LeOmi's Solitude (17 page)

“Well maybe that can be arranged. In the mean
time, Mrs. Kirby will interview you and find a good place for
you.”

LeOmi slowly and silently picked up her
parcels.

“You know that this is part of the
responsibilities you agreed to.”

LeOmi nodded.

“In my first years I helped out in the
Astronomy labs, and that was great. Yours will be great too, you’ll
see, give it a chance before you make up your mind about
anything.”

Bekka picked up one of LeOmi’s parcels.

They walked along and Bekka stopped to look
at a statue of a Bonsai Tree, perfectly done in bronze.

“Wow! Look at that.”

“Beautiful.”

“Well, you have had your first night in your
new dorm. Have you made any new friends?”

LeOmi shook her head.

“Well, you will. Ms. Vanmie is right. We all
have to learn to be able to depend on each other. There are some
things that you just can’t do alone.”

“She said that I have a lot to learn.”

“Yes. But, don’t we all.”

As they walked to the Emerald dormitory Bekka
said, “I may not see you in the morning; Sundays I spend as much
time with my family as I possibly can. But of course if you need
me…” Bekka took a small stone out of her pocket and handed it to
LeOmi, “If you need me, just put this stone under the lamp in your
room. It is photo-resonating and it hums a low grade frequency that
can be detected in certain areas where receivers are
positioned.”

LeOmi nodded as Bekka piled the packages into
LeOmi’s arms.

“Not that you would need me, but sometimes
it’s just nice to have someone to talk to. Well good night and
sleep well.”

They parted ways, LeOmi going through the
huge doors to the Emerald Dormitory and Bekka walking toward the
Olive Tree, pulling out her notebook as she went.

* * *

Mrs. Kirby stood at the wall entry of the
Wildlife Game Preserve at a quarter to seven. She reminded LeOmi of
what a combination drill instructor and a German governess might
look like.

LeOmi had used her morning run time to get to
the Preserve a little early and she was very surprised to see the
women standing there with an impatient look on her face.

“Guten Morgen, I am Mrs. Kirby. Follow me
please.”

As they went around the wall the humidity
difference was noticeable and as they walked deeper and deeper
within the Preserve, the difference became more pronounced between
the dry heat of the desert and the moisture laden Preserve.

“I am sure that Bekka told you that I need a
new Guide for the Rainforest Trails on the weekends, and of course
you would also have some additional duties. They vary.”

LeOmi followed.

“I like things to run smoothly, I have a
system specifically geared to do just that.”

When Mrs. Kirby spoke, she turned her head so
that her commanding voice could be heard clearly.

“Out of nothing, nothing comes. If you do not
do your job well you will not retain your job. Do you agree Miss
Jones?”

Out of nothing, nothing comes.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good.”

Mrs. Kirby, an over six foot tall German
woman led the way down a path at the edge of the forest. The path
was shaded and somewhat cool in the early morning and LeOmi could
see the Farmlands beyond the forests edge. After they had walked
briskly for a short while, LeOmi practically jogging to keep up,
they arrived at a small shack with a small front porch and a
sliding window on the side of the building that was framed with all
sorts of ‘good to know facts’ about animals, plants, water
contaminants, littering, endangered species, and the proper
procedures for encountering wild life in the wild–or in this case,
a Wild Life Preserve and Rainforest.

The entire shack had a four foot overhang
that shaded all the windows and doors.

“This is the headquarters, if you become
overheated or if you have some sort of emergency, this is where you
will go. There are facilities in the rear. There is also means of
communication if necessary.”

LeOmi nodded her understanding and Mrs. Kirby
nodded her head rapidly and turned and started walking into the
brush.

She said over her shoulder, “Come, I will
show you the path.”

They walked the path and there were markers
that explained some of the trees and their natural uses. There were
rope producing trees and trees that you could harvest ointments
from. There were poisonous trees to be avoided and trees with
leaves that served as sandpaper–in the right circumstances.

“There are thirty-nine markers. I expect you
to study each one and to be able to begin your first tour on
Saturday morning.

“One of our prizes here are our bower birds.
Have you heard of them? Nein? They are also called architect birds.
You will see.”

She took LeOmi down the path and turned to
shush her and then she tiptoed to the end of the path. There on the
other side of a hedge, about twenty foot away there was a very
strange sight, a platform that had been woven from sticks and
twigs.

The bird was there carefully building and
adjusting. He had used nearby saplings as a tripod to house his
collection of colorful leaves, grasses, mosses and even a colorful
flyer that she recognized from the little shack. At the base of the
tower was an opening that led into an inner little chamber. The
male bower bird had stacked piles of nuts, bugs, white snail shells
and flower buds: white, yellow and purple.

From the lower portion of the tower branches
he had woven various colored feathers in with twigs. The structure
stood more than three feet high.

“He woos female bower birds.”

As in recognition of her statement the bird
made a knocking sound.

“He calls for a female.”

Mrs. Kirby motioned for LeOmi to follower her
back to the path.

“The males do not build a nest, incubate the
eggs, or raise the chicks—this is what he offers, fertilization of
eggs and continuation of their species. Hence, this is why the
females are so very finicky about the males they choose. The
females are the judges.”

They continued down the path but they could
still hear the bird making the knocking sound.

“You may do the bulk of your guide work on
Sunday. There is a schedule in the shack. Do not be late. If I have
to postpone my duties to do yours, the work assignment team will
hear. Also, if you have three reports of tardiness you will be sent
on to another position, maybe not as nice as this one.”

As they had been walking along and Mrs. Kirby
was talking, the sound of flowing water was becoming louder and
louder, and the temperature was getting hotter and hotter and it
was before eight o’clock in the morning.

They hadn’t seen any large animals until they
rounded a bend deep within the Preserve. There was a cliff face
with a large cave structure. Numerous pockets had been cut into the
side of the cliff.

