The Future
My name Raven was once great and revered we were the ones who guided the spirits of the deceased to safety on the other side. I was cherished beyond belief. Once it was custom for a Raven, to be invited to live with a family whether poor or wealthy. The Invite was always issued with great ceremony, a celebration of joining between animal, spirit and the human world. But now they called us Sobstone birds. My cry of sorrow for what they had done to this one glorious planet more mournful, more like a sobbing child. For the people had forgotten the sacred law of community, the love for one another, they lived for greed and war, amongst pestilence and disease. I was now the only living Raven on this planet. My family of Ravens now hunted into extinction, the other birds of light sweet song had long departed.
Today when my sob song was heard it opened a flood of fear in their heart; superstitions abounded as it washed into people’s ears. The story they told was, when a Sobstone bird was heard, death was close by. My song was like a sinking stone in the heart. And if you were unlucky to see one, its bright blue eye staring at you from within its headdress of the ruffled blue black feathers, it was advised you liberally sprinkled rock salt across door steps and window sills and under beds. Prayer flags, beads and a host of other trinkets for protection were scattered around the grounds and homes or hung high on branches. Fear lurked in every shadow of leaf and bush; they said a sighting of me bought nothing but ill health and bad luck. Fear festers into hate; my kind had been hunted till only I remained. I had become the protected pet of one elder, who still practised and believed in the old ways of community. They now called me the Sobstone bird.
The light had was fading from the heavens, some planets had burnt to a dull brown or a dusty grey; when a planet implodes into itself, it crumbles to ash in the heavens; there is a moments grieving silence, a whispered sigh of sadness throughout the universe. Now my once beauteous home, was fast becoming a dead grey orb of decay, it could no longer withstand the inhabitants who were preparing to flee, they had fought and argued, rioted amongst themselves, father death roamed the streets. Once upon a time the people had lived in harmony; all had rejoiced as one tribe, they had loved their homeland. Now the majority of people were fleeing for better healthier worlds, this planet of no use to them.
Where had their love of this planet they called home, gone? They had lived in contentment, they had settled within forested mountains, surrounded by waterfalls of misty beauty, an abundance of food, plus an array of wildlife. Life had been bountiful and content. The wise had warned them many times in the past but they continued to plunder this planet of its natural riches. Nothing but grey dust eddied in waves above the bare ground. But in their rush to leave, they had forgotten a seedling from the tallest of trees in the once magnificent forests; it was named the upside down tree, where man, beast or insect could once seek shelter and food. The greed of the people had destroyed this mighty tree for its wealth.
It had been my protector that had pointed to the one remaining seedling that was struggling to survive amongst the debris and chaos. As tears slipped down her deeply seamed face, she pleaded for this one small plant to be taken to another place, where it hopefully would be treasured by the people once more. Her pleas reached those of importance; their decision was this seed was of no consequence, it shook her to the core. In her anger she cursed them ‘good riddance to you, your pride will be your downfall. Her words sucked away by the howling wind then released over the queue waiting to leave.
Many plans paced through her mind, the carrier of this plant would have to be strong, withstand many elements of wind, ice and fire, it would know that this was a sacred duty and this task may mean its own death. She knew she was not capable of such a journey, the only feasible thought of a saviour kept returning. I, her beloved Raven, her muse and friend, I would be the bearer of the seedling; somehow she would make it work. It must, for this one plant would be life to many.
The consensus that the Sobstone bird and the elder be left behind was made, some folk people sniggered, ‘good riddance who needs them’, they, her community she had once treasured turned their backs on her. I watched my heart heavy, as the hurt to her heart flitted into her eyes, I wondered where was the respect she was due, as healer and oracle she had made many people well with her practise of herbs, oils and hope. Did they not know it was crucial that from this planet of death and destruction the seedling must find a new home? Sadly no.
The ground shook under her feet, a warning to leave or be destroyed. Yellow dust so thick and wind whipped, it stung her face, inflamed her eyes, it tore at her clothing, her hands barely keeping myself and this small seedling of life safe. The storm had become vicious the colour of deep ochre, the end was close. A small cave was found; the wind not quite reaching into its shallow depth, placing me on a stone ledge the elder began to sing to me, she knew I understood the language of the ancients, those who first sang the magic into the earth. As she sung the story of the seedlings life, I felt my own eyes glaze with the hypnotic tune, they began to flutter then close, I could feel my body sway to the chant she uttered, I felt the heat of her face close to mine as she whispered of the secrets buried inside this small plant. My deed was to reach a planet of safety, to bury the seedling so deep it would never fear for its life again. She knew I had heard every word she had uttered.
The elder became exhausted, slumping heavily onto the ground; the air in the cave muggy with heat, the elder became thirsty and hungry, but first I was to be nourished, if I was to have strength. She fed me scrapes of stale bread dipping it in the flask of mead that she carried with her. I greedily ate every scrape she offered me, the quaking ground under her body causing her to drop her treasured flask, a small muddy puddle forming then disappearing into the ground. Her hands scooped up the mud forming a tiny half egg shape in her hands then placing the seedling inside, patting a cover over the top, enclosing it completely. The elder spread my wings open, then inspecting my clawed feet, shaking her head ‘where to attach it? I sobbed in answer, meeting her eyes, wanting her to understand. Once again I opened my beak to sob, she saw a way, ‘Raven, can you do this? She placed the small clay egg into my open beak.
It was time to say goodbye, she stood, grunting with tiredness as her old body shambled to get up. With one hand she held onto one of the shaking walls, pebbles and stones intermittently showering her grey hair, ‘It’s time’. She lifted me high; tears streaked her face as she said ‘find peace and safety Raven’. I flew free, the cave gave of a groaning yawn melting into rock and rubble with one dusty roaring belch; I flew high finding my way into the sky. The cave swallowed the lone figure that once stood with one had risen in her farewell. And I the Sobstone bird with its cargo of hope took to the air.
In my flights with Ravens in the past, I had seen one small planet so bright and beautiful, my instincts drew me closer.
I flew through massed clouds, widely passing a planet of fire, spewing its molten fury into space. Passing a large silvered orb, my shadow cast across its bare surface. I flew with great speed through a myriad of stars, silver and white gold flecked through them. I became exhausted, being buffeted by wind. The planet of beauty glowed showing off her amazing colours of green white and blue. Soon I was so close I could see the tallest of red- coloured mountains, swarms of birds I had once known greeted me, calling out to me in many voices, but the one I heard the loudest was ‘Raven, welcome’. My heart swelled in gratitude, my name was not forgotten.
With my one last sob, I buried this precious cargo in the softest of white sand, surrounded by boutiques of ferns and grasses beside a large blue lake fed by a softest of waterfalls. I rested, enjoying the cool wind; then joined the Ravens in their song; it was one of happiness and joy. From here up high in the branches of trees native to this planet, I would watch the seedling grow into a mighty tree. Here it would flourish and grow, giving life to the many creatures that lived on this new planet, they called Gwondana.