The Boy Who Made Flowers Sing

51 | Reunion

Elena was paralyzed from the tip of her toes to the top of her pounding head. Agonizing screams echoed around her making her inwardly shudder. Her name was being called out in Aziza's voice in a panic.

Why was she crying? Elena thought.

The weight that lay heavy on her chest finally came off and Elena wanted to scream in pain, but her body was not cooperating. She was in drastic pain, but couldn't move her mouth to communicate it. Someone's warm arms were holding onto hers as she felt a fabric surface underneath her. She wanted to stand on her feet but felt severely weak.

Why am I so weak? Elena thought frantically. Why can't I move? Where am I?

She heard a muffled voice say something around her. It was a man's voice. What was he saying? Elena strained her ears and could make out one word: safe.

She forced her burning eyes open and saw a flash of white and red. She heard the whirring of a helicopter and the siren of an ambulance, but all the sounds merged into one. She kept her eyes open and forced her head up to see a man in a surgical mask carrying her in the dark. His terrified eyes briefly looked at hers and hurried towards the ambulance. Elena was confused and figured that she was probably dreaming. She fell back into oblivion.

*********

Elena dreamt about Papa Bois, the keeper of the forest whom Diego had talked about in Cartagena. This time, the deer stood in front of her and did not move. Then suddenly, an arrow stabbed the deer on its side and it ran. Elena ran after it in the jungle, stumbling over jagged rocks and twigs. She saw a vertical stream of fresh blood running down the deer's body but it still kept running. Another arrow hit the deer from the other side and it slowed in speed but kept bolting through the forest. Elena felt a surge of anger pulsing through her. She looked around herself to see who was shooting at Papa Bois and saw a black figure sprinting a few paces away.

The deer stopped abruptly and slowly fell to its side. Elena was somehow strong enough and immediately picked the animal up, running as fast as she could. Suddenly, she heard her name being called. She looked up to the sky as it seemed that was where it was coming from. Her name echoed through the forest and then again.

*********

"Elena," A voice said.

She was lying on the grass. It was soft and warm underneath her. She looked up and saw a figure appear, blocking the sun rays above her.

"Need a hand?" Her father's arm reached down and pulled her up.

Elena frowned. "Dad?"

He smiled at her. "I'm so proud of you, El."

"For what?" Elena asked.

"Everything," He smiled at her. "Look where you've come."

Elena frowned as she looked around her. The grass was too green, the sky was too blue, and the sun was too bright.

"Am I dead?" Elena asked.

"No," Her father replied, continuing to smile widely at her. "You still have much to accomplish in this world."

"Don't lose your momentum, Elena," He said. "You have to keep going in life. If you stop for a second, you'll find yourself getting nowhere."

Elena hugged him tightly before he disappeared.