If you were to end up in the ancient Olmec civilization, what would you do?
Probably run because you might end up sacrificed.
Well, that's what this time-traveler did.
Just with more sarcasm. And math.
Probably run because you might end up sacrificed.
Well, that's what this time-traveler did.
Just with more sarcasm. And math.
And if you were from the Olmecs?
Well, this might be your story (narrative):
Into the Jungle
Deep in the jungle, the mighty jungle, Kela looked around. Was that shadow following her? No, it couldn’t be.
Kela was part of the Olmecatl, as the Mexica called it. Though concentrated in a small area, they ruled over most of Mesoamerica. Where they lived was called the Olmecatl heartland, and it was bordered by thick forests. Every week, Kela trekked through the forest, still she arrived at Teotihuacán. There she traded. Mostly, it was rubber and, along with shells. Kela liked the forest, with it’s silence, yet it had a feeling of being alive.
She took a careful look around, making sure that no one was following her. Her paths through the forest was sacred. Actually, it wasn’t. She just didn’t want anyone to find it. She felt slightly nervous. The shadows of the forest seemed to be getting closer. She couldn’t hear any footsteps...but that didn’t meant there weren't any. She tried changing her stride then suddenly, she stopped.
There was a belated crash, as if someone had stopped quickly without looking. Kela wjirled around, her hand on her obsidian knife. She saw the face.
It was Tu Pu.
He was another trader, but he wasn’t a good one. He was afriad of the places where you had to go to get the best items. Also, he was really annoying.
Kela took a shaky breath “Come out, you coward.” She was ready to fight. Any excuse to hit Tu Pu was a good one.
Suddenly,there was a sound to the right. Kela turn, and when she looked back, he had left.
Kela couldn’t see him and she had no desire to go chasing through the forest, wasting valuable time. Besides, he would probably get lost.
Kela rolled her eyes, and kept her knife ready.
A week later, Kela was doing the same walk through the forest, with a new load of rubber and cacao to take to Teotihuacán. This time, when she saw a strange shadow, she didn’t go through the “is someone following me?” song and dance. She eased to the left. If Tu Pu was any true trader, he’d know that the path led straight, but you went to the right, because there was a big ditch that was jaguar nest. Or was full of the...remnants of the blessed jaguar occupation. She quickened her pace. Suddenly, there was a crash. Followed by a yelp. And then a high pitched screech.
For a moment, Kela was just impressed. She didn’t think her voice could go that high. Then she realized that that meant the jaguar was in, even though it wasn’t season for it. That’s when a wee bit of panic set in.
Kela took off running. She ran and ran and ran. By the time she stopped, she was deep in unfamiliar territory.
But, because the gods laugh at her, she heard a second set of footsteps. Because of course Tu Pu would survive. And he would manage to follow her.
Sometimes, Kela hated her life.
“I don’t suppose you know where we are?” Kela asked without otherwise acknowledging his existence.
“Why would I know that?”
“Because you’ve been running.”
Tu Pu smirked “So have you. And aren’t you supposed to be Wonder Trader?”
Kela felt the urge to stab him grow. It was a familiar urge, but it had a while since it looked so tempting. “I was trying to get away from the jaguar!”
“So was I!”
“No, you were following me. Incidentally, the thing that got us stuck here in the first place.” Kela took pleasure in correcting him, and seeing the look of shock on his face. However, not so much that she wished to wait until he regained his voice. She turned on her heel and doggedly went to the right, trying to make her way back.
However, because (as previously established) the gods laugh at her, she couldn’t get rid of the pain in the butt that easily.
He clumped after her, managing to make the noise of a full grown achab. No, Kela thought, combined with the rambling, that’s an insult to the achab. Kela took a nice calming breath. Or tried to. Instead, she briefly closed her eyes and then undertook a quick study of the forest around them. Maybe be she could identify where they were. And maybe the great Were-jaguar would come and open up the rainbow bridge. Or Tu Pu would stop talking. It wasn’t even relevant, and if he didn’t quiet down, she was going to go get some rubber and glue his mouth shut. At this, Kela knew Bada, her friend, would roll her eyes and feel compelled to remind her that all information was relevant. Kela would feel compelled to remind her that she was about to be hit. Kela wondered, what would Bada do. Use all available information, came to her.It was one of the things Bada liked to shout at her while Kela tried to study. With that thought in mind, Kela turned to Tu Pu and sharply told him to be quiet for 5 minutes, for the love of the Were-jaguar.
There was a light rustling off in the direction they had come from. Tu Pu, who had been rolling his eyes and ranting about how Kela just didn’t understand his specialness, bounded over, but his efforts were in vain. He fell and knocked his head on a thick knot. Kela looked at him, sprawled out. She thought about his continued torments and stalking. Should she probably get him out? Yes. Was she going to waste time and effort to drag a dead weight along? Nope.
Kela heard the rustling again, except it was faster and moving away. Kela took off after it, careful not to make too much noise. When they finally crashed into the clearing, Kela realized that it was a jaguar cub. In fact, as Kela looked around the clearing, she realized that it was right next to the jaguar nest. The cub must have been startled when Tu Pu almost ran into it and then it couldn’t find its mother again. Kela smiled. So the great Were-jaguar did come. All that’s missing is a rainbow bridge. With that thought (and the fact Tu Pu was still in the forest), Kela walked into the sunshine with a smile.
