LAUGHS AND GAMES
They spent five days in that greenish bed. Sonic's request to return home had been forgotten. The present moment expanded like a long hand, eager for desires, for small spontaneously created moments, for simple games and discoveries among the trees. There was much to be given, they did not cease to be enraptured by their gazes, by that mystery that each possessed for the other, so different and revealing. Laughs sounded all over the valley as if the fairies had come to take over the place. They loved each other in the sight of all creatures, nature embraced them, and many animals and insects came to meet them to love each other as well. There was nothing more natural than making love and doing it again. Nothing was more correct and accurate for these two.
They spent much of their time looking for something to eat, Sonic's stomach forced them to explore the corners between the rocks, the hidden bushes and the treetops. They found an apple tree, a plum tree and a walnut tree. Most of the fruit had fallen on the grass and was ripe and delicious. There was a lot of it because the trees were huge and their roots reached the water of the stream. Shadow had to learn how to take bites without getting soaked of the juice and to get used to the enveloping taste of the pulp throughout the mouth. And also to Sonic's teasing.
The breakthrough really happened during these days, when no one was thinking about anything, when Shadow was lying down with one hand on the back of his neck and the other on the solar plexus not expecting anything either from himself or from life. An ear heard him, a friend gave him joy, now it was time to be at peace. Sonic played with his face, made sounds as he stretched his eyelids, pulled his ears, hammered his temples, pinched his cheeks, far from disturbing him he relaxed deeply and fell asleep. This was hilarious for Sonic, he did it every time the occasion presented itself, and every time his eyelids were closed, crazy with amusement, he opened them again with the fingertips dying of laughter. By the time he saw his eyes close he was shaking him like a sack of old junk, but the feeling was the opposite of what Sonic was aiming for, this was like a lullaby for Shadow leading him down a direct path to deep sleep.
The free voice of Shadow resonated in all things. His throat made the hollow earth vibrate, the little plants around him made the lowness of his tone bounce, when he laughed openly all around him returned his laughter back, when he exclaimed sweetly the sweetness returned to him. One afternoon, after giving each other the most beautiful kisses, they decided unanimously to return.
