The Passing
the forest
Kohana felt the comfort of warmth as she clasped the mug of tea Shina brought her.
"Don't cry, little one", her sister handed her Kleenex to wipe away the smudged mascara that now smeared her cheeks.
Shina was the closest thing to a mother Kohana had.
Sure, she had a biological mother, but distance and bitterness stopped the bond that could have been. The three girls had grown to young woman almost fending for themselves in their large fortress of a home, with the coldness of a hospital. Their parents were always on one business trip or another, and trying to make up for the lost hugs and kisses her mother bought gifts from far away lands. The cross that rested around Kohana's neck was a gift from Jerusalem, fine gold with tiny emeralds incased down the center.
A tear slid down Kohana's cheek.
"Don't cry little blossom, it's not that bad." Shina wrapped her arms around her baby sister and nuzzled her neck.
Kohana's name meant 'little blossom' in Japanese. This is very odd, considering she was not Japanese, and quite far from looking Asian. All three sisters had blond hair and fair eyes and skin. However, all three where given Japanese names by there parents because that is where the couple met.
The two sisters wrapped up in a quilt and watched the rain fall outside their living room window.
Kohana wished she could fall to pieces like rain drops, and run from stream, to river, to an ocean so vast she would disappear from the world she new. A world without parents that forgot your birthday.
"Happy Birthday to you," Shina began to whisper, "happy birthday to you- happy birthday dear Ana- happy birthday to you."
With this, she scampered off the living room sofa, across the room, and made her way to the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned with a pink cupcake holding a small candle in the middle. The flame from the candle lit up Shina's grin as the girl hopped back on the sofa.
Kohana winced.
"You know I hate pink." She stated.
Shina ignored this comment and sat closer to her sister.
'Make a wish', she emplied as her hand thrusted the cupcake into Kohana's hand.
The smoke from the tiny candle filtered up to the heavens as the flame died and a wish was made.
Kohana opened her eyes to a setting sun as cool breezes maded her shiver.
'Mother and Shina should have found me by now.'
She sat up and started picking out the leaves from her hair that must have fallen around her as she slept. Looking around, the whole atmosphere of the countryside seemed to have changed before her. The trees seemed greener, and the sky a richer blue. It was all so breathtaking that one would have thought she was in a different place.
Kohana got up slowly. 'Everything is so quiet . . . it's kind of freaky'. She decided that although her family must have forgotten about her, she would just make her way back to the hotel. Getting up to start her hike back to civilization, Kohana realized that her backpack was missing, and in it's place was a pillow of fluffy moss and leaves.
"What!!!!" she screamed, "Where is my backpack!"
She started to frantically dig around the surrounding foliage trying to find it, and mildly cussing all the while. 'What is going on!' her head was screaming.
The sun was starting to go down faster and faster, and the air had a cold bite to it. The cold was creeping through her clothes, and her bare arms had goose bumps all over them.
About this time, Kohana, with nothing but the clothes on her back, and the last of the setting sun warming her from the growing chill, made her way through the forest.
She had been walking for what seemed like hours, with nothing to guide her. 'I'm ok, I'm ok, I can do this, I was in girl scouts, and I will survive.' She kept telling herself, ' Kohana- you are a strong, smart girl and you will find your way home.'
It was about this time that she heard the howling of some wild creature.
'I'm going to die!!!!'
With no other choice, she scanned the forest around her for a tall tree. Although she was not the most athletic person in the world, Kohana used all her strength to climb to the highest limb of an ancient tree. After settling herself in the most comfortable position one could be in on a limb of a tree, she looked off into the distance.
No urban lighting, no chimneys, just the rustle of leaves and other sounds of the night. Kohana gathered her arms around her and cried herself to sleep.