Free From the Beginning: The Old World by Timna Kurtz

you fall in the water? Are you alright?” He showered me with questions.
    “No, no. Everything is fine. Thank you.” I stroked his face lightly, reassuring him. I was touched by his concern. “And thank you all—” I turned to the rest of my friends that were still surrounding us. “I have something important to share with you!” I freed myself from Eddie’s embrace and felt proud at the sight of the intrigued looks. “I didn’t fall into the water—but I did bath in a stone basin filled with fresh clear water…” I presented my magnificent discovery of the water in the cave. Lunch was delayed due to the search for me, therefore I asked them to gather in our cave. While dining on our meager lunch, I shared the mystical experience I had with my friends. I did not reveal the entire detailed vision complete with its mating rituals, nor did I tell them about the strange drawings I saw at the end of it—there was no point in giving them false hope, when even I did not know the meaning of it yet.
     
    While I was disclosing my vision to them, I felt the vibe rising from within me again, returning to guide me, as if I was one of the wise women I had seen in my vision. It was a different gentler vibe than the one that rocked my senses in the cave, but I could easily notice the change in my posture and the rich language coming out of my mouth as I spoke before my friends.
    “The upper cave will serve us for bathing and drinking. With that said, I would like to dedicate the site to the ways of women. As you know, in early times, women used to gather in a sacred place during their monthly menstruation. No one could ever explain it but women’s cycles tend to synchronize whenever they are sharing their lives together. It is true that for some of us, menstruation had stopped due to the severe lack of food, but I believe that if we keep steady timing when the women gather in the sacred cave, the effect of the fertile women will pass on to the women that at present are lacking the ability.  I think that I speak on behalf of all the women when I say that we all wish to conceive and give birth again—not only to fill the emptiness brought on by loss and grief, but also for the knowledge that the human race will not be extinct with us here. Even if there are more survivors out there, on other peaks we cannot see from here, we can’t afford the doubt. We have to do all that we can to ensure our continuance. I am positive that each of you feel, deep in your hearts, that there is a reason that we were saved and are here after we have come this far. With all the pain over our loved ones that were lost, we cannot ignore the fact that we have the ability to create new generations. Also, we need to pray, each in their own way, that the water will keep going down and the land will be exposed, that our luck will change and we shall find more food sources to enable us to keep on surviving. Therefore, I am asking the permission of our small tribe to let us observe these customs and put me in charge of the cave’s rules. I am imploring you again, have faith in me, trust me,” I concluded my speech quietly but with determination...
    Naturally I feared the reactions, and I imagined that there would be a few skeptics in the crowd, obviously, not everyone was religious or believers—but to my surprise I could see the sparkle in their eyes. The women’s eyes were especially glistening, they wanted to experience motherhood again indeed.
     
    “I think it is a wonderful idea!!” Roan rushed to express his opinion. “And we could all use a decent shower!” The tension started to dissipate from my body with the help of the peals of laughter coming from Roan and the rest of the group that laughed as they nodded in acceptation.
    “By the way—” Rebecca’s voice was heard. She was the oldest woman in the group. “If we’re talking about ancient women’s ways, did you know that the menstruation blood of women was collected and used