Visiting Uncle Billy
Sarah had originally intended to drive, but instead she chose to fly, knowing she’d get there faster. She preceded thunderclouds the entire way. When she landed lightly on the mesa her hair was windblown, but she was smiling, it had been too long since she’d taken herself on a nice long flight like that.
She set about building a bonfire her attitude somewhere between grim determination and elated celebration. It was evening-time dark because of the clouds, even though it wasn’t yet noon.
She settled once she’d built a bonfire, just watching the flames, leaning back on her hands to watch the smoke join the clouds. It wasn’t long before she started talking.
She started with: “Hey uncle Billy. Been a while since I’ve come for a visit hasn’t it?” And then she went on, relating the story of how she’d found a bar in the back of her closet, and during visits there, she’d not only met Raven, but Coyote as well, and Spider and a host of other people. She told him how she’d caught a thunderbird with the help of a purple god.
She leaned back on her elbows, “Wherever you’re at uncle Billy, I hope you’re telling them about your hellion of a niece and how much trouble she is.” A faint smile, “I’ve got some stories other people told me recently.”
She then related to him the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian and checking for squirrels, the story of an Irishman named Seamus and a midget nun.
She settled back to relate the story of a Warrior named Huma and his shaman friend named Magius and how they’d saved the world in the war of Hope.
She also told the story of a pirate captain with a red shirt, a snail going into a bar on New Year’s eve, and handful of limericks.
She finished with a story that the whales tell about death, and how it isn’t an ending, but a journey to a new beginning.
She smiled, sitting up, by the time she’d finished the fire had burned low, and the thunder was rolling, the storm threatening to break at any moment.
She stood and stretched, laughing as the clouds finally opened, the fire sizzling and spitting before finally going out with a last, almost gasping plume of smoke. She spun in the rain a moment, laughing before lifting herself on the wind to go home.
She set about building a bonfire her attitude somewhere between grim determination and elated celebration. It was evening-time dark because of the clouds, even though it wasn’t yet noon.
She settled once she’d built a bonfire, just watching the flames, leaning back on her hands to watch the smoke join the clouds. It wasn’t long before she started talking.
She started with: “Hey uncle Billy. Been a while since I’ve come for a visit hasn’t it?” And then she went on, relating the story of how she’d found a bar in the back of her closet, and during visits there, she’d not only met Raven, but Coyote as well, and Spider and a host of other people. She told him how she’d caught a thunderbird with the help of a purple god.
She leaned back on her elbows, “Wherever you’re at uncle Billy, I hope you’re telling them about your hellion of a niece and how much trouble she is.” A faint smile, “I’ve got some stories other people told me recently.”
She then related to him the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian and checking for squirrels, the story of an Irishman named Seamus and a midget nun.
She settled back to relate the story of a Warrior named Huma and his shaman friend named Magius and how they’d saved the world in the war of Hope.
She also told the story of a pirate captain with a red shirt, a snail going into a bar on New Year’s eve, and handful of limericks.
She finished with a story that the whales tell about death, and how it isn’t an ending, but a journey to a new beginning.
She smiled, sitting up, by the time she’d finished the fire had burned low, and the thunder was rolling, the storm threatening to break at any moment.
She stood and stretched, laughing as the clouds finally opened, the fire sizzling and spitting before finally going out with a last, almost gasping plume of smoke. She spun in the rain a moment, laughing before lifting herself on the wind to go home.