Post by Gene Sarda on Jan 1, 2020 16:26:05 GMT -8
The day was Christmas eve, but it didn’t change anything. Gene was still walking through the woods, her journey seeming endless. That is, until she came upon a small village hidden by trees.
Something’s wrong… Something smells like…. Is that death? The smell of death was something very familiar to Gene. That boy from her past, her mother’s clients that she couldn’t save, her parents, and that woman she stumbled across in the woods. Keeping a distance, Gene walked around the whole village trying to see someone to speak to. After almost walking around all of the buildings, she came across a woman getting water from a well. Approaching the stranger, Gene called out to her.
“Hello? Ma’am? What’s wrong with your village? It’s like a ghost town, and if I didn’t see you I’d think it was abandoned.
The woman’s head shot up, and Gene tried not to flinch when she saw her face. Skin and bones, that’s what this woman was.
“You have no place here, foreigner! Leave, your pity ain’t wanted. Of course you would come here to pity us, rich folk always do. Come check on us sick poor people just to look for ya friends. Well you’re not foolin’ me lil miss duchess, I’ve had it. Leave, NOW!” The old woman croaked, death and anger in her eyes.
Stepping back, Gene was unsure how to reply. She turned around to run back into the forest, needing time to think.
That night, Gene knew what she needed to do. She spent hours growing plants, making medicine, and placing them in anything she could find or make. Bags, jars, cups, anything. She also made baskets out of vines to place all the containers in, securing them but making sure they were easily accessible.
3 am came, and it was officially Christmas. Placing a surgical mask over her mouth and nose, Gene grabbed as many baskets as she could manage and ran into the town. One basket at each door, each one holding enough medicine to heal ten people. The process repeated, Gene sprinting back into the woods to get more baskets and sprinting back until each door had a basket on the doorstep. Gene then ran to an open space near the village, used her vines to build a fence, and started the people a garden. Tomatoes, cucumbers, apple trees, banana trees, everything Gene could think of.
For her last act, Gene went into the town square and grew a pine tree. A full, green, and very tall pine tree with a variety of flowers blooming like Christmas lights. Frowning at the tree, Gene knew something was missing. Placing her hand out, Gene decided on the very top of the tree, there would be a large, red peony flower in place of a star. Smiling at her work, Gene said a silent prayer to anyone listening. A prayer that the people would be blessed, and the people would become strong and healthy again.
As Gene was walking away, she heard a door open and close, followed by a young girls’ squeal. Spinning around, Gene was faced with a 7 year old girl with wide eyes staring at the tree. Gene pulled her mask down to smile at her, turned around, and continued walking. She didn’t need the people to know what she had done, she just needed them to know someone cared about them.
Something’s wrong… Something smells like…. Is that death? The smell of death was something very familiar to Gene. That boy from her past, her mother’s clients that she couldn’t save, her parents, and that woman she stumbled across in the woods. Keeping a distance, Gene walked around the whole village trying to see someone to speak to. After almost walking around all of the buildings, she came across a woman getting water from a well. Approaching the stranger, Gene called out to her.
“Hello? Ma’am? What’s wrong with your village? It’s like a ghost town, and if I didn’t see you I’d think it was abandoned.
The woman’s head shot up, and Gene tried not to flinch when she saw her face. Skin and bones, that’s what this woman was.
“You have no place here, foreigner! Leave, your pity ain’t wanted. Of course you would come here to pity us, rich folk always do. Come check on us sick poor people just to look for ya friends. Well you’re not foolin’ me lil miss duchess, I’ve had it. Leave, NOW!” The old woman croaked, death and anger in her eyes.
Stepping back, Gene was unsure how to reply. She turned around to run back into the forest, needing time to think.
That night, Gene knew what she needed to do. She spent hours growing plants, making medicine, and placing them in anything she could find or make. Bags, jars, cups, anything. She also made baskets out of vines to place all the containers in, securing them but making sure they were easily accessible.
3 am came, and it was officially Christmas. Placing a surgical mask over her mouth and nose, Gene grabbed as many baskets as she could manage and ran into the town. One basket at each door, each one holding enough medicine to heal ten people. The process repeated, Gene sprinting back into the woods to get more baskets and sprinting back until each door had a basket on the doorstep. Gene then ran to an open space near the village, used her vines to build a fence, and started the people a garden. Tomatoes, cucumbers, apple trees, banana trees, everything Gene could think of.
For her last act, Gene went into the town square and grew a pine tree. A full, green, and very tall pine tree with a variety of flowers blooming like Christmas lights. Frowning at the tree, Gene knew something was missing. Placing her hand out, Gene decided on the very top of the tree, there would be a large, red peony flower in place of a star. Smiling at her work, Gene said a silent prayer to anyone listening. A prayer that the people would be blessed, and the people would become strong and healthy again.
As Gene was walking away, she heard a door open and close, followed by a young girls’ squeal. Spinning around, Gene was faced with a 7 year old girl with wide eyes staring at the tree. Gene pulled her mask down to smile at her, turned around, and continued walking. She didn’t need the people to know what she had done, she just needed them to know someone cared about them.
