Until the End

The End:

The timbered walls swayed in the breeze, shrieking, demanding that she leave. She did not belong here. Forcing his way in through the cracks, The Wind whispered in her ear, an attempt at alluring her outside. The Wind was mischievous, and he knew that if she left, she would likely die. She was not a stupid girl, but she was brave. For many, it was difficult to discern between the two qualities; even the girl, despite her immeasurable wisdom, sometimes struggled.

The men were searching for her, and so was that wretched lady. It would only be so long before they stumbled upon the barn. She was not allowed to enter man-made establishments, but this shack was so beaten down by the elements and dismantled by the brutality of time that it was barely standing, it was barely classified as a shelter. Thus, she was permitted to enter.

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When she had first come to this land, she had told the men who ruled the town that she needed food and water and a place to call home, but she could never enter a place of dwelling. They did not mind. She was beautiful and foreign, and they knew that they could easily take advantage of her request. Nonetheless, they decided to deny her appeal, unless she could offer them something more in return. She promised her service – the men did not know that she had already been serving them for years past.

She had come to observe the town; the men, the women, the way they interacted with each other and the animals and the land. Two summers and one winter had passed, in which she served the town with fortitude. The girl would sleep outside the mayor’s office, laying peacefully with the town’s most fruitful dairy cow. At daybreak, she would tend to the farm animals and plant crops. Confined to the outdoors, she would complete what she could of the chores, sweeping the porches and nurturing the gardens. She would never pick the harvest or cull the livestock.

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The End:

The men knew that Gaia would not enter any establishment in town, not even the farmer’s barn. She wondered if it would be too wise of them to look for her in this particular structure. Would they notice that the cracks and crevices had disfigured the walls so greatly that the definition of this place was no longer exact? It was no longer indoors, nor was it out.

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It happened at the beginning of Gaia’s second winter in the town. She had loved her new home, though she was aware of the decay within. The men had become so hungry for power that they did not care for the women, yet they punished the wives who did not care for their husbands. The situation only became worse over time. There was one hateful girl, Rose, who Gaia believed to be a depiction of the inevitable future. Rose was intelligent, but she was not courageous. She had noticed that the men began to punish the ‘unprofitable’ women, and praise those who were considered practical, productive. Although her decision was an act of self-preservation, it was vile. Instead of working to preserve the sanctity of humanity, to set her people on the path to peace and prosperity, Rose assimilated. She did not show the destructive men a better way, for she did have an epiphany of one, but instead she proved to them that she could act according to their demands. She turned on the women, and became as violent as the men. Gaia was pained by the wasted potential of the girl who carried the name that was a symbol of love and passion, but still chose brutality and contempt.

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The End:

She could not stay hidden in the haystacks forever. She would either be found, or the remains of the structure around her would collapse. She could not return to the town, nor would she choose to if she were invited.

If the men found her here, she would not fight, although if she did, she would certainly be triumphant. She was a powerful woman when she wanted to be, a powerful warrior, but her nature was that of a mother, she was tender and forgiving. The men, however, were more savage than ever; if she was found and she refused to fight for her freedom, she would surely be killed. She did not want to die, and her absence would have devastating effects on the townspeople, on all people. They, of course, were not aware. She had no choice but to run, to leave the irreparable town behind.

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It was the sixth night of winter, and the chill had finally set in. Gaia had begun to notice Rose’s destructive behaviour several days prior. It was Walter or Arthur or John – she could not be sure which of the three – who approached her soon after nightfall. He informed her that she had not been doing her part to provide for the town, that she would have to do more (he did not know the true extent of the aid she provided).

She did not comply to his demands, so he attempted to hold her down. He did not prevail, for she was a powerful woman, but it was not in her nature to inflict harm on a living being. She would not use violence.

“I have always loved you. But it is cold out here. A man of your esteem should not be subjected to such a harsh environment. We should find a fire.”

He beamed at the revering words and set off in search of a fire still lit at such a late hour. When he returned, Gaia had already made her escape. He was furious with the girl, but more so with his own foolishness.

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The End:

Gaia considered waiting for the search party to arrive. She pondered whether Rose would embrace her teachings if offered; if she would strive for personal development in the name of human preservation. She wondered if they could manage restoration if she abandoned them. Otherwise, how long would it take before their civilisation collapsed into nothing? She desperately wanted to help, but being so inclined to the motherly instincts – compassion and peace – as she was, Gaia could not bear to endure the seemingly inevitable extinction of her people. She retreated from the remains of the crumbling barn and ran into the adjacent woods. With that, mankind was abandoned by a powerful guardian, Gaia, one of the mothers of nature.