Chapter 5 Flowers and Promises

I awoke the next morning to the crimson sunlight shining through my window. Birds chirped at my window, as if they were trying to speak to me.

"Good morning. It is now seven thirty and is a beautiful day outside. To-"

I shut off the radio. Slowly I rose and dressed myself before walking outside to begin my morning chores.

"Josh," Takakura said suddenly. "Since you've decided to stay here in Forget Me Not Valley then I should probably introduce you to some of the townspeople in this area that you haven't met yet."

I nodded. That was probably a good idea.

"Come then," Takakura said.

He lead me back into town. He introduced me to the local athlete, Wally and his wife Chris, and son Hugh. I also met Carter the Archaeologist, Flora his assistant, Romana the rich old lady who lived in a mansion, Griffin, the owner of the Blue Bar, and his assistant Muffy.

When we were done I decided to go visit Celia at Vesta's farm. When I got there she was standing beside the fields looking out over them. I walked up beside her and we started talking.

"I love working on the farm," Celia said.

I nodded my head in agreement.

"I do too," I said. "It gives me the feeling that I've accomplished something."

Celia smiled at me shyly.

"Well I suppose you've inherited that from your father then."

I said nothing. I wanted to tell her that I wasn't anything like my father, but I couldn't.

"Are you okay?" she asked, seeing how those words had affected me.

"Yeah," I put on a smile. "I'm fine."

Celia looked back out over the fields.

"I like working with plants, because I think it gives me extra strength," she laughed. "Does that sound childish to you?"

"Not really," I said.

She smiled at me.

"Thanks Josh," she replied. "It doesn't seem like many people take me seriously in this town. Everyone thinks I'm just a childish little girl."

"I don't think that at all," I said.

"I want you to become our guardian spirit."

'You do, but you are only one person. I need something more than just that.'

"What, do you need the whole town to vote on it or something?"

'No. That is not necessary. I need to establish myself as the guardian of this island. To do this I need a place to call my own.'

"The swamp. The swamp is yours."

'The swamp is the lowest part of the town. I need to work myself up. I need to make my way from the swamp to the spring. The spring in the forest at the top of the hill. If I control the spring, then the island will be under my control.'

Galen scratched his head and thought about this silently.

"Can't you just go there right now?"

'Forces in the forest drive me away. I need to grow strong enough first. I need energy. I need a new place for my children to live.'

"Your children?"

'Yes. Surely you don't think I came here alone.'

"Oh. Well there is a vacant room in the inn, if that's what you mean."

Silence. Galen looked back into the still waters of the swamp, now emptied of any presence.

"Thandrana?"

She had gone.

A dark scream filled the air as the final word was delivered. The demon struggled to hold tightly to its prey but found that it could not, for the forces of light drove it away. It shrieked once more, before falling away from its prey for the final time that night.

"In the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost I command you to leave this boy and go to the Abyss!"

The demon fell, the scream died out, and silence filled the room. Slowly Cliff lifted his head up from the hard ground and looked up at the bearded man who stood above him. He was dressed in a brown friar like robe with a cross on a chain hanging around his neck.

"Its over Cliff," he said. "Its gone."

"Thank you Gotz," Cliff said quietly, rising back up to his feet before turning for the door.

"What are you planning to do now?" Gotz asked.

Cliff looked back at Gotz quietly, his face downcast.

"Well there's nothing for me anymore," Cliff said. "I'm leaving town."

"Why?" Gotz asked.

"I put my trust in the voice, and then in the Goddess," Cliff said, "and then realized that both of them were deceiving me. I don't... I just can't stay here anymore..."

"What about your friends," Gotz said. "Your human friends. What about Zach and Ann? They were you're friends."

"They're getting married now," Cliff said. "Give them my regards, tell them I'm sorry I won't be able to see the wedding."

Tears were coming to Cliff's eyes. He turned and walked out of the door before Gotz could protest.

"You haven't accepted Jesus, have you?" Gotz said as he walked out the door behind Cliff.

Cliff stopped walking and shook his head.

"Not everyone's against you Cliff," Gotz said. "Jesus isn't. Come on, give him a chance!"

