Surviving the Dark

Chapter 22 - Teachings

"Stop over thinking." Zae gives me a look.

"It's not that easy Isa."

"Zae you have been doing this since you were born. I've seen you do it when I first met you all those months ago. You didn't know why but you also never used to over think it, like you are now."

He let out a groan and falls back onto the grass.

We are by the Coolabah tree, have been for the past few hours. It's been a few days since I told him I was his sister and he was a pixie. I gave him time to process the bomb I dropped on him. But he still doesn't have his bracelet and he as no control over his abilities. Hence why we are here. Every day Zae has been walking here in a trance. He will keep doing it until the tree gets better. Previously he would get Jamie to help him cut down the branches that are sick and dying. But now that he knows who he is I want to should him that he doesn't have to cut the tree, hurting it more in the process.

"I didn't know what I was doing then, and it wasn't on such a big scale!" Zae exclaims sitting back up beside me, glaring at the tree.

"That's what I am here for." I smile at him. "It is a big job and I will help you do it, so you don't exhaust yourself. But you need to just feel it, not over think. Just focus on one branch."

He leans back on his hands. His hands splayed out behind him. He takes a deep breath and closes his eye. When he exhales, his gaze lands on the branch directly above our heads. He doesn't blink and his eyes glaze over from staring so much.

I shift my position as I can look up at the branch he is focusing on.

For a moment nothing happens. I sneak a look at Zae to make sure he is alright. When I look back at the branch, its no longer bare of any leaves, but is instead full of lush green leaves.

Xavier blinks a few times as his eyes focus again. He looks at me and gives me a worried look. I don't know why seeing as I can't stop smiling out of pride for my baby brother.

"What?" I point up to the branch above.

"I-I d-did that?! But h-how?"

I stand up and brush the dirt from my pants. I offer my hand to Zae and help him up. He still has a look of confusion and awe at what he just did.

"Yes, you did do that. You let your mind be free and felt your way to the problem." I walk up to the tree and lay my palms against the trunk, spreading my fingers out. I tip my head for Zae to do that same.

"Mum and dad died before I could fully understand how we can do what we do. But my understanding is that, almost like when a mother can sense when something is wrong with her child, we can feel the pain of the nature around us. It is with that connection and our ability to bring life to that around us, can we identify what and where needs to be looked after the most here in the preserve, and be able to heal the plants without needing to cut anything away."

I close my eyes and breathe deeply. I focus my mind to the tree, feeling my way to the areas that need mending. I open my eyes and take a step back. I see Zae has his eyes closed and his breathing has deepened, helping me heal the tree.

I stand beside him and lower my voice so I don't break his concentration.

"Focus on the roots, find the ones that are sick."

The tree starts to glow slightly. Starting from his hands and spreading till it's the whole tree. If the sun was not behind some clouds you would not notice the glow.

In the distance I can hear footsteps approaching.

Xavier's closed eyes tighten, green leaves start growing al over the tree. Every shade of green could be seen on the Coolabah tree now.

I could feel now that the tree was no longer sick, but thriving with life. Even the brown of the trunk had shifted into a healthier shade.

Zae stepped back from the tree, his arms falling beside him. He turned to face me with a huge smiling playing across his face.

"That... Was intense."

I beamed at him.

"Zae, you did it!"

"I did?" He paused. "Wait I thought you were gonna help me?"

I gave him a sheepish smile.

"I did, I helped with the branches. You did the roots all on your own.

His eyes widen as he realizes what he just accomplished. I smile and wrap my arms around him, shocking myself for doing something I don't normally do. Zae is taken by surprise too but wraps his arms around my shoulders because of our height difference.

"I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks Isa, For everything."

Before I can ask him what he meant by 'everything' Jamie walks in.

"Hey Xav, I fou- Woah!" Jamie stops walking and stares up in awe at the tree then back to Zae and I.

"Okay, its official. You two are awesome. Having you around we are gonna save so much money too. Every time something is sick we wont need to buy replacements, you can just heal it."

I laugh and push his chest playfully.

"I am not here to save you money. I'm here to help Zae control his abilities."

Something flashes in Jamie's eyes but a second later it's gone and I feel like I may have imagined it.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you and Live had meetings with the council today?"

"Oh, we did. I took them to where the irrigation blew up."

"Why would you do that? Wouldn't that give them more reason to shut this place?" I asked.

Jamie shakes his head.

"No, because its their fault it blew up. They told us when we took over that a new system was not long put in. Turns out one hadn't been put in for about ten years. And even then it was only a really cheap one. To be honest I am surprised it lasted as long as it did for being that old and cheap."

I nod still lost as to why he still seems so calm and happy. Jamie must see this and continues.

"They are going to pay for a brand new one to be installed, AND pay for anything else we feel this place needs."

"That's great J, but that still doesn't tell us why you are here." Zae points out.

"Oh I found-"

Jamie gets cut off by Xavier screaming and doubling over in pain.