New Bloom

Sitting on a cold rock with my hands pressed into my drenched face. The morning breeze is chilling as dawn approaches. I lift my head slightly upward, my eyes now peeking over the tips of my chilled fingers. In the distance, an exquisitely large barn owl glided past the setting moon, like the whisper of a ghost lightly making its presence known.

Wiping the tears from my face standing up shakily from emotional exhaustion and the cold consuming my body. “I should have worn a jacket,” I scolded myself, also noting the flimsy sandals slipping off my feet instead of proper boots. Didn’t think when I left I would make it past the river. Yet, I kept going as if I were in some kind of race with my emotions until I landed on this damn ice-cold rock in the middle of a clearing. I suspect I'm probably on the Gravenshaw's property. Idiot!

Slowly making my way back to our ranch, I keep thinking about the barn owl. Used to be obsessed with David Bowie in the Labyrinth. Wished throughout my young twenties, he would come to take me away. Oh, how I wished Hoggle, Ludus, and Ambrosius were real. I need you! I need you so bad! The fantasy would be so much better than this reality. Too bad I'm not a young Jewish girl named Sarah with an evil stepmother and baby brother. Instead, I’m just a very wet, cold, thirty-five year old, who is about to get yelled at by her grandfather.

“Jesus, Bethany, where are your clothes? It’s freezing outside! A thin dress and sandals? Are you out of your mind?” A husky voice inquired.

“It’s ok, Darren..” I responded through chattering teeth. “I just meant to get some… fresh air….. Brrrr… and ended up just running…Just… needed to clear… my head…”

Darren was already wrapping a soft red wool blanket around me. It smelled like hay and horse, due to the fact that it was Lilacs’ blanket. Lilac winced at me, giving off a slight bray and snuffing up her nose. “Not sure Lilac wants me to use this.” I sighed.

“She will get over it. Let’s get you warmed up before you get sick.” Darren scooped me up like a small child and brought me inside to an already lit fire. I could smell the musty scent of grandpa’s pipe.

“Are you done being a foolish girl? Do you not think we are all suffering? How much more will we suffer if you go and die from the sick?” A very sad gravely voice spoke from behind a brown velvety reclining chair. Grandfather was sitting in front of the fire puffing on his pipe. “Darren, go get your sister some hot tea!”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m sorry, Grandpa! I just couldn’t handle what happened to the Gravenshaws! They did EVERYTHING we were told to do! They wore masks everywhere, and they were inoculated both times the Commanders came out with the Minders. THEY DID EVERYTHING WE WERE TOLD

TO DO…..” barely able to speak any longer I continued in a soft whisper, “and… and… they still got the sick…. They still died!”

My body began to shake more as I crumpled into a tiny ball, remembering his last kiss. Jared Gravenshaw and I were set to be married in just a few moons. Spring was approaching, and we all thought the sickness would be in the past by now. Jared went to the next town over the hillside to purchase silks for my wedding gown. "Goodbye, Jareth," I giggled as he rolled his eyes.

“I can’t believe you like that old earth film! Joke all you want about the name similarities, but I’m not a Goblin King! I’m not here to steal you away! I’m here to give myself to you, my love!" Then he passionately parted my lips with his tongue, and I felt his air descend through my lungs. I didn't want to let him go ever! Yet, I released my grip on him, giggling and waving my Jared off, not knowing it would be the last time!

When Jared brought the sick back from that rotten hillside town, the Minders blocked the Gravenshaw property and refused to let me say my goodbyes. NINE dead in just over a week. His parents were old and the first to the parish. You could hear his sister wail as each of her children dropped. Leslie and Frank went soon after their four small children, and my beloved Jared was the last. At least, that is what his letters to us implied. They were chaotically written as if from a mad man. One thing was clear that he blamed himself for all the deaths.

How would he have known?! We all did everything the Commanders and Minders told us to do! We were told masks and inoculations would protect us from the sick. A new wave of the sick began to spread, and you could hear people calling out to each other," Be safe... You be safe now… take care and be safe…”

BUT WHAT DID THAT EVEN MEAN? “Be Safe!”

Were we not being safe? Did we not isolate ourselves for over a year? Most Verdurethians went mad from it! Did we not keep our children from playing silly little outside games with all their friends? Did we not inoculate? Twice even!! Did we not cover our faces every time we stepped outside?

They said it was safe now! They said we could go out now and be a part of the town life again! We could go into each other's homes again! We could HUG AGAIN!!

“Be Safe,” I scoffed loudly.

I looked at my grandpa through sunken eyes as all these thoughts permeated through my brain. “Grandpa, how can we ever be safe when everything we thought would save us was a lie? Nowhere is ever safe! I may NEVER feel safe again!”

My grandfather let out a long sigh before softly speaking. “My child, it wasn't a lie. Most of our kind are being saved, and it's time we went back to our lives and found some kind of normality again.”

