The Twins and the Shaman River

Not everything that is lost should be found.

On the morning of July 24, 1991, the Shaman River, vast, wide, and imposing, felt strangely different. Beth and Beatriz, the twins, were there enjoying a small picnic, trying to relax with their legs immersed in the cold water.

They came from the quiet town of Stay Here, which, despite its calm atmosphere, was fairly developed. Strong in oil exports, the refinery employed much of the population and kept the town alive, operating in a constant, muted rhythm.

— Sis, can you feel the river’s energy today?
— Yes, Beth. It feels different today.

The two laugh and treat the Shaman River’s strangeness naturally, as if it were simply part of the landscape.

— I’m supposed to meet Sham today.
— Beth, but you always spoke badly of him… you always rejected him. What changed?
— He gave me good reasons not to — Beth says, smiling.
— Go figure… good luck.

Beth suddenly interrupts:

— Look!
— What is that? It’s shining! — Beatriz exclaims.
— I’m not sure… it looks like a buli — Beth says, excited.
— Do you think the Shaman is bringing us a gift? Is that it, Shaman?

At that moment, Beatriz feels a slight movement wrapping around her legs. Startled, she pulls them out of the water immediately.

— Bê, what was that? — Beth notices right away.
— Something wrapped around my legs… like it wanted to grab me. It made me really nervous. I’m not putting my feet back in that river — Beatriz says, clearly shaken.

— Okay… I’ll get out too. Let’s just grab that object coming toward us. I want to take it home.
— Do you really think that’s a good idea? It’s beautiful, but…
— Why wouldn’t it be? Come on!

Although identical, the sisters carried striking differences: Beth, talkative and impulsive; Beatriz, quiet and introspective.

— Look, Beatriz, how beautiful it is! — Beth holds the buli in her hands, freshly brought by the river.
— Let me hold it? — Beatriz asks, eager.
— Wait… wow, the texture… — Beth closes her eyes in delight.

On impulse, Beatriz snatches the object from her sister’s hands.

— What was that, you crazy girl?! — Beth snaps.
— You wouldn’t let me touch it!
— Calm down! Give it back right now. You didn’t even want it that much!
— What are you talking about?
— Beatriz Moretti, give the buli back right now!

Beatriz takes a deep breath.

— Calm down, sis… it’s not worth all this. Here. It’s not worth fighting over a buli.

Beth realizes she crossed a line.

— I’m sorry, Bê.
— It’s okay… take it. Everything’s fine. Let’s go home?
— Let’s go.

On the way back, both were fascinated by the object. The walk would take about forty minutes. They agreed to take turns carrying it — twenty minutes each. But after just over ten minutes holding the buli, it became unbearably heavy.

— You’re strange, Beth. You barely wanted to let me touch it, and now you’re arguing not to carry it.
— Feel how heavy this is!
— It didn’t seem this heavy by the riverbank…

At home, Beth washes the object thoroughly, places it inside a large pot filled with boiling water, and leaves it submerged.

That night, Beth was supposed to meet Sham, who still hadn’t called.

— Strange… Sham hasn’t called, hasn’t shown any sign… I don’t know what to think — Beth murmurs.

Before she can finish the thought, the phone rings.

— Hi, Sham! I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me!
— Never, dear. But something came up. I need to help my father… can we leave it for another time?
— Of course. Go help your father. It’s okay.

Beth hangs up, clearly disappointed.

— Sis, what happened? — Beatriz asks.
— He has to help his father.
— Don’t be like that… at least he explained.
— True. I’m going to take a shower. Can I go first?
— Sure.

Beth enters the bathroom and encounters another inconvenience: the water won’t heat up. Even so, she takes a shower and comes out complaining.

— The shower’s broken. Cold water… unbelievable.
— Damn. We’ll have to call Alessandro. He can fix it. Tomorrow, okay?
— Sure. I already showered. That decision’s yours.
— For me it’s actually too warm. It’s fine. I’ll call him tomorrow.

Beatriz steps into the shower and finds nothing unusual. Everything works fine.

Beth must be upset about Sham, she thinks.

— I didn’t notice anything wrong with the shower, Beth.
— Really?
— Yeah. Totally normal.
— Then I must be losing my mind. Want to watch something together?
— Sure. How about making some quick snacks?
— Sounds good.

They eat and sit on the couch, looking for something to watch. Until Beatriz notices yet another problem.

— The internet isn’t connecting. Did you pay the bill this month?
— Uh… I don’t remember.
— Great. No internet.
— Wow… one thing after another.
— Let’s not let our minds torture us, sis. You know how it creates scenarios. It’s annoying, but… how about playing cards?
— You’re right. I’ll get them.

Beth walks down the hallway toward the bedroom. As she passes through, she feels something — fast, cold, impossible to explain — as if the air itself passed through her body. Her heart races.

She runs into the room, opens the drawer, looks for the deck… nothing.

— Beatriz, come here. I’m scared.

— Scared of what?
— Something passed through me in the hallway. My heart started racing. And the cards are gone.
— That’s crazy… I put them there yesterday.
— But they’re not here. Look.

Beatriz checks. The deck is gone.

— Damn… now what?
— Let’s sit on the couch, turn on the TV, and talk — Beth says, trying to ignore the bad feeling.

They sit down. A heavy, unnatural sleep overtakes them.

One falls to one side.
The other to the opposite side.

And that was no ordinary sleep.

—

— Bê… where are we?
— I don’t know… but this gives me chills.
— It’s bizarre…

The place is gray and cold. Leafless trees surround a river of thick, blood-red water.

— Look at that river… it looks like blood.
— Something’s coming! — Beatriz shouts.
— It’s flying…
— My God…

The entity approaches and lands before them. Long white hair drags along the ground. Yellow eyes. Large, crooked teeth. An old indigenous woman stares at them in silence.

Beth and Beatriz try to speak but cannot. Something has taken their tongues. The air is heavy, insufficient. The sensation is of imminent death.

They wake suddenly, soaked in sweat, gasping.

— Did you dream about that? — Beth asks.
— Yes… the old woman… the yellow eyes…
— We had the same dream?
— We’re twins… maybe that’s why? I’m scared.

— I’ll make some tea. Calm down — Beth says.
— Use the buli. It’s clean.

— Bê… what time did we sit on the couch?
— Almost 7:30 p.m.
— Look at the clock… it’s 3:33 a.m.

Nothing made sense.

The kitchen light starts flickering. Beth runs and clings to her sister.

— What’s happening?
— Calm down… it stopped.

Beatriz walks into the kitchen.

— Beth… there’s nothing here.
— What do you mean?
— The buli is empty. No water. No fire.

Beth checks. It’s true.

— This is going too far.

A presence fills the house.

— Did you lock the door?
— I did.

The air turns cold, dense.

— We’re in the dream… — Beatriz whispers.

— You carry what does not belong to you.

The voice echoes through the house.

— You mean the buli?
— Razza tanga. It does not belong to you.

Beatriz takes a deep breath, picks up the buli, and walks into the living room. The entity appears — short, ethereal, distressed.

— That belongs to us.

Beatriz places the object on the floor. The entity dissolves over it.

The house brightens. Street sounds return. The clock reads 8:40 p.m. The internet reconnects.

— So that was it…
— It was.

The sisters embrace. They learn that objects brought by the Shaman should never be taken home.

Life continues.
The air is pure.
Stay Here breathes again.

Thank you for being here. 🌹

fmostaros@icloud.com
fmostaros@gmail.com

For anyone who wants to say something that cannot be kept silent.