The Forest

Leaning over the narrow bed, he smoothed the pea-green blanket. There it was again, the whisper dancing on the wind. This time, he heard his name. He stepped into his house slippers and padded to the kitchen, thinking a slice of cake might settle him. How long had he dreaded this, his last night in the barracks?

The fork was halfway to his mouth when he heard it again, this time in front of the building. He opened his door, the cake demolished under his bayonet. His name riding an icy spring breeze. The hair on the back of his neck arched as he reached the pavement, still holding the fork.

He crossed the road and edged carefully along a perimeter fence, blades of grass slapping his ankles with their frosted frost. He slipped.

There it was again, “Charles.”

No one had called him by his given name in years. “Mad Dog,” the recruits called him. “Doggo,” to his friends. He shivered.

His old knees walked him past an empty gatehouse. They stopped in front of a dense wood. The sodium arc lamps of the streetlights cast a warm yellow glow along its front line.  As the night’s chill crept in, he heard laughter.  He blew onto his age-spotted hands and then clamped them under his armpits.  The line of trees was perfect.  The manicured lawn ended and thick trunks began. His cervical vertebrae cracked as he looked up. 

“Charles,” she sighed.  

A warm breeze hugged him. His lips twitched into a smile. He stepped towards the entrance. It was black as pitch but he heard… a party. Butterflies rose along his stomach lining. He closed his eyes, opened his arms, and inhaled. Her gift penetrated his dying alveoli.

A twig snapped and he jumped. He squinted; his night vision hazy. A young woman stood just inside the line of trees, confetti in her loose hair. In her slender hand, she held a pinecone. She took one step forward, her prairie dress sliding along the needled floor, leaving a sparkling contrail. She wore flowers in her hair. 

He smoothed his flattop. Behind her, the laughter swirled in golden orbs around a glowing fire. It caressed him and the butterflies took flight. He took one step forward as her polished white teeth appeared between beguiling lips. She held the metallic and indigo dusted strobile out to him. As he took it, the protective cage around his heart lifted. 

She took his hand and they stepped forward, together. 

He could see them now, clearly. Those beautiful energies, dancing around the fire, their arms outstretched, their backs arching in ecstasy. The music caressed his joints. They stepped forward.

He stood to his full height. He breathed clearly. His cheeks plumped.

She guided his hand, pushing the pinecone into his pectoralis, joy reverberated in his ribcage.

Binkie cried his inner child with glee. 

Rex he ran his hand down the puppy’s back. 

Janice he felt his wife’s kiss. He saw them in the circle, waiting for him. They stepped forward.

His body came alive, turning his head; he felt his hair on his shoulders. He bounced forward into the light. Love enveloped him. In the midst of the dance, sparkling dust shimmering in his hair, he laughed.  The pinecone fell from his hand.

##

The forest breathed, inhaling carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen deeply grateful to be engaged in its life’s work. Dark and silent with one cosmic pinecone just inside her perimeter. She waited.

“Agnes,” she breathed.

Agnes cut the line to her IV with the scissors from the nursing station.  It was a long walk along the dark road that led to the base, but it was a warm night, even with the back of her gown flapping. 

A resplendent Charles waited for her, tendrils of white curls touching his epaulets. His white beard shone above the peace sign on his breast.  “Agnes,” he called softly.

She could hear music playing and saw the dancing faeries in the dust, the light emanating from the sun above catching them and shining their glitter. She took his hand.

They stepped forward.

All the stories and posts on this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without prior written consent from the author. You may quote without permission if you give the proper credit and backlinks. Thanks!