MARULI
Sixteen years earlier:
Two brothers race through the Kulon Forest along the outskirts of their village. With a head start, five-year-old Maruli reaches the giant jackfruit tree first, beating his older brother. Slamming his fists into the tree with glee, he falls to his knees, laughing between heavy breaths. A few yards away, Domu glances upward and screams a warning, but it's too late. A twenty-pound jackfruit slips from its high berth. A rustle above makes him hesitate. Does he see someone there, or is it a mere shadow? But he has no time to think about it. Despite a desperate sprint to shove his brother from harm’s way, the giant fruit crashes onto little Maruli, its hard spiked rind ripping into Maruli's skin. Blood flies in all directions, and the sound of cracking bones fills the air. With all his strength, Domu lifts Maruli's broken frame and carries the unconscious boy to his parents. They bring him to the village shaman who seems all too eager and prepared for Maruli's arrival.