"Not everyone heals as quickly as you do Gotz," Cliff said. "Jesus has no place in my life."

"Jesus can help you heal," Gotz said.

"Nice knowing you Gotz," with that Cliff walked away, down the hill in the direction of the beach.

"Farewell Cliff," Gotz said softly after Cliff was out of earshot. "And may God bless you. But God won't bless you until you find him."

A tear rolled down the pastor's cheek as he turned and walked back up to the church.

I gazed out over the river with Celia standing beside me. I felt the urge to reach out and take her hand in mine, but I was afraid. Afraid that she might not return my feelings. True, we had already held hands, but only when going from place to place, not when we were just together.

"Has anything else happened concerning the uh..." I struggled for words, "the thing in the swamp?"

"No," Celia said. "I'm still afraid to go near the swamp though, especially after what happened to you..."

I shivered. I was also afraid to go near it because of that.

"What are we going to do about... whatever it is?" I asked.

"I don't know," Celia sighed. "Pray, I guess."

"To which god?" I said sarcastically.

Before she could answer Vesta suddenly started calling for Celia.

"Celia! Celia!" She then spotted us standing by the river. "Oh there you are! And you too Mr. Josh! Good. You two better come with me. A town meeting has been called."

"Really?" Celia looked surprised.

I took it that town meetings only occurred under circumstances of great importance. The three of us walked into town to see a large procession gathered around a podium on which an elderly man stood.

"Who is that?" I asked Celia.

"That's Galen," she said. "He's been a recluse ever since his wife died. I'm surprised that he called the town meeting."

I shrugged and we walked up to the back of the crowd to see what was going on.

"Good afternoon everybody," Galen said loudly, and the crowd grew quiet. "I've called this meeting to discuss the strange events which have plagued our village over the last few weeks."

He stopped for a second, as if letting the words sink in.

"Many strange things have happened that have caused fear among us. Is it a vengeful spirit? A sign from the Gods? The beginning of the apocalypse? My fellow islanders, it is none of these. I bring to you good news."

I looked up in surprise. Good news?

"This is no vengeful spirit," he said. "This is no sign of evil! No. It is the opposite. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a sign of glad tidings. A spirit has come to live among us, a good spirit. She desires only to be our friend and help us. Her name is Thandrana."

The people in the crowd began murmuring among themselves. Some appeared to take in every word the man said, while others seemed skeptical.

"Good spirit?" Griffin suddenly asked. "From what I saw when we went to the swamp I would never have guessed that it was something good."

"That's where you were wrong," Galen said. "That's where we all were wrong. You don't believe me? Then I'll just let the spirit speak for herself."

Suddenly a figure began to materialize beside Galen. The crowd began to gasp in awe as a beautiful green haired woman began to take shape.

"I am Thandrana!" she announced. "The Great Spirit. I have come here to be you're friend, to help you and guide you."

The crowd was speechless. Thandrana suddenly tore a splinter out of the pulpit and threw it up into the air, where it turned into a fish. She caught the fish and threw it into the audience. When it landed it was an apple.

"My powers are great," she said. "I come to you in peace. You all must choose to follow me and my powers will work alongside you. If you accept me then I can take my place as guardian over this island and help you forever."

She nodded at Galen suddenly, who climbed down from the pulpit and began passing out flowers to the people in the crowd. But the flowers weren't normal, for their petals were drawn shut as if it were night.

"The flower is the greatest representation of nature," Thandrana said. "It grows every spring after the cold of winter has gone. I take the flower as my sign. Take it with you home. Put it in a glass of water and let it grow. Take care of my flowers, and I will take care of you."

Thandrana then gazed over the audience, before making eye contact with me. I stepped back, and gasped, for I had seen those eyes before. With that Thandrana disappeared.

"She lives in the Turtle Swamp," Galen explained. "But soon she will move. Thandrana is here to help. Come to the swamp to speak with her whenever you want to."

With that, Galen turned and walked away. Slowly the crowd began to disperse, most taking they're flowers with them. But Celia and I threw ours on the ground. We didn't trust Thandrana.