Darren returned with hot tea that smelled sweet of mint, rosehips, and honey. He tried placing the cup in my hands, but they shook too much. "Bethany, you know what happened to Jared's family is extremely rare. In all of the Ten Towns, only three families have suffered like this.” He said, spooning sweet hot liquid into my chapped mouth.

“We can’t go back into hiding! Remember what it did to you mentally? I had never seen you so depressed. We have to LIVE Bethany and move on from the sick. Yes, we all did what we were supposed to do! And a couple of families still died. Imagine how many more would have passed if we didn’t cooperate with the Minders? I’m sorry you lost Jared; I lost him too! He had been my best friend since we were kids. Please, Bethany, you have to stop before you die too!”

“I will never feel safe……..” My eyes felt heavy, and before I could finish my thoughts, the sedative Darren put in my tea began to make me drift off.

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I opened my eyes. I was in the clearing, but it wasn’t cloudy or cold. I could see the robust shades of green as the warm sun bounced off each grassy blade. In front of me, the largest white barn owl I had ever seen was staring directly into my eyes. He majestically lifted his wings, and as they swooped over the creature's body, the face of a man emerged from the feathers.

He was a large man with pale skin, glistening muscles, and oh my… I tried not looking down at his nudity. His wings covered him like a feathered cape as if reading my thoughts. "Bethany," he said in a low David Bowie-like voice, "I can keep you safe! All you have to do is come with me."

He reached out a strong hand and took my small fingers into his palm. I stood up and let him embrace his wings around me. “I miss my Jared.”

“I know, and I can help you forget about him.”

“I don’t want to forget.”

“You suffer too much child, let me take your pain away!”

“Not if it means forgetting about Jared.”

"This is your only chance to escape this reality! If you don't come now, you will be stuck here until you die.”

“I’m not letting you take away my memories of Jared. I would rather die. Wait, or is it I would rather live?”

“BETHANY…..BETHANY…. BETH…A… N..Y”

I felt dizzy, cold, so cold, and confused. It was no longer warm, and the owl had vanished. I was lying in the clearing, shivering. I heard my name being called over and over! Suddenly two large warm arms scooped me up….like…a..child.

“Darren?” I whispered weakly.

“Are you completely mad? Are you trying to kill yourself? Has there not been enough death already?!” He cried.

“I want to live," I mumbled, but Darren could barely hear me. “WHAT?”

“I want to LIVE!” I whispered hoarsely, but this time he heard me. In response, he almost squeezed what little life I had left in me.

“OW! I said I wanted to live! Stop hugging me to death.”

Chuckling, he loosened his bullish grip. "We're going to get through this, Bethany. I promise! Early earth natives got through this in the 21st century. They lived for thousands of decades after a virus plagued the entire world for years. Their species were extinct when we inhabited this planet, but so many records show how they did everything right! Some still suffered, but so many went on to live happy lives. So please, Bethany, BE SAFE and trust we will get through this too!”

I had never heard my brother talk so passionately before. His voice was so warm and caring, whereas usually, he’s just a gruffy ass. I admired this side of him.

“I promise to be safe and live this life if you don’t give me sedatives without permission! Deal?!”

He scratches his head and awkwardly apologizes, "I'm sorry the Minders thought it might help your anxiety. You could have killed yourself in this bitter cold.”

“I’m sorry too for worrying you and grandpa so much. I want to live now. I really do.”

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Several weeks later, as I was breaking ice away from the horse trough, a Minder showed up to the ranch. She swayed back and forth in her ugly chartreuse green robes against her purple skin.

“I never understood why you healers chose green as your color. Clashes with your skin tone, don’t you think?” I was in a very cheeky mood. Damn ice! I hate the winter months.

“Green symbolizes this earth that gave us a second chance at life for our species.”

“Yeah, well, it still clashes with your skin and most of this world is blue anyways!” I was being very bold to disrespect a Minder like this.

“I will forgive your impetuous behavior given the grief you have sustained recently. I came today because my sisters and I sensed a new life about to bloom.”

“What does that have to do with our ranch?”

"Silly girl, you are with child! You will bloom in the next three moon cycles, and a new Verdurethian will travail.”

Everything began spinning around my head. I fell backward with dizziness but felt a strong arm pull me upwards before hitting the frigid stone-covered ground.

“Did I hear right? Will Bethany bloom? Will we have a child on our ranch? New Verdure Life!” Darren shouted with excitement while trying his best not to death grip me.

The Minder touched my violaceous head,” Your shade has been too pale even before your love and his family died. This bloom won't be easy, so I will stay here as your giver until the child is born and you have recovered. I feel the sprouts' gender, and you will have a boy.”

My hand grasped my stomach, and all I could think of was my little boy's name…

Jared.

The End