The Garden

The earth gave a final shudder, as dust, ash and rock continued to rain down from the skies. Gaping crevices swallowed the machines whole and melted them in the burning lava. The flying vessels were crushed under giant boulders that were hurtled from the exploding mountains. While the creatures who violated the land were vaporized by the heated winds of fire even as they tried to escape her wrath.

Mother nature watched over the destruction of her land, the beauty that it once possessed was now marred and scarred from the machines of those that came from the skies and raped her lands for the riches beneath her soils. For many turns of the moon it went on, she tried to reach out to these Alien forms, but to no avail, they heeded not her words or her warnings. She had no choice but to fight back the only way she could. Flames belched forth from the mountain tops, the ground shook and opened, devouring these invaders. Their dying cries were drowned out by the storms that raced over them, blowing, and washing them out to sea or burying them under the sands.

It would take a millennium to rebuild this into the garden it once was, but time was meaningless to her. She created it once and would do so again. This time it would be better.

But she was exhausted.

While she pondered and planned for the rebirth of her land a motion caught her eye. From the burned-out trees stumbled two forms, unlike the ones she destroyed. These were frail and naked, tiny yet there was something about them that stilled her hand from crushing these two.

Instead, she reached out, calling to the two lost souls, dirty and clearly afraid. 'Who are you, that survive my wrath?'

The lithe one with long hair looked about with concern mixed with curiosity while the muscular one with the blank fury face stood staring at a burned-out tree.

"Hello? Is there someone here?" Replied the intelligent looking one.

'You do not look like the others whom I destroyed; you are different.'

"The Masters? No, we are not one of them we are slaves, taken from our home world and forced to labor for them against our will. Where are they?"

'They are no longer here.' was Mother Natures only reply.

"It is not like them to leave before they decimated a world, were did they go?"

"Who are you talking too?" Asked the bearded one.

"I do not know; can you not hear a voice?" Replied the long haired one.

"I think I heard something, but I always hear strange voices in my head, therefore I am uncertain if I am hearing something or imagining again."

“Well, I do hear the voice in my head, I feel it is the land talking to us."

Beardy rolled his eyes and began picking at the burnt tree and nibbling the charred bark.

Turning away from her companion she called out again. "Where did the Masters go?"

"They have not gone anywhere; their bodies now nurture the land they tried to destroy."

The lithe one and Mother Nature began to talk, she was amazed at the insight this nimble creature had. They talked of the worlds and how this one was similar to where the two had come from. They talked of nurturing the land and how to care for that which feeds and sustain you. Mother N. found out they were the last ones left of their kind, the others perished while stripping other worlds or were eaten as food for the Masters. They were a male and female of their species. 'Who are you then, do you have names?' Before she could ask a question of importance the other blurted out.

"Hey, I hear a voice in my head, it sound's like you, only different. I like it." Grunted the tall one.

The shorter one shook her head and called out. "We have no names just designations, I go by E, and he responds to A.....sometimes."

Mother Nature paused, was this the gift she had been waiting for, could these creatures help what she had tried to create for time beyond count, there was something about the slender one that gave her hope. An intelligent gleam in the eyes. On instinct she called out. "Close your eyes and allow me to take you to a place I wish you to see... my garden."

It was then another voice spoke up and whispered to Mother nature. 'Are you sssure thisss isss a good idea. Taking thessse two sssee our garden?'

'Yes, I am certain. And it is my garden not yours. You had your chance and refused to create what I asked you to do. I believe these two can fulfill that emptiness.'

'Sssso go ahead then, ssshow them.' With that remark the snake slithered off.

In moments, a gentle wind picked up the frightened ones and whisked them away. Soon, the two slaves found themselves standing in a garden so beautiful and rich they were speechless.

Mother Nature decided to take a chance and shared with them her history. How she created this world but before she could complete her creation the ones for the skies came to pillage. She realized that she needed guardians to protect and guide others, for she may not always be able to defeat those that come upon her lands. Up until now she had only created the snake, and that had been a disappointment. She had so many species in mind but no-one to protect them.

Now she may have hope.

After explaining her plan in detail, she finished by asking the important question. 'So, If you promise to go forth and prosper and protect my lands, our new world. I will leave you in charge while I finish what I started, for it will take much of my energy to do so. Already I feel me fading away, my spirit needs to rejuvenate.'

In a short time, Mother Nature had come to admire the tenacity of E and believed her to be the one capable of caring for this world. With her in charge and if A listened to E, and did his part, they would multiply, and the world would be in good hands.

E looked up to the sky with tears in her eyes and was grateful to be asked to become a guardian of the world. Before she could reply she felt a slithering touch upon her leg, glancing down she saw snake who whispered. 'E, follow me I ssshall ssshow you sssomehting ssspecial and tassstey.'

Gathering her thoughts, Mother nature felt herself slipping away, exhausted from defending the world she had only moments to ask one final very important question. 'I must ask one of you to be the leader and champion my cause, but you must do so freely, I cannot force this task upon you.' she asked. ‘Who shall be the leader of the world, ruling with wisdom, honesty, and fairness?' She needed to hear the answer already her energy was dissipating. Waiting for E to accept, instead she was met with silence.

Unfortunately, E could not answer as she was in the middle of eating a fruit which she never had before, her mouth was full.

Snake giggled with laughter.

A, who was studying a rock, looked about and shrugged his broad shoulders ."I'll do it, how hard can it be."

A crack of lightning forked through the sky, sealing the deal.

As Mother nature faded away, a cool wind blew through the garden, carrying upon it a faint cry of pain, that echoes to this day.....Noooooo.

Written for the Liam Storm 'Mother Nature' Challenge! Sneaking my entry in before the deadline: