Elizabeth, a widow sat down on the grassy fields of the forest. She stared at the clear blue water of the enormous lake. She caressed the baby sitting on her lap as she listened to the songs of the bird and watched the trees dancing to the tune of the wind. The still water erupted into a fountain as a large fish jumped out of the water.
She sat in silence, enjoying the breath-taking view. As she squeezed the chubby cheeks of her baby, she coughed up some blood on her hands. Her already pale skin grew paler and her breath became shaky. She leaned against the rock behind her and began to caress her child's face.
"It seems that this is where I go" A soft and sweet voice came out of her lips.
"Ira, I don't care if you hate me because I left you alone but please, please know tha-"She erupts into a series of bloody coughs.
Feeling the inevitable nearing, she held her baby's face one last time and said, "Please know that Mama loves you"
Her vision slowly grew darker; her consciousness seemed to fade in and out as she finally took her last breath. Strangely, she felt no pain and died a painless and peaceful death.
She can only hope the gods will take care of her child.
Ira glanced at his mother's face and cupped his hands onto hers. He felt her cold skin and slowly went up to embrace, not knowing his mother had already passed away. A few minutes passed as the once still waters slowly rippled and burst apart.
Tendrils suddenly sprung out from the water and slowly came closer to the child. Ira, instead of crying at the horrifying scene he slowly wobbled to the tendrils and grabbed one by the end. He pulled it into an embrace and began rubbing his face all over it.
The tendril then began to wrap around his body, Ira laughing with glee as it tickled him.
A deep rumble resounded throughout the forest, the sound originated from the middle of the lake. The grounds shook, the water's furious waves crashed on the land as a giant Weeping Willow tree emerged from the middle of the lake.
It stood tall, like a majestic king on his throne. Its branches were akin to a crown, the weary leaves drooped down its crown like wet hair. The tree radiated an aura of mysteriousness and intrigue, like a mystic sage.
Splashes of water hit Ira's face as he began to cry. The tendrils then wiped his tears away and poked his cheeks. Ira stopped his tears as he looked at the tendril before him. He then grabbed it and embraced it into a tight hug, not ever letting go as the tendrils carried him over to the tree.
It gently placed him on one of the low branches and held him, not wanting him to fall into the deep water. Ira merely looked around with curiosity befitting a child. With two tendrils holding onto him he would surely not fall.
The other tendrils however went over to the nearby trees. It snapped off one of the branches off the tree and ripped off the heart shaped leaves from that branch. It then grabbed another leaf from a different type of tree; this leaf was bigger compared to the others.
It then squeezed the heart leaves until a green substance dripped down to the giant leaf, functioning as a type of bowl. It continued this until every heart shaped leaves were empty of its strange juices.
It then carried the leaf bowl full of green juices across the lake to the baby carefully so as not to spill any. It held up the leaf bowl in front of Ira, expecting him to drink which Ira happily obliged to. He then slammed his face in the bowl, licking and devouring the soup.
Some green soup was spilled because of his actions but he did not care. The soup was sweet and fulfilling.
It was just like Mama's milk but better!
After stuffing his belly full he leaned back on the branch and burped as he rubbed his belly. Everything was going great! He's got food, a nice shade from the sun and a new friend! The only thing that was missing was…..Mama.
Ira looked around, the friendly flexible stick thingy was still with him but Mama was nowhere to be seen. His eyes began to tear up, his mouth curled into a frown as he frantically searched for Mama. Out in the distance, he saw Mama, relaxing on the grass.
Silly Mama!
Ira let out a huge smile, the sad expression he wore was no longer visible. He wiped away his tears and crawled off the edge of the branch. The tendril, already expecting this caught him. Ira then pointed at Mama, still sleeping on the grass.
The tendril then carried him over the lake and placed him in front of Mama, Ira looked like he was about to jump off if the tendril took any longer. Once placed on the ground, he furiously crawled over to Mama who was still sleeping.
Ira then began to climb up Mama's legs and sat down on her lap. He then looked at her face, a regretful smile she wore. Tear stains ran down her cheeks with her eyes closed.
Mama cry?
Why Mama cry? Ira make Mama happy! He then went and embraced Mama with all his strength.
"Mama" He kept repeating as he shook Mama.
No matter what he did Mama did not respond at all.
"Mama? Mama hug!" Ira jumped into her chest, burying his face into hers.
He waited for her hands to embrace him, caress his hair, and her soft lips kissing his forehead yet nothing happened.
"Mama hug!" Ira had tears in his eyes, his voice sounded desperate.
"Oh, poor child, come here" A beautiful sounding voice rang in his head.
Ira felt the tendrils embracing him and patting his head. He turned his head and said, "Mama why no hug?"
"Your mother is not here anymore, she went to someplace better" Again the voice rang in his head.
"Mama leave Ira?!" He screamed in betrayal.
"No, child, your Mama had no choice, Mama loved you"
Ira only gazed at her, the grass and plants surrounding her were growing rapidly. He watched as the grass and flowers wrapped up Mama's body like a cocoon. A beautiful white orchid flower sprouted up from the center.
"Ira miss Mama" He said as he bursts into tears.
Snot and tears ran down his face like a broken dam. The tendrils wrapped around him, comforting him as he let out all his sorrows away.
"Do not worry sweet child, I will take care of you" The voice this time, did not resound in his mind, no, he heard it behind him.
Two pale white hands, wet from the water came and rested at his chest as he was pulled into a sweet comfy embrace. He felt something on his falling on his arm and looked up to see the dark clouds covering the skies.
Rain fell as thunder rang out throughout the forest. It felt as if the world itself was mourning the loss of his mother. He glued his eyes on his mother's grave and wiped off the tears from his eyes.
"Ira love Mama"