After The Fall

Herculaneum

Erika recovered from her shock "So, magic man, what's for dinner?"

"Hmm, not sure." Pupil responded reaching into the bag. "What ever is in this can....uh, no. This can... no not that one either. Mmmm. This one.... uh uh. Oh well crap." He then dumped the bag out. "STEW! Yes we have stew." he said happily as he popped the can and placed it on a rock next to the fire. "Big can, enough for all three of us."

They woke early the next morning and headed into town. The road was shattered, large chucks were busted away leaving huge cracks. Some of the concrete was, for lack of a better word, melted. It was a scene Erika had witnessed so many times over the years that it was normal. Soon she saw something that wasn't normal. Dead birds, everywhere.

Pupil seemed to notice too. He scampered and hopped around the area, examining each bird. "Lesson girl, lesson. Come, time to learn."

Erika and Bambi went up beside Pupil, he was looking at a rather large bird.

"Red tail?" Erika asked.

"No, smaller, Red Shoulder. Beautiful and powerful."

"And dead."

"Think you so? What is dead?"

Erika looked puzzled, again. Pupil noticed.

"You in pain? Face look like you been gut punched."

"No, is this a trick question?"

"Hmm. Now I make your face, not sure which question you ask about."

"About death."

"Oh.... no. That real question. What is dead ?"

"Opposite of alive. Duh."

"Duh ? What is duh?"

"It's a saying. When something is obvious and the person doesn't get it you say duh."

"Is this to make person feel more stupid ?"

"Yeah, you got it."

"Well girl you wrong......DUH!"

"How ?"

"You never really dead. Body dies, yes. Decays, yes. But until your spirit leaves, you can come back. You hold all power over death,"

"But how? This bird is in pieces."

Pupil picked up the bird and cradled it in his right arm, with his small twisted left arm he caressed it's head. Bambi barked when she saw the glow around Pupil, and she watched as it spread to the bird. She looked at Erika and was panting. She tilted her head when she saw Erika's bored expression. Couldn't she see the light? Bambi thought humans were weird.

Erika's expression changed when she saw the hawks body begin to heal. Soon it looked like nothing had happened to it. Then it breathed in, and opened its eyes. It laid there, in his arms, and calmly looked around. It then spread it's wings and took flight and landed in the tree above them.

" Your turn....let's see what you got."

Erika looked unsure. She reached down and picked up a wren. She looked at Pupil.

"Start small then, if the deep water scares you then this is where we will start. First you must open yourself to the universe. Seek out the soul that belongs to this shell. It will call to you. Do not be afraid, it will not look like the bird."

Erika tried, her eyes staring off into the distance. Nothing happened, she said so. "This is bullshit."

"Language! First time, to hard to focus. Close your eyes, shut out all sound and noise. Hum if you have to. Focus on bird, what you feel. First with your hands, then with your heart and soul."