The boy is on top of the rock, lying still. Ulubu is standing nearby, the hammer in his hands feeling heavier than ever before. His breath is shallow, his heart screaming in his chest, lifeless.

"No, I can't break the rules," Ulubu thinks, trying to steady himself. "It's not the first time, but then why? Why is my chest hurting? Why are my hands shaking? Just because he is my son?"

His hands are trembling as he stands there, staring at everyone. A pressure is building inside him that he can't explain.

"Ulubu, do it quickly!" someone from the crowd calls. "The moment of charm won’t last forever!" The voice feels like a thorn.

The villagers, their faces calm, their faith unwavering, watch him. Ulubu looks back at his ten-year-old son, lying so still, so quiet. The boy doesn’t cry or speak, he simply waits, trusting.

The hammer feels heavier with each passing second. Memories flood Ulubu’s mind—his sister on the rock, his mother forcing him to sing with the crowd. His throat tightens.

"I can’t," he whispers. His voice is like a falling leaf.

The crowd stirs, murmurs rippling through the gathered villagers. Ulubu hesitates, then lowers the hammer. The murmurs grow louder.

"I can't do this," he says, his voice stronger but trembling with sorrow.

Voices rise from the crowd, but Ulubu hears only the sounds, not the words. He steps forward, his hands shaking as he lifts his son off the rock. The boy clings to him, burying his face in Ulubu’s shoulder. Trying to find comfort.

"I'm sorry, my son," Ulubu thinks as he holds him. The sound of his son’s breathing fades among the rising voices. Turning to face the crowd, he says, "I can't do this. I am not capable."

The villagers freeze, their faces a mixture of shock and confusion. For a moment, no one moves. Then, one by one, they begin to move toward him.

Suddenly, Ulubu starts attacking everyone, screaming like a wounded wolf. The hammer turns the ground red.
And someone hits him on the head. Ulubu looks at his son as his eyes go blind.

---

Ulubu wakes up, the dull scent of decay surrounding him. He sees the broken ceiling above him, dripping cold, gray drops of water.

His head feels heavy with pain. But his chest feels heavier.

"No, why couldn’t I do it? Why?" he thinks, watching the drops fall.

His voice breaks as he speaks aloud, trembling and raw. "Why, why couldn’t I do it?" He stops for a moment. There is something in his eyes, beyond sorrow. "Why did I see her?"

A sharp knock on the wall silences him. A low, plain voice says, "Stay quiet. Your time of purification is coming."

Ulubu doesn’t know if he can ever be pure again.

---

Two men carry Ulubu, tied to a bamboo pole, through a small jungle-like area. He isn’t struggling. His head hangs low, his lips repeating only one word.
"Why... Why... Why..."

Ulubu's son watches from a distance, hiding.