He took a half dozen steps out into the Sunlight, pressed his eyelids together while he lifted his unseeing gaze to the star letting its heat and light wash over him. Unsure of how much time had passed he forced himself back to the real world. There was work to be done. The fields now needed to be combed over. An intense search for any toxic remnants would have to be taken sooner rather than later. Not giving a chance to the disease has to be top priority.
With this in mind he took to all fours and slid his hands across the dirt blindly searching for signs of contamination. He was shocked to find no trace of whatever had caused the annihilation. How could this be. There is always a catalyst to events but none could be found. He examined the dirt closer and in various areas around him finding exactly the same thing, nothing. He would still have to search the entire field just to be on the safe side of things. He used a crisscross pattern to cover the remaining area. As he moved closer to where the trees had been something caught his attention. A pointed tip could be seen erupting from the soil. Scurrying over to this treasure caused a size-able dust cloud which overtook him and brought on a coughing fit forcing him to a crawl. Dropping his chest to the earth with a thud he slithered the final few inches. His gaze studies the protrusion trying to identify it. Washing over him was the sudden realization of what this thing exactly was. To be sure he must first fully reveal and inspect it further. He lifted his right hand and gingerly brought it towards the object. With the slightest of pressure he released it from a subterranean prison. His breath was involuntarily held as the answer to what this was presented itself. He was holding a seed. As he held it up to the sky and allowed the sun to light his inspection, something else caught his attention. Just out of reach from his current location another object was peaking through the surface. He slowly made his way towards the second discovery. Once he had approached it he didn't even need to study this one because he already knew it was another seed.
The two seeds were almost indistinguishable for one and other. He sat up and looked closely at both seeds. There was something familiar about them. In an instant he was slapped with the answer. Nearly 7 years ago there was an incident which mirrored the current situation. The level of devastation was quite different on that occasion. That event left a few trees initially, but they too slowly withered away eventually. The seeds that were left behind he collected and planted. As the years went by those seeds flourished. Bringing to life fruit trees and flowers.
He wondered if these new seeds would also perform the same way. This faint trickle of hope brought with it a renewed energy with which he would scour the land and sort through all that remained and collect every seed regardless of the time it would take him.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Plant Life - 02 - Reign of the Rains
The now forming mud puddle surrounding him forced his retreat. His knee had to be forcibly pulled from the mud as he struggled to stand. There was a willow tree on the hill not far from his current location, just beyond his territory. He knew he should head towards it sooner rather than later since it was the only place close enough to take some shelter from this rain. Before he had even taken a half dozen steps the rains had ceased. It had been less then two minutes in length with a moderate amount of water taking refuge on the soil.
It had been 2 days since the rains arrived and there was no end in sight. Two days of varied intensity rains. Sometimes lasting only 30 seconds, other times lasting up to 5 minutes. The time between the rains also dramatically shifted. Sometimes it could have been hours between 2 distinct rain falls and occasionally begin again within moments of the last.
As the days sailed by the rains began to lessen in frequency. Such words could not be said about it's intensity however. A crushing onslaught of water descended during this period of precipitation. Making matters worse had been the fact that these rains were terribly unpredictable. Striking wildly and randomly these out bursts kept his movement impaired.
Thirteen days passed since the great extinguish and today the clouds were bruised and anxious. It had not rained at all since late last night. It was becoming apparent just what was in store for today. He watched the clouds continue to congregate. Pushing against each other often forcing the mass up towards the stars.
It was slightly before noon as the first drop of rain sliced through the air denting the soil. Suddenly the air was thick with rain. It looked as though billions of strings were connecting earth and cloud. He tried to brave the water but was only stung by it's violence. The entire ground was now a puddle. The earth couldn't keep up and was choking. The air was filling with water as well. The vapour so thick he had to struggle even to make the smallest syllable audible.
Thirty-six minutes later the sky was shyly revealing itself.
It had been 2 days since the rains arrived and there was no end in sight. Two days of varied intensity rains. Sometimes lasting only 30 seconds, other times lasting up to 5 minutes. The time between the rains also dramatically shifted. Sometimes it could have been hours between 2 distinct rain falls and occasionally begin again within moments of the last.