Well, this might be your story (narrative):
Into the Jungle
Deep in the jungle, the mighty jungle, Kela looked around. Was that shadow following her? No, it couldn’t be.
Kela was part of the Olmecatl, as the Mexica called it. Though concentrated in a small area, they ruled over most of Mesoamerica. Where they lived was called the Olmecatl heartland, and it was bordered by thick forests. Every week, Kela trekked through the forest, still she arrived at Teotihuacán. There she traded. Mostly, it was rubber and, along with shells. Kela liked the forest, with it’s silence, yet it had a feeling of being alive.
She took a careful look around, making sure that no one was following her. Her paths through the forest was sacred. Actually, it wasn’t. She just didn’t want anyone to find it. She felt slightly nervous. The shadows of the forest seemed to be getting closer. She couldn’t hear any footsteps...but that didn’t meant there weren't any. She tried changing her stride then suddenly, she stopped.
There was a belated crash, as if someone had stopped quickly without looking. Kela wjirled around, her hand on her obsidian knife. She saw the face.
It was Tu Pu.
He was another trader, but he wasn’t a good one. He was afriad of the places where you had to go to get the best items. Also, he was really annoying.
Kela took a shaky breath “Come out, you coward.” She was ready to fight. Any excuse to hit Tu Pu was a good one.
Suddenly,there was a sound to the right. Kela turn, and when she looked back, he had left.
Kela couldn’t see him and she had no desire to go chasing through the forest, wasting valuable time. Besides, he would probably get lost.
Kela rolled her eyes, and kept her knife ready.
A week later, Kela was doing the same walk through the forest, with a new load of rubber and cacao to take to Teotihuacán. This time, when she saw a strange shadow, she didn’t go through the “is someone following me?” song and dance. She eased to the left. If Tu Pu was any true trader, he’d know that the path led straight, but you went to the right, because there was a big ditch that was jaguar nest. Or was full of the...remnants of the blessed jaguar occupation. She quickened her pace. Suddenly, there was a crash. Followed by a yelp. And then a high pitched screech.
For a moment, Kela was just impressed. She didn’t think her voice could go that high. Then she realized that that meant the jaguar was in, even though it wasn’t season for it. That’s when a wee bit of panic set in.
Kela took off running. She ran and ran and ran. By the time she stopped, she was deep in unfamiliar territory.
But, because the gods laugh at her, she heard a second set of footsteps. Because of course Tu Pu would survive. And he would manage to follow her.
Sometimes, Kela hated her life.
“I don’t suppose you know where we are?” Kela asked without otherwise acknowledging his existence.
“Why would I know that?”
“Because you’ve been running.”
Tu Pu smirked “So have you. And aren’t you supposed to be Wonder Trader?”
Kela felt the urge to stab him grow. It was a familiar urge, but it had a while since it looked so tempting. “I was trying to get away from the jaguar!”
“So was I!”
“No, you were following me. Incidentally, the thing that got us stuck here in the first place.” Kela took pleasure in correcting him, and seeing the look of shock on his face. However, not so much that she wished to wait until he regained his voice. She turned on her heel and doggedly went to the right, trying to make her way back.
However, because (as previously established) the gods laugh at her, she couldn’t get rid of the pain in the butt that easily.
He clumped after her, managing to make the noise of a full grown achab. No, Kela thought, combined with the rambling, that’s an insult to the achab. Kela took a nice calming breath. Or tried to. Instead, she briefly closed her eyes and then undertook a quick study of the forest around them. Maybe be she could identify where they were. And maybe the great Were-jaguar would come and open up the rainbow bridge. Or Tu Pu would stop talking. It wasn’t even relevant, and if he didn’t quiet down, she was going to go get some rubber and glue his mouth shut. At this, Kela knew Bada, her friend, would roll her eyes and feel compelled to remind her that all information was relevant. Kela would feel compelled to remind her that she was about to be hit. Kela wondered, what would Bada do. Use all available information, came to her.It was one of the things Bada liked to shout at her while Kela tried to study. With that thought in mind, Kela turned to Tu Pu and sharply told him to be quiet for 5 minutes, for the love of the Were-jaguar.
There was a light rustling off in the direction they had come from. Tu Pu, who had been rolling his eyes and ranting about how Kela just didn’t understand his specialness, bounded over, but his efforts were in vain. He fell and knocked his head on a thick knot. Kela looked at him, sprawled out. She thought about his continued torments and stalking. Should she probably get him out? Yes. Was she going to waste time and effort to drag a dead weight along? Nope.
Kela heard the rustling again, except it was faster and moving away. Kela took off after it, careful not to make too much noise. When they finally crashed into the clearing, Kela realized that it was a jaguar cub. In fact, as Kela looked around the clearing, she realized that it was right next to the jaguar nest. The cub must have been startled when Tu Pu almost ran into it and then it couldn’t find its mother again. Kela smiled. So the great Were-jaguar did come. All that’s missing is a rainbow bridge. With that thought (and the fact Tu Pu was still in the forest), Kela walked into the sunshine with a smile.