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Red Dark enjoys his chimney spot.  Sitting finely above -- all the while looking down.  He lowers his head.  He spins it round and round just to show off his long, skinny neck’s creaking sounds.  With glee in his heart, never taking his eyes off me, he shrills to Red Beak that my end is soon to be near!

 

I think, “Where have I come!  Now! To where!  Isn’t it enough to be Lost in the Woods!  Must I also go to ‘No Where’ I should?”   Where is Safe!   I’m in this big place of Wood and now have bramble on the ground!”

 

My crawl becomes slower and slower while finding my way as the shades of darkness take their way.  Both agents of gloom spread out their wings casting even deeper shadows on the forest ground.  They decide they have time to wait and want to save all their cunning might.  

 

I see a change ahead.  Something is happening inside the house.  The house once shrouded in deep shadows except for the glimmer in the upstairs window seems to beckon me closer.  The figure still stands at his window.  But, I see something else happening.  Beaming closer and closer to me comes another softer and gentler light.  How slowly it fills the night air and what a lovely soft glow it casts on the bramble-covered house stair.  What is happening?  Do I see this light from an open door?  Or is it from the moon now out of hiding?

 

Is this a young child standing at the door studying the night jungle?  The door is ajar – just half-open.  I cannot tell if the young lad is in, or is he out?  His one hand rests on the knob, looking at me among the briars, while Red Beak perches on the gate.

 

“Will the child wait there for me with the open door,” I plead to the Wind?  I can hurry in!   Does he not see I need relief from my tormentors, Red Beak and Red Dark.  They fly over me once more, howling and screeching, causing me much dread.

 

My agitators decide they can wait; to see my escape or cause me grief.  They fly back to their perch by the gate, and I hear their chant:

 

Just waiting to see,

Just waiting to see

We sit on the gate, waiting to see!”

 

I sigh, making a mournful sound for all to hear.   Have I found safety?  Will this child let me in his open door?  Or will he shut the door for evermore?”

 

I crawl as the question comes, “Is there Safe anywhere?”

 

They wait by the gate.  Their anger unabated.  I turn my head to look at the house.  The door is slowly closing; the child no longer there -- just a small crack left where soft light continues to filter.   Though too small to enter, I continue to crawl, drawn to the house.  By its door, food and drink left there for me!  Does someone inside know my need! 

 

Seeing the bit of light, the invaders of peace fly away, resolved to make misery another day for me.

 

I run to find escape among the trees.  Their leaves will hide me from their beaks.  I know Safe is somewhere but find nowhere is it secure. 

 

There is no pillow here for me. 

 

Once there was a pillow and a bed.  Elizabeth would lean over to stroke my curly white head, and I would look up at her to show how much I cared.  When we went out to play, almost everyone said… “Oh, that is such a cute puppy.”  She would throw a small ball and I would try to pick it up and often on her bike with a leash around my neck, I ran along as she visited friends along the path that bordered The Woods behind her home

 

I remember seeing afar the Forest of the Deep with all the trees that seemed to never end.  And now how hard it is to be here alone.  Alone in this Forest Deep with its dense entanglements and dark leaves that cover my matted and now dark grey fur.  Where I have hidden all day.  Night is falling.  Darkness brings out what daylight hides.  

 

I hear them.  They are coming.  At a distance, I see their shadows casting a deepening darkness against the remaining light of the sky.  A chill permeates the air.  The moon brings the only light, and the swoosh of their wings flapping almost in unison with each other reverberates the impending doom to my heart.  Red Beak and Red Dark’s screeching cries ring out through the woods so that even the leaves of the trees seem to have stopped in motion as their bellows fill the air.

 

But this time is different.  I’m trapped in the deep ravines among briars and bramble that climb the trees, and with roots so dense and thick underneath, I can scarcely feel the forest floor.  I try to set myself free.  

 

Scenting under each piece of leaf, longing for the pleasure of relief, hoping to find my Beginning, has bound me now to this tree.  Oh, how I long to be free!  My thoughts – as entangled now as my feet – led me to believe only with more searching could I leave this Forest of the Deep.

 

My right leg pains from the briars of the bramble cutting into my flesh, and I feel the warm blood oozing as the sharp pain reaches my heart.  If I moan and cry out, they will find me even sooner.  I must remain still.  Hoping to be passed.

 

The chill of the air is intensified by the shadow of their huge span of wings hovering over my now still outstretched body.  They have spotted me in the closing minutes of light.  All around, the sounds of terror grip every living creature as they hasten to get away.  But little ones are of no consequence; they have found me.  There can be no defense.  All I feel is horror mounting within because there will be no mercy shown as they attack my innermost being – my very essence.

 

I look up to see Red Dark, his outstretched wings, his body silhouetted against the darkness now enveloping the Woods.  Red Beak hovers closer as if to see more clearly why there is such stillness within me.  For the first time, Red Beak finds not the running one seen before in the Dark Deep, but a wounded one searching for the safety of Home and hoping for mercy.  I think, if this is the end, let it come quickly.  I don’t want to suffer under the blows of their beaks and the sharp talons of their claws.

 

Red Dark makes a flurry as he lands, rustling the leaves around him.  He senses there is no need to hurry.  He sees me trapped, and my flattened ears are deafened by the squalls of sounds that ring loud of his laughter.  For the first time ever, I cannot run and hide.

 

Red Dark pauses abruptly in his threatening gait as he spots Red Beak who seems to have stopped in mid-flight but has one foot touching the forest floor and landing within inches of me.  Instead of Red Beak turning his attention toward me, I see his body now alert, focusing on the menacing presence of Red Dark who has his head lowered, approaching me, ready to make the first strike.

