The Everlasting Tree

The wind was pushing the pine trees farther and farther back and forth leaving the birds and other tree inhabitants restless. Some scattered, others fled, searching for another place to seek shelter. So, as the storm reached it's peak, so did the river. It's waves began to thrash against the rocks, almost in sync with the clash of thunder. Soon, it began to pour and lightning struck one of the trees casting an incandescent glow as it swung back and forth. As thunder became louder, and as the wind screamed and howled, an elderly woman came out of the woods. She was tiny, compared to the tall pine trees. She was soaked now, and cold but she didn't seem to care. She wasn't afraid of the lightning or the thunder. She began to cross the river. As she pressed her wrinkly foot against one of the rocks, the river seemed to calm. It flowed slowly, like it carried a cradle. It no longer was together with the thunder. The woman smiled ever so gently and gracefully hopped from rock to rock until she was on the other side of the river. The wind screeched as the fiery pine tree swung from side to side. Luckily no other tree were hit by the vicious lightning. As she began to walk towards the tree, the thunder began to roll, she still was not afraid. She took one more step towards the tree, and lightning stuck it once more. Suddenly the rain stopped, thunder gave out it's last fearful roar and it was silent. The wind began to blow the fire out of the tree, forming a dark smoke. It took the shape of a sinister man. It was larger than her, but she still stood her ground. The man of smoke held his hands behind his see through back, and smiled at her.

"Oh my dear, " he said lovingly. He circled around her, and with his dark finger and sharp fingernail lifted her chin. She shook her head away, and he sneered.

"You look very weary. I'm surprised you still came." She still stood confidently, unmoved by his words. The ground underneath her popped lovely ox eye daisies, and among them ivy which grew up her short legs.

"Do you still challenge me, woman? I am powerful than you," he brushed his hand over a group of daisies and in a seconds notice, they wilted and died. Then he glared at her, as if he was taunting her. After a moments silence, she motioned her arm over the group of wilted daisies. They grew again and all around the dark shadow of the man.

"I don't hate you," she said kindly in her raspy voice. "I don't fear your power. Why should I fear something that cannot harm me?"

His shadow darkened and he became angry.

"I am the master of Death! You shall fear me!" , he roared and still the elderly woman did not move, but the smoke of his shadow began to fade.

"I fear no one," she whispered calmly.

Slowly, the sun came out of the covering clouds, and sprung light on the elderly lady and sinister apparition of a man. The woman glowed as if she had a silver lining. This made the sinister apparition step towards the tree. He had become more frightened of her.

"Tell me," she whispered. "Why do we meet every spring?"

"To challenge me?" She shook her head.

"You have forgotten the laws of nature. Do you not see the rebirth of the fish in the river or the deer in the wood?"

"No," replied he.

"I come to give you the souls of the dead. When you go back to your place, you release the new souls of the deer and fish to come. You also bring my renewed soul to my body. Nature can show the most wondrous of sights only if you have a loving touch."

After she had spoke, an elk had come out of the woods. He crossed the river and stood confidently along side the woman. Soon, animals of all kind stood along side her.

"These animals are all to be reborn, thanks to you. But, if you become careless," she said petting the elk. "A species can become extinct if you do not return their soul."

The apparition knew of the consequences now. He looked at the smoke from the tree. It was fading rapidly. He didn't have long.

"You do not need to fear me. I am not a threat to you. Nor are you a threat to me. These animals are ready to leave. This is the last day of their lives. They have lived through all the seasons, found a mate and now they must end the cycle. They are ready. So are we, dear apparition. Farewell, until next spring."

He nodded and drew his last breath and with it the wind blew the smoke out. He was gone, and a bright light shined in his place. It took little circles of light along with it. Each animal gave out a little ball of light with it a happy memory. A bunny when it had found it's mate or when it first saw it's mother. They danced around until all balls of light were collected. The animals bodies had faded, and the faded color of them had been woven into the sky. The woman smiled and exhaled, and so her ball of light was brighter than the sun. It was an array of the rainbow. She had fainted and fell onto the soft green grass where, all kinds of wildflowers popped out. The ball of light showed a memory of her when she had been reborn in her hundredth year to a lovely new fawn that had wandered towards her. She smiled and it had stayed with her till the very end to where it had died. When the memory had ended, the ball of light collided with hers casting a new feeling over the Earth. The ball went inside the tree, and disappeared. After a few minutes, the woman woke up. She no longer was wrinkly or had back pain. She looked at her hands, the were pink from the warm sun, and soft. She could see better now, she was young again. She got up and gracefully crossed the river, and once she was on the other bank, she looked back at the little pod of daisies. She smiled to herself and walked back into the woods.

The End.