Weak in Body, Strong in Mind and Spirit

Pamela, Kimberly, Puyallup, and I had walked the small distance to Aurora’s nest in short order. Aurora was waiting. She had a wooden vessel containing lake water. She rubbed stems between her hands and dropped the powder into the cup. She then took two leaves and two berries and crushed them into the cup.

“I thought the leave and berries were poison!” exclaimed Puyallup, somewhat alarmed.

“In large quantities, they are,” replied Aurora. “But they are also poison to Kimberly’s disease.”

She handed it to Kimberly who drank it right down.

“It isn’t bad, actually,” said Kimberly.

“Come twice a day, dawn and sunset,” said Aurora.

“I’ll see to it she does,” said Puyallup who then translated for Kimberly.

Aurora smiled.

“Thank you, Aurora,” said Kimberly hugging her.

“That’s called a hug,” I said.

“Good Earth Mother,” said Aurora, “I know what a hug is.”

“And what an odd beast,” said Aurora pointing at the Baddog. “I haven’t seen one like that since Sir William Johnson visited.”

Pamela and Kimberly looked startled as I translated.

“He had one with him when the copper skinned Little People brought him to me,” said Aurora. “He was wounded in battle and I sent him to the healing waters in the east for his treatment.”

Pamela did some quick math and then said “That would make you at least two hundred and forty years old!”

“Well, I was in the Forest for a hundred winters before that,” she continued. “Don’t Little People live that long?”

Pamela and Kimberly giggled, and Kimberly said “No, nowhere close! Some might live to be a hundred years... winters... but that’s it.”

“How sad,” said Aurora. “Make sure you come back later today for more potion.”

Puyallup translated.

“We will,” said Kimberly.

As they left Aurora, I said “I’m going to my peaceful spot. Would you all like to join me?”

“Sure,” said Pamela. “Love to.”

It was close by. The sun was rising but Puyallup and I weren’t tired having slept the entire night away.

As we sat on the ledge overlooking the lake, Pamela and Kimberly enjoyed the bright sunshine. Puyallup and I sat in the shade.

“This is where I come to communicate with you, Pamela,” I said.

“This is beautiful,” said Kimberly.

“I could live here,” said Pamela wistfully.

“You’re going to live here?” I asked.

“No,” she answered. “When David and I traveled down the coast in our trawler... a conveyance that moves on the water... we would say that if we liked a place where we stopped.”

“Coast?” asked Puyallup.

“It is where the land meets water,” said Pamela.

“Oh, the shore,” he said.

“But much, much longer,” said Pamela. “The eastern seaboard is a couple of thousand miles.”

“How far is that?” I asked.

“Well, say it is four miles from the Five Brothers to Chase Lake,” she continued, “you would have to walk it five hundred times.”

“How many is five hundred?” asked Puyallup.

“If you walked it once a day, it would take you from winter to winter, and then spring,” she answered.

“That is a very far distance then,” answered Puyallup.

“That is where Florida is,” projected Pamela. “Where David is now, tending our dogs, cats, and goats.”

Pamela stared at Madu and Puyallup with narrowed eyes. We knew better than to ask.

Kimberly giggled.

“Cruising down the coast had been a dream of David’s for many, many years,” said Pamela. “And now we’ve done it. David says he can now die happy.”

Puyallup and I nodded.

“It is good to have dreams,” said Puyallup. “Mine is living here at the Five Brothers in peace.”

“My dream is to kick cancer’s butt,” said Kimberly.

Puyallup put his big arm around her and hugged her.

“Aurora is very old, and very wise,” said Puyallup. “If anyone can do it, Aurora can.”

We four sat on the ledge until late in the day.

“Shall we see Aurora?” asked Puyallup.

“Yes,” said Kimberly rising.

We walked the short distance to Aurora’s nest where she was waiting. She looked at Kimberly carefully and sniffed. A smile came over her face.

“You’re doing well, Kimberly,” said Aurora. “Very well. The Bitter Nightshade is working.”

Puyallup translated.

“Thank you, Aurora,” projected Kimberly.

Puyallup had begun to translate, but Aurora looked startled.

“It is what they call mindspeak, Aurora,” I said. “When Little People and Forest People connect on an emotional and spiritual level, it can happen.”

“Oh Good Earth Mother, I know what mindspeak is,” said Aurora. “Our stories tell of the Ancient Ones being able to do it. It is how they communicated over great distances.”

Kimberly hugged Aurora again, and Aurora hugged her back.

“Come back when the sun rises,” said Aurora with affection. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Alright,” said Kimberly.

We walked back to my nest where Kamela was expecting me.

“I was getting worried, Madu,” she said. “Are you hungry?”

“A little,” I replied.

“Slugs and berries?” she asked.

“That sounds wonderful,” I answered.

“Pamela and Kimberly? Slugs and berries?”

“No slugs,” they said in unison.

“No slugs?”

“No. Ewwwww...” said Kimberly.

“You don’t like them?” asked Kamela.

“No. I’ve never had slugs,” she answered.

“Then how do you know you don’t like them?” asked Kamela, puzzled.

“Now you sound like my mother,” said Kimberly.

“Your mother wants you to eat Slugs and you don’t?”

“No!” said Kimberly giggling. “But thank you. I’m tired anyway. I think I’m going to bed.”

“Me too,” said Pamela.

As they crawled into their little abode, I heard them talking in hushed voices and giggling.

The next morning, they crawled out of their abode. They were chilly.

“I’m making coffee,” said Pamela, rubbing her hands together.

“That sounds great,” said Kimberly. “Want a doughnut to go with it?”

“Yes, that would be wonderful.”

It was just then that they saw me watching them.

“Madu, would you like a doughnut?” asked Kimberly, holding a container at me.

I walked over and looked at it and sniffed it.

“What is this?” I asked.

“It is called a doughnut,” said Pamela.

I’d never seen such a thing before. This food had a hole in the middle, and it was round. Pamela handed me the doughnut. I stuck it in my mouth and swallowed it.

“Hey, slow down and enjoy it!” scolded Pamela.

“Sorry, but it was so tiny,” I answered.

“Only to you,” said Pamela giggling. “Do you want another?”

“All right,” I answered as she handed me another.

Pamela gave me the look. I don’t like the look. I took tiny bites of this doughnut, chewed it carefully, and swallowed.

“Better,” said Pamela.

“Let’s go see Aurora,” said Kimberly.

We walked to Aurora’s nest where Puyallup was already waiting.

“Good morning,” said Kimberly to everyone.

Aurora walked to Kimberly and sniffed. Then she turned Kimberly around and sniffed more.

“It is almost gone,” said Aurora.

“Are you serious?” asked Kimberly in wonder.

“Yes, of course,” said Aurora. “But I want you to continue taking the potion twice a day, one leaf and one berry, at least for a time. And I want to see you everyday.”

“OK,” said Kimberly.

Pamela, Puyallup, and I were all smiles.

“I don’t know what to say,” said Kimberly somewhat tearily. “I don’t have the words.”

“You just did,” smiled Aurora. “By the way, how are you feeling?”

“Like a million bucks,” she answered. Pamela giggled as we all stood there dumbfounded. “Um... very well, thank you.”

As we all walked away, I said “I need to get some sleep.”

“Me too,” said Puyallup.

“Feel up to a hike to Chase Lake?” asked Pamela.

“Sure, but at a slower pace than how we got here, riding Sasquatches,” smiled Kimberly.