Tara wasn’t dead and
she didn’t know why. Her body felt uncannily rigid. She tried flexing her legs,
but nothing happened. She wanted to look down at her paws, but her face refused
to turn away from the sky. She wiggled her paws and tasted something rich and
delicious. With her paws. She tried making sense of paws that could taste, but
kept getting distracted by the sun. She just couldn’t turn away from it. The
bright and warmth tasted so good on her skin.
After following the
ups and downs of the sun for many dawns and dusks, Tara’s head turned to fluff.
She liked the fluffy feeling. It was light and freeing and promising.
“Mommy look, a
dandelion!”
The sound of the two-legged
young pulled Tara out of her latest sun trance. She readied herself for the screaming
and the stench of fear to overwhelm her senses. But nothing happened.
“It’s so pretty. Can
I make a wish, Mommy? Please!”
“Sure,” the
two-legged mother said. “Just don’t rip the poor thing out of the ground. Get
on your knees to make your wish.”
The two-legged young
wrapped a not so gentle paw around Tara’s body, and said, “I wish all the big
kitties grow fat and happy, and that my Mommy finds the bad man who hurt their
mommy, and that my Mommy can put the bad man in a cage forever and ever. I
wish, I wish, I wish.”
With eyes closed and heart open, the child blew her belief-full breath into Tara. And every seed, of the flower that had once been a lioness, soared into the wind, roaring: So be it!
detail from a photo by Christian Papaux, on Unsplash
- this concludes (and perhaps also begins) Tara’s story.
- the title echoes a favorite quote from
Firefly: “No power in the ‘verse can stop me!”
- for Poets and
Storytellers United--Writers’ Pantry #72: Oh, I Will Walk 500 Miles…
And so mote it be XXX
ReplyDeleteSo mote it be!
DeleteWell, I did NOT see that twist coming!
ReplyDeleteSome twists are yummiest when they sneak in while we aren't looking... 😉
DeleteIntriguing and original
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marja.
DeleteDeliciously magical!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rosemary.
DeleteI’m so glad I didn’t miss the final part of Tara’s story, Magaly. You really got under her skin and into her paws. And she turned into a dandelion! Please excuse me while I wipe this tear away.
ReplyDeleteThis part was such a delight to write. So, I'm extremely glad you like it, Kim.
DeleteThis took me back to my childhood when it was always a delight to find a Dandilion and to blow all the floating seeds fly off to find somewhere to grow.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both, Robin!
Deletea very heart-warming story. so Tara reborn as a flower and may the cycle comes full circle & Tara comes back as a lioness.
ReplyDeleteOooh! Now there's an idea...
Delete...a really good idea, methinks.
DeleteI join that child in wishing. May he get what he's earned. And may Tara revel in the freedom of wish flight.
ReplyDeleteI wish, I wish, I wish!
DeleteI have never seen a dandelion ever but have become very familiar with them through literature. This story is beautiful and powerful I got to 'experience' a dandelion mentally and emotionally. Thanks, Magaly.
ReplyDeleteReally? I thought dandelions grew everywhere.
DeleteRebirth is beautiful ... more so when you write it, share it.
ReplyDeleteRebirth share is a delight.
DeleteWell done
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday
Much💚love
Thanks, Gillena.
DeleteWow. Tara was reincarnated as a dandelion? I love this world you've made.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Colleen. Wait until you meet Violet and Daisy. 😉
DeleteSo be it! Love, love, love!! A very magical twist! Thank you Magaly! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteSo happy you love it, my dear Stacy!
Delete