THE FIRE
Another Story Tree Story
by Angela Raines
The smell was what I noticed first, a combination of smoke and pine. Then I heard the cry. It sounded like a young child or lost kitten.
Fearing the worst, my heart beating frantically, I rushed to the spot where I believed the sound originated. It seemed to be from our meeting place. Frantically looking around I saw no one. I saw no fire. There wasn't even a burnt piece of wood.
Not willing to trust my own senses I started looking under rocks, dead brush, trash anything that could be hiding a beginnings or end of a fire. I scanned the horizon. I saw, heard and smelled nothing. Still I could feel the fear and dread. It seemed to over take my mind. I calmed myself. There was nothing I could see. The sense of dread I was feeling made no sense.
I climbed up the rock face to get a better view from higher up. There were some steep areas, but the foot and hand holds were there. In my haste I scraped my hands and forearms, but still continued to climb. When I finally reached the top I realized I had done something I had always been afraid to do before. I always thought that rock climbing was hazardous and that I would fall to my death. It didn't matter that the distance wouldn't have been that great. It was an unreasoning fear I had. Now that I had succeeded in making the climb and found nothing, I wondered how I would get back down.
Then a gentle breeze brought the sound of the cry again. My heart started to race yet again. I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm myself. Continuing to react in such panic would accomplish nothing. I slowed my heart and stood still, forcing myself to really see and take in what was around me.
Then the breeze brought the sound again. I looked toward where the tree would be. I could hear laughter in my head.
Then this smiling voice said, “It's just these creaky old limbs. One thing about age, the limbs creak.”
I realize the tree was laughing not at me, but at itself and my reaction. This was the first time I realize the sense of humor the tree had. The I thought of the smell.
I was bound to find out about the smell. I started down off the top of the rocks and headed toward the tree. When I reached to bottom I asked, “But what about the smoke I was smelling and the feeling of dread that I felt?”
“There was a fire in the area last year. Whenever the wind is coming from the east it brings back the smell of burning.” The tree answered.
“But what about the sense of dread? There was no reason for me to react that way.”
All of a sudden in my minds eye I saw the flames rising toward the moon. Coloring the sky with ghostly waves of red, blue and whitish gray. Then the flames themselves were billowing towards me. Red, blue, yellow and the white smoke around them.
My skin started to prickle with the heat. I found myself gasping, trying to take in a breath. The smoke and heat were too intense. I wanted to flee. I cried out, but no sound could be heard. I tried to move, but could not. Panic was starting to overtake me yet again.
“It isn't real. You are fine. I am fine. The fire never reached me.” I could hear the concern in the voice. “Please relax.”
I felt the tears running down my cheeks, tears of relief. My friend was safe.
“Why should a little fire bother you. Look at what you did today. You not only made a rock climb, but you managed to get down in one piece.”
Startled, I looked at myself and at how I had been limiting what I did because I was frightened of the unknown. Yes, the fire in my mind had been terrifying, but in retrospect it was just a fire. Yes, I could have perished or my friend the tree, but we had survived and there were so many more things I knew I could learn from my association with the tree.
“You know, I want to hear your stories. There must be a reason I heard your call and can hear what you say. I will be fine. This has been a lesson for me. I will be better prepared the next time.”
I felt the tree sigh, then pause.
“I will see you in a couple of days. In the meantime, enjoy yourself.”
I smiled at the tree and said, “You sound like my parents. I'll be fine, who knows maybe I'll climb a few more rocks!”
copyright 2011 by Doris A McCraw
by Angela Raines
The smell was what I noticed first, a combination of smoke and pine. Then I heard the cry. It sounded like a young child or lost kitten.
Fearing the worst, my heart beating frantically, I rushed to the spot where I believed the sound originated. It seemed to be from our meeting place. Frantically looking around I saw no one. I saw no fire. There wasn't even a burnt piece of wood.
Not willing to trust my own senses I started looking under rocks, dead brush, trash anything that could be hiding a beginnings or end of a fire. I scanned the horizon. I saw, heard and smelled nothing. Still I could feel the fear and dread. It seemed to over take my mind. I calmed myself. There was nothing I could see. The sense of dread I was feeling made no sense.
I climbed up the rock face to get a better view from higher up. There were some steep areas, but the foot and hand holds were there. In my haste I scraped my hands and forearms, but still continued to climb. When I finally reached the top I realized I had done something I had always been afraid to do before. I always thought that rock climbing was hazardous and that I would fall to my death. It didn't matter that the distance wouldn't have been that great. It was an unreasoning fear I had. Now that I had succeeded in making the climb and found nothing, I wondered how I would get back down.
Then a gentle breeze brought the sound of the cry again. My heart started to race yet again. I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm myself. Continuing to react in such panic would accomplish nothing. I slowed my heart and stood still, forcing myself to really see and take in what was around me.
Then the breeze brought the sound again. I looked toward where the tree would be. I could hear laughter in my head.
Then this smiling voice said, “It's just these creaky old limbs. One thing about age, the limbs creak.”
I realize the tree was laughing not at me, but at itself and my reaction. This was the first time I realize the sense of humor the tree had. The I thought of the smell.
I was bound to find out about the smell. I started down off the top of the rocks and headed toward the tree. When I reached to bottom I asked, “But what about the smoke I was smelling and the feeling of dread that I felt?”
“There was a fire in the area last year. Whenever the wind is coming from the east it brings back the smell of burning.” The tree answered.
“But what about the sense of dread? There was no reason for me to react that way.”
All of a sudden in my minds eye I saw the flames rising toward the moon. Coloring the sky with ghostly waves of red, blue and whitish gray. Then the flames themselves were billowing towards me. Red, blue, yellow and the white smoke around them.
My skin started to prickle with the heat. I found myself gasping, trying to take in a breath. The smoke and heat were too intense. I wanted to flee. I cried out, but no sound could be heard. I tried to move, but could not. Panic was starting to overtake me yet again.
“It isn't real. You are fine. I am fine. The fire never reached me.” I could hear the concern in the voice. “Please relax.”
I felt the tears running down my cheeks, tears of relief. My friend was safe.
“Why should a little fire bother you. Look at what you did today. You not only made a rock climb, but you managed to get down in one piece.”
Startled, I looked at myself and at how I had been limiting what I did because I was frightened of the unknown. Yes, the fire in my mind had been terrifying, but in retrospect it was just a fire. Yes, I could have perished or my friend the tree, but we had survived and there were so many more things I knew I could learn from my association with the tree.
“You know, I want to hear your stories. There must be a reason I heard your call and can hear what you say. I will be fine. This has been a lesson for me. I will be better prepared the next time.”
I felt the tree sigh, then pause.
“I will see you in a couple of days. In the meantime, enjoy yourself.”
I smiled at the tree and said, “You sound like my parents. I'll be fine, who knows maybe I'll climb a few more rocks!”
copyright 2011 by Doris A McCraw
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