Dark. Light. Wailing. Stickiness.
[[Memory Fades->Ritual]]Your earliest real memory. You are sat one one side of a table, in a high chair that keeps you more-or-less still, despite a valiant effort to banana free.
Your family is seated around the table. Your father to your left, stubble on his chin and circles around his eyes. Your mother to your right, hair up in a bun and a pencil behind her ear. Finally, your sib Joni sits opposite you. They are about twice your size, and are less fidgety than you.
Arranged on the table in front of you are several objects. You reach for one, chubby fingers grasping.
[[A maned lion, standing proud.->Take Lion]]
[[A gold coin->Take Coin]]
[[A wooden spoon->Take Spoon]]
[[A she-wolf, muzzle raised->Take Wolf]]
You grab the lion, squeezing its soft body.
Your father laughs and tousles your hair. "I knew they had a fierce look about them". Your mother looks skeptical but says nothing.
[[Time passes.->Errand]]"Another one?" asks your father, winking at Joni.
"At least we don't have to worry about our retirement fund" says your mother.
[[Time passes.->Errand]]"Well, Grandma will be pleased" says your father. "She never managed to pin me down long enough to teach me anything when I was a kid".
[[Time passes.->Errand]]You grab the wolf, squeezing its soft body.
Your father feigns disappointment for a moment, before breaking out in a grin. Your mother looks pleased.
[[Time passes.->Errand]]Your mother sends you out on an errand. You're to head outside the village and pick some fresh herbs for dinner.
[[Head out, down the lane, and past the well->well]]As you pass the well, a woman standing there calls out to you. It's your mother's friend Sila. She asks after your family. You talk to her for a little while before excusing yourself to carry on with your errand.
You continue on through the village towards the road out into the woods.
[[Who's that running up next to you?->Ila]]It's Ila, your best friend. They're about the same age as you, a little older (which they would never let you forget of course).
"What are you off to?"
You explain your errand.
"Well, at least you get to go out into the forest. I'm stuck delivering my dad's work all over town. See you at school tomorrow?"
[[You nod, and continue out of town.->the gate]]At the gate out of town stands Lyla, a young woman who recently joined the village guard. This was an unusual event, and has been the subject of some gossip around the well. You're not really sure why a woman joining the guard is anything to get worked up about, but then all of that sort of thing is a little mysterious to you anyway.
You've asked your mother and father about it, but they always change the subject or claim they'll tell you when you're older. Adults are weird.
Lyla greets you kindly and asks about your errand. She sends you off into the woods with some words of caution.
You pick the herbs
[[Time passes->ila's ceremony]]It's the day of Ila's coming of age ceremony. You ask them how they're feeling.
"Nervous mainly. My stomach is doing butterflies."
Ila has reached the appointed age first of course, but you're not far behind. Recently your time spent with Ila has taken on an odd undertone, the firmament of your friendship seems to be shifting somehow you don't understand.
Things in your life seem to be a bit confused in general. The adults have stopped treating both of you like children, but are not yet treating you like adults. A lot of them seem just as confused about the whole thing.
(if: (random: 1) is 1)[[[After your final word of encouragement, Ila heads over to perform the ceremony.->boy ila]]](else:)[[[After your final word of encouragement, Ila heads over to perform the ceremony.->girl ila]]]Ila strides out, blinking slightly in the afternoon sun. His family rushes to congratulate him, his father loudest of all.
Later on, Ila comes over to talk to you. You chat for a while, and Ila gives you a bonecrushing hug, slapping you on the back. If anything, you're more confused than before.
[[Time passes->meeting]]Ila steps out, blinking slightly in the afternoon sun. Her family rushes to congratulate her, her mother crying noisily.
Later on, Ila comes over to talk to you. You chat for a while, and Ila gives you a warm hug, pressing against you. If anything, you're more confused than before.
[[Time passes->meeting]]It's the day of your Coming of Age ceremony.
You stand in a cool, shady, room. Outside, pretty much the whole village is waiting for you. Waiting to see who steps out of the door.
But for now, it's just you, alone in the quiet dimness.
In front of you on a stand are two carved wooden bowls. One is carved with the face of a maned lion. The other is carved with the face of a wolf.
[[Drink of the lion->Ceremony done]]
[[Drink of the wolf->Ceremony done]]You step out into the light. The sky is overcast and grey and it doesn't take long for your eyes to adjust.
After a pregnant moment, noise erupts from the crowd, and your family rushes over to congratulate you on who you've become.
You can spot Ila cheering in the crowd, smiling broadly at you.
[[It's the first day of the rest of your life->Fin]]''Coming of Age''
A story by Maximilian Hunt.
Thanks for reading/playing.Your Coming of Age ceremony is due next month. The village's spiritual leaders call you in for a meeting.
Greta is as old as the hills north of the village. Your mother says Greta was the leader of the women when she was a girl and that Greta will outlive you and Joni.
Objectively you're aware that Silas is a lot younger, although he's still unimaginably old as far as you're concerned. You can actually remember his predecessor, who passed on a few years ago.
The meeting goes on for a while. They ask you what you're interested in, what you like to do. They seem to be avoiding asking about something in particular, but sidling up to it, or trying to gauge your intent.
Silas mentions there hasn't been a new young man in the village for a few months. Greta says not to worry about that, not to let it weigh on your mind.
You leave, deep in thought. [[Time passes->your ceremony]].