As the days sailed by the rains began to lessen in frequency. Such words could not be said about it's intensity however. A crushing onslaught of water descended during this period of precipitation. Making matters worse had been the fact that these rains were terribly unpredictable. Striking wildly and randomly these out bursts kept his movement impaired.
Thirteen days passed since the great extinguish and today the clouds were bruised and anxious. It had not rained at all since late last night. It was becoming apparent just what was in store for today. He watched the clouds continue to congregate. Pushing against each other often forcing the mass up towards the stars.
It was slightly before noon as the first drop of rain sliced through the air denting the soil. Suddenly the air was thick with rain. It looked as though billions of strings were connecting earth and cloud. He tried to brave the water but was only stung by it's violence. The entire ground was now a puddle. The earth couldn't keep up and was choking. The air was filling with water as well. The vapour so thick he had to struggle even to make the smallest syllable audible.
Thirty-six minutes later the sky was shyly revealing itself.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Plant Life - 01 - Hardscrabble
The air seeped from him like a tiny puncture to the inner tube of a tire. Within seconds the fruit fell from the trees like heavy rain and the land suddenly became barren. Years of tender pruning erased from view. It wiped life from the landscape like a chalkboard, leaving only a faint trace of what was. He looked around the desolate gardens unsure of what exactly had transpired. Shock still strangled him as he searched for a way to maintain his balance. He lowered himself to one knee and took in a full breath. The wind carried with it not a trace of evidence. Nor had it revealed anything of where it had been or where it was destined to be, when it whispered around his ears.
As he turned his head westward he caught the Sun sinking into it's slumber but before it finally fell from the horizon it gave one last blast of light, which instantly turned the trees to ash. After a few moments of having taken in this event he knew the field would have to be re-tilled and re-fertilized if a future were ever to flourish here. Both of these tasks seemed overwhelming as he stood in the shadow of that which had just transpired. This inevitability would have to wait for the correct conditions and more importantly for time to ripen him.
The Rains were coming. He could already sense that the clouds had begun to weep. Without fail a single drop fell on his cheek and plummeted towards his chin. The drop lingered there and teased it's release for an agonizing fraction of a second. The speed with which it now descended was akin to syrup from a maple tree waking on a dark winter morning. He knew his ability to contain the rain was non-existent. Waves of sporadic and often violent rainfall would be birthed from these conditions, that much was certain.
These were the first of the rains to pass through this area in close to 4 years. Even though time had passed he knew how it always started. First the light rains would reveal themselves like the brightest of stars which can be seen as early as dusk. This type of rain always gave warning of its approach, by allowing a fine mist the ability to embrace everything it came into contact with. Over the course of a few days the rain would slowly shift to fewer outbursts but with a more violent overtone.
One thing he knew for certain or as certain as one could be in these unsettling times, was that once the unrelenting rains pummeled him and his garden an end was sure to be in sight.
As he turned his head westward he caught the Sun sinking into it's slumber but before it finally fell from the horizon it gave one last blast of light, which instantly turned the trees to ash. After a few moments of having taken in this event he knew the field would have to be re-tilled and re-fertilized if a future were ever to flourish here. Both of these tasks seemed overwhelming as he stood in the shadow of that which had just transpired. This inevitability would have to wait for the correct conditions and more importantly for time to ripen him.
The Rains were coming. He could already sense that the clouds had begun to weep. Without fail a single drop fell on his cheek and plummeted towards his chin. The drop lingered there and teased it's release for an agonizing fraction of a second. The speed with which it now descended was akin to syrup from a maple tree waking on a dark winter morning. He knew his ability to contain the rain was non-existent. Waves of sporadic and often violent rainfall would be birthed from these conditions, that much was certain.
These were the first of the rains to pass through this area in close to 4 years. Even though time had passed he knew how it always started. First the light rains would reveal themselves like the brightest of stars which can be seen as early as dusk. This type of rain always gave warning of its approach, by allowing a fine mist the ability to embrace everything it came into contact with. Over the course of a few days the rain would slowly shift to fewer outbursts but with a more violent overtone.
One thing he knew for certain or as certain as one could be in these unsettling times, was that once the unrelenting rains pummeled him and his garden an end was sure to be in sight.
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