 

Suddenly, Red Beak’s quivering body intensifies as he settles his landing.  He begins slowly unfurling one of his huge grey wings shielding my body from Red Dark’s intrusion.  There is a magnificent display of his wing pinions gleaming in the moonlight and spilling onto the forest floor, illuminating the dark shadows.  His one uplifted leg displays enormous talons reaching out toward Red Dark as if to forewarn him not to approach any further, or his sharp beak– knife-ready– will be ready for a counterattack.

 

Then, I know. This time, the victory is not Red Dark’s.  It is not even Red Beak’s.  Mercy is shown until dawn finally breaks the sky, and the bramble continues to fall away under the pressure and movement of Red Beak’s close presence.  Why is this happening?   Did Red Beak once have a place called home?  Does he know that is what I now seek?  Why is he bringing me much needed relief?

 

My trapped leg is now freed.  From out of the bramble came unexplained mercy and Refuge.  I can run again. 

 

“But for how long?” sings the Leaves dangling in the Wind.

 

“Will this freedom last?” the Trees blast in one large chord. 

 

Red Dark throws Refuge to the wind and once more begins his chase.  I must quickly exit.  To come here again, I wonder when. 

Will another search lead me to Home? 

“How?” I ask to the Wind. 

“I don’t know.  I don’t know,” I hear my own voice cry an answer within.  I run and I run again.

 

“Again and again,” cries the Wind.

 

I look back to see Red Beak as he flaps one wing toward Red Dark to let him know it’s time for a retreat.  Red Beak’s yellow eyes stare deep into Red Dark’s open throat.  Dark takes off with a jolt knowing that on this new morn, he does not want to choke.

           

My pace slows.   Once more to look for Shelter.  Perhaps to find a tree with nice leaves, and watch a bird building a nest.  Blue birds fly about.   One appears flapping his wings and seems to say, “Follow me.”  I see new kinds of trees in this part not so dense.  There’s sunlight filtering through the trees and causing warmth to my feet

 

Ahead is a clearing and a table surrounded by grass with a left out-spread feast!  I dance on my two hind feet!  The blue bird joins me at the table but soon leaves with crumbs in his beak to fly away from approaching thunder and a darkening sky. 

 

The rain is hard, and I’m cold and wet.  My fur is close to my body, and I shiver from the gloom.  I look around hoping to find relief and a dry place to sleep. I stand under a tree looking at a forest cluttered with debris and leaves scattered about on the ground, picked up, and moved around by the wind.  I roam the forest floor, seeking Home, and a gentle hand to stroke my fur. 

 

There is no pillow here for me.

 

Without warning, a violent shake comes like a strike of a coiled snake!  A mighty oak’s huge branches rain acorns on the hair of my cold and wet body.  The disruptive forces have come back!  Their roar fills the air.  Harder and harder, I try to escape.  But my four legs cannot keep pace with my racing heart as I try to outrun those causing my discontent.  Their flapping wings create a screaming roar louder than thunder and their fury matches the darkness of clouds forming in the blackening sky.

 

My paws sink deeper and deeper into the ground, and my strength wanes.  A mixture of fear and exhaustion is felt in every part of me.  I want to sleep but there is no place to shelter. There is no place to hide.  The rain beating down is causing such pain, I feel as if I’m on fire.  They are close behind swooping their wings in between the trees, caught up in the fury of the wind and watching my every movement.  I can hear their cackle of sounds as it reverberates into the forest, echoing far and wide.  They wait on me to fall before descending upon the sight, hoping for a mighty feast. 

 

Ahead, there’s a dense canopy of shade where the trees intertwine their branches and the leaves seem to mingle together in a hushed form of waiting.  Once those remaining leaves were dancing in the sunlight, but no more.  Instead, I see their quiver as they listen to my heart beat approaching to what was once their peace.  Drawing closer, suddenly a wild burst of wind drops a weathered tree branch to the forest floor and scatters its debris in front of my path. And the dreaded happens, I fall.  I am sliding into a rain drenched hole and feel the thick, yellow mud slowly enveloping most of my dark hairy body.  I struggle to climb out.  But it is too late.

 

The oozing thickness covers me in its thick dark green slime that gives no warning that it is there.  I’m trapped in the forest, alone with only my head and neck exposed above the hole.  Alone, except for my pursuers. They zoom over my head with their wings touching each tree, to let the world see their presence and power over me.  It’s their sharp talon marks they wish to leave.  Their shrieks of laughter deafen me as they dare each other to see how close they can come without striking.  Endlessly they play this game as I look up, buried in mud, unable and too weak to get out.  Each wants to strike the blow onto my head.  It is settled.  Red Dark’s beak is mightier for the deed.  Aided by the power of the wind, Dark lifts his mighty wings and is now high above the trees soaring to gain speed.  He wants at last to make his strike.  Red Beak glides aside so as not to collide in Red Dark’s descent.  Bolts of lightning illuminate the sky and trees are bathed in a bright white light as tongues of fire cascade down their trunks.

 

Suddenly, the sky flings open its doors and clouds rip apart as if they are upstaged.  Surges of energy never felt before are at play!  The thunder of Red Dark’s flapping wings can be heard drawing nearer and nearer to me.  But another power, silent, but more intense than Red Dark’s, is present.  It is pulling me downward, downward in a torrent of motion and speed, spinning me around and around as deeper and deeper my body is pulled into the Earth.  Have I reached the center of the Earth?  Is this a new birth?

 

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