Song of the Red-Legged Birds: Chapter 43: Mostly apologies
Holding hands with Chimera
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You made it to the end! If you’ve read each (or any) installment in the serialization of this novel I’m very grateful and hope you enjoyed the trip. I’ll post a few more times with some chapters that didn’t make the cut, as well as some photos that inspired the setting of events depicted, and maybe a little background info on the novel. But not too much, because I think the pictures readers make in their heads are always better.
Bill
Last week, in chapter 42, Part 3, Christo and Oliver Dean met their fate
Chapter 43: Mostly apologies
The sun bore down during the ascent to the top while a stiff breeze buffeted, reminding them of the power of the weather on Mount Washington–even on a mild day. Triscuit bounded from boulder to boulder, trailing them and occasionally leading. Every descending hiker smiled at her as they passed.
When they reached the top, the parking lot was full of tourists who had driven the auto road, taken the train, or ridden a tour bus. Many were taking pictures at the signpost marking the summit; others dashed inside to avoid the wind and visit the snack bar.
“You made it!” Holly patted Takeda on the back. “How’s it feel to have summited for the first time?”
“It feels… tired, H. And, I think I’m getting a blister. Also, I got shot today, so…”
“Oh my god, such a baby!” Holly said, pointing at Triscuit. “She got shot too, and look at her, working the crowd!” Triscuit was absorbing pats and attention from random tourists who couldn’t help themselves.
“Well, now what?” he said.
“Let’s go inside, wash up, get a cup of coffee and some hot food. If you’re like me, you prefer a dose of creature comforts before being presented with the mysteries of the world,” Holly said.
“Yeah, same as me. Come on, Tris,” Takeda said.
They went inside the building together.
They sat inside by the large windows that overlooked the mountain vista. It gave them a close-up view of the famous Cog Railway while they sipped coffee from paper cups. A replica of an antique train hovered above tracks that it no longer needed to find its way up and down the mountain. Tourists bounded off the locomotive while those waiting for the ride down stood by taking a few last photos.
You Should Be Dancing by the Bee Gees began to play over the restaurant intercom.
Then they saw her.
“Tak?” She pointed out the window at the little girl in the red dress sitting alone on a bench near the train.
Without a word, they got up and walked outside, hand-in-hand with Triscuit in tow.
Gravel crunched underfoot as they approached her.
He cleared his throat. “Chimera?”
“Hi, Takeda!” she said with an infectious smile. “And you’re Holly; I’m so pleased to meet you!”
“Likewise?” Holly said with hesitation. A few people walked by, staring at them as they appeared to be talking to an empty bench.
Triscuit jumped up on the seat and licked Chimera’s face with joy. She giggled and hugged the dog.
“Come, come, please sit down!” She patted the bench, and they both sat. “Don’t you love trains! It seems like yesterday I was talking to a lovely couple just like you, almost on this exact spot. Although, that was quite a while ago in human terms. The trains had giant wheels back then.“
“Who are you?” Holly said.
The wisdom that flicked across Chimera’s face was incongruous with her apparent age. She smiled. “It’s a difficult question to answer. The simplest one is this. I speak for them.” She waved to the landscape.
“You speak for them? Who is that? Why is that?” Takeda asked.
“Well, overall, they’re not very chatty… that’s a joke!” Chimera laughed.
They smiled nervously.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make you feel weird. It’s rare that we communicate directly with humans, in your language. You have such delightful ways of expressing yourselves!”
“Who is we? The trees? Like, all of them. All the trees?” Holly said.
“YES,” Chimera said in a voice that became deep, full, and echoed across the valley. She raised her hands, palms to the sky, and lowered her head. Holly and Takeda watched as every single tree in their view seemed to grow taller and stretch towards them. A sonorous hum filled the air like a thousand monks chanting in unison under a needy, crimson sky. Takeda turned to Holly with his mouth open. Her eyes were wide, and she gripped his knee like a vice. Behind them, he noticed people boarding the train, oblivious to the impossible scene.
The trees recoiled back to their normal state, and the hum stopped.
“I’m sorry if that was frightening. It is so much easier to show than to tell. You know that Takeda, being a writer and all.”
He blinked at her.
“Let me get to it. We’ve been silent throughout the whole of humanity. The Trees have given of ourselves to you in endless ways to make this a world we both could share. We’ve never asked for anything because that is not our way, nor would it be understood. But our time is growing short. Your species is self-destructing and threatening our home, a home that it took a very long time for us to find. The gift we gave you, which you call The Event, was intended to slow, stop, and reverse your course. It hasn’t done that well enough. In fact, as you’ve seen, it’s given rise to a new kind of fear. You look to the skies to destroy threats that don’t exist and sow distrust around the world. Our gift to you, to take away your suffering and to save this planet for us both, did not go far enough. We’ve led you both here to try again, one last time.”
“Why us? Why did we need to be involved? Can’t you do whatever it is on your own? People died, we almost died!” Holly stood up, glaring at Chimera, then looked away at the landscape. “All due respect.”
“The connection between Trees and humans has to be one of acceptance, and it has to be willing. We do this together or not at all. Today, you speak for the human race. I speak for them.”
“Wha, what’s going to happen? How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Takeda said.
The air crackled, and Chimera began to blur–her image transformed into Wake.
“What it is, cool cats! This is the definition of far-out, am I right? I’m glad you made it here and only sorry that I couldn’t keep my human form longer. But honestly, this shit is amazeballs! You’re going to dig it too, someday. Tell my buddies I love them and will catch them on the flippity flip!”
He made a peace sign and faded back into Chimera before either of them could speak.
“I love Wake–such a sweet human!” she said, kicking her feet in the air.
“What do we need to do?” Holly said.
“Join hands with me.” Chimera jumped off the bench and held out her arms–they both stood.
“Will Triscuit be okay?” Takeda knelt and hugged Tris.
“Just like you, she’s going to be better than okay. You’ll all be at peace here on Earth, every day, forever.”
“What do you think, H? Want to try and save the world with me?” He put his arms around her waist.
“As long as it’s with you, dum-dum.” She pulled him close. They kissed shakily with eyes closed–for a moment, forgetting where they were– blending with all that was, and all that will ever be.
When they opened their eyes, Chimera was smiling at them, tears running down her cheeks. “We, the Trees, thank you for saving our world.” She held out her hands.
Takeda held Holly’s right hand with his left. Triscuit sat in front of them, pressed against their legs.
“Hey, Tak? I never did ask you. What did you want for your birthday?”
They both smiled, kissed again, and reached for Chimera’s hands.
The end.