mucaro, go away!-she shouted

-Alright, Bohiti-the both went out and she stood at the house along with the kids

-So, kids… there is a legend… a legend which says that in the moment in which two blood brother and sister will appear, with the sister sun, that will have a hair as golden as the sun, the men from the sky will come down to the ground… and a new age will begin-

-Men from the sky?-asked Malcom

-Yes! They're closer! I can feel it!-she said happily

-But… are you sure is a good thing?-

-What else could it be?-

-Perhaps the new age won't be the way you like…-commented Emma

-Do you know something about them?-the woman asked completely desperate, then she stopped.-Of course, you come from the future! Tell me how the world is there?!-

-WHAT?-asked the kids at the same time

-Well, that's at least what the spirits told me-

-Spirits?-the children stared at the bonfire. Could it be possible? Does the spirits exist?

It was late at night and all the tribe's indigenous were reunited in the center of the place.

Suddenly, from the biggest house came out a man followed for many women and a kid.

Emma was sat behind the Bohiti, who was telling her many legends from the place.

-And that's how our goodness, YaYa created the Universe-was explaining the woman

-Wow…-said the girl.-That was really interested but…-she looked at the sides.-Have you seen my brother?-

Malcom suddenly came out from one of the houses.-Hi there, Em-

-Where were you?-she asked punching his arm

-Ouch!-he said touching his arm

-You should stay close to me… we're not in a holiday, Malcom! We're in a really dangerous place and you're I don't know when doing I don't know what-

-Hold up! You're not my father! If I wanted someone to tell me off, I would have stayed with Peabody-

-What were you doing?-

-Well, I met some of the girls of the tribe-he turned around and saw many girls smiling at him.-Did you know I am the first red-haired boy they know?-

Emma snapped her forehead.-There weren't red-haired or blonde indigenous, you idiot!-

-Sorry, know-it-all-he looked down.-Why is it so dangerous this place?-

-Well, in any time Columbus will arrive and who knows how the indigenous will react?-

-Didn't the thousands years old woman say that they were saints or something like that?-

-Yes, but no one really knows how they reacted. In history books says that the Taino reacted well at the beginning, but the discoverers didn't treat them well so…-

-Strange men wearing silver clothes arrived!-screamed Carib running

-The men from the sky!-screamed the shaman. They're here! Let's go!-

All of the indigenous stood up and did just what the Bohiti said, which wasn't surprising after all, because they really believed in her and their goodness. But the twins weren't sure at all. They even had started to feel comfortable in that little tribe. They felt a bit ashamed, knowing what was going to happen in the future. Their culture, religion, houses… will be destroyed.

All the indigenous were at the beach, carrying meat and vegetables to give to them "men from the sky", while Emma and Malcom were hid behind a tree, because the tainos never saw a red-haired boy and a blonde girl… but Spanish and Portuguese people yes.

-Em, we must go to the time machine…-said Malcom

-I know, but how? If they see us, they will start to ask questions. We'd better wait-

The indigenous who came out of the biggest house came closer to the strangers.

-Hello, men from the sky-he said.-I'm the cacique and we're really enchanted to meet you, we've carried some…-

-Yeah, yeah, whatever-said a man who was wearing a red and long kind of male cloak and a black hat.-I'm Christopher Columbus -he said putting off his cloak and giving it to the cacique.-How are you, Indian? Fine? Ugh… that was a really long trip!-he said trying to stretch his legs

-Good morning, Christopher-said the cacique.-We've brought you food, knowing your trip will be long and tiring-he said showing some vegetables

-Is this food? - Columbus tasted one of them.-Wow… this isn't so disgusting… what is this?-

-We call it "maíz"-

-That means corn…-whispered Emma to Malcom.-He looks really absentminded… let's go now-she opined and her brother followed her

-Now that I see this carefully… this place isn't so disgusting-said Columbus watching some of the women.-Tell me… is there any blonde girl in here?-he said noticing that every woman had dark hair

-Blonde?-asked Carib

-Yes, with yellow hair-

-Oh, you're searching for the "natiao-güey"-

-Natius what?-he asked completely confused

-Bring her-said the cacique to Carib

- Columbus is worse than what I thought-opined Malcom

-I know… he treated them in a really wrong way-reposed Emma.-But, what can we do?-

-I'm sorry for them… they seem to be nice-

-Yes… but we can't do anything… if we say something, we'll change our present-

-"Natiao-güey"!-screamed a familiar voice behind them

-Hi, Carib, what's wrong?-the girl asked

-The men from the sky want to see you-

-What?!-they asked at the same time

-Yes, please come with me-

-She is the "natiao-güey"-said Carib carrying Emma and Malcom

Columbus turned around.-She's a girl! I said woman! Moreover she wears…-he stared at her.-She wears a strange couple of glasses…-the discoverer started to inspect her.-Who are you kids?-

I hope you liked this new chapter. Please follow and let reviews! Thanks for reading!

Moreover, I want to make something clear: Christopher got to America on October 12th at 00.30 a.m. and that's why they went October 11th, because it was that night.