Odera: An Orphans Tale

There has never been a love story told about a brother and sister as we have in Eto, the brother, and Odera, his little dumb sister. This is their story…and an amazing story it is.

Orphaned, only because their father woke one day from sleep, packed up like a thief in the night, and left the house, abandoning Eto and his little sister, Odera. Their mother had died earlier, and when the only man they depended on for sustenance left, the world could have caved in on them. And it probably did. But, Eto assumed the reins at such an early age, and somehow found a way to keep his sister and himself alive. This journey between brother and sister is awe-inspiring…and at times would rip your heart out.

They have a favorite spot in the forest; every morning, after their morning errands were taken care of, Eto would lead his sister into the forest to watch the sunrise and the rest of nature rolling by. They took particular interest watching birds in flight and the other forest animals going about their businesses. There was also a lake about the forest: Brother and sister would sit by the water’s edge for hours on end, fishing. That was the sum total of their day. It was so, because they couldn’t afford school…and there was no one in the village rich enough to render that kind of help.

The fact that little Odera was without speech made their very difficult life even more difficult. But, they wore their smiling faces without any pretenses. Each day was a new one, and therefore, their daily ritual must hold; their lives must be lived to the fullest. It was that belief that sustained both. Odera was particularly gratified with her brother’s unwavering love, and the way he took care of her. It brought tears to her eyes. The forest animals may have believed that the brother and sister were forest dwellers themselves, because they were always there.

Odera harbored a wish…one she knew would never come to pass. But, she wished on. She hoped and prayed relentlessly for the miracle of speech to happen for her so she could one day express her love for her brother, and then sing for him. It was a wish she knew would never come nowhere to being fulfilled. And then, one day, a freak accident happened; Odera fell into a pit no one knew was there. Eto panicked, because, for a while, Odera had seemingly vanished, and could have been swallowed by murk at the bottom. Finally, Odera was rescued and taken to the hospital.

It was here, during Odera’s hospital stay, that things began to take unimaginable proportions; the prayers she had said, the wishes she had entertained were flying high and could be plastered on Heaven’s door. The circumstances were ripe, and the fabrics of wellbeing were shifting, floating all around her. It did not end there; the Doctor who took care of her had heard about her life story…and… immediately took a liking for Odera and her brother…there was magic in the air…and…