Beneath the Berry Tree: A Journey of Love and Enlightenment in the Stone Age

The day of my menstruation was approaching. I didn't know what it would be like, but I had heard that women get sick and don't feel well. I mean, I'm fourteen years old, and I still have my whole life to live.

This morning, I woke up with a start. It's the boys again. This time even more so than usual. They were laughing and throwing rocks at my parents' house. They had been doing this for a while now, ever since they found out that my father hid his axe from them after he tried to kill me. The boys are always drunk and angry and want to fight me or my father or whoever else is in the village.

"Hey you!" shouted one of the boys as the others laughed around him. "Your dad was too scared to even look at us today! You've made him look like a coward!"

"I'm not scared of you!" I yelled back as I stood on top of the stone wall around our house. "He knows he'll have to kill you all if you don't leave us alone."

They laughed even louder this time, as they thought it was funny that my father would have to kill them all if he wanted to stay alive himself.

"You think that's funny?" I said through gritted teeth as I glared at them with disgust. "You'd better run for your lives if you see him."

They just kept laughing as they threw more rocks over the wall at me. Their laughter filled me with rage and disgust, but I kept silent and just glared at them until they eventually grew tired of taunting me and walked away towards their own houses in another part of the village.

*~*~*

My period arrived in the early evening on that same day. My mother usually takes care of things like this, but she was busy trying to clean my father's wounds after he fought off some wolves that attacked while we were working in the fields earlier that day. He fell on his back when he stabbed one of them, and wolves are just awful creatures who will try to attack you when you're already injured like that. When it came time for me to change into new clothes for bed, though, I realized something strange: there was blood in my undergarments!

I quickly ran outside so nobody could see me: my mother was inside cleaning my dad's wounds with some herbs she picked from her garden out back, and he was sitting on the ground next to her pressing a dirty cloth against his upper arm where one of the wolves bit him before his axe connected with its brain.

"Mommy!" I called out frantically as soon as she saw me walk out of our house towards her. "Something strange is happening to me!"

She looked up at me with a confused expression on her face and put down whatever she was holding onto in her hands before helping me take off my dirty undergarments and examining them closely next to my body before examining herself closely between her legs too before realizing what must have happened without having realized it yet herself prior to this moment: I wasn't a child anymore; puberty had arrived all at once and brought with it all kinds of changes along with it!

My mother looked up at me with disbelief in her eyes as we both realized what must have happened: somehow or another, she must have fed me some berries from her garden yesterday when she brought some home from her trip down south near the Elbe River - berries which are known for making children go through puberty overnight if they eat any - although there is always a chance that someone else may have given them to us by accident instead!

I was in a state of shock and confusion. How could this have happened? How could something as innocent as a berry lead to such a drastic change in my body? My mother's eyes searched mine, searching for answers that neither of us had.

"I...I didn't mean for this to happen," my mother said, her voice trembling with guilt. "I didn't know those berries would have this effect. I'm so sorry, my dear."

"No, it's not your fault, Mother," I reassured her, my own voice filled with uncertainty. "We couldn't have known. But what do we do now?"

My mother pondered for a moment, her hand on her chin. "Well, first things first, we need to take care of your menstrual flow. Come, let's go inside and I'll show you."

With her guidance, we went back into the house. She led me to a small wooden cabinet and opened it, revealing a variety of fabrics and herbs. My mother had always been resourceful when it came to matters of the body. She had learned all she could about healing and herbalism from the village wise woman, and that knowledge now came to our aid.

"Here," she said, handing me a soft cloth. "Use this as a makeshift pad for now. It's clean, and it will help absorb the blood."

I nodded gratefully, taking the fabric from her and quickly adjusting it in my undergarments. Though the situation was unfamiliar and uncomfortable, I knew I could trust my mother to guide me through it.

"Now," my mother continued, "we need to care for your body during this time. Your menstruation may cause you pain and discomfort, but there are ways to alleviate it."

She fetched a small jar from the cabinet, filled with a mixture of herbs and oils. "This salve will help reduce the cramps," she explained. "Apply it on your lower abdomen whenever you feel pain."

I took the jar from her, observing the fragrant concoction. The aroma was soothing, and I had a feeling it would bring some relief. I thanked my mother, grateful for her knowledge and care.

Over the next few days, I navigated this new territory with my mother by my side. She taught me how to properly care for my body during my period, showing me how to change my makeshift pads regularly and providing me with more comfortable cloth alternatives. She also taught me about the importance of hygiene and how to maintain it during this time.

As the days turned into weeks and then into months, my body gradually adjusted to this new cycle. I became more familiar with the signs and symptoms that accompanied my menstrual period, and my mother continued to support and guide me every step of the way.

But amidst the physical changes, a newfound strength seemed to emerge within me. The challenges I faced with the boys in the village no longer seemed as insurmountable. The mocking laughter and hurtful words no longer pierced me as deeply. I stood taller, more confident in my own skin.

One day, as I stood on the stone wall surrounding our house, I spotted the boys making their way toward me again. Only this time, their expressions were not filled with malicious glee. They wore tentative expressions, as if unsure of what they were about to face.

"Hey, you," one of them called out, his voice lacking the usual bravado. "We heard what happened to your father. We're...we're sorry."

Their apology struck me like a bolt of lightning. It was the first time the boys had shown any semblance of remorse. My eyes met my father's, who stood beside me, his wounds now healed. He nodded at me, silently encouraging me to respond.

I took a deep breath, allowing the newfound strength within me to flow through my veins. "Thank you," I said firmly, my voice carrying a sense of both forgiveness and determination. "But know this, if you ever lay a hand on my family again, I won't be alone in defending them."

The boys exchanged glances and nodded, showing a level of respect I had never seen from them before. They turned and walked away, the weight of their past actions seemingly lifted from their shoulders.

As I watched them go, I felt a surge of empowerment within me. My menstruation had brought about so much change, both physically and mentally. I realized that this newfound strength was not just for myself, but for all the girls and women in our village who faced challenges and adversity every day.

With my head held high and a fire burning in my heart, I promised myself that I would use this strength to stand up for those who couldn't, to fight for what was right, and to create a world where girls were no longer silenced or oppressed.

And so, my journey as a young woman began, forged in the fires of puberty and fueled by the power that lay within me.