There were several different kinds of animals
visible: monkeys, large birds, two hippos and various small rodent
type creatures that scurried away upon their approach.

“Some have come out to meet us this
morning.”

It was breathtaking, not only the animals,
but also the landscape. Not to mention the thickness of the air
itself.

“I have a system that is to be continually
monitored. It is geared to keep the habitat running smoothly. There
is someone here at all times.”

“How did you get this here? —I mean, is it
real?”

“Of course it is real. But it is also helped
along. This is a natural landscape that has had a hot water spring
introduced into the environment. The spring carries heated water,
heated to a specific temperature and recycles it from the
underground seepage and back through. We have made this little
Shangri-La with the knowledge that God has given us, to help some
of these poor mistreated or injured animals.”

“These are rescued animals?”

“Some of them are and others have just
somehow found their way here–miraculously.”

They stood for a few more moments, just
taking in their surroundings and then Mrs. Kirby roused her from
her thoughts.

“I must get to work. I will see you every
morning until you memorize the guide sheet and then on Saturday you
will give your first guided tour. Nein?”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Kirby nodded her brisk nod.

“Auf Wiedersehen.”

LeOmi nodded, turned and retraced her steps
to the school and towards The Quarters

.

Chapter 8

Choose: Survival or Ruin

Oddly enough, her father was at The Quarters
when she went for a late breakfast. She was actually happy to see
him.

“Have you seen your sister or your
brother?”

“No. I don’t even know if they are here.”

“They should be.”

“Maybe they just don’t want to be around
me.”

“What? …You’re such a silly.” The phrase
reminded her of a children’s story book that her mother would
sometimes read, long ago. He smiled, she didn’t.

“Did I push mother away? Was it me?”

“Or was it me? The only one that can answer
that is no longer with us.”

They both were silent. LeOmi started shoving
food into her mouth. He had seen that happen before and he knew
that she would soon leave.

“The first time she left, I was so
surprised.”

LeOmi swallowed hard.

“Your mother had been moody, but as you know,
that wasn’t unusual.

“When she left I contacted her mother, your
Grand-Mère in New Orleans and found out that she was there in the
city. She kept an eye on her, but as you know your Grand-Mère
doesn’t like me so much. She would only tell me that your mother
was safe when I called. She was gone for about a month, and I
didn’t hear anything from her—until she came back. She was very
secretive about where she had gone. We didn’t discuss what had
happened.

“The second time your mother left it was very
much the same. She was moody and then she just left. I contacted
your Grand-Mère again and she was there in New Orleans again. Your
Grand-Mère confronted her that time, and she came home again, but
after that it was never the same.

“I just added to the reasons for her anger
when I tried to find out why.”

“Once the halo tips…”

“She lost faith in me. It is possible that I
drove her right to him. That is what he made me think anyway, and
he knew it. He used it against her, and me.”

He paused and took a sip from his cup. LeOmi
did the same.

“She sent me her Journal. I can’t read it. I
don’t want to read it, but maybe it will help you deal with why she
left.”

He laid the journal on the table and slid it
with two fingers as if he didn’t want to touch it.

“I should have given it to Sergeant Polaris,
but I wanted you to have it.”

LeOmi took the book and flipped through
it.

“We can’t bring your mother back to life, but
maybe this can help you with the why.”

It was a small book about the size of a shirt
pocket. Her name wasn’t in it but LeOmi knew her mother’s
handwriting.

“We… you and I are at the point of survival
or ruin in our family. The odds are stacked against us right
now.”

She closed the book.

“It is up to you. Which will you choose?
Downfall and maybe death, like your mother chose?”

“Sounds like a sermon.” LeOmi leaned forward,
clutching the book to her heart. “You chose your work or your
office to get you through your hurt. You never–never turned to
me.”

“You can’t blame that totally on me. Let’s be
truthful here. You don’t play well with others. You never
have.”

She started to get up, but her book bag was
tangled around the chair leg. He stood and leaned towards her.

“You ask if you pushed your mother away. I
don’t know, but I don’t think so. Just like her, you don’t let
anyone in, and sometimes it seems that you bully everyone around
you into feeling the same way you do.” He sat in his chair.

“It doesn’t have to be that way LeOmi, life
has the good in it too. Look past the bad.” LeOmi untangled her
book bag with one hand and turned to leave. Her father stood
again.

“Running away again LeOmi? You are so afraid
of being like her, that you are making it happen. Can’t you see?
Survival or ruin.”

LeOmi backed out toward the door. “So much
for a day with the family. I should have known.”

LeOmi turned and ran out the door.

Bekka had her notebook out, making notes.
Then she put the pad away and went inside to join LeOmi’s
father.

* * *

Bekka found LeOmi at the Olive Tree.

“Too proud to cry in front of anyone?”

There was no wind, but it seemed like the
tree shook all over, like a cold chill passed through it.

“Success or failure is what he said.”

“You can change the way that things might
happen. Sometimes you just have to step back and reevaluate, change
your outlook on things and your actions will show the change.”

Bekka pointed her thumb towards the entrance
way that Slone used.

“What about Slone’s group and the incident
with the Poparov boy.”

LeOmi shrugged.

“Well you ran towards the commotion to assist
didn’t you?”

“Well, yes, but Mark was already there.”

“But why were Ricky and Keith there in the
first place? Were they bored? I don’t think so.”

“I don’t know about Ricky, but I do think
Slone is trying to help some people.”

“The line between goodness and cruelty is a
shadowy gray. Goodness is light and evil is darkness. Some people
use cruelty to get what they want, but there are many ways to bully
or use someone. Some are more subtle than others, but we must
remember that there is always Hope. We must believe in God’s wisdom
and His time is always the right time.”