Awaken by Michelle Bryan

what Tater says, I was going
to find Ben... or at least die trying.
    By mid morning we’re finally out of the
woods. After so many days of being in dim light the sun is almost
blinding. My eyes ain’t used to so much light no more. I close them
to give them time to adjust and just stand there with my face
turned up to the sun, enjoying its warmth. I notice right away
there ain’t no smell of rot no more. The air is fresh smelling,
like sunshine and grass and sage. It’s real nice and I breathe it
in deep.
    “ Tara! Look!” Finn’s voice
is just quivering with excitement, breaking my tranquility. He
starts tugging on my arm trying to get my attention. I open my eyes
to see what has him so riled up.
    We’re standing in a valley spread out
about half a league across. The whole floor of the valley is
grassland. It’s brown and stubbly but it’s plentiful, there ain’t a
bit of cracked soil to be seen. Surrounding us on both sides are
high sloping hills dotted with gray trees and big red boulders
creating almost walls through the valley. But it’s what’s on the
other end that has Finn all wide eyed.
    They hover on the horizon like
blue-gray giants, so massive it seems like they’re actually
touching the sky. The tips of them are hidden by puffy gray clouds,
making you believe that if you were to climb to the top you could
just hop on a passing cloud and float away. Like Finn, I’m
awestruck at this sight. I ain’t ever thought I’d see such a thing
in my lifetime. They are breath taking and scary all at the same
time.
    “ That’s them ain’t it
Tater,” Finn says breathlessly. “The mountains you was talking
‘bout.”
    Tater nods. “Yes. Are they not
magnificent? I never tire of seeing their majestic beauty. They
truly are some of the god’s most impressive handiwork.”
    “ Do we gotta go over ‘em?”
Finn is sounding all worried now but I’m glad he’s asking ‘cause
I’m fearing the same. There ain’t no way we’re going to be able to
climb those giants.
    “ Oh dear me, no. No, no
silly boy that would be impossible.” Tater slaps Finn on the back
laughing as if that were the funniest thing he had ever
heard.
    “ You do amuse me so. No we
will go through them. Yes indeed. You see, there is a gulch, a pass
through them, almost impossible to find unless you are aware of its
existence. Which lucky for you both, I am. As my dear mother would
have said, our meeting was indeed a most fortunate throw of the
dice.”
    I shake my head. After days of being in
Tater’s company I am starting to believe he speaks just for the
sheer joy of hearing himself talk. I cain’t understand half of what
he says and if his ma truly said all those things he says she
said…well she must have been a real odd woman, I think. I guess the
branch didn’t fall far from the tree.
    Winnie by now has gotten the scent of
the grass and she’s itching to feed. Tater lets her go and she
wanders off to particularly tasty looking patch. Cat is way off on
the valley floor, running and jumping. Looks like she’s maybe
chasing some sort of small critter, though she’s too far away to
tell. The open land, the sun, the fresh air, it fills me with a
sense of well being….something I ain’t felt for a long time. I
don’t know why but I start smiling. Then I look at the others.
They’re smiling too. We’re all just standing, smiling….looking
round like we’re a bunch of wide eyed young’uns.
    “ It’s so pretty here,” Finn
says quietly, breaking the silence. I’m thinking the same. It is
pretty…peaceful almost, like nuthin bad could ever happen here.
Like a madman never existed just on the other side of those
mountains. But Tater quickly crushes that illusion.
    “ Indeed,” he says. “But do
not be lulled into a false sense of security. There are hidden
dangers we must be aware of.”
    He reaches into his jacket and pulls
something out. At first I think it’s his musical flute but then he
holds it to his eye.