Spring Crossing

A story of two orphans

It’s spring time and this part of the land has changed. The turtle has traveled for days to the swamp far away from its nest for a place to hibernate. It has done this trip every year but never seen any part of the land like this before: the grass seemed to just disappear and the soil turned black and hard. The black soil stretch so far left and right that going around it would have been impractical. The turtle decided to approach and possibly cross the black soil if it has any hope of seeing the water beyond.

“Hi!” — The black soil said.

“Hello, I’m turtle, and you are?”

“I’m the road.”

“Hello road, I’m looking for water, do you know a way to get there?”

“Yes, cross over me. The swamp beyond me stretches as far as you can see.”

“Thank you.” — said the turtle stepping on the black soil. Its feet coil at the heat.

“Why is there no grass on you?” — the turtle asked.

“Grass don’t grow on me, I’m not soil. I’m made of something else.”

“Made? What does that mean?”

“Something created me. The birds told me that I don’t have a father or a mother like others. I was just made and came to existence one day”

What a strange creature. “No father or mother?” — the turtle asked as it ventured further through the black soil. The road was silent in response to the rhetorical question. The turtle went on:

“I’m the same way, just one day I broke out of my shell and saw my brother and sisters. We have never seen my mother or father.”

“But you know you had a father and a mother” — the road asserted.

“Yes.”

The turtle took a few more steps. Its steps have always been slow and cautious. A slight rumbling underneath its feet. Perhaps the road was sad?

“If you have no father or mother, may be you can be a mother or a father someday?”

“No. The birds told me I can never bear children. They said my kind don’t even grow old or die.”

Those bird have always been cruel, the turtle thought. The rumbling continued, seemingly harder as the turtle stepped further into the road.

“So why are you looking for water?” — The road finally broke the silence.

“I’m going to find new water to hibernate. And maybe another turtle to bear my children. I want to father many eggs. They will turn into many turtles like me!”

“I see. But will you leave them like you father and mother”

“Perhaps” — the turtle responded absentmindedly.

“But then they will be left alone like you. You won’t have a chance to take care of them.” — the road asked.

“They can take care of themselves. Like I have taken of myself. That makes them stronger.”

Just as the turtle finish its sentence, the rumbling suddenly turns into a jolt that lifted the turtle. There was large shadow swooshing by. All that was left was the air violently scream after the assault.

Instinctively, the turtle coiled. Withdrew into its shell. Its eyes focus in search of what was happening. Then another shadow. Swoosh!

It was large. And it moved fast. Faster than the birds. Every time it passed the turtle rocked in its shell.

“What is it?!” — The turtle demanded.

“Those things that moved on me everyday. They comes and goes in waves. They will pass.” — the road calmly explained.

“What? Why did you not tell me this before? They will kill me!” — The turtle heard it self screaming. Its anger rose but then was abruptly interrupted as another shadow zoom through. Swoosh!

The road didn't respond.

The turtle had no words for the manipulative black soil. Instead, it focused on how to get out of this situation. A bad situation wasn't new to the turtle. The first day out of its shell was its first bad situation. Many of its sibling died while it had survived. The turtle wasn’t going to die today.

It could see the grass beyond. Just a bit more. As the heavy shadow passing in lesser frequency, the turtle was going to dash for it. It started to reach out its paws.

“You should not move suddenly” — The road speaks. “I have seen deer much faster than you get crushed by those things. Their blood smear on my body. Their flesh scatter every which way.”

The turtle knew the deer. They were fast. If the deer had no chance of living, what chance did the turtle has. It screamed inside, hoping to drown out the fear that is overcoming its body. Why did this vile creature lure him to such danger. What does this create has to gain?

“Stay still” — The road ordered.

“So I can die?”

“You may die. I have seen many of your kind died. But I can assure you, more died because they tried to run than those that stay.”

The road paused to let that sinks in.

“So stay until I say you can move.”

Death. And no children — The turtle thought. Why is this creature doing this? Why did he has to cross the black soil today?

“Listen to the vibration below you. The shadows moves around you. They mean you no harm. They simply move on top of me.”

The turtle silently listened, it had no way of knowing the truth, but it has no choice. So far, all it knows that is that it has not be crushed by the shadows. Staying still seems like the best solution at this point. The turtle wasn't the type that take unnecessary risk.

With every shadow passing, the turtle notice how violent the shadow heave upon the road. It must be brutal with hundred of passing like this.

As the rumbling subsided. The road finally spoke:

“You can move forward now.”

The turtle was cautious. I didn't hear or feel any thing else, but it didn't want to trust the black soil anymore.

“You should move now before another wave comes. They are coming soon”

Seeing no better alternative, the turtle finally release out of it shell. It takes a few step. Monitoring the ground for any sudden vibration.

“Move faster! They are coming.”

Stepping further. Only a few more steps to the grass it seems but it was an eternity. The rumbling returned. It alarmed the turtle. He stopped.

“You have time. Move faster!!”

This time the turtle run, as quickly as it could. A shadow passes. Swoosh! Air screamed. Swoosh!

“Move faster!!”

Swoosh! Just a bit more. Swoosh!

The turtle rolled down the grassy hill passed the road and landed on its stomach. The wet soil sooth the sheath that has been heated through the crossing

Regaining its focus, the turtle assessed its place. It seemed safe now. It look at the road. Now silent.

“Why did you lie to me?”

“I have seen your kind many times. You are not the first that look for the water beyond. You are looking for a mate as well, like many others. So you can be fathers and mothers. Would you have turned around if I told you of the danger?”

Thought about it a bit. The turtle has never turned around. It had a mission every year and once it set on its path, it never turned around.

“No” — the turtle said.

“Then what good does it do for me to tell you. At least you cross me half way without problems and not be burden by fear.”

Not sure to thank or to curse at the road. The turtle didn't press on.

“How many of my kind die?”

“Many. And not just of your kind. Other kinds as well. The deer I told you died too. There were countless. I told them not to cross when the shadows are coming but they didn't listen.”

The road tell more and more stories of life and death for those that cross it. Every time it tries to help but often it failed. It was sad for those that die. It mourned their bodies for day until they were removed or complete smeared away by the shadows. It didn't know what the shadows are. It didn't know why they kill and sometimes they spared some lives.

For a creature that was never born and will never die, the road has seen many lives saved and many deaths.

After a while, it’s time for the turtle to move on.

“Go a bit further that way and you will find the water. The bird told me there are many turtles there. I hope you father many children” — the road gave it goodbye.

“I hope you can bear children one day as well.” — the turtle said.

“No child. You, your kind, and all living things that cross me are my children.”

Blogging University. Day 7: Give